‘Eye-opening’: Congressional delegation hypes Gitmo’s readiness as deportations start ramping up
Members of Congress visited Guantanamo Bay last week amid renewed attention on the military base, which is now being used to hold illegal immigrants, including some that may pose an additional security risk. President Donald Trump is aiming to have up to 30,000 people who are in the United States illegally held at the facility before they face deportation with the goal of using the facility mainly for “the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people,” the president previously said. “Yesterday, I led a Congressional Delegation to Guantanamo Bay to see firsthand the incredible work being done by our servicemembers to keep our nation safe,” Rep. Mike Rogers, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. NEARLY 200 VENEZUELAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DETAINED AT GUANTÁNAMO BAY ARE FLOWN BACK HOME “During our visit, we met with servicemembers and law enforcement officials who have played a crucial role in facilitating the removal of some of the worst criminals. Border security is national security and I’m proud of the role the Department of Defense has played in protecting our nation and ending the invasion at our southern border,” he continued. As of last week, about 20 migrants are at the naval station, but over 250 have been at the base since the Trump policy was announced. Most of the 20 were considered “high threat,” Fox News reported. Roughly 200 were Venezuelans who have since been deported. “The visit to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay was an eye-opening experience that offered tremendous insights into the complexities of immigration policy and the importance of border security,” Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., said in a statement.’ US BEGINS FLYING MIGRANTS TO GUANTANAMO BAY “Understanding the deportation process firsthand is crucial for informing my decisions. I came away not only with a better perspective but also with a deeper appreciation for the service members and federal workers who work tirelessly to safeguard the American people,” Davis added. The visit comes as there is an effort to ramp up deportations even further, whether it’s through law enforcement action or by one’s own choice. The “CBP Home” app launched this week with the goal of having people self-deport if they entered the country illegally, which is a major change from the “CBP One” app used to process migrants during the Biden administration. Millions of people were encountered by CBP crossing into the country illegally during the last administration. While encounters decreased slightly following an executive order from Biden last year, apprehension numbers torpedoed to just over 8,000 — the least ever noted by CBP. LAURA INGRAHAM TAKES AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INTO GITMO’S MIGRANT LODGING “It is clear that Guantanamo Bay is operational and equipped to conduct these deportations, with multiple agencies cooperating in this effort including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. With the strong commitment of Republicans in Congress, these deportations should continue and increase without interruption,” Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital in a statement. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The delegation’s visit comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth toured Guantanamo Bay at the end of February, as the base holds both the “Migrant Operations Center” and the detention center that is most well-known for holding suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Reporter’s Notebook: Here we go again (again)
It seems like just a few weeks ago, there was a crisis on Capitol Hill as lawmakers tried to avert a government shutdown. Well, you have a good memory. But you don’t have to have a long one. The reason is that a government funding drama played out in Washington just before last Christmas. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., thought he had forged an agreement which could pass the House with a coalition of Democrats and Republicans. It would also get through the Senate with Democrats lugging some of the freight to overcome a filibuster. Everything seemed fine until lawmakers saw the sheer size of the bill. President Trump – then president-elect – weighed in. So did Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. And the bill was toast. DEMOCRATS TURN ON EACH OTHER OVER TRUMP ADDRESS STUNTS Lawmakers scrambled to assemble a slimmed-down bill to avoid a Christmastime government shutdown – and punt everything until the middle of March. Guess what? It’s mid-March. Lawmakers failed to work out an overall spending package to run until next fall. This came after the spending plan that we’re talking about now was supposed to be worked out last fall. In fact, many House Republicans complained that lawmakers failed to advance the 12 individual spending bills by the book. The House has completed a few. The Senate? None. That was under the stewardship of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., when Democrats ran the show last year. Zero bills under new Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., this year. CNN STUNNED BY ‘SHOCKING’ POLL NUMBERS SHOWING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DOGE SPENDING CUTS Don’t forget that Johnson seized the speakership in October 2023, promising to handle the appropriations bills one by one. But reality set in. Circumstances forced Johnson to advance multiple stopgap spending packages – often with Democratic help. They finally funded the government for 2023 in April 2024. This is why government funding crises ricochet around constantly. House Republicans published the text of an interim spending bill over the weekend. It renews the Biden-level funding numbers – but also makes some cuts to social spending programs and the budget for the city of Washington. However, there are small increases in funding for the Pentagon. There are few Democratic priorities reflected in the bill. Yet House Republicans – who control the House – are demanding Democrats join them to help pass the bill. Democratic votes may be necessary when Republicans have a slim majority. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., already said he was a no unless he were to receive “a lobotomy.” During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” last week, Johnson asserted that Democrats should help because “government funding is always bipartisan. You have to have partners on both sides of the aisle to do it.” Johnson has needed Democrats to pass government funding bills since he assumed the speakership. In fact, Democrats may have salvaged Johnson’s speakership last spring. There was a wink and a nod that Democrats may try to buffer any attempt to oust him – especially since he was willing to support a plan to fund Ukraine. And Johnson, along with his predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., faced reams of criticism for crafting spending bills to avert government shutdowns which needed Democrats to pass. “Speaker Johnson has betrayed (our trust) by passing three CRs to keep the government open and then forcing us to pass, or to vote on a two-part omnibus, the second one being today,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., last year. She threatened to remove the speaker when a temporary spending measure arrived last year. “This bill was basically a dream and a wish list for Democrats and for the White House. It was completely led by Chuck Schumer, not our Republican speaker of the House,” added Greene. RESOLUTION PUNISHING AL GREEN CLEARS DEM BLOCKADE, ADVANCES TO HOUSE-WIDE VOTE AFTER TRUMP SPEECH Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., was one of the eight GOP members who voted to remove McCarthy as speaker in 2023. Throughout that summer, Biggs criticized McCarthy over how he handled spending bills and a measure to avoid a collision with the debt ceiling. “The speaker formed a coalition with Democrats to get us a $4 trillion national debt. And I continue to be concerned because he hasn’t repudiated that coalition,” said Biggs in June 2023. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is responsible for triggering the resolution that led to McCarthy’s demise. McCarthy’s transgression? After the House stumbled to pass its own spending package before a government funding deadline in September 2023, McCarthy put a clean spending measure on the floor that passed with Democratic help. McCarthy was out the door four days later. “We’re going to force him into a monogamous relationship with one or the other,” said Gaetz at the time. The Florida Republican accused McCarthy of jumping “in the back seat” with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. So now House Republicans have crafted a bill that appeals to Republicans. And they expect Democrats to help them support it. “The threat of the shutdown is on them at that point. So they better get on board,” said Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas. Ellzey noted that if all Senate Republicans supported the package, it would be incumbent on at least seven Senate Democrats to help break a filibuster to advance the plan. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats. But 60 yeas are necessary to overcome a filibuster. “And if we shut down, it’s on them,” said Ellzey. Democrats find GOP criticism rich – despite the Senate numbers conundrum. “This is a question of why can’t they govern?” asked Rep. Ro Khanna, R-Calif. “You elected a Republican president. You have a Republican House. A Republican Senate. They should be able to have the votes to fund government.” Khanna also blasted the GOP’s “take it or leave it” approach when they were not part of negotiations for this particular bill. Democrats demanded restrictions on DOGE and guarantees about sustaining programs at federal agencies, along
60 universities under investigation by Trump admin for ‘antisemitic discrimination and harassment’
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s Department of Education announced Monday that 60 universities are currently under investigation for “antisemitic discrimination and harassment,” Fox News Digital has learned. “The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws.” TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ADDRESSES BIDEN’S ‘BACKLOG’ OF CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM COMPLAINTS: ‘IMMEDIATE PRIORITY’ The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent letters to the 60 higher education institutions Monday afternoon warning that they could face legal repercussions “if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities.” The letters were sent to universities currently under investigation for allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination stemming from anti-Israel campus protests nationwide following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. The universities in question are in every major region of the country. AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 CEASEFIRE DEAL Northeast: American University, Boston University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Drexel University, Emerson College, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Middlebury College, Muhlenberg College, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Rutgers University-Newark, Swarthmore College, The New School, Yale University, State University of New York Binghamton, State University of New York Rockland, State University of New York Purchase, Union College, and Wellesley College. Midwest: Illinois Wesleyan University, Indiana University Bloomington, Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, University of Wisconsin Madison. West: Arizona State University, California State University Sacramento, Chapman University, University of California Davis, University of California San Diego, University of California Santa Barbara, University of California Berkeley, Santa Monica College, Stanford University, Pomona College, University of Southern California, University of Washington Seattle, Pacific Lutheran University, Portland State University, and Whitman College. TRUMP STICKING TO GAZA RELOCATION PLAN, AS WHITE HOUSE SEEMS TO DISMISS EGYPTIAN PROPOSAL South: Eastern Washington University, George Mason University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of North Carolina, University of South Florida, University of Tampa, University of Tennessee, University of Virginia, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Temple University, Tufts University, Tulane University. On Friday, the Trump administration announced its move to investigate as an “immediate priority” outstanding allegations of antisemitism and violence on college campuses across the U.S. after canceling roughly $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University “due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.” “Over 140 complaints alleging antisemitic harassment and violence were filed with the Biden Education Department,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for the OCR, told Fox News Digital Monday. This is a breaking story, check back for updates.
WH lambasts ‘head-in-the-sand’ liberal prosecutors after 20 AGs sue to halt DOGE cuts
The White House remained steadfast in its DOGE agenda after 20 Democratic state attorneys general collaborated to file a lawsuit Friday challenging the legality of the administration’s planned cuts to the federal workforce. “The Democrats have no plan on how to recover from their embarrassing loss, and it shows,” White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said Monday. “Instead of working to become a party that focuses on the will of the people, they are hell-bent on keeping their heads in the sand and gaslighting on the widely supported mission of DOGE.” Maryland’s top lawman led 19 other states in asking a federal court to halt what Attorney General Anthony Brown called illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. His office also called for those already let go to have their jobs reinstated. LAWMAKERS FROM STATE WITH MOST FEDERAL WORKERS PER-CAPITAL WARN AGAINST TRUMP BUYOUT BID The lawsuit listed each of Trump’s top 21 acting or confirmed cabinet officials as defendants in their official capacity, and alleged the administration made “no secret of their contempt for the roughly 2 million committed professionals who form the federal civil service.” “Nor have they disguised their plans to terminate vast numbers of civil servants, starting with tens of thousands of probationary employees,” the suit read. Fields, a spokesman for President Donald Trump, said that slashing waste, fraud and abuse and “becoming better stewards of the American taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars” might “be a crime to Democrats.” “But, it’s not a crime in a court of law,” Fields said. Brown said in a statement that Trump’s “mass firings” have thrown thousands of Marylanders and others who work for the government into “financial insecurity.” Lawmakers in the Old Line State, which is home to the most federal workers per capita, previously warned constituents against Trump’s offer to buy-out their jobs in February. Rep. Sarah Elfreth — a Democrat who represents a line of bedroom communities including Columbia, Elkridge and Glen Burnie — said her constituents had been coming to her expressing worry about the situation. “Pushing out career federal employees will only cripple agencies and undermine essential government services — it does nothing to make government more efficient,” she said. In a statement, Gov. Wes Moore added that he supports the lawsuit and that Marylanders in public service are “dedicated patriots” whose work should be “praised, not villainized.” TOP BLUE-STATE REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES COMPREHENSIVE DOGE EFFORT, WITH A TWIST Meanwhile, the lawsuit alleged potential “chaos” nationwide due to these job cuts, and that under the law, cabinet agencies must follow protocols when conducting “Reductions in Force” (RIFs) which include 60 days advanced notice of termination. It also alleged that the layoffs are being carried out in a manner that forces state governments to abruptly step in, providing safety nets for affected employees — placing additional strain on state services and budgets. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin echoed Brown, calling the firings “callous and reckless.” Platkin claimed several military veterans in the Garden State have already been affected by the layoffs and that the endeavor has greatly damaged partnerships between Trenton and Washington. “[These layoffs] are not only short-sighted but are illegal, and today we are taking the Trump administration to court in order to reverse them,” he said. In California, Attorney General Robert Bonta claimed DOGE’s actions will do the opposite of its stated purpose to curb waste and inefficiency. “The reality is that abrupt and indiscriminate terminations will lead to increased operation disruptions, higher rehiring costs, and long-term financial burdens on taxpayers,” Bonta said, adding that DOGE’s work has the potential to harm national parks within the Golden State. Meanwhile, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha added in a statement that states need “appropriate notice” in order to prepare to help affected bureaucrats who live in the Ocean State. “If [Trump] wants to reduce the size of the federal government, he must do so through legal means: This is another attempt to subvert the rule of law as an illegal means to an end and coalesce executive power in the process,” Neronha said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “These protections are on the books for a reason, and we won’t stand for this attack on American workers and their families.” In defense of Trump and his administration, several Republican governors have countered that investigating and enacting ways to cut bureaucracy is not new, but that the president and Elon Musk have turbo-charged such an endeavor at the federal level. “Idaho was DOGE before DOGE was cool,” Gem State Gov. Brad Little said in his recent State of the State address. “Florida has set the standard for fiscally conservative governance,” Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis added last month. Meanwhile, officials like New Jersey state Sen. Joe Pennacchio, Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano and Texas Senate President Brandon Creighton have crafted DOGE commissions or policy proposals in their respective states.
NASA shutters DEI office as Trump admin downsizes federal agencies
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will close several more offices within its agency as part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to downsize the government, the acting administrator Janet Petro informed employees in a memo Monday. Petro said the “phased reduction in force” is “occurring in advance” of this week’s deadline for federal agencies to inform the government of their layoff plans. “While this will mean making difficult adjustments, we’re viewing this as an opportunity to reshape our workforce, ensuring we are doing what is statutorily required of us, while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency,” Petro wrote. NASA ASTRONAUTS NOT ‘FRETTING’ OVER EXTENDED MISSION, ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR MORE TIME IN SPACE AFTER STARLINER WOES NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity will be shuttered, in compliance with Trump’s executive order, “Implementing the President’s Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative.” Fox News Digital reached out to NASA to find out how many employees will be impacted by the office closures. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP TRUMP TO SHIFT AWAY FROM DEI VISA POLICY THAT ‘SURGED’ UNDER BIDEN, EXPERT SAYS Agencies are required by Thursday to report to the Office of Personnel Management about their plans to downsize their workforce, as announced last month by Trump and Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Trump to sign disaster relief order putting states, localities in the driver’s seat of catastrophe response
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Monday that will put states and local jurisdictions in the driver’s seat of preparing and responding to disasters, Fox News Digital learned. “This Order restores state, local, and individual empowerment in disaster preparedness and response, and injects common sense into infrastructure prioritization and strategic investments through risk-informed decisions that make our infrastructure, communities, and economy more resilient to global and dynamic threats and hazards,” details on the order obtained by Fox News Digital show. The order emphasizes the role of states, localities and individual leadership over federal leadership while preparing for and coping with disasters — such as flooding or fires — and will “streamline” federal functions so local communities can more easily work with federal leaders in Washington, Fox News Digital learned. It also will establish the National Resilience Strategy, which will outline the “priorities, means, and ways to advance the resilience of the nation” while pinpointing risks to key national infrastructure and related systems, Fox Digital learned. TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER AIMED AT ‘DRASTICALLY’ IMPROVING FEMA EFFICACY, PRIORITIES, COMPETENCE Officials will be called to review “all infrastructure, continuity, and preparedness and response policies” to ensure they fall in line with the National Resilience Strategy. The order will shift the federal government’s “all-hazards” approach to handling disasters to a “risk-informed approach” that will prioritize “resilience and action over mere information sharing,” Fox Digital learned. ‘FEMA IS NOT GOOD:’ TRUMP ANNOUNCES AGENCY OVERHAUL DURING VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA Trump has railed against the nation’s response to natural disasters under the Biden administration. He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity just days after his inauguration that “FEMA has not done their job for the last four years” and he would like to see “states take care of their own problems” as they have historically relied on the federal government and its resources and funds to handle disasters. FEMA came under the nation’s microscope in 2024 when Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina, devastating residents as it wiped out homes and businesses and killed more than 100 people. FEMA and the Biden administration faced fierce backlash for its handling of the emergency, while Trump accused the agency of obstructing relief efforts in Republican areas. TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES Trump signed a separate executive order in January establishing FEMA Review Council to “drastically” improve the federal agency tasked with handling disaster assistance across the nation. “Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most,” that executive order read. “There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.” TRUMP WARNS FEMA FACES A RECKONING AFTER BIDEN ADMIN: ‘NOT DONE THEIR JOB’ Trump additionally has railed against left-wing policies that he says have compounded natural disaster response, most notably in California over its water infrastructure policies that he said contributed to the raging wildfires that destroyed swaths of areas around Los Angeles in January. “Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump posted to Truth Social in January as the wildfires spread. Trump signed a separate executive order on Jan. 24 that provides additional water resources to California to improve the state’s response to disaster. The order Trump is expected to sign on Monday will serve as a continuation of his pledge “to shift power from Washington to the American people,” similar to the California executive order and establishing the FEMA Review Council in January, Fox Digital learned. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
FBI Director Patel working ‘aggressively’ to comply with congressional record requests ahead of deadlines
EXCLUSIVE: FBI Director Kash Patel is working “aggressively” to comply ahead of schedule with congressional document requests in an effort to follow through on his commitment for the bureau to provide transparency to the American people, Fox News Digital has learned. On Friday, the FBI sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee notifying the panel that it was handing over a tranche of documents pursuant to a subpoena from Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. Fox News Digital has learned that the records shared by the FBI included more than 400 pages on topics the committee had long been seeking, dating back to the Biden administration, relating to topics such as former Attorney General Merrick Garland’s school board memo and the Jan. 6 pipe bomb investigation. The FBI’s compliance came more than a week before the March 17 deadline set by Jordan. FLASHBACK: HOUSE JUDICIARY REPORT: ‘NO LEGITIMATE BASIS’ FOR BIDEN ADMIN TO TARGET PARENTS AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS The FBI also turned over documents related to the bureau’s engagement with social media entities and the now-disbanded Foreign Influence Task Force. Fox News Digital has learned that the documents production included “minimal redactions” and that the FBI plans to turn over additional records to the House Judiciary Committee on those topics in the coming weeks. FLASHBACK: FEDS CONDUCTED ‘BROAD’ AND ‘UNJUSTIFIED’ SURVEILLANCE OF AMERICANS’ PRIVATE FINANCIAL DATA: HOUSE JUDICIARY “We are thankful for Director Patel’s work and we will have more updates soon,” Russel Dye, spokesperson for Jordan, told Fox News Digital Monday. Patel’s efforts come after Republicans on Capitol Hill, for years – under the leadership of FBI Directors Christopher Wray and James Comey – have complained about the FBI missing deadlines for documents requests and defying congressional subpoenas. The FBI is also working with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and his team to honor their document requests. Fox News Digital has learned that the FBI plans to comply with Grassley’s requests ahead of schedule. The moves come as a key part of Patel’s mission to restore faith and trust in the FBI through full transparency, an FBI source told Fox News Digital. GRASSLEY, JOHNSON DEMAND NARA TURN OVER BIDEN RECORDS RELATING TO EMAIL ALIASES, FAMILY BUSINESS DEALINGS Meanwhile, privately, Patel has given his team at the FBI a mandate to “work aggressively” with congressional committees to ensure “their needs are met.” A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Patel has been “personally asking staff for updates on getting Jordan and Grassley documents” and has done so “several times a day.” More documents are expected to be delivered to Congress from the FBI in the coming days. “Director Patel is adamant about restoring faith and trust in the FBI through full transparency and engaging with Congress is a critical part of that effort,” FBI spokesman Ben Williamson told Fox News Digital. “We will continue to work with both House and Senate Committees to ensure the American people get the FBI they deserve.”
Scandal-scarred former Gov Andrew Cuomo is the frontrunner in NYC mayoral race
As he runs for New York City mayor, Andrew Cuomo is announcing a slew of public policy proposals. The former three-term New York governor, who resigned amid multiple scandals in 2021, on Monday unveiled the second plank of his public safety agenda for the nation’s most populous city. “Enough is enough, and we need to pass sensible laws,” Cuomo emphasized in a statement. It’s been a week and a half since Cuomo, in a political comeback, announced his candidacy in the race to oust embattled Mayor Eric Adams. The former governor’s entry into an already crowded field of contenders rocked the race, with just four months to go until the city’s Democratic mayoral primary, which will likely determine the winner of November’s general election. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON ANDREW CUOMO As New Yorkers continue to sour on Adams, according to the latest polls, those same surveys also indicate Cuomo is the clear frontrunner. But now that the 2025 mayoral race is apparently Cuomo’s to lose, his rivals are zeroing in on the former governor’s immense political baggage. Thanks in part to his near-universal name recognition among New Yorkers, Cuomo was topping the mayoral polls even before he announced his candidacy on March 1. And Cuomo, who enjoys the backing of a well-financed super PAC supported by deep-pocketed allies, maintained his frontrunner position in the most recent survey, from Quinnipiac University. CUOMO LAUNCHES MAYOR BID IN AMERICA’S BIGGEST CITY The survey, conducted just before and just after Cuomo launched his bid, indicated the former governor at 31% support among registered Democrats in New York City, with Adams a distant second at 11%. Behind Adams, in single digits, was the rest of the roster of Democrats aiming to oust the mayor. That field includes state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, city public advocate Jumaane Williams, former city comptroller Scott Stringer, current city comptroller Brad Lander, city council speaker Adrienne Adams – who launched her bid after the poll’s release – as well as two state senators and a former state assemblyman. That same survey also indicated Adams’ approval rating among New York City voters stood at just 20%, which was the lowest for any New York City mayor in three decades of Quinnipiac polling in the city. Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials. The mayor made repeated overtures with now-President Donald Trump, and in recent weeks the Justice Department moved to dismiss the corruption charges, so he could seemingly work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown. The top federal prosecutor in New York City resigned rather than comply, and argued that the mayor had agreed to a quid pro quo with the Justice Department. “This story has become bigger than just New York City because it now involves the Trump administration, and all of that is weighing on the mayor’s standing among voters,” Mary Snow, an assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, told Fox News. The 67-year-old Cuomo is aiming to reintroduce himself to voters as a tested manager, a forceful executive, and as a law-and-order moderate who will rescue a city that he says “feels threatening, out of control, and in crisis.” Cuomo, in his first campaign event after announcing, touted the massive infrastructure refurbishing projects in and around New York City he managed during his decade tenure as governor, which included LaGuardia Airport, the Moynihan Train Hall, and the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which he renamed after his father, a former there-term governor. But some of his rivals in the mayoral race, and a host of critics, have targeted Cuomo since he launched his campaign, over his many transgressions as governor. Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations – which he has repeatedly denied – forced his resignation in August 2021. He was also under investigation for his handling of the COVID pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. A Siena College poll conducted March 2-6 indicated Cuomo’s favorable rating among all New York state voters stood at 37% favorable and 51% unfavorable, up from 32%-60% in March 2022, seven months after he resigned as governor. But Cuomo’s favorable rating among New York City voters in the new poll was above water, at 48%-41%. Rich Azzopardi, a longtime Cuomo spokesman and adviser, told Fox News, “We normally don’t comment on polls but notable that in this survey he’s 48-41 among all New York City voters and 57-29 among Black voters.” Azzopardi argued that Cuomo’s “far ahead in every poll actually about the mayor’s race and that’s because New Yorkers know this city is in crisis and Andrew Cuomo is the candidate with the experience, the record and the ability to help save it.” But with three and a half months to go until the June 24 primary, there’s no let-up in the attacks on Cuomo from his rivals. “The question is: (a) how big of an issue will candidates make Cuomo’s baggage in the campaign, and (b) will that strategy resonate with voters?” Quinnipiac’s Snow asked.
Religious slaughter in Syria shows need for US, Europe to ‘keep a close eye’ on Islamist regime: Greek FM
With hundreds left dead over the weekend under Syria’s new regime, Greek Foreign Minister Giorigios Gerapetritis warned Europe and the U.S. to “keep a close eye” on the ruling Islamist group that is working to gain acceptance by the West. Syria contains a sizable population of Orthodox Christians, and Gerapetritis insisted the international community demand religious minorities be included in governance, or else leave sanctions in place. “All ethnic and religious minorities should be included in the governance, rule of law,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview conducted last week prior to the weekend’s violence. “The release of sanctions should take place mostly on a gradual basis. We need to see how it goes,” he went on, adding that any lifting of sanctions should be “reversible.” EUROPE MUST LEAD ON UKRAINIAN SECURITY GUARANTEES, GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS: ‘WE ARE THE NEIGHBORS’ “It is of the utmost importance that the U.S. and Europe are keeping a close eye on Syria. We need to encourage the new regime to stay close to international law.” Days of clashes between those affiliated with Syria’s new governing force HTS and those loyal to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad have left hundreds of civilians dead. Death toll estimates have varied. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday more than 1,000 people had been killed, including 700 civilians. Another monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, reported that government forces had killed 327 civilians and captured militants and Assad loyalists had killed 148. It was the bloodiest internal clash since Assad was ousted in early December. Fighting began Thursday after Assad loyalists ambushed government forces in the Latakia province, and revenge killings left entire families, mostly of the Alawite sect of Islam, dead in their wake, according to the United Nations. “We are receiving extremely disturbing reports of entire families, including women, children and hors de combat [surrendered] fighters, being killed,” U.N. human rights commissioner Volker Türk said in a statement. “The killing of civilians in coastal areas in north-west Syria must cease, immediately.” Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, said the fighting was part of “expected challenges” and called for national unity. “We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace; we can live together,” he said. Russia and the U.S. asked the U.N. Security Council to meet privately on Monday to discuss the violence in Syria. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham was founded as an al Qaeda offshoot but broke away from the group in 2016. In December, the Biden administration lifted a $10 million bounty on the head of al-Sharaa. The group has been trying to shake its extremist reputation and terrorist designation, with a smooth-talking al-Sharaa claiming he does not want Syria to become the next Afghanistan and he believes in education for women. BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION SEEKS TO REIN IN ERDOGAN’S TURKEY OVER TIES TO US FOES Gerapetritis also expressed “concern” about Turkey’s Blue Homeland Doctrine, which has prompted incursions into Greek waters. The expression refers to Turkey’s maritime claims over large portions of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in large part spurred by large deposits of natural gas off the coast of Cyprus. “We are concerned, you know, the Blue Homeland doctrine is a doctrine that goes against international law,” he said. “Greece has abided by international law, especially international law of the seas.” Geraptetritis said relations between Greece and Turkey had improved in recent years – Turkish incursions of Greek airspace had “minimized” and the two countries had coordinated on tackling illegal immigration. “There must be a major step concerning the limitation of maritime zones. We’re not still there,” he said. Greece and Turkey, both members of NATO, have had tensions for decades, though relations have improved in recent years. “I have to emphasize the fact that Greece is a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the broader region.” The foreign minister also boasted of Greece’s growing relationship with India, and views his nation as a gateway for India’s planned Middle East-Europe corridor. He framed it as a way to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, where the CCP seeks access and influence across the globe by financing development and trade projects. “This major, plan is, I think, an excellent project,” said Gerapetritis. “In order to diversify the routes concerning transport, concerning data, concerning energy. We are very like-minded with the United States when it comes to foreign and security policy.” China had swept in to help Greece financially during its public debt crisis, with Chinese companies investing billions in the nation at a time when most investors were spooked by its debt defaults. Now, Greece appears to be pulling away from that influence. “It is our firm conviction that we need to develop alternative cooperation and alternative trade routes [to China].”
‘Hurting people to help themselves’: Dem senator disses DOGE’s CFPB cuts
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., met with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) employees on Friday who were fired as a result of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) federal workforce reductions. CFPB has provided over $21 billion in consumer relief, according to the agency’s latest data from Dec. 3. 2024. Kaine accused Musk of targeting the CFPB with DOGE cuts for his own gain. “The fact that the Trump administration would target these guys at the front end of a chainsaw massacre… Why are you going after these consumer protection advocates? It smells really bad. I mean, it makes it seem like it happened because Musk has some particular interest in gutting these regulators who are protecting everyday folks.” In an interview with Fox News Digital following his meeting with former CFPB employees, Kaine said the CFPB saved “tens of thousands of Virginians” from unfair or abusive financial practices. FEDERAL WORKERS’ UNION FILES LAWSUITS TO STOP VOUGHT, DOGE ACTIVITY AT CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU “These folks are doing great work,” Kaine said. “This is an agency that returned $21 billion to consumers who got ripped off. I know the Virginia statistics. It’s tens of thousands of Virginians who got relief because of the work that these folks did.” Virginia has the second-highest number of federal civilian employees in the United States, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Kaine has been a vocal opponent of DOGE’s federal workforce cuts, holding town hall meetings to address concerns from his constituents. ‘SAVE FACE’: OFFICIALS AT LIZ WARREN’S PET PROJECT AGENCY DISMISSED DESPITE TELLING MEDIA THEY RESIGNED Kaine said Musk and DOGE are “hurting people to help themselves” by promoting a government that yields a “huge giveaway to Elon Musk and people just like him.” “There’s just too much bubbling up about Musk trying to get a contract here with the Department of State, trying to displace a contract at the DoD, and maybe steer it toward either his own companies or companies that he’s close to. When you allow an unelected guy to just come with the chainsaw and have access to people’s… and look, they’ve released data that they shouldn’t release: sensitive data, classified data, names of people who did not authorize them to put their data out to the world. They’re engaging in behavior that’s hurting people… why? I think they’re hurting people to help themselves,” Kaine said. Regarding the ongoing federal workforce firings, Kaine said: “They ain’t using a hatchet. They’re using a chainsaw.” Kaine said Trump is relying on executive actions to dismantle government agencies because even congressional Republicans wouldn’t “go along with this stuff that he’s doing.” “He is not confident he could get even Republican majorities to go along with this stuff. He’s going to do what he can, because even these Republican majorities that seem completely cowed and submissive, with no backbone and no willingness to exercise a vocal cord that they have, he doesn’t think they will go along with this stuff that he’s doing,” Kaine said. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by the deadline of this article. Joe Valenti, a former CFPB term worker who met with Kaine on Friday, told Fox News Digital he was locked out of the CFPB office last month, received a stop-work order and then a termination letter with no severance. Valenti said consumer finance laws are “not necessarily being enforced” by halting CFPB operations. “The federal government is abdicating from its role in protecting working people from financial harms and that affects low-income constituents, like the people who I served at CFPB. It affects service members, affects veterans, seniors. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is one of the laws that CFPB would oversee and enforce. That goes back to World War I. If you don’t have a cop at the beat at all, what’s going on in the markets and what does it mean for people who are affected by market abuses?” Valenti said. CPFB is one of several agencies that has been impacted by DOGE’s federal workforce reductions. Elon Musk posted on X on Feb. 7, “CFPB RIP,” followed by a gravestone emoji. President Donald Trump has touted CFPB cuts, telling the Future Investment Initiative Institute Priority Summit on Feb. 19 that his administration “virtually shut down” CFPB. “We virtually shut down the out-of-control CFPB, escorting radical-left bureaucrats out of the building and locking the doors behind them. What they were doing was so terrible. Where they were spending the money was so terrible,” Trump said. Trump confirmed to reporters in the Oval Office on Feb. 10 his plan to have the agency “totally eliminated.” Trump said the CFPB was a “waste” used “to destroy some very good people” and it was a “very important thing to get rid of.” A complaint filed last month by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) accuses Russell Vought, CFPB acting director and director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), of “preparing to conduct another mass firing, this time of over 95% of the Bureau’s employees.” Vought ordered CFPB employees to halt agency operations unless otherwise approved on Feb. 10. Seventy-three newly hired “probationary employees” and 70 to 100 “term employees” were subsequently fired while around 200 contracts were canceled, according to the lawsuit and media reports. Three CFPB leaders were placed on administrative leave in early February, Fox News Digital confirmed. An agency spokesperson said CFPB’s chief legal officer, Mark Paoletta, placed Lorelei Salas, the CFPB’s supervision director, and Eric Halperin, the agency’s enforcement chief, and Zixta Martinez, the agency’s deputy director, on administrative leave. There have been protests outside the CFPB headquarters in Washington since the firings, featuring Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, who initially proposed the agency. CFPB is an independent government agency intended to protect consumers from unfair financial practices in the private sector. It was created by President Barack Obama’s administration in 2010 following the Great Recession of 2008.