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Anti-Elon Musk ‘tool kit’ released by progressive group encouraging protests

A progressive activist group is urging liberals to take advantage of the House of Representatives’ current weeklong recess to stage demonstrations against Elon Musk across the country.

Indivisible, an organization founded by former Democratic congressional staffers, published a “tool kit” with recommendations for protesting at town halls and lawmakers’ district offices.

A section on how to “take the fight to Elon” includes steps for planning and executing a demonstration at Tesla dealerships, showrooms and factories.

“Members of the House of Representatives will be back on your home turf from Friday, February 14th, through Sunday, February 23rd, and it’s our opportunity to remind them who they work for,” the group’s website states. “Fighting back against the Trump-Musk coup is going to take all of us.”

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS

A progressive group is urging activists to protest Elon Musk’s government efficiency efforts at House lawmakers’ offices across the country. (AP/Deirdre Heavey at Fox News Digital)

The House is currently out of session to mark Presidents Day this past Monday. These periods normally see lawmakers holding events with constituents or otherwise participating in their communities.

Indivisible is urging progressives to take advantage of that time to protest across the U.S.

“Recess is when Members of Congress go back home to host town halls, meet with constituents, and try to paint themselves as responsive to the people who elected them. It is also when MoCs think they can avoid public scrutiny—especially Republicans who want to dodge tough questions about their complicity in Trump and Musk’s coup,” the site said.

“House Republicans use this time to meet with lobbyists and donors while hoping their constituents stay silent. House Democrats, meanwhile, need to hear from us to remind them that they have power—and that we expect them to use it to fight back.”

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

Indivisible was founded in response to President Donald Trump’s ascendancy. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)

It comes amid widespread left-wing outrage over Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), at the direction of President Donald Trump, spearheading efforts to significantly crack down on the size and scope of various federal agencies.

Democrats have also pushed back on Musk’s DOGE workers getting access to sensitive government-owned data despite a lack of clarity on how they were vetted.

However, Republicans have met Musk’s work with enthusiasm, arguing that tough measures are needed to mitigate the effects of the U.S. national debt blowing past $36 trillion.

“This recess, we’re making sure every single Republican feels the heat for their complicity and pays a political price for selling out their constituents,” the Indivisible website said.

“At the same time, House Democrats have power—if they use it. But they need to be reminded. We need to show up for the ones fighting, celebrate their courage, and remind them to hold the line. We’ll push them to commit to voting NO on any budget that gives Musk and Trump control over our government’s spending or includes extremist cuts.”

A protester holds up a “NO MUSK” sign at the “No Kings on Presidents Day” protest in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

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Under a section titled, “planning your Tesla town hall,” the group said, “To fight back, we have to meet Musk where he operates—across the country at Tesla showrooms, factories, and dealerships. A Tesla protest is a powerful way to expose his deep ties to the Trump coup and demand accountability.”

At the same time, it urges activists to remain on public property and refrain from “business targeting.”

“Indivisible is not advising and does not condone any actions that directly interfere with the daily operations or activities of any business or entity,” it said.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 18, 2025
DHS faces lawsuit from conservative group over Biden-era request

FIRST ON FOX: A conservative group is suing the Department of Homeland Security as part of an effort to get what it says is “maximum transparency” about the agency’s handling of criminal illegal immigrants during the Biden administration.

The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) is suing DHS for records it requested in October during the Biden administration about the release of data on noncitizens on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s non-detained docket with criminal backgrounds.

The data, released to lawmakers in September, stated that there were 425,431 convicted criminals on ICE’s non-detained docket, and an additional 222,141 with pending criminal charges.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTS SKYROCKET UNDER TRUMP ICE COMPARED TO BIDEN LEVELS LAST YEAR: ‘WORST OF THE WORST’

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

Those include 62,231 convicted of assault, 14,301 convicted of burglary, 56,533 with drug convictions and 13,099 convicted of homicide. An additional 2,521 have kidnapping convictions, and 15,811 have sexual assault convictions.

There were an additional 1,845 with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, 3,266 with burglary charges and 4,250 with assault charges.

At the time, the Biden DHS said the data was being misinterpreted, noting it goes back decades, and includes those who are not only free but also those who are incarcerated by federal, state or local authorities but who are not in ICE custody.

CASA requested internal communications and records from ICE and Customs and Border Protection related to the data and the release of the data, including meeting requests, call logs and communications with media outlets. It requested the documents via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT, MURDER CONVICTIONS IN US: ICE DATA

Alejandro Mayorkas is pictured next to a sighting of a drone in New Jersey. (AP Images/Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)

The group did not receive a response and so has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia to compel compliance from the agency.

“Through DHS’s failure to make a determination within the time period required by law, CASA has constructively exhausted its administrative remedies and seeks immediate judicial review,” the lawsuit says.

“The American people deserve maximum transparency regarding the government’s handling of all illegal aliens, but particularly about those aliens with serious criminal convictions,” CASA director James Fitzpatrick told Fox News Digital.

“This lawsuit will force DHS to provide records and communications related to the release of these illegal alien criminals into communities throughout the country,” he said.

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It is unclear how DHS under the Trump administration will handle the request, given the administration’s significantly different attitude to the release of illegal immigrants. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has largely stopped the release of migrants into the U.S., in part due to President Trump’s order declaring a national emergency at the southern border. That, in turn, has meant that migrants can be removed without being offered the ability to claim asylum.

In addition, the administration has launched a mass deportation campaign and has been making significant steps to not only conduct arrests, but also to house illegal immigrants without releasing them and to increase the rate of deportations.

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Fox News Digital reported last week that the arrests of illegal immigrants have skyrocketed in the first weeks of the Trump administration compared to the same period last year under former President Biden.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

February 17, 2025
Georgetown pressured to cancel event with convicted member of PFLP terror group

An anti-Israel student group at Georgetown University’s law school planned to hold an event on campus headlined by a Palestinian terror group member convicted for his role in the killing of a 17-year-old Israeli girl.

But the event was postponed by the university. Now, a Jewish legal advocacy group is calling on the law school to formally cancel the event.

Flyers on campus, captured in images taken by a Georgetown law student and shared with Fox News Digital, show that Georgetown Law Students for Justice in Palestine organized an event with Ribhi Karajah for Feb. 11.

“Palestinian Prisoners, an evening with Ribhi Karajah, student activist and former political prisoner,” the flyer states, adding that Karajah will speak to students about his “arrest, detention, and torture in the Israeli military judicial system.”

TRUMP MOVES TO DEPORT HAMAS-SYMPATHIZING STUDENTS

An image provided to Fox News Digital of flyers hung around Georgetown’s law school campus advertising the controversial event with Ribhi Karajah. (The Lawfare Project)

Karajah, a U.S. citizen, was arrested, along with two members of the U.S.-designated terror group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and spent 3½ years in prison for his involvement in an August 2019 roadside bombing that killed a young Israeli named Rina Shnerb and seriously injured her father and brother. Karajh was informed of intimate details of the attack by associates within the PFLP and subsequently admitted in a plea agreement he did nothing to stop it.

JEWISH STUDENTS AT GEORGETOWN LAW FEAR VIOLENCE AMID HEATED RHETORIC FROM CLASSMATES AND ANTI-ISRAEL GROUPS

Karajah also spent several months in an Israeli prison in 2017 while attending Birzeit University, a school known to be a hotbed for terrorist sympathizers. According to Jewish activist Adar Rubin, the director of mobilization at End Jew Hatred, Karajah has promoted PFLP leadership on social media and spoken at PFLP-sponsored events.

While the student group cited inclement weather on social media as the reason for postponing Karajah’s event, it said in a statement that, two days before the event, the law school instructed the student group to postpone the event so that the university “could conduct a thorough investigation into serious safety and security concerns that had arisen in connection with the event.”

Now, The Lawfare Project, a legal advocacy group that supports students facing antisemitism on campus, is calling on the university to cancel the event. In a letter sent to the dean and vice dean of Georgetown’s law school Wednesday, The Lawfare Project cited federal law against providing material support for terrorism.

Georgetown University with an inset image of Palestinian terrorists. (Getty Images)

“Under 18 U.S.C. § 2339A, the term ‘material support or resources’ includes, but is not limited to, expert advice or assistance, lodging, training, personnel, and services. The U.S. Supreme Court, in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project (2010), upheld a broad interpretation of this statute, ruling that even seemingly benign support, such as providing a platform to an FTO member, can further terrorism and violate federal law,” The Lawfare Project said in its letter to the dean of Georgetown’s law school, William Treanor.

“By permitting Karajah to speak on its campus, GULC risks providing material support to a known terrorist operative. … The fact that this event was organized by a recognized student group does not absolve the university of liability.”

BLUE STATE DEMOCRATS SPEARHEAD BILLS TO CRACK DOWN ON CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM

The Lawfare Project is also calling for Georgetown to reveal whether any law school administrators were aware of Karajah’s affiliation with the PFLP before approving the event. As of Thursday, the group told Fox News Digital it had not heard back from the university.

Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to the nation’s capital, he met with several U.S. college students and recent graduates who have been at the front of rising anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses. During the discussion with these students, Netanyahu was told about the event by Julia Wax Vanderwiel, founder and president of Georgetown Law Zionists.

“[Netanyahu] had a very visceral reaction to my speech,” she told Jewish Insider. “He’s appalled [about the upcoming event]. He said he knows exactly who [the murdered 17-year-old] is. He’s met the family. He said that we need to stay strong. He genuinely listened, cared and wants something done.”

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Vanderweil added in comments to Jewish Insider that Karajah’s “presence on our campus threatens the security of all Jewish students.”

February 13, 2025
Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ doctrine can aid Trump administration with Taiwan policy, group says

A group led by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute (RRPFI) has issued a series of takeaways following its recent visit to Taiwan. The takeaways can be seen as a roadmap of ideas for the Trump administration.

The eight-member delegation consisting of U.S. national security and business leaders concluded their strategic visit to Taiwan last month amid the presidential transition in Washington, D.C., a new administration in Taipei and ongoing Chinese coercion and aggression in East Asia.

The series of meetings was designed to strengthen ties between the United States and Taiwan across Taiwan’s political leaders and business elite. Members of the RRPFI delegation identified several key takeaways from the trip that could compliment the Trump administration’s policies toward strengthening the U.S.-Taiwan partnership.

TRUMP MUST DUMP ‘ONE CHINA’ POLICY AND RECOGNIZE ‘FREE’ TAIWAN, HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY

The delegation said that while a number of President Donald Trump’s selections for top administration roles have expressed previously held views about policy involving Taiwan, there is a general mix of optimism and uncertainty over the direction the administration will take on security and economic matters relating to Taiwan.

A member of the Taiwanese coast guard monitors a Chinese coast guard boat as it passes near the coast of the Matsu Islands, governed by Taiwan, on Monday, Oct. 14. (Taiwan Coast Guard/AP)

Increasing defense spending, particularly with NATO allies, was a centerpiece of Trump’s first term. The delegation stressed national unity on defense and said elected officials from all parties need to live up to the intent to increase defense spending. The delegation emphasized to Taiwanese partners that the American public expects U.S. allies and partners to shoulder the primary burden of their own defense, a notion that will certainly appeal to the Trump administration.

The delegation asserted that Russia’s war in Ukraine and how the West handled it since Russia’s full-scale invasion are on the minds of Taiwanese leaders. The Biden administration used the Presidential Drawdown Authority on at least 55 occasions since August 2021 to provide Ukraine with military assistance from Department of Defense stockpiles, according to the State Department. The RRPFI delegation argue that the Presidential Drawdown Authority along with Foreign Military Sales are valuable tools for enhancing Taiwan’s capabilities and ensuring peace and stability in the region.

TAIWAN FM HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS ‘CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY’

President Lai Ching-te meets a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. (Official Photo by I Chen Lin / Office of the President)

At last month’s meeting, David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, told Taiwanese leaders that, “especially with President Trump’s mandate in returning to office, Taiwan, the PRC, and the world are watching how the United States addresses China’s ongoing aggression in the South China Sea and malign online influence.”

He said that the security situation across the Taiwan Strait demands a continued commitment to peace through strength, including through robust partnership with Taiwan and sustained U.S. deterrence.

President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Getty)

TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA

“Taiwan has made, and is making, serious investments in its security,” Trulio told the audience.

“That said, given President Trump’s and the American public’s expectation that U.S. allies and partners shoulder the primary burden of their own defense, it is critical that Taiwan’s leaders deliver on their stated intent to increase defense spending and enhance their operational capabilities,” Trulio added.

Taiwan currently spends 2.45% of its GDP on defense, and Taiwanese leaders have expressed their intention to continue to increase their defense budget. Defense spending has increased by 80% since 2016, and their defense budget accounted for 15% of its total budget in 2024, according to Taiwan’s government.

The U.S. has been arming Taiwan for seven decades and Taiwan has consistently been one of the largest purchasers of U.S. weapons through the Foreign Military Sales process.

China’s military fired missiles into the water off eastern Taiwan on Aug. 4, 2022 in response to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting the island. (China Military)

The delegation warned that not receiving weapons diminishes Taiwan’s security and enables the PRC to claim that the United States is an unreliable partner.

China takes these arm sales very seriously. China warned the U.S. that it was making “dangerous moves” by providing Taiwan with an additional $571 million in defense materials, which was authorized by then-President Joe Biden in December just prior to leaving office.

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement at the time urging the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and to cease what it referred to as “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

February 13, 2025
Trump nominee for antitrust chief says anti-conservative advertising group GARM engaged in ‘collusion’

President Donald Trump DOJ’s antitrust division chief nominee Abigail Slater testified in a Senate hearing about the now-defunct trade association Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).

President Donald Trump’s nominee to head of the Department of Justice’s antitrust division said an infamous advertising trade association that allegedly organized a boycott of conservative media engaged in a “certain amount of collusion.”

The Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), an advertising trade association founded by the World Federation of Advertisers, defined itself as a “voluntary cross-industry initiative created in 2019 to address digital safety.”

The group said it was established after the Christchurch New Zealand Mosque shootings to protect brands from having their advertisements placed next to “illegal or harmful content” such as child pornography or posts supporting terrorism. The group maintained that it was “apolitical.”

WHAT IS GARM? ‘COLLUSIVE’ AD GROUP ALLEGEDLY TARGETING CONSERVATIVES FACES GRILLING FROM TOP HOUSE COMMITTEE

President Donald Trump DOJ’s antitrust division chief nominee Abigail Slater testifies in a Senate hearing. (Fox News)

However, the House Judiciary Committee issued a report accusing the organization of colluding to punish organizations it didn’t approve of politically and engaging in industry-wide advertising boycotts on politically disfavored platforms, news outlets and podcasts including Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Spotify, Fox News, The Daily Wire and Breitbart News.

When asked by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) at a hearing on Wednesday if advertisers colluding to boycott a specific “conservative news site” was illegal price fixing under federal antitrust laws, the Trump DOJ’s antitrust division chief nominee Abigail Slater said she couldn’t answer a hypothetical but quickly steered the conversation toward GARM.

Missouri Sen.Eric Schmitt questioned Trump’s antitrust chief in a Senate hearing. (Fox News)

“What we’ve seen in terms of reporting and facts and evidence in from the House GARM report… what was evidence there was a pattern of conduct involving a trade association which for and on behalf of national brands and international brands selectively stopped advertising dollars or counsel companies not to send advertising dollars to certain companies,” Slater said.

CHAIR JORDAN DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM DOZENS OF MAJOR COMPANIES TIED TO SHADOWY ‘COLLUSIVE’ AD GROUP

President Trump nominated Slater to head the DOJ antitrust division. (Alex Scott/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“I think it’s fair to say, a certain amount of collusion went on via this trade association, and I think that pattern of conduct is is quite troubling,” she testified.

Slater claimed that GARM’s actions deprived the affected companies of 90% of U.S. ad spending.

Adidas, American Express, Bayer, BP, Carhartt, Chanel, CVS and General Motors, were all allegedly involved with GARM.

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GARM’s leader and co-founder, Rob Rakowitz, has expressed frustration with “extreme global interpretation of the US Constitution” and dismissed using “‘principles for governance’ and applying them as literal law from 230 years ago (made by white men exclusively).”

GARM shut down in 2024, citing “allegations that unfortunately misconstrue its purpose and activities have caused a distraction and significantly drained its resources and finances.”

February 13, 2025
DOGE must ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood, Mike Pence’s watchdog group urges Musk

FIRST ON FOX: Former Vice President Mike Pence’s conservative watchdog nonprofit is urging Elon Musk, head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to cut off “wasteful” federal spending on Planned Parenthood.

“For the sake of the American people and generations yet unborn, the time has come for the United States to finally defund the largest abortion provider in America,” Tim Chapman, president of Advancing American Freedom, wrote in a letter to Musk on Tuesday.

TRUMP’S HOUSE ALLIES UNVEIL BILL ‘HAND IN HAND’ WITH DOGE CRACKDOWN

Mike Pence’s conservative nonprofit Advancing American Freedom is urging DOGE leader Elon Musk to cut funding that benefits Planned Parenthood. (Getty Images)

Planned Parenthood received approximately $75 billion in federal funding from 2019 to 2021, including $22 billion in Health and Human Services grants and $53 billion from public health programs, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America affiliates accounted for $148 million in HHS grants and $1.5 billion in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP payments, with regional organizations receiving an additional $108 million. Taxpayer dollars made up 34% of Planned Parenthood’s funding, the letter stated, citing a 2022-2023 annual report by the Charlotte Lozier Institute.

“While we are grateful for your work eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government, we truly believe that the opportunity to defund Planned Parenthood may be yours and President Trump’s greatest moment,” the letter read.

MUSK’S NEXT TARGET? TRUMP SAYS DOGE WILL LOOK AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PENTAGON FUNDING

Elon Musk, the chair of DOGE, has taken aim at various spending projects throughout the federal government. (Getty Images)

President Trump enacted measures last month to restrict abortion funding. He reinstated the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funding to international non-governmental organizations that perform or promote abortions. He also signed an executive order enforcing the 1980 Hyde Amendment to prevent federal funds from being used for elective abortions, reversing previous policies under the Biden administration that had expanded access to abortion services.

The Biden-Harris administration subsequently ramped up its support for Planned Parenthood’s abortion access following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Under the previous administration, $700 million in federal funds was given to Planned Parenthood during a one-year span as the organization performed a record number of abortions, which coincided with a decline in all other major services, according to Planned Parenthood’s 2022-2023 report published last year.

HEGSETH WELCOMES IN ELON MUSK’S DOGE FOR ‘LONG OVERDUE’ DOD SPENDING OVERHAUL

Planned Parenthood provides contraceptives and abortion services at clinics across the country. (Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, DOGE and Planned Parenthood for comment.

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

February 11, 2025
House Dems organize rapid response task force and litigation group to combat Trump agenda

House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sent House Democrats a letter Monday announcing the formation of a rapid response team and litigation group to “push back against the far-right extremism” since President Donald Trump took office.

In the “Dear Colleague” letter, Jeffries wrote, “I write with respect to our ongoing effort to push back against the far-right extremism that is being relentlessly unleashed on the American people.”

Jeffries characterized the political landscape as “a multifaceted struggle to protect and defend everyday Americans from the harm being inflicted by this administration.”

The letter states House Democrats have as a result officially established a Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group chaired by Colorado Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse.

DEMS FLIRT WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREAT DESPITE PAST FUROR OVER SPENDING CLIFF

House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, right, sent House Democrats a letter Monday announcing the formation of a rapid response team and litigation group to “push back against the far-right extremism” since President Donald Trump took office. (Getty Images)

Jeffries said that Democrats would continue to be “committed to driving down the high cost of living for everyday Americans.” He criticized House Republicans for continuing to “launch far-right attacks on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public safety and the education of our children,” saying the American people were “counting” on Democrats to stop them.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, Jeffries’ office and Neguse’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS HOUSE WILL MATCH TRUMP’S PACE AS DEMOCRATS ARE LEFT ‘FLAILING’

Jeffries responded to a Fox News inquiry about the task force, saying, “It’s been an ongoing effort to push back against far-right extremism.”

Jeffries told Fox that “not a single thing that [Republicans have] actually done is a matter of law right now” and said such actions suggest Republicans are “in disarray.”

The letter states House Democrats have as a result officially established a Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group chaired by Colorado Democrat Rep. Joe Neguse, pictured here. (Getty)

Jeffries, along with House Democrat colleagues, have unveiled efforts to resist the president’s agenda since Trump took office in mid-January.

Just last week, House Democrats announced legislation that seeks to secure the personal data of Americans amid the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) spending sweep.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT LEAVES CONGRESSIONAL DOGE CAUCUS, SAYING MUSK IS ‘BLOWING THINGS UP’

The legislation, titled the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, was revealed Thursday to “shield the American people from this out-of-control power grab, permanently, and make sure that the financial, personal, medical, and confidential information of the American people is protected.”

Elon Musk’s DOGE team has spent the last several weeks identifying “wasteful” spending within various governmental agencies.

Elon Musk’s DOGE team has spent the last several weeks identifying “wasteful” spending within various governmental agencies. (House of Representatives/Getty)

DOGE became the target of various lawsuits in the weeks following its establishment. A federal New York judge on Saturday ruled to block DOGE officials from accessing personal data such as social security numbers and bank account numbers.

Trump’s Justice Department railed against the order, calling it an “anti-Constitutional” ruling.

Vice President JD Vance also called the ruling unconstitutional on X, saying it was an example of judicial overreach.

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“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” Vance wrote Sunday.

Fox News’ Kelly Phares, Tyler Olson, Aubrie Spady, and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.

February 11, 2025
Costco CEO, execs members of Washington business group dedicated to “racial equity”

‘The Big Money Show’ explores companies turning against DEI policies while Costco bucks the trend.

Costco’s CEO and several executives are affiliated with a Washington business group dedicated to advancing “racial equity for Black Washingtonians,” showcasing just how deeply committed the grocery wholesaler is to diversity, equity and inclusion as it faces mounting pressure from investors to drop the controversial programs.

Washington Employers for Racial Equity is a group that brings together local business leaders, ranging from Costco CEO Ron Vachris to Microsoft President Brad Smith in order to support “Black Washingtonians” and build “a future rooted in equity for all,” according to its website.

WERE members have pledged to achieve a series of equity-related goals by the year 2030. Among those goals are racial quotas for their workforce, vowing to have the percentage of Black employees mirror the percentage of working-age Black people living in the communities the WERE members are doing business in, investing a combined $2 billion in programs to support “racial equity,” increasing investment in Black-owned business and providing anti-bias training.

COSTCO AWARDED EXECUTIVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN DEI-RELATED BONUSES

Several Costco execs are members of a “racial equity” business group.

“Equity will increase prosperity for our entire state. Our communities will be stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. Our economy and our companies will benefit from a greater diversity of ideas, a more robust talent pipeline, and increased opportunity for all Washingtonians. We will start by owning our part of this problem, actively working to contribute to solutions, and using our voices to advocate for governmental action that supports transformational and lasting change,” WERE’s report “The Commitment to Progress: An Equitable Future for Washington,” said.

In addition to Vachris, several other Costco execs are members of WERE’s “Supplier Diversity Task Force.” Costco Director, Journeys, Diversity & Inclusion Claude Green, Senior Vice President, Corporate Foods & Sundries Nancy Griese and Food & Sundries Assistant General Merchandise Manager Leanne Bender are all listed as being part of the taskforce.

“This task force focuses on removing barriers and identifying opportunities to improve supplier diversity and support investment in Black-owned businesses,” the website stated.

The grocery wholesaler has been under pressure to drop their DEI policies. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

WASHINGTON AG STANDS BY COSTCO, BLASTS REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL THREATENING DEI CRACKDOWN

Costco’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has made the grocery wholesaler the focus of a broader national conversation around DEI. In January Costco’s board shot down an investors’ proposal to investigate the risks associated with their DEI policies, which led to backlash as well as support from the Rev. Al Sharpton, who staged a “buy in” at wholesaler’s Harlem location.

In response, 19 states’ attorneys general wrote a letter to CEO Vachris ordering the grocery chain to drop their DEI policies to get in line with President Trump’s executive orders combating the controversial programs.

A former Costco executive Roger Campbell told Fox News Digital that DEI is part of the company’s culture, and a key ingredient in the secret sauce that made the grocery chain so successful.

President Trump has signed several executive orders combating DEI. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The term DEI didn’t even exist to us, it was the way we ran our business… it’s who we are,” former Costco International Division Senior Vice President Roger Campbell told Fox News Digital.

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Several members of Costco’s board donated heavily to Democratic party aligned groups, with Chairman of the Board Hamilton E. James having given $100,000 to the Harris Action Fund in May 2023, FEC data revealed.

Neither WERE nor Costco responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

February 11, 2025
Musk-led group of investors submit unsolicited bid of $97.4 to take over OpenAI

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar explains how AI is taking center stage at Davos, what the Stargate project means for the macroeconomy and details new products for key customers.

A group of investors led by billionaire Elon Musk has offered $97.4 million to take control of OpenAI, fueling his feud with Sam Altman over ChatGPT, which is behind the artificial intelligence (AI) company, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Marc Toberoff, Musk’s attorney, said he submitted a bid on Monday to the board of directors at OpenAI.

ELON MUSK AND TECH LEADER SAM ALTMAN GET INTO WAR OF WORDS OVER AI INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Musk previously helped launch OpenAI, which Altman is now the CEO of, but no longer has any connection to the company. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

While the offer was unsolicited, it could interfere with Altman’s plans for the future of OpenAI, which included turning it into a profitable company. He also reportedly planned to spend up to $500 billion in infrastructure to support artificial intelligence through Stargate, a joint venture Altman is part of.

Both Musk and Altman are battling it out in court over the future direction of OpenAI.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

February 10, 2025
NFL stars team up to surprise Make-A-Wish group at LIDS ahead of Super Bowl LIX

As important as “The Big Game” is, what happens in the week leading up to the Super Bowl can create lasting memories.

For 19 Make-A-Wish kids and their families, that’s exactly what happened on Friday morning at Locker Room by LIDS in the New Orleans Riverwalk Outlets.

The group, which has been in the Big Easy for Super Bowl LIX week, has had tons of great experiences leading up to the game they will be attending.

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Tristan Wirfs, Jahmyr Gibbs and Cam Skattebo smile with Make-A-Wish kids at Super Bowl Experience on February 7, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Anna Webber/Getty Images for Fanatics)

But they got a surprise like no other when they were told by Orlando Ashford, Strategic Advisor, Fanatics, that every kid would receive a $250 gift card to spend in the store, which included hats, jerseys, shirts and more from every team in the NFL.

That wasn’t all, though, as Ashford announced some special guests with him to help the kids and their families pick out the right gear: Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, and Arizona State running Cam Skattebo, who is expected to be drafted in April to his new NFL squad.

The group went wild as the three football players walked out, and they got to shopping.

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“Make-A-Wish Foundation is incredible and being able to be here to see the smiles on the kids’ faces, it’s something so simple, like taking a picture, hanging out, shopping, doing whatever. It’s pretty special,” Wirfs, who said that he has a different perspective now being a father himself, told Fox News Digital during the shopping spree.

Skattebo added: “You never really know who you’re going to meet and what smile is going to make the day for you. You don’t know and realize what these kids know about you. The fact that you can make their day by just meeting them, putting a smile on your face while you meet them, it could change their lives and how you look at things.”

Cameron Skattebo and Tristan Wirfs take a picture with a Make-A-Wish kid in New Orleans (Anna Webber/Getty Images for Fanatics)

Ashford mentioned during his speech before revealing the players that he has actually retired from his role with Fanatics, but he remains on the Make-A-Wish national board because of how much he loves creating memories for these kids and their families on the sports side.

“For a company like Fanatics, we’ve been blessed to go to the Super Bowl and have great events like this,” he said. “To be able to take a little bit of that energy and pour it into some young people who are dealing with some pretty extreme issues and challenges, we’re more than honored to do that as a company.

“The reason I continue to do it is because it’s such an energy boost.”

Flo Bryan, Chief Corporate Alliances Officer, was all smiles as well, interacting with the kids picking out their favorite player’s and team’s gear. It’s safe to say every event like this never gets old.

“Oh, gosh no,” she replied. “You see the smiles on these kids’ faces. Just the fact that we’re able to grant these kinds of wishes with partners like Fanatics. Since they’ve come on board as our official sports sponsor, to have them really elevate these wishes like they’ve been doing is incredible.”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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Lasting memories were made in that LIDS store on Friday morning, and many more will continue to be made with this partnership for Make-A-Wish and Fanatics, as they continue to bring together some of the best athletes in the world to provide hope and joy for these kids and their families going through challenges.

“I couldn’t imagine meeting somebody in the NFL when I was a kid. So, being able to be that person for those kids now is a really cool feeling,” Wirfs said.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 8, 2025