Elon Musk to give talk in Wisconsin ahead of closely watched state Supreme Court contest: ‘Super important’
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk said late Thursday he will be giving a talk to voters in Wisconsin this weekend ahead of the state’s highly anticipated state Supreme Court election. “On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X. The billionaire said he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote.” “This is super important,” Musk added. OBAMA VS TRUMP: POLITICAL GIANTS BACK OPPOSING CANDIDATES IN WIDELY-WATCHED WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CONTEST Musk announced Wednesday night that a Green Bay man had been awarded $1 million for signing a petition from America PAC – which is funded by Musk – against “activist judges in Wisconsin.” Musk said the next million-dollar award would be announced Friday. The payment is similar to a lottery that Musk’s political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the election in November. WATCH: ELON MUSK AND DOGE TEAM GIVE EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT HOW THEY’RE CUTTING WASTE, HANDLE CRITICS America PAC announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed its petition. Musk did not say that there would be $1 million prizes at that time, nor was it clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. The upcoming election on Tuesday – filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring – will determine whether Wisconsin’s highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority. The race is being closely watched, becoming a proxy battle over the nation’s politics, with Trump supporters lined up behind the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel. The campaign for Schimel’s Democratic-supported opponent, Susan Crawford, has blasted Musk’s $1 million payment as a supposed illegal attempt to buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, Musk’s electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court. Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gov. Youngkin says Biden turned US into a ‘sanctuary country’
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, joined Fox News’ “Hannity” to discuss President Donald Trump’s handling of illegal immigration as compared with his predecessor. Youngkin’s appearance comes after Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, a top MS-13 gang member who’d been in the U.S. for over a decade, was arrested in Virginia. Santos was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant and was charged with illegal gun possession upon a search of his home. Youngkin was instrumental in assisting an interagency task force with the operation, including the FBI and the Department of Justice. AG BONDI DETAILS ARREST OF ALLEGED TOP MS-13 LEADER WHO REPORTEDLY JOINED THE VISCIOUS GANG IN MIDDLE SCHOOL In just a few weeks, the task force has arrested 28 MS-13 gang members, 19 Tren de Aragua gang members, and dozens of other members in trans-organized crime. Speaking to “Hannity,” Youngkin chastised Biden for having “turned America into a sanctuary state.” He then praised President Donald Trump’s leadership for having taken a tougher stance on illegal immigration. “Today, this collaboration between state police, our Department of Corrections, Homeland Security, the FBI, ICE, and lots of folks from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – we went to work and they brought down one of the top MS-13 operatives in America,” Youngkin said. “And let me tell you, Virginia is safer.” Youngkin said he did not have this level of cooperation between the state and federal government during the Biden administration. “I didn’t have it for three years. And as soon as President Trump showed up, we went to work,” Youngkin said. “And we’re making America and Virginia safer.”
Trump’s newest executive order moves to end collective bargaining at agencies safeguarding national security
President Donald Trump late Thursday signed an executive order to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions in agencies with national security missions. The order cites his authority granted under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and will affect most of the federal government. Agencies such as the Departments of State, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Justice and Commerce and the part of Homeland Security responsible for border security are just a few listed in the executive order. TRUMP TO TAKE MORE THAN 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY ONE The need to end collective bargaining with federal unions in these agencies is because of their role in safeguarding national security, according to the order. “President Trump is taking action to ensure that agencies vital to national security can execute their missions without delay and protect the American people. The President needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect our national security,” according to a White House fact sheet regarding the order. TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS | FOX NEWS It also claims that “Certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump’s agenda,” and that the “largest Federal union describes itself as ‘fighting back’ against Trump. It is widely filing grievances to block Trump policies.” According to the administration, VA’s unions have filed 70 national and local grievances over President Trump’s policies, averaging over one a day since the inauguration. “President Trump supports constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions,” the White House said. Police and firefighters will continue to collectively bargain.
Federal court warns Pentagon not to act against transgender service members during appeal
The Trump administration was warned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Thursday to not act against transgender military members while a federal judge’s order to block a ban on them was being appealed. The Department of Defense (DOD) led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, filed a notice to appeal Washington, D.C.-based U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’ denial of their motion to dissolve her order that prevents the military from denying transgender people the ability to enlist in the military on Wednesday. The Biden-appointed judge presided over a hearing on March 21, when she requested the DOD delay its original deadline to enact the policy on March 26. On March 21, the defendants in the suit, who include President Donald Trump and Hegseth, filed a motion to dissolve the injunction blocking the Pentagon’s ban. The filing argued that the policy is not an overarching ban but instead “turns on gender dysphoria – a medical condition – and does not discriminate against trans-identifying persons as a class.” FEDERAL JUDGE DENIES TRUMP ADMIN’S EFFORT TO BAN TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM MILITARY The Trump administration further requested that, if the motion to dissolve is denied, the court should stay the preliminary injunction pending appeal. Reyes denied the motion to dissolve, and the Trump administration filed an appeal. On Thursday, the D.C. Circuit said the purpose of the administrative stay is to give the court enough opportunity to consider the emergency motion for stay while under appeal. HEGSETH SUGGESTS JUDGE REPORT TO MILITARY BASES AFTER RULING THAT PENTAGON MUST ALLOW TRANSGENDER TROOPS The court added that the stay should not be construed as a ruling on the merits of the motion. “If any action occurs that negatively impacts service members under the Hegseth Policy and [Military Department Identification (MDI) Guidance] before the court lifts the administrative stay, the plaintiffs may file a motion to lift the administrative stay, and the court will consider it expeditiously,” the court wrote. It added that appellees have until noon on April 1 to file a response. The government cited new guidance issued March 21 that it expected to enact the policy if not for the ongoing litigation. The guidance clarified that “the phrase ‘exhibit symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria’” solely applies to “individuals who exhibit such symptoms as would be sufficient to constitute a diagnosis.” TRUMP ADMIN ASKS FEDERAL JUDGE TO DISSOLVE INJUNCTION BARRING TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN Reyes said she wanted to allow more time for the appeals process. She also said she had previously allowed plenty of time to appeal her earlier opinion blocking the ban from going into effect. On Saturday, Hegseth said Reyes should report to military bases since she is “now a top military planner.” “Since ‘Judge’ Reyes is now a top military planner, she/they can report to Fort Benning at 0600 to instruct our Army Rangers on how to execute High Value Target Raids…after that, Commander Reyes can dispatch to Fort Bragg to train our Green Berets on counterinsurgency warfare,” Hegseth wrote on X. On Wednesday, Reyes acknowledged that Military Department Identification Guidance (MIDI Guidance) is new, but the argument presented by the defense is not. “Defendants re-emphasize their ‘consistent position that the [Hegseth] Policy is concerned with the military readiness, deployability, and costs associated with a medical condition,’” the judge wrote. “Regulating gender dysphoria is no different than regulating bipolar disorder, eating disorders, or suicidality. The Military Ban regulates a medical condition, they insist, not people. And therein lies the problem. “Gender dysphoria is not like other medical conditions, something Defendants well know,” Reyes continued. “It affects only one group of people: all persons with gender dysphoria are transgender and only transgender persons experience gender dysphoria.” Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
Feds lost track of tens of thousands of unaccompanied alien children after release: DHS OIG report
In a new report, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general found that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is unable to effectively monitor the location and status of each unaccompanied alien child (UAC) who comes into the U.S. illegally and is released from custody. Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari said in the report that between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, ICE transferred over 448,000 UACs into the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. From there, most of the UACs were released to sponsors. But over 31,000 of those 448,000 children were released to addresses that were left blank, had missing apartment numbers or were undeliverable. The IG also noted that ICE did not always know the location of UACs who fled while in HHS custody. CHICAGO MAYOR FIRES BACK AT BORDER CZAR’S ‘REPREHENSIBLE’ THREATS TO PROSECUTE HIM OVER ICE RAIDS Cuffari said an investigation into the matter found ICE did not issue notices to appear (NTA) to all UACs, which would have generated assignment of immigration court dates by the Department of Justice (DOJ), and as of January this year, it had not served NTAs on over 233,000 unaccompanied children. Of the UACs who were served NTAs before October 2024, over 43,000 failed to appear for their scheduled court dates. The report also found that ICE was not always notified about the safety or status of the children unless it received a tip. However, those issues, the IG said, happened because ICE was not always notified about the locations of sponsors by other federal agencies. FED AGENCIES RELEASED NONCITIZENS WITHOUT ID INTO US, ALLOWED THEM TO BOARD DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: DHS OIG REPORT Cuffari acknowledged staffing to be able to monitor each UAC was limited, and without that ability, there was no assurance the children were safe from trafficking, exploitation, forced labor or criminal activity. ‘POLITICAL STUNT’: CRITICS DISMISS HARRIS’ EXPECTED ARIZONA BORDER VISIT AS IMMIGRATION REMAINS TOP ISSUE Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Tex., brought up the crisis involving unaccompanied alien minors during a House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement hearing on March 25. He was told that during the Biden administration, HHS lost track of many of the minors and that some were subjected to trafficking, child labor and other things. “The Biden administration’s total failure at the border had disastrous consequences, and it’s shameful that even innocent, unaccompanied children were caught in the crosshairs,” Gonzales told FOX News. “The fact that we can’t locate tens of thousands of these minors in the U.S. is completely unacceptable, as it’s likely that many of these children have ended up in dangerous situations. Not having answers is unacceptable, and it’s past time to put our heads together to fix this problem for good.”
AG Bondi launches investigation into DEI admissions policies at Stanford, University of California schools
Attorney General Pam Bondi directed compliance review investigations Thursday into admissions policies at Stanford University and multiple University of California schools. The investigation, headed by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, will look into diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies at Stanford; University of California, Berkeley; UCLA; and the University of California, Irvine. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellow of Harvard Coll., colleges and universities are prohibited from using DEI discrimination in admissions. 60 UNIVERSITIES UNDER INVESTIGATION BY TRUMP ADMIN FOR ‘ANTISEMITIC DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT’ The Department of Justice (DOJ) is demanding compliance. “President [Donald] Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” Bondi said. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect and character, not the color of their skin.” For decades, elite colleges and universities “prioritized racial quotas over equality of opportunity,” according to a news release from the DOJ’s public affairs office. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PUNISHES STUDENTS WHO TOOK OVER BUILDING DURING ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS The DOJ claims the practice divided Americans and discriminated against entire groups of applicants. The Trump administration this week filed an emergency Supreme Court appeal, which, if granted, would allow the slashing of hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the Education Department. Fox News Digital reported this week that multiple Virginia colleges cut their DEI departments and initiatives, falling in line with Trump’s executive order directives. The prior administration “advanced the ideology behind this illegal practice and did nothing to protect the civil rights of American students,” the DOJ wrote in the release. “The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability,” said acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.” The compliance investigations into these universities “are just the beginning of the department’s work in eradicating illegal DEI and protecting equality under the law,” according to the DOJ. Fox News Digital’s Jeffrey Clark and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Trump pushes to ‘restore truth in American History,’ end DEI at Smithsonian
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at restoring what he calls “truth and sanity” in American history by reforming the Smithsonian Institution, protecting national monuments, and countering divisive ideology in public institutions. Trump’s order directs Vice President Vance to work on eliminating “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from Smithsonian museums, research centers, as well as the National Zoo. It also pushes Congress to ensure taxpayer dollars do not fund exhibits or programs that “degrade shared American values” or promote ideologies which divide Americans by race. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS “Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite history and force our nation to adopt a factually baseless ideology aimed at diminishing American achievement,” the order states. The Smithsonian is criticized in the EO for promoting narratives that claim American and Western values are harmful. Trump specifically calls out exhibits that suggest sculpture has been used to “promote scientific racism” and that the United States has maintained power through racial systems. The order also takes issue with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which previously suggested that “hard work,” “individualism,” and “the nuclear family” are aspects of “White culture.” Additionally, the EO declares that the Smithsonian “celebrate women’s achievements in the American Women’s History Museum and do not recognize men as women.” SUSIE WILES SAYS TRUMP A ‘DIFFERENT PERSON’ IN SECOND TERM AFTER ‘LAWFARE,’ ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT The Executive Order also directs the Secretary of the Interior to restore national parks, monuments, and statues that have been “improperly removed or changed” in recent years to fit what it calls a false revision of history. Under the Executive Order, agencies must complete restorations and improvements to Independence Hall before our nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The order also revives Trump’s effort to protect historical monuments from vandalism and establish a National Garden of American Heroes, a project he first proposed on Independence Day in 2020 to honor key figures in American history. “This administration is committed to ensuring that American history is celebrated accurately, fairly, and with pride,” Trump’s order concludes. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Deep red state makes major announcement about income tax: ‘We plant our flag’
FIRST ON FOX: Mississippi taxpayers will get significant relief with the incremental elimination of the state’s income tax. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is signing legislation into law Thursday evening that will lower that tax from 4.7% to nothing over the next few years, including getting it down to 3% by 2030, then eventually down to zero. House Bill 1, the “Build Up Mississippi Act,” also slashes the grocery tax to 5% from 7%. REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SAYS DOGE IS RESTORING OPTIMISM IN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY “I am proud to sign into law a complete elimination of the individual income tax in the state of Mississippi,” Reeves said in a statement. “Let me say that again: Mississippi will no longer tax the work, the earnings or the ambition of its people. The legislation I’m signing today puts us in a rare class of elite, competitive states. There are only a handful of states in the country that do not tax income. Today, Mississippi joins their ranks, and, in doing so, we plant our flag.” Proponents of the legislation believe it will help boost economic development in the state. Only nine states do not charge an individual income tax: Tennessee, Florida, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska and Washington. ICE ARRESTS 16 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS CAUGHT FLEEING OUT BACK OF MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS DURING RAID “This is more than a policy victory. This is a transformation. And it’s a transformation that I have believed in, fought for and worked toward for many years,” the governor stated. “Generations from now, when our kids are raising families of their own in a stronger, more prosperous Mississippi, they will look back on this moment and say, ‘This is when we took our shot.’ To the people of Mississippi, you are the real winners today.” MISSISSIPPI CITY DROPS LIBEL LAWSUIT AGAINST LOCAL PAPER FORCED TO REMOVE EDITORIAL CRITICAL OF OFFICIALS The state legislature had disagreements on how to best approach tax policy, and a typo considered a happy accident by proponents paved the way for a faster schedule on how soon the cuts can be made, according to the Clarion Ledger. The outlet reported that some Democrats are opposed to the legislation, citing potential concerns about its effect on the public sector. The new policy comes as major tax changes are being proposed at the federal level. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expires this year, and President Donald Trump has pledged to extend it. He is also hoping to make good on a promise to scrap the federal income tax on tipped wages and overtime pay.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Stefanik’s withdrawal as UN Ambassador nominee
The decision by President Trump to withdraw the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as UN Ambassador is about the math. In so many ways. Yes. There has been a tight House GOP majority all Congress. And that was a factor. But not the only one. TRUMP ASKS STEFANIK TO WITHDRAW FROM UN AMBASSADOR CONTENTION OVER RAZOR-THIN HOUSE MAJORITY In November, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he “begged and pleaded” with Mr. Trump not to recruit any more House members for his administration after Mr. Trump drafted National Security Advisor and former Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) former Attorney General nominee and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Stefanik to serve in his administration. It was believed that the Senate was poised in the next week or two to confirm Stefanik as UN Ambassador. She would have resigned from the House immediately. But this would come as the GOP feared losing one if not two of those special elections to succeed Gaetz and Waltz. Plus, if Stefanik resigned, it would take about three months for a special election to hit in upstate New York to fill her seat. And – because of splintering in the New York GOP – there is concern that Republicans could lose that seat in a special election. But Fox is told that the problem wasn’t so much the potential of losing the special election in upstate New York – but when the VACANCY for that seat would come. The House is trying right now pass President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) backed off the idea of advancing the bill before Easter. It frankly will take weeks if not a few more months to pass that bill. Here’s the other problem: Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) just announced this week she is pregnant and due in August. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: SHOULD THE HOUSE ALLOW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO VOTE REMOTELY? Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is now sparring with Johnson over her plan to go over his head and compel the House to allow for remote voting for expectant or new mothers. Luna and the co-sponsor of her resolution, Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), have spoken at length about how tough it is to travel and make votes late in a pregnancy. One source told Fox that Republicans could be worried about losing ANOTHER GOP member if Cammack is unavailable for votes ahead of giving birth – as the House attempts to pass the “big, beautiful bill.” That, of course, presumes that Luna and Pettersen aren’t successful with their initiative to allow for remote voting. Here’s another issue: The president also indicated that Stefanik would return to the House GOP leadership table – although how is unclear. Stefanik previously served as the House Republican Conference Chairwoman. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) now holds that position. Multiple senior House Republican sources told Fox all day before the withdrawal that they weren’t aware of anything going on. “I hope not,” replied one member of the House GOP brain trust when asked about a potential withdrawal. And yet now President Trump is shoehorning Stefanik back into the GOP leadership when House Republican leaders appeared to have no clue that the President was about to yank Stefanik’s nomination. DEMOCRATIC REP. RAUL GRIJALVA DEAD AT 77 Now, here’s something which will cook your noodle. This is completely hypothetical. But worth exploring. The House is currently comprised of 431 members. There are 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. There are four vacancies. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) did not take office. Former Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) resigned. Late Reps. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) died. Let’s just say the Republicans – although unlikely – lose the two House special elections in Florida. With Democratic victories, the House would then have 433 members with 218 Republicans and 215 Democrats. Still two vacancies with the deaths of Turner and Grijalva. But if the Senate confirmed Stefanik, and she resigned, the House would be 217 Republicans and 215 Democrats with three vacancies: Stefanik, Turner and Grijalva. However… Had Turner and Grijalva lived, DEMOCRATS would have control of the House at 218-217 under that scenario. And notably, the House has never flipped in the middle of a Congress. This is why Johnson pleaded last November for Mr. Trump not to poach any other Republicans from the House.
Judge in crosshairs of Trump deportation case orders preservation of Signal messages
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Thursday ordered all parties involved in the Trump administration’s leaked Signal chat to preserve disclosed messages, giving him additional time to evaluate the administration’s handling of the infamous group chat. A lawsuit filed by the left-leaning government transparency group American Oversight asks whether senior Cabinet officials violated federal recordkeeping laws by using Signal to discuss plans for a military strike on the Houthis in Yemen. The chat became infamous after it was revealed that top U.S. officials had inadvertently included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Golberg for several days of their discussions. Boasberg said during a 25-minute hearing that the federal government must “preserve all Signal communications between March 11 and March 15,” roughly the window of the communications about the military action in Yemen. TRUMP REVEALS WHO WAS BEHIND SIGNAL TEXT CHAIN LINK Boasberg, already under fire from the Trump administration for issuing a restraining order that temporarily blocked the president’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, emphasized at the start of Thursday’s hearing he was randomly assigned to the case through a docket computer system, not by choice. His remarks came hours after President Donald Trump accused Boasberg on social media of “grabbing the ‘Trump Cases’ all to himself,” a claim Boasberg quickly sought to refute by detailing the court’s random assignment process, including the electronic card system used to distribute cases among judges. “That’s how it works, and that’s how all cases continue to be assigned in this court,” he said. JUDGE TELLS GOVERNMENT WATCHDOGS FIRED BY TRUMP THERE’S NOT MUCH SHE CAN DO FOR THEM Boasberg has sparred with the Trump administration over its failure to comply with the court’s requests for information on its deportation flights earlier this month, which sent around 261 migrants, including Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the gang Tren de Aragua, from the U.S. to El Salvador. The flights appeared to have departed from Texas around the time Boasberg issued an emergency restraining order and were not returned to the U.S. despite a bench ruling explicitly ordering their immediate return. The Justice Department this week invoked the state secrets privilege in the ongoing court battle, a national security tool that could allow the Trump administration to withhold certain information from the courts for national security purposes. Most recently, the Trump administration vowed to immediately appeal to the Supreme Court a ruling from the D.C. appellate court, which voted 2-1 to uphold Boasberg’s ruling and allow, for now, the block on Trump’s deportation flights to continue. Fox News’s William Mears contributed to this report.