White House aides are quietly floating a proposal within the House GOP that would raise the tax rate for people making more than $1 million to 40%, two sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital, to offset the cost of eliminating tips on overtime pay, tipped wages, and retirees’ Social Security.

The sources stressed the discussions were only preliminary, and the plan is one of many being talked about as congressional Republicans work on advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process.

Trump and his White House have not yet taken a position on the matter, but the idea is being looked at by his aides and staff on Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile House GOP leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have publicly opposed the idea of any tax hikes.

TRUMP OPEN TO SENDING VIOLENT AMERICAN CRIMINALS TO EL SALVADOR PRISONS

“I’m not a big fan of doing that. I mean, we’re the Republican Party and we’re for tax reduction for everyone,” Johnson said on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

One GOP lawmaker asked about the proposal and granted anonymity to speak candidly said they would be open to supporting it but preferred a higher starting point than $1 million.

They said the reaction was “mixed” among other House Republicans. But not all House GOP lawmakers are privy to the discussions, and it’s not immediately clear how wide the proposal has been circulated.

Nevertheless, it signals that Republicans are deeply divided on how to go about enacting Trump’s tax agenda.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

Extending Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and enacting his newer tax proposals is a cornerstone of Republicans’ plans for the budget reconciliation process.

By lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, it allows the party in power to skirt opposition to pass a sweeping piece of legislation advancing its own priorities – provided the measures deal with tax, spending, or the national debt.

Extending Trump’s tax cuts is expected to cost trillions of dollars alone. But even if Republicans use a budgetary calculation to hide its cost, known as current policy baseline, they will still have to find a path forward for new policies eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and retirees’ Social Security checks.

Hiking taxes on the ultra-wealthy could also serve to put Democrats in a tricky political situation in forcing them to choose between supporting Trump’s policies and opposing an idea they’ve pushed for years.

The top income tax rate is currently about 37% on $609,351 in earnings for a single person or $731,201 for married couples. 

But raising the rate for millionaires could be one way to pay for Trump’s new tax policies.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., one of the deficit hawks leading the charge to ensure new spending is paired with deep cuts elsewhere, said “That’s one possibility.”

“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” last week.

“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 ‘Okay, 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.”

But Johnson’s No. 2, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., again poured cold water on the idea Tuesday.

“I don’t support that initiative,” Scalise told “Mornings with Maria,” though he added, “everything’s on the table.”

“That’s why you hear all kind of ideas being bounced around. And if we take no action, then you’d have over 90% of Americans see a tax increase,” Scalise warned.

Bloomberg News was first to report House Republicans’ 40% tax hike proposal.

When reached for comment, the White House pointed Fox News Digital to comments by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier on Tuesday when she said Trump had not made up his mind on another proposal to raise the corporate tax rate.

“I’ve seen this idea proposed. I’ve heard this idea discussed. But I don’t believe the president has made a determination on whether he supports it or not,” Leavitt said.

Fox News Digital also reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a plan to restrict the types of food that can be purchased with food stamps, becoming one of the first governors to seek federal permission to ban items like soda and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

At a news conference at the Arkansas Capitol Tuesday, Sanders said her administration had submitted a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for soft drinks, artificially sweetened candy and snacks made with flour, while expanding eligible items to include hot rotisserie chicken, which is currently excluded.

“Right now you can use food stamps to buy a soft drink or a candy bar from a gas station, but you can’t use them to buy an Arkansas-raised hot rotisserie chicken from a grocery store,” Sanders said. “That’s the definition of crazy.”

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins praised Sanders’ move in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“Gov. Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume,” Rollins said. “Today’s waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again.”

KENNEDY APPLAUDS ‘VISIONARY’ INDIANA GOVERNOR’S MAHA EXECUTIVE ORDERS

The waiver request is part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” or MAHA agenda, which seeks to address chronic disease and healthcare costs by reforming federal nutrition programs.

“We finally have a president who, along with Secretary Rollins, has put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic,” Sanders said. “Reforming food stamps is a great place to start.”

Trump’s policies on food and health are taking the spotlight in his second administration, with a shift toward state-driven solutions focused on prevention rather than treatment. The MAHA initiative is led in part by Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also appeared Tuesday at a similar SNAP reform announcement in Indiana.

Speaking in Arkansas, Rollins praised the state’s leadership. 

“What we are doing here today is affirming the value of federalism in all aspects of governance,” she said. “No federal bureaucrat can understand the needs of Arkansas families better than their own governor.”

Rollins added that SNAP reform was a key issue for Trump. 

“This is one of the things he campaigned on, and this is what the American people voted for,” she said.

Sanders said the program, originally designed to fight hunger, has been twisted by outdated regulations and perverse incentives. 

“One third of our state has diabetes or is prediabetic,” she said. “We’re paying for it on the front end and the back end.”

The waiver would affect nearly 350,000 Arkansas residents enrolled in SNAP and is scheduled to take effect in July 2026 if approved. 

According to Sanders, 23% of SNAP spending, or $27 billion per year, is used on soft drinks, candy and desserts, while the state spends $300 million annually treating chronic illness through Medicaid.

WHOLE MILK SHOULD BE BACK AT SCHOOLS, EXPERTS SAY: ‘NUTRITION SCIENCE HAS EVOLVED’

“This is not about taking anything away,” she said. “It’s simply saying that taxpayers are no longer going to cover the cost of junk food like candy and soft drinks.”
 
Rollins praised Arkansas’s SNAP reform plan as a bold step toward improving public health, calling Sanders “courageous” for addressing childhood disease through nutrition. 

“We are working to realign USDA and every taxpayer dollar around what is the best and most effective spend,” Rollins said. 

Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam noted that the same state agency running SNAP also manages Medicaid. 

“In one program, we’ve subsidized foods that we know make people less healthy. In the other, we’re devoting significant resources to treating the same conditions brought on by unhealthy food,” she said. “This makes no sense.”

Critics, including the Food Research and Action Center, have argued the restrictions are punitive and unsupported by data. Trade groups representing beverage and candy manufacturers have also criticized the move. 

As reported by The Associated Press, American Beverage accused officials of “choosing to be the food police,” while the National Confectioners Association called the plan “misguided.”

Sanders addressed concerns about food costs, noting her administration’s work to eliminate the state grocery tax. 

“I think you’d be hard-pressed to say that you’re gonna be better off having purchased a pack of Skittles and that your hunger is gonna be satisfied after that purchase,” she said.

Rollins stressed that funding levels for SNAP would not change. “It just opens up the opportunity to buy better and more healthy food moving forward,” she said.

The Arkansas waiver request was formally submitted Tuesday and includes a 30-day public comment period. The USDA and the governor’s office are expected to begin coordination on implementation details this week.

“We’re hopeful that this gets done very quickly,” Sanders said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Gov. Sanders’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A federal judge told Trump lawyers they must expeditiously comply with her requests in the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident wrongfully deported to El Salvador last month, as she weighs next steps in the politically charged case.

U.S. Judge Paula Xinis told Trump administration lawyers Tuesday that they will have two weeks to comply with discovery requests in the case of Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident deported to El Salvador last month in what Trump officials have acknowledged was an “administrative error,” demanding the government spend time detailing with what, if any, steps it is taking to facilitate his release and return to the U.S.

“Cancel vacations, cancel other appointments,” Xinis told lawyers at the Tuesday evening hearing.

She also said she would issue an order in writing directing the government to show her how they have complied with her order to facilitate the release of Abrego-Garcia from El Salvador.

After the two-week period, she will weigh the discovery submissions and determine whether or not the government acted in good faith — or whether there is evidence that could preempt potential contempt proceedings.

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

Xinis stressed at the outset of the hearing that, in her view, the Supreme Court had “already spoken” in ordering the U.S. to facilitate the release of Abrego Garcia and resume his immigration proceedings as if he were never removed.

“We’re going to do it in a targeted way, but we’re not going to spend a lot of time doing it,” Xinis said of the discovery process, which she stressed will move fast. 

Lawyers for the Justice Department said in response that they objected to her view of the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the expedited discovery — an objection she dryly quipped in response she would note for the record.

“Just so everyone knows what my current thinking is, Abrego Garcia already won his injunctive proceedings,” Xinis told Trump lawyers at the outset of the hearing. “We’re here today to talk about scope of the remedies.”

“You made your jurisdictional arguments. You made your venue arguments,” Xinis told Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign. “You made your arguments on the merits. You lost.”

Just minutes before the hearing, DHS acting General Counsel Joseph Mazzara said in a court filing that, should he be returned to the U.S., DHS would take him into custody and remove him to another third country, citing his alleged MS-13 membership.

The hearing comes after government lawyers failed to comply with multiple directives updating the court on his location and custodial status, as well as efforts taken to facilitate his return — a lack of compliance Xinis previously described as “extremely troubling.”

FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING

Xinis planned to weigh these developments as the court considers next steps in the case, including whether to pursue civil contempt proceedings against the administration.

Lawyers for Abrego Garcia argued Tuesday that there is no evidence to show the Trump administration has taken any steps to date to facilitate his return to the U.S. as soon as possible, as ordered by Xinis and upheld by the Supreme Court last week. 

“The Supreme Court order requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” his lawyers wrote.

To date, they noted, the government’s updates “do not indicate that any steps have been taken to comply” with the federal and Supreme Court rulings.

The administration’s apparent refusal to act — or even to clarify Abrego Garcia’s location — has pushed the case to a boiling point, raising the prospect that Xinis could move to hold the Trump administration in civil contempt.

FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING

The hearing is the latest in a flurry of legal battles centered on Trump’s ability to deport certain migrants from the U.S. to El Salvador. 

Most recently, two federal judges in Texas and New York agreed to temporarily block the Trump administration‘s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act law to immediately remove some migrants from U.S. soil, siding with plaintiffs’ contention that allowing removals under the law would likely cause immediate and irreparable harm.

In Brownsville, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. cited a “substantial likelihood” that the individuals in question “could not be returned to the United States” if deported.

In addition to filing incomplete status updates and refusing to answer questions about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts or efforts to secure his return, Trump officials suggested at the White House on Monday that the U.S. lacks the authority to bring him back.

APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT

Asked Monday about progress in returning Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil, Trump officials said his return was “up to El Salvador” and that the U.S. would “provide a plane” — appearing to ignore a court order to facilitate his return.

“That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters. “That’s not up to us.” 

This contention was backed by other Cabinet officials, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and by Salvadorian President Bukele himself.

“How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States?” Bukele told reporters Monday during a sit-down with President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials.

“Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous,” he said.

As of this writing, the Trump administration has not returned any of the individuals who have been sent to El Salvador’s sprawling, high-security prison, including any Venezuelan nationals who may have been mistakenly identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as well as Abrego Garcia.

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…

-CDC eyes narrower COVID-19 vaccine guidance ahead of 2025–2026 season

-Top Republican warns families of ‘largest tax hike in history’ next year if Trump budget fails

–Biden to address disability advocates in first major speech since leaving White House

A top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, according to a Defense Department official. 

Reuters first reported Caldwell had been placed on leave for an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an investigation into Pentagon leaks. An official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Reuters’ reporting is accurate but declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. 

Caldwell previously worked at restraint-minded think tank Defense Priorities and Concerned Veterans for America, a group formerly led by Hegseth. A foreign policy realist, he has argued that the U.S. should dramatically reduce its footprint in Europe and pull out forces in Iraq and Syria…Read more

‘NEED TO COMPLY’: SCOTUS should hold Trump admin in contempt over deported Salvadoran migrant

DEPORTATION BATTLE: Trump admin defies court over Maryland deportation, ignites legal showdown

‘SUPPORTING SICKNESS’: Trump says Harvard should lose its tax exempt status, be treated as ‘political entity’ amid funding dispute

CHECKMATE: Trump admin strikes deal for new state-of-the-art border checkpoint in California

ROLLING BACK: Trump directs agencies to follow Supreme Court rulings, as he continues to rein in administrative state

‘HIGHER SECURITY’: Top Trump agency reveals key reason why REAL ID will be enforced

DISMISSED: Judge greenlights DOJ’s motion to drop gun case against Salvadoran, accused MS-13 leader

BEST BROS: El Salvador’s Bukele after friendly White House meeting with Trump: ‘I miss you already, President T’

‘BAD MEDICINE’: Schumer calls on Leland Dudek, acting commissioner of SSA, to resign

GREENE DAY: Marjorie Taylor Greene brings town hall to Harris-won Georgia county, shrugs off possible ‘outbursts’

CASH DASH: House Republican campaign arm touts ‘unstoppable momentum’ with record fundraising haul

‘BIG BOOST’: GOP senator reveals why Trump’s ‘complete and total endorsement’ will be crucial for his midterm race

COMEBACK KID: First Mexico-born rep targets indictment-plagued Democrat in House GOP comeback bid

‘DEEP DIVISIONS’: AOC tells rally goers don’t let Republicans ‘trick’ them into identity politics, stoking racial divisions

‘KAMALA’S PLAYBOOK’: Social media erupts after AOC debuts another ‘strange’ accent at rally: ‘Kamala’s playbook’

WAR OF THE WORDS: Left-wing lawmaker calls Trump MAGA’s ‘buffoon of a leader’: ‘Thank me later’

DEPARTMENT DISMANTLED: Shapiro leads lawsuit against Trump admin for pulling COVID-era school funding

BILLION-DOLLAR BAILOUT: Newsom signs $2.8B bailout for healthcare program overrun by illegal immigrants

BY THE NUMBERS: ICE using Social Security records to aid Trump push to deport illegal immigrants

VISA CRACKDOWN: ACLU of Indiana sues Trump admin, claims DHS violated rights of foreign students

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

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico on Tuesday to announce the U.S. Army will take control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border, the latest attempt to curb illegal immigration and trafficking.

The 109,651 acres of federal land will be transferred to the Army for three years, subject to valid existing rights, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The move comes after President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum, “Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions,” directing the secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security to take control of federal lands “reasonably necessary to enable military activities.”

The switch in jurisdiction will allow the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the Army support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior.

NAVY DEPLOYS ANOTHER HOUTHI-FIGHTING WARSHIP TO NEW US SOUTHERN BORDER MISSION 

“Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Burgum said in the statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again.”

Burgum said the change reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security and responsible stewardship of public lands.

TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO TAKE CONTROL OF FEDERAL LAND AT SOUTHERN BORDER

The Army requested the transfer on “an emergency basis,” so they could increase regular patrols by federal personnel.

Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year along the southern border.

The Army will also be able to build infrastructure to prevent illegal immigrants, human traffickers and narcotics from crossing the border.

The department noted the crisis along the border is not limited to national security and law enforcement concerns, but also “presents an environmental crisis.”

Nearly two dozen federally endangered species live in the region, which was previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The region also contains cultural sites that range from small artifact scatters to large multiroom pueblos, which could be harmed by repeated foot traffic, unregulated vehicle use and the creation of informal trails or camps, according to the statement. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

High-traffic illegal crossings could lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical wildlife habitat, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and pollution from trash and human waste.  

The department acknowledged some of the land transferred to the Army is essential to the livelihoods of local communities and said the Bureau of Land Management will work with the Army to ensure “some” uses will continue to support local grazing and mining.

Former President Joe Biden took shots at the Trump administration’s Social Security policies in his first major speech since leaving the White House on Tuesday evening. 

“Seriously, people are now genuinely concerned for the first time in history, for the first and only time in history, that Social Security benefits may be delayed or interrupted,” Biden said from the Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) conference in Chicago on Tuesday evening. 

“In the 90 years, since Franklin Roosevelt created the Social Security system, people have always gotten their Social Security checks. They’ve gotten them during wartime, during recessions, during the pandemic. No matter what, they got them. But now, for the first time ever, that might change. It would be calamity for millions of families, millions of people,” he added. 

The ACRD conference was billed as the 46th president’s first public speech since leaving the White House. Biden however, has delivered other public remarks since Jan. 20, Fox Digital found, including speaking before the National High School Model United Nations in March, which received little media attention, as well as joining an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers event this month. 

ACRD is an advocacy organization that works to equip “disability professionals with the tools, technology, and training to lead the industry forward,” according to its website. 

BIDEN AIDES ‘SCRIPTED’ EVERYTHING, ALLOWED HIS FACULTIES TO ‘ATROPHY,’ NEW BOOK CLAIMS 

Biden’s keynote address, which ran less than an hour, overwhelmingly focused on his accomplishments with Social Security when he served as president, taking aim at how the Trump administration is allegedly keeping the elderly up at night with worry over their Social Security benefits, as well as cracking a few jokes about his decades in politics.

MOST BIDEN RALLY APPEARANCES ARE SHORTER THAN A SITCOM, HELPING FUEL STAMINA CONCERNS 

CRITICISMS MOUNT THAT BIDEN IS A ‘SHADOW’ OF HIMSELF AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE: ‘NOT THE SAME MAN’ FROM VP ERA

“Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now?” Biden asked, referring to the Trump administration. “Well, they’re following that old line from tech startups. The quote is ‘move fast, break things.’ They’re certainly breaking things. They’re shooting first, and aiming later.”

“The result is a lot of needless pain and sleepless nights,” Biden said. 

‘EMBARRASSINGLY WRONG’: LIBERAL MEDIA FIGURES ADMIT BEING IN DENIAL ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL DECLINE

The Trump administration has cut about 7,000 Social Security Administration staffers since taking office as part of its mission to cut government fat and bureaucracy, and realign agencies with “America First” policies. Democrats have slammed President Donald Trump over the cuts, claiming he will cut Social Security benefits to seniors. 

The White House has repeatedly rejected claims that the Trump administration will cut such benefits, vowing to “always protect” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.  

Biden continued that the Trump administration is allegedly looking to “wreck” Social Security to “rob it.” 

“My friend Gov. O’Malley knows what they’re really up to. He says, and I love his quote, ‘They want to wreck it so they could rob it.’ They want to wreck it so they could rob it. Why do they want to rob it? In order to deliver huge tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations and keep it going. They want to make permanent the 2017 tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations. That’s going to cost $5 trillion. Where are they going to get $5 trillion to pay for, when they continue to run the deficit up?”

“What they always do … by running up the national debt, number one. Then by taking the money from someplace else. What are the two big pots of money out there in raw numbers? Social Security and Medicaid. …. Republicans, these guys are willing to hurt the middle class and the working class, in order to deliver significant, greater wealth to their already very wealthy. Who in the hell do they think they are?” he said. 

Former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and former Democrat Maryland Gov. and Social Security Administrator Martin O’Malley also joined the event. O’Malley presented Biden with ACRD’s “beacon of hope award” for his accomplishments as president, including his leadership during the pandemic and fighting for the “dignity of every person.” 

EX-BIDEN AIDE SAYS FORMER PRESIDENT WAS ‘FATIGUED, BEFUDDLED, AND DISENGAGED’ PRIOR TO JUNE DEBATE: BOOK 

Biden added during that the nation is “divided” under Trump and can’t continue on the same path. 

“We can’t go on like this as a divided nation, as divided as we are. I said, I’ve been doing this a long time, it’s never been this divided. Granted, it’s roughly 30%, but it’s a 30% that has no heart,” he continued. 

The Trump administration’s official Social Security X account hit back after the speech that “Biden is lying to Americans,” before providing a detailed list of “facts,” including that Trump has repeatedly pledged to protect benefits and that no field office has been closed since Jan. 20. 

“SSA is taking commonsense steps to transform how we serve the public – last month, we spent $16.5 million to modernize telephone services nationwide. We’re developing cutting-edge, AI-powered tools to streamline simple tasks,” the thread continued. “SSA Inspector General report released while Joe Biden was President found $72 billion in improper payments from fiscal years 2015 through 2022.”

The event comes as political books investigating the 2024 campaign cycle hit the shelves, including “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History” and “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.” 

BIDEN’S TEAM HID THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS HEALTH ALL ALONG: WH PRESS SEC

Excerpts from Chris Whipple’s “Unchartered” reported that White House staffers allegedly kept Biden from socializing with others, including close allies and friends, out of fear the 46th president “might say the wrong thing or might feed the mental acuity narrative.” While he also appeared “absolutely exhausted” ahead of his ill-fated debate against Trump in June, according to the book, which opened the floodgates to public concern over Biden’s mental acuity as he tripped over his words and lost his train of thought during the debate. 

Biden has been spending his days in both Delaware and the nation’s capital since his Oval Office exit, with the 46th president working on his own book while also meeting with various Democratic Party leaders, NBC News reported in March.

President Donald Trump is seeking to combat soaring prescription drug prices in a new executive order he signed Tuesday. 

The order instructs Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) to standardize Medicare payments for prescription drugs — including those used for cancer patients — no matter where a patient receives treatment. This could lower prices for patients by as much as 60%, according to a White House fact sheet.

Likewise, the order also calls to match the Medicare payment for certain prescription drugs to the price that hospitals pay for those drugs — up to 35% lower than what the government pays to acquire those medications, the White House said. 

The order also takes steps to lower insulin prices. Specifically, the order calls for lowering insulin prices for low-income patients or those that are uninsured to as little as three cents, and injectable epinephrine to treat allergic reactions to as low as $15, coupled with a “small administrative fee,” according to a White House fact sheet. 

‘SEED OIL-FREE’ RESTAURANTS AND FOODS GET HEALTHY STAMP OF APPROVAL

Additionally, the order attempts to drive down states’ drug prices by “facilitating importation programs that could save states millions in prescription drug prices,” as well as bolstering programs that assist states secure deals on sickle-cell medications in Medicaid, the fact sheet said. 

The order also requires DHS to seek comment on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, which the Biden administration authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act and allows Medicare to directly engage in hashing out prescription prices with drug companies. 

“The guidance shall improve the transparency of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, prioritize the selection of prescription drugs with high costs to the Medicare program, and minimize any negative impacts of the maximum fair price on pharmaceutical innovation within the United States,” the order said. 

Drug prices have significantly ramped up in recent years. Between January 2022 and January 2023, prescription drug prices rose more than 15% and reached an average of $590 per drug product, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Of the 4,200 prescription drugs included on that list, 46% of the price increases exceeded the rate of inflation. 

Previous efforts under the first Trump administration to curb prescription drug prices included installing a cap on Medicaid prescription drug plans for insulin at $35. 

RFK JR DARES GOVERNOR OF AMERICA’S FATTEST STATE TO DO REGULAR PUBLIC WEIGH-INS

Meanwhile, Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S. could mean that healthcare costs are particularly susceptible to price increases. Market research group Black Book Research found that 84% of experts predict that prices for medical treatments and drugs will rise due to the tariffs, according to a survey released in February. 

Additionally, Trump signaled Monday that tariffs on the pharmaceutical were headed down the pipeline. 

“We don’t make our own drugs anymore,” Trump told reporters Monday. “The drug companies are in Ireland, and they’re in lots of other places, China.”

Trump signed the executive order Tuesday, along with others that seek to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing Social Security benefits, and another one calling to investigate the impact of imported processed mineral on national security. 

Tuesday’s executive order comes days after the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told states Thursday that the federal government would cease assistance to states to fund nonmedical services geared toward things like nutrition for those enrolled in Medicaid. 

Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed “rogue” judges during a press briefing Tuesday after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from revoking the legal status and work permits of more than 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

On Tuesday, Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked Leavitt why President Joe Biden was allowed to establish the program “with the stroke of a pen” but Trump was being stopped from ending CHNV the way it started.

“I spoke to White House counsel’s office about this this morning because, obviously, another rogue district court judge is trying to block the administration’s mass deportation efforts with this latest injunction,” Leavitt said. She also slammed the Biden administration, accusing former officials of abusing the U.S. parole system “to fast-track legal status” for illegal immigrants.

JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP FROM REVOKING LEGAL STATUS FOR 530,000+ MIGRANTS WHO FLEW INTO US VIA BIDEN PROGRAM

“We will continue to focus on deporting as many individuals as we can,” Leavitt added.

Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, wrote in her order blocking the Trump administration that each of the more than 530,000 migrants needed to have an individualized case-by-case review.

DHS’ KRISTI NOEM SAYS TRUMP ADMIN WILL RESUME CONSTRUCTION OF 7 MILES OF SOUTHERN BORDER

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security and the Trump administration said Talwani’s ruling essentially prohibits Trump from using his own executive authority to revoke parole that Biden granted when he was in office.

“It is pure lawless tyranny,” a Trump administration official told Fox News. 

Under a Biden-era program known as CHNV, migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela were allowed to enter the U.S. via humanitarian parole after receiving advance travel authorization. The program permitted up to 30,000 nationals per month to enter the country.

Republicans opposed the program and urged the Biden administration to shut it down. Several House lawmakers signed a letter at the time to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, calling for an end to CHNV as the U.S. faced “an unprecedented crisis” at its southern border.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion and Louis Casiano and Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

The White House blasted Ivy League institutions for “egregious illegal behavior” as the Trump administration goes head-to-head with Harvard University to install changes to the academic institution’s governance and admissions process. 

After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed Monday that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution. 

When asked why federal funding is so available to institutions like Harvard, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it’s one President Donald Trump has often brought up himself. 

“It’s a question the president has obviously raised in his discussions, in negotiations with not just Harvard, but also Columbia and many other Ivy League institutions,” Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. 

TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES OVER $2.2B IN FUNDING TO HARVARD AFTER SCHOOL DEFIES DEMANDS

“We have the antisemitism task force, which the president promised and delivered on,” Leavitt said. “The antisemitism task forces across the government, representatives from various federal agencies who meet on a weekly basis to discuss the question that you just raised. And I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities when they are not only indoctrinating our nation’s students, but also allowing such egregious illegal behavior to occur.”

However, Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a Monday statement that the Trump administration tacked on additional requests that go beyond addressing antisemitism on campus, and the institution would not comply because the demands were unconstitutional.

Specifically, Garber said the new requests “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,” including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus, and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. 

“It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” Garber wrote. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.”

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice unveiled the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in February, which aims to eradicate bias on campuses that have experienced incidents targeting Jewish students since October 2023. 

HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING

The task force evaluates conduct on the following campuses: Columbia University; George Washington University; Harvard University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; and the University of Southern California.

“Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the task force said in a statement Monday. “The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable.

“It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,” the statement said.

A top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and placed on administrative leave, according to a Defense Department official. 

Reuters first reported Caldwell had been placed on leave for an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an investigation into Pentagon leaks. An official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Reuters’ reporting is accurate but declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. 

Caldwell, who formerly worked at restraint-minded think tank Defense Priorities and Concerned Veterans for America, a group formerly led by Hegseth. A foreign policy realist, he has argued that the U.S. should dramatically reduce its footprint in Europe and pull out forces in Iraq and Syria. 

GENERAL WHO HELPED TRUMP DECIMATE ISIS TERRORISTS IN FIRST TERM CONFIRMED AS JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN

Last month the Defense Department announced a probe into “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information” and said it planned to use polygraphs to determine the source of leaks. 

“The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy,” DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper wrote in a memo. “This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.”

He wrote that “information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure” would be referred for criminal prosecution.”

Caldwell did not immediately reply to a request for comment. 

The Democrat-controlled city council of New York City is suing Mayor Eric Adams for cooperating with the Trump administration by allowing ICE to conduct immigration investigations at Rikers Island Prison.

The city council is asking the court to declare an executive order by the mayor’s office allowing ICE into Rikers Island “illegal, null, and void.”

The lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of New York on Tuesday. In the suit, the city council accuses Adams of engaging in an illegal “quid pro quo” with the Trump administration by allowing ICE into the city prison in exchange for having the federal corruption charges against him dropped.

The suit claims that Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, prioritized his own political goals over the city’s “prized sanctuary laws,” calling the executive order “the poisoned fruit of Mayor Adams’s deal with the Trump Administration.”

NJ GOVERNOR ACCUSED OF HARBORING VIOLENT ILLEGAL CRIMINALS, DOJ LAUNCHES PROBE

“Today, in New York City, a corrupt bargain is taking place in plain view: New York City Mayor Eric Adams … is using his official powers to pay off the Trump Administration for dropping criminal charges against him,” the suit claims. “The ‘purchase price’- which was agreed to in advance and is now being proffered – is the safety and wellbeing of immigrant communities and all New Yorkers whose rights are protected by our City’s prized sanctuary laws.”

At issue in the suit is an executive order signed by New York City First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro last week that allows federal immigration authorities to operate an office on Rikers Island to help carry out criminal investigations into drug trafficking, organized violence and migrant gang activity plaguing the city.

The order states that the safety of New Yorkers has been jeopardized by violent transnational gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua – gangs designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration – and there is a critical need for federal law enforcement to share “real-time” intelligence with the city’s corrections department and police.

The order allows federal law enforcement agencies to share intelligence with the corrections department and NYPD about criminal gang activity among individuals both inside and outside of custody.

BORDER CROSSINGS HIT RECORD LOW IN MARCH THANKS TO ‘VIGILANT’ WORK OF AGENTS: REPORT

It does not give ICE permission to carry out civil immigration enforcement and arrest people simply for being undocumented.

The order was issued the week after federal charges against Adams were dismissed. He had been accused of using his position as mayor to receive luxury travel and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish foreign nationals. Adams insisted the case was politically motivated and was pursued in retaliation for his criticism of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a Democrat who is running to unseat Adams, claimed in a Tuesday statement that the order allowing ICE to conduct immigration investigations on criminals at Rikers Island is “a naked attempt by Eric Adams to fulfill his end of the bargain for special treatment he received from the Trump administration.”  

She said the city council’s lawsuit is an attempt to “protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers against attacks by the Trump administration—because the city’s mayor won’t stop placing his own personal interests ahead of the people of our city.”

ANOTHER PRO-PALESTINE COLUMBIA PROTESTOR DETAINED BY ICE, SANDERS AND DEMS OUTRAGED

Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for Adams, responded to the lawsuit by calling it “baseless” and “contrary to the public interest.” 

“The City Council appears to be spreading misinformation,” Mamelak told Fox News Digital. “So let’s be clear: To maintain the trust of the nearly 8.5 million New Yorkers our administration serves and protects every day — and to ensure there was never even the appearance of any conflict — Mayor Adams delegated all powers, responsibilities, and decision-making related to any action authorizing federal officials to investigate crimes at Rikers Island to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The spokesperson said that Mastro “conducted a thorough and independent assessment — which included multiple visits to Rikers Island, conversations with federal law enforcement and our own Department of Correction officers, and more — and he independently concluded that a federal presence at Rikers to conduct federal criminal investigations is in New York City’s best interest and protects public safety, particularly in our ongoing efforts to target violent transnational gangs now present in our city, including those designated as terrorist organizations.”

“Executive Order 50 is expressly authorized by New York City’s local laws — the very laws enacted by the City Council,” said Mamelak. “While we will review the lawsuit, this one seems baseless and contrary to the public interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals. We remain committed to our administration’s efforts to reduce crime and keep New Yorkers safe — we hope the City Council will join us in doing so.”

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo was denied nearly $3 million in publicly matched campaign funds by New York City’s campaign finance regulators on Tuesday. 

The denial of $2.5 million in publicly matched campaign funds followed a frantic email the Cuomo campaign sent out Friday, calling on those who had donated to his campaign to fill out a form to ensure all requirements for the public money were necessarily met. But that effort failed. 

Public confirmation of the denial was made in a Tuesday press release from the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB), which indicated that at least 20% of Cuomo’s required disclosures contained documentation errors for contributions. The press release also said that the Cuomo campaign failed to meet its required two-part threshold of total contributions, which must be at least 1,000 different individuals, and contributors, which must amount to at least $250,000, needed to obtain the publicly matched funds. 

CUOMO LANDS KEY ENDORSEMENT AS COMEBACK BID FOR NYC MAYOR HEATS UP

“Our campaign officially announced on March 1, and within 13 days, proudly raised an unprecedented $1.5 million, including $330,000 in matchable funds, from more than 2,800 donors.  This surpassed the campaign finance board’s threshold for qualifying for matching funds by the filing deadline of March 13. Since the last filing deadline on March 13, the campaign has amassed an additional $1 million, totaling over $2.5 million raised from over 4,100 individuals,” Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said in a statement.

“Last Friday, the campaign was informed by the campaign finance board that, due to a technical software error, contributions collected on one of our vendor platforms, NGP, were missing one of the fields required by the Campaign Finance Board, and so while we met the thresholds necessary to receive matching funds, the campaign had to remedy this technical matter.”

Azzopardi noted that the “technical software error” had been remedied and the adequate documentation was provided to the city’s campaign finance board. However, the campaign won’t be able to receive matching funds until the next payment period beginning May 12.

BILL MAHER SUGGESTS ANDREW CUOMO’S NURSING HOME SCANDAL MAY COST HIS NYC MAYORAL CAMPAIGN

Nearly every other top mayoral candidate received payouts Tuesday, according to Politico. However, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams found himself denied $4.5 million in matching funds over the same reasons Cuomo did, in addition to other bookkeeping and compliance mistakes.

Polling from Siena College found Cuomo as the front-runner among Democrats, but Adams was not included in the survey results as he will be running for reelection as an Independent.

Adams was facing a federal corruption investigation until the Trump administration stepped in and got the case dismissed. As a result of the investigation, one of the NYCCFB’s members, Richard Davis, has recused himself from voting on any matters related to Adams after writing an editorial earlier this year in which he slammed President Donald Trump’s Justice Department for intervening in the Adams case, referring to the move as “ludicrous.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Adams was also denied publicly matched funds during the NYCCFB’s last round of payments announced on March 17.   

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told rally attendees not to let Republicans “trick” them into thinking they “can be separated” by race or into stoking “deep divisions along race, identity and culture,” despite President Donald Trump’s recent efforts to rid identity politics from public and private spaces.

The progressive “Squad” lawmaker’s comments came at a “Fighting Oligarchy” rally Monday night in Idaho alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. It was the pair’s latest stop in a tour of appearances across the country. 

“The only chance they have to get away with such an unpopular and hurtful agenda is to stoke deep divisions along race, identity and culture to keep us fighting and distracted. It’s not going to work anymore,” AOC told rally goers. “Don’t let them trick us into thinking we are enemies. Don’t let them trick us into being weak and being into thinking we can be separated into rural and urban, black and white and Latino.”

BERNIE SANDERS COMPARES TRUMP, MUSK AND OTHER ‘OLIGARCHS’ TO ‘HEROIN ADDICTS,’ SAYS DRUG OF CHOICE IS ‘GREED’

The rally with AOC and Sanders was largely centered around criticizing “billionaire” oligarchs like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and President Donald Trump, who, as president, has been leading an anti-DEI push that is aimed at ridding identity politics from public and private spaces.

In fact, per political analyst and regular MSNBC contributor Eddie Glaude, identity politics was “at the heart” of former Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss to Trump. 

“The only thing that was woke or representational about [Kamala Harris’] campaign was her, her body, the fact that she was a woman of color. So I think that the concern, the so-called backlash, to tending to the diversity of the nation actually proves the point,” Glaude said in an interview with NPR shortly after Republican’s November election victories. 

BERNIE SANDERS SAYS LARGEST ‘FIGHTING OLIGARCHY’ RALLY WITH AOC IS MAKING TRUMP, MUSK ‘VERY NERVOUS’

Meanwhile, since being inaugurated, Trump has implemented executive actions explicitly targeting “identity politics.”

“Prior to harmful changes introduced by the Obama and Biden administrations, the United States military offered equality of opportunity to every American capable of and interested in serving their country. Yet these two administrations exploited the military in favor of identity politics—harming our national defense, undermining the non-political nature of our military, and eroding morale and recruitment,” Trump wrote in one of his first Executive Orders after being sworn in. “Due to this ‘woke’ assault, the Services together logged their lowest recruiting records since 1940 with a 41,000-troop shortfall in 2023.”

Trump has also taken steps to rid DEI from universities, the federal government and even the private sector. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

According to Trump, it was Democrat President Joe Biden who implemented “illegal and immoral discrimination programs,” which often tied individual success to immutable factors like race, sex and ethnicity. 

“President Trump is restoring fairness and accountability in federal hiring, and terminating DEI across the federal government,” reads a March fact sheet from the White House.

The White House accused Congressional Democrats of prioritizing “illegal immigrant gang members” rather than their own constituents. 

“It’s mind-boggling the priorities of the modern-day Democrat party,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. 

“I think it’s atrocious that you have Democrats in Congress on Capitol Hill who swear an oath to protect their constituents and to serve them in Washington, D.C., spending more time defending illegal immigrant gang members than their own constituents and law-abiding American citizens,” Leavitt said. 

STATE DEPT UPGRADES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR EL SALVADOR, CONSIDERED SAFER THAN FRANCE, OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The comments come as Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., floated possibly traveling to El Salvador to check on a Maryland resident the Trump administration’s Justice Department admitted it deported to El Salvador in an “administrative error,” should the resident not return to the U.S. by “midweek.”  

Both Trump administration officials and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele agreed Monday at the White House that they didn’t have the authority to return Maryland resident Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration claims has ties to the MS-13 gang. 

Additionally, the Supreme Court upheld Thursday a lower court’s order that “requires the government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.”

While Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Monday that El Salvador would call the final shots on whether it would return the Maryland resident, Bukele said it was “preposterous” for El Salvador to do so. 

“How can I smuggle a terrorist into the U.S.? I don’t have the power to return him to the United States,” Bukele said at the White House Monday. 

TRUMP, BUKELE FIND COMMON CAUSE ON TRANS SPORTS BAN AND BORDER CRACKDOWN

Meanwhile, Van Hollen announced Monday that if Garcia did not return to the U.S. by “midweek,” he personally would travel to El Salvador to check up on Garcia’s well-being and release. 

“Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now,” Van Hollen said in a Monday statement. “However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action.”

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced blowback from conservatives on social media this week after they accused her of putting on a fake accent at a rally.

The progressive New York congresswoman held a rally in Nampa, Idaho, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with Democrats, on Monday where she reportedly drew over 12,000 people and caught the attention of conservatives with one particular clip where she was accused of deliberately changing her tone of voice.

“Oh look, AOC is doing the interchangeable accents to fit the demographic she’s in front of,” conservative influencer account Gunther Eagleman wrote on X. “Did she take notes from Kamala?”

“Kamala Harris just introduced yet another new accent,” conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on X. “Sike, this is AOC. Seems to be using Kamala’s playbook. I guess she didn’t pay attention during the 2024 election.”

AOC SLAPPED WITH ETHICS COMPLAINT OVER ‘TROUBLING EXPENSES’ MADE TO DANCE COMPANY

“AOC is pretending to have some sort of strange accent,” Townhall.com posted on X. “This is exactly what Kamala Harris did on the campaign trail. Why do they do this?”

“WATCH: AOC debuts new accent ahead of reported Presidential run,” Breaking 911 posted on X. “It’s worse than Kamala’s or Hillary.”

FETTERMAN TAKES SWIPE AT AOC: ‘WE KEPT OUR GOVERNMENT OPEN. DEAL WITH IT’

Fox News Digital reached out to AOC’s office for comment. 

The comparisons to Harris originate from the presidential campaign trail last year when Harris was often criticized for using different accents while speaking to different crowds.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Ocasio-Cortez has been touring the country with Sanders as part of a “Fighting Oligarchy” campaign criticizing Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the Trump administration overall. 

“Your presence here today is making Donald Trump and Elon Musk very nervous,” the 83-year-old Sanders said to loud cheers at a rally in Los Angeles, adding about 36,000 attended the event.

The pair have also held rallies in Las Vegas; Tempe and Tuscon, Arizona; and Denver and Greeley, Colorado, and they have several upcoming rallies scheduled. 

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report

FIRST ON FOX: The GOP lawmaker leading a collective response to more than 100 judges and attorneys who demanded condemnation of Trump allies said Tuesday she and her delegation won’t be “pushed around” amid ongoing attacks on left-wing judges.

Wyoming’s congressional delegation responded to dozens of Cowboy State jurists, including a former governor who issued an open condemnation of lawmakers’ failure to defend judges under fire from conservatives over sweeping nationwide injunctions hindering President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and homeland security actions.

The response, led by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., rejected the basis on which the jurists were calling for the state’s Republicans to vociferously intervene in support of what the White House describes as rogue judges, citing the Founding Fathers’ words.

“In Federalist [Paper] 78…  Alexander Hamilton wrote that “the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous” and that judges “have neither force nor will,” the letter states. 

WYOMING SHERIFF’S BOLD BILLBOARD RECRUITING DENVER OFFICERS OUT OF LIBERAL CITY CREATES STIR

“In recent years, we have become increasingly concerned with how our country has strayed from this Hamiltonian aspiration. We have seen judges across the political spectrum assume both “force” and “will” — Many Americans are worried judges are misusing their independence by imposing policy preferences on our country — all with no accountability.”

They also noted Georgetown Law professor Brad Snyder “said it best” – “The Court does not have the last word on the Constitution.”

‘TRAITOR’ LIZ CHENEY WALLOPED BY WYOMING VOTERS FOR HARRIS ENDORSEMENT, BREAK FROM GOP

In comments to Fox News Digital, Lummis said Americans elected Trump and did not select “liberal judges.”

“I represent the people of Wyoming, and they have made it clear that they support President Trump’s agenda and want a government where their elected representatives make the laws,” she said.

“Our delegation stands with President Trump and won’t be pushed around by far-left judicial activists who wish to further divide our country.”

The jurists objecting to the Republicans’ silence cited calls to reject disinformation after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and similarly recounted critiques from administration allies of judges, like James Boasberg, who have issued nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s homeland security measures.

In a missive entitled “The Rule of Law Matters,” they cited more virulent critiques of such judges, as well as a conservative op-ed decrying that “if impeachment is the remedy for every adverse judicial ruling, we wouldn’t have a judiciary left.”

“These attacks are part of a growing effort to discredit, not just judges, but seemingly the American Rule of Law as we know it,” the original letter states. It was signed by about 100 jurists, including former Wyoming Democratic Gov. Michael Sullivan, former President Bill Clinton’s Irish ambassador.

“Recent executive orders targeting prominent national law firms disfavored by the administration with severe retribution… has, as night follows day, resulted in yet more incendiary social media postings attacking the judiciary and openly encouraging the executive branch to disobey court orders.”

In their response to the scores of jurists, Lummis, Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Harriet Hageman condemned the fact the direct letter had also been distributed to the media and that the lawmakers would have collectively appreciated direct discussion.

“We are disappointed you failed to express your concerns with us directly before rushing to publish your letter,” they wrote.

“A robust discussion about addressing the challenges and concerns facing our nation would be more beneficial than attempting to score political points through the press.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The complainants wrote that while there is populist sentiment for “radical change,” the “growing reckless disdain for the independence and security of our judiciary must be resisted by anyone sworn to uphold our Constitution.

“That includes us, and it certainly includes you.”

The lawmakers stood firm, however, on the idea that they are acting responsibly and within their legislative role.

They cited their co-sponsorship of a bill that would ban most nationwide injunctions effecting change “across the ideological spectrum,” and not just those against Trump’s actions.

Legislation highlighted by the lawmakers cited both conservative and liberal Supreme Court justices issuing criticisms of such nationwide injunctions.

“The Supreme Court has consistently noted that political questions should be kept at arm’s length by the judiciary,” they wrote, as a Senate Judiciary Committee statement on the Judicial Relief Clarification Act quoted reservations from both Justices Clarence Thomas and Elena Kagan.

Other jurists have, however, echoed Trump’s criticisms, including George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who told Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” that judges must remember they’ve been “appointed, not anointed.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana filed a suit against the Trump administration on Tuesday, claiming that the lawful status of seven international students in Indiana were reportedly terminated without explanation.

The suit claims that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not offer the students any opportunity to challenge the decisions and therefore violated due process rights. The suit names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Trump administration has targeted hundreds of international students in recent weeks for their engagement in anti-Israel protests, which the administration argued was support for U.S.-designated terrorist organization Hamas. The administration has also revoked visas for international students over past infractions such as traffic violations. 

“There is no rhyme or reason for DHS’s action,” ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk said. “To terminate an international student’s status, the U.S. government must adhere to regulatory standards and provide basic due process, which it has failed to do.”

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SUE OVER TRUMP ADMIN REVOKING VISAS

Plaintiffs claimed international students are allowed to continue their studies and maintain their legal residency status even after their visas get revoked.

The lawsuit asked the U.S. District Court to allow the seven international students to continue their studies by reinstating their status. A temporary restraining order has also been requested to provide immediate protection to the students, according to the ACLU of Indiana.

Among the students named in the lawsuit, six are Chinese citizens attending Purdue University or Indiana University Indianapolis. Another student is a Nigerian citizen attending the University of Notre Dame. Two of the seven students named were expected to graduate next month.

“The impact on these students’ lives is profound, and now they live in fear of being deported at any moment,” Falk continued. “We’re calling on the court to take immediate steps to stop these unlawful actions.” 

TRUMP COLLEGE CRACKDOWN: LIST OF STUDENTS DETAINED AMID ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUSES

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

The lawsuit is one of the increasing number of complaints the White House is facing over student visa revocation.

Numerous international students whose visas were terminated without explanation recently also filed another suit against the Trump administration over an alleged violation of due process.

Trump administration officials have defended the revocation of student visas, claiming that the government reserves the right to cancel them.

“There is no right to a student visa,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on March 28. “We can cancel a student visa under the law just the same way that we can deny a student visa under the law. And we will do so in cases we find appropriate,” 

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump weighed in on an already contentious Senate primary race in the most populous red state in the nation, saying he will make an endorsement decision “at the right time.” 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate while speaking on Fox News last week. Paxton, a conservative firebrand and outspoken supporter of Trump, is seeking to replace incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, an influential member of the GOP who previously served as the Party’s Senate whip and has held the seat since 2002. 

With both Paxton and Cornyn being considered leading members of the Republican Party, the race promises to be particularly messy. 

Paxton has accused the current senator of being a lukewarm supporter of Trump’s agenda, saying, “It’s time that we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way.”

TRUMP SAYS HE’S LOOKING AT CERTAIN TARIFF EXEMPTIONS FOR AUTOMAKERS: ‘THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME’

For his part, Cornyn has dismissed the attorney general as a “fraud” motivated by “vanity and personal ambition.” 

Trump told reporters that both GOP senatorial candidates in Texas are “friends of mine” and “good men,” but he stopped short of issuing an endorsement of one over the other, at least for now.

“Well, they’re both friends of mine,” said Trump. “They’re both good men, and I don’t know. We don’t, we don’t know who else is running, but these two, you know, Ken and John, they’re both friends of mine, so I’ll make a determination at the right time.”

Since announcing his candidacy, Paxton has already garnered endorsements from Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, and Lance Gooden, R-Texas, as well as around 250 state legislators and business leaders across the state, according to a spokesperson. 

TRUMP, OFFICIALS HAVE TENSE EXCHANGE WITH CNN REPORTER OVER DEPORTATION OF EL SALVADORAN NATIONAL

Those endorsing Paxton are emphasizing his pledge to double down on his conservative agenda and “take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment.”

One of Paxton’s supporters, conservative Texas Rep. Tony Tinderholt, called him “the most conservative attorney general in the nation,” saying he “will be a fantastic upgrade over John Cornyn.” 

Gooden, whose district is just east of Dallas, said he was endorsing Paxton because “it’s time for change in Texas,” adding that “Texans deserve a conservative champion who has a record of taking on the establishment, fighting to secure our border, and advancing the Trump agenda.”

Meanwhile, Cornyn, who has been in the Senate for nearly 23 years, has the support of some of the Republican Party’s top leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, as well as the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

TRUMP ORDERS MILITARY TO SEIZE PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN BORDER AMID IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

Since Trump returned to the White House three months ago, Cornyn has been supportive of the president’s Cabinet nominees and agenda.

Cornyn has emphasized previous corruption and bribery charges against Paxton, which in 2023 led to the attorney general being impeached by the Texas House of Representatives. Paxton was later acquitted of all charges by the Texas Senate. 

Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges soon after taking office in 2015 and also came under investigation by the FBI over bribery and corruption allegations from former top staffers. The charges in the long-running federal corruption probe were dropped during the final weeks of the Biden administration.

A spokesperson for Cornyn’s campaign asserted that Trump would be wise to endorse the senator, emphasizing his experience helping to lead the GOP. 

TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES A TOUGH NEXT TEST IN CONGRESS

“During his first term, John Cornyn voted with President Trump more than 95% of current Senators, securing the votes for his biggest accomplishments as his Whip,” the representative told Fox News Digital. 

“Democrats are trying to destroy President Trump,” the representative went on. “And he and Texas need a battle-tested conservative who knows how to protect his agenda in the Senate and won’t be outsmarted by [Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer.”

Paxton, however, posits that Cornyn’s enthusiasm for Trump is all an act. 

“We’re all glad John Cornyn suddenly found religion and is embracing President Trump’s policies now that he’s facing a primary challenge,” Paxton told Fox News Digital. “But if he’s re-elected, he’ll immediately go back to being the same old John who said President Trump’s ‘time has passed him by’ and fought to stop the President’s America First agenda.”  

DOJ INDICATES TRUMP ADMIN NOT OBLIGATED TO RETURN MAN DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR, PUSHING BACK ON JUDICIARY

He pointed out that he was one of only two elected officials present with Trump when he announced he was running for president for a third time. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I was grateful to join my friend Troy Nehls as one of two elected officials at President Trump’s 2024 announcement and have always been proud to stand with him,” he said. “I will continue to support the President and work with him to secure our border, defend the integrity of our elections, and protect our 2nd Amendment—unlike John Cornyn who has tried to undermine President Trump every step of the way.”

“I’m incredibly grateful to have the support of over 250 conservative leaders from across our great state,” Paxton went on. “While John Cornyn is relying on the Washington establishment to save him, I’m proud that my campaign is powered by the grassroots and the people of Texas.” 

As Cornyn and Paxton vie for the GOP nomination, former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who launched a surprisingly competitive but ultimately unsuccessful challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024, is weighing another run in 2026. 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who last week referred to President Donald Trump as a “mofo” — an abbreviated form of the profanity ‘motherf—er’ — has continued leveling colorful attacks against him.

In a Monday night post on X she used words including “buffoon” and “orange.” 

“Y’all can keep wasting time on conspiracy theories aka lies about me OR start paying attention to things that actually impact your life like this,” she wrote when sharing a video in which wealthy investor Ray Dalio said he is concerned about the possibility of “something worse than a recession … ” 

LEFT-WING LAWMAKER CALLS TRUMP A ‘MOFO,’ SAYS SOME VOTERS ‘DISQUALIFIED’ KAMALA HARRIS FOR ‘HER RACE & OR SEX’

“PS Still Single, Childless, no granny drama, no new mysterious wealth (like those that may have engaged in INSIDER TRADING as Trump manipulated the market & produced more wealth for his rich friends), no random mansions, no shady donations (like Elon’s purchase of the Oval Office),” Crockett continued.

“Unfortunately for MAGA… their buffoon of a leader is every ethical & criminal stereotype that they attribute to me, but the only one that fits the bill isn’t black, but instead orange,” she declared. “Thank me later for trying to educate you as your leader wants you left in the dark.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office on Tuesday but did not receive a comment by the time of publication.

The White House replied to a comment request on Tuesday by sending a previously reported statement from spokesperson Harrison Fields.

“Crockett and her followers in the Democratic Party are simply all hammer and no nail. When she’s leading the Democrats in ‘oversight,’ that’s when you know the party is in shambles. Her constituents should DOGE her in the next election.” 

MEET THE ARMY VETERAN RUNNING TO UNSEAT EMERGING TRUMP RESISTANCE LEADER CROCKETT: ‘TEARING OUR COUNTRY DOWN’

Crockett said on MSNBC last week that “the fact that no one is questioning” Trump’s “mental acuity or fitness to serve is beyond wild to me.” 

Contrary to the congresswoman’s comments, a memo from the physician to the president states that “President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”

However, the insults have been flying in both directions, with Trump blasting Crockett as well.

REP. JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS THE UNITED STATES NEEDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BECAUSE ‘WE DONE PICKING COTTON’

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump called Crockett a “very low-IQ person and a lowlife” during an interview with radio host Vince Coglianese last month. 

“She can’t speak. She can’t get the words out of her mouth,” he said of Crockett, noting that he “can’t see her going very far in politics.”

During remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee event last week, the president said that if Crockett is the Democrats’ “new star” the party is in “serious trouble.”

A new White House memo highlighting the top 10 Supreme Court rulings federal agencies must follow has legal experts optimistic about reining in the administrative state, while some litigators remain skeptical the directive will be enforced.

“Any administration that really cares about making sure that they were following the law should be reviewing regulations,” Carrie Severino, president of Judicial Crisis Network, told Fox News Digital. “We want a government that isn’t just taking every bit of power that it can get away with, but one that wants to make sure the constitutional limits are guarded as well, which is why this memorandum is refreshing and novel in a good way.”

The administration issued a memorandum on April 9 requiring agencies to rescind regulations not in line with 10 recent Supreme Court opinions on proper administrative agency functions. 

SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TRUMP FIRING DECISION

The memo, titled, “President Donald J. Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions,” says it is in line with a February executive order seeking to rein in the administrative state. 

The memo lists various Supreme Court cases aligned with Trump’s deregulatory agenda as well as the administration’s efforts to get rid of DEI initiatives. Among the cases listed are Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, West Virginia vs. EPA, and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Both Loper Bright and West Virginia notably narrowed executive agencies’ authority in issuing rules and regulations affecting the American public. Likewise, Students for Fair Admissions rejected the use of affirmative action in university admissions. 

“The President is right: agencies must repeal regulations that the Supreme Court has deemed unlawful. The President continues to deliver on his promises to roll back regulations and government overreach crippling American enterprise,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

Several of the cases listed are not retroactive, meaning regulations issued prior to these decisions being handed down will not be disturbed as a result of the opinions. However, experts say agencies can re-evaluate previous rules and regulations under the new standards imposed by the Supreme Court opinions.

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

“I think that that is good fodder, a good basis for a lot of agencies to go back and look, ‘Where have we created massive regulatory compliance burdens and structures that massively impact the economy or society on the basis of a very thin thread and where can we undo it?'” Daniel Huff, senior legal fellow at the American Path Initiative, told Fox News Digital. “And we can point to these elephants and mouse holes and when it’s reviewed in the future, they will say ‘Yes, that is a good rationale’ and it will be upheld.”

Kara Rollins is a lawyer for the New Civil Liberties Alliance, the nonprofit organization that argued Relentless Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce in front of the high court – Loper’s companion case that sought to scale back the reach of the administrative state. Rollins told Fox News Digital the “retrospective look” these agencies will take toward previous regulations is not “misplaced.” 

However, Rollins raised concerns about the administration’s enforcement of the directive, noting that several related cases were already underway before the Supreme Court issued its rulings.

“What happens to these cases that are currently active where DOJ or the agency is just taking the wrong position?” Rollins said. “Who’s looking at that? Who’s clearing out those cases and saying, in light of this memorandum, we’ve looked at our litigation position and we can no longer sustain it? And that’s the real sort of open question, particularly for litigators right now.”

COURTROOM COMBAT: INSIDE THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY SYSTEM WHERE TRUMP’S AGENDA IS UNDER ASSAULT

Rollins said that, as a litigator, her concern is agencies have yet to change positions when it comes to these Supreme Court opinions: “That sort of signals that there is a problem between what the president is saying he wants to have happen and what’s being effectuated on the ground.”

In the memo, Trump directs agencies to employ the Administrative Procedure Act’s “good cause” exception “where appropriate,” which allows agencies to do away with the usual notice-and-comment rulemaking process in the interest of the public. The usual process requires time for public input on the proposed rule. 

Huff said there is “less of a need” to impose the regular notice-and-comment rulemaking process given that agencies will likely be reviewing previous rules rather than passing new ones. 

“They’re not adding new burdens. This isn’t new to people,” Huff said. “People already sort of know what’s there and it was there before. And we’re just turning back the clock. We’re putting it back to the way it was. We’re restoring the original status quo.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Severino said there could be litigation over the use of the exception despite the fact that the language is “very broad.” 

“But I do think there are strong arguments for it because the laws must keep with the constitutional limits on government, and, of course, be in the public interest.”