Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Sen

Andy Barr mulls Senate bid “independent” if Sen. Mitch McConnell runs or not

EXCLUSIVE: Republican Rep. Andy Barr’s decision on whether to run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky will be made “independent of the decisions that others make, including Sen. Mitch McConnell,” he told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Friday morning, stressing that “it’s time for Kentucky to have a U.S. senator who supports President Trump.”

The congressman, who currently represents Kentucky’s 6th congressional district, told Fox News Digital that he is “doing a lot of listening right now.”

“I’m listening to supporters, advisors, friends, people I trust, but most importantly, I’m listening to my family and talking to my family, and I am grateful for the strong encouragement to run,” he said. “A lot of constituents are encouraging me to run for the Senate, and I am grateful for the outpouring of financial support that’s coming my way.”

Rep. Andy Barr, left, R-Ky., said “it’s time” for his state to have a senator who supports President Donald Trump. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Scott Eisen)

RNC BRINGS ON NEW SENIOR LEADERSHIP TO ‘WORK AROUND THE CLOCK’ TO SUPPORT TRUMP AGENDA, ELECT REPUBLICANS

But Barr said that “ultimately, this is going to be a family decision on our timeline.”

“It will be a decision that we make independent of the decisions that others make, including Sen. McConnell, or others who have or will express an interest in running for the Senate in 2026, so this will be a family decision that we make,” Barr said. “All I can say is, I am very, very grateful for the outpouring of support, mainly from Kentuckians, but people around the country who want to see strong, America First leadership in the U.S. Senate.”

Sources close to Barr told Fox News Digital back in 2023 that he could be “a serious contender” for McConnell’s seat in 2026.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the longest-serving party leader in U.S. Senate history. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)

In a veiled swipe at McConnell, Barr told Fox News Digital that “it’s time for Kentucky to have a U.S. senator who supports President Trump.”

McConnell, at this point, has now opposed three of Trump’s now-confirmed Cabinet secretaries: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“He votes against almost everything now,” the president said of McConnell on Thursday. “He’s a, you know, very bitter guy.”

Trump also said McConnell is “not equipped mentally” and said he “let the Republican Party go to hell.”

Barr doubled down, saying: “I think it is time for Kentucky to have a U.S. senator who has a vision, not only to make America great again, but to make Kentucky great again, and I think that’s why a lot of people have encouraged me to run,” Barr said. “They see me as someone who has been, and has a proven record of, supporting President Trump’s America First agenda, but also a very strong record of supporting the signature industries of Kentucky and building a very strong record of constituent services and accessibility to the people of Kentucky.”

He added, “I have a vision for Kentucky, just like America, to be great again. I have a vision for Kentuckians to achieve their potential and to restore the American Dream for Kentuckians.”

Barr said he believes the state has “enormous potential” and said that “with strong partnership with President Trump, we can deliver just extraordinary possibilities for the people of Kentucky.”

Rep. Andy Barr’s decision on whether to run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky will be made “independent of the decisions that others make, including Sen. Mitch McConnell,” he said. (Fox News)

MITCH MCCONNELL STEPS DOWN AS REPUBLICAN LEADER

When asked for comment, a McConnell aide told Fox News Digital that the senator has not made an announcement on his 2026 plans.

McConnell, who will turn 83 later in February, stepped away from serving as the Senate Republican leader in November 2024. McConnell was the longest-serving party leader in U.S. Senate history.

Meanwhile, Barr told Fox News Digital, “I’m my own man.”

“People try to peg me as this type of Republican or that type of Republican, but at the end of it, I’m an America First conservative who loves my home state, the commonwealth of Kentucky,” he said.

“I think what sets me apart is that nobody else looking at the race has been in the trenches on the job with President Trump to drain the swamp,” he continued. “I’ve got a proven record, and I think that does differentiate me from anyone else.”

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But Barr stressed that his decision on whether to run for the U.S. Senate “is not dependent on anybody else.”

“I’m just going to remain focused on working with President Trump and working with his team to deliver on his America First agenda — we don’t have any time to waste,” Barr told Fox News Digital. “And so that’s my focus right now.”

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

February 14, 2025
Sen. John Fetterman says there ‘isn’t a constitutional crisis’

A prominent Democrat is arguing that “there isn’t a constitutional crisis” happening right now with the Trump administration.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., reportedly made the remark to HuffPost on Wednesday, the same day White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared that “the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch, where district court judges in liberal districts across the country are abusing their power to unilaterally block President Trump’s basic executive authority.”

Just roughly three weeks back in the Oval Office, Trump’s administration has been hit with at least 57 lawsuits working to resist his policies and executive orders.

“When it was [President] Joe Biden, then you [had] a conservative judge jam it up on him, and now we have liberal judges that are going to stop these things. That’s how the process works,” Fetterman told HuffPost, adding that “There isn’t a constitutional crisis, and all of these things — it’s just a lot of noise.”

WHITE HOUSE SAYS ‘THE REAL CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS IS TAKING PLACE WITHIN OUR JUDICIAL BRANCH’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told HuffPost there “isn’t a constitutional crisis” brewing with the Trump administration. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/Alex Brandon/AP)

“That’s why I’m only going to swing on the strikes,” he also said.

The comments are a contrast to remarks made earlier this week by fellow Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy, who told CNN “this isn’t hyperbole to say that we are staring the death of democracy in the eyes, right now.

“The centerpiece of our democracy is that we observe court rulings. Criminal court rulings, civil court rulings and constitutional court rulings. No one is above the law,” the Connecticut Democrat said Monday. “And whether we like it or not, the courts interpret the law.”

On Wednesday, Leavitt said “We believe these judges are acting as judicial activists rather than honest arbiters of the law.

“And they have issued at least 12 injunctions against this administration in the past 14 days, often without citing any evidence or grounds for their lawsuits,” she continued.

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

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. (AP/Alex Brandon)

“This is part of a larger concerted effort by Democrat activists, and nothing more than the continuation of the weaponization of justice against President Trump,” Leavitt also said.

Leavitt alleged that an “extremely dishonest narrative” has been emerging in recent days with media outlets “fearmongering the American people into believing there is a constitutional crisis taking place here at the White House.”

“Quick news flash to these liberal judges who are supporting their obstructionist efforts: 77 million Americans voted to elect this president, and each injunction is an abuse of the rule of law and an attempt to thwart the will of the people,” Leavitt added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Leavitt said “the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch.” (AP/Evan Vucci)

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“As the president clearly stated in the Oval Office yesterday, we will comply with the law in the courts, but we will also continue to seek every legal remedy to ultimately overturn these radical injunctions and ensure President Trump’s policies can be enacted,” she concluded.

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Sen. Schiff urges Trump admin to exclude firefighters from federal hiring freeze

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called on multiple federal agencies to exempt federal seasonal firefighters from President Donald Trump’s executive order implementing a federal hiring freeze.

In a letter to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and the Office of Management and Budget, Schiff noted that Trump’s hiring freeze issued on Jan. 20 had stopped the onboarding of thousands of seasonal firefighters that could harm readiness to respond to wildfires, as Southern California is still grappling with the aftermath of last month’s wildfires.

“The memo issued on January 20 states that it does not apply to positions related to public safety, but this onboarding delay is directly contrary to that claim,” Schiff said in the letter dated Friday. “Our constituents and communities rely on the hard work and sacrifice of our more than 15,000 seasonal federal wildland firefighters each year.”

LOS ANGELES FIRE VICTIMS TO BE BOOTED FROM RED CROSS SHELTER TO MAKE SPACE FOR FILM CREWS, EVENTS

Adam Schiff talks to the media after voting at McCambridge Recreation Center in Burbank on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

“Seasonal firefighters are essential to the public safety of those who live in fire-prone areas, and I am alarmed that federal firefighters are not party to this exemption,” he said. “In light of this, I am requesting information from your agencies explaining why the federal hiring freeze has extended to the hiring of seasonal federal wildland firefighters.”

Southern California was devastated last month by two major wildfires and several smaller ones that killed nearly 30 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.

Some of the firefighters subject to Trump’s order that halted the onboarding of thousands of seasonal federal firefighters were from agencies that helped in the response to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, according to NBC News.

A Fire firefighter works a fire during the Eaton fire on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, California. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A Bureau of Land Management official told the outlet that despite Trump’s order excluding positions related to “public safety” from the hiring freeze, federal firefighters are not exempt.

“In the face of increasingly destructive wildfires, we cannot afford to diminish the tools at our disposal to fight these fires,” Schiff said in his letter. “Impeding the onboarding of federal firefighters and encouraging the early retirement of others, threatens California’s firefighting capacity and puts communities at great risk. Californians rely on the support of federal firefighters, and I hope you share my appreciation for the essential role these individuals play in keeping residents safe.”

TABLES TURN ON LOS ANGELES ARSON SUSPECT IN CAUGHT-ON-CAM TAKEDOWN: ‘WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD, BUDDY’

Vehicles and a house burned as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area forced people to evacuate the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, Jan. 8, 2025. (REUTERS/David Swanson)

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The senator also requested information on how the hiring freeze impacts federal firefighting applicants, the number of voluntary resignations and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency’s role in the hiring, preparedness or readiness of federal wildland firefighters.

February 9, 2025
Inside Sen. Tom Cotton’s tireless campaign to advance Trump’s DNI pick Tulsi Gabbard

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton was instrumental in pushing Tulsi Gabbard’s controversial nomination to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) past its first hurdle in the upper chamber this week, and it took a full court press to do so.

Gabbard successfully advanced out of the Intel Committee this week, with all Republican members voting in her favor, despite concerns they would not.

Cotton led the effort with a makeshift Gabbard confirmation “war room” and the enlisted assistance of former rebel Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, as well as former Intel Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, according to a GOP Senate source with knowledge of Cotton’s efforts.

The “cordial and calculated” campaign to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for DNI saw close work between Gabbard’s confirmation sherpa team, the White House’s legislative affairs team and Vice President JD Vance, a former senator, the source told Fox News Digital.

SENATORS LEAPFROG HOUSE REPUBLICANS ON ANTICIPATED TRUMP BUDGET BILL

Tom Cotton carried out a calculated effort to get Tulsi Gabbard past the Intel committee. (Reuters/ Getty Images)

The group assisted Gabbard in each step of the process. They helped with questions for the nominee submitted to the committee, queries from lawmakers, hearing preparation and even strategized on a last-minute op-ed to address any lingering concerns, the source said.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, penned an op-ed in Newsweek following her hearing, detailing, “Why I Am the Right Choice to Lead the Office of National Intelligence.”

The article addressed a significant point of concern for some undecided Republicans: Her refusal to call NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden a traitor.

FORMER GOP LEADER MCCONNELL FALLS WHILE EXITING SENATE CHAMBER AFTER TURNER CONFIRMATION VOTE

Nomiee for Director of National Security Tulsi Gabbard, left, and whistleblower Edward Snowden in Moscow Russia, right (AP/Getty)

“Given the interest by committee members about whether Edward Snowden should be called a ‘traitor,’ here’s what I shared with the Senate Intelligence Committee in the closed session about why I do not casually throw around that term: Treason is a capital offense, punishable by death, yet politicians like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former US Senator Mitt Romney have slandered me, Donald Trump Jr. and others with baseless accusations of treason,” she wrote.

SENATE TEES UP TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF PICK RUSSELL VOUGHT FOR FINAL CONFIRMATION VOTE

Cotton is chairman of the intel committee. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Cotton also reportedly advised the White House on how to be particularly persuasive when it comes to courting senators for their crucial votes. He remained in close touch with Trump’s administration throughout Gabbard’s process leading up to the Intel Committee’s pivotal vote, according to the GOP Senate source.

Sinema, who recently retired from the Senate, spoke to two of her former Senate colleagues, Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, who both ultimately voted to advance Gabbard despite concerns they may not, the source said. Also deployed to speak with committee members was former Trump National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien.

FORMER NFL PLAYER SCOTT TURNER CONFIRMED TO LEAD HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Sen. Young came out in support of Gabbard hours before the committee vote. (Reuters)

Cotton also kept in contact with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and his office during the process, which appeared precarious for Gabbard at times, as well as held meetings with the intel committee’s Republican members, the source told Fox News Digital.

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Before Gabbard’s committee hearing, Cotton met with the nominee, along with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, committee member Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Burr, during which they prepared her for more than an hour to address specific committee Republicans’ concerns, the source said.

Now, Trump’s DNI pick will need to overcome a procedural vote in the full Senate before moving on to a final confirmation vote. However, Gabbard’s success in committee bodes well for her, given she locked down the support of several more hesitant Senate Republicans who are expected to continue supporting her on the chamber floor.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

February 6, 2025
Democrat Sen Murphy says Trump ‘seizures of power’ raise ‘constitutional crisis’

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., is arguing that President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk’s actions constitute “illegal seizures of power,” sparking a “constitutional crisis.”

In an interview with National Public Radio, Murphy condemned efforts by the White House Office of Management and Budget to freeze funding already approved by Congress, as well as the Trump administration moving to review, restructure and potentially abolish parts of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as thousands of federal employees face lay-offs, and U.S. taxpayer-funded programs are suspended around the globe.

Murphy said Democrats should not support “a single nominee” appointed by Trump and “should not grant expedited process to any nominees until this crisis passes.”

“I worry that the American public is not going to rise up against this seizure of power if they see Democrats collaborating with Republicans on the floor of the Senate on a regular basis to pass legislation or support nominees,” Murphy said. “That’s the essential thing that has to happen here. The people of this country need to start showing up. And we saw that happening this weekend. I saw town halls for my colleagues packed to the gills. Yesterday, we did a press conference outside of USAID that must have had 500 people at it. But I think you’re going to start to see people drawing a line here that will put pressure on Republicans.”

SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO CONFIRMS BECOMING ACTING USAID CHIEF

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

The senator said his Republican colleagues should also feel pressure to speak out against the administration.

“The focus has to be on Republicans right now and why they have been completely and utterly silenced,” Murphy said. “I do not want all of the pressure to be on Democrats to figure this out when Republicans should care just as much about democracy as Democrats do.”

“The president of the United States does not have the power unilaterally to suspend all federal programs,” Murphy said. “He certainly does not have the power to suspend those programs and then decide on his own which entities get money and which don’t. The president doesn’t have the power to do that because that’s an extraordinary power to be invested in one person. The president could use that power to send money to his friends, to deny money to his enemies, to send money only to Republican states and not to Democratic states. The founders thought that that was a corrupting power that one person should not have.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

President Donald Trump, accompanied by U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, takes a question from a reporter during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Feb. 4, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

USAID MISSIONS OVERSEAS ORDERED TO SHUT DOWN, STAFF BEING RECALLED: REPORT

Murphy also accused Trump of being in violation of court orders by refusing to turn the spending back on. As for USAID, the senator said Trump “has gone as far to essentially shutter the entire agency, laying off 60% of the people in many bureaus, telling employees yesterday that none of them should show up for work.”

“That is unconstitutional” the senator said, speculating that Trump “may be making a guess” that the U.S. Supreme Court will give him the power to shutter agencies.

Elon Musk is heading the Department of Government Efficiency. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“I don’t think that we should just let the hyperbole sit on the side, because when people hear the President of the United States say that there’s corruption at USAID. When they hear Elon Musk say it’s a criminal enterprise, and it goes uncontested by either the media or Democrats, they believe it. I mean, that’s just an outright lie,” Murphy said. “So the president and his billionaire advisers are literally making things up out of thin air because they want to seize control of federal government spending so that they can reward their friends and Elon Musk’s friends and punish their enemies so as to suppress political dissent and destroy democracy in this country. That’s why this is a constitutional crisis.”

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“Right now our highest priority is making sure that democracy survives this assault on the Constitution,” Murphy said. “I can only speak for myself. I can’t tell you what every single Democrat is willing to do. I’m not going to vote for any more nominees. We are also vigorously pursuing court actions to try to shut down many of these illegal seizures of power. And I do think so far, Republicans have not joined us. But if we are able to muster real public sentiment against these seizures of power, I think that that may be enough to get Republicans to join us and on many of these nominations and pieces of legislation we ultimately don’t need. 20 Republicans remain and just a handful.”

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

February 5, 2025
Key Sen. Todd Young comes out in support of Trump DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., came out in support of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI), just hours before her crucial committee vote.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the senator said, “American intelligence officers around the globe deserve our respect and support. I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard’s engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership.”

Sen. Young came out in support of Gabbard hours before the committee vote. (Reuters)

“I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer. Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi’s nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security,” he added.

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Gabbard will need the support of all Republicans on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in order to advance to the floor for a confirmation vote.

That is assuming she does not get the votes of any Democrats. No Democrats on the committee have endorsed her for the role.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

February 4, 2025
Elon Musk dunks on Sen. Chuck Schumer, declaring ‘Hysterical reactions’ demonstrate DOGE’s importance

Elon Musk, who President Donald Trump tasked with spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort, declared in a social media post that “Hysterical reactions” demonstrate the importance of DOGE’s work.

He made the comment in response to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government,” a post on Sen. Schumer’s @SenSchumer X account reads, echoing remarks the lawmaker made during a press conference.

RUBIO SAYS ‘NO CHOICE’ BUT TO BRING USAID ‘UNDER CONTROL’ AFTER AGENCY TAKEOVER: ‘RANK INSUBORDINATION’

Left: Elon Musk arrives to speak during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States; Right: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news conference following the weekly Senate Democrats policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Left: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images; Right: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“DOGE is not a real government agency. DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions. DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law. DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand. Congress must take action to restore the rule of law,” Schumer’s post continued.

Musk described the effort to slash government waste and bureaucracy as a one-time opportunity.

“Hysterical reactions like this is how you know that @DOGE is doing work that really matters,” he wrote in response to Schumer.

“This is the one shot the American people have to defeat BUREAUcracy, rule of the bureaucrats, and restore DEMOcracy, rule of the people. We’re never going to get another chance like this. It’s now or never. Your support is crucial to the success of the revolution of the people,” he asserted.

USAID CLOSES HQ TO STAFFERS MONDAY AS MUSK SAYS TRUMP SUPPORTS SHUTTING AGENCY DOWN

The business magnate has called DOGE “the wood chipper for bureaucracy.”

“If the Treasury Secretary does not remove DOGE’s access to the Treasury payment systems at once: Congress must immediately act,” another post echoing the sentiments Schumer conveyed during the press conference reads. “That is why @RepJeffries and I will work together on legislation to stop unlawful meddling in the Treasury Department’s payment systems. We must protect people’s Social Security payments, Medicare payments, and tax refunds from any possible tampering by DOGE or other unauthorized entities.”

MUSK RIPS ‘FRAUDULENT’ TREASURY HANDOUTS AS REPORTS MOUNT DOGE HAS ACCESS TO FEDERAL PAYMENT SYSTEM

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Musk declared a tweet, “Doge has not looked at, nor is there any interest in, private financial data. What would we even do with it? The outgoing payment review process just looks at potential fraud and wasteful spending to organizations. Corrupt politicians are the ones complaining. I wonder why?”

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

February 4, 2025
Sen. Kaine claims Trump will ‘stiff’ workers that take buyouts

Sen. Tim Kaine is claiming that President Donald Trump is going to “stiff” federal employees who accept buyout offers instead of returning to the office, telling workers “Do not be fooled by this guy.”

The Trump administration is offering buyouts for nearly all federal employees, including those who work remotely, as part of the president’s efforts to get employees back into the office, but they only have until Feb. 6 to opt-in. However, Kaine argued on the Senate floor Tuesday night that Trump has no such grounds to make that kind of deal.

“The federal employees received an interesting email at the end of the day today…. that said, from the administration, if you tender your resignation by next Friday, we will guarantee you payment through the end of September whether or not you show up for work. So tender your resignation and then boy, it’s just going to be a gravy train, you are just going to get paid for seven months without working,” Kaine said.

“The president has no authority to make that offer. There’s no budget line item to pay people who are not showing up for work. This is a guy who made this promise to contractors again and again and again when he was a private business guy. ‘Oh, come work for me on my casino.’ ‘Come work for me in a hotel.’ ‘We’re going to do a handshake. We’re going to do a contract.’ The contractor does the work and then finds out they get stiffed,” Kaine continued.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFERS BUYOUTS TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING REMOTE WORKERS

Sen. Tim Kaine is claiming the Trump administration will “stiff” federal workers who take buyout offers instead of returning to the office full-time. (Al Drago/Joe Raedle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“So my message to federal employees who receive this is, yeah, the president has tried to terrorize you for about a week and then gives you a little sweetheart offer: ‘If you resign in the next week, we’re just going to pay you for doing nothing for the next seven months.’ Don’t be fooled. He’s tricked hundreds of people with that offer. If you accept that offer and resign, he’ll stiff you just like he stiffed the contractors. He doesn’t have any authority to do this. Do not be fooled by this guy,” the Virginia Democrat also said.

When asked to respond Wednesday, the White House referred Fox News Digital to a statement by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in which she said “After four years of incompetence and failure, President Donald Trump is committed to making our government efficient and productive again.

“American taxpayers pay for the salaries of federal government employees and therefore deserve employees working on their behalf who actually show up to work in our wonderful federal buildings, also paid for by taxpayers,” Leavitt added Tuesday.

TRUMP FIRES TWO DEMOCRATIC COMMISSIONERS ON CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AS WHITE HOUSE TARGETS DEI

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that it’s “absolutely false” to suggest the buyout offers are a way to purge the government of people who disagree with Trump’s views. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

This morning, a reporter asked Leavitt if the buyouts are a way to purge the government of people who disagree with Trump.

“That’s absolutely false. This is a suggestion to federal workers that they have to return to work. And if they don’t, then they have the option to resign. And this administration is very generously offering to pay them for eight months,” she said.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on Jan. 27, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

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“Six percent of the federal workforce in this city actually shows up to work. That’s unacceptable. We’re all here at work at the office. There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same,” Leavitt also said. “It’s an overwhelmingly popular policy with people outside of Washington D.C. The president campaigned on this and his administration is keeping a promise.”

Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025
DeepSeek fallout: GOP Sen Josh Hawley seeks to cut off all US-China collaboration on AI development

FIRST ON FOX: This week the U.S. tech sector was routed by the Chinese launch of DeepSeek, and Sen. Josh Hawley is putting forth legislation to prevent that from happening again.

Hawley’s bill, the Decoupling America’s Artifical Intelligence Capabilities from China Act, would cut off U.S.-China cooperation on AI. It would ban exports or imports of AI technology from China, ban American companies from conducting research there, and prohibit any U.S. investment in AI tech companies in China.

“Every dollar and gig of data that flows into Chinese AI are dollars and data that will ultimately be used against the United States,” said Hawley, R-Mo., in a statement. “America cannot afford to empower our greatest adversary.”

His is one of the first bills introduced directly in response to the DeepSeek market shakeup of the past few days.

THERE IS A ‘WAKE-UP CALL’ FOR US TO BE THE LEADER IN AI, SAYS WHITE HOUSE AI AND CRYPTO ‘CZAR’

Sen. Josh Hawley has introduced a bill to cut off U.S.-China cooperation on artificial intelligence. (C-Span)

DeepSeek’s release of a new high-profile AI model that costs less to run than existing models like those of Meta and OpenAI sent a chill through U.S. markets, with chipmaker Nvidia stocks tanking on Monday before slowly gaining ground again on Tuesday.

The surprise release displayed how China’s economic competitiveness has far outpaced the ability of U.S. business leaders and lawmakers to agree on what to do about it.

Unlike other legislation to thwart China’s profiting off U.S. innovation, Hawley’s bill would cover any AI-related technology instead of specific entities, which has prompted the Chinese to seek out loopholes through other companies.

TRUMP’S AI ‘DECLARATION’ REMINISCENT OF JFK PLEDGE TO PUT A MAN ON THE MOON: FORMER WHITE HOUSE IT OFFICIAL

Microsoft and OpenAI are now reportedly investigating whether DeepSeek could have accessed and used their data to train its own Chinese model, Bloomberg News reported.

White House artificial intelligence czar David Sacks told Fox News there is “substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI’s models.”

The U.S. and China are engaged in an AI race, and until recently the U.S. was thought to be slightly ahead. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

President Donald Trump on Monday said DeepSeek’s arrival on the scene “should be a wakeup call” for America’s tech companies after the new low-cost AI assistant soared to number one on the Apple app store over the weekend.

“The release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing,” Trump said.

But the president said it was ultimately a good thing if the world had access to cheaper, faster AI models. “Instead of spending billions and billions, you’ll spend less, and you’ll come up with, hopefully, the same solution,” Trump said.

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In his final week in office, President Joe Biden issued a rule slapping export controls on AI chips, with his national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, arguing that the U.S. was only six to 18 months ahead of China in the AI sector.

U.S. officials are now looking at the national security implications of DeepSeek, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who added that the Trump administration was working to “ensure American AI dominance.”

January 29, 2025
China influence on Panama Canal is national security risk: Sen. Cruz

China’s influence on the Panama Canal poses “acute risks to U.S. national security,” Sen. Ted Cruz is warning Tuesday, alleging the Chinese Communist Party has taken a “militaristic interest” in the vital global shipping passage.

The Texas Republican told lawmakers during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation hearing that President Donald Trump recently has highlighted two key issues — “the danger of China exploiting or blocking passage through the canal” and “the exorbitant costs for transit.”

“Chinese companies are right now building a bridge across the canal at a slow pace so as to take nearly a decade. And Chinese companies control container ports at either end. The partially-completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action,” said Cruz, who is the chairman of the committee.

“This situation I believe poses acute risks to U.S. national security,” he added.

MARCO RUBIO HEADING TO PANAMA ON FIRST TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is warning lawmakers Tuesday about China’s influence on the Panama Canal. (AP/Ben Curtis/Arnulfo Franco/AFP via Getty Images)

“Meanwhile, the high fees for canal transit disproportionately affect Americans because U.S. cargo accounts for nearly three quarters for canal transits. U.S. Navy vessels pay additional fees that apply only to warships. Canal profits regularly exceed $3 billion dollars,” Cruz continued. “This money comes from both American taxpayers and consumers in the form of higher costs for goods.”

Cruz’s comments come as newly sworn-in Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Panama for his first international trip as the nation’s top diplomat, Fox News has learned.

Trump said during his inauguration speech last week that “China is operating the Panama Canal” and “we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.”

Panama is denying the Chinese influence, with President José Raúl Mulino saying that “There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration,” according to the Associated Press.

RUSSIA SOUNDS OFF ON TRUMP’S THREAT TO RETAKE THE PANAMA CANAL

President Donald Trump said during his second inauguration speech that “China is operating the Panama Canal.” (Fox News)

However, Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Louis Sola testified Tuesday that “Since 2015, Chinese companies have increased their presence and influence throughout Panama.

“Panama became a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and ended its diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Chinese companies have been able to pursue billions of dollars and development contracts in Panama, many of which were projects directly on or adjacent to the Panama Canal,” he told lawmakers. “Many were no bid contracts, labor laws were waived, and the Panama and Panamanian people are still waiting to see how they’ve been benefited.

“It is all more concerning that many of these companies are state-owned and in some cases even designated as linked to the People’s Liberation Army,” Sola added. “We must address the significant growing presence and influence of China throughout the Americas and in Panama specifically.”

Cruz also said during the hearing that the Chinese Communist Party has taken a “militaristic interest in the canal” and that “Panama has emerged as a bad actor.”

“Panama has for years flagged dozens of vessels in the Iranian ghost fleet, which brought Iran tens of billions of dollars in oil profits to fund terror across the world,” Cruz said.

Two cargo ships enter the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal in Panama City on Jan. 22. (Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images)

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“We cannot turn a blind eye if Panama exploits an asset of vital commercial and military importance, and we cannot stay idle while China is on the march in our hemisphere,” he concluded.

Fox News’ Nick Kalman and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

January 28, 2025