Fox News Politics Newsletter: Fast start to Trump’s second term leaves fed workers shocked

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

Here's what's happening…

-You're hired! Here's who passed Congress' Trump cabinet test and how stormy their hearings were

-Drone footage shows possible cartel on cartel activity near U.S. southern border

-Bondi sworn in as attorney general with mission to end 'weaponization' of Justice Department

Staffers and contractors who work with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were stunned and angered after President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – the government accountability unit headed by billionaire Elon Musk – effectively shut down the $40 billion agency on Monday.

One USAID staffer who wished to remain anonymous told Fox News Digital that 80% of staff across its bureaus learned they lost access to the agency’s systems on Monday morning, including travel, communications, classified information and databases – leading to questions about how to repatriate American citizens in some of the most dangerous places in the world should the need arise.

Staffers also feel they were "left high and dry" and "have no idea what to do or where to turn" after being "abandoned by Congress and the government," the source said, adding they felt the agency was "hostilely taken over by DOGE."…Read more

'OBSTRUCTION': USAID has 'demonstrated pattern of obstructionism,' claims top DOGE Republican in letter to Rubio…Read more

'BIG MONEY FRAUD': DOGE targets Medicare agency, looking for fraud…Read more

DOGE HOUSE: White House calls Democrat criticism of DOGE 'unacceptable' and 'incredibly alarming'…Read more

'DOGE FEVER': States from NJ to TX draft similar initiatives as federal leaders celebrate…Read more

GAZA DEPLOYMENTS?: Trump not committing to putting US troops in Gaza…Read more

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Authorities nab White House fence climber just two weeks into Trump's new term…Read more

STRATEGY SESSION: Trump to holding Oval Office meeting with Texas Gov. Abbott over 'securing the southern border'…Read more

EO BLOCKED: Second federal judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order…Read more

'DASTARDLY DEEDS': Texas Dem launches first Trump impeachment articles over Gaza…Read more

DEPORTED: Washington sends first group of Indian migrants with US military plane to home country…Read more

'WAKE UP CALL': Foreign policy experts split on whether Trump will follow through with Gaza takeover: 'It's a wakeup call'…Read more

FILLING THE CABINET: Trump's commerce pick with crypto ties advances to Senate floor…Read more

HOUSE OF CARDS: GOP rebels push for $2.5 trillion cuts in Trump budget bill during tense closed-door meeting…Read more

SNOOZE YOU LOSE: Senators set to leapfrog House Republicans with anticipated budget plan…Read more

VOUGHT ADVANCES: Senate tees up Trump budget chief pick Russell Vought for final confirmation vote…Read more

MCCONNELL FALLS: Former GOP leader McConnell falls while exiting Senate chamber after Turner confirmation vote…Read more

THE COMING 'RECKONING': Trans lawsuit lobbed against Trump admin based on 'faulty interpretations': Legal expert…Read more

'LOSING THEIR MINDS': Dem lawmakers face backlash for invoking 'unhinged' violent rhetoric against Musk…Read more

'RESTORING PEACE': Johnson says Trump's Gaza takeover proposal could be 'bold step' in restoring peace…Read more

'POLITICALLY MOTIVATED': Dems' 'delay tactic' to 'malign' Patel and stall FBI confirmation dismissed as 'baseless' by top Senate leader…Read more

CLIMATE CHANGES: Trump's executive order forces NJ to cancel its first offshore wind farm…Read more

ENERGIZED PRIORITIES: Energy Sec. Wright outlines 'Day 1' priorities: Refilling SPR, promoting 'energy addition, not subtraction'…Read more

LACK OF 'SELF-WORTH': New York Democrat eyeing Stefanik's seat ripped Border Patrol, corrections officers in resurfaced interview…Read more

GOVERNOR HARRIS?: Major California Democrat predicts Kamala Harris would be 'field-clearing' if former VP runs for governor…Read more

TOUCHDOWN: Former NFL player Scott Turner confirmed to lead Housing and Urban Development…Read more

'SORELY NEEDED': Nassau County executive on police officers assisting with immigration enforcement…Read more

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Texas Dem launches first Trump impeachment articles over Gaza

Democratic Rep. Al Green, the Houston, Texas, congressman who made three attempts to impeach President Donald Trump during his first term, initiated his first impeachment effort in 2025.

Green rose to address the House on Wednesday and said "ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the President of the United States."

"And [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] should be ashamed, knowing the history of his people, to stand there and allow such things to be said."

Green went on to say his formal impeachment articles are for "dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done."

REP. AL GREEN SAYS PRESIDENT IS 'NO BETTER THAN' KKK IN WAKE OF 'LYNCHING' TWEET

Trump had announced Tuesday the U.S. would "take over" war-torn Gaza and allow Palestinians to relocate while it is being essentially repaired.

"I also rise to say that the impeachment movement is going to be a grass up movement, not a top down… I did it before, I laid the foundation for impeachment, and it was done. Nobody knows more about it than I," Green went on.

"And I know that it time for us to lay the foundation again. On some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all on this issue. I stand alone. But I stand for justice."

Other Democrats appeared lukewarm to Green’s current bid.

"It’s not a focus of our caucus," said House Democratic Caucus Chair Peter Aguilar, D-Calif. 

Green’s previous attempts were separate from those successful impeachments forwarded by now-California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and others – which related to Trump’s 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the 2021 Capitol riot.

One Green resolution centered on 2019 Trump tweets deriding members of the left-wing Squad, wherein the president remarked "they [should] go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing at the time of one of Green’s previous impeachment attempts, Republican staff posted a banner of the Democrat’s own words:

"I’m concerned that if we don’t impeach this president, he will get re-elected," Green had said.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins – then the panel’s ranking member – listed Green’s comments as one of several in remarks criticizing Democrats for trying to usurp the power of the voting booth through political maneuvering.

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"For Democrats, it has been and will always be, to paraphrase Lewis Carroll: ‘Sentence first, verdict later,’" Collins said at the time.

During the Obama administration, the late Rep. Walter Jones Jr., R-N.C., similarly repeatedly called for President Barack Obama’s impeachment over issues ranging from the use of drones to troop casualties in Syria.

Fox News Digital reached out to Green’s office and was told "it is a matter of time" when the articles would be filed.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Singer, songwriter Joy Villa wears DOGE coin dress to Grammys, supports Trump’s deportation crackdown

Singer and songwriter Joy Villa, well-known for her contentious attire at Grammy Award shows, strutted the red carpet once again on Sunday in a gown that served up a strong message.

Villa was spotted at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in a gold dress and necklace dispersed with images of the DOGE Shiba Inu dog meme, a necklace featuring his face and a red hat that read "The hat stays on."

"I was kind of a walking meme," Villa told Fox News Digital. "Obviously, I’m a MAGA girl and MAGA and crypto are starting to bridge the gap."

JOY VILLA TURNS HEADS WITH PRO-LIFE OUTFIT AT THE GRAMMYS

"Cryptocurrency represents freedom," she added. "We can disengage from the big banks. As artists, we can dictate our own financial independence."

The dress was tailored by atelier dress designer Andre Soriano, who also curated the controversial "Make America Great Again" dress Villa first wore to the 2017 Grammys.

"I’ve had people try to snatch my MAGA hats off," Villa said.

Villa said that among the vicious rhetoric she has received since expressing her support for President Donald Trump and his policies eight years ago are threats of sexual assault and death in addition to racial slurs. Despite having experienced vocal and physical backlash, Villa said the hat sends a message of her courage, resilience and vibrancy.

'MAGA' DRESS DESIGNER FORCED TO REMOVE TRUMP SIGNS FROM BUSINESS, RESIDENCE WHEN 'KAREN' CALLED POLICE

"I don’t worship Trump, but I worship Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, and I know that God gave me a voice to speak in Hollywood as an artist, as an actress, as a musician," Villa told Fox News Digital. "The red carpet is my battlefield."

A focal point of Villa’s conservative messaging at high-profile events is her religious devotion.

"I shared Jesus Christ with every single person I interviewed and none of them posted that," she said.

"America needs to bless God because the fight is not over yet," she added. "We got to stop aborting babies. We got to put prayer back in schools. Nobody needs to have their religion demonized and, for some reason, you can say every other name at the Grammys or the red carpet awards except for Jesus Christ."

SINGER JOY VILLA MAKES A POLITICAL FASHION STATEMENT AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD

While Villa’s remarks about religion were passed over by the media, her message in support of the deportations of illegal immigrants in the U.S. was publicized.

"I’m a proud Afro-Latina," she said. "I know being in the Latina community, being a woman of color, I know how much illegal immigration hurts us, and people won’t talk about that."

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has acted on his promise of mass deportations and cracked down on illegal immigration. This has included ending deportation protection for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and deporting thousands of illegal immigrants to Mexico.

"It is a crime to come here illegally," Villa said. "I’ve traveled to 39 countries and in every single one of them I had to get the proper documentation and show my ID."

Villa scrutinized actress Selena Gomez for taking to social media recently to cry about President Trump’s swift action removing illegal immigrants.

"Girl, sit all the way down," Villa said. "You are an American citizen and those are not your people."

"Deport everyone who's coming here illegally," she said.

Senate confirms Doug Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs

The Senate confirmed former Rep. Doug Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday.

Collins scored one of the widest bipartisan votes of any Trump Cabinet nominee so far: 77 to 23. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed 99-0. 

The Air Force Reserve chaplain served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, where he defended President Donald Trump during the 2019 impeachment inquiry.

Collins also passed through the Veterans’ Affairs Committee on a wide bipartisan vote – only Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, voted against him. 

Collins will now head an agency marred by budget shortfalls, millions paid out to executives who weren’t eligible to receive them, and complaints from veterans about long wait times for care. It’ll be his first time leading an organization as sprawling as the VA, with its 400,000 employees and 1,300 health facilities. 

HAWAII'S HIRONO ONLY SENATOR TO VOTE NO ON COLLINS, CONTINUING PARTISAN STREAK AT HEARINGS

"I do not come into this with rose-colored glasses. This is a large undertaking that I feel called to be at," Collins said. "When a veteran has to call a congressman or senator’s office to get the care they have already earned, it’s a mark of failure."

In response to questions about Trump’s focus on budget cuts and a hiring freeze, Collins said he would work to ensure that did not come at the expense of veterans’ care. 

"I'm gonna take care of the veterans. That means that we're not gonna balance budgets on the back of veterans benefits."

Collins said he aligned with Trump on allowing veterans choice for their healthcare. Trump during his first term pushed through the Mission Act, which allowed veterans to choose the VA or private care in their communities. 

"I believe you can have both. I believe you have a strong VA as it currently exists and have the community care aspect," he said.

Democrats repeatedly asked Collins to promise not to privatize the VA, so many times that Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., asked him to "pinky swear" not to do it. Collins held up his pinky to promise that would not happen. 

Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies

President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace.

Trump dismissed inspector generals at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Veterans Affairs and more, notifying them by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the Washington Post first reported.

"It’s a widespread massacre," one of the terminated inspector generals told the Post. "Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Trump's action may violate federal law that requires the president to give 30 days' notice to Congress of his intent to fire any independent watchdog, the Associated Press reported. 

‘FLOODING THE ZONE’ TRUMP HITS WARP SPEED IN FIRST WEEK BACK IN OFFICE

"There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so," Grassley said in a statement. "I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30 day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress." 

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. 

Inspector generals at federal agencies are called on to investigate government waste, fraud and abuse. They operate independently and can serve in multiple administrations.

The mass firing is Trump's latest attempt to force the federal bureaucracy into submission after he shut down diversity, equity and inclusion programs, rescinded job offers and sidelined more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials. Trump began his second term with the intent of purging any opponents of his agenda from the government and replacing them with officials who would execute his orders without hesitation. 

TRUMP TO DECLASSIFY JFK FILES: FAMED DOCTOR WHO INVESTIGATED ASSASSINATION PREDICTS WHAT AMERICANS COULD LEARN

Among those spared from Trump's wrath was Department of Justice inspector general Michael Horowitz, the New York Times reported. Horowitz led the investigation of the FBI's Russian collusion probe, which exposed at least 17 "significant inaccuracies and omissions" in the FBI's application for a FISA warrant in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., slammed Trump's firings, calling them a "purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night." 

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

"President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption," Warren posted on X.

During his first term, Trump fired five inspectors general in less than two months in 2020. This included the State Department, whose inspector general had played a role in the president's impeachment proceedings.

Last year, Trump's predecessor Joe Biden fired the inspector general of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, after an investigation found the official had created a hostile work environment.

In 2022, Congress passed reforms that strengthened protections for inspectors general and made it harder to replace them with political appointees, requiring the president to explain their removal.

Who is John Fleming, the Freedom Caucus founding member challenging GOP Sen Bill Cassidy?

Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming, who aims to unseat Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., during the Bayou State's 2026 U.S. Senate contest, assailed the incumbent as a "RINO Republican" during an interview with Fox News Digital, using the acronym that abbreviates the phrase "Republican in name only."

Fleming, who served as a U.S. House lawmaker from early 2009 through early 2017, was one of the founding members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. 

He ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2016 and held several posts during the first President Donald Trump administration. In 2023, with Trump's endorsement, he won election to serve as the Pelican State's treasurer.

When asked by Fox News Digital to name some lawmakers he largely aligns with ideologically, Fleming mentioned GOP Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris of Maryland, as well as Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah.

RFK JR. ‘WRONG’ ABOUT VACCINATIONS, GOP SENATOR SAYS

When asked whether there are any federal departments or entities that he would like to see fully abolished, Fleming replied that if there are any federal entities he thinks should be eliminated, he said, "First on my list would be the Department of Education."

Regarding the debt ceiling, he said if he were in office, he would seek to "leverage" debt ceiling increases to lower spending, adding, "I don't think we should raise the debt ceiling."

Fleming indicated that he supports foreign aid in some cases.

"I do believe in some level of foreign aid, particularly military foreign aid, when it's in the best interest of the people of the United States," he noted, suggesting that the U.S. should assist Taiwan and Israel. 

Fleming said that America must "be careful about" involving itself in affairs abroad. Pointing to Afghanistan and Iraq, he said, "We seem to win the wars but lose the peace."

Fleming indicated that he is supportive of the TikTok ban that passed last year, because he does not believe it is "wise for us to allow the Chinese or any other foreign power, or even our own government, to spy on us through our social media." He opined that the social media platform should be banned until it is no longer under the influence of the Communist Chinese Party government of China.

PRO-TRUMP IMPEACHMENT REPUBLICAN SEN BILL CASSIDY TARGETED FOR OUSTER BY FREEDOM CAUCUS FOUNDING MEMBER

In Louisiana's jungle primary system, candidates of various parties run against each other, and if any candidate wins the majority, they win election to the role — but if no candidate gets the majority, the top two finishers compete in a runoff.

When Cassidy ran in 2014, he placed second in a field that included seven other candidates, advancing along with incumbent Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu to a runoff, which Cassidy won.

When Cassidy was re-elected in 2020, he won the majority and avoided a runoff, defeating a field of more than a dozen other candidates.

Cassidy was one of the seven GOP senators who voted to convict President Trump after the 2021 House impeachment in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Trump had already departed from office by the time of the February Senate vote, and the number of senators who voted to convict ultimately fell short of the threshold necessary for conviction.

During a CNN appearance that the outlet shared on social media in 2023, Cassidy said he thought Trump should drop out of the presidential contest, though the lawmaker noted that the decision was up to Trump, who he said would lose to President Joe Biden based on the polls at the time.

HEGSETH BACKED BY LOUISIANA SEN. BILL CASSIDY TO LEAD THE PENTAGON UNDER TRUMP

After Trump had become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee last year, Kristin Welker asked Cassidy on "Meet the Press" whether he would endorse Trump. The senator responded by saying that he planned to vote for a Republican for president.

Cassidy in June pledged to work with Trump if the candidate returned to the White House. 

"Just met with my colleagues and President Trump. I was elected to work for Louisiana and the United States of America. I commit to working with President Trump if he is the next president—and it appears he is going to be—to make things better for all," the senator said in a statement at the time.

He congratulated Trump and Vice President JD Vance on their inaugurations earlier this week.

"Today, the American people start winning again. Republicans are going to secure the border, unleash American energy, and protect American manufacturing," he noted in the statement. "Congratulations to President Trump and Vice President Vance. Let’s get to work!"

The lawmaker, who has served in the U.S. Senate for just over a decade, previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Trump endorsed Cassidy when the senator sought re-election in 2020, thanking him for supporting the Make America Great Again agenda, and praising his "outstanding" work representing Louisianans and Americans at large.

"THANK YOU @BillCassidy for all of your support with our #MAGA Agenda. You are doing an outstanding job representing the people of Louisiana & the U.S.A. You have my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump declared in a post.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Cassidy campaign spokesman said of Fleming, "He came in 5th place last time he ran for Senate in 2016 and currently has $500k in campaign debt."

According to a Cassidy campaign press release, the senator "raised another $1 million across his reelection, leadership, and joint fundraising committees in the fourth quarter of 2024, bringing his campaign cash-on-hand to over $6.5 million."

The Fleming campaign responded to the Cassidy spokesperson's comment in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"The senate campaign loan is 100% owed to Treasurer Fleming, personally," Fleming's campaign noted. "With regard to placement, Sen Cassidy ran against a weak Republican and a politically-wounded Democrat who had voted for Obamacare among other things. And, he had the backing of the entire Republican Party." 

"Treasurer Fleming ran in an open seat against 23 opponents of all parties, some of whom divided his political base geographically as well as ideologically," the statement continued. "Sen. John Kennedy ultimately won Fleming's senate race as he was also the Louisiana State Treasurer and had run for the Senate before as Fleming is currently. What truly matters at this time is that Senator Cassidy voted to convict President Trump in the second impeachment trial during Trump's first term. Had Trump been convicted, it would have foreclosed any possibility to reelect Trump leading to either a second Biden term or a Kamala Harris Presidency."

‘Ultra-right’: Trump budget chief pick Russell Vought faces fire from Dem senators

Democratic lawmakers grilled President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on a series of issues Wednesday, ranging from abortion to the constitutionality of the Impoundment Control Act. 

While Republicans argue that Russell Vought is qualified for the role because he served as Trump’s OMB director during the president's first term, Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have labeled Vought an "ultra-right" ideologue. 

Vought appeared before the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday for a confirmation hearing and defended his previous statements that the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional — an issue Democrats claim should disqualify him from leading the Office of Management and Budget.

TRUMP'S TREASURY NOMINEE TURNS THE TABLES ON SANDERS IN TESTY EXCHANGE ABOUT BIDEN'S ‘OLIGARCHY’ COMMENTS 

The law, adopted in 1974, stipulates that Congress may oversee the executive branch’s withholding of budget authority, and affirmed that Congress holds the power of the purse. Ultimately, the law bars the executive branch from circumventing Congress and withholding appropriated funds.

The first Trump administration and Vought have come under fire after the Office of Management and Budget held up $214 million in military aid for Ukraine in 2019, a decision that ultimately led to Trump’s first impeachment.

"You’re quite comfortable assuming that the law doesn’t matter and that you’ll just treat the money for a program as a ceiling… rather than a required amount," Senate Budget Committee ranking member Jeff Merkley said. "Well, the courts have found otherwise."

TRUMP TREASURY PICK: EXTENDING TRUMP TAX CUTS ‘SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ISSUE’

Additionally, the Supreme Court also ruled in 1975 that the executive branch cannot impound funds without congressional oversight. 

In that case, Train v. City of New York, the Supreme Court determined the Environmental Protection Agency must use full funding included in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, even though then-President Richard Nixon issued orders not to use all the funding. 

Lawmakers have pointed to this case in Vought's confirmation hearings as further evidence that the executive branch cannot tie up funding Congress has approved. 

Even so, Vought told lawmakers in multiple exchanges he believes the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional, because presidents historically could spend less than what Congress had approved prior to the Impoundment Control Act, and that Trump campaigned on that position.

Democrats aren’t the only ones worried about Vought’s views on the Impoundment Control Act. Senate Budget Committee chair Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he also shared some concerns and would disclose them at a markup hearing for Vought’s nomination. 

Vought also faced questioning on his views regarding abortion, given his connection as an author of Project 2025, a political initiative The Heritage Foundation released in 2023 that called for policy changes, including instituting a national ban on abortion medication. 

Other proposals included in Project 2025 include eliminating the Department of Education, cutting DEI programs, and reducing funding for Medicare and Medicaid. 

"You have said that you don’t believe in exceptions for rape, for incest, or the life of the mother," said Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. "Is that your position?"

"Senator, my views are not important. I’m here on behalf of the president," Vought said. 

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

Trump has repeatedly stated that he backs abortion in certain instances, and stated that "powerful exceptions" for abortion would remain in place under his administration.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pressed Vought on whether healthcare is a "human right." Sanders has previously introduced legislation called the Medicare for All Act that would establish a federal, national health insurance program. 

"Do you think we should join every other major country on Earth and say, ‘You know what? Whether you’re poor, you’re rich, you’re young, you’re old, healthcare is a human right,’" Sanders said. "We have the richest country in the history of the world. Do you think we should do what every other major country on Earth does?"

Vought declined to disclose specifics, but said that he believed it's critical to provide "legitimate, evidence-based outcomes for people within the healthcare system, and to make sure that we tailor all of the dollars that are spent toward that." 

After serving as director of the Office of Management and Budget under the first Trump administration, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America in 2021. The organization claims its mission is to "renew a consensus of America as a nation under God," according to its website. Vought also served as the vice president of Heritage Action for America. 

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said his meeting with Vought only exacerbated his concerns about the nomination. 

"I walked out of the meeting even more deeply troubled," Schumer said on the Senate floor on Wednesday. "Of all the extremists President Trump could have picked for OMB, he picked the godfather of the ultra-right."

Vought has repeatedly told lawmakers that he would uphold the law and that his personal views aren’t important — carrying out Trump’s vision is what matters. 

The OMB is responsible for developing and executing the president’s budget, as well as overseeing and coordinating legislative proposals and priorities aligned with the executive branch. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Barron Trump is all grown up: A look at the first son’s transformation from 2017 to 2025

President Trump's youngest son Barron, 18, stepped into the spotlight at his father's inauguration on Monday.  

Standing at a towering 6'9", many attendees and viewers remarked about how mature the younger Trump has become since his father first took office back in January 2017.

At 10 years old, Barron Trump was often the victim of cruel jokes and rumors from his father's critics. His mother, Melania Trump, attempted to shield him from unwanted scrutiny, though sometimes to no avail.

On Monday, the first son commanded respect from onlookers as he stood by his father's side during the inaugural ceremonies. Here's a look at how Barron Trump has grown up since 2017.

DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE

At 10 years old, Barron Trump became the first son to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy, Jr. in 1961.

Barron, who turned 11 in March of 2017, also lived at Trump Tower in New York at the same time, attending Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side.

Beginning in 2016, rumors swirled about Barron Trump possibly having autism, which comedian Rosie O'Donnell amplified. In 2024, Melania Trump said that the rumors deeply impacted her son, who was bullied at school.

"I was appalled by such cruelty," Melania Trump wrote in her memoir. "It was clear to me that she was not interested in raising awareness about autism. I felt that she was attacking my son because she didn’t like my husband."

"There is nothing shameful about autism (though O’Donnell’s tweet implied that there was), but Barron is not autistic," she added. "Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused."

Barron turned 12 years old in March 2018 and continued to be a common target for Trump's enemies.

Actor Peter Fonda called for officials to "rip Barron Trump from his mother's arms and put him in a cage with pedophiles." He later apologized for the remarks.

"I tweeted something highly inappropriate and vulgar about the president and his family in response to the devastating images I was seeing on television," Fonda said in the statement shortly after. "Like many Americans, I am very impassioned and distraught over the situation with children separated from their families at the border, but I went way too far."

Barron was 13 years old when his family permanently relocated to Mar-a-Lago in 2019. That year, Trump said he would have a "hard time" allowing his son to play football.

"I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football — I mean, it's a dangerous sport and I think it's really tough," Trump said at the time. "I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem."

During a 2019 House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing, Stanford law professor Pamela Karlan remarked that then-President Trump could "name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron."

Melania Trump was upset that her young son was mentioned at the hearing.

"A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics," the first lady tweeted at the time. "Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it."

As Trump was fighting for his re-election bid in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the United States, Barron Trump continued to attend school and stayed out of the public spotlight. In 2020, "Jeopardy" host Ken Jennings apologized for a joke he told about Barron in 2017. 

"Barron saw a very long necktie and a heap of expired deli meat in a dumpster," Jennings tweeted at the time. "He thought it was his dad & his little heart is breaking."

"Hey, I just wanted to own up to the fact that over the years on Twitter, I've definitely tweeted some unartful [sic] and insensitive things," Jennings wrote in 2020. "Sometimes they worked as jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on screen."

OHIO GOV DEWINE PICKS LT GOV TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE'S VACANT SEAT

Barron Trump was 14 years old when his father left office in January. He lived with his mother at Mar-a-Lago full-time and stayed out of the spotlight.

In July 2021, he was seen leaving Trump Tower with Melania Trump.

Barron Trump was 16 when FBI agents raided his father's Florida estate. He kept a low profile during this year, but he was seen in public with both of his parents at the funeral of Ivana Trump, Trump's first wife, in July 2022.

In November 2022, his father announced his bid for the presidency.

As President Trump's campaign kicked up again in 2023, Barron was still absent from the public spotlight. In August of that year, his father's mugshot was released.

Barron Trump matriculated at New York University (NYU) in the fall of 2024. He graduated from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach in May, and was seen attending classes at NYU'S Stern School of Business.

In November, he also voted for the first time, casting a ballot for his father in Florida.

Barron looked sharp as he attended his father's inauguration on Jan. 20. Later during the day, he waved to the crowd after his father mentioned his role in the 2024 campaign.

"I have a very tall son named Barron. Has anyone ever heard of him?" Trump said to cheers, as the first son waved at attendees.

"He knew the youth vote. You know, we won the youth vote by 36 points… He said, ‘Dad, you got to go out, do Joe Rogan, do all these guys,’" Trump recalled. "We did, we did. And Joe Rogan was great."

The 18-year-old also wowed attendees when he shook hands with President Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris, with some social media users speculating that he may pursue a political career in the future.

"Barron Trump just shook hands with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris," one X user wrote. "This kid will be our President one day. Bet on it."

"Barron Trump is a natural," another said of Barron. "Totally owned the moment."

Fox News Digital's Brooke Curto and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

President Biden pardons his siblings just minutes before leaving office

President Biden pardoned his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday.

The pardon applies to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden, the White House announced. The president argues that his family could be subject to "politically motivated investigations" after he leaves office.

"I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families," Biden said in a statement.

"Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances," Biden added.

HUNTER BIDEN PARDON: MEDIA TAKES LATEST BLOW TO CREDIBILITY WITH BOTCHED COVERAGE OF BROKEN PROMISE

The pardons come after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer requested that Trump's Justice Department investigate and prosecute James Biden for allegedly making false statements to Congress.

House Republicans in June sent criminal referrals for James Biden and Hunter Biden to the Justice Department recommending they be charged with making false statements to Congress about "key aspects" of the impeachment inquiry of President Biden.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Biden issued another wave of pre-emptive pardons earlier Monday morning, those going to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and people associated with the House select committee investigation into January 6.

Biden had teased the possibility of issuing pre-emptive pardons weeks ago in an interview with USA Today. Biden's pardons at the end of his term have proven to be some of his most controversial actions as president, particularly the pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.

Biden had repeatedly vowed that he would not intervene on his son's behalf, but he issued a blanket pardon regardless. The president later claimed that he had broken the promise after finding out Hunter had paid his back taxes.

Biden's pardon of Hunter was defended in some corners as a natural move from someone protecting his own family, but many prominent figures derided it as a craven flip-flop that would damage the White House and the president's legacy.

"Everyone looks stupid," Pod Save America co-host and ex-Obama aide Tommy Vietor said at the time. "Everyone looks like they are full of s---. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Donald Trump's corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy."

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

Trump gets inaugurated Monday; here’s how the Supreme Court swears in new presidents

Top members of the three branches of government will come together in a rare display of national unity and tradition when the presidential and vice-presidential oaths of office are delivered at Monday's inauguration. A swear-in rookie, and perhaps funny hats, will be indispensable parts of the ceremonies.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh will continue a nearly 240-year-old tradition of administering the oaths to President-elect Trump and his No. 2, JD Vance. The other seven members of the high court are expected to attend the event in the Capitol Rotunda, all in their judicial robes. 

Whatever political differences exist, they surely will not be on display at this most cordial and dignified of ceremonies. After all, the first person the president thanks will likely be the chief justice. But an undercurrent of tension remains.

During his first run for high office in 2016, candidate Trump took the unusual step of attacking a member of the federal judiciary, labeling Roberts "an absolute disaster" among other personal insults. This will be the "Chief's" fifth presidential swearing-in, his second with Trump.

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM TRUMP'S 2025 INAUGURATION ON JANUARY 20TH

The choice of Kavanaugh is no surprise: incoming second lady Usha Vance clerked for Kavanaugh when he was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.

She then went on to a prestigious law clerkship at the Supreme Court with Roberts. Sources say Kavanaugh gave an especially strong job recommendation for Usha Vance to his now bench colleague.

In an August interview with "Fox and Friends," Usha Vance said Kavanaugh was "such a good boss" and "decent person" who "hired people from all over the political spectrum."

"My experience working for him was overwhelmingly positive," she added.

Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas are among recent justices who have performed similar vice-presidential swear-in honors.

While chief justices have normally sworn in the president, a broader mix of officials have handled the vice-presidential duties. Then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert swore in Vice President Dick Cheney in 2005.

Thomas did the honors when Mike Pence was sworn in 2017 as vice president for Trump's first term.

TRUMP SWEARING-IN TO MOVE INDOORS DUE TO COLD WEATHER, SOURCE TELLS FOX NEWS

Article VI of the Constitution requires executive officers, including the president, as well as members of Congress and federal judges, to "be bound by oath or affirmation," but nothing mandates that a Supreme Court justice administer it. When it comes to the presidential inauguration, they just have, most of the time.

There was no Supreme Court yet formed when George Washington took the first oath of office in 1789, so New York's highest ranking judge did the honors at Federal Hall on Wall Street. Four years later, Associate Justice William Cushing swore in Washington for a second term, beginning the Supreme Court tradition.

Early swear-ins were usually conducted in the House or Senate chamber. The 1817 inaugural was held outdoors for the first time when James Monroe took the oath in front of the Old Brick Capitol, where the legislature met temporarily after the original Capitol was burned by invading British troops in the War of 1812. The Monroe swear-in site is now occupied by the Supreme Court, which opened its building in 1935.

The man who handled the duties more than 200 years ago was John Marshall, widely acknowledged as the most influential chief justice in U.S. history. He participated in a record nine swear-ins, from Thomas Jefferson to Andrew Jackson. For Roberts, this will be his fifth.

The Constitution lays out the exact language to be used in the 34-word oath of office: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Many judges have tacked on four little words, "so help me God." It is not legally or constitutionally required, unlike other federal oaths that invoke the words as standard procedure. Historians have been at odds over whether President Washington established precedent by adding the phrase on his own during his first acceptance, but contemporary accounts mention no such ad-libbing.

Abraham Lincoln was reported to have said it spontaneously in 1861, and other presidents over the years have followed suit. A Bible is traditionally used, with the president placing one hand on it while raising the other during the oath of office.

The 16th president and Chief Justice Roger Taney shared a mutual animosity. When the oath was administered just days before the Civil War erupted, many attending the ceremony noticed the frosty demeanor both men showed each other, befitting the late winter chill. Several historians have said Lincoln later that year secretly issued an arrest warrant for Taney, who tried to block the president's suspension of habeas corpus during the conflict. The warrant was never served.

President Barack Obama used Lincoln's Bible for his two swear-ins.

Trump is expected to again use the Lincoln Bible and a family Bible.

TRUMP, VANCE OFFICIAL PORTRAITS RELEASED AHEAD OF INAUGURATION

Roberts, administering his first presidential oath in 2009, strayed slightly from the text, which prompted its re-administration for protective purposes the following day, in a private White House ceremony.

Those Jan. 20 ceremonies at the Capitol also ran long, so that the presidential oath was not completed until five minutes past noon. Nonetheless, Obama under the 20th Amendment had officially assumed the presidency at noon.

At the time, a California atheist, Michael Newdow, objected and went to federal court to prevent Roberts from prompting Obama to repeat the "so help me God" phrase. Newdow, along with several non-religious groups, argued the words violated the constitutional ban on government "endorsement" of religion.

The high court ultimately rejected the lawsuit, and no such legal challenges are expected this time.

Four years later, Justice Sonia Sotomayor swore in Biden for a second term as vice president in 2013. She was asked by Vice President Harris to do the honors again, with the first female vice president citing the fact both women once served as government prosecutors.

Pence used the family Bible of the late President Ronald Reagan, telling Fox News at the time, "It's just very humbling for me. We are approaching it with prayer, but with deep, deep gratitude to the president-elect for his confidence and deep gratitude to the American people." 

Trump also broke tradition by not attending the swear-in of his successor four years ago.

Lyndon Johnson's swear-in from 1965 marked a change from tradition. His wife Claudia – known as Lady Bird – held the Bible, a job previously managed by the high court's clerk. Spouses have since had the honor, and Melania Trump and Usha Vance are expected to continue that role.   

Hopefully, nerves won't result in a repeat of the 1941 goof, when then-clerk Elmore Cropley dropped the Bible just after Franklin Roosevelt took the oath to begin his third presidential term.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

It usually is not hard at the inauguration to spot the justices, who are normally shielded from broad public view in the camera-barred court. They are announced as a group, arrive wearing their black robes – usually covering bulky winter coats – and are given prominent seats on the specially built platform on the West Front of the Capitol.

Before Marshall took over the court in 1801, the justices wore red robes with fur trim and white wigs in all public settings. His practice of a simple black silk robe without wig remains the American judicial standard.

And if there is any doubt about their identities, look for some unusual-looking headgear several justices may be sporting. The large black "skullcaps" have no brims and can be made of wool, silk or even nylon. Perhaps to keep them from looking like a Jewish yarmulke, the hats are usually pleated upward, which one federal judge privately told Fox News made him look like he was wearing a dirty napkin.

Given the inauguration ceremony is indoors this year because of expected frigid weather, the skullcaps may be an afterthought.

They have been around in British courts since the 16th century, and at least a century in the United States. Only judges wear them, and only at formal ceremonies, not in court.

Official records are hazy on the hats, but Chief Justice Edward White proudly wore one in 1913 when Woodrow Wilson became president. The "age of the skullcap" peaked in 1961 when seven of the nine justices wore them at the bitterly cold inauguration of President John F. Kennedy.

The last time around, only now-retired Justice Stephen Breyer was brave enough to sport one, though Thomas, Anthony Kennedy, and the late Antonin Scalia had worn them previously. None of the six current or former women justices ever used them.

Scalia told an audience a few years ago why he favored skullcaps. "If you've ever seen an inauguration, you will see me wearing the old hats judges used to wear. It's a ridiculous-looking hat, but it's a tradition. Yes, it's silly looking."

Scalia's headgear was a replica of one worn by St. Thomas More, a gift from the St. Thomas More Society of Richmond, Virginia

The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist also sported them, not surprising, given his role as an unofficial historian of court procedure and tradition.

He made one of the most dramatic appearances in inaugural history while suffering from thyroid cancer in 2005. There was speculation he would be too ill to attend, but he assured officials he would be there, and he kept his word.

After three months away from the public eye while he received chemotherapy, the ailing 81-year-old chief was introduced to the audience just before President George W. Bush was to take the oath. Using a cane, Rehnquist walked slowly to the podium without assistance – wearing a dark baseball cap – and did the honors. His voice was clear but raspy, because of a trachea tube in his throat, which was hidden by a scarf.

Afterward, Rehnquist wished Bush good luck, then was quickly escorted out of the cold.

Rehnquist also swore in President Bill Clinton eight years earlier. Unbeknownst to Clinton or the public, the justices days earlier had taken a private vote in Clinton v. Jones. Their ruling said the president could not refuse to testify in an ongoing civil lawsuit against him by Paula Jones, who alleged sexual harassment. That triggered a series of events leading to Clinton's 1999 impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate, presided over by Rehnquist himself, without the skullcap.