Arizona Senate leader calls for federal meeting on DEI ‘window dressing’ at state colleges
EXCLUSIVE: Arizona state Senate President Warren Petersen will write to Education Secretary Linda McMahon asking for a meeting to discuss what he characterized as a campus crisis of DEI proliferation in the Grand Canyon State. Petersen, R-Gilbert, will tell McMahon the Trump administration was right to make ending the ubiquity of on-campus “un-American propaganda,” including DEI initiatives, a chief priority. “For too long, state and federal officials have allowed university regents, presidents, faculty, and staff to indoctrinate our young men and women. … They have taught our college students to hate the greatness of our nation and discriminate against others,” Petersen wrote. “Many colleges have even done the bare minimum — or nothing at all in some cases — to stand in defense of our Jewish brothers and sisters who have been attacked. AZ SEN URGES BURGUM TO END BIDEN-OBAMA-ERA LAND GRABS AT URANIUM SITES “I was extremely heartened to learn that your department is holding universities accountable for their refusal to conform to existing laws blocking any institution from receiving federal funding due to discrimination,” he added, noting that it “did not go unnoticed” that some schools like Arizona State were on both of the public lists of universities under federal investigation on this front. FL’S MOVE FROM 2000S ISSUE TO 2020S ROLE MODEL IS BLUEPRINT FOR AZ, OFFICIALS SAY “Arizona’s public universities … have demonstrated a troubling track record of using tax dollars to implement DEI programs. Examples include job postings addressing commitments to DEI, required trainings for staff and faculty that push discriminatory ideas of ‘critiquing whiteness’ and ‘heterosexuality is privileged and going unquestioned,’ as well as requiring students to obtain credits in DEI-related courses like ‘Introduction to Queer Studies’ and ‘Multicultural Perspectives of Natural Resource Management.’” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Petersen then asked for a meeting with McMahon to help her in enforcing the mandate and hold Arizona colleges accountable that do not comply, adding he fears many stated reforms are just “window dressing.” In ASU’s case, college officials told FOX-10 the university is no longer affiliated with the proscribed program the feds had highlighted.
Immigration Bill 2025 passed in LS, Amit Shah says,’India not Dharamsala…infiltrators enter through Bengal’
The Immigration & Foreigners Bill, 2025 was passed by Lok Sabha. Before the bill was passed in the lower house, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said India is not a ‘Dharamshala’ and those who pose a threat to the national security will not be allowed. He slammed TMC over infiltration of Bangladeshis.
NY county clerk refuses to file Texas’ fine for doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills
A Texas judge last month ordered Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who practices north of New York City, to pay the penalty for allegedly breaking that state’s law by prescribing abortion medication via telemedicine.
Marine Corps bets on electric seagliders ‘invisible’ to enemy radar for medevac missions at sea
Regent’s all-electric boat-plane hybrid project got a major boost from the government this week. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab extended its collaboration with Regent with an estimated $10 million contract on Wednesday, following the successful completion of a $4.75 million contract. This new phase of testing will focus on examining its seaglider’s capabilities on medical evacuation missions. For CEO Billy Thalheimer, a new era of global conflict centered on the Indo-Pacific represents a “reversion to World War II-style tactics,” and the needs of the Pentagon will be once again focused on maritime operations instead of desert warfare like the war on terror in the Middle East. NO SIGNAL, NO PROBLEM: INTELLIGENCE FIRM DEBUTS DRONE TECH EQUIPPED TO BEAT GPS JAMMERS Thalheimer said Regent identified the “capability gap” in the logistics of moving troops and supplies between island chains in the Indo-Pacific. “We want something affordable and mass-produced. We do not have enough boats, the nation is working on our shipbuilding capabilities, we want something easy to operate and easy to crew, because it currently takes two years to train a pilot,” he said. The seaglider travels up to 180 miles at up to 180mph speed. It can take off and land on water, “eliminating the need for vulnerable runway infrastructure,” according to the company. The aircraft is all-electric, which Thalheimer says makes it easier to refuel anywhere there is electricity, rather than having to transport in gas. “You think about a gallon of fuel today, you know, $6. If we’re buying it in the U.S., which can go to 100 to $150 when it’s delivered to those, disparate island chains,” he said. Regent’s Viceroy, which holds 12 passengers with a 65-foot wingspan, completed a successful sea test on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay earlier this month. LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP’S ‘GOLDEN DOME’ PROJECT Regent’s “float, foil, fly” motto describes the flight path of the seaglider: First, it floats on the ocean’s surface, then as it picks up speed it “foils,” meaning it gliders over the water’s surface with wing-like structures known as hydrofoils, which then retract as it lifts into the air. The vehicle leverages “ground effect,” avoiding the turbulence of the sky by hovering just around 30 feet in the air. The glider’s earth-hugging flight path is also designed to avoid enemy radar. “There’s this great opportunity to fly below radar, but really above sonar in this hard-to-see space.” One key mission Regent hopes to fulfill is medical evacuations, given the quick turn-around its seagliders can have from floating on the sea near a port to flying. Regent has submitted its design basis agreement (DBA) to the Coast Guard for its Viceroy seaglider to the Coast Guard and expects approval next year. “We are incredibly proud to extend our collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and continue to validate how REGENT’s high-speed, low-signature, low-cost seagliders will enable defense missions,” said Tom Huntley, VP of Government Relations and Defense at REGENT. “The second phase of our agreement will demonstrate their use cases for contested logistics operations in the maritime domain, fulfilling a critical national security need.” The company has garnered over $90 million in investment from investors including 8090 Industries, Founders Fund, Japan Airlines and Lockheed Martin.
Colombia agrees to share migrant data with US after ‘candid’ talks with Kristi Noem
Colombia and the U.S. reached an agreement to share biometric data on migrants following a “candid” conversation between Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem and her counterpart in the country. Noem and Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia signed the agreement in Colombia on Thursday. The Trump administration official visited the country as part of a multi-day trip to South America in an effort to stem the flow of illegal immigration to the U.S. While Noem said her talk with Sarabia was “frank” and “candid,” she added that she now considers their relationship to be friendly. HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA GANGSTER MURDERED TWO AMERICAN WOMEN, CAPTURED ACROSS COUNTRY: FEDS Noem traveled to Colombia after visiting El Salvador on Wednesday, where she toured the country’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center. The facility is already housing hundreds of illegal immigrants deported by President Donald Trump’s administration. EXCLUSIVE: GOP MOVES TO AUTHORIZE TRUMP TO WAGE WAR ON CARTELS THROUGH MILITARY FORCE Noem toured the prison with the Salvadoran Minister of Justice, Héctor Gustavo Villatoro, before meeting with El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Video of the tour showed Noem coming face to face with alleged members of Tren de Aragua, all of whom were shirtless and had shaved heads, while also donning white prison pants. She also sent a message to illegal aliens who are still in the U.S. or plan to visit anytime soon. “First of all, do not come to our country illegally: You will be removed, and you will be prosecuted,” she said while standing with her back to the inmates. “But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.” Noem shared the video on X, saying, “President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.” Bukele opened the prison in 2023 as El Salvador waged an ongoing crackdown on powerful street gangs causing mayhem in the country. The facility has eight sprawling pavilions and can hold up to 40,000 inmates. As many as 65 to 70 prisoners are packed into each cell. Prisoners are never allowed outside and can’t have visitors. There are no workshops or educational programs. Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
California under investigation by Trump admin for allegedly hiding ‘gender identity’ of kids
The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation of the California Department of Education over alleged violations of the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) after a new California law went into effect that bars schools from disclosing a child’s “gender identity” to their parents. FERPA ensures parents have the right to access their children’s educational information, and the Trump administration says that includes interactions with school employees pertaining to gender identity and mental health. “Teachers and school counselors should not be in the business of advising minors entrusted to their care on consequential decisions about their sexual identity and mental health. That responsibility and privilege lies with a parent or trusted loved one,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “It is not only immoral but also potentially in contradiction with federal law for California schools to hide crucial information about a student’s well-being from parents and guardians.” MAINE UNIVERSITIES AGREE TO KEEP TRANSGENDER ATHLETES OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES FUNDING California Gov. Gavin Newsom spokesperson Elana Ross told Fox News Digital in a statement Thursday that “Parents continue to have full, guaranteed access to their student’s education records, as required by federal law.” “If the U.S. Department of Education still had staff, this would be a quick investigation — all they would need to do is read the law the Governor signed,” Ross said. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1955 into law last year, which prohibits school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and state special schools from adopting or enforcing policies that require employees or contractors to disclose information related to a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression without the student’s consent, unless otherwise mandated by law. Newsom’s office argues the bill strengthens California’s existing protections against “forced outings” of students in schools and ensures that teachers and staff do not interfere with parent-child relationships. The administration previously sued the Chino Valley Unified School District in August 2023 concerning its policy that mandates parental notification when a student changes gender identification or pronouns. On Thursday, McMahon separately sent a warning to Newsom to comply with federal law barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The warning and investigation comes after California made itself the first “sanctuary” state in the nation for transgender minors and has engaged in a multiyear battle with local school districts over their notification policies. “Allowing participation in sex-separated activities based on ‘gender identity’ places schools at risk of Title IX violations and loss of federal funding. As Governor, you have a duty to inform California school districts of this risk,” McMahon wrote in the letter. “As Secretary of Education, I am officially asking you to inform this Department whether you will remind schools in California to comply with federal law by protecting sex-separated spaces and activities. I am also officially asking you to publicly assure parents that California teachers will not facilitate the fantasy of ‘gender transitions’ for their children.” JASMINE CROCKETT DISMISSES AMERICANS IMPACTED BY TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ SPORTS In a viral clip of a nearly-hour-and-a-half-long episode earlier this month, Newsom conceded to Truning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk that it is “deeply unfair” to have biological males compete against female athletes. However, he would not condemn a trans athlete in his own state who crushed female track competitors in the long jump. Kirk shared the letter on X and praised the secretary for “holding [Newsom] and the state of California accountable.” TPUSA contributor Riley Gaines, who famously competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, praised McMahon for issuing the warning. Gaines challenged Newsom to take action saying, “Time to put your money where your mouth is.” NEWSOM’S ‘UNFAIR’ REMARK ON GIRLS’ SPORTS BELIES RECORD AS GOVERNOR: ‘ABSOLUTE BULLS—‘ On Feb. 5, President Donald Trump issued an executive order barring trans athletes from competing in women’s sports. “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports,” the order reads. This followed an executive order that Trump signed on his first day in office, which made it federal policy that the government only recognizes two genders. This was a major shift from the Biden administration, which was open about its pro-trans stance, and even had former President Joe Biden sit down for an interview with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
California under investigation, Newsom gets warning from Trump admin
The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation of the California Department of Education over alleged violations of the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA ensures parents have the right to access their children’s educational data. The Education Department believes a California law prohibiting schools from requiring personnel to disclose a child’s gender identity to a parent could violate the act. “Teachers and school counselors should not be in the business of advising minors entrusted to their care on consequential decisions about their sexual identity and mental health. That responsibility and privilege lies with a parent or trusted loved one,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “It is not only immoral but also potentially in contradiction with federal law for California schools to hide crucial information about a student’s well-being from parents and guardians.” On Thursday, McMahon allegedly sent a warning to California Gov. Gavin Newsom to comply with federal law barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The warning seemed to stem from the governor’s comments in the debut episode of his podcast in which he interviewed Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk. MAINE UNIVERSITIES AGREE TO KEEP TRANSGENDER ATHLETES OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES FUNDING In a viral clip of the nearly-hour-and-a-half-long episode, Newsom concedes to Kirk that it is “deeply unfair” to have biological males compete against female athletes. However, he would not condemn a trans athlete in his own state who crushed female track competitors in the long jump. “Allowing participation in sex-separated activities based on ‘gender identity’ places schools at risk of Title IX violations and loss of federal funding. As Governor, you have a duty to inform California school districts of this risk,” McMahon wrote in the warning. “As Secretary of Education, I am officially asking you to inform this Department whether you will remind schools in California to comply with federal law by protecting sex-separated spaces and activities. I am also officially asking you to publicly assure parents that California teachers will not facilitate the fantasy of ‘gender transitions’ for their children.” JASMINE CROCKETT DISMISSES AMERICANS IMPACTED BY TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S AND GIRLS’ SPORTS Kirk shared the letter on X and praised the secretary for “holding [Newsom] and the state of California accountable.” TPUSA contributor Riley Gaines, who famously competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, praised McMahon for issuing the warning. Gaines challenged Newsom to take action saying, “Time to put your money where your mouth is.” On Feb. 5, President Donald Trump issued an executive order barring trans athletes from competing in women’s sports. “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports,” the order reads. This followed an executive order that Trump signed on his first day in office, which made it federal policy that the government only recognizes two genders. This was a major shift from the Biden administration, which was open about its pro-trans stance, and even had former President Joe Biden sit down for an interview with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
GOP senators rally behind Hegseth after Signal chat leak, say calls for his firing are ‘hot garbage’
EXCLUSIVE: Republican senators are standing behind Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth amid calls for his resignation over the Signal chat leak, telling Fox News Digital that calls for him to be fired are “hot garbage.” Trump administration national security officials are facing a barrage of negative media coverage this week after Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was included in a group chat on Signal, an encrypted messaging app, about a strike against the Houthis in Yemen. Goldberg later went on to publish the messages on Wednesday. HEGSETH SAYS NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WAS SHARED IN SIGNAL GROUP CHAT: ‘NOBODY’S TEXTING WAR PLANS’ Hegseth has doubled down that no war plans or classified information were shared during the Signal group chat of Trump administration officials about possible strikes on Houthi targets, which was mistakenly shared with a journalist. Amid Goldberg’s publication of the messages, Democrats have been calling for Hegseth and other officials to resign. But GOP senators are defending Hegseth. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital, “Defense Secretary Hegseth helped spearhead the successful strikes we saw against the Houthis to protect shipping lanes and keep Americans safe.” “That’s good policy — and a win for the Trump administration,” Hawley said. “The Democrats are just trying to change the subject and trash Hegseth because Trump is on a roll.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., also defended Hegseth, telling Fox News Digital that he is “a decorated war hero who understands the needs of the warfighter.” “In a matter of weeks, he’s taken bold action alongside President Trump to restore lethality, merit and peace through strength. Recruitment numbers show this administration is inspiring young Americans to serve their country in uniform,” Mullin said. “The Defense Department has achieved great success under Pete’s leadership, and anyone saying otherwise isn’t paying attention.” And Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said that the calls for his resignation — especially after the successful strikes — are “amusing.” “In the wake of successful strikes against Houthi terrorists, it’s amusing to see two political camps attack the Secretary of Defense: radical progressives who are angry that he’s getting rid of woke DEI ideology and focusing on lethality, and armchair generals who are mad that he wants to keep America out of unnecessary foreign wars,” Lee told Fox News Digital. And some senators blasted the press, with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, saying that the “woke media has shown their true colors this week.” “For the past four years, we had a vegetable President who sat on his hands while the Houthis attacked the U.S. Navy more than 170 times while choking off a major trade route with devastating effects on our economy,” Tuberville told Fox News Digital. “But thanks to the leadership of President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and the entire national security team, we are protecting our ships and well on our way to restoring full freedom of navigation.” Again, Tuberville said that “rather than celebrating the success of this operation, the same left-wing media who largely downplayed the botched Afghanistan withdrawal under Biden that cost 13 Americans their lives is working around the clock to try to get Secretary Hegseth pushed out.” “I’ve gotten to know Secretary Hegseth well over the past few months. Not only is he a patriot who bravely served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he is doing a great job as the Secretary of Defense,” he continued. “Under his leadership, the Pentagon is focused once again on lethality, not woke politics. Secretary Hegseth has my 100% support, and any suggestion that he should be fired is hot garbage.” And Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, doubled down, also saying that Hegseth has proven that “he is exactly the right person to cut red tape at the Pentagon, put an end to forever wars abroad and improve morale among our brave warfighters.” Moreno told Fox News Digital that he is “proud to stand with him in the face of disgusting attacks from Democrats and their allies in the liberal media.” TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., also came to Hegseth’s defense, saying he is “doing a great job, and is doing exactly what the American people elected President Trump to do: prioritize America’s core national interests in foreign policy decisions, strip woke programs and divisive DEI out of our military, and work to return our military’s focus to lethality and preparedness.” And Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital that the “historic spike in military recruitment is no accident. America is safer. Our adversaries are weaker. And terrorists are dead. With Secretary Hegseth, America is winning.” “I’m confident Secretary Hegseth will continue to put our warfighters in the best position and return the Pentagon’s focus to our force’s lethality, providing a credible deterrent against our adversaries,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital. “I remain steadfastly committed to advancing President Trump’s doctrine of peace through strength, which includes ensuring his national security team has the support needed to enact the President’s agenda.” Hegseth has defended himself this week, saying, “Nobody’s texting war plans.” “I noticed this morning out came something that doesn’t look like war plans. And as a matter of fact, they even changed the title to attack plans because they know it’s not war plans,” he explained Wednesday. “There’s no units, no locations, no routes, no flight paths, no sources, no methods, no classified information,” he added, saying no sensitive information was divulged in the chat. TRUMP NOT PLANNING TO FIRE WALTZ AFTER NATIONAL SECURITY TEXT CHAIN LEAK Hegseth said he was keeping President Donald Trump’s national security team informed in real time. “My job, as I said, on top of that, everybody’s seen it now,” Hegseth said. The “team update is to provide updates in real time — general updates in real time. Keep everybody informed. That’s what I did. That’s my job.” The fallout comes as Goldberg said he received a request to join the group chat on the encrypted messaging service
Trump asks Stefanik to withdraw from UN ambassador contention over razor-thin House majority
President Donald Trump announced that he asked Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to bow out of contention to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He cited the House GOP’s slim majority, writing on Truth Social, “I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations,” he said. Stefanik had been under pressure to take herself out of contention for the role despite appearing poised to sail through Senate confirmation with bipartisan support, CBS News first reported. IVY LEAGUE ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL WITHHELD DETAILS OF FOREIGN TIES FROM VISA APPLICATION: FEDS Sources told the outlet that House Republicans’ razor-thin majority is a major factor in the current considerations, but Fox News Digital was also told that internal politics in Stefanik’s home district are at play as well. New York state’s primary structure and the lack of GOP cohesion over choosing a candidate to run in Stefanik’s place have led to concerns about a future special election there, two sources familiar with Empire State politics said. Some people are blaming Stefanik herself for not stepping in earlier, with one of the two sources telling Fox News Digital, “Elise has been saying [they] need to wait for Trump, and it’s allowed the process to grow out of control.” But that source also said they “don’t think it’s fair” to fully blame Stefanik, arguing that it was a failure of Republican Party leaders in general for letting the divisions “fester.” “Nature abhors a vacuum. And you have 15 different county chairs, basically like three different regions of the state, pushing their own person. It’s a really messy, ugly process,” the source said. “When you have a party leader making a decision versus a primary where you can run a race – it’s the kind of thing you have to wrap up quickly.” That person also pointed out Stefanik was “one of the first ones ready to go” as an early favorite for the Trump administration, and questioned whether she would be having the same issues had she resigned from Congress on Jan. 20 instead of being a “loyalist” to the GOP and staying for her vote. The second source, however, said of the situation in New York’s 21st Congressional District, “She let that happen.” The second source said Stefanik “didn’t want to lean in on someone,” which resulted in no one having “a clear understanding of what the process is and who has a lane.” Both sources pointed to concerns about a conservative candidate who is threatening to run in a third-party lane if he fails to win the Republican primary. Meanwhile, the candidate who was endorsed by the New York Conservative Party “never supported Trump,” the first source said. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for two right-wing candidates to split their base enough for a Democrat to prevail, though it’s a longshot in Stefanik’s heavily Republican, upstate New York district. Still, Republicans in Washington can afford few missteps with a thin majority and a candidate in Florida, Randy Fine, being outraised by his Democratic challenger ahead of an April 1 special election for another GOP-favored seat. SCOOP: TOP REPUBLICAN CHUCK GRASSLEY SETS PROMPT HEARING ON JUDGES BLOCKING TRUMP New York state special elections are not open primaries. Instead, both the Republican and Democratic candidates are chosen by the district’s 15 county party chairs. Meanwhile, Republicans have also been concerned that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul could seek to slow-walk the election, leaving Stefanik’s seat open for as long as possible if she ascended to the Trump administration. Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for Stefanik for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Who’s winning the global race for critical minerals?
US President Donald Trump has invoked wartime powers to boost production of critical minerals. Critical minerals are crucial to clean energy technologies and defence manufacturing. Their demand is growing fast, and so is competition among leading economies for rare earths. But it is China that dominates supply chains. The United States is scrambling to reduce its reliance on Beijing for critical minerals. From potential deals with Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to tariff threats against Canada and Greenland. Washington is accused of using economic coercion to get its hands on the elements. The US also wants to ramp up production at home. Also, could President Prabowo Subianto’s plans help grow Indonesia’s economy? Plus, Myanmar’s scam hubs. Adblock test (Why?)