New poll details Americans’ views on Trump and Musk
President Donald Trump, taking questions from reporters on Thursday, touted that “a lot of great things are happening.” But Americans, nearly eight weeks into Trump’s second tour of duty in the White House, seem divided on the job he’s doing steering the country. Trump’s approval rating stood in negative territory at 42%-53% among registered voters nationwide in a new Quinnipiac University national poll conducted March 6-10 and released on Thursday. That’s down from 46% approval and 43% disapproval in Quinnipiac’s survey from late January, in the days after Trump’s second inauguration. NEW POLLS FLASH WARNING SIGNS FOR TRUMP ON THIS KEY ISSUE The president was also underwater in a CNN poll (46%-53%) conducted March 6-10 and released this week. But Trump was above water in three other surveys in the field in recent days. And Trump, who has long kept a close eye on public opinion polling, took to social media on Monday to showcase his “Highest Approval Ratings Since Inauguration.” HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST POLLING FROM FOX NEWS Trump’s poll numbers are an improvement over his first term, when he started out in negative territory and remained there for his four-year term. An average of all the most recent national polls indicates that Trump’s approval ratings are slightly above water. However, Trump has seen his numbers edge down slightly since returning to the White House in late January, when an average of his polls indicated the president’s approval rating in the low 50s and his disapproval in the mid 40s. “A noticeable uptick of discontent can be seen over President Trump’s handling of a range of issues: from Ukraine to the economy to the federal workforce,” Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy highlighted in the survey’s release. The president’s approval rating was underwater in nine of the 10 issues tested in the Quinnipiac survey, with his handling of trade with China the only issue where most respondents gave him a thumbs-up. And on the top issue on the minds of Americans, the economy, Trump stood at 41%-54%. It was the third poll conducted this month, after the CNN survey and a Reuters/Ipsos poll, to spell trouble for Trump on the economy, which arguably was the most important issue that boosted him to victory in last November’s presidential election. On his handling of the federal workforce, the president stood at 40% approval and 55% disapproval in the Quinnipiac survey. GAME ON: EARLY MOVES IN THE NEXT WHITE HOUSE RACE GET UNDERWAY Trump, through his recently created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is on a mission to overhaul and downsize the federal government. Trump named Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, to steer the organization. DOGE has swept through federal agencies, rooting out what the White House argues was billions in wasteful federal spending. It has also taken a meat cleaver to the federal workforce, resulting in a massive downsizing of employees. The moves by DOGE have triggered a slew of lawsuits in response. Sixty percent of voters questioned in the poll disapprove of the way Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, with only 36% approving. And the survey’s release adds that “54% of voters think Elon Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, while 40% think they are helping the country.” The CNN poll indicated that more than 6 in 10 thought the cuts by DOGE would go too far and that important federal programs would be shut down, with 37% saying the cuts wouldn’t go far enough in eliminating fraud and waste in the government. It’s no surprise that there’s a massive partisan divide in the latest polls when it comes to Trump and DOGE. Democrats, by a 96%-2% margin in the Quinnipiac survey, gave the president a thumbs-down on the job he’s doing in office, while Republicans approved by an 89%-9% margin. Independent voters disapproved, 58%-36%. There was also a large partisan gap over how Musk and DOGE are performing, with more than three-quarters of Republicans approving and 96% of Democrats and more than two-thirds of independents disapproving. The poll also asked respondents about Vice President JD Vance’s performance in office. Vance stood at 41% approval and 49% disapproval. Quinnipiac’s survey questioned 1,198 registered voters nationwide for their latest poll. The survey’s overall sampling error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Dems Divided
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -White House pulls nomination for CDC director -The Hitchhiker’s Guide to where we stand to avoid a government shutdown -Judge orders Trump admin to reinstate probationary workers fired at 6 agencies Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was heard screaming inside Democratic senators’ private lunch on Thursday amid ongoing debate over the looming government shutdown. Democrats remained tight-lipped as they left the meeting, which lasted over an hour, but Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters: “You’ll hear from me soon.” Senate Democrats are in disagreement over how to proceed on the House-passed stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with some inclined to help advance it and others apparently willing to risk a lapse in funding…Read more ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’: Trump must ditch Biden-era memo pushing ‘racially discriminatory’ discipline, says parents group ‘GREEN CARD ON STEROIDS’: Trump continues to push alternative to controversial visa amid concerns about Chinese influence SHOT ACROSS THE BOW: Trump admin task force moves rapidly to punish colleges for inaction over antisemitism PAYDAY: Trump crafts plan to cut spending without Congress after shutdown is averted ‘BLOATED’ WORKFORCE: Deadline looms for federal agencies to submit mass layoff plans as Trump admin guts ‘bloated’ workforce ‘ABSURD’: White House blasts law firm that helped fuel Russia hoax after challenging Trump order HEATING UP: Pre-season moves in 2028 presidential race getting underway ‘THIS IS NO DRILL’: China’s dominance over US shipbuilding sparks bipartisan effort DEADLY DETERRENCE: Russian border states eye exit of landmine treaty to fortify defenses and deter Putin ‘I THINK IT’LL HAPPEN’: Trump remains optimistic about odds of acquiring Greenland: ‘I think it’ll happen’ SOFTENED STANCE?: Trump softens Gaza stance, says Palestinians will not be expelled from the war-torn territory TO THE SENATE: NIH nominee Jay Bhattacharya full senate vote RUNNING OUT OF TIME: Senate Democrats say they’ll oppose GOP funding bill as government shutdown deadline looms 2026 WATCH: GOP gears up to challenge Georgia’s Dem senator in state Trump won by 2% SENATE SHOWDOWN: Senate Republicans coin ‘Schumer shutdown’ ahead of critical vote on Trump spending bill ‘I’M COMING FOR YOUR SEAT’: Sister of Army soldier murdered at Texas base floats potential congressional challenge to Rep Al Green SQUAD RANT: Dems rally against Trump healthcare changes outside Capitol ANGRY OUTBURST: House Dem goes on screaming rant against Elon Musk, DOGE during hearing ‘AMAZING DIFFERENCE’: Border area bustling under Biden now quiet under Trump, says veterans group PETE’S POLITICAL PLAY: Pete Buttigieg expected to make major announcement regarding his political future TOP LAWYER OUT: FDA chief counsel who defended abortion pill under Biden resigns 2 days into job ‘LET US IN’: Homan warns NY leaders ICE will swarm the state if they don’t accommodate deportation activities UNDER SCRUTINY: Justice Department launches criminal investigation into 2 NYC migrant shelters COMMUNITY NOTES: Meta unveils new community notes program; will not apply distribution penalties nor limit flow of information LIFETIME PASS: More military families could qualify for this free perk JUDGE’S ORDERS: Federal judge orders Elon Musk, DOGE to reveal its plans to downsize government, identify all employees ‘FREE TINFOIL HAT’: Gavin Newsom responds to book claiming he secretly helped fund his own bronze bust ‘BASIC DUTY’: Dems killed VA sex offender bill before it could get a hearing, Republican says, despite recent incidents ‘NEEDS TO RESIGN’: California asks for loan amid skyrocket illegal immigrant healthcare costs COURTING CONTROVERSY: Soros-backed judge defends reduced sentence for repeat child molester at debate in state Supreme Court race Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Dems, facing shutdown, previously criticized Republicans for ‘political games’ during gov funding fights
Senate Democrats are teasing a government shutdown this week in protest of a Republican-led funding bill, despite repeatedly stoking fears over shutdowns and criticizing GOP lawmakers for hesitating over funding legislation in the past. “Funding the government is the most basic responsibility we have in Congress,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in September. The House passed a continuing resolution (CR) this week to keep the government open until October, but Democratic Senators are holding up the legislation to advocate for a “clean” month-long stopgap bill. Schumer said on Wednesday that Republicans “do not have the votes” to pass the House version of the bill – putting the government at risk as the Friday funding deadline looms. While Democrats are on the brink of allowing the government to shut down this week, their past comments reveal they have criticized Republicans over the same issue. SENATE REPUBLICANS COIN ‘SCHUMER SHUTDOWN’ AHEAD OF CRITICAL VOTE ON TRUMP SPENDING BILL In September 2024, Schumer warned of the implications that would follow if the government were to shut down. “If the government shuts down, it will be average Americans who suffer most. A government shutdown means seniors who rely on Social Security could be thrown into chaos,” the Democratic Senator said. “So what changed, Chuck?” Trump’s Rapid Response team said on Thursday in a post on X alongside a resurfaced clip of the remarks. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., amid the September spending bill fight, claimed that “MAGA Republicans have exploited each funding deadline to play political games and force their radical Project 2025 policies on Americans while American families’ livelihoods hang in the balance.” “This is no way to govern, but the last thing Florida families need is a government shutdown as Floridians prepare for Hurricane Helene and its difficult aftermath,” Castor said. TRUMP-BACKED BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN PASSES HOUSE DESPITE MUTINY THREATS “We are mere days away from a partial government shutdown on March 1,” Schumer said in a February 2024 letter. “Unless Republicans get serious, the extreme Republican shutdown will endanger our economy, raise costs, lower safety, and exact untold pain on the American people.” In another instance, in 2023, Schumer claimed that “a shutdown would be a terrible outcome for the country despite what some on the hard right would have us ludicrously believe.” “It’s hard for me to believe that some, the extreme right in the other chamber, say they actually want a shutdown. What insanity,” the New York Democrat said. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a meeting with President Donald Trump in 2018, also cautioned against a government shutdown. “I think the American people recognize that we must keep the government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything,” Pelosi told Trump in the Oval Office. During the same meeting, Schumer mirrored Pelosi’s stance, telling Trump that “we shouldn’t shut down the government over a dispute.” Castor, in response to Democratic opposition to the CR this week, told Fox News Digital, “Elon Musk and Republicans in Congress are exploiting a deadline to continue their illegal shutdowns and firings of public servants who serve veterans, neighbors who rely on Social Security and more.” “Let’s be clear: Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House. This is their chaos, their crisis, and their responsibility,” Castor’s office said in a statement. “If they want to ram through a funding bill that inflicts pain on the American people, they’ll have to do it on their own.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaking to reporters, said that if Democrats shut down the government, it would be “a Schumer shutdown.” A spokesperson for Pelosi told Fox News Digital that, given their majority, it is the Republicans’ responsibility to fund the government. “Republicans have control of the House, Senate and White House. Democrats are ready, willing and able to support bipartisan government funding – but Republicans walked away from negotiations, so it is their responsibility to fund the government. Democrats do not have the ability to shut down the government,” a spokesperson for Pelosi told Fox. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News’ Julia Johnson and Remy Numa contributed to this report.
Venezuela agrees to resume deportation flights in response to pressure from Trump
In the face of pressure from the Trump administration, the Venezuelan government has agreed to resume accepting deportation flights from the U.S., according to Richard Grenell, a special envoy to President Donald Trump. As Trump cracks down on illegal immigration, with ICE making upward of 32,000 arrests of illegals across the country, some Latin American countries have refused to accept returns. Grenell announced Thursday the Venezuelan government, led by socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, had agreed to resume the flights. Maduro had previously threatened to halt deportation flights after Trump’s decision to revoke a Biden-era special license allowing U.S.-based Chevron to produce and sell oil from the country. TOM HOMAN TELLS MIGRANT TERROR GROUPS TRUMP WILL ‘WIPE YOU OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH’ “I am pleased to announce that Venezuela has agreed to resume flights to pick up their citizens who broke U.S. Immigration Laws and entered the U.S. illegally,” Grenell said on X. Deportation flights to Venezuela will resume Friday, according to Grenell’s post. Venezuela is home to one of the most notorious migrant gangs in the U.S., Tren de Aragua, members of which have been among the administration’s primary targets for deportation. John Fabbricatore, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital this development will help improve the administration’s deportation operation. ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR CONFRONTED AFTER GANG MEMBER ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTS FEDERAL OFFICERS “President Trump has continued to work diligently to ensure that deportation flights continue to countries that have been recalcitrant in the past,” said Fabbricatore. “Venezuela’s acceptance of these flights allows for a smooth deportation process and shorter, overall detention time.” During his first term, Trump pursued a “maximum pressure” sanctions policy against Maduro’s government, especially targeting Venezuela’s energy business. Trump imposed heavy oil sanctions against Venezuela in 2019, but those sanctions were then relaxed by President Joe Biden. AMERICANS HELD CAPTIVE BY SOUTH AMERICAN DICTATOR SYMPTOM OF DEEPER THREAT, SAYS FORMER GREEN BERET Trump detailed the decision in a post on Truth Social, stating that Maduro had not upheld his end of the bargain. “We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement,” he wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “The regime has not been transporting the violent criminals that they sent into our Country (the Good Ole’ U.S.A.) back to Venezuela at the rapid pace that they had agreed to,” he added. “I am therefore ordering that the ineffective and unmet Biden “Concession Agreement” be terminated as of the March 1st option to renew.” ‘GET GEARED UP’ BECAUSE ‘ICE IS COMING,’ SAYS LEADING HOUSE GOP MEMBER The Trump administration scored another significant diplomatic victory with Venezuela in January when Grenell visited Caracas, Venezuela’s capital city, and secured the release of six American citizens who were being held by the dictatorship on espionage and terrorism-related charges. Reuters reported last week that Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Maduro’s government is still holding nine Americans hostage under “questionable circumstances and without respect for their rights.”
Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva dead at 77
Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., died of lung cancer-related issues on Thursday morning, his office announced in a statement. In Congress, the southern Arizona Democrat was most known for his work on the House Natural Resources committee. “From permanently protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations to strengthening the Affordable Care Act, his proudest moments in Congress have always been guided by community voices,” the statement read. “He led the charge for historic investments in climate action, port of entry modernization, permanent funding for land and water conservation programs, access to health care for tribal communities and the uninsured, fairness for immigrant families and Dreamers, student loan forgiveness, stronger protections for farmers and workers exposed to extreme heat, early childhood education expansion, higher standards for tribal consultation, and so much more,” the statement continued. “Some of these victories seemed out of reach when he first came to Congress, but with support from community, colleagues, allies, and staff, he helped make them real.” The southern Arizona Democrat was 77 years old, and he had served in Congress since 2003. While receiving treatment, he had undergone local scrutiny for missing dozens of votes on Capitol Hill, KOLD reported. ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN RAÚL GRIJALVA SAYS HE HAS CANCER, BUT PLANS TO WORK WHILE UNDERGOING TREATMENT There was an outpouring of condolences for the late congressman. “First and foremost, as someone who lost their father recently, I want to express my sincerest condolences to the Grijalva family,” Arizona state Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, told Fox News Digital. “Losing a parent is beyond one of the hardest experiences one can face. Outside of this political world we are all normal human beings. May the family find peace in the memories that they lived with the Congressman.” BORDER STATE LAWMAKER REVEALS WHAT ‘DRASTIC’ CHANGES CAN BE SOLIDIFIED WITH MAJOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION “A genuinely devastating loss,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., posted to X. “Raúl Grijalva stood as one of the biggest champions for working people in all of Congress. His leadership was singular. He mentored generously and was an incredible friend. I will always be grateful for his lifelong courage and commitment.” “Sydney and I are saddened to hear about the passing of our friend Rep. Raúl Grijalva. He was a champion for those in need and dedicated his life to fighting for all Arizonans. He will be missed,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., posted to X. “The Congressman was always very kind to me— he had a great sense of humor. As a fellow animal lover, we often found ourselves working together on animal protection issues,” Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., posted. To his daughters Adelita, Raquel, and Marisa, and his wife, Ramona, I send my deepest condolences. May [he] rest in peace.” “Arizonans today lost a dedicated public servant. Raul was a fearless champion of the causes he believed in and he never forgot where he came from,” Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., posted. “While we often disagreed about public policy, he welcomed me into our congressional delegation warmly and always treated me with respect and dignity. Laura and I are praying for his wife Ramona, his 3 children, and all of his family and friends during this difficult time.” “AZ lost a giant today. Congressman Raul Grijalva dedicated his life to fighting for the people of Arizona. From standing up for working families, Indigenous communities, and clean air and water — Raul leaves a legacy that is unmatched. I am thinking of his family and loved ones,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes posted. The Democrat represented a deep blue district, leaving the door wide open for a competitive primary.
White House video rips Senate Dems with their own words for ‘hypocrisy’ over looming shutdown
FIRST ON FOX: The White House compiled a highlight reel of Senate Democrats in recent years railing against potential government shutdowns as an attack on democracy, as the same Democrats this week flirt with rejecting a Trump-backed federal funding bill that would avert a looming shutdown. “This is a democracy, and in a democracy, hostage tactics are the last resort for those who can’t win their fights through elections, can’t win their fights in Congress, can’t win their fights for the presidency, and can’t win their fights in the courts,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in a clip included in the White House video. “To hold these people hostage instead of just letting them do their jobs, which they want to do while we work out our differences. So wrong.” declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a 2019 video, referring to furloughed federal employees. A Trump administration official told Fox News Digital Thursday that Democrat “hypocrisy” and “hatred for Donald Trump” has “overpowered” the party’s common sense. DEM HEARD SCREAMING AT COLLEAGUES DESPITE SCHUMER’S UNITY CLAIM AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS “Last week, Democrats refused to stand for a child battling brain cancer and Angel Moms,” a Trump administration official told Fox News Digital. “Now, their hypocrisy and hatred for Donald Trump have overpowered a commonsense, reasonable funding measure that their party has historically endorsed. This isn’t principled opposition; it’s a vitriolic response to their contempt for President Trump and the undeniable momentum on Republicans’ side.” The more than two-minute video included clips from Sens. Schumer, Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jack Reed, Corey Booker, Tim Kaine, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff and Amy Klobuchar railing against previous shutdowns or threats of government shutdowns. The Trump administration official added in comment to Fox Digital that Democrats’ threats of a shutdown are “purely political theater” and attempts to grandstand. “Make no mistake: Democrats’ threats of a Schumer Shutdown are purely political theater,” the official said. “As President Trump works to fulfill his mandate to the American people, Senate Democrats are grandstanding against a measure to keep the government open — one that supports veterans’ benefits and military pay increases.” SENATE REPUBLICANS COIN ‘SCHUMER SHUTDOWN’ AHEAD OF CRITICAL VOTE ON TRUMP SPENDING BILL The House passed a Trump-backed federal funding bill Tuesday, largely along partisan lines in a 217 to 213 vote. The bill would fund the federal government through the end of September. The bill is now in the Senate’s hands, presenting Democrats in the upper chamber with the option of either passing the bill or triggering a government shutdown Friday at midnight. Senate Democrats are reportedly at odds on how to proceed, sources told Fox News Digital this week. “They’ve been debating what to do, and there’s been people who feel strongly on both sides,” a Democratic source familiar told Fox News Digital, in reference to several lengthy Senate Democratic caucus meetings in the past couple days. Though many Senate Democrats have remained mum on the contents of their recent meetings, multiple lawmakers, such as Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., posted videos to social media stating they planned to vote against the continuing resolution. SCOOP: TRUMP CRAFTS PLAN TO CUT SPENDING WITHOUT CONGRESS AFTER SHUTDOWN IS AVERTED “This is a shutdown bill that’s bad for the economy — let Trump shutdown whatever he wants,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Sunday. “Hurting everyday folks to use money for tax breaks for the uber-rich. Hell no!” Meanwhile, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was heard by the media screaming inside a private lunch with Senate Democrats on Thursday, which lasted more than an hour. Gillibrand also was included in the White House highlight reel, where she slammed the 2019 government shutdown as risking children “going to bed hungry.” “If this shutdown continues indefinitely, 39 million Americans will risk not having enough food. They will lose their SNAP benefits in February, so that means American children will be going to bed hungry. It’s unacceptable,” she said in the video clip. Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson and Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Trump praised for getting NATO allies to bolster defense spending: ‘really staggering’
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte lauded President Donald Trump’s efforts to push NATO allies to increase defense spending, amid efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump has long advocated for NATO allies to ramp up defense spending to between 2% and 5% gross domestic product — and has made it clear that European nations need to shoulder greater responsibility for the security of their continent. “You’re starting to hear the British prime minister and others all committing to much higher defense spending,” Rutte told reporters Thursday at the White House. “We’re not there. We need to do more, but I really want to work together with you . . . to make sure that we will have a NATO which is really reinvigorated, under your leadership. And we are getting there.” “When you look at Trump 47, what happened the last couple of weeks is really staggering,” Rutte said. ‘MAKE NATO GREAT AGAIN’: HEGSETH PUSHES EUROPEAN ALLIES TO STEP UP DEFENSE EFFORTS Rutte’s comments come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen put forth an $841 billion proposal on March 4 for European Union nations to bolster defense spending. Likewise, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged in February to boost his country’s defense spending to 2.5% of its gross domestic value. That is an increase from the 2.3% the U.K. currently spends, and amounts to a nearly $17 billion increase. Still, Rutte emphasized the need to strengthen the defense industrial base in both the U.S. and Europe, and cautioned they were falling behind Russia and China in defense production. As of 2023, the U.S. spent 3.3% of its GDP on defense spending — totaling $880 billion, according to the nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. More than 50% of NATO funding comes from the U.S., while other allies — like the United Kingdom, France and Germany — have contributed between 4% and 8% to NATO funding in recent years. NATO comprises more than 30 countries and originally was formed in 1949 to halt the spread of the Soviet Union. TRUMP REMAINS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ODDS OF ACQUIRING GREENLAND: ‘I THINK IT’LL HAPPEN’ Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also encouraged NATO allies to beef up defense spending during a trip to Brussels in February. “NATO should pursue these goals as well,” Hegseth said. “NATO is a great alliance, the most successful defense alliance in history, but to endure for the future, our partners must do far more for Europe’s defense.” Pledges from European and allied nations to increase defense spending coincide with negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Nations including the U.K. and France have proposed deploying troops to ensure that Ukraine is protected from future Russian aggression under a peace negotiation. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Direct aid to Israel should be phased out to ‘reduce US leverage,’ influential conservative groups argue
A new report from the conservative Heritage Foundation calling for the U.S. to phase out direct aid to Israel in favor of a “strategic partnership” is facing backlash from pro-Israel advocates. But the report’s authors tell Fox News Digital they’ve been misunderstood. The “best thing” for Israel would not be to leave them at the mercy of U.S. policymakers who can choose to withhold direct aid, they say. “Our goal is actually to reduce U.S. leverage over Israel. I don’t want to force them to do stuff,” said Victoria Coates, deputy national security advisor to President Donald Trump during the first administration and co-author of the report. “We want them to do stuff because we have a strong partnership and they have confidence that the United States is their best partner, but we don’t want that to be because we bought and paid for them,” she explained in an interview with Fox News Digital. TRUMP SOFTENS GAZA STANCE, SAYS PALESTINIANS WILL NOT BE EXPELLED FROM THE WAR-TORN TERRITORY A current memorandum of understanding [MOU] signed in 2016 stipulates that the U.S. provides Israel $3.8 billion in foreign military financing per year until 2028. Congress allocated a supplemental $9 billion in 2024 for Israel’s war against Hamas. The memorandum must be renegotiated in 2026, which Heritage argues will allow Israel’s relationship with the U.S. to evolve from “primarily a security aid recipient” to that of a “true strategic partnership.” The Heritage plan calls for a new MOU that increases Israeli aid to $4 billion from fiscal year 2029-2032, and requires all of it be spent on equipment made in the U.S., before decreasing that number by $250 million per year until it ends in FY 2047. But the call to wind down military aid raised some eyebrows when it was first reported by Jewish Insider on Tuesday. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said it was, “wrong, dangerous, and gives comfort to those who seek [Israel’s] destruction.” House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter had been slated to headline an event at the Heritage headquarters Wednesday to discuss the report, but they abruptly withdrew the day before. An Israeli embassy spokesperson said the ambassador would not be able to attend due to a “miscommunication regarding the format for the event,” but “looks forward to future engagement” with Heritage. Still, the idea of reorienting the Israeli relationship got the backing of Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish pro-Israel think tank. “It’s a legitimate debate that I think needs to unfold,” Schanzer told Fox News Digital. “What happened over the last year with the Biden administration withholding military assistance to Israel… must not happen again. “I believe that is the impetus for the discussion that is now taking place. There does need to be discussion about making sure that America’s closest ally in the Middle East does not find itself in a position where it’s begging for the assistance that it expects.” Biden halted arms transfers to Israel last year amid frustrations over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war on Gaza. “There is a legitimate debate about whether this is healthy for Israel to continue down the path of total reliance on the U.S.,” Schanzer asserted. GOP LAWMAKERS PUSH TRUMP TO RECOGNIZE WEST BANK AS ISRAELI TERRITORY “Some are trying to cast us as alt-right isolationists. It’s so disingenuous as to be laughable,” said Coates, who last year authored a book entitled ‘The Battle For The Jewish State: How Israel – And America – Can Win.’ She claimed the plan was “non-controversial” among the Israeli officials Heritage had circulated it to. “The Biden administration used their control of Israeli resupply to try to coerce their behavior,” she said. Once Trump leaves office, “we can’t assume we’ll have another friendly president to this alliance, and if we have started a process like this now, we’ll be all the further along to having a more equal footing between Israel and the United States.” Coates said the goal was for the U.S. to have the same sort of relationship it has with Israel as it does the United Kingdom. “We want to continue to invest in joint programs, the way we do with the U.K. Do joint exercises, station stuff in the country which gives them a lot of confidence, but not necessarily direct aid. “Given the scale of their economy, they don’t actually need $4 billion a year from us.” The report also calls for an increase in spending on U.S.-Israeli joint programs, like developing missile, rocket, and projectile defense capabilities for both nations, to $2.25 billion. Beginning in 2039, the plan calls for a $250 million per year increase in the amount of weapons the U.S. sells to Israel, until Israel is buying $2.25 billion worth of U.S.-made defense goods by 2047. Heritage also calls for an increase in intelligence sharing and joint counterterrorism measures, establishing a cybersecurity partnership, loosening export controls and establishing “high-level economic dialogue.” It also said the U.S. should condition aid to Palestinians on “robust deradicalization and disengagement programming in Palestinian territories to undo decades of antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda.” In response to the backlash against the report, Coates added: “The outburst of antisemitism here in the United States, you know, the attacks on Israel, showed that there’s a lot of work to do here.” “Rather than trying to tear us down for contributing, you know, maybe, maybe we should look more to getting after the substance of these issues, instead of instituting a circular firing squad.”
In lawsuit settlement, Texas Tech’s med school promises it won’t consider race in admissions
George Stewart sued Texas Tech University Health Science Center and five other medical schools claiming they rejected him in favor of lesser qualified students of color.
Paxton investigates Dallas for alleged sanctuary city policies
Attorney General Ken Paxton said a recent statement by Dallas’ interim police chief raised concerns that the city might be violating a state law against so-called sanctuary city policies.