John Cornyn spent years preparing to run for Senate majority leader. Will it be enough?
John Cornyn is running to succeed Mitch McConnell after years waiting in his shadow. But the far-right, in Texas and Washington, are putting up a fight.
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion in bills filed ahead of 2025 legislative session
Tuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session.
Trump picking Cabinet at breakneck speed compared to 2016
President-elect Trump has hit the ground running on filling out his potential future cabinet, announcing names for key positions well before he did following his 2016 election win. Trump has announced six Cabinet picks in the week since winning the election, most recently tapping Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser. “Mike is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress, and previously served in the White House and Pentagon. Mike served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years where he was deployed multiple times in combat for which he was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with Valor,” Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday when announcing the selection. The announcement for Waltz came just a week after Election Day and well before Trump tapped former Army Gen. Mike Flynn to fill the same position after the 2016 election, having announced Flynn on Nov. 18, 10 days after the election. LOYALTY MATTERS: TRUMP PICKS ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS TO FILL OUT HIS ADMINISTRATION Trump has also made a quick announcement with his pick of Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The president-elect made that announcement on Nov. 11, nearly two weeks earlier than his Nov. 23 announcement in 2016 of then-Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina to fill that role. Haley went on to run unsuccessfully in 2024 for the GOP presidential nomination. “I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement following the pick of Stefanik. Two days earlier via a Truth Social post, Trump said of Haley that he would “not be inviting” her to join the new administration, although he added he “very much enjoyed and appreciated working with” her. Joining the flurry of Nov. 11 announcements was former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a pick Trump didn’t make until Dec. 7, 2016, when he tapped Scott Pruitt to serve in the role. “He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said in a statement on the Zeldin selection. “He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.” Zeldin ran unsuccessfully for New York governor in 2022, losing to Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, but receiving praise from Republicans for a valiant effort that helped Republicans in the midterms. “Lee Zeldin probably helped save the House by bringing four new Republican congressmen-elect across the finish line,” wrote Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in a Nov. 14, 2022 Facebook post. “We owe him a lot.” VANCE IS THE FRONT-RUNNER, BUT HERE’S WHO ELSE MAY RUN FOR THE 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION Trump also moved swiftly to announce longtime adviser Susie Wiles would serve as his chief of staff on Nov. 6, the day after the election. In 2016, Trump announced his choice of Reince Priebus for chief of staff on Nov. 13, five days after his victory at the polls. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” Trump said after the selection of Wiles. Joining the group in the administration will be longtime Trump adviser Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy and former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan, who has served under six administrations and for presidents of both parties dating back to former President Ronald Reagan and will serve the Trump administration as “border czar.” “I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job,” Trump said of Homan, who was the executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE under former President Barack Obama. Meanwhile, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is reported to be in line to serve as secretary of state, while North Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is reported to be Trump’s pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, though Trump has yet to make either selection official. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Biden supports bringing adversarial nations into new UN cyber crime alliance
The Biden administration will support a U.N. treaty this week that will create a new cybercrime convention that includes China and Russia — which has not sat well with some lawmakers and critics. Since 2001, the global governance around cybercrime has largely been coordinated by the Budapest Convention, a product of the Council of Europe that includes 76 countries. It does not include Russia or China. However, under the U.N.’s new cybercrime convention, these two adversarial nations will be welcomed into the global cybercrime governance fold. The move, confirmed by top officials familiar with the issue, has been met with concern from those who fear that a new global alliance on cybersecurity involving two of the nation’s most adversarial nations could spell trouble. CYBER-ATTACKS AGAINST AMERICANS AT ALL TIME HIGH OVER PAST TWO YEARS “We recognize that defending human rights and core principles of internet freedom is not easy,” a group of Democratic lawmakers on the Hill wrote last week to top officials in the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Jake Sullivan. “Russia, China and other regimes opposed to democratic freedoms are always working to create international legitimacy for their actions and worldview … Unfortunately, these efforts – while laudable – are insufficient to fix fundamental flaws in the convention.” IRAN TRIED TO INFLUENCE ELECTION BY SENDING STOLEN MATERIAL FROM TRUMP CAMPAIGN TO BIDEN’S CAMP The decision to support the new treaty came after months of deliberations between the Biden administration and others, including hundreds of nongovernmental entities involved in human rights and other relevant issues. According to a senior administration official, the U.S. “decided to remain with consensus,” arguing the U.S.’s sway on global “rights-respecting” cybersecurity policy will be greater under the new convention. To help address concerns that have been raised about the convention, the Biden administration plans to develop a risk management plan and will engage with nongovernmental stakeholders to help refine it. A “consensus proceeding” took place Monday, and the resolution was approved without a vote. According to Politico, it is expected to be adopted by the General Assembly later this year. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would be nominating New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the next U.N. ambassador in his administration. The White House declined to comment on the record for this story.
RFK Jr. launches online forum to crowdsource names for 4,000 Trump administration nominees
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has launched a website to crowdsource names to fill 4,000 political appointee positions in President-elect Trump’s new administration. The online forum, referred to as “Nominees for the People” and powered by Kennedy’s initiative to “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA), prompts visitors to nominate and vote for candidates to fill positions under the categories of “America’s Health,” “Economy,” “Education,” “Energy and Infrastructure,” “Environmental and Natural Resources,” “Food and Agriculture,” “Labor,” “Peace Abroad (State, Defense, Intelligence),” and “Peace at Home (Justice, Security and Immigration).” “President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. want your help nominating people of integrity and courage for over 4,000 appointments across the future Trump Administration,” the site’s welcome page says. “Cast your vote on nominees for the Trump team,” the page says. “Make America Healthy Again isn’t just about encouraging Americans to eat clean, organic food, exercising, or educating them about how to avoid toxins in our food, water, air, and soil — it’s about the people taking back control of our government, our country, and our health.” RFK JR. WANTS TO CLEAR OUT ‘ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS’ IN THE FDA: ‘THEY HAVE TO GO’ Top contenders under the “Peace at Home” category include Brandon Herrera, a Second Amendment activist and YouTuber who attempted to recreate the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump, as well as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “We want nominees who will secure our borders, protect children and adults from human trafficking, deport migrant criminals, and enhance our homeland’s critical infrastructure and technologies,” the category page says. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and Space X who took over the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, received more than 4,900 votes under the “Government Efficiency” category. Trump has teased a potential new cabinet role for Musk along the lines of “Secretary of Cost Cutting,” while Musk has called for the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency. There is also interest in Trump choosing Musk as an artificial intelligence adviser. The website has received thousands of votes for MikeroweWORKS founder Mike Rowe, as well as progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to focus on labor. Biden-Harris administration Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg received the highest number of votes so far under the “Energy and Infrastructure” category, while former presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was also a top contender for that role. Former Nevada City, California, Mayor Reinette Senum was among the names submitted for consideration to serve in environmental and natural resource-related positions. “Exciting Announcement, MAHA Nomination: Your Voice for Clear Skies. Supporting my bid to address geoengineering at the highest level!” Senum wrote on X. RFK JR. CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF FLUORIDE FROM DRINKING WATER, SPARKING DEBATE The website has no promises from the Trump transition team that the online nominees will make it into the administration. Kennedy entered the race as a Democratic candidate, left the party to run as an independent before abandoning his bid, then endorsed Trump with the promise to have an impact on health policy in a future administration. On Saturday, he suggested the Trump administration could replace as many as 600 employees within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “We need to act fast, and we want to have those people in place on Jan. 20, so that, on Jan. 21, 600 people are going to walk into offices at NIH and 600 people are going to leave,” Kennedy said at the Genius Network Annual Event in Scottsdale, Arizona. In recent weeks, Kennedy has talked about exercising control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or gaining the power to “reorganize” federal health agencies. He has said Trump, upon taking office, would push local water systems to remove fluoride from drinking water and allow him to investigate the safety of vaccines. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Here’s what happens to Sen. Rubio’s seat if he becomes secretary of state and who could replace him
President-elect Trump is expected to nominate GOP Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, Fox News Digital reported this week, shifting focus to the state of Florida where Gov. Ron DeSantis will be tasked with appointing a replacement in the Senate. Rubio was re-elected in 2022 to serve another six-year term in the Senate, which means DeSantis’ choice to replace him would serve until a special election is held in 2026 that would determine who serves in Rubio’s seat for the last two years of his term. Whoever DeSantis appoints to serve until 2026 is eligible to run in that special election to serve until 2028, when another election will take place. DeSantis can appoint whoever he desires to fill the seat, including himself or his wife Casey, and many names have already surfaced as potential replacements barring a last-minute change of heart from Trump. TOM COTTON LIKELY TO SUCCEED MARCO RUBIO IN TOP INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE POST Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Moody is the Republican Attorney General of Florida and has held the role since 2019. The Republican 38th Attorney General of the state was re-elected in 2022 after defeating Democrat Aramis Ayala. Since being elected as Attorney General, she has served as a commissioner on the Presidential Commission of Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. Moody also served as chair of Florida’s Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse. U.S. District Judge Roy Altman “Many GOP senators are talking about Judge Roy Altman for Marco Rubio’s replacement,” Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson reported on Tuesday. “He’s a Trump-appointed judge in South Florida, Venezuelan immigrant, and Yale Law grad.” DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier Uthmeier previously served as DeSantis’s chief of staff and as a campaign manager for his presidential campaign. Some have speculated that Uthmeir could serve as a placeholder in the Senate for two years, at which point DeSantis could run for the seat after his term as governor ends at the end of 2026. FETTERMAN HAILS RUBIO AS ‘STRONG CHOICE’ FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, SAYS HE WILL VOTE TO CONFIRM HIM Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump Many have suggested that Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara should be considered for the position, including Alabama GOP Sen. Katie Britt who told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Trump would be a “tremendous selection as the next senator for Florida.” “She is a staunch conservative who just helped deliver a sweeping electoral mandate for Republicans in her role as co-chair of the RNC,” Britt explained. “She understands — and has played a key role in building — the historic big-tent, America First coalition that is poised to get our nation back on track. I know that as a fellow mom of school-aged children, she brings the firsthand perspective of parents across our country who want to preserve the American Dream for generations to come. We need more strong voices like hers at the table in the Senate. Lara Trump would be a tenacious fighter for Floridians and hardworking people across America, and I’d love to see her appointed to this open seat.” Former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva Oliva served in Florida’s House of Representatives from 2011 to 2020 and as speaker of the House for the final two years. In 2023, DeSantis appointed Oliva to a seven-year term on the Florida Board of Governors. Florida Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez Nuñez, a DeSantis ally, is the first Hispanic woman lieutenant governor of the State of Florida, and a former representative of the Florida House. She has served on the Statewide Human Trafficking Council and was a member of the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force for Super Bowl LIV. “DeSantis’ has a unique opportunity to shape Florida’s future — and perhaps his own — when he fills Rubio’s seat,” Rob Bluey, President and Executive Editor of The Daily Signal, told Fox News Digital. “Whether he takes the job himself or appoints someone else, the state’s next senator will command national attention given Florida’s growing political clout.” Bluey added that DeSantis “has no shortage of options from his own administration or Florida’s congressional delegation.” “Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez has served alongside DeSantis since his first run for governor in 2018. There are also several rising stars from the House, such as Reps. Byron Donalds, Kat Cammack, and Matt Gaetz. He could also pick his wife Casey or even Lara Trump,” Bluey said. “Whomever DeSantis selects will have big shoes to fill. Rubio made big waves in Washington during his tenure and offered a thoughtful approach to policymaking.” Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment but did not receive a response.
Israeli leader tells Biden ‘we have to get hostages back’ who are ‘going through hell in dungeons of Gaza’
Israel and the U.S. “have to get the hostages back” who are “going through hell in the dungeons of Gaza,” one of the country’s leaders told President Biden while visiting the White House Tuesday. “I know that you’re working very hard to make sure that this war will end and that there will be, first and foremost, security for the people of Israel, as well as for the people of Lebanon,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Biden, adding that 101 hostages have been held in the Gaza Strip for more than 400 days. “I know, Mr. President … you’re day in, day out, actively seeking their safe return home as they are going through hell in the dungeons of Gaza. Clearly, you’re thinking and working about the day after as well, which perhaps should be a trajectory of hope to the people of the region and the ability to have our neighbors, as well as us, live in security and peace,” Herzog continued. “But first and foremost, we have to get the hostages back.” “I agree,” Biden responded. US, ISRAEL AT ODDS OVER DECLINE IN AID DELIVERIES “It all starts in Tehran,” Herzog added. “It all starts in the empire of evil and, where in Tehran, with its proxies they are doing whatever they can to derail stability and security and peace, calling for their annihilation of the state of Israel and seeking nuclear weapons. And Mr. President, this has to be a major objective all throughout your term and the next term of the next president because we have to make sure that they cannot fulfill their evil intentions. “They’re also a major engine of antisemitism, Mr. President, and I know how much you put a focus on fighting and combating antisemitism.” STEFANIK TO REPORTEDLY MEET ISRAELI PRESIDENT AFTER TRUMP NAMES HER NEXT UN AMBASSADOR Biden also told Herzog during the meeting his “commitment to Israel is ironclad.” “You’ve been an incredible friend of Israel and the Jewish people for decades, and we will never forget, ever in history, how you stood up with us in our darkest hour, which became our finest hour, how you came to Israel few days after the barbaric attack of Oct. 7,” Herzog told Biden. “How you helped us and supported us with words and deeds. And I want to express our heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. President, which is a great legacy that you stood up with the Jewish people and the state of Israel, as you always did.”
Trump nominates Mike Huckabee for US ambassador to Israel
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is the choice to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel in the incoming Trump administration, President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday. “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, has been nominated to be The United States Ambassador to Israel,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!” This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
Trump confirms Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser pick
President-elect Trump formerly announced on Tuesday that he selected Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to join his administration as National Security Adviser. “Mike is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress, and previously served in the White House and Pentagon,” Trump said in a statement announcing his latest cabinet pick. “Mike served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years where he was deployed multiple times in combat for which he was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with Valor.” “Mike retired as a Colonel, and is a nationally recognized leader in National Security, a bestselling author, and an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism,” the statement added. “He serves as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Mike is a distinguished graduate with honors of the Virginia Military Institute. Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” GOP REP. MIKE WALTZ TAPPED TO BE TRUMP’S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER Fox News Digital initially reported Waltz’s selection on Monday night, citing a source familiar with the matter. The move puts Waltz at the forefront of a litany of national security crises — ranging from U.S. weapons supplies to Ukraine and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist groups. TRUMP TAPPING 2 HOUSE REPUBLICANS FOR FUTURE ADMIN FUELS CONCERNS ABOUT SLIM POSSIBLE MAJORITY Waltz, a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida, was the first Green Beret elected to the U.S. House, and easily won reelection last week. He has been chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its ongoing mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. He has been a sharp critic of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and has called on the U.S. to hold accountable those who bear responsibility for the deaths of the 13 U.S. service members at Abbey Gate and for “thousands of Americans and allies behind enemy lines.” He has also repeated Trump’s frequent complaints about a”woke” military that the former president has derided as too focused on diversity and equity programs. In a statement last year, Waltz said that as head of the readiness subcommittee: “I am ready to get to work to better equip our military and turn our focus away from woke priorities and back to winning wars. Our national security depends on it.” A graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Waltz was a Green Beret. He served in the active-duty Army for four years before moving to the Florida Guard. While in the Guard he did multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa and was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with valor. He also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tufts University accused of severing ties with House Democrat over trans athlete comments
A top university is accused of severing ties with Democrat Rep. Seth Moulton’s office over the congressman’s comments expressing concern about transgender female students participating in school sports with biological females. Tufts University, located in Massachusetts, said it would no longer facilitate student internships in Moulton’s office after the Massachusetts Democrat’s interview in The New York Times last week, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. Moulton himself appeared to confirm the situation on Tuesday morning, but Tufts University has denied limiting internship opportunities with his office. The source told Fox News Digital, however, that Moulton’s office was contacted by Tufts University Political Science Department Chair David Art on the matter. ‘GOT OUR A–ES KICKED’: DEMS PRIVATELY FRET ABOUT LOSING HOUSE AFTER GOP VICTORY IN WHITE HOUSE, SENATE Art said he had consulted with colleagues and that the college did not want Moulton’s office reaching out about possible internship opportunities, the source said. Moulton was asked about the alleged issue with Tufts on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Imagine if one of these Tuft students actually wants to intern in a Republican office? I mean, what would these political science professors do then? This is just everything that is wrong with this cancel culture,” Moulton responded. Patrick Collins, the executive director of media relations for Tufts University, told Fox News Digital in response to the source’s claims, “We have reached out to Congressman Moulton’s office to clarify that we have not — and will not — limit internship opportunities with his office.” “We remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, and our Career Center will continue to provide students with a wide range of employment opportunities across the political and ideological spectrum,” Collins said. Moulton, a moderate Democrat and a military veteran, has been under fire by the progressive left after he told The Times, “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face.” HOUSE LEADERS MOVE QUICKLY TO CONSOLIDATE POWER IN SHOW OF CONFIDENCE FOR REPUBLICAN MAJORITY “I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that,” he said. Local progressives in Massachusetts criticized Moulton’s comments, as did Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who called the remarks “offensive” on CNN. Moulton responded to the attacks in a statement, blaming Democrats for not tolerating dissenting views, arguing it cost them the election. SHUTDOWN STANDOFF LOOMS IN CONGRESS’ FINAL WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP’S RETURN TO WHITE HOUSE “I stand firmly in my belief for the need for competitive women’s sports to put limits on the participation of those with the unfair physical advantages that come with being born male,” Moulton told Fox News Digital last week. “I am also a strong supporter of the civil rights of all Americans, including transgender rights. I will fight, as I always have, for the rights and safety of all citizens. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, and we can even disagree on them. “Yet there are many who, shouting from the extreme left corners of social media, believe I have failed the unspoken Democratic Party purity test. We did not lose the 2024 election because of any trans person or issue. We lost, in part, because we shame and belittle too many opinions held by too many voters and that needs to stop.”