Karoline Leavitt explains US efforts to negotiate with Hamas to free American hostages
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the U.S. efforts to negotiate with Hamas to release American hostages during a briefing on Wednesday. There are currently five hostages with U.S. citizenship in Gaza, though most are feared dead. During the news conference, Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Leavitt how the plans to negotiate fall in line with the longstanding policy not to negotiate with terrorists. “If the U.S. has a longstanding policy that we do not negotiate with terrorists, then why is the US now negotiating directly and for the first time ever with Hamas?” Doocy asked. “Well, when it comes to the negotiations that you’re referring to, first of all, the special envoy who’s engaged in these negotiations does have the authority to talk to anyone,” Leavitt responded. ISRAEL AGREES TO TRUMP ENVOY’S TEMPORARY GAZA CEASEFIRE EXTENSION PROPOSAL AS FIRST PHASE EXPIRES: REPORTS She added that Israel was “consulted on this matter,” and that President Donald Trump believes in putting forth “good faith effort[s] to do what’s right for the American people.” “Is it just about the hostages, or are they also talking about the president’s plan to take over?” Doocy asked. “These are ongoing talks and discussions. I’m not going to detail them here,” Leavitt said. “There are American lives at stake. I would refer you to the Department of State, for further details, but I’m not going to get into those talks here at this point.” HAMAS RELEASES MORE HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE THAN 600 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASEFIRE DEAL In response to Leavitt’s statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement reading: “In talks with the United States, Israel expressed its view on direct talks with Hamas.” The latest comments come as the next stage of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appears uncertain. The White House has signaled support for the Israeli government’s criticism of Hamas officials, including recently backing the decision to block aid to Gaza until Hamas leaders agree to a ceasefire extension. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a statement obtained by Fox News on Sunday, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said that Israel has “negotiated in good faith since the beginning of this administration to ensure the release of hostages held captive by Hamas terrorists.” “We will support their decision on next steps given Hamas has indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire,” Hughes added. Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
Inside Elon Musk’s huddle with GOP senators: DOGE head touts $4M savings per day
FIRST ON FOX: Elon Musk gathered with dozens of GOP senators for lunch at the Capitol on Wednesday, where he shared updates on the progress of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been aggressively auditing the federal government and slashing waste. Musk told the roughly 40 senators in attendance that DOGE’s efforts were saving about $4 million per day, a source in the room told Fox News Digital. The discussion took place during a weekly lunch hosted by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., chairman of the Republican Senate Steering Committee. EXCLUSIVE: ELON MUSK PAC THANKS TRUMP FOR ‘SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM’ IN NEW MILLION-DOLLAR AD The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also joked that you don’t need to be a detective, like “Sherlock Holmes,” in order to find waste, fraud or abuse in the government. In fact, he said it’s much easier than some realize, the source added. In response to a question from Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., regarding government funding that goes to private universities, Musk remarked, “Kim Jong Un has a lot to learn from elite universities” when it comes to developing propaganda, the source said. The Republicans burst into applause when Musk replied to another question, telling them that they should “frankly delete” the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), according to the source. NEPA has long been opposed by many Republicans because it allows climate advocacy groups to challenge infrastructure and energy projects in court, delaying them. HOUSE GOPERS HOPE TRUMP KEEPS DOOR TO MINERAL DEAL OPEN FOR UKRAINE DESPITE OVAL OFFICE DISPUTE The law already significantly delays projects through extensive environmental research requirements, which can take several years. Scrapping NEPA would be a win for Republicans who want to develop and process energy faster, particularly from sources in the U.S. Musk’s comment on NEPA came in response to a question from Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. As DOGE takes heat from Democrats for dramatic federal agency restructuring, Musk spoke kindly of federal workers during the meeting, the source shared. The X owner, who was recently named special government employee in the Trump administration, said many federal workers are assisting him in identifying fraud and waste. GOP REBELS FIRE WARNING SHOT IN SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: NO DOGE, NO DEAL According to Musk, the employees actually want to help find waste in the government, now that they have been “given permission to care.” Some of those who were absent from the lunch meeting were Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Bill Cassidy, R-La. There are lunches weekly in the Senate, and it’s common for senators to miss them on occasion. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was also not in attendance because she joined the Republican Study Committee (RSC) for lunch in the House of Representatives. Representatives for the White House and DOGE did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. SENATE BID TO PREVENT BOYS FROM PLAYING GIRLS’ SPORTS GETS STUCK ON FILIBUSTER Cassidy has been in close contact with Musk, over the phone, text messages, and Zoom meetings, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. The two connected twice in just the last week and have a solid working relationship, they added. Per the spokesperson, the senator is supportive of Musk and DOGE’s mission, but had a prior commitment on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson for Tillis told Fox News Digital, “Sen. Tillis had a previously scheduled meeting that prevented him from attending.” Murkowski was sick and also missed a hearing Wednesday morning in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Her office said she came into the office later in the afternoon for a markup in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (SCIA), which she chairs. The Musk Senate meeting comes less than a week after members of the chamber’s DOGE caucus traveled to the White House to meet with the billionaire.
‘Sanctuary’ city mayor confronted after gang member allegedly assaults federal officers
Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio confronted Denver Mayor Mike Johnston for upholding “sanctuary” city policies that allowed an illegal immigrant and suspected Tren de Aragua gang member to walk free and allegedly assault federal officers. During a House Oversight Committee hearing on sanctuary cities Wednesday, Jordan slammed Johnston for ignoring an ICE detainer request and only giving federal agents one-hour notice before the Denver Sheriff’s Department released Abraham Gonzalez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant charged with assault, menace and theft of a vehicle. After being released by the Denver Sheriff’s Department Feb. 28, Gonzalez assaulted ICE agents attempting to apprehend him, according to a statement by ICE. ICE has said that sanctuary city policies preventing law enforcement from honoring detainers and cooperating with federal authorities pose a significant risk to both agents and to the public. RED STATE LEADER CALLS FOR STATES TO STAND BEHIND TRUMP’S BAN ON FUNDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION Despite this, Johnston has doubled down on the city’s sanctuary policies and has vowed to direct law enforcement to resist Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. During the hearing, Jordan showed a picture of the notice slip given by the Denver Sheriff’s Department to ICE in which the location of release listed was simply the “streets.” Addressing Johnston, Jordan said, “Three hundred and forty-five days you had him in custody, and ICE said, ‘Hey can you give us 48 hours heads up?’ You gave them one-hour notice.” Johnston asserted that the Denver sanctuary policy does not shield people from law enforcement but rather “provides services.” He said there were six ICE agents present when Gonzalez was released but admitted that the illegal immigrant was allowed to walk freely out into a parking lot. CHICAGO ALDERMAN SAYS MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON CAN’T DEFEND SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES “Guess what happened in that parking lot … one of the ICE officers got assaulted, didn’t he? They had to tase the guy, didn’t they?” Jordan asked. “An officer got assaulted because your policy, which says, ‘We’re going to release him to — in your words, not mine — to the streets.’ They have to arrest him in the parking lot. They bring six officers when they could have just had one or two just come in your facility, into your jail, and take the guy there. But you won’t do it that way.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Addressing Johnston’s testimony earlier in the hearing, Jordan said, “You used the word safe, safer or safety 13 times. Talking about ‘my job is the safety of the people in Denver, we’re prioritizing making sure everyone is safer.’ That’s a lie. “It was not safer for the ICE agents who are part of your community. No way was it safer,” Jordan added. “The safest thing to do is to say, ‘ICE we got him in custody. Come here. We’ll release him.’ [Instead, it’s], ‘We held him 345 days. We can’t hold him a second longer. We can’t wait for you to come inside the building. We got to let him go so you have to arrest him in the parking lot.’ That is how stupid sanctuary policies are and what they mean to the community that you put at risk and to the ICE officer who was assaulted.” NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS, AN EX-COP, HAS ‘UPPER HAND’ OVER OTHER SANCTUARY CITY MAYORS: BLUE LIVES MATTER FOUNDER Johnston said he was open to making “adjustments” to how releases are conducted but insisted this was the first instance of an ICE agent being assaulted during an arrest in his city. “It’s a simple question,” Jordan shot back. “You can release him in the parking lot, give ICE one hour notice and they got to send six officers to arrest this guy, or you can say, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to hold him. You come in and bring two officers in and turn him in.’ Why not do it that way? You know why you don’t do that way? Because you’re a sanctuary city. This is the whole point.”
Democrats refuse to define ‘woman’ when pressed on Capitol Hill: ‘Complicated question’
EXCLUSIVE: Democratic lawmakers would not provide a definition of a woman when pressed on Capitol Hill, as President Donald Trump prioritizes making clear distinctions between biological sexes during his second term. America Rising, a political action committee (PAC), asked lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to provide a definition of a woman ahead of Women’s History Month in March, but received no clear answers. “It is a more complicated question than one might know,” Rep. Herb Conaway, D-N,J,, said when asked to define what a woman is. More than 10 House Democrats entirely avoided answering the question. GOP SENATOR CALLS OUT DEM’S REPORTED PRO-WOMEN ATTIRE AT TRUMP SPEECH AFTER BLOCKING TRANS ATHLETE BILL Those who did not respond included Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., John Mannion, D-N.Y., Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Don Beyer, D-Va., Jason Crow, D-Colo., Derek Tran, D-Calif., Bobby Scott, D-Va., George Whitesides, D-Calif., Eugene Vindman, D-Va., and Andrea Salinas, D-Ore. “I don’t understand what you mean,” Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., responded to the question. WATCH: LAWMAKERS REFUSE TO SAY HOW MANY GENDERS THERE ARE WHEN CONFRONTED ON CAPITOL HILL Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a progressive member of “the Squad,” responded to the interviewee by asking, “Do you get minimum wage at least?” Trump, on his first day in office, signed an executive order declaring that there are only two genders: male and female. The order declared that “women” or “woman” and “girls” or “girl” refer to “adult and juvenile human females, respectively.” The White House also defined “female” as meaning “a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell.” The president highlighted his recent orders during his first joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening. During the speech, the president introduced Payton McNabb, who suffered a brain injury after competing against a biological male in a volleyball match. McNabb was invited to the speech to represent Trump’s order barring biological males from competing in women’s sports. “If you really want to see numbers, just take a look at what happened in women’s boxing, weightlifting, track and field, swimming or cycling, where a male recently finished a long-distance race five hours and 14 minutes ahead of a woman for a new record by five hours,” Trump told a joint session of Congress. “It’s demeaning for women, and it’s very bad for our country. We’re not going to put up with it any longer.” “What I have just described is only a small fraction of the commonsense revolution that is now, because of us, sweeping the entire world,” Trump said. “Common sense has become a common theme, and we will never go back, never, ever going to let that happen.” See the full video from America Rising.
Trump reading Zelenskyy letter met with support from GOP, independent voters
A letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to President Donald Trump signaling the Eastern European nation’s readiness to sign the proposed minerals deal racked up big support among independent and Republican voters in Fox News Digital’s focus group Tuesday. “Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” Trump said during his speech Tuesday. “The letter reads, ‘Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,’ he said.” Trump, continuing to read aloud the letter, said, “‘My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. Regarding the agreement on Minerals and Security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you.’” INDEPENDENTS AND REPUBLICANS WENT WILD FOR TRUMP’S DECLARATION THAT ‘AMERICA IS BACK’ The Fox News Digital focus groups were conducted by maslansky + partners. The dial survey revealed that Republican approval surged when Trump mentioned Zelenskyy had sent him a letter, while support among independents grew when Trump read the letter aloud, with Zelenskyy expressing readiness to sign the proposed deal. The Democratic line stayed mostly neutral throughout this portion of Trump’s speech, with minimal uptick when the letter was read aloud. ‘HE’S BACK’: TRUMP’S JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TO BE BLANKETED WITH 6-FIGURE AD BUY TOUTING TAX PLAN “I appreciate that he sent this letter, just got it a little while ago,” Trump continued. “Simultaneously, we’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” “It’s time to stop this madness,” Trump said. “It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.” CONSERVATIVES ERUPT WITH PRAISE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER TRUMP’S SPEECH TO CONGRESS: ‘RUN THROUGH A WALL’ The letter comes after Zelenskyy’s heated meeting in the Oval Office last Friday where he questioned the deal’s security assurance for Ukraine, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance calling his behavior “disrespectful.” The meeting abruptly ended with no deal signed and Zelenskyy was kicked out of the White House. The Trump administration last month presented a draft agreement that would grant the U.S. significant access to Ukraine’s rich natural resources, including critical minerals, oil and gas. The initial proposal called for Ukraine to allocate 50% of its revenues from natural resources, infrastructure and other assets to a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund to repay $500 billion in military aid provided by the U.S. during the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Democrats’ behavior at Trump’s Congress address ‘completely disgraceful,’ press secretary says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Democrats for acting like “children” at President Donald Trump’s Tuesday address to a joint session of Congress. “The behavior of Democrats last night was completely disgraceful and demonstrated how severely out of touch they are with the American public,” Leavitt told reporters Wednesday at a White House press briefing. “It was the most shameful moment in the history of presidential addresses and that beautiful chamber and what was supposed to be a unifying moment for our country.” Democrats started to boo Trump when he started his speech, prompting Republicans to respond in turn by chanting “USA.” Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, became particularly rowdy during the address, and started to shout and wave his cane at Trump. Green’s disruption prompted Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., to direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Green from the address. RESOLUTION PUNISHING AL GREEN CIRCULATES HOUSE AFTER DEM IS THROWN OUT OF TRUMP SPEECH Additionally, Leavitt called out Democrats for failing to stand for “everyday Americans” who attended Trump’s address, including DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy who survived cancer. Trump honored Daniel on Tuesday and officially swore him in as a member of the Secret Service and received a standing ovation from most in the crowd, although not all Democrats joined in celebrating Daniel. Additionally, Leavitt claimed that Democrats ignored the mothers of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray, who were both brutally murdered by illegal immigrants. “Last night was a very clarifying moment for our country,” Leavitt said. “The Democrats expose themselves as the party of insanity and hate the party that wants to put America last. They’ve allowed their Trump derangement syndrome to stop them from celebrating America and our people, and we will not allow them to forget that.” Trump told members of Congress Tuesday that his administration would work to take “America’s destiny into our own hands” and promised that “this will be our greatest era” where he would fight to forge the most free civilization. TRUMP PROMISES ‘THIS WILL BE OUR GREATEST ERA’ IN JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Trump also vowed to cut down inflation costs and would “wage a war” on drug cartels. As a result, he urged lawmakers Tuesday to beef up funding for border security to foot the bill for deportations as his administration has “launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.” Meanwhile, Republicans are working to penalize Democrats for their Tuesday behavior. For example, Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, is spearheading an effort to file a censure resolution against Green for having “willfully disrupted the joint session, remained defiant,” and “brought disrepute to the United States Congress,” according to a draft text viewed by Fox News Digital. However, Green is prepared to face the consequences of his behavior. “I’m willing to suffer whatever punishment is available to me,” Green said Tuesday, according to the White House press pool report. “I didn’t say to anyone, don’t punish me. I’ve said I’ll accept the punishment.” Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Conservative justices ‘stunned’ by Supreme Court’s USAID decision, lambaste majority in scathing dissent
Four conservative Supreme Court justices penned a blistering dissent Wednesday after the court majority rejected the Trump administration’s request to continue a temporary freeze on foreign aid payments. Justice Samuel Alito excoriated the high court majority for allowing a lower court judge to single-handedly determine the timeline for the Trump administration to pay nearly $2 million in payments for previously completed foreign aid projects – an order he called “too extreme.” In a scathing eight-page dissent, Alito called the decision an “unfortunate misstep” and one he said “rewards an act of judicial hubris” by the lower court judge, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali. SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2 BILLION IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS “Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic ‘No,’ but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise,” Alito wrote. “I am stunned.” He was joined in the dissent by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. While Alito and the other dissenting justices acknowledged Wednesday that the plaintiffs raised “serious concerns about nonpayment” for their completed work, they argued that Judge Ali’s repayment order and time frame was “too extreme,” as it gave the administration just two weeks to comply. “The District Court has made plain its frustration with the Government, and respondents raise serious concerns about nonpayment for completed work,” they said in their dissent. “But the relief ordered is, quite simply, too extreme a response.” The 5-4 Supreme Court decision remands the case back to the D.C. federal court – and U.S. District Judge Amir Ali – to hash out the specifics of what must be paid, and when. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS At issue in the case was how quickly the Trump administration needed to pay the nearly $2 billion owed to aid groups and contractors for completed projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), at a time when the administration has issued a blanket freeze on all foreign spending in the name of government “efficiency” and eliminating waste. The funds had been frozen as part of the administration’s block on all foreign aid, prompting international groups and contractors to file a lawsuit last month, prompting the Trump administration to file an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts intervened, agreeing to pause the timeline to allow the full court to consider the case. Acting U.S. Solicitor General Sarah Harris argued that while the plaintiffs’ claims were likely “legitimate,” the time set by the lower court judge, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, was “impossible.” and “not logistically or technically feasible.” Judge Ali, for his part, moved quickly Wednesday to tkae action on the unpaid foreign aid case – setting a new court hearing Thursday afternoon to consider the matter. In a minute order, the court said lawyers for both parties should come prepared to discuss a proposed schedule for the Trump administration to comply with the outstanding payments. Justice Alito appeared to back that contention in the minority dissent Wednesday. Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Fired NLRB commissioner asks federal judge for reinstatement
Federal Judge Beryl Howell is considering whether President Donald Trump‘s firing of National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox was illegal. This case is similar to those of Merit Systems Protection Board Chairperson Cathy Harris and Hampton Dellinger, who heads the Office of the Special Counsel. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES TRUMP’S FIRING OF HEAD OF SPECIAL COUNSEL WAS UNLAWFUL, WILL MAINTAIN HIS JOB Howell acknowledged that this case seems destined for higher courts, maybe even the highest. “I realize for both sides this court is merely a speedbump to get to the Supreme Court.” Lawyers for Wilcox maintain that congressional statute dictates that appointed NLRB board members can only be removed from office for neglect of duty or malfeasance, and that Trump attempted to remove her without cause. According to the plaintiffs, Trump is the first president to attempt to remove an NLRB member. Howell pointed out that the president has broad powers under Article II to make personnel decisions within the executive branch, asking lawyers for Wilcox whether it was within the powers of a federal judge to step in and block those powers. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS “Congress is elected too,” said Deepak Gupta, arguing for Wilcox, “We don’t have an elected king. Congress makes the law. The president enforces those laws.” DOJ lawyer Harry Graver argued for the government and agreed that the president did not attempt to fire Wilcox for malfeasance or neglect, but that the president has the power to hire and fire within the administration. Howell seemed to bristle at Graver’s view of presidential power. “Anybody in the executive branch is subject to removal by the president? That is the most extreme version of the unitary executive theory I have ever heard.” Howell took the arguments and briefings under advisement and is expected to make a ruling in the coming days. For now, Gwynne Wilcox remains out of her job, and the NLRB remains without a quorum, so it cannot resolve any labor disputes.
Trump Treasury confirms it’s eyeing IRS for ‘streamlining’ shake-up as tax season heats up
The Trump administration’s Treasury Department is in the midst of weighing a “wide range” of possibilities to streamline the Internal Revenue Service amid reports up to half of the IRS staff could be terminated, Fox News Digital learned Wednesday. “In line with the Trump administration’s focus on efficiency and deficit reduction, the Treasury Department is considering a wide range of possible streamlining initiatives,” a Treasury spokesperson told Fox News Digital Wednesday afternoon. “While no plan has been approved to date, modernization is necessary to keep up with the process by which Americans file their taxes, including the reality that over 90% of individual tax returns are filed electronically,” the spokesperson continued. “These changes are aimed at improving taxpayer customer service and ensuring a smooth and successful filing season.” TRUMP FLOATS GUTTING THE IRS, MOVING AGENTS TO THE BORDER ARMED WITH GUNS The Treasury Department spokesperson spoke to Fox News Digital amid reports that up to half of the IRS’ roughly 90,000-person staff could be terminated. The nation’s tax agency was drafting plans for the terminations as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s mission to audit federal agencies and remove government overspending, mismanagement and fraud, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Thousands of employees across various agencies – including the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Energy – have been terminated as the Trump administration works to slim down the federal government and realign its agencies with Trump’s “America First” policies. Agencies notably have terminated probationary employees who have not yet achieved full-time employment with the federal government as they are recent hires or were just reassigned to a new role within the government. So far, the IRS has already terminated roughly 7,000 probationary employees. In addition to more terminations, the Trump administration is reportedly planning to reassign some IRS agents to assist the Department of Homeland Security with immigration enforcement, the Associated Press reported. President Donald Trump floated sending IRS agents to the border in January following his inauguration. TRUMP VOWS TO DELIVER ON ‘NO TAX ON TIPS’ CAMPAIGN PROMISE DURING LAS VEGAS SPEECH: ‘100% YOURS’ “On day one, I immediately halted the hiring of any new IRS agents,” Trump said during a rally at Circa Resort & Casino Las Vegas in January. “They hired, or tried to hire, 88,000 new workers to go after you. And we’re in the process of developing a plan to either terminate all of them or maybe we’ll move them to the border. And I think we’re going to move them to the border.” “Where they’re allowed to carry guns, you know, they’re so strong on guns, but these people are allowed to carry guns, so we’ll probably move them to the border,” he continued. Certain special IRS agents are permitted to carry firearms as part of their duties, according to IRS Code, 26 U.S. Code § 7608. MAJOR TRUMP TARIFF MOVE LIKELY TO BENEFIT THIS HEARTLAND AMERICAN CITY The Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in February requesting that the IRS provide agents to be used for immigration enforcement efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY LOOKING TO DEPUTIZE IRS AGENTS FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who signed the letter, said Trump directed her agency to “take all appropriate action to supplement available personnel to secure the southern border and enforce the immigration laws of the United States,” even through use of the agency’s authority to deputize federal employees to perform immigration functions. The Treasury Department’s efforts to streamline the IRS come amid tax season, with the federal government expecting Americans’ individual income tax returns to be submitted by April 15. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Musk’s DOGE terminates lease at Obama Presidential Library site
The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has terminated the lease at the Obama Presidential Library site, although it is unlikely to impact operations there since it is due to shutter later this year and move to a new location. The library is located at the Hoffman Estates in the northwest of Chicago and is separate to the sprawling 19.3-acre Obama Presidential Center near Jackson Park in the southside of Chicago which is under construction and is expected to be completed next year. The site at the Hoffman Estates is run by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as are all presidential libraries, while the Obama Presidential Center is a private venture being overseen by the Obama Foundation. OBAMA CENTER SUBCONTRACTOR FILES $40M DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ENGINEERING FIRM FOR OVERRUNS DOGE this week updated its list of nearly 750 federal lease terminations, totaling around 9.6 million square feet in size, which included the Hoffman Estates site. The agency, which has been tasked by President Donald Trump to cut wasteful federal spending, said the terminations will save the taxpayer $468 million in lease savings. The DOGE website did not provide a timetable for the closures, although a NARA spokesperson told Fox News Digital the Hoffman Estates library was scheduled to close in late Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and move to College Park in Maryland. The government’s FY 2025 runs through Sept. 30, 2025. There are about 25 million unclassified paper documents at the Hoffman Estate building, according to NARA’s estimate, and they are currently being digitized and will be available in digital format at the Obama Presidential Center when it opens. Under the 1978 Presidential Records Act, NARA gets custody of all presidential records and artifacts when a president leaves office. CHICAGO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS SAY THEY’RE BEING DISPLACED BY OBAMA CENTER: CAUSING ‘HARM TO BLACK FAMILIES’ Currently at the Hoffman Estates are also 35,000 physical artifacts, including gifts given to the Obamas. The library, a converted former furniture showroom, also houses former President Barack Obama’s silver BlackBerry, the draft of Obama’s first inaugural speech he wrote on a paper pad, a signed Pittsburgh Steelers football, a jeweled sword from Saudi Arabia and dresses worn by former first lady Michelle Obama. Those artifacts will also be sent to Maryland and occasionally lent to the Obama Presidential Center, the Chicago Tribune reports. NARA began leasing the building in 2016, paying $1.4 million each year in rent, according to the Chicago Tribune, citing the General Services Administration, which runs the government’s real estate portfolio. The building is owned by Hoffman Estates Medical Development LLC, who bought it in 2011 and transformed it into a fortified, climate-controlled facility. The Obama Presidential Library is expected to open some time next year and has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. It was initially expected to cost $350 million but that figure ballooned to $830 million in 2021. It is unclear what the total costs will be. It will consist of a 235-foot tower museum, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized NBA court. It will also house the nonprofit Obama Foundation, which is overseeing the center’s development.