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GOP talks on millionaire tax hike come from party’s populist streak, strategists say

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An aversion to tax increases has long been one of the Republican Party’s core pillars, but tradition was upended in recent weeks as discussions of a potential new millionaires’ tax hike hit Capitol Hill.

It’s baffled some members of the GOP’s old guard, though Republican operatives who spoke with Fox News Digital were less surprised. They said those conversations were largely ushered in by the party’s growing populist wing.

“I’m not sure if I’m surprised anymore, because the party has changed so much in just a short period of time. But it is noteworthy,” longtime GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital. 

Heye recalled his time as a senior House leadership aide in 2012, when a Republican proposal for a uniform tax rate for people making under $1 million per year was blown up “by a rebellion within our own ranks” over raising taxes.

WHITE HOUSE QUIETLY FLOATS MILLIONAIRE TAX HIKE PROPOSAL IN CONGRESS AS GOP LEADERS SIGNAL OPPOSITION

“It all exploded in our faces,” he said. “And now this is what more and more of those Republicans who rejected the idea in 2012 want to do.”

Sources told Fox News Digital this month that the White House was socializing a plan among Republicans to create a new 40% tax bracket for people making more than $1 million.

Various reported plans floated among House Republicans included raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy to rates between 38% and 40%. 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has been seeking to quash that this week, even posting a purported message from President Donald Trump himself on X that said, “If you can do without it, you’re probably better off trying to do so.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Wednesday morning for comment on Gingrich’s note, including the context of the message and why Trump described that he would “love” increasing taxes, but did not receive a reply.

The top income tax rate is currently about 37% on $609,351 in earnings for a single person or $731,201 for married couples. It was lowered from just over 39% by Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

“The politics are good for raising taxes on wealthy Americans,” said John Feehery, a partner at EFB Advocacy and veteran of House GOP leadership staff. “The downside is it does have an impact on economic growth. So if you want the cheap political score, that’s the way to go. On the other hand, if you want a solid economy where people are working, you want to be careful on how you do that.”

Asked if the discussions caught him off guard, Feehery said, “I’m not surprised by it because Trump is such a populist, and he has a lot of folks who are populist.”

He signaled the appeal of higher taxes for the wealthy was born from that shift.

“If you look at the constituencies, the biggest constituency, it’s really interesting because the parties have kind of changed,” he continued. “It used to be the country-club Republicans and working-class Democrats; now it’s working-class Republicans and country-club Democrats.”

Heye said when asked about the increase in tax hike talks, “I think it’s a mixture of Trump and populism.”

“Raising taxes used to be an anathema to Republicans, and you know, when George Bush did it after saying ‘Read my lips,’ that was the beginning of the end of his presidency,” Heye said. “That world just doesn’t exist anymore.”

House GOP leaders have publicly made clear that they’re opposed to raising taxes on anyone. But Republicans must find a way to pass Trump’s budget, including new tax policies eliminating duties on tipped and overtime wages, while meeting conservatives’ demand to cut at least $1.5 trillion in government spending to make up for it.

House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., previously signaled that he is open to the idea if spending cuts can’t be reached by other means.

“What I’d like to do is, I’d actually like to find spending reductions elsewhere in the budget, but if we can’t get enough spending reductions, we’re going to have to pay for our tax cuts,” Harris told “Mornings with Maria” on FOX Business last week.

SCOOP: PENCE URGES REPUBLICANS TO HOLD THE LINE ON TAX HIKES FOR THE RICH AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS

“Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the highest tax bracket was 39.6%; it was less than $1 million. Ideally, what we could do – again, if we can’t find spending reductions – we say, ‘OK, let’s restore that higher bracket, let’s set it at maybe $2 million income and above’ to help pay for the rest of the president’s agenda.”

Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., similarly floated raising the top tax bracket to 38.6%.

He later told Fox News Digital in a statement, “I believe we must help the president deliver on his promise of a tax and regulatory plan that supports pro-American economic and manufacturing growth, and delivers for the vast majority of Americans – while creating savings and promoting fiscal responsibility. Any adjustments in taxes to accomplish these goals should be considered.”

Both Meuser and Harris declined to provide more comment for this story.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who refers to the 2017 tax cuts as the “Trump-Pence tax cuts,” last week urged House Republicans to stand firm against raising taxes on the country’s top earners and to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. 

One House GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital last week that reaction among their colleagues to possible tax hikes was “mixed.”

But a former Republican member was skeptical on Wednesday.

“Raising taxes is a short-term high, which ultimately does more harm than good,” the former House Republican said. “This strategy is contrary to conservative values.”

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Meanwhile, Marc Goldwein, senior policy director at the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said it was “healthy” that lawmakers are entertaining fiscal ideas outside their party norms.

He was wary about the push for a tax hike, however.

“I’m not a fan of doing things that look fiscally good at the same time that you’re doing things that actually are fiscally bad … on top of that, I don’t think raising tax rates is the best way to raise revenue,” Goldwein said. “But with those two things said, I think it is very healthy move that the GOP kind of is talking about that rates actually can go in both directions.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Gingrich for an interview for this story but did not receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Top Dem denies ignoring constituent abducted by Maduro after being lambasted for Abrego Garcia advocacy

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A top Democrat refuted claims she ignored correspondence from a constituent whose son was abducted by Venezuela’s military while she was publicly advocating for Salvadoran deportee Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. — who, until Republicans retook the Senate, was third in line to the presidency — told Fox News Digital through a spokesperson on Monday they have no record of correspondence from Scott St. Clair asking for help for his imprisoned son.

“Our office has no record of an inquiry from the St. Clair family; however, our staff is ready and willing to help support the return of Joseph however possible,” the Murray spokesperson said, after Fox News Digital asked about comments from St. Clair to KTTH radio host Jason Rantz, wherein the father said he received “nothing” in response from Murray.

“We’ll be working to get in touch with the family directly,” the Murray spokesperson said, adding constituent service is a “top priority.”

PATTY MURRAY WENT FROM A MOM IN TENNIS SHOES TO SECOND-IN-LINE FOR THE PRESIDENCY

Joseph St. Clair, a four-tour Afghanistan War veteran from Hansville, Washington, first went missing in November while getting PTSD treatment in Colombia. 

In February, his father got a call from the Colombian consulate telling him neighboring Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s regime had taken him hostage.

As for her Abrego Garcia advocacy, her office said Murray “is also committed to protecting the fundamental right to due process in America — and will not shy away from condemning the Trump administration’s dangerous efforts to undermine the rule of law.”

On Thursday, Murray retweeted Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s, D-Md., photo with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, writing, “We’re with you, Senator Van Hollen.”

“In America, we don’t send people to foreign prisons for life with no trial and no due process. We’ll keep fighting. This is about protecting our democracy,” she continued.

She also released a video saying the Trump administration “abruptly ripped Garcia off the streets.”

“They admitted that this deportation was a mistake. Now the president is trying to pretend that he has no power to bring him back from one of the most horrific prisons in the world. This is un-American. It is immoral. It is illegal. And it needs to stop,” Murray said.

VENEZUELAN OPPO LEADER JOINS CUBAN-BORN GOP LAWMAKER PRAISING TRUMP FOR CANCELING BIDEN-MADURO OIL DEAL

Rantz lambasted Murray’s tweet, saying that while she “pretends to care about an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, she’s ignoring the father of an American USAF vet who was kidnapped by the Maduro regime in Venezuela.”

Another Seattle figure, Discovery Institute’s Jonathan Choe, recounted Murray’s comments on Abrego Garcia, and then the plight of the St. Claires, remarking on X, “Make it make sense.” Several other people slammed the senator on X over the situation, while a hostage aid group reprinted part of Rantz’s report on the matter.

Scott St. Clair told Rantz that his son was held alongside several other Americans whom President Donald Trump envoy Ric Grenell was able to bring home during a Jan. 31 meeting with Maduro.

Joseph St. Clair’s military credentials originally drew the Venezuelans’ attention, his father said.

Another Trump envoy, Adam Boehler, reached out to the family to assist them, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially designated Joseph St. Clair “wrongfully detained.”

Rantz shared apparent screenshots of Scott St. Clair’s purported attempts to contact Murray, before “a senator from another state would agree to intervene.” That lawmaker turned out to be Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., to whom Fox News Digital reached out for comment.

Scott St. Clair appeared to reach out to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., by email, and Murray via Twitter direct message on March 23 after Rubio officially designated his son captive.

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In one email from February shared with Rantz, Scott St. Clair wrote that “as a matter of record” he also sent a letter to Murray “via web form” and appeared to include text of the letter in a prior reply that was partially hidden.

He also shared a screenshot of his X direct message to Murray where he shared a “Bring Joe Home” graphic and the message: “I am a Washingtonian and need advocacy to secure the release of our son from captivity in Venezuela. I sent your office an email and received no reply.”

Scott St. Clair said he received some response from Cantwell but ultimately pivoted to Schmitt.

“We need all the help we can get. Congress needs to demand that Maduro release our citizens held hostage as political pawns,” he wrote to Murray, according to one screenshot viewed by Fox News Digital.

“We do not have our state’s backing from congressmen or senators,” Joseph’s mother Patty added in a Monday night interview on “Fox News @ Night.” “Thank God we do have some senators stepping up from other states to help us, but nothing at all from ours.”

“We would welcome [Murray’s] advocacy, yes, but I don’t think it’s coming,” Scott St. Clair added.

Air Force veteran jumps into key House race to unseat 22-term vulnerable Dem: ‘Time to pass the torch’

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FIRST ON FOX: Longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur is facing a new Republican challenger in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District in the form of Air Force veteran Alea Nadeem, who spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital about her campaign.

This country saved me, I owe my life to this country,” Nadeem, a northwest Ohio native, told Fox News Digital, recounting her harrowing life story of being kidnapped by her father and taken to Iraq, where she lived under the rule of Saddam Hussein before the U.S. government worked to bring her back.

Nadeem joined the Air Force in response to the events of 9/11 and never planned on leaving the nonpartisan military world for politics until she spent time on Capitol Hill in recent years and realized that life for people in her district was not improving.

“I got to see firsthand all the things that were happening, and I’ve got to tell you, my hometown where I grew up was not better off,” Nadeem said. “I was seeing the policies that people were voting on, and especially the current person, Marcy Kaptur, who’s been here for almost 43 years. I didn’t think they were voting in a way that actually helped the way I grew up, blue-collar families.”

‘NEW LOW’: LONGTIME HOUSE DEM RIPPED FOR ‘DISGUSTING’ QUESTIONING OF MUSK’S LOYALTY TO US AS AN IMMIGRANT

Kaptur, who narrowly won re-election in 2024 by less than 1 percentage point, is widely considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House. Her district will be home to one of the most highly watched races as Republicans attempt to hold a thin majority in the chamber.

Cook Political Report ranks the race as a “Democrat toss up” in a state that Trump carried by over 10 points.

Kaptur faced criticism during last year’s campaign for introducing only five bills that became law in 41 years.

REPUBLICANS TROLL DEMS’ EL SALVADOR VISITS WITH OFFER TO FOOT TRAVEL BILL – IN EXCHANGE FOR ONE THING

Nadeem told Fox News Digital that even people she talks to who “love” Kaptur agree that 22 terms in Congress is too much.

“It’s time to pass the torch,” Nadeem said. “One of the things that they’ve all said to me is they were really scared to pass a torch the last two times. They didn’t feel like they had a candidate who could really step into her shoes. And so I’ve heard, I call it kitchen table talk. They haven’t found somebody worthy to pass the torch to, but they also fully understand it’s time. Everyone has been like, it’s enough. We get it, 43 years. So I think they’re looking for the next guardian to be able to do that. Someone they can trust. And I’m really hoping to step into that.”

Nadeem spoke to Fox News Digital about the issues she plans to focus on during the campaign. At the top of the list are jobs and manufacturing.

“This is near and dear to my heart,” Nadeem said, adding that making sure “we’re not hollowing out the northwest and these blue-collar jobs” is her “number one priority.”

Nadeem said bringing fiscal responsibility to Washington, D.C., will be another priority.

“I looked at 1983, when Marcy Kaptur was in office, I think the debt was around, that the United States debt was around like $1.6 trillion, and now it’s $36 trillion,” Nadeem said. “So you can just see like, under Democratic leadership, we have not done better. So we need to get our fiscal house in order because I know people in northwest Ohio really rely on Social Security and Medicare. And I call those earned benefits. And if we can’t balance our checkbook, we can’t pay for those things. And so I do think people deserve that.”

Trump to hold rally Tuesday in celebration of first 100 days, Leavitt says

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President Donald Trump is slated to hold a rally in Michigan next week in celebration of the first 100 days of his second term in office, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted in a post on X.

“President Trump is excited to return to the great state of Michigan next Tuesday, where he will rally in Macomb County to celebrate the FIRST 100 DAYS!” Leavitt declared in the tweet.

Trump, who was sworn in on Jan. 20, is the second U.S. president elected to two non-consecutive terms — the first was President Grover Cleveland in the 19th century.

FOX NEWS POLL: THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND TERM

Trump won the state of Michigan in 2016 and 2024, but lost it in 2020.

His 2016 win in the state snapped a lengthy Republican losing streak — the last time Michigan had gone to a Republican in a presidential contest was in 1988.

REPUBLICAN REP. JOHN JAMES ANNOUNCES RUN FOR GOVERNOR: ‘MAKE MICHIGAN GREAT AGAIN’

“There is no better place to celebrate Day 100 than Macomb County,” House GOP conference chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., declared in a post on X, adding, “Welcome, @POTUS!

Rep. John James, R-Mich., said in a tweet, “Macomb County is honored to welcome President @realDonaldTrump back to MICHIGAN to celebrate the first 100 days of America’s New Golden Age. Together, we will Make Michigan Great Again.”

TRUMP PRAISES DEM GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER AFTER SLAMMING HER LAST YEAR: ‘VERY GOOD PERSON’

James launched a gubernatorial bid earlier this month.

Trump notices ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sticker during Oval Office meeting: ‘Who is that?’

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President Donald Trump elicited laughter in the Oval Office on Wednesday after asking a wounded veteran about his “Let’s Go Brandon” sticker.

While meeting with wounded veterans, the president appeared to notice the sticker, asking: “Who is that picture on there?” 

“That is Joe Biden,” the veteran replied. “And it says, ‘Let’s go, Brandon.’” Attendees inside the iconic office erupted with laughter. 

“I’m saying, ‘what was that picture?'” Trump said through laughter. “That’s great.”

‘DOWN TO ZERO’: VETERAN SUICIDE CRISIS TARGETED IN VA BILL BY BIPARTISAN HOUSE COALITION

The “Let’s Go Brandon” phrase was coined during a 2021 NASCAR interview when a sports reporter misheard a crowd chant. Following Brandon Brown’s victory at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, a crowd began chanting “F— Joe Biden” in the background of his interview.

NBC reporter Kelli Stavast apparently misunderstood what people were chanting, claiming they were saying “Let’s Go Brandon!”

NASCAR DRIVER BRANDON BROWN ADDRESSES ANTI-BIDEN ‘LET’S GO, BRANDON’ CHANT

The video quickly went mega-viral and people have since used the phrase as a way to rebuke former President Biden. 

Trump’s lighthearted Oval Office moment took a heartfelt turn following the sticker exchange. Trump then addressed the group of veterans and their families, many of whom he had previously visited during his first term.

“These are amazing people, great heroes,” Trump said.

DOGE UNCOVERS MASSIVE VA CONTRACT FOR ‘SALARY SURVEY DATA AND ANALYSIS’ – SAYS IT CANCELED IT, SAVING MILLIONS

One veteran offered his gratitude to the former president: “Mr. President, we just were very happy with the energy that this administration is bringing, and it’s an administration that says it does what it promises. We’re behind you. We believe in you. And I think we all love you.”

Another veteran added: “Thank you for loving America, sir.” 

The event marked the rollout of several new executive orders, including major education initiatives.

Among them: reforms to the accreditation system for higher education, new transparency measures to expose foreign influence at U.S. universities, and a nationwide push to enhance artificial intelligence education for American youth.

Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report. 

AG Pam Bondi announces ‘greatest hits’ amid DOGE cuts, including $250K to work with jailed trans inmates

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The Justice Department released some of its “greatest hits” when it continues to slash millions of dollars of wasteful grants, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday. 

Among the money that will be saved is $2 million that was used for “national listening sessions of individuals with lived experience,” as well as $695,000 for “a parallel convergent mixed-methods case study research design to assess the efficacy of police departments’ LGBTQ liaison services.”

The agency will save another $250,000 used to fund a grant for “working with incarcerated transgender individuals providing gender-affirming care to including housing in gender-appropriate facilities.”

“More to come,” Bondi wrote on X. 

PAM BONDI CALLS OUT ‘DETACHED FROM REALITY’ DEMS FOR DEMANDING ALLEGED MS-13 GANG MEMBER BE RETURNED TO US

The moves are part of a larger effort by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to get rid of wasteful spending and downsize the scope of the federal government. 

TEXAS POISED TO CREATE ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE AS BILL PASSES BOTH CHAMBERS

“Great work by @AGPamBondi @TheJusticeDept,” a DOGE post on X stated. 

Last week, DOGE announced it had worked with the U.S. National Science Foundation to cancel 402 “wasteful” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) grants, which will save $233 million, including $1 million for “Antiracist Teacher Leadership for Statewide Transformation.”

“Today, NSF announced it is terminating awards not aligned with agency priorities, ensuring current & new awards are consistent with our mission,” the NSF said at the time.  

Trump praises Elon Musk as ‘patriot, a brilliant guy, and a friend of mine’ amid DOGE exit

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Elon Musk may be easing off his role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE ), but President Donald Trump isn’t easing off his praise. 

On Wednesday, Trump praised Musk’s smarts and patriotism during an executive order signing in the Oval Office, brushing off critics and defending the tech mogul’s work on federal reform.

“He’s an incredible… brilliant guy,” Trump said. “He was a tremendous help both in the campaign, and in what he’s done with DOGE.”

DOGE, launched in 2025, has served as a hallmark of Trump’s second-term agenda to cut waste, streamline federal agencies, and apply private-sector principles to federal operations. 

FOX NEWS POLL: THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND TERM

Musk’s informal advisory role in the effort has drawn both attention and criticism.

In an exchange with a reporter, Trump addressed what he described as unfair treatment of Musk and Tesla. “They took it out on Tesla, and I just thought it was so unfair because he’s trying to help the country, but he has helped the country… He didn’t need to do this. He did it,” he said.

Trump’s remarks came as tensions have hit an all-time high for Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla

DAVID MARCUS: WHAT AMERICA OWES ELON MUSK AFTER DOGE

A Kansas City dealership was recently firebombed, causing over $200,000 in damage. In Europe, a Tesla executive canceled a scheduled appearance in Rome over reported security threats. These incidents have occurred alongside ongoing protests at Tesla’s Berlin gigafactory.

Trump continued his praise, referencing Musk’s aerospace work with SpaceX: “When you see those rockets go up and come back and land in the same gantry, nobody else can do that but this man. So he’s just an incredible person, and he’s a friend of mine as a nice person too, as a very nice person.”

He also noted Musk’s broad technological contributions. “He’s a great patriot… he makes a great product… it’s a great car. It’s [a] great everything. Starlink is great. What he does is good. He’s doing medical things that are amazing.”

Wrapping up his response, Trump said he hoped Musk would continue to be involved, even as he turns his attention back to his business empire. 

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“I told him… whenever you’re ready, I’d like to keep him for a long time.”

A recent Fox News poll shows that while 49% of Americans think DOGE will make the government more efficient, 52% believe the Trump administration has not been “competent and effective” in managing federal operations — a sentiment unchanged from 2017.

Twelve states sue Trump over tariffs, claiming they’re ‘illegal’ and harmful to US economy

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President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs are facing a major legal challenge from New York and 11 other states, who argue the president overstepped his authority and put the U.S. economy at risk by imposing them without congressional approval.

Filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, the lawsuit challenges Trump’s use of emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs on imports from countries worldwide.

“Once again, Democrats like Letitia James are prioritizing a witch hunt against President Trump over protecting the safety and wellbeing of their constituents,” White House spokesman Kush Desai wrote exclusively to Fox News Digital. “The Trump Administration remains committed to using its full legal authority to confront the distinct national emergencies our country is currently facing—both the scourge of illegal migration and fentanyl flows across our border and the exploding annual U.S. goods trade deficit.”

The 12 states, however, argue that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes and tariffs, and that IEEPA was never intended to authorize trade policy on this scale.

LONGTIME TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES REVIEWING POSSIBLE INSIDER TRADING OVER PRESIDENT’S TARIFF PAUSE

“President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul. “New York is standing up to fight back against the largest federal tax hike in American history. Attorney General James and I are partnering on this litigation on behalf of New York consumers, because we can’t let President Trump push our country into a recession.”

“The president does not have the power to raise taxes on a whim,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “His tariffs are unlawful and, if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.”

Since February 2025, Trump has signed multiple executive orders imposing new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, and nearly all other U.S. trading partners.

The administration cited national emergencies as the basis for the tariffs, including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and unfair trade practices. The states in the lawsuit claim the president’s justifications are vague and legally insufficient.

The IEEPA, enacted in 1977, allows presidents to respond to specific international threats, such as terrorism or hostile foreign actors. But according to the lawsuit, no president in the 48 years since its passage has used it to impose tariffs.

GOP LAWMAKER TOUTS $19M TRUMP TARIFF SUCCESS STORY IN HER DISTRICT: ‘NEW MODEL FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURING’

The complaint argues that the new tariffs were imposed without congressional approval or the necessary legal findings to justify sweeping trade actions. 

The lawsuit also claims that tariffs are not connected to any specific “unusual and extraordinary” threat, as required under IEEPA, which the Trump administration cited as its authority. The states claim the tariffs will significantly raise consumer prices, drive inflation, lead to job losses, and create widespread economic instability.

The legal challenge doesn’t just focus on economics. It argues the tariffs are unconstitutional because they usurp congressional authority over taxes and trade. The lawsuit also claims the administration’s shifting policy — which they claim is often modified by executive orders or social media — has created chaos in trade and financial markets.

Supporters of the Trump administration say the tariffs are a bold move to protect American industries and correct longstanding trade imbalances. 

At a February 2025 press conference, President Trump said, “We took in hundreds of billions of dollars [with past tariffs]… It’s going to make our country rich,” framing the measures as a continuation of his America First economic agenda.

But the lawsuit paints a different picture of legal overreach and a lack of transparency. It argues that if President Trump’s actions are allowed to stand, any future president could impose taxes under the label of emergency authority, bypassing Congress entirely.

Gov. Hochul and Attorney General James, both vocal critics of the Trump administration, have frequently clashed with the president over a range of issues, from immigration to environmental policy. This latest lawsuit marks another high-profile confrontation.

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Alongside New York, the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont have joined the case.

The coalition is asking the court to block further enforcement of the tariffs and declare the orders invalid under both the Constitution and federal law.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker moves to boycott El Salvador for aiding Trump over Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s detention

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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered the state to review any investments and business with El Salvador, a move that could lead to a boycott over the Central American nation’s assistance with the Trump administration in the deportation of criminal illegal migrants. 

In a statement, the Democratic governor said the move was in response to the administration’s defiance of court orders and the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member with connections to human trafficking, who is being detained in El Salvador. 

“The United States Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump erode our fundamental Constitutional rights in real time, and we must fight to restore the balance of power,” Pritzker said in a statement. “The State of Illinois will stand up for the Rule of Law and do everything in our power (to) stop the Trump Administration from ripping apart our most basic rights.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

4 MORE DEMS TRAVEL TO EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ABREGO GARCIA’S RETURN TO US

Pritzker said he was requesting the Illinois State Board of Investment, the State Universities Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System to “identify any fund investments” that are wholly or partially managed, owned or controlled by the Salvadoran government or have ties to businesses in El Salvador.

He also directed the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) to identify any state contracts awarded to companies with ties to the Latin American country. 

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Office of Trade and Investment has also been ordered to analyze trade between Illinois and El Salvador, including the scale and nature of imports and the extent to which goods produced in El Salvador are in the supply chain of products manufactured in Illinois.

DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN AND SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER TRANSFERRED FROM NOTORIOUS EL SALVADORAN MEGA-PRISON

Pritzker’s order came as at least five Democrats have traveled to El Salvador with the intention of meeting with Abrego Garcia. Four of them were denied a meeting by the Salvadoran government. 

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., met with him amid the legal battle over his return. 

The Trump administration previously admitted to mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to MS-13 who was living in Maryland, but has since said it would not help bring him home.

The Supreme Court has ordered the administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. However, it said El Salvador is responsible for his return. 

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has said he will not return him. Democrats contend Abrego Garcia was deprived of due process, which the Trump administration denies. 

The Justice Department unveiled documents last week detailing domestic violence allegations that Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, included in a court filing in 2021. She alleged that her husband beat her and that she had documentation of the bruises he left on her.

Additionally, a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report obtained by Fox News claims that Abrego Garcia was suspected of partaking in labor and human trafficking. The report said a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper pulled Abrego Garcia over in 2022 after swerving. The patrol officer found eight other individuals in the car with Abrego Garcia, who had just begun driving three days prior. 

Department of Homeland Security sources confirmed to Fox News Digital that the SUV Abrego Garcia was driving belonged to a confessed human smuggler.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Peter Pinedo and Cameron Arcand contributed to this report. 

Gorsuch and Maryland school district lawyer have wild exchange over children’s LGBTQ storybook: ‘Not bondage’

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The lawyer for a Maryland school district and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch had a wild exchange this week about a children’s book amid an ongoing case brought by parents who want to be able to opt their children out of reading LGBTQ storybooks in their public school.

Gorsuch was asking Alan Schoenfeld, the attorney representing Montgomery County Public Schools, about “Pride Puppy!” a 32-page book that tells the story of a family celebrating Pride Day when their dog gets lost in the parade and the effort to reunite the pup with his loved ones.  

The rhyming alphabet book, which was described as “affirming and inclusive” by its publisher, allows readers to spot items starting with each of the letters of the alphabet while offering “a joyful glimpse of a Pride parade and the vibrant community that celebrates this day each year.”

The book was previously used in the district’s pre-kindergarten curriculum.

THE SUPREME COURT APPEARS TO SIDE WITH PARENTS IN RELIGIOUS LIBERTY DISPUTE OVER STORYBOOKS 

“And they’re being used in English language instruction at age 3?” Gorsuch asked. 

“‘Pride Puppy!’ was the book that was used for the pre-kindergarten curriculum. That’s no longer in the curriculum,” replied Schoenfeld. 

“That’s the one where they’re supposed to look for the leather and things – and bondage – things like that,” Gorsuch responded. 

“It’s not bondage. It’s a woman in a leather…”

A “Sex worker?” asked Gorsuch. 

“No. That’s not correct. No,” replied Schoenfeld. 

PARENTS TELL SCOTUS: LGBTQ STORYBOOKS IN CLASSROOMS CLASH WITH OUR FAITH

“Gosh, I read it…drag queen?” said Gorsuch. 

Schoenfeld said the leather is actually a woman in a leather jacket and that “one of the words is drag queen.” 

The high court was hearing arguments in the case brought by religious parents who say young children can’t be expected to separate a teacher’s moral messages from their family’s beliefs. 

Eric Baxter, the attorney representing Maryland parents in Mahmoud v. Taylor, told the justices that the school district violated the First Amendment by denying opt-out requests for books that “contradict their religious beliefs,” even while allowing exemptions for other religious objections – such as books depicting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

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

Baxter said teachers were required to use the materials in class after the district approved certain LGBTQ-themed curriculum books in 2022. 

“When the books were first introduced in August of 2022, the board suggested they be used five times before the end of the year,” he said. “One of the schools, Sherwood School, in June for Pride Month said that they were going to read one book each day.”

The district initially allowed parents to opt out their children for religious concerns but reversed course by March 2023, citing concerns about absenteeism and administrative burdens.

Among the other storybooks at the center of the case is “Prince & Knight,” a modern fairy tale aimed at children ages 4 to 8, which tells the story of two men who fall in love after joining forces to defeat a dragon and later marry. 

Another book frequently referenced during oral arguments was “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” which follows a young girl processing her favorite uncle’s decision to marry another man.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by late June.

Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. 

Trump signs education-focused executive orders on AI, school discipline, accreditation, foreign gifts and more

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President Donald Trump signed multiple Executive Orders relating to education Wednesday afternoon, with several tied to the theme of returning meritocracy back to the education system. 

The orders, seven in total, included actions to integrate artificial intelligence into K-12 school curricula, reforms to school discipline and accreditation guidelines, requirements related to the disclosure of foreign funding to schools and enhancements to the country’s workforce development programs. 

Trump’s slew of education-focused orders also included another directive demanding an end to DEI ideology in schools, specifically the use of “disparate impact theory,” on top of his previous executive order from January ordering an end to DEI-like programming and ideology in K-12 schools. An Executive Order setting up a White House initiative supporting the efficiency and effectiveness of Historically Black Colleges and Universities was also signed by the president on Wednesday.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO RESUME COLLECTIONS ON DEFAULTED FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2020

“They’re allowing people into school – they can’t do math – and yet kids who have worked really hard and are number one in their class out of high school – some place in New Jersey or Mississippi – they can’t get into the best schools,” Trump said as he signed his order implementing new school accreditation requirements. “What is that all about?”

“I think that gets to your policy, sir, of meritocracy – that we should be looking at those who have real merit to get in,” Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who was standing over Trump’s shoulder as he signed, chimed in. “And we have to look harder at those universities that aren’t enforcing that.” 

The accreditation reforms, along with the president’s Executive Orders on school discipline and “disparate impact theory,” were all connected to pulling back from the Biden administration’s era of prioritizing DEI over meritocracy. Specifically, the accreditation reforms seek to prevent accreditors from imposing “discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-based standards,” while compelling them to “prioritize student outcomes.”  

‘THIS IS INDOCTRINATION, NOT EDUCATION’: PLAINTIFF IN SCOTUS CASE SLAMS SCHOOLS FOR FORCING LGBTQ+ CURRICULUM

Meanwhile, under the Biden administration, the Department of Education released student discipline guidance contending that persistent racism clouds school disciplinary systems. Trump’s Wednesday Executive Order rescinds that guidance.

“Under, I believe it was the Biden administration – first Obama and then Biden – the Department of Justice issued guidance that made it almost impossible for schools to enforce adequate disciplinary policies,” Trump’s executive assistant Will Scharf said of the order as Trump was signing it. “Basically they focused on CRT and diversity ideology, instead of actually just enforcing the rules in classrooms to ensure a safe learning environment.”    

The prohibition of “disparate impact theory” builds on the president’s past orders on ridding “discriminatory” DEI programs and influences from educational settings.

“This is a theory that underlies a lot of the modern DEI and CRT-driven diversity culture,” Scharf explained. “The basic idea is instructing your department and agencies to no longer rely on disparate impact theory as they’re regulating, as they’re issuing guidance, as they’re making rules. We want to focus on results, we want to focus on actual fairness, we want to focus on merit, not things like disparate impact theory and the whole sort-of diversity, equity and inclusion cult.”

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SCOTUS TO APPROVE DEI-RELATED EDUCATION CUTS

Besides focusing on returning meritocracy to the education system, the president’s Executive Orders also sought to modernize American education and workforce preparation through the implementation of AI education in schools and through a commitment to add 1 million new apprenticeships.  

The AI order, Trump’s latest pro-AI measure, established a White House task force for AI and education that will work with federal agencies and the private sector to help draft AI programs for schools. 

The president previously signed an Executive Order in January, which worked to rescind Biden-era policies that critics say restricted the nation’s AI growth.

Deported ‘Maryland man’ championed by Dems was pulled over driving car belonging to human smuggler

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The so-called deported “Maryland man” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom Democrats have been demanding the Trump administration return to the U.S., was previously pulled over by a highway patrol officer while driving a car belonging to a confessed human smuggler, multiple sources in DHS confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The sources confirmed documents reported by Just the News that revealed Abrego Garcia was pulled over driving an SUV belonging to Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes, another illegal alien who in 2020 confessed to human smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal alien whom the Trump administration recently deported back to El Salvador, was pulled over on Dec. 1, 2022, by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper who stopped him after he was “observed speeding” and unable to stay in his lane.

The trooper noticed eight individuals in the car with Abrego Garcia, who said he began driving three days prior from Houston, Texas, to Temple Hills, Maryland, via St. Louis, Missouri, to “perform construction work.” The report on the stop states that the trooper suspected it was a human trafficking incident, as there was no luggage in the vehicle. Additionally, the individuals in the car reportedly gave the same address as Abrego Garcia’s home address.

KILMAR ABREGO-GARCIA SUSPECTED OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN REPORT OBTAINED BY FOX NEWS

When speaking with the trooper, Abrego Garcia allegedly “pretended to speak less English than he was capable of and attempted to put encountering officer off-track by responding to questions with questions.” After the incident, the officer decided not to give Abrego Garcia a citation for the driving infractions, but rather to give him a warning for driving with an expired license. 

New documents further reveal that Abrego Garcia was driving a black 2001 Chevrolet Suburban that he said belonged to his “boss.” The Suburban was identified by DHS as belonging to Hernandez Reyes, who pleaded guilty to human smuggling after being caught in Mississippi in a car with passengers from Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras.

According to another document also confirmed by DHS sources, the Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore field office further flagged the vehicle being driven by Abrego Garcia as belonging to a target they suspected of human trafficking or smuggling.

The office said that the “vehicle is used by HSI Baltimore target in human smuggling/trafficking operation. Vehicle makes trips to southern border to pick up non-citizens.”

THERE’S ‘NO QUESTION’ THAT ABREGO GARCIA ‘HAD DUE PROCESS REPEATEDLY,’ GOP LAWMAKER SAYS 

According to police and court records shared with Fox News Digital, Abrego Garcia was arrested in Hyattsville, Maryland, in October 2019, at which point he was identified by the Prince George’s County Police Gang Unit as a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang.

A federal immigration court in Baltimore further determined Abrego Garcia was not eligible for release because he “failed to meet his burden of demonstrating that his release from custody would not pose a danger to others, as the evidence shows that he is a verified member of MS-13.”

The court held that “the fact that a ‘past, proven, and reliable source of infonnation [sic]’ verified the Respondent’s gang membership, rank, and gang name is sufficient to support that the Respondent is a gang member” and that Abrego had “failed to present evidence to rebut that assertion.”

Court records involving Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, have further shown that he is a “violent” repeat wife-beater.

DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN AND SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER TRANSFERRED FROM NOTORIOUS EL SALVADORAN MEGA-PRISON

Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by his wife in 2021.

In the filing, written in Vasquez’s own handwriting, she alleges Abrego Garcia repeatedly beat her, writing: “At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia punched and scratched her on her eye, leaving her bleeding. He also allegedly threw her laptop on the floor.

She wrote that on another day, Abrego Garcia got angry again, started yelling, and ripped her shirt and shorts off before grabbing her arm and leaving marks.

LEAVITT GOES OFF ON DEMOCRAT FOR TAXPAYER-FUNDED TRIP TO SUPPORT DEPORTED SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBER

Vasquez recalled two times in 2020 that Abrego Garcia hit her.

“In November 2020, he hit me with his work boot,” she wrote. “In August 2020, he hit me in the eye leaving a purple eye.”

Local Fox affiliate Fox45 reported that court documents further showed that a man named Edwin Ramos, who claimed to be the father of two of Vasquez’s children, filed for custody of the children because he was concerned about the children’s safety, alleging that Vasquez “is dating a gang member.”

Two federal judges may hold Trump in contempt as he defies courts in immigration crackdown

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A second U.S. judge scolded the Trump administration on Tuesday night for failing to answer questions in an ongoing deportation case, raising the threat that some Trump officials could be held in contempt of court.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland upbraided Trump officials for failing to comply with the court’s requests for information in a case involving the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia — accusing officials in a blistering eight-page order of submitting “vague, evasive and incomplete” responses that she said demonstrated “willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations.”

She further described the Justice Department’s “false premise” objections as “a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations.”

Xinis is not the first federal judge to raise the possibility of holding the Trump administration in contempt for failing to abide by court orders. Just 15 miles away, at a courthouse in Washington, D.C., another judge had already threatened the same.

FEDERAL JUDGE JAMES BOASBERG FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE TO HOLD TRUMP IN CONTEMPT OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

At issue in both cases is President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime immigration law the administration invoked last month to immediately deport certain individuals from the U.S. to El Salvador.

Hours after Trump’s March 14 proclamation that he would use the law to deport certain migrants — including alleged members of the gangs MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, or TdA — the U.S. sent more than 260 migrants to El Salvador to be detained in the country’s maximum-security prison.

The weeks since have been characterized by a wave of frantic court proceedings, appeals, and emergency Supreme Court orders, as judges across the country weigh the administration’s use of the wartime law. 

WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?

But Trump’s lawyers have appeared less than willing to share certain information with the courts. Their behavior has sparked fury from federal judges, who have accused them on more than one occasion of acting in bad faith and willfully defying their orders.

Xinis took umbrage Tuesday night at the administration’s refusal to respond to at least one interrogatory, saying their refusal is “based on the false premise that the United States can or has been ordered to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody” in El Salvador.

She also rebuked officials for their failure to comply with her earlier order to return Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man and alleged MS-13 member who was wrongfully deported last month to El Salvador. “For weeks, Defendants have sought refuge behind vague and unsubstantiated assertions of privilege, using them as a shield to obstruct discovery and evade compliance with this Court’s orders,” she said.

Her earlier ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court in an emergency order. The ruling said the government must “facilitate” his release — a definition that was subsequently clarified again by Xinis and by judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

“‘Facilitate’ is an active verb,” U.S. Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, a Reagan appointee, said in authoring the circuit court opinion. 

“It requires that steps be taken as the Supreme Court has made perfectly clear,” he added.

TRUMP ADMIN DEFIES COURT OVER MARYLAND DEPORTATION, IGNITES LEGAL SHOWDOWN

At a hearing last week, Xinis ordered an “intense” and expedited two-week discovery period to determine whether the Trump administration has acted in good faith to comply with her order to return Abrego Garcia. Should they fail to supply the required information, or indicate they acted in bad faith, she could have sufficient information to move to consider possible contempt proceedings.

Additionally, in a related case, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said there was probable cause to find Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for defying his order to return deportation flights to El Salvador on March 15.

In a 48-page ruling, Boasberg accused the government of “willful disregard” for court directives, citing missed deadlines to submit flight details and identify officials who knew about his emergency order halting removals. Although a federal appeals court in D.C. has paused the contempt proceedings, Boasberg has requested further declarations and warned that officials may be required to testify under oath.

If they fail to comply, the judge could refer the case to the Justice Department for prosecution or appoint outside counsel if DOJ declines.

JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’

The appeals court that paused Boasberg’s contempt proceedings did so temporarily, requesting additional briefing from both the Justice Department and ACLU attorneys representing the plaintiffs.

What happens next remains uncertain. Trump officials have repeatedly railed against so-called “activist judges,” accusing courts of obstructing the administration’s immigration agenda. In an earlier emergency appeal, officials claimed Boasberg’s actions amounted to a “massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens,” arguing those individuals “pose threats to the American people.”

Meanwhile, Judge Xinis’s order in Maryland comes amid a flurry of immigration-related legal battles nationwide, as Trump pushes forward with his border security priorities.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that the administration can continue using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants, provided they receive due process protections, including the right to challenge removals in court.

Separately, federal judges in New York and Texas temporarily blocked use of the Alien Enemies Act in specific cases, siding with plaintiffs who argued certain migrants could be removed without a chance to seek habeas relief.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on next steps in the Abrego Garcia case, or on the possibility that Xinis might move on possible contempt proceedings.

Soros prosecutor ripped for failing to charge Walz staffer over Tesla vandalism: ‘Two-tiered justice system’

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A Minnesota state employee avoided criminal charges after vandalizing at least six Tesla vehicles, the local district attorney announced this week, prompting outrage from local leaders who spoke to Fox News Digital.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) said it would seek “diversion” over charges against Minnesota Department of Human Services data analyst Dylan Bryan Adams after causing $20,000 in damages. The diversion approach “helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution,” according HCAO. 

When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, the Minnesota Department of Human Services did not clarify Adams’ employment status, but said: “We are reviewing the matter at this time. State employees are expected to follow our code of conduct and hold themselves to the highest ethical standards through their words and actions.”

Republicans across the North Star State have condemned County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision, as President Donald Trump’s administration has identified Tesla vandalism as “domestic terrorism” and led a nationwide effort alongside the Justice Department to hold vandals accountable. 

WALZ STAFFER ACCUSED OF VANDALIZING TESLAS MIGHT NOT FACE CHARGES: REPORT

“In Tim Walz’s Minnesota, there is a two-tiered justice system that does everything possible to protect Democrats. As the victim of a domestic terrorism attack in Minnesota myself, I know first-hand that Minnesota’s justice system does not work for me nor Conservatives in our state. If Dylan Adams was a police officer and not part of Walz’s Minnesota state government, Mary Moriarty would have tried to charge him with a felony,” Kendall Qualls, Founder of TakeCharge and former Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

DEMS WHO RAILED AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM SILENT AS TRUMP FLOATS 20-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE FOR TESLA VANDALS

Qualls was targeted in a suspected arson case that left three conservative group offices heavily damaged in Minnesota in 2024. Qualls said on Wednesday that authorities never found the arsonist. 

“Minnesota is again bucking the national trend: While the Justice Department and FBI are investigating the nationwide vandalism and attacks against Tesla as acts of domestic terrorism, Minnesota Progressives are giving them a free pass,” Matthew RJ Brodsky, President of Red Ax Strategies and Board Chair of the American Center for Counter Extremism, told Fox News Digital. 

Adam Schwarze, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota, told Fox News Digital that Minnesota vandals “get a free pass if they have the approved political philosophy.”

“This would have been an obvious opportunity for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to make clear that the right to political protest doesn’t include the right to destroy personal property. We must reaffirm that our commitment to justice means ensuring all individuals, regardless of their political affiliations or employment status, are held to the same legal standards,” Adam Schwarze said. 

Republicans told Fox News Digital that Moriarty refusing to criminally charge a Minnesota state employee, following a string of targeted violence, could invoke domestic terrorism. 

“This is a dangerous precedent that tells every Minnesotan that political violence is acceptable here. After Gov. Tim Walz cheered on the loss of Tesla’s stock to the detriment of his own pension. Now we have one of his employees damaging a Tesla and a Democrat country attorney letting him get away with it. It’s a Democrat double-whammy: They insult the professional law enforcement officers of our state by ignoring their work, and then let their political allies and supporters off the hook for breaking the law,” Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran said. 

John Nagel, a retired police lieutenant in Minnesota and former candidate for the Minnesota state legislature, said diversion can be a “great tool for someone who is younger and dumber, but this individual had a responsible job and was old enough to know better.”

WISCONSINITES KICKED OUT AND DENIED ENTRY TO THIS DEMOCRAT’S ‘FAKE TOWN HALL’

“This sends a bad message to an already hostile group of politically charged individuals,” Nagel said. “As a police officer, I have had several people tell me that if they had spent even a few nights in jail, they wouldn’t have committed a crime the second and third time.

Brodsky added that Moriarty’s latest legal blunder is consistent with her legacy in Walz’s home state. Moriarty, who handed Adams a “pre-charge diversion” on Monday, has been backed by groups tied to money from megadonor George Soros, one of the most prominent backers of progressive issues in the United States.

“It would be an understatement to say that Progressive County Attorney Mary Moriarty has been soft on crime since she took office in 2023. She has consistently shown undue leniency for violent criminal suspects charged with sexual assault and even murder. It is one of the many reasons the Minneapolis Police Department has been at loggerheads with the county attorney’s office, to say nothing of the outrage among the victims’ families,” Brodsky said. 

Nagel questioned how many tax dollars were invested in finding Adams “only to have their efforts wiped out by a progressive prosecutor” and leaving Minnesota dealerships on alert “knowing someone can come into their lot and damage cars.”

As Republicans ripped the state’s “soft on crime” practices, they tied Walz’s own anti-Telsa rhetoric to the string of violence against Elon Musk’s multi-billionaire electric vehicle business. Amid the string of attacks on Tesla as its stock was taking a tumble, Walz told a Wisconsin town hall that he checks Tesla’s stock when he wants to feel better. 

“Gov. Walz’s rhetoric on Tesla stock, Democrats all over the country spewing,’We need to rise up and take it to the streets’ is all fueling the fire. Angry elected Democrats are encouraging this kind of behavior. Refusing to hold adults accountable for attacks based on their political hatred is bound to end badly for regular folks,” Nagel added. 

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Brodsky said each Tesla vandalized is a felony, adding: “These crimes didn’t take place in a vacuum either, with progressives focusing their anger at Elon Musk and DOGE’s effort to shrink the bloated federal workforce.”

“It’s likely not a coincidence that the suspect in this case is a State of Minnesota employee with the Department of Human Services. Moreover, these attacks began the same day that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made controversial remarks where he cheered the decline of Tesla stocks and disparaged Elon Musk at a Wisconsin event on March 18. The double-standards here speak for themselves. Political violence appears to be acceptable if carried out by progressives. Needless to say, this will undoubtedly embolden pProgressive activists to engage in further attacks,” Brodsky said. 

Gov. Walz, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Minneapolis Police Department and Hennepin County Attorney’s Office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. 

DNI Gabbard refers intel officials to DOJ for prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information

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EXCLUSIVE: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard referred two intelligence community professionals to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution Wednesday over alleged leaks of classified information, Fox News Digital has learned. 

An ODNI official told Fox News Digital that the intelligence community professionals allegedly leaked classified information to the Washington Post and the New York Times. A third criminal referral is “on its way” to the DOJ. 

GABBARD ESTABLISHES NEW INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE TO RESTORE TRANSPARENCY

The official told Fox News Digital that intelligence community professionals should take the move “as a warning.” 

“Politicization of our intelligence and leaking classified information puts our nation’s security at risk and must end,” Gabbard told Fox News Digital. “Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” 

“Today, I referred two intelligence community leakers to the Department of Justice for criminal referral, with a third criminal referral on its way, which includes the recent illegal leak to the Washington Post,” Gabbard said. “These deep-state criminals leaked classified information for partisan political purposes to undermine President Trump’s agenda.” 

Gabbard added: “I look forward to working with the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate, terminate and prosecute these criminals.”

An ODNI official said the move to refer for criminal prosecution is the first step in the process of “holding these individuals accountable.” 

TULSI GABBARD REVOKES SECURITY CLEARANCES, ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FOR BIDEN, HARRIS, CLINTON, OTHERS

The official explained the process in their decision-making, telling Fox News Digital that they conducted an internal review and then sent the criminal referral to the Justice Department. The DOJ would then send the referral to the FBI to begin a formal, criminal investigation. 

“We are aggressively investigating other leaks and will pursue further criminal referrals as warranted,” the official told Fox News Digital. “Any intelligence community bureaucrat who is considering leaking to the media should take this as a warning.” 

The official added that the Trump administration “will identify leakers and leakers will face legal consequences.” 

DNI TULSI GABBARD MOVES TO TERMINATE, REVOKE SECURITY CLEARANCES OF NSA EMPLOYEES TIED TO EXPLICIT CHATROOMS

Earlier this month, Gabbard established a new task force to restore transparency and accountability in the intelligence community. Fox News Digital first reported on the Director’s Initiative Group (DIG), which started by investigating weaponization within the intelligence community.

Officials said the group will also work to root out politicization and expose unauthorized disclosures of classified intelligence. In addition, it will work to declassify information “that serves a public interest.” 

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Gabbard also has held employees who participated in sexually explicit NSA chatrooms accountable, and is pursuing action on those who have made unauthorized leaks of classified information within the intelligence community. 

Fox News Politics Newsletter: Senate Dems’ No. 2 to Bid Adieu

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Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.

Here’s what’s happening…

-Is REAL ID really necessary? What authorities are saying

-Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Trump called him about arson attack at governor’s mansion

-Angel mom of Rachel Morin condemns Dems’ trip to see deported migrant, mainstream media bias

Sen. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., the Senate Democratic whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. 

Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, made the announcement in a video message on X Wednesday.

“The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,” Durbin said…Read more 

‘BURDEN LIFTED’: Trump lifts police ‘burden’ with executive orders in first 100 days

‘SMEAR CAMPAIGN’: Hegseth maintains White House backing amid ‘smear campaign’ alleging likely ouster

‘MOST UNIVERSITIES FAILED’: Former Biden official ‘pleased’ Trump admin tackling antisemitism

‘TOP OF THE LINE’: Trump unfurls plans for double 100-foot flagpoles during White House lawn walk

PEACE ON THE LINE: Vance issues ultimatum to Russia, Ukraine on peace negotiations

‘TERRIBLE INJUSTICE’: Nikki Haley on Russia and Ukraine says US should ‘want to be on the right side of history’

PUTIN ON A SHOW: Trump insists Ukraine-Russia peace deal is close, but mistrust in Putin leaves experts skeptical

TREN DE ARAGUA: Venezuelan government uses violent gang as proxies in US to undermine public safety: FBI assessment

‘VERY HARMFUL: Trump says ‘inflammatory’ Zelenskyy statement on Crimea prolongs war with Russia

VISA STRIKE: Leader of Colombia says Trump admin revoked his US visa

‘SONS OF DOGS’: Palestinian leader demands Hamas release remaining hostages

DEMOCRATS IN DISARRAY: Young Americans sour on congressional Democrats, new poll finds

SPRING BREAK: 25 ‘vulnerable’ House Dems targeted by GOP ad blitz offering airfare to El Salvador

BAD TIMING: Illegal immigrant charged with murder of Maryland mom days after Van Hollen’s El Salvador return

‘BAD FAITH’: Federal judge alleges ‘willful and bad faith refusal’ to comply in  Abrego Garcia deportation case

AGENCY PURGE: EPA fires or reassigns hundreds working on ‘environmental justice’

STAND BACK: New York’s Nassau County seeks to ban standing within 15 feet of cops under bill panned as unconstitutional

‘DISGUSTING’: Illegal immigrant convicted of killing teens in high-speed crash to be released early

SHOCKING SIMILARITY: DHS chief Kristi Noem’s purse was stolen days after similar incident just blocks away: report

‘CULTURAL ZEITGEIST’: Supreme Court likely to side with parents in letting them opt out of LGBTQ storybooks, expert says

‘UNCONSCIONABLE’: Feds file charges against illegal immigrant set to be released early after FOX report

COME ON OVER: Red state gov urges firearms makers to ditch Colorado amid its anti-gun push

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

‘Be gone’: Republicans target sexually violent illegal immigrants in new bill

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EXCLUSIVE: Bicameral lawmakers are putting forward a bill Wednesday to strengthen penalties against illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes.

The Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by Unnaturalized Emigrants (BE GONE) Act will codify key parts of President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” border crackdown.

It is also timed in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, according to the bill’s sponsors: Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas.

In September, Gonzales’ office obtained data from ICE showing 15,811 illegal immigrants on their “non-detained docket” have sexual assault convictions, out of 425,431 convicted criminals on the list overall.

ICE NON-DETAINED DOCKET EXPLODES TO 7.4M CASES

The BE GONE Act formally expands the definition of “aggravated felonies” under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as Title 8 which consolidated several immigration provisions prior to the Eisenhower administration into one comprehensive U.S. code, set visa quotas, and exempted certain family members of Americans from some immigration restrictions.

“President Trump and his team have hit the ground running, reversing the damage from the last four years, but we must ensure that every last sexual predator let in by Joe Biden is deported,” Ernst told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

“The health and safety of our citizens must always come first, and I am proud to continue working with President Trump to protect the American people,” she added.

“These violent, criminal illegal aliens need to BE GONE!”

Gonzales, who represents the largest Mexican-border district in the House, said the illegal immigration epicenters of Eagle Pass and Del Rio are both in his jurisdiction.

DEMOCRATS’ EL SALVADOR TRIP LAMPOONED BY SENATE GOP GROUP IN FAUX-TOURISM AD: BIENVENIDOS

He told Fox News his district witnessed pre-Trump “tying [of] the hands of our Border Patrol agents and ignoring warnings from law enforcement that illegal aliens with violent criminal charges were entering our country.”

“Thousands of these criminal illegal aliens had a sexual violence charge on their record.”

Gonzales added that the BE GONE Act would give Homeland Security officers more tools to identify and deport sexually violent illegal immigrants.

“I look forward to joining forces with my colleagues in the House and Senator Joni Ernst to move this critical legislation across the finish line,” he said.

The bill also received support from “sensible immigration” group NumbersUSA.

“This is common sense legislation, following up on the Laken Riley Act, that Congress passed this year to protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens,” Michael Hough, its director of federal affairs, said.

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Joe Chatham, an official at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, added that Congress should pass the change to Title 8 swiftly.

“FAIR is proud to support the BE GONE Act and protecting American communities from illegal alien crime,” said Chatham.

“Under the Biden administration’s policies, tens of thousands of criminal aliens were apprehended attempting to enter illegally, with shocking data last year showing that there were at least 16,320 aliens in the U.S. convicted of sexual assault.”

Co-sponsor Ernst also notably spearheaded Sarah’s Law — signed by Trump earlier this year.

That bill was named for Sarah Root, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in 2016, and for whose family Ernst fought for nearly a decade to get justice.

Snapchat ‘openly defying’ law, allowing kids access to harmful, addictive content: Florida AG

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Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit Monday against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, alleging the popular platform has been “openly defying” state law aimed at protecting young minors from addictive social media features and obscene and dangerous content. 

Attorney General Uthmeier, who was recently appointed by Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, alleged in a circuit court complaint filed Monday that Snapchat utilizes addictive features to attract minors under the age of 13, who companies like Snapchat aren’t even allowed to provide accounts to under state law H.B. 3 in Florida. 

The suit also alleges Snapchat does not adequately verify its users’ ages, noting parental consent is required in Florida for Snapchat users who are under 16, and has been deceptive about its identification of content that is not supposed to be accessible to minors.  

“Snap’s conduct is particularly egregious because it continues to market Snapchat in Florida as safe for users as young as 13 even though it knows that Snapchat can be easily used to access pornography and buy drugs, among many other dangers,” Uthmeier’s complaint states. “Rather than obeying Florida law by removing 13-year-old users from the platform and seeking parental consent for 14- and 15-year-old users, Snap is actively deceiving Florida parents about the risks of allowing their teens to access this platform.”

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Uthmeier argued in his suit that Snapchat’s current age ratings for content are “highly deceptive and unfair,” pointing to a Washington Post columnist who tested Snapchat’s AI chatbot feature and was able to get it to provide instructions to a 13-year-old on how to mask the smell of pot and alcohol. He pointed to Snapchat’s “Find Friends” feature as well, among others, which Uthmeier alleged has “connected minors with adult strangers seeking to groom, harass, exploit, and even assault them, or to sell them illegal drugs.”

According to Uthmeier, Snapchat has recognized in other litigation that it is subject to the provisions under Florida’s H.B. 3, leading him to assert in the Monday complaint that the platform is “openly defying this important public health measure.” 

However, Snap Inc. argues that the underlying premise of Uthmeier’s complaint, that Snapchat is violating H.B. 3, is flawed because the law infringes on the First Amendment rights of adults and young people. Simultaneously, Snap Inc. said, H.B. 3 fails to adequately address age verification and opens up Floridians to data protection and privacy issues.

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“We believe there are more privacy-conscious solutions to online safety and managing age verification, including at the operating system, app store, or device level,” a Snap Inc. spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “In addition, there is a current challenge to the constitutionality of this law pending in Florida federal court, and we hoped that the state would allow this challenge to proceed through the proper legal process. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to file a complaint in state court in an attempt to bypass the issues that are already being heard in federal court.”

H.B. 3 has been challenged by industry groups in a lawsuit last year arguing the state law violated First Amendment rights. The plaintiff’s in that suit, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, which collectively represent numerous major social media platforms including Snapchat, have also challenged other state laws aimed at protecting minors from harmful social media features and content on the grounds they violate the First Amendment.  

The law prohibits social media apps that utilize certain addictive features, such as push notifications, autoplay features, infinity scrolling, and more, from allowing users under the age of 13 to open an account. For users under 16, parental notification must be obtained. 

The bill also requires companies like Snapchat that knowingly publish adult content on their platforms to take steps to prohibit access to such material by any users under 18.

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According to the law, any platforms that knowingly or recklessly violate H.B. 3’s requirements can be subject to enforcement under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, which can result in fines of up to $50,000 per incident. Meanwhile, account holders who are minors may also pursue up to $10,000 in damages.

“We’re actively challenging Florida’s law because it violates the First Amendment,” Paul Taske, NetChoice Associate Director of Litigation, told Fox News Digital. “We’re confident we will be successful.”

Nonprofits that promote parental rights, including the American Parents Coalition and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, expressed support for Uthmeier’s suit, pointing out that social media use among minors can have detrimental impacts to their mental fitness and overall well-being later in life.

“It is indisputable that social media is hurting our kids’ mental and physical health,” Alleigh Marré, Executive Director of American Parents Coalition, told Fox News Digital. “Beyond the broad challenges young people face with the intentionally addictive nature of the platforms, Snapchat has allowed poor safety measures and inadequate parental controls to put our kids at risk. From sexual predators to drug dealers, to pornography, Snapchat’s leadership is aware of the risks associated with the platform, especially for young people, but they’ve put profit ahead of protection.”

“Attorney General Uthmeier recognizes that Florida’s children are the future of our community and our most precious asset. General Uthmeier’s focus on protecting children from inappropriate content and the threats posed by child predators demonstrates a profound understanding of their vulnerability and the imperative need to keep them safe online,” added Bob Cunningham, Director of Policy Engagement for the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “By prioritizing their protection, he is not only enhancing our current legislative landscape but also setting a vital example for others to follow.”

Texas creates its own version of DOGE as Gov. Greg Abbott says regulatory environment is ‘too burdensome’

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It’s DOGE, Texas style. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed a bill to create the state’s own version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in an effort to get rid of unnecessary rules and slash regulations. 

In Austin, Abbott signed SB 14, which would create the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office and streamline the way state agencies establish and enforce regulations.

“The regulatory environment in Texas is getting too burdensome,” Abbott said before putting pen to paper. “The regulatory environment in Texas is well-known for being good, but it seems like it’s not as easy to navigate as it once was.”

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An advisory panel would be created to work with the governor’s office to streamline processes. It would be made up of business owners, researchers, state agencies and the public.

The bill also aims to create an accessible online portal, so the public can look up state regulations.

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“Texas businesses, Texas citizens, they deserve regulations that are in plain English that you can understand what they mean,” said Dustin Burrows, the Republican speaker of the Texas House. “They deserve to know what they actually do, and they deserve to make sure they’re consistent and as few as possible.” 

The legislation was authored by state Republican Sen. Phil King and backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

It passed the Texas House with a 97-51 vote and the Senate 26-5.

The bill is similar to what the Trump administration has aimed to do with DOGE by getting rid of unnecessary rules, as well as rooting out fraud and wasteful spending. 

Abbott said DOGE “crystalized” what Texas lawmakers were seeking to achieve. 

“It gave strategies to it,” he said. “Texas DOGE will lead to spending cuts, regulation cuts and a more user-friendly government.”

DOJ indicts alleged high-ranking Tren de Aragua member on terrorism charges for the first time

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FIRST ON FOX: The Justice Department is charging a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua on terrorism and international drug distribution charges—the first time the U.S. government is using terrorism charges to prosecute a member of the violent gang. 

A five-count superseding indictment was unsealed Wednesday, and first obtained by Fox News Digital, charging 24-year-old Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, also known as “Chuqui,” with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. 

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Flores is allegedly a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua, who allegedly serves as a Plaza Boss in Bogota, Colombia. He is allegedly a part of the inner circle of senior Tren de Aragua leadership, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Flores was also charged with conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States. 

“TdA is not a street gang—it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Digital. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.” 

FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital that Tren de Aragua is a “violent arm of the Maduro regime operating inside our borders.” 

“With these charges, we are using every available tool to confront them as the transnational threat they are,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “From drug trafficking and human smuggling to brutal violence, this group has inflicted chaos on American communities.” 

Patel added: “Today’s indictment is a critical step in dismantling their network and holding its members accountable.” 

Colombian authorities arrested Flores in Colombia in March 30, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had been requesting.

The Trump administration’s State Department designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on Feb. 20. 

“This is the first time the DOJ has used terrorism charges to prosecute members of TdA,” a DOJ official told Fox News Digital. “President Trump’s Foreign Terrorist Organization designation means that we have a fuller suite of legal options to use against these groups.” 

The indictment comes after the Trump administration filed its first racketeering charges — also known as RICO charges, which include conspiring to commit murder, sex-trafficking, assault, dealing drugs and more — against Tren de Aragua members and its associates in New York Tuesday. 

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That case was part of “Operation Take Back America,” which it said is a “nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”

The charges filed against 27 alleged current and former Tren de Aragua members include human smuggling, sex trafficking and murder.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said that 21 of the 27 alleged gang members and associates are currently in federal custody. The statement said that 16 were already in federal criminal, immigration or state custody, and five were arrested in the past couple of days.

The indictment also comes after Fox News Digital exclusively reported that the FBI assesses that Venezuelan government officials “likely facilitate” the migration of members of the violent gang Tren de Aragua from Venezuela to the United States to advance the Maduro regime’s objective of undermining public safety in the U.S.