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‘Red flag’: Education activist rails against ‘dangerous’ Trump nominee for key education post

President Trump is facing pushback from conservatives on social media, as well as an education activist who spoke to Fox News Digital, over his nomination of Dr. Penny Schwinn for deputy secretary at the Department of Education.

“Being from Tennessee and being under Schwinn and her Berkeley-educated, radical views, I was actually shocked when I heard that she was being nominated by President Trump because she is the most unlike President Trump, and her policies are not the same,” Laurie Cardoza Moore, member of the Tennessee Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission and founder of Proclaiming Justice To the Nations, told Fox News Digital about Trump’s nomination of Schwinn.

Trump announced his nomination of Schwinn, the former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, in a recent Truth Social post, saying that she is “committed to delivering the American Dream to the next Generation by returning Education BACK TO THE STATES.”

Moore told Fox News Digital that Schwinn’s record is not compatible with the agenda Trump is trying to implement and fears that someone recommended Schwinn to Trump without fully explaining her background.

NEW GUIDE HELPS PARENTS PROTECT KIDS AGAINST ‘WOKE’ IDEOLOGIES IN SCHOOLS

Education activist Laurie Cardoza Moore told Fox News Digital she has significant concerns about Trump’s Deputy Education Secretary pick.

“I decided to call on President Trump to rescind his nomination of Penny Schwinn for the deputy secretary of Education appointment because of the policies that she implemented here in the state of Tennessee. You know, I fought for a couple of years for Gov. Lee to call for her resignation because of her, her policies, her values,” Moore said.

“But under her leadership, and this is what’s important for the audience to understand, the children in Tennessee — and this is not just Tennessee because she’s been to Texas and Florida — but our kids were subjected to pornographic and anti-Semitic content in library books, for example, ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ was one of them. She exposed Tennessee children to dark content like the Wit and Wisdom curriculum, all of which violate child indecency laws and obscenity laws here in the state of Tennessee, which is really troubling to me. She developed a plan to conduct child welfare checks on Tennessee children from birth to 18 to make sure they had their vaccinations.”

Moore expressed concerns that the Berkeley-educated Schwinn hired a math expert in Tennessee, Rachael Maves, who promoted “math equity” in California, along with Schwinn’s support of the Wit and Wisdom program, which critics say is a mask for CRT.

TRUMP DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DISMISSES ‘MERITLESS’ BOOK BAN COMPLAINTS

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Schwinn was grilled by Tennessee lawmakers in 2020 over her handling of textbooks and contracts but defended her actions taken as education commissioner.

Schwinn was hired by former University of Florida President Ben Sasse, a vocal Trump critic, in 2023 and was one of several employees to face criticism for racking up thousands in travel costs in order to work from home before she was fired in 2024, WUSF reported.

While Trump has garnered widespread praise from conservatives for the majority of his appointments, many conservatives on social media echoed Moore’s concerns about Schwinn.

“President Trump needs the full story on Penny Schwinn’s education history in TN,” conservative commentator Robby Starbuck posted on X. “I really hope he reconsiders her nomination.”

“Penny says her core value is ‘Equity for all… no matter what.’ On her watch TN’s Department of Education even embraced DEI for hiring teachers. She may be a very nice person but naming her Under Secretary of Education at this critical juncture isn’t a good idea when she’s been a believer in this toxic DEI ideology.”

Tennessee Commissioner of Education Dr Penny Schwinn testified at the House Education Committee on Capitol Hill on July 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)

“Anytime someone claims their desired outcome is equity, understand they’re pushing a communist agenda,” former NCAA swimmer and conservative commentator Riley Gaines posted on X. “NO to Penny Schwinn.”

Country music star John Rich also criticized Schwinn in a post on X, saying that Trump’s decision needs to be “reversed.”

Other conservatives came to Schwinn’s defense, including journalist Chris Rufo, who is considered the most effective critic of Critical Race Theory in many conservative circles.

“President Trump and Secretary McMahon selected Penny for a reason, and we should all work together to make sure she is successful,” Rufo wrote on X.

Schwinn’s appointment also earned praise from GOP Sen. Tim Scott, who posted on X, “The closest thing to magic in America is a quality education. With @realDonaldTrump, @Linda_McMahon, and Penny Schwinn leading our education policy, we will empower parents and prioritize students.”

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“God does not give brains out based on zip code or income. Let’s unleash school choice so all students can thrive.”

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X that McMahon and Schwinn are “both champions on parental empowerment and education freedom through universal school choice we’re implementing in Arkansas.”

Many conservatives have made the case that Trump has a “mandate” from the voters to appoint whoever he sees fit to these high-profile positions, but Moore called Schwinn a “red flag” who will not adhere to Trump’s agenda in the department, specifically his plan to downsize or even eliminate the department.

“Somehow somebody has put the bug in Trump’s ear that he should nominate her,” Moore told Fox News Digital. “But President Trump, you know, I know that he’s very concerned about the future and the state of education, and Penny Schwinn is the last person. She would embarrass him ultimately down the road because she would implement her left policies, her Berkeley-educated policies, and introduce them to the whole country. Very dangerous.”

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

January 28, 2025
Key Trump ally to announce run against leading Republican in ‘next couple of months’

Speaking to Republican Party members in Denton County Monday night, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, listed several Republicans he plans to purge from the Texas GOP for being insufficiently conservative.

Among those on Paxton’s list was Texas’ senior U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, one of the most powerful members of the Senate GOP.

The crowd erupted into loud applause as Paxton said, “The second thing we need to do, and I might play a role in this, is replace John Cornyn in the U.S. Senate.”

GARY PETERS, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR FROM TRUMP STATE, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION

The attorney general, who worked with the Trump team to file a lawsuit in December that successfully secured a court order stopping the Biden administration from continuing sales of border wall materials, has long hinted at a potential run to replace Cornyn.

“I can’t think of a single thing he’s accomplished for our state or even for the country,” Paxton said in a September 2023 interview on the Fox News Channel. And pointing to a possible Senate run in 2026, Paxton said, “Somebody needs to step up and run against this guy,” adding, “everything’s on the table for me.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Fox News Digital)

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Paxton gave more credence to the rumors, saying despite “loving what I’m doing … I’m looking potentially at the U.S. Senate.”

He shared that he is in talks with groups in Texas about a possible 2026 Senate run and will likely decide in the “next couple of months.”

Paxton claimed Cornyn does not represent the conservative values of Texans and accused him of not being an ally of Trump.

He has also regularly labeled Cornyn a “RINO,” a “Republican in name only” and an insult MAGA and “America First” Republicans have regularly used to criticize more mainstream or establishment members of the GOP.

PETE BUTTIGIEG GIVING ‘SERIOUS LOOK’ TO 2026 SENATE RUN IN TRUMP-WON MICHIGAN

A Texas state flag attached to a bike waves in Austin, Texas, in 2015. (Reuters)

Another source close to Paxton told Fox News Digital the attorney general “plans to spend the next few months meeting with voters, donors and grassroots activists across the state to gauge interest and decide how he can serve Texas best.”

The attorney general has faced his own set of challenges. In 2022, he defeated a primary effort by former Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush amid charges of bribery and corruption. In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach Paxton, but he was eventually acquitted of all charges by the state senate.

For his part, Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002, has no intention of leaving the Senate. After serving in key GOP leadership positions, including chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, from 2009-2013, and Senate majority whip, from 2015-2019, he threw his hat in the ring to become the Senate majority leader in 2024, though he ultimately lost to South Dakota Sen. John Thune.

TULSI GABBARD, RFK JR. EXPECTED TO FACE OPPOSITION IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is one of the leading Republicans in the Senate. (Getty Images)

Cornyn, meanwhile, has said he will “absolutely” run again in 2026.

In recent months, he has also been a vocal supporter of Trump’s Cabinet picks and has slammed Democrats for delaying confirmations for key positions. In a speech on the Senate floor earlier this month, he said, “Our first and most urgent task is to confirm President Trump’s nominees for his Cabinet.”

With both considered leading Republicans and both holding significant support, any potential primary race between the two in the Lone Star State promises to be a dramatic — perhaps messy — showdown.

SENATE WILL ‘KEEP GRINDING THROUGH’ TO GET TRUMP TEAM CONFIRMED, JOHN THUNE SAYS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a news conference in Dallas June 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

One of the primary questions that remains is whether the president would support his longtime ally Paxton or if he would, in the interest of preserving party unity, support a GOP establishment that has previously been criticized as “weak” and “ineffective.”

“The big question is whether Trump would support Paxton over Cornyn in a primary challenge,” Matt Mackowiak, a veteran Republican strategist and communications consultant based in Texas and Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital.

“Cornyn’s never lost a race. Cornyn has a lot of support around the state. He’s traveled all corners of the state for a long time and is very well known and very well liked,” said Mackowiak. “We haven’t had a Republican senator lose a primary since Richard Lugar in 2004.

“As much as people sometimes think it’s doable, think it’s easy, think it’s inevitable, it really just doesn’t happen. But I’m not saying it can’t happen. I’m not saying that Paxton can’t win. I think he certainly has a decent chance.”

SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT

The dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Fox News Digital)

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Mackowiak added that if Paxton runs, it “would be a massive race with national consequences.”

“You’d have national activists and money involved on both sides,” he said. “It could end up being one of the biggest primaries of the cycle and probably the most significant statewide primary in Texas since Dewhurst-Cruz [when former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz defeated Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for the GOP Senate nomination in 2012 en route to winning his first U.S. Senate election] or it may not materialize at all. And I think it’s going to be several months before we know.”

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

January 28, 2025
Justice Department fires more than a dozen key officials on former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team

EXCLUSIVE: The Justice Department is firing more than a dozen key officials who worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team prosecuting President Donald Trump, after Acting Attorney General James McHenry said they could not be trusted in “faithfully implementing the president’s agenda,” Fox News Digital has learned.

McHenry has transmitted a letter to each official notifying them of their termination, a Justice Department official exclusively told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP TO TAKE MORE THAN 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY ONE

It is unclear how many officials received that letter. The names of the individuals were not immediately released.

Donald Trump and Jack Smith (Getty Images)

“Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official told Fox News Digital. “In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda.”

This action “is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government,” the official told Fox News Digital.

The move comes after the Justice Department reassigned more than a dozen officials in the first week of the Trump administration to a Sanctuary City task force and other measures.

DOJ RELEASES FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S REPORT ON INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

It also comes after Trump vowed to end the weaponization of the federal government.

Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith, a former Justice Department official, as special counsel in November 2022.

Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief to the DOJ’s public integrity section, led the investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and whether the former president obstructed the federal government’s investigation into the matter.

HOUSE WEAPONIZATION PANEL RELEASES 17,000-PAGE REPORT EXPOSING ‘TWO-TIERED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT’

Smith was also tasked with overseeing the investigation into whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith charged Trump in both cases, but Trump pleaded not guilty.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan created the subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government during the previous Congress. (Andrew Harnik/The Associated Press )

The classified records case was dismissed in July 2024 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel.

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Smith charged Trump in the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C. in his 2020 election case, but after Trump was elected president, Smith sought to dismiss the case. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted that request.

Both cases were dismissed.

Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.

January 27, 2025
13 UN peacekeepers, allied soldiers dead in Congo as M23 rebels make gains in key city
- The Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 is battling Congolese government forces in Congo’s key city of Goma, causing the international airport there to be evacuated.
- M23 is one of about 100 armed groups fighting for control in the mineral-rich region, where a long-running conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
- U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called on M23 to immediately halt all hostile action and withdraw its forces, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.
The international airport in Goma was evacuated and commercial flights temporarily grounded on Sunday as fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and government forces raged around eastern Congo’s key city, leaving at least 13 peacekeepers and foreign soldiers dead and displacing thousands of civilians.

The M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains along the border with Rwanda in recent weeks, closing in on Goma, the provincial capital that has a population of around 2 million and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.

Goma’s international airport, which is east of the city, was evacuated by the military and commercial flights were temporarily grounded due to the fighting, an airport agent told The Associated Press. The agent spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter publicly.

ISRAEL TELLS UN IT’S SHUTTING DOWN ALL UNRWA OPERATIONS IN JERUSALEM: ‘ACUTE SECURITY RISKS’

The United Nations on Sunday told its staff not to go to the airport and to shelter in place, according to an internal email seen by AP.

Congo, the United States and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. It’s one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich region, where a long-running conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

Rwanda’s government denies backing the rebels, but last year acknowledged that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.

Members of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) ride on a pickup truck as they secure the evacuation of non-essential UN staff, following the fight between M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Goma, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Jan. 25, 2025. (Reuters/Arlette Bashizi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The Congolese Foreign Ministry said late Saturday it was severing diplomatic ties with Rwanda and pulling out all diplomatic staff from the country “with immediate effect.”

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told AP on Sunday that the decision to cut ties was a unilateral move by Congo “that was even published on social media before being sent to our embassy.”

“For us, we took appropriate measures to evacuate our remaining diplomat in Kinshasa, who was under permanent threat by Congolese officials. And this was achieved on Friday, one day before the publication of this so-called note verbale on social media,” he said.

In the last 48 hours, two U.N. peacekeepers from South Africa and one from Uruguay were killed, and 11 peacekeepers were injured and hospitalized, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesman said Sunday ahead of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

The U.N. chief reiterated his “strongest condemnation” of the M23 offensive “with the support of the Rwanda Defense Forces,” and called on the rebel group to immediately halt all hostile action and withdraw its forces, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.

On Sunday morning, heavy gunfire resonated across Goma, just a few miles from the front line. Scores of displaced children and adults fled the Kanyaruchinya camp, one of the largest in eastern Congo, right near the Rwandan border, and headed south to Goma.

“We are fleeing because we saw soldiers on the border with Rwanda throwing bombs and shooting,” said Safi Shangwe, who was heading to Goma.

“We are tired and we are afraid, our children are at risk of starving,” she added.

Internally displaced civilians from the camps in Munigi and Kibati carry their belongings as they flee following the fight between M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Jan. 26, 2025. (Reuters/Aubin Mukoni)

Some of the displaced worried they will not be safe in Goma either.

“We are going to Goma, but I heard that there are bombs in Goma, too, so now we don’t know where to go,” said Adèle Shimiye.

Hundreds of people attempted to flee to Rwanda through the “Great Barrier” border crossing east of Goma on Sunday. Migration officers carefully checked travel documents.

“I am crossing to the other side to see if we will have a place of refuge because for the moment, security in the city is not guaranteed,” Muahadi Amani, a resident of Goma, told the AP.

Earlier in the week, the rebels seized Sake, 16 miles from Goma, as concerns mounted that the city could soon fall.

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Congo’s army said Saturday it fended off an M23 offensive with the help of allied forces, including U.N. troops and soldiers from the Southern African Development Community Mission, also known as SAMIDRC.

In addition to the two South African peacekeepers, seven South African troops with SAMIDIRC have been killed in recent days, South Africa’s Ministry of Defense said.

Since 2021, Congo’s government and allied forces, including SAMIDRC and U.N. troops, have been keeping M23 away from Goma. The U.N. peacekeeping force entered Congo more than two decades ago and has around 14,000 peacekeepers on the ground.
January 26, 2025
Trump DHS makes key move against migrants allowed in via controversial Biden parole programs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to review the parole status of migrants who were brought in under a dramatic expansion of humanitarian parole by the Biden administration, opening the door for their quick removal from the country.

In an internal memo signed Thursday, and obtained by Fox News Digital, acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman noted moves he made this week to take limits off expedited removal, which allows for the rapid removal of recently-arrived migrants if they do not claim asylum or fail to meet an initial standard. The power can now be used anywhere in the U.S. for migrants in the U.S. for less than two years.

The new memo says that with those expanded powers, any immigrant whom DHS knows who could be put on expedited removal, but has not, should have their case reviewed and “consider, in exercising your enforcement discretion, whether to apply expedited removal.” The memo was first reported by The New York Times.

TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW

President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump look on as they meet with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on inauguration day of Donald Trump’s second presidential term in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

“This may include steps to terminate any ongoing removal proceeding and/or any active parole status,” it says.

It also says that for any immigrant who has been granted parole under a policy paused, modified or terminated by the Trump administration, officers can decide whether they should be placed in removal proceedings and “review the alien’s parole status to determine, in exercising your enforcement discretion, whether parole remains appropriate in light of any changed legal or factual status.”

TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY

The memo also notes that parole is a “positive exercise of enforcement discretion to which no alien is entitled and that parole ‘shall not be regarded as an admission of the alien.’”

This would mean that migrants who were granted parole at ports of entry after making an appointment via the CBP One app, or who were given travel authorization to be paroled under the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV), could be eligible for removal. The administration also launched parole programs for nationals from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Nearly 1.5 million migrants were allowed in under CBP One and CHNV, and both parole channels were closed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. The Biden administration said the expanded “lawful pathways” were part of an effort to reduce illegal crossings, but Republicans accused the administration of abusing limited parole power and allowing in migrants who should not legally have entered.

On Jan. 23, 2025, ICE San Francisco arrested Ariel Rene Romice-Patino, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States. (ICE)

Huffman’s memo follows a memo from earlier this week in which he ordered a review of the use of parole. The memo notes that the statute demands the authority be used on a “case by case basis,” something that Republican critics claim the administration has abused. It emphasizes that parole is “a limited use authority, applicable only in a very narrow set of circumstances.”

It also claims that “it has been repeatedly abused by the Executive Branch over the past several decades in ways that are blatantly inconsistent with the statute.”

“Most important, the parole statute does not authorize categorical parole programs that make aliens presumptively eligible on the basis of some set of broadly applicable criteria,” it says.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

The memo directs the heads of (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection to compile a list of instructions, policies and procedures related to parole, review them and formulate a plan to phase out any that are not in accord with the statute.

The latest memo comes amid a flurry of moves by the administration on illegal immigration and immigration, including moves to send military to the border, end refugee resettlement, build the border wall and launch a massive deportation operation.

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ICE on Thursday arrested more than 530 illegal immigrants in another day of raids across the U.S. Agents have focused on public safety threats, but officials have said that no-one is off the table if they are in the country illegally.

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.

January 24, 2025
Top trade association sends letters calling on big changes in 3 key departments: ‘Unleash American energy’

FIRST ON FOX: A top national trade organization has sent letters to three departments in the Trump administration advocating for specific policies that the group believes will most effectively achieve President Trump’s goal to “unleash American energy” in the United States.

The American Exploration & Production Council, a national trade association representing the leading independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States, sent letters to the Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and Environmental Protection Agency with specific guidelines on how to best jumpstart energy production.

In the letter to the Department of Energy, AXPC made several requests including that the department “resume timely approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals.”

“U.S. LNG plays a critical role in geopolitical stability and supporting global emission reductions — a fact that has been confirmed numerous times over the past decade,” the letter states. “As the world’s largest natural gas producer, the U.S. is well positioned to meet the dual challenge of supplying the world with affordable, clean, and reliable energy all while reducing global emissions. This misguided permitting pause should be lifted immediately, and DOE should ensure that any public interest study uses well reasoned assumptions.”

SEN KATIE BRITT: TRUMP AND HIS TEAM READY TO SUPERCHARGE AMERICA’S ECONOMY AND ENERGY SECTOR

President Donald Trump is expected to enact major reforms aimed at increasing American energy independence (Getty Images)

Other recommendations to DOE included promoting U.S. energy exports, creating fair access to export authorizations and avoiding unnecessary delays, providing greater certainty for critical energy and infrastructure, and enhancing energy reliability with advanced natural gas storage.

“Our recommendations focus on policy priorities and actions within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and some Department wide that we believe strike this critical balance and directly impact responsible onshore exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the United States,” the letter to the Department of Interior explained.

“In alignment with the Trump administration’s goal to ‘Unleash American Energy’, including expanding oil and natural gas production on federal lands, these recommendations aim to support responsible American energy production while maintaining crucial environmental protections and fostering economic growth here at home.”

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS: ALASKA’S ENERGY, SECURITY POLICIES ARE THE GUIDE FEDS NEED AMID TRANSITION, GROUP SAYS

Recommendations to the DOI include, revoking the BLM’s Conservation & Landscape Health Rule and its implementing instructional memorandums, streamlining drilling permits, replacing the recent resources management plan amendments to align with western states’ priorities, and allowing for the commingling of oil and gas production for greater efficiency and environmental protection.

In the letter to the EPA, AXPC wrote that its recommendations “focus on policy priorities that we believe strike this critical balance and directly impact responsible onshore exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the United States.”

ENERGY EXPERT WEIGHS IN ON 23 STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL SUING EPA OVER NEW METHANE EMISSIONS FEE

Some of those recommendations include revising the source performance standards to “improve feasibility for emission controls” and “provide greater allowance for alternative technologies and approaches.”

The letter also calls for reforms to the Clean Water Act and modifications to the Greenhouse Gas reporting rule.

“America is stronger, the world is safer, and the environment is cleaner when the United States is the world leader in energy production, and that is best achieved with sensible, workable, and durable policies out of Washington,” AXPC CEO Anne Bradbury told Fox News Digital in a statement.

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“That’s why America’s oil and natural gas producers look forward to working with the Trump administration’s goal of energy dominance and providing affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy for the American people.”

Trump’s nominees in all three departments have signaled that they intend to implement new policies and guidelines that significantly increase oil and gas production while easing regulations at the same time.

“When energy production is restricted in America, it doesn’t reduce demand. It just shifts production to countries like Russia and Iran, whose autocratic leaders not only don’t care at all about the environment, but they use their revenues from energy sales to fund wars against us and our allies,” DOI secretary nominee Doug Burgum said in his opening statement at his confirmation hearing.

“President Trump’s energy dominance vision will end those wars abroad and will make life more affordable for every family in America by driving down inflation. And President Trump will achieve those goals while championing clean air, clean water and protecting our beautiful lands.”

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

January 23, 2025
‘Tides are shifting’: Push to codify key Trump-era policy snags dozens of cosponsors, including Dems

FIRST ON FOX: A bill to restore the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy, introduced recently in the House, is racking up cosponsors as it becomes the latest immigration bill to pick up bipartisan support in the chamber.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a freshman lawmaker, introduced the Remain in Mexico Act this month.

The bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols, which were introduced during the first Trump administration and required migrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases were heard, part of an effort to end the practice known as “catch and release.” The protocols were scrapped by the Biden administration, which argued they were cruel and ineffective.

TRUMP’S REMAIN IN MEXICO POLICY COULD BE REVIVED UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP BILL

Then-President Donald Trump, left, speaks with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott as they participate in a ceremony commemorating the 200th mile of border wall at the international border with Mexico in San Luis, Arizona, on June 23, 2020. (SAUL LOEB/AFP )

President Donald Trump has signed an order requiring the protocols to be restored, but codifying the policy in federal law would make it significantly harder for critics to then repeal it under a different administration.

However, with the bill now before Congress, it has already picked up over 100 cosponsors, Fox News Digital is told. That includes two Democrats, Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez, D-Wash., and Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine.

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“I am overwhelmed with gratitude that over one hundred of my colleagues have shown bipartisan support for my REMAIN in Mexico Act that codifies President Trump’s executive border action into law,” Gill said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump made southern border security a top priority of his administration. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci | Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“The tides are shifting under President Trump—Congress knows we must strengthen our national security, prevent fraudulent asylum claims, and put our citizens first,” he said.

TRUMP’S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

The bill is one of a number of pieces of immigration legislation that have been introduced, with increasing signs of support from Democrats after a year in which illegal immigration was a top issue for voters and resulted in Republicans controlling the House, Senate and White House.

On Wednesday evening, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of illegal immigrants accused of theft-related crimes. It had previously passed the Senate. In the House, 46 Democrats voted in favor of it.

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The House is expected to be active on illegal immigration, reflecting a flurry of orders coming from the White House. Those orders include declaring a national emergency at the border, sending troops to the border and canceling a slew of Biden-era parole programs.

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.

January 23, 2025
Key Senate chairman criticizes ‘anonymous sources with ulterior motives,’ stands by Hegseth nomination

A key senator on the Armed Services Committee says he is standing by President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, pushing back on those he called “anonymous sources with ulterior motives” who are casting doubt on his character.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in a statement Wednesday criticized recent reports on a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Hegseth as “starkly and factually inaccurate.”

“It is disturbing that a sensitive, longstanding process used by committee leadership to vet presidential personnel is being litigated in the press by anonymous sources with ulterior motives,” Wicker said, adding that he’s received three separate, detailed briefings on the FBI’s background investigation.

Wicker was responding to a CNN report that cited two sources familiar with the matter who claimed that Hegseth’s ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, gave a statement to the FBI about Hegseth’s alleged alcohol use. The outlet said one of the sources said Samantha Hegseth told the FBI, “He drinks more often than he doesn’t.”

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

Pete Hegseth, left, President Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense Secretary, shakes hands with Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss. after his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Wicker says that he continues to stand by Hegseth.

“After this thorough review, I am ironclad in my assessment that the nominee, Mr. Hegseth, is prepared to be the next Secretary of Defense, and that the allegations unfairly impugning his character do not pass scrutiny,” the senator said.

Pete Hegseth appears at the completion of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Wicker said that Hegseth has the confidence of Trump and the backing of Senate Republicans, and called on the Senate to confirm the nominee “as fast as possible” during this “precarious national security moment.”

‘DESPERATE ATTEMPT’: SENATORS RECEIVE AFFIDAVIT WITH ALLEGATIONS ABOUT HEGSETH’S PREVIOUS MARRIAGE

Hegseth has faced controversy throughout his nomination process.

On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleges he has an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was married to Pete Hegseth’s brother. She is not the sister of Samantha, Pete Hegseth’s second wife.

But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, from Pete against Samantha.

Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement first reported by NBC News.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you. I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision,” she reportedly said.

Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson and Fox News’ Tyler Olson, Kelly Phares and Daniel Scully contributed to this report.

January 23, 2025
Durga Puja 2025 Calendar With Dates of Mahalaya, Maha Panchami, Sashti, Saptami, Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Bijoya Dashami: Know Key Rituals and Significance To Celebrate Durgotsava
Durga Puja, also referred to as Durgotsava, is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in the Hindu calendar. This grand celebration honors Goddess Durga, the embodiment of power, strength, and virtue. Durgotsava spans five days of vibrant rituals, each with its own significance: Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Vijayadashami (also known as Dussehra). The festival is primarily observed during Shardiya Navratri, the nine-night celebration that is held during the Hindu month of Ashvin. According to religious texts, Durga Puja rituals, including Chandi Path, should commence the day after Mahalaya Amavasya, the final day of Pitru Paksha when Hindus honor their ancestors. Mahalaya itself is not considered suitable for starting any auspicious activities, but it marks the beginning of the preparations for Durga Puja. In this article, we bring you Durga Puja 2025 calendar with dates of Mahalaya, Panchami, Maha Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami along with the key rituals and significance to celebrate Durgotsav. Hindu Festivals Calendar 2025: Know Dates of Holi, Chaitra Navratri, Durga Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Other Major Festivals in India.

Durga Puja 2025 Calendar With Start and End Dates

The Shardiya Navratri festival in 2025 will take place from September 22 to October 1, with the following key Durga Puja dates:
- Mahalaya: September 21, 2025
- Panchami: September 27, 2025
- Maha Shashthi: September 28, 2025
- Maha Saptami: September 29, 2025
- Maha Ashtami: September 30, 2025
- Maha Nabami: October 1, 2025
- Bijoya Dashami: October 2, 2025
Key Rituals and Timing of Durga Puja

While Ghatasthapana (the installation of the sacred Kalash, representing the Goddess) traditionally takes place on Pratipada, the first day after Mahalaya Amavasya, different regions have their own customs. In most states, Ghatasthapana or Kalparambha (the invocation of Goddess Durga) happens on Shashthi, the sixth day of the festival. This is the day when Goddess Durga is formally welcomed, and rituals are performed to invite her divine presence. Purnima 2025 Calendar: Know Full Moon Dates, Poornima Significance and Fasting Rituals for the Auspicious Observance.

Durga Puja Symbolism and Significance

One of the most intriguing aspects of Durga Puja is the symbolism surrounding the arrival of the Goddess on a specific vehicle. During Chaitra Navratri earlier in the year, Goddess Durga arrived on a horse, signifying auspicious signs for the year ahead, including good rainfall and crop growth. However, for Shardiya Navratri 2025, it is believed that Maa Durga will arrive riding an elephant. This is considered a positive omen, foretelling abundant rainfall and growth in the country.

However, the departure of Goddess Durga on a buffalo raises concerns. It is said that this signifies potential challenges ahead, including an increase in sickness and sorrow across the nation. This symbolic departure serves as a reminder of the duality of life, where triumph and struggle often coexist.

Durga Puja, culminating in Dussehra, symbolises the victory of good over evil. As devotees worship Goddess Durga during these five days, they seek her blessings for strength, prosperity, and the overcoming of challenges. With these profound meanings attached, the festival remains an important occasion for millions across India and the world to celebrate the divine feminine energy and the power of victory.

(Disclaimer: The information provided here is based on beliefs and legends only. Before applying any information in real life, consult the concerned expert.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2025 03:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
January 11, 2025