Dem senator ripped for invoking Pete Hegseth’s young daughter during heated hearing
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., invoked secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth’s daughter during a heated hearing, prompting pushback from conservatives on social media who argued that the comments crossed a line.
“So you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime?” the former vice presidential candidate said to Hegseth during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
“That’s your definition of cleared. You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife. I am shocked that you would stand here and say you’re completely cleared. Can you so casually cheat on a second wife and cheat on the mother of a child who had been born two months before? And you tell us you are completely cleared? How is that completely cleared?”
Kaine was commenting on Hegseth’s behavior in earlier marriages, including an October 2017 incident in Monterey, California, in which Hegseth was accused of sexual assault. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, was later cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation, and has since described the incident as consensual. “I was fully investigated and completely cleared,” he said of the allegation.
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“Senator, her child’s name is Gwendolyn Hope Hegseth, and she’s a child of God,” Hegseth responded. “She’s 7 years old, and I am glad she’s here.”
“And you cheated on the mother of that child,” Kaine responded. “Less than two months after that daughter was born, didn’t you?”
Hegseth told Kaine those were “false charges” and reiterated that he was “completely cleared” and “grateful” to the marriage he has to the “amazing woman” behind him.
Kaine persisted, “You’ve admitted that you had sex at that hotel in October 2017. You said it was consensual. Isn’t that correct?”
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The two continued to go back and forth on the veracity of the claims against Hegseth, with Kaine pressing the nominee on whether he honored his wedding vow.
“I will allow your words to speak for themselves,” Hegseth said at one point.
“As I’ve acknowledged to everyone in this committee, I’m not a perfect person. I’m not claiming to be,” Hegseth said before being cut off by Kaine, who went on to accuse Hegseth of withholding information about the accusation when being vetted by the Trump team.
Kaine ultimately moved on to questioning Hegseth about his relationship with drinking and other allegations that Hegseth has dismissed as “false.”
Conservatives on social media, along with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., at another point in the hearing, took issue with Kaine’s line of questioning, particularly invoking Hegseth’s daughter.
“Senator Tim Kaine really did try to use Pete Hegseth’s 7 year old daughter against him, despicable,” conservative commentator Drew Hernandez posted on X.
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“IRONY ALERT: Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) tries to lecture Pete Hegseth on adultery,” The First TV posted on X. “Reminder that Tim Kaine ran on the same failed presidential ticket as Hillary Clinton, legal wife of Bill Clinton.”
“Tim Kaine has a lot to say about Pete Hegseth’s conduct during his marriage,” Article III Project senior counsel Will Chamberlain posted on X. “Here’s Tim Kaine campaigning with Doug Emhoff, who – while married – impregnated his nanny and forced her to get an abortion.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kaine’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Actor goes ballistic on Newsom over wildfires: ‘No more mistakes for you, you’re done!’
Actor Michael Rapaport went off on California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a video on Tuesday, telling the Democrat “there’s no more mistakes for you, you’re done!”
The “Only Murders in the Building” actor said that “Gavin with the good hair Newsom” was talking about “Trump-proofing” California when he should have been focused on “fire-proofing” the state.
“You’re talking about Trump this, Trump that. He’s not even president,” the 54-year-old said in a video he posted to Instagram as the Southern California fires, which have burned thousands of homes, entered their second week.
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Rapaport has also been critical of Trump in the past, but said that Vice President Kamala Harris lost his vote in the 2024 election because of Israel.
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“Get the f— out of here!” he said of Newsom. “‘We’ll do better next time. We need to learn from our mistakes,’” he mocked.
“There’s no more mistakes for you, you’re done!”
“You’re not running for sixth grade class president, he added,” jokingly calling him “Nancy’s nephew,” referring to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Them days are over.”
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“What a good old boy you turned out to be, you little bulls— artist,” he added.
Rapaport isn’t the first celebrity to call out Newsom amid Los Angeles’ devastating fires.
Last week, Mark Wahlberg’s wife, Rhea Durham, slammed his laid-back demeanor.
On Friday, the model shared a since-deleted post on Instagram in which she uploaded a photo of Newsom, who was standing with his hands in his pockets and sharing a laugh with a group of people at the Palisades Fire base camp in Malibu.
“Why is the Governor of C.A standing around laughing like hes at a tailgate???” Durham wrote in the caption of her post.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Newsom’s director of communications, Izzy Gardon said, “Anyone who’s been through a tragedy knows there are lighthearted moments and moments of sorrow, as the governor has witnessed himself on the ground in Los Angeles over the past three days, meeting countless firefighters, first responders and victims of this tragedy.”
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Since the fires broke out last Tuesday, Newsom and Los Angeles’ officials have faced backlash from celebrities over their lack of preparation and response to the crisis.
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“The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” Izzy Gardon, the governor’s director of communications told FOx News Digital.
Fox News Digital has also reached out to Trump for comment.
AOC mocked for hysterical rant defending trans athletes in girls’ sports
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was once again the subject of a viral roast campaign after an unhinged rant on the House of Representatives floor on Tuesday.
Ocasio-Cortez spoke out against The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in a two-minute tirade that included both false and unsubstantiated claims. Her speech ended with an unexplained claim that “CEOs love this bill” as it relates to the ongoing California Wildfires.
The bill ultimately passed and will now head to the Senate after all 216 House Republicans voted in favor, along with just two Democrats. Meanwhile, 206 Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez, voted against the bill.
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Ocasio-Cortez opened her argument by referencing Republicans’ history in voting against the “Violence Against Women Act” and an apparent false claim in reference to their stance on abortion rights.
“Republicans who have voted consistently against the violence against women act, who have taken away the right of all women to choose and have control over their own body, who, as women are bleeding out in parking lots across the country, standing there, allowing us to die, now want to pretend today that they care about women!” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Abortion is currently protected by state law in 21 states and the District of Columbia, and President-elect Trump has repeatedly insisted that under his administration, abortion rights will be left up to the states.
Ocasio-Cortez was also one of many Democrats to push unsubstantiated claims that the law would subject young girls to sexual predators.
“And why? To open up gender, and yes, genital examinations into little girls of this country, in the so-called name of attacking trans girls!” Ocasio-Cortez continued.
Nowhere in the bill does it state that girls or women would be subject to genital examination in order to participate in sports. However, Ocasio-Cortez, along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats opposing it, have cited that possibility as their top argument in opposing the act.
“The majority right now says there’s no place in this bill that says it opens up for genital examinations. Well, here’s the thing, there’s no enforcement mechanism in this bill. And when there is no enforcement mechanism, you open the door to every enforcement mechanism!” Ocasio-Cortez said.
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The bill provides that it is a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor, or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls.
Under the bill,sex is based on an individual’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
Ocasio-Cortez has been a consistent advocate for trans inclusion in women’s sports and has previously used the word “predatory” to describe those who oppose it. In November, Ocasio-Cortez re-shared a video of Green Party VP candidate Butch Ware speaking out against trans inclusion in women’s sports, with a caption that read, “This ticket is predatory and people deserve better.”
And now, despite many in her party and liberal media figures publicly disavowing support for trans inclusion, Ocasio-Cortez isn’t wavering in her stance on what a woman or girl is.
“Trans girls are girls!” Ocasio-Cortez said at Tuesday’s hearing.
Ocasio-Cortez then commenced with a series of incoherent and unfinished sentences about the issue.
“And for all the folks that are so concerned, thank you for your concern about women for the first time that I’ve seen. I don’t know about y’all. I don’t know who’s been to gym class lately, but girls, even if you only believe there’s only two genders, I’ve played co-ed sports all the time!” she said, before moving onto another point.
Ocasio-Cortez’s next point was to warn that the bill may result in an appreciation of traditional feminity.
“What this also opens the door for, is for women to try to perform a very specific kind of femininity for the very kind of men who are drafting this bill, and to open up questioning of who is a woman because of how we look, how we present ourselves, and yes, what we chose to do with our bodies,” she said.
The bill does not address anything to do with how biological females dress, present themselves or any potential anatomical or bodily decisions.
Ocasio-Cortez concluded her speech by claiming the bill is “loved” by “bigots” and “assaulters,” before making her unexplained connection to CEOs and the California Wildfires.
“Biggoted folks love this bill. Assaulters love this bill, but also CEOs love this bill. Because Los Angeles is on fire right now, and this is the No. 1 priority this majority has,” she said, before leaving the podium.
Ocasio-Cortez was the subject of harsh criticism on social media for her tirade later on Tuesday.
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Ocasio-Cortez has previously co-sponsored the Equality Act, which was proposed in 2019 and has had revisions that “would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls sports teams.”
In March 2023, Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez, advocated for a transgender bill of rights, proposing a resolution “recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights.”
However, now the issue of preventing trans inclusion has become a bipartisan priority, that Republicans and Trump have simply taken the lead on.
Nancy Mace challenges Dem rep to ‘take it outside’ in wild exchange
Them’s fightin’ words.
The House Oversight Committee devolved into chaos on Tuesday after Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., challenged Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to a fight.
“If you wanna take it outside, we can do that,” Mace said.
The squabble was sparked when Crockett said “child, listen” during a back-and-forth about civil rights, women’s rights and transgender rights.
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“Somebody’s campaign coffers are struggling right now. So she gon’ keep sayin’ ‘trans, trans trans’ so that people will feel threatened and child, listen,” Crockett said.
Mace erupted in anger.
“I’m no child! Do not call me a child! I’m no child. Don’t even start,” Mace said, interrupting Crockett. “I’m a grown woman. I’m 47 years old. I’ve broken more glass ceilings than you ever have… You will not do that. I’m not a child… If you wanna take it outside, we can do that.”
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The two talked over each other as House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., attempted to control the chaos as he slammed his gavel.
“Order! Order! Order!,” members could be heard saying.
Crockett later attacked Republicans, accusing them of going after “the most vulnerable in our country.”
She said, “Trans people ain’t goin’ no where. Just like when the racists wanted to make sure that Black people somehow were going to be dismissed in this country. We ain’t left either.”
Mace later took to X to continue her war of words with Crockett.
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“I’m no child. And if I wanted a physical fight, you’d know it. That’s not what this was,” she wrote. “I won’t be bullied by someone who wants to take away women’s rights while lecturing about civil rights. I won’t be bullied by someone who thinks being scared of rape is a ‘fantasy.’ This ain’t political, it’s personal.”
Mace further attempted to clarify her comments in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“There’s been a lot of speculation about my intentions during a heated exchange on women’s rights earlier today on Oversight,” she said in the statement. “Let me be clear: I wanted to take the conversation off the floor to have a more constructive conversation, not to fight. At no point was there any intention of causing harm to anyone. I was just assaulted by a pro tr*ns man a few weeks ago and am still in physical therapy for my injuries. I know firsthand how the Left is capable of doing real physical harm. I will not be bullied into submission, I will not be called names by my colleagues like I was today, I will not be belittled, or invalidated—especially as a rape survivor. I will always stand up for women and push back against left-wing extremism that seeks to silence our voices and dismiss our rights.”
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Crockett also took to X to address the exchange, writing, in part: “Today, I introduced an amendment to reinstate the Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. My Republican colleague threatened to physically fight me about it. Bless her heart.”
Crockett’s office also fired back at Mace, claiming it was clear Mace was threatening physical violence against Crockett.
“It was clear that Rep. Mace was threatening physical violence against Congresswoman Crockett as part of her performative, ridiculous meltdown,” Crockett’s office said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Her slur-ridden screed exemplifies exactly why the House Oversight Committee needs to pass Congresswoman Crockett’s amendment to reinstate the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Congresswoman Crockett ignored her obvious, desperate baiting – if Rep. Mace wants to raise money off of the back of a qualified Black woman, she can try someone else.”
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The brouhaha between Mace and Crockett happened on the same day the House passed a bill banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports at schools that receive federal funding.
Two House Democrats voted alongside Republicans to pass the Protection of Women and Girls In Sports Act. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, were the lone Democrats to vote for the bill when it passed 218 to 206. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., voted “present.”
Red state governor threatens university president over DEI controversy
Texas A&M University pulled the brakes on an upcoming conference trip after Gov. Greg Abbott, R., discovered that only applicants of a particular race could attend.
On Monday, conservative activist Christopher Rufo posted an image of the university promoting the PhD Project’s Annual Conference in Chicago. The application specified that the conference is “designed for historically underrepresented individuals considering business doctorial studies,” and only Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic American or Native American/Canadian Indigenous students were eligible.
“Texas A&M is sponsoring a trip to a DEI conference that prohibits whites and Asians from attending. The university falsely claims that this use of taxpayer funds does not violate the state’s DEI ban. @TAMU is supporting racial segregation and breaking the law,” Rufo wrote.
The post eventually caught Abbott’s eye late Monday, leading him to threaten the job security of the university’s president if the matter was not corrected.
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“Hell, no. It’s against Texas law and violates the US Constitution. It will be fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone,” Abbott warned.
The university eventually put out a statement on its X account, reiterating that it does not discriminate based on race in compliance with SB-17, a state law that bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices in Texas public colleges.
“Texas A&M does not support any organization, conference, process or activity that excludes people based on race, creed, gender, age or any other discriminating factor. The intent of SB-17 is very clear in that regard. We will continue to honor both the letter and the intent of the law,” the post read.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, university President Mark A. Welsh III acknowledged the application in question and conceded the conference itself was “not in line” with the state’s law, canceling the trip altogether.
“While the proper process for reviewing and approving attendance at such events was followed, I don’t believe we fully considered the spirit of our state law in making the initial decision to participate,” the statement read. “This particular conference’s limitations on the acceptable race of attendees is not in line with the intent of SB-17, and, as a result, we will not be sending anyone to participate in this conference.”
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Welsh continued, “Texas A&M faculty and staff attend hundreds, if not thousands, of conferences and other events during the course of each academic year. We need to be sure that attendance at those events is aligned with the very clear guidance we’ve been given by our governing bodies.”
The statement was sent to staff and faculty at the Mays Business School.
Fox News Digital also reached out to the governor’s office for a comment.
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The PhD Project Annual Conference has been set up by the Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers (PREDOC) consortium and will be held in March. PREDOC’s website described the application process as “exclusive” and “designed for historically underrepresented individuals considering business doctoral studies.”
Only Republican to vote against Johnson for speaker removed from powerful House post
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., no longer sits on the powerful House Rules Committee after he was the only Republican to vote against Speaker Mike Johnson in the House leadership election.
“I volunteered to step aside if the Speaker wanted to place someone else on the Rules Committee and he chose that option. This was not retribution for my vote against him,” Massie posted on X.
“I look forward to continuing my work on the Judiciary and Transportation committees.”
The Rules Committee holds sway over which bills make it to the House floor for a vote. Massie, a hardline libertarian, had said he would step aside from the panel voluntarily after he opposed Johnson for speaker on grounds that Johnson had relied on Democratic support to pass major spending bills.
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But Massie’s uncompromising positions have often isolated him from the rest of the GOP conference. One Republican lawvmaker told Fox News Digital, “98% of the conference wanted Massie off rules.”
The House Republican conference met behind closed doors Tuesday morning and voted for a new committee roster. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has succeeded Massie on the Rules Committee.
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Additionally, Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the former chairwoman of the Education and Workforce Committee, will lead the panel after Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, retired.
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., the House GOP deputy whip, was also removed from the committee and replaced by freshman Rep. Brian Jack, R-Ga.
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Massie was first appointed to the Rules Committee alongside Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., as part of a deal with ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in January 2023 to expand conservative representation – a piece of a wider compromise for McCarthy to win his short-lived House speakership.
The House Rules Committee is the final stop for bills before a House-wide vote. The committee and its chair are responsible for dictating the terms of debate on a bill and what, if any, amendments will also get a vote.
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After a bill passes the House Rules Committee, it is then subject to a House-wide “rule vote” to allow for debate on the legislation before a vote on final passage.
Golf legend undergoes emergency surgery, says he’ll ‘be back playing in no time’
Golfer John Daly underwent emergency surgery on his hand, he said in a post on his Instagram on Tuesday.
“Emergency hand surgery… thankful (it) went great and Doc McClimans for taking care of me. Be back playing in no time!” Daly posted.
“Thank you to Doc McClimans for getting me mended back! Should be hitting em again soon! Thx for all of the messages,” Daly said in a separate post.
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Daly was lying in a hospital bed in the post, and the location said he was in Tampa, Florida.
Daly, 58, is a fan favorite and known for his appearance and attitude on the golf course.
Daly dresses in colorful attire on the golf course, and is always seen having a cigarette in his hand on the course. He revealed that he hates water, and that he used to drink 12 to 20 Diet Cokes a day to replace it, in an interview a few years ago.
Daly went to the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship, and qualified for the 1986 U.S. Open as an amateur. He turned pro in 1987 following his career at Arkansas, and joined the PGA Tour in 1991.
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In his career, Daly has five PGA Tour victories, including two major championship wins.
Daly won the PGA Championship in 1991 and then the British Open in 1995. His last win on the PGA Tour was at the Buick Invitational in 2004.
Daly won the 2021 PNC “Father and Son” Championship with his son, John Daly II.
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In his international career, Daly has won events in South Africa, Swaziland, Scotland, Germany, South Korea, Turkey and Canada.
Daly has earned nearly $13 million in winnings in his career, according to the PGA Tour website.
Popular frozen meal recalled for metal contamination: ‘Discard it immediately’
ALDI is recalling some frozen taquitos after reports emerged of the product containing “potential foreign material,” the company said this week.
The discount supermarket chain announced the recall on Monday. In a statement, ALDI said that the product, Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos, may contain metal.
The recall affects the 20 oz. boxes of Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos that have a UPC code of 4061459337471. The best-by dates of the recalled products are 07/02/25 and 9/25/25.
The product was distributed to ALDI locations in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
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“ALDI puts the safety and integrity of the products it sells first,” the company said in a statement. “If customers have products affected by this recall, they are advised to discard it immediately or return it to their local store for a full refund.”
“ALDI sincerely regrets the inconvenience and concern caused as a result of this recall.”
Frozen food recalls involving metal contamination are uncommon, but not extremely rare. Last August, Perdue Foods LLC recalled over 165,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets and chicken tenders over reports of metal contamination.
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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the recall after it received “consumer complaints” about metal wire being embedded in the chicken nuggets and tenders.
Customers impacted by the recent ALDI recall are encouraged to call Bestway Foods Co. at (818) 361-1800 Ext. 110 with questions or concerns.
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FOX Business reached out to ALDI for additional comment, but did not immediately hear back.