Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy spar over Russian war in tense exchange: 'very disrespectful'

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sparred during their meeting at the White House to end the Russia-Ukraine War, including Vance asking Zelenskyy if he's "said thank you once this entire meeting." 

Amid Zelenskyy's visit to the White House, Vance said that a path to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine was through the U.S. engaging in diplomacy. 

"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance told Zelenskyy. "Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country." 

TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO 'SUSTAINABLE' FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE

"Have you've ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?" Zelenskyy shot back. 

"I've actually watched and seen the stories and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour," Vance continued. "Mr. President. Do you disagree that you've had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it's respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to trying to prevent the destruction of your country?" 

Zelenskyy continued that under war, "everybody has problems, even you" and that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."

TRUMP SAYS MINERALS DEAL HAS BEEN ‘PRETTY MUCH’ NEGOTIATED WITH ZELENSKYY, MEETING SLATED FOR FRIDAY

"You don't know that," Trump responded as Zelenskyy said "God bless you" to Trump.

"Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump continued. 

"You are in no position to dictate that, remember that," Trump said, as Zelenskyyy defended that he was simply answering Vance's questions. 

"I feel we're going to feel very good, very strong," Trump said. "You're right now not in a very good position. You've allowed yourself to be in a very bad position." 

"You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards," Trump continued, as Zelesnkyy said, "I'm not playing cards."

TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY WAR OF WORDS HEATS UP EVEN AS US LOOKS TO WIND DOWN WAR IN UKRAINE 

"Yeah you're playing cards," Trump said. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."

Vance interjected, asking Zelenskyy if he's "said thank you once this entire meeting."

"You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October, offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country," Vance continued. 

The Ukraine leader argued Vance was speaking "loudly," before Trump shot back that Vance was not speaking loudly.

"Your country is in big trouble," Trump said. "Wait a minute. No, no, you've done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble." 

TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO 'SUSTAINABLE' FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE

Zelenskyy traveled to the U.S. Friday to meet with Trump at the White House after Trump said Thursday that a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia is in its final stages. The Trump administration is also working to ink an agreement with Ukraine that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support the U.S. has offered the nation since war broke out in 2022, as part of the peace deal. 

Trump also remarked during his remarks to the media that a trilateral meeting between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the U.S., would be no "love match" and likely be difficult. 

"They don't like each other, I can tell you that, it's not a love match," Trump told the media when asked how he envisions a trilateral meeting between the U.S.-Russia-Ukraine.

Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy contributed to this report. 

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11 House Dems vote with Republicans to overturn Biden's gas water heater ban

A handful of House Democrats joined Republicans in passing a resolution on Thursday to block a Biden-era appliance regulation.

The Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new rule in the final days of former President Joe Biden's term to ban non-condensing, natural-gas-fired water heaters by 2029. 

The rule was set to go into effect in March but faces headwinds after a resolution to overturn the appliance rule was passed in the House, with every House Republican and 11 Democrats voting for its passage. 

"The Democrats want control," Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., who introduced the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in January with Fox News Digital, said ahead of the vote. "Their cold rhetoric leads to cold homes and cold water."

BIDEN SENT $2 BILLION TO STACEY ABRAMS-LINKED GROUP IN GREEN ENERGY ‘SCHEME,’ EPA SAYS

"The American people were tired of being told what to do, what they could buy, what they could wear, what they could use," Palmer said on the House floor. "That's why I introduced this resolution, because we're determined to restore a quality of life in this country that we enjoyed before the Democratic Party took over the White House, and the House and the Senate."

"We believe that we can help American people be able to afford their groceries, afford an automobile, afford their education, and that is why we are doing what we're doing," he added.

The vote comes after the owner of a tankless water heater manufacturing facility, Frank Windsor, recently warned that hundreds of jobs could be at risk if the new rule were to go into effect, telling FOX Business that the ban on "very efficient and highly effective technology for water heating" does not align with consumer interests.

TRUMP REVERSES BIDEN CRACKDOWN ON LIGHTBULBS AND DISHWASHERS, RETURNING TO ‘COMMON SENSE STANDARDS’

"The scary thing is most Americans don't understand what's going on with these, I would describe, radical energy decisions that people are making that are going to have far-reaching impacts on consumers," Windsor, president of Rinnai America Corporation, told FOX Business in an interview.

House Republicans are working to introduce resolutions derailing Biden's climate agenda, specifically overturning regulations on household appliances. 

The House passed another CRA on Wednesday to overturn the Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Methane Emissions and Waste Reduction Incentive Program.

Also on Wednesday, a Democrat-led resolution to reverse President Donald Trump's executive order declaring an "energy emergency" failed to pass in the Senate.

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Senate confirms Trump nominee Jamieson Greer as US trade representative

The Senate Wednesday afternoon confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. trade representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer. The vote was 56-43.

Greer, who previously served as chief of staff to former USTR Robert Lighthizer during Trump's first term, has been credited with assisting in imposing tariffs on China and renegotiating the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico during the first administration. He is also a lawyer and Air Force judge advocate general’s corps veteran with one deployment to Iraq.

The Senate Finance Committee advanced his nomination with a 15-12 vote in early February despite some Democratic concerns about his support for President Trump's trade agenda.

TRUMP US TRADE REP PICK JAMIESON GREER ADVANCES OUT OF SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Greer’s confirmation comes on the heels of Trump's promise to impose tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada.

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE NOMINEE DEFENDS TRUMP TARIFFS IN COMMITTEE HEARING

Greer will be responsible for pursuing U.S.-international trade agreements that align with President Trump's agenda to support American jobs and bolster supply chain resilience, which includes boosting domestic manufacturing and industrial jobs and diversifying sources for essential goods and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. 

Greer also noted he would seek to balance U.S. trade with countries like Vietnam, which has a trade surplus in the country, to "have better reciprocity." 

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Eagles' Vic Fangio chided defense for allowing 22 points in Super Bowl LIX 2nd half, linebacker says

The Philadelphia Eagles completely stymied the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense in Super Bowl LIX, sacking Patrick Mahomes and causing three turnovers on their way to a big win.

The Eagles were pitching a shutout in the first half but allowed all of Kansas City’s 22 points in the second half. The defense in the final two quarters appeared to be a point of contention with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio despite the dominant display.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Philadelphia linebacker Jalyx Hunt revealed Fangio did not mince words when he assessed his defensive players. He said on Pete Takes’ podcast that Fangio called the defensive display "unacceptable" after a meeting about the championship parade.

"We have a checklist each game of what we need to do, and if you get a yes in those boxes, nine times out of 10, we win … He circles the second half, and he says, ‘This is unacceptable. Unacceptable. 22 points.’ We won! They didn’t score in the first half, we’re having a meeting after the Super Bowl. He wants perfection," Hunt recalled.

EAGLES' LANE JOHNSON HAS 1-EMOJI RESPONSE TO CALL TO BAN 'TUSH PUSH'

The Eagles were as close to perfect as they could have wanted.

Mahomes was seemingly going to get his incredible plays in throughout the game. He threw three touchdown passes in the second half despite being down 34-0 at one point. One of them was a 50-yard toss to Xavier Worthy. The rookie had two of the touchdown catches.

The Eagles ended the Chiefs’ chance at three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

Now, it is time for both teams to reload and fill in the holes they may have during the offseason.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Kamala Harris takes veiled jabs at Trump, Elon Musk in 1st major speech since election defeat

Former Vice President Kamala Harris took veiled jabs at President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk during her first major speech since her election loss in November. 

After several months out of the public spotlight, Harris stepped onto the stage at the 56th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday in the Los Angeles-area to accept the NAACP’s Chairman's Award.

The former Democratic presidential candidate called for a "sense of urgency," asserting that "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" as she urged the Pasadena crowd to "stay alert, to seek the truth and to actively participate in the fight for America's future." 

"The organization came into being at a moment when our country struggled with greed, bitterness and hatred. And those who forged the NAACP legacy, those who carried its legacy had no illusions about the forces they were up against. No illusions about how stony the road would be. But some look at this moment and rightly feel the weight of history," Harris said. "Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy and ask, what do we do now? But we know exactly what to do because we have done it before, and we will do it again. We use our power. We organize, mobilize. We educate, and we advocate. Because you see, our power has never come from having an easy path." 

KAMALA HARRIS MOCKED OVER 'WORD SALAD' SPEECH TO CAST OF ‘A WONDERFUL WORLD: THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG MUSICAL’

Harris, who formerly served as a U.S. senator from California and the state's attorney general, continued, "Our strength flows from our faith. Faith in God, faith in each other and our refusal to surrender to cynicism and destruction. Not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. Not because victory is guaranteed, but because the fight is worth it."

"And while we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter in our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office, nor by the wealthiest among us," Harris said, appearing to reference Trump and Musk, who is the wealthiest person in the world. "The American story will be written by you, written by us, by we, the people." 

TRUMP LOOKING TO SELL OFF NANCY PELOSI FEDERAL BUILDING IN SAN FRANCISCO: REPORTS

Her speech comes at a time when the Democratic Party is in a messaging crisis after Trump soundly defeated Harris in November's presidential election.

Like former President Joe Biden did earlier this month, Harris signed with the powerful Hollywood talent agency, Creative Artists Agency, days ago. The agency said in its announcement on Instagram that it would focus on "speaking engagements and publishing," and work closely with Harris "on her post-White House initiatives, creating strategic opportunities that expand her platform in support of the issues she has championed through her decades-long career in public service." 

In his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump referenced Harris as Biden's border czar, telling the Washington, D.C., area crowd, "I haven’t said that name in a while."

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Trump official says Ukraine mineral deal is 'win-win' financial opportunity for US taxpayers, Ukrainians

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lauded the pending Trump-backed deal with Ukraine for access to the country's rare earth minerals as a "win-win" for both nations, telling Fox News' Maria Bartiromo the deal could set Ukraine on a "great growth trajectory" that also benefits U.S. taxpayers.

"The first part of this is a partnership between Ukraine and the U.S. that involves strategic minerals, energy and state-owned enterprises, where we set up a partnership, and we are only looking forward," Bessent said during this week's "Sunday Morning Futures."

"We make money if the Ukrainian people make money, and I believe that with the United States of America, our businesses are willing to come in and provide capital that we can accelerate the Ukrainian growth trajectory and take in substantial monies for the U.S. taxpayers and get the Ukrainian economy on a great growth trajectory."

TRUMP SAYS DEAL WITH UKRAINE FOR US ACCESS TO ITS RARE EARTH MINERALS IS ‘PRETTY CLOSE’

Bessent cited a Russian missile barrage on Kyiv ahead of his recent visit to Ukraine as a signal of Russian leadership's opposition to the deal. He suggested Russia's apparent opposition means Ukrainians should favor it instead.

President Trump said Friday that his administration is nearing a deal with Ukraine for rights to access their natural resources in exchange for the United States’ billions of dollars in support for the country's war against Russia.

Bessent elaborated on the deal's contents Sunday, saying it does not include a "military guarantee," but that it does guarantee U.S. investment in Ukraine's economic future. 

ZELENSKYY NOT YET SIGNING US ECONOMIC AGREEMENT ‘SHORT-SIGHTED,' WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL SAYS

"I call it an economic security guarantee. The more assets that U.S. companies have on the ground, the bigger interest that the U.S. has in the future of Ukrainian economy doing well, the more security it creates for the Ukrainian people and the higher the return for the U.S. taxpayer," he said.

He expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign the deal despite putting some "daylight" between his country and the U.S.

Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

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New Small Business Administration chief goes viral as she tours empty cubes, announces return to office

The recently confirmed head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Kelly Loeffler, released a video tour of her agency on Friday, showcasing empty offices in a call for government workers to return to in-person work. 

"It's my second day here at the SBA," Loeffler said. "I could not be more excited to be here. So I thought I'd take a walk. And what I found is that exactly what's been said is true. About 90 percent of our employees are working from home. Well, that ends Monday with President Trump's order to return to work."

The video has picked up over 17 million views on X. 

SENATE CONFIRMS KELLY LOEFFLER TO LEAD SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

"The problem with work from home in the federal government is that the employees cannot be fired," former Deputy Assistant Secreatry of the Interior Department, Jeremy Carl, wrote on X Saturday. "When you don’t have to show up to the office, and there is no accountability for your performance [and] that is a recipe for disaster." 

"No one at work," billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk wrote.

Musk's post brought criticism from some commentators. 

Market researcher Anna Matson defended work-from-home policies in a post Friday. "This is one of the worst Trump policies" Matson wrote. "There used to be one parent at home and one that worked. Now, both parents must work to survive. Adding 2-3 hours a day to their workday significantly reduces time with their family. If we want to support families, work from home when feasible should remain."

TOP REPUBLICAN URGES NEW SBA CHIEF TAKE 'DOGE' ACTIONS AGAINST BIDEN-ERA ELECTIONEERING, COVID LOAN CLAIMS

Republicans in Congress have requested that Loeffler use her authority as the new SBA chief to provide answers on alleged taxpayer-funded electioneering in swing states and the failure to actively recoup fraudulent or misappropriated COVID relief funds.

Fox News' Charles Creitz contributed to this report. 

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Trump admin turns tables on policy 'exploited' by Biden DHS to shield more Haitians from deportations

The Trump administration has canceled an extension of deportation protections for migrants from Haiti implemented by the Biden administration, opening the door for them to be removed from the country sooner.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced that she has vacated a decision by the Biden administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals by 18 months in June of last year.

"President Trump and I are returning TPS to its original status: temporary," Noem said in a statement.

TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

It now means that instead of ending in February 2026, TPS protections will end in August. 

TPS grants protection from deportation and allows work permits for nationals living in the U.S. from countries deemed unsafe for them to be returned. Republicans have been skeptical of the program, saying it has been used too broadly, with 17 countries designated by the end of the Biden administration. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

In a release, DHS said TPS has been "exploited and abused" and noted that Haiti had been designated for TPS since 2010. More than 520,000 Haitians were estimated to be eligible for TPS protection in July.

"Biden and Mayorkas attempted to tie the hands of the Trump administration by extending Haiti's Temporary Protected Status by 18 months—far longer than justified or necessary," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

"We are returning integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades. President Trump and Secretary Noem are returning TPS to its original status: temporary." 

NOEM MAKES AGGRESSIVE NEW MOVE TO RAMP UP ARRESTS, DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 

Migration from Haiti was under scrutiny in 2024 as the Trump campaign drew attention to massive amounts of Haitian migration under the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV), when 30,000 migrants were allowed in each month. At that point, if eligible, they could not be removed after their parole expired due to TPS. It affected a number of towns, including Springfield, Ohio, and Charleroi, Pennsylvania.

The TPS move comes after Noem first revoked a TPS extension for Venezuelan migrants and then revoked TPS status for 300,000 nationals altogether. 

The administration has also largely ended the use of parole to allow migrants into the U.S. President Donald Trump stopped the use of the CBP One app to allow in migrants at ports of entry, as well as the CHNV program. Fox News Digital reported this week that the administration has paused applications for CHNV and two other parole programs, citing national security and fraud concerns. 

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ICE, Homeland Security raid bakery, charge owners with harboring illegal immigrants

Bakery owners in Texas are facing felony charges after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) raided their store and arrested eight suspected illegal immigrants.

Lawful permanent residents Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel, the owners of Amy’s Bakery named in the federal complaint, admitted to knowing their employees were in the U.S. illegally. 

Two of the suspected illegal immigrants allegedly confirmed to HSI that the owners knew about their status and "willfully" harbored them.

NOEM MAKES AGGRESSIVE NEW MOVE TO RAMP UP ARRESTS, DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

They are now facing charges under 8 USC 1324, the law Tom Homan repeatedly threatened to use to pursue those hiding, harboring, concealing or aiding and abetting illegal immigrants. 

"The apprehension of the aliens was the result of a worksite enforcement action," the federal complaint reads. "Post event, the facts of the event were presented to the duty AUSA, who agreed there was sufficient cause for a complaint for harboring and accepted prosecution."

In the past, federal prosecutions of business owners who hired illegal immigrants were rare. However, President Donald Trump is taking a harsher approach to illegal immigration than his predecessor.

On the day he took office, Trump issued an executive order declaring an emergency on the southern border, something he promised to do during his campaign.

TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY LOOKING TO DEPUTIZE IRS AGENTS FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

As part of this border crackdown, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown visited the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday to assess troops’ progress on fortifying the border wall, The Associated Press reported.

Additionally, the Trump administration designated eight gangs and cartels, including Tren de Aragua and MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations, which expands the government's ability to act against criminal groups operating in the country.

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VP JD Vance speaks on ‘fundamental goal’ of Trump administration at CPAC address

Speaking at the opening session of the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) on Thursday morning, Vice President JD Vance touted the Trump administration’s success in its first month of restoring "safety and prosperity" to the American people, which he said is the president’s "fundamental goal."

A week after his fiery speech to European political leaders in Munich, Germany, Vance spoke before a packed house at National Harbor, Maryland, in a conversation-style address with a CPAC organizer.

He said Trump recognizes that "we have a historical mandate on a few issues," which he said were cracking down on illegal immigration, restoring American energy dominance and cutting the rampant waste of taxpayer dollars through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He quipped that in his first 30 days in office, President Donald Trump signed "more executive orders than CNN has viewers."

ACTIVISTS IN MEXICO REPORT FLOW OF MIGRANTS HAS 'ENORMOUSLY DECREASED' ONE MONTH INTO TRUMP ADMIN

Addressing the migrant crisis, Vance said: "We have to secure the southern border and thanks to [Trump’s] actions, border crossings are down well over 90% and we're just getting started."

On the heels of the administration designating several migrant criminal groups – including Tren de Aragua and MS-13 – as foreign terrorist organizations, Vance said Trump’s message to migrant criminals is "get the hell out of our country because your free ride is over… you’re not welcome."

Regarding American energy and the economy, Vance said Trump "recognizes that we have to really unlock the engine of American growth."

"We've got to get back to having a growing economy that creates good jobs and high wages for the American people and a lot of that goes back to ‘drill, baby, drill,’" he said as the crowd broke into applause.

TRUMP EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION PUTS EMPLOYERS ‘ON NOTICE’ TO STOP ‘ANTI-AMERICAN BIAS’

The vice president also criticized wasteful government spending under the Biden administration.

"Why are we spending money on progressive, modern art projects centered around toilets in Afghanistan? That's actually something that your tax dollars were funding until very recently," he said. "And I think all of us are sitting around and asking, 'What the hell are we doing with the American people's money for the last four years?'"

"It is easy, unfortunately, to burn the house down. It takes a little bit of time to build it back up and that’s what we have to do," he continued.

"Look, the fundamental goal of our immigration policy, of our border policy, of DOGE saving taxpayer money, the fundamental goal is we want your children and grandchildren to be able to raise a family in security and comfort in the country that we all love," he explained. "That is the whole goal of President Trump's agenda."

PRESIDENT TRUMP: FOUNDING FATHERS ‘SPINNING IN THEIR GRAVES’ BECAUSE OF BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ABUSE

Vance received a massive standing ovation after the CPAC organizer mentioned his Munich speech, in which he spoke about the need for Europe to follow Trump’s example of restricting illegal immigration and restoring free speech.

"We cannot rebuild Western civilization; we cannot rebuild the United States of America or Europe by letting millions and millions of unvetted illegal migrants come into our country. It has to stop. Thank God it stopped here. But it's got to stop there," he said.

"The Biden administration did more to destroy free speech, not just in the United States, but also in Europe, than any administration in American history," he went on. "I'm not even blaming the Europeans. I'm actually saying you followed the lead of Joe Biden into censorship and mass migration. Follow the lead of Donald J. Trump and that's free speech, borders and sovereignty. That is the future for our shared civilization."

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'Death of DEI': GOP senator expected to take victory lap against 'wokeness' in CPAC speech

EXCLUSIVE: Indiana Republican Sen. Jim Banks is set to deliver a speech to conservatives on Thursday declaring victory over "wokeness" and making the case that the "Golden Age of America" ushered in by President Trump will mean the "death" of DEI. 

"Despite how extensively DEI polluted our institutions, President Trump, with the swipe of his pen, dismantled this Marxist ideology from the halls of our government," Banks, who founded the Anti-Woke Caucus during his time in the House, is expected to tell the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned. 

"DEI is the biggest threat to the American Dream, but the Golden Age of America means the death of DEI."

Banks' speech states that Democrats in the United States have attempted to "sabotage" institutions with "wokeness" as their "primary weapon" meant to "nuke" American culture while eroding society. 

STATE TAKES ON 'WOKE' LANGUAGE, INTRODUCES BILL TO BAN TERMS SUCH AS 'PREGNANT PERSON' AND 'CHESTFEEDING'

"Putting up a fight against this kind of poison requires courageous action," Banks will say. "That’s exactly what President Trump has done."

Since taking office, Trump has acted to fulfill campaign promise to remove DEI policies from the federal government that critics for several years have argued shift the focus away from meritocracy and, as a result, make the country less safe and less effective. 

'WOKE IS THEIR GOD': EX-DEM FUNDRAISER SAYS PARTY 'IN SHAMBLES' AFTER 2024 ELECTION LOSSES

Included in those actions were executive orders in the early days of Trump's presidency banning "radical gender ideology" and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives from all branches of the U.S. military.

In an executive order dubbed "Restoring America's Fighting Force," Trump stated that DEI programs have undermined "leadership, merit and unit cohesion, thereby eroding lethality and force readiness" and have "violated Americans' consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination."

"Maybe most importantly, DEI has been uprooted from our military," Banks will tell the crowd at CPAC. "Under Biden, our armed forces were wasting precious time and taxpayer resources running social experiments. Do you think China’s military is worried about filling diversity quotas and making sure everyone’s pronouns and delusions are respected?"

"No. As an Afghanistan veteran, I can tell you that diversity, in and of itself, provides no strategic advantage. In fact, holding up diversity as some sort of moral virtue is a deadly distraction. Under President Trump, we’re rightfully refocusing our military on lethality. Because that’s what keeps us safe."

Additionally, Trump's partnership with Tesla CEO Elon Musk to slash waste with DOGE has resulted in DEI-related cuts in the federal government, including the Department of Education, which said last week it canceled nearly $350 million in "woke" spending.

The agency canceled 10 contracts with Regional Educational Laboratories (REL), totaling $336 million, after a review of the contracts uncovered "wasteful and ideologically driven spending not in the interest of students and taxpayers," a news release stated. 

"The Education Department under President Trump has given schools 14 days to end any practice that treats students differently because of their race or lose federal funding," Banks will say. "A huge blow to DEI and a massive win for our kids."

While Banks believes that Trump has "put his foot on the neck of woke and driven a stake through the heart of those who hate America," he warns in his speech that Congress still has work to do on the issue and specifically railed against "weak Republicans on our side."

"Congress needs to do its job and reinforce the successes that President Trump and his administration have accomplished," Banks said. "We need legislation to codify and extend his transformative executive orders."

"We have no time for wimpy Republicans. The New Right merges true conservatism with the interests of the people. President Trump and his administration boldly embody this new party."

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report

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Italian Prime Minister Meloni visits Pope Francis in hospital, says he's in good spirits

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni visited Pope Francis in hospital Wednesday and reported he was "alert and responsive" and full of good humor, despite his diagnosis of pneumonia and a complicated bronchial infection that has sidelined the 88-year-old pontiff for six days.

Meloni said she wanted to bring get-well wishes to the pope on behalf of the government and the entire nation. "We joked around as always. He has not lost his proverbial sense of humor," she said in a statement issued by her office.

Meloni's visit marked the first confirmed outside visitor known to have called on the pope, beyond his secretaries and medical team, since his admission Friday at Rome's Gemelli hospital, where popes have their own suite on the 10th floor.

US CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS SUES TRUMP OVER IMMIGRATION, REFUGEE FUNDING FREEZE

The Vatican has said Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, was up, eating and had gotten out of bed after a tranquil night, a day after tests confirmed he had pneumonia in both lungs on top of asthmatic bronchitis.

On Wednesday, Francis' vicar for Rome urged all the faithful to devote an hour of silent prayer for the pope before evening vespers services, and pilgrims who had planned to attend his weekly general audience came to St. Peter's Square anyway to offer a prayer after it was canceled.

"I think many people are disappointed, but I think more importantly we really have to pray for his health," said Sister Charlene, a nun from Singapore who was in the piazza.

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital on Friday after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. On Monday, medical personnel determined that he was suffering from a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, meaning a mix of viruses, bacteria and possibly other organisms had colonized his respiratory tract. Late Tuesday, the Vatican said a chest CT scan showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia on top of asthmatic bronchitis, which is being treated with cortisone and antibiotics.

Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, which is a deeper and far more serious infection of the lungs’ air sacs. Pneumonia can develop in part or all of one lung or in both lungs. It tends to be more serious when both lungs are affected because there isn’t healthy tissue to compensate.

Treatment varies by severity but can include providing oxygen through a nasal tube or mask, intravenous fluids and treatment of the underlying cause of the infection. To date, Francis is breathing on his own and his heart function is said to be good. He has eaten breakfast every day, gotten out of bed, read the newspapers and done some work from his hospital room.

POPE FRANCIS SLEPT PEACEFULLY, ATE BREAKFAST FOLLOWING DIAGNOSIS OF PNEUMONIA IN BOTH LUNGS

"Pope Francis is a strong man who does not let difficulties get him down," said the Rev. Enzo Fortunato, who heads a new Vatican committee on children. The fact that Francis is keeping up with his ordinary routine, including receiving the Eucharist, "is a sign of a man who wants to experience the ordinariness of illness in the hospital."

The Vatican hasn't provided any information about how Francis is responding to any of the drugs he has been given other than to say he isn't running a fever. The Argentine pope, who has previously admitted to being a non-compliant patient, has a number of conditions that make him particularly at risk for complications: Aside from his age, he is not physically active and uses a wheelchair, limiting his ability to clear the fluids building up in his lungs.

Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University, said doctors will be looking to see if Francis responds to the therapy, which can include physiotherapy to help clear the lungs. Severe cases of pneumonia are typically treated for about one to two weeks, but recovery in an older person could extend beyond that.

"Lack of worsening would be an encouraging sign," said McCormack, who is not involved in Francis' care.

The Vatican has given no indication of how long the pope might remain hospitalized, only saying that the treatment of such a "complex clinical picture" would require an "adequate" stay.

Despite the less than positive news about Francis' condition, Francis was receiving get-well drawings and cards from children being treated in the hospital's oncology ward. And at the Vatican on Wednesday, Holy Year pilgrimages continued, with groups of faithful walking through the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on a chilly and cloudy day.

"We are very happy to be here but we are also sad for the pope’s sickness," said Amparo Alcala’, who was leading a large group of pilgrims from Valencia, Spain. "He is doing great things, most of all for the women in the church, and this gives us a lot of joy. We are praying for his recovery and that he might come back, if this is God’s will."

A group of South Korean pilgrims in traditional costumes had planned to attend Francis' weekly Wednesday general audience and show off their national dress, as pilgrims often do for the pope's weekly appointment. When it was canceled, they came anyway.

"The Lunar New Year was very recent so we also wanted to bow traditionally and formally in front of him," said Junhee Christina Kim, a pilgrim from Seoul, South Korea. "It was too good of a chance to pass up, so we came anyway so that we can be in the Vatican in our traditional costumes."

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DOGE uncovers over 4M government credit cards responsible for 90M transactions

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said it has uncovered that the U.S. government currently has more than 4 million active credit cards on its books.

"The US government currently has ~4.6M active credit cards/accounts, which processed ~90M unique transactions for  ~$40B of spend[ing] in FY24," DOGE said in a post on X on Tuesday. 

Attached to the post was a breakdown of multiple federal agencies and their credit card use, with the Department of Defense leading the way in both the number of transactions (about 27.2 million), and number of individual accounts (roughly 2.4 million).

TRUMP ISSUES WARNING ABOUT WASTEFUL SPENDING, ORDERS 'RADICAL TRANSPARENCY' AMID DOGE PROBES, REVELATIONS

DOGE’s activities have come under increasing scrutiny over the last few weeks, with opponents arguing that President Donald Trump has given billionaire Elon Musk, who was tapped to head the department, too much power to shrink the size of the federal government.

The new department has also been at the center of numerous lawsuits, with opponents attempting to block Musk and the Trump administration from carrying out many of DOGE’s recommendations for cuts.

However, Trump has not wavered in his support from the efforts, publicly supporting DOGE’s work while also releasing a memo on Tuesday ordering government agencies to be "radically transparent" with the American people about its spending.

$1,300 COFFEE CUPS, 8,000% OVERPAY FOR SOAP DISPENSERS SHOW WASTE AS DOGE LOCKS IN ON PENTAGON

The memo argues that the federal government "spends too much money on programs, contracts, and grants that do not promote the interests of the American people."

"For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest," the note continues. "The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest."

"The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages."

DOGE SAYS IT FOUND NEARLY UNTRACEABLE BUDGET LINE ITEM RESPONSIBLE FOR $4.7T IN PAYMENTS

Meanwhile, DOGE promised to update its efforts to streamline the government’s credit card usage within a week.

"DOGE is working w/ the agencies to simplify the program and reduce admin costs - we will report back in 1 week," DOGE said on X.

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Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr fail to reach long-term contract extension ahead of spring training

The Toronto Blue Jays and star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not agree to a long-term contract extension on Monday.

Guerrero, 25, set a deadline on Monday night for the two sides to come to an agreement on a deal, as the star first baseman does not plan on negotiating a deal during the season. 

Guerrero said that the deal was not made due to a lack of effort. 

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"The last couple days, the front office, my lawyers, my agents, they met, both (sides) tried but obviously we couldn’t get an agreement," Guerrero said through an interpreter at Blue Jays camp on Tuesday. 

"We never got to the point where I felt like I wanted to do the deal."

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said despite no deal being completed, the team still wants Guerrero back.

RED SOX STAR RED SOX STAR RAFAEL DEVERS CREATING DRAMA WITH NEW TEAMMATE, ALEX BREGMAN: ‘THIRD BASE IS MY POSITION’

"We worked very hard and the motivation is still there," Atkins said. 

"I’m confident that every thought, idea we had — every dollar that we had — was communicated. But we’re obviously disappointed to not have gotten that done. ... It doesn’t change our desire. We will certainly be motivated and remain motivated."

Guerrero is coming off a stellar season, when he hit .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI in 159 games. 

 If the four-time All Star repeats those numbers this season, he is primed to be the top free agent of this year’s class. 

If the Blue Jays struggle in the beginning of the season, the team could potentially look to trade Guerrero at the trade deadline to recoup some assets instead of losing him for nothing in free agency. 

With his young age and strong production, Guerrero is going to command a large payday in free agency. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Judge rules against federal employees suing Trump admin for privacy concerns

A federal judge has ruled against federal employees who sued the Trump administration over privacy and security concerns around a government workforce email distribution system.

The new computer server was used to send deferred resignation "Fork in the Road" emails to more than 2 million federal employees, offering them to leave their government jobs and get paid through September, or risk being laid off.

DC-based federal Judge Randolph Moss denied a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have blocked the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from continuing to use the email address HR@opm.gov and is known as the "Government-Wide Email System."

The lawsuit claimed that in the rush to adopt this new system, OPM violated security safeguards for federal workers, known as a Privacy Impact Statement (PIA).

But in denying emergency legal relief, the judge said, "Plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden of demonstrating that their .gov email addresses (which reveal their names and, possibly, their places of employment) are at imminent risk of exposure outside the United States government— much less that this risk is a result of OPM’s failure to conduct an adequate PIA. Rather, their arguments ‘rel[y] on a highly attenuated chain of possibilities.’"

According to the lawsuit, soon after Trump took office, federal employees received emails from the email address HR@opm.gov that indicated the agency was running tests for a new "distribution and response list."

"The goal of these tests is to confirm that an email can be sent and replied to by all government employees," one of the emails said, according to the lawsuit. Workers were asked to acknowledge receipt of the messages.

The case will continue on the merits in the courts, but for now the new communications system will remain in place, pending any appeal.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Federal judge skeptical of effort to block Musk's DOGE from accessing data, firing employees

A federal judge expressed skepticism of efforts seeking to bar President Donald Trump's administration from accessing federal data and firing federal workers when hearing remarks from the bench on Monday. 

Judge Tanya Chutkan has yet to issue a ruling in the case, which relates to billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and their efforts to curb government spending. Chutkan says she will rule on the case within 24 hours.

At issue in the case are DOGE's actions within seven federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, Department of Labor, The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce.

Attorneys general from 14 states argue Musk and Trump's administration have engaged in illegal executive overreach, but Chutkan says she wasn't convinced so far.

ELON MUSK DESCRIBES LIMESTONE MINE USED FOR PROCESSING FEDERAL WORKERS' RETIREMENT PAPERS: ‘LIKE A TIME WARP’

"There is no greater threat to democracy than the accumulation of state power in the hands of a single, unelected individual," the lawsuit brought against DOGE states.

EXPERT REVEALS MASSIVE LEVELS OF WASTE DOGE CAN SLASH FROM ENTITLEMENTS, PET PROJECTS: 'A LOT OF FAT'

Chutkan says lawyers for the states have yet to establish that there is imminent harm that could be avoided by restraining DOGE.

"The things that I’m hearing are serious and troubling indeed… But you’re saying these are things that we’re hearing," she said. "I’m not seeing it so far."

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez filed the lawsuit, joined by officials from Arizona, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, California, Nevada, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.

The group of states is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent more federal firings at the recommendation of Musk and DOGE.

Chutkan was not exclusively hostile to the states' argument, however, as she was also seen critiquing representatives for Trump's administration.

"Nowhere have my friends offered a shred of anything, nor could they, to show that Elon Musk has any formal or actual authority to make any government decisions himself," DOJ lawyer Harry Graver said.

Chutkan countered, "I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there."

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Border Patrol agents to stop wearing body cameras after social media post reveals ‘security risk’

Agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will no longer wear body cameras during field operations after a social media post publicized how to identify individual agents.

"All U.S. Border Patrol Agents will cease the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) in all operational environments," CBP said in a statement to NewsNation, which originally reported the news.

The directive comes after a post on Reddit claimed that the mobile application BLE Radar, which uses Bluetooth to scan for low-energy devices such as phones, smartwatches and speakers, can also track CBP body cameras from a distance of 100 yards and can also trigger improvised explosive devices.

FRUSTRATED CHICAGOANS BACK ICE DEPORTATIONS, APPLAUD DOJ LAWSUIT TARGETING SANCTUARY POLICIES

CBP officials sent out a directive following the post informing agents of a "potential security risk" while immediately pulling body cameras from use in the field.

"Pending completion of investigation and risk mitigation, all Agents will stand down the use of their BWCs [body worn cameras] until further notice. Additional guidance and information will be disseminated as it is received," the directive said.

Sources told NewsNation that the cameras used by CBP agents are Avon body cams, which the social media post claims are devices BLE Radar, which was developed by F-Droid, can detect.

DAILY AVERAGE OF KNOWN GOTAWAYS AT SOUTHERN BORDER PLUMMETS, DOWN 93% FROM BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HIGHS

The directive comes as both CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have ramped up enforcement efforts in the weeks since President Donald Trump took office, an effort that was a cornerstone of the president's campaign to return to the White House.

Since the beginning of February, the daily average of gotaways, or illegal immigrants who successfully enter the U.S. without being apprehended, at the southern border has fallen to just 132 per day, a 93% drop from highs seen under former President Joe Biden, a senior Department of Homeland Security source told Fox News.

Data obtained by Fox News showed that during FY 2023, 670,674 known gotaways were recorded by the agency, or more than 1,800 per day.

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CBP did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

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Kid Rock leaves Bill Maher stunned after DEI hot take on Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show

Kid Rock left "Real Time" host Bill Maher stunned after a hot take on Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX, which he described as "the epitome of DEI blowing up," on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" on Friday.

Maher asked the legendary rock and roll artist what he thought of Lamar's halftime performance, and whether he agreed with others who complained about the performance being a DEI spectacle, featuring only artists of color: "What did you make of this year’s Super Bowl? You mentioned DEI. People complained about that." 

"To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I got to respect it," said Kid Rock. "And here’s why: I grew up loving, emulating all things hip-hop, break dancing, deejaying, graffiti, rapping, and so I understand the culture a little bit more than most. And when I say most, of course, I mean white people."

KID ROCK WANTS TO 'UNITE THE COUNTRY,' SHARES PLANS TO CELEBRATE WITH 'LIKE-MINDED,' 'HARD-WORKING PATRIOTS'

He then explained how he related to Lamar's performance, pointing out that he also made a career of going against the grain and not caring about what others thought of his art.

Kid Rock performed at the 2004 halftime show with artists such as Janet Jackson, who stole the show that year with an infamous wardrobe malfunction.

"So watching it… after it’s a lot of things going through your head, you know, everyone’s like, ‘That sucks,’ this, that and the other. I’m like, this kid pretty much came out figuratively with both middle fingers in the air, doing what he does for the people who love what he does unapologetically. And I don’t think he gives a frog’s fat a** what anyone thinks about it. So I go, ‘huh.' It’s pretty much how I built my whole career. I gotta respect it," said Kid Rock.

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The rock and roll star then theorized about how Lamar got the opportunity in the first place, suggesting that former NFL quarterback Collin Kapernick paved the way for the rap artist to eventually take the stage at the Super Bowl.

"I've heard nobody answer this question: how did he get that gig? Jay-Z. What happened there? I think Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar should both send Colin Kaepernick a bundt cake and a six-pack of beer and a ‘thank you’ note with a bunch of money in it, because without him kneeling and getting everyone’s panties in a bunch over the anthem, self-included, I don’t think that happens," he claimed.

Before Maher could get a word in edgewise, Kid Rock claimed that Lamar's choice to select an all-Black cast for his performance was "the epitome of DEI blowing up" in the face of the NFL after years of pushing diversity.

"It’s like all Black people or all people of color speaking to his crowd in the hood, Black people. It was like the most exclusive thing ever and I’m like, ‘F*** yeah, that’s awesome.’ I’m laughing my ass off," said the rock artist, to the shock of Maher.

Maher was left momentarily speechless, fumbling over his words and giggling before changing the topic.

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Suspect in Munich car attack had 'Islamist motivation,' prosecutor says

The suspect accused of injuring more than 30 people in a car ramming attack in Munich, Germany, appears to have been motivated by Islamic extremism, prosecutors revealed Friday. 

The 24-year-old Afghan, a self-described bodybuilder and fitness model, was arrested Thursday after he drove his Mini Cooper into the back of a labor union demonstration. The incident unfolded near where world leaders — including Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — were expected to gather for the Munich Security Conference. 

Prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann said that the suspect said "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," to police and then prayed after his arrest -- which prompted a department that investigates extremism and terror to take on the case immediately. 

In questioning, he admitted deliberately driving into the demonstration and "gave an explanation that I would summarize as religious motivation," Tilmann said, according to the Associated Press. "According to all we know at the moment, I would venture to speak of an Islamist motivation." 

CAR DRIVER IN MUNICH PLOWS INTO CROWD 

However, there were no indications the suspect was in any Islamic extremist organization, she reportedly added. 

Tilmann also announced Friday that the suspect, who arrived in Germany as an asylum-seeker in 2016 and lived in Munich, posted content with religious references — such as "Allah, protect us always" — on social media. 

The attack left 36 people injured, and the suspect is now facing 36 counts of attempted murder as well as bodily harm and dangerous interference with road traffic. 

PLANE CARRYING SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO RESUMES FLIGHT TO MUNICH AFTER MECHANICAL ISSUE 

The deputy head of Bavaria's state criminal police office, Guido Limmer, said investigators found a chat, apparently with relatives, in which the suspect wrote "perhaps I won't be there anymore tomorrow," but so far they have found nothing that points to concrete preparations for the attack or anyone else being involved. 

The man had no previous convictions and had a valid residence permit. Tilmann also said there was no indication of mental illness. 

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reportedly laid a flower at the attack scene Friday morning, where he condemned "the brutality of this act" and said that it "leaves us stunned." 

A spokesperson for the vice president told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Vance and President Zelenskyy will meet on the sidelines of the conference, where the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is likely to be a focus.  

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

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Blake Lively demands Justin Baldoni's phone records to expose methods allegedly used to 'destroy' her

Blake Lively is on the hunt for "receipts."

Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds' legal team subpoenaed phone records of Justin Baldoni and others involved in the courtroom showdown over an alleged plot to ruin the actress' reputation. Lively accused Baldoni of setting out on a smear campaign after allegedly sexually harassing the "Gossip Girl" star on the set of "It Ends With Us."

"Ms. Lively has initiated discovery that will expose the people, tactics, and methods that have worked to ‘destroy’ and ‘bury’ her reputation and family over the past year," Lively's lawyers, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

"We will now receive all of the ‘receipts’ that, unsurprisingly, are nowhere to be found on Mr. Freedman’s website, and like Ms. Lively, those ‘receipts’ will have their day in court."

BLAKE LIVELY VS. JUSTIN BALDONI: EVERYTHING TO KNOW

The legal team sent out subpoenas to phone carriers and internet providers in a move they claim will uncover "irrefutable evidence" Baldoni spearheaded a smear campaign to destroy Lively's reputation.

"Phone records belonging to all of the individual defendants will expose the full web of individuals who were involved in the smear campaign against Ms. Lively," another statement read. "Such records will provide critical and irrefutable evidence not only about who, but also about when, where, and how their retaliation plan came together and operated."

Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, slammed the move as a "fishing expedition."

JUSTIN BALDONI CLAIMS BLAKE LIVELY ‘NEVER INTENDED’ TO FILE LAWSUIT: DOCS

"Subpoenas are an ordinary part of the litigation process," Freedman told Fox News Digital. "What is extraordinary is what the Lively Parties are seeking. They are asking for every single call, text, data log, and even real-time location information for the past 2.5 years, regardless of the sender, recipient, or subject matter."

"This massive fishing expedition demonstrates that they are desperately seeking any factual basis for their provably false claims. They will find none."

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Lively's team also subpoenaed records of Jed Wallace, who they claim helped Baldoni lead a negative campaign against the actress.

"In their internal private messages that Baldoni's team never expected anyone would see, they bragged that thanks to Jed’s work they saw a shift in the narrative to putting a spotlight on Blake and laughed at how sad it was that people so easily want to hate on a woman," Lively's lawyers told Fox News Digital. "We look forward to investigating more about Jed Wallace’s entire business model and what else he was doing to distract from the very real sexual harassment and retaliation claims made by Ms. Lively. We are delighted to be able to start discovery on it."

Meanwhile, Wallace along with his crisis PR firm, Street Relations Inc., sued Lively for defamation on Feb. 4. The actress had named Wallace and his crisis consulting firm in her initial complaint with the State of California Civil Rights Department but not her formal lawsuit. However, Wallace insisted reputation damage was already done and sued Lively seeking punitive damages in an amount of "not less than $6,000,000." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital about the defamation lawsuit, Lively's legal team said, "Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation. This is not just a publicity stunt — it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms. Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department. While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court."

WATCH: HOW COULD RELEASED TEXTS IMPACT BLAKE LIVELY-JUSTIN BALDONI CASE?

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In December, Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.

Baldoni, in his own lawsuit filed in January, insisted that Lively "falsely" had accused him in an attempt to repair her reputation amid the fallout around the movie's press tour after the actress took control of the film. Baldoni's legal team claimed that Lively had no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment.

Both sides have denied the allegations.

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'Categorically untrue': Key government agency pushes back against media narratives of DOGE chaos

FIRST ON FOX: The General Services Administration (GSA), an independent agency that manages federal property for various agencies, is pushing back on recent media outlets reporting that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has instilled fear among employees and insists it is continuing to deliver efficient and effective services with employees that are focused on their mission. 

"Over the past few days, numerous media outlets have reported on GSA’s return to office and future workforce plans," the GSA said in a statement released on Wednesday. "These reports include numerous quotes from anonymous sources and contain significant inaccuracies."

Several media outlets, including NPR, Politico and The Associated Press, have reported on a chaotic scene in recent days at GSA as DOGE searches the government bureaucracy for waste, and it has been reported that GSA is closely monitoring employees' location and keystrokes and employees are calling the situation "grim" and "Orwellian" while reportedly facing massive staffing cuts. 

"For the record: GSA is leading the way to reduce government spend[ing] and close the deficit in service of the American taxpayer," GSA’s statement continued. "GSA has no plans to surveil employees. GSA leadership is being forthright with our employees, and we’re sharing the best available information with them as they make decisions regarding their future. Characterizations that GSA senior leadership are unduly pressuring employees to leave the agency are categorically untrue."

TRUMP SIGNS ORDER INSTRUCTING DOGE TO MASSIVELY CUT FEDERAL WORKFORCE

A GSA career senior manager who has worked in multiple administrations told Fox News Digital that "the press seem to be trying to conflate DOGE with our agency's appointee leadership team." 

"GSA, like every other agency, is working in partnership with DOGE, but it's GSA's appointee leadership that is leading the transformation."

The senior manager told Fox News Digital that career staff have relayed a sentiment of being "grateful for the frequency and tone of communications from our appointee leadership" and that the team is "focused on the mission" 

"Characterizations of ‘frantic’ meetings just aren't what I'm experiencing," the senior manager said. 

DOGE SLASHES OVER $100M IN DEI FUNDING AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: 'WIN FOR EVERY STUDENT'

The GSA has been involved in working with DOGE on its cost-cutting measures, including earlier this month when the agency issued a letter terminating the U.S. Agency for International Development occupancies in Washington, D.C., which GSA said "will be repurposed for other government needs."

The manager told Fox News Digital that rather than an agency in "fear," the agency is working efficiently to work with DOGE to ensure that the government is streamlined.

"GSA's appointed leadership is working hand in hand with our career executives to thoughtfully find solutions that meet the administration's goals of streamlining government and delivering effectively and efficiently for the American taxpayer," GSA’s statement added. 

"GSA’s subcomponent, the Federal Acquisition Service, led by Josh Gruenbaum, is committed to a common sense approach to federal procurement, delivering goods and services with the best value, and helping all government agencies reduce wasteful contract spending. Optimizing GSA’s real estate portfolio prioritizes reducing our deferred maintenance liabilities, supporting the return to office of federal employees, and taking advantage of a stronger private/government partnership in managing the workforce of the future."

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Heritage president reacts to 'Project 2025' promptly dropping from liberals' lips as DOGE takes ax to DC

FIRST ON FOX: In the heat of the 2024 election cycle, the name Project 2025 was on the lips of Democrats and mainstream media figures everywhere, until it was not.

President Donald Trump’s win ushered in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its de-facto leader, Elon Musk. At the same time, Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, launched DOGE committees in Congress, and Project 2025 appeared to fall to the political wayside.

Trump himself repeatedly dispelled allegations he and Project 2025 – a thousand-page policy proposal product of the conservative Heritage Foundation – were joined at the political hip.

Meanwhile, Heritage leaders past and present, like Reagan Attorney General Edwin Meese and Heritage President Kevin Roberts, rejected claims there has been anything radical about Project 2025. The quadrennial work has been published under various titles and compositions since the 1980 presidential cycle, with some exceptions.

PROJECT 2025 REMAINS NONPARTISAN, TRUE TO 1980S GOOD-GOVT INCEPTION DESPITE WILD OUTCRY: KEY FIGURES

Roberts, who wrote the foreword to Project 2025, said voters’ collective voices ushered in Trump and DOGE’s current work, not necessarily the policy proposals of Washington’s conservative "do-tank" or scholars inside-the-beltway writ-large.

"The American people delivered a clear mandate in November: dismantle the bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy that is the Deep State. And the latest polling – a 53% approval rating - confirms overwhelming support for President Trump’s efforts to do just that," he said.

When asked about liberals’ panic over Project 2025 and how it has been muted with the rise of DOGE, Roberts suggested the left will latch onto anything to make an issue out of it if they believe they can make gains.

"The Left has no new ideas—just unpopular ones. When they fail to win on substance, they simply choose to attack. First, it was Project 2025. Now, it’s DOGE. Different name, same baseless fearmongering," Roberts said in a Monday interview. "But make no mistake: the American people are ready for real change, and we’re not backing down."

Nonetheless, Project 2025 became styled as a "right-wing boogeyman" talking point on the left.

TRUMP PLANS FIRST PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO HELENE-RAVAGED NC

Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., founded the "Stop Project 2025 Task Force" last year, comparing the project to a "Blitzkrieg" and saying that lawmakers must understand it and "prepare ourselves accordingly."

At the Democratic National Convention, both Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, held up copies of Project 2025 on stage.

"It is a radical plan to drag us backwards, bankrupt the middle class, and raise prices on working class families like yours and mine," said Kenyatta, who has since been elected DNC vice chairman along with gun control activist David Hogg.

The Project’s rumored reputation became fodder for constituents at town halls as well, including in one swing-seat congressional race where a Republican’s incredulous response led to a viral moment, according to Politico.

PROJECT 2025 ISSUES BLISTERING RESPONSE TO HARRIS VIA DOZENS OF INDEPENDENT FACT CHECKS

New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. was asked about Project 2025 at such an event and responded he had never read the document.

"The first time I’ve ever heard of being supportive of it was when I was accused of supporting it," Kean reportedly replied.

One of Trump and Musk’s more recent major endeavors – taking an ax to USAID – is more a project of DOGE, while Project 2025 suggests a more measured approach to rein in the agency’s expenditures and politicization.

That project section, authored by former agency COO Max Primorac, describes USAID as having been "deformed" by the Biden administration to pursue a "divisive political and cultural agenda."

Primorac suggests the next administration "scale back" USAID’s global footprint and return it to pre-COVID budget levels while "deradicalizing" its programs and cutting its international affairs accounts.

Additionally, former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli wrote in Project 2025 that the president should "pursue legislation to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security" and that it has not "gelled into one DHS" as was its goal when founded after 9/11.

DOGE MEETS CONGRESS: GOP LAWMAKER LAUNCHES CAUCUS TO HELP MUSK ‘TAKE ON CRAZYTOWN’

Cuccinelli had argued that breaking up DHS along "mission[-related] lines" would lead to a more effective government apparatus.

Instead, Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem have expanded DHS’ role versus the Biden administration, including the addition of former ICE acting Director Tom Homan as border czar.

DOGE’s ruminations about reforming or trimming the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – which have enraged the likes of its proverbial "founder" Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. – were, however, mirrored in the policy proposal anthology.

"Elon Musk and the guy who wrote Project 2025, Russ Vought, are trying to kill the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," Warren said Monday. "If they succeed, CEOs and Wall Street will once again be free to trick, trap and cheat you."

Vought did not write Project 2025. He was credited as the author for Chapter 2, which analyzes the executive office of the president.

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Former Chase-Manhattan Bank Vice President Robert Bowes called CFPB "highly politicized, damaging, and utterly unaccountable" in a section of the project he authored.

"It is unconstitutional. Congress should abolish the CFPB and reverse Dodd–Frank Section 1061, thus returning the consumer protection function of the CFPB to banking regulators," Bowes wrote.

Recent media headlines have tried to tie DOGE to the project, with critical stories headlined "Project 2025 Architect" in reference to people like Vought.

Roberts said Trump’s team should be the beneficiary of such headlines, in that "he and his team deserve the credit" – and that it is a welcome sight that people who embody Heritage’s guiding principles are being tapped for top positions in the new administration.

"Heritage is thrilled to see President Trump appoint so many hardworking patriots who put America First. Russ is one of the great statesmen of our age—a brilliant, principled leader with the vision and intellect to take on ‘The Swamp’ and win."

"Between Russ at the helm of OMB and Elon at the helm of DOGE, they will rein in wasteful spending, restore fiscal discipline, and ensure that our government serves the people—not the other way around."

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AZ Senate leader urges Burgum to reverse Biden-Obama 'land grabs' on uranium sites

Arizona’s Senate president will urge Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to undo former President Joe Biden’s "land grab" in the Grand Canyon State that he said wrongly cordoned off nearly 1 million acres in the state for future energy exploration.

State Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said in a letter to President Donald Trump’s new Cabinet official – and obtained by Fox News Digital – that he will take swift and sweeping actions like undoing certain national monument designations to "Make America Energy Dominant Again."

"On his first day in office, President Trump directed you and the rest of his cabinet to immediately identify and rescind all agency actions that impose an undue burden on the development of domestic energy resources like critical minerals and nuclear energy resources," Petersen wrote.

Biden’s proclamation making 900,000 acres near the Grand Canyon the "Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni" or "Ancestral Footprints National Monument" nixed any exploration of what scientists believe is more than 300 million pounds of uranium, according to Petersen.

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Undoing that "land grab" would both make the U.S. less reliant on foreign uranium and be a potential energy source breakthrough.

Notably, during Trump’s first administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions looked into allegations of a "racketeering scheme" involving Russian entities trying to forward Moscow’s energy goals within the U.S., in relation to the sale of the company Uranium One to Russian energy giant Rosatom – in what Trump called the "Real Russia Story" of the 2016 election cycle.

In 2017, Hillary Clinton maintained allegations of Clinton or Clinton Foundation involvement in the Uranium One situation were "debunked repeatedly."

According to the left-wing Center for American Progress, the Biden administration issued protections for 28 million acres in Alaska to keep them from the reach of oil and gas interests, as well as 625 marine acres along coastlines for similar reasons.

"Virtually all of the uranium used in America comes from foreign powers," Petersen wrote, adding that former President Barack Obama also enacted a ban on domestic uranium mining during his term.

"President Biden’s action made this prohibition permanent," he said. 

ALASKANS LAUNCH GROUP HIGHLIGHTING HOW US CAN BE STRENGTHENED VIA THE LAST FRONTIER

In 2018, the Supreme Court declined to hear a case in which the Ninth Circuit ruled against the GOP and mining interests as they hoped to nix the ban – announced by then-Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar as a block on new mining on federal lands near the Grand Canyon for 20 years.

Petersen estimated the uranium beneath Ancestral Footprints is equivalent to 13 billion barrels of oil in an area the size of Rhode Island – and that he and other Arizona officials have fought such "land grabs" for more than a decade.

As leader of Arizona’s upper chamber, Petersen said the feds already own nearly half of the land in his state. The newest national monument does nothing to protect the Grand Canyon, as critics reportedly claimed.

Included among the justifications for the new monument, he said, was the protection of the northern grasshopper mouse, which can reportedly carry fleas infected with the plague.

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Petersen told Fox News Digital on Monday that the previous administration "trashed the Constitution to steal land and critical resources from Arizonans" and that he led the fight against such "generational theft" from the people of Arizona.

"I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to reverse the rampant federal overreach and allow Arizona to regain control over its Tenth Amendment rights."

"We know President Trump and Secretary Burgum will help make Arizona great again as our state and nation heal from the unconstitutional onslaught of the previous administration."

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Noem responds to Secret Service scrutiny as Trump to become 1st president to attend Super Bowl

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the U.S. Secret Service, which is tasked with protecting President Donald Trump while he makes history Sunday as the first sitting U.S. president to attend the Super Bowl. 

The Secret Service falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security. Asked if she'd had sufficient time to get into the department and investigate the lapses leading up to the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Noem told "Fox News Sunday" host Shannon Bream that DHS was "moving in the right direction," while stressing that hundreds of other DHS personnel outside Secret Service alone would be deployed during the game. 

"And I'm proud of Secret Service and all the work that they do every day. They make incredible sacrifices to keep people safe, and on the investigative side, have a lot of that training as well," Noem said. "But for this event, we've deployed many other assets as well. We're obviously working with the local authorities, with the governor and with his agencies that he has that he's detailed to this." 

"But we have several different agencies under the Department of Homeland Security that have put hundreds of individuals, investigators and military police folks that are used to these kinds of crowd control and security operations in their other departments that are focused on today to make sure that this big event is going to be safe and that we're going to make the right decisions in these situations that could arise and get everybody home safely," Noem added. 

TRUMP DIRECTS SECRET SERVICE TO GIVE HIM ‘EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION’ ABOUT HIS ATTEMPTED ASSASSINS: REPORT

The Super Bowl is being hosted in New Orleans, just a month after the New Year's Day terrorist truck-ramming attack against Bourbon Street revelers killed 14 victims and injured 35 others. The Super Bowl is DHS's largest event of the year. Noem was asked what changes there are as far as security preparations, now that Trump will be in attendance at the Superdome in New Orleans to watch the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles. 

"It is so special that the president, the first time in history is going to the Super Bowl," Noem said. "So, while we have been focused on security operations there for many, many months and have been preparing for this day, to have President Trump be there just amplifies the message that a great game means that everybody got to go celebrate, support their team and leave and get home safely." 

On Friday, Trump told the New York Post that he ordered the Secret Service to hand him "every bit of information" known about his two would-be assassins, Thomas Crooks and Ryan Routh. 

"No more holding back because of Biden," Trump reportedly said. "I’m entitled to know. And they held it back long enough." 

"I want to find out about the two assassins," the president added. "Why did the one guy have six cellphones and why did the other guy have [foreign] apps?" 

Last week, Noem and NFL security officials hosted a press conference detailing preparations ahead of the game. 

TRUMP GOLFS WITH TIGER WOODS AHEAD OF EXPECTED SUPER BOWL LIX VISIT

At the time, she said DHS would have around 700 personnel on the ground for the game, but would not be specific about the numbers because "we maintain the prerogative to adjust those numbers as we see fit." 

Beyond the ground response, Noem said DHS also had regulations in the air regarding drone traffic, as well as cybersecurity operations to monitor online activity. 

"We will be utilizing different agencies and departments under the umbrella of Homeland Security, but President Trump has also made a commitment for us to be able to deploy other assets from other departments and agencies, and I appreciate the flexibility that he has given us to make sure that we're addressing this even in a way that we see as responsive coming forward," Noem said. "We're grateful for that interagency support, and I believe that it is unprecedented." 

"This Super Bowl exemplifies how we come together to safeguard our traditions," Noem said. "How we come together to make sure the public is well-informed and gets to celebrate something that's very special to us – to our culture, to our people and to our families. But we also do it in a way that's reactive to what we see as the current environment that we see in the world today. The world is a much more dangerous place, but here in the homeland, we are safe."  

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he was deploying an additional 350 National Guard troops to support the federal effort.

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Noem recognized the "strength, unity and resiliency of this city" in the wake of the Jan. 1 terrorist attack, adding that there were no specific, credible threats to the Super Bowl at that time. 

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