Pete Hegseth unloads on Democrats — then doubles down with receipts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired back at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Sunday after the New York Democrat called him and other Trump appointees “Dumb Effing Individuals,” a play on the DEI acronym, in an X video on Saturday.

“That’s how far they have fallen. It’s astonishing, not surprising,” Hegseth told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.

“Of course, they don’t like the fact that we’re ripping DEI out of the military and making it colorblind and merit-based.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH TOUTS ‘HISTORIC’ DEALS TO DETER ‘CHINESE INFLUENCE’ IN PANAMA CANAL

“If their whole strategy is… minute-long videos on TikTok to call us names while we secure the southern border, kick out Chinese influence, revive the warrior culture inside our military, that’s why they lost in a historic fashion to President Trump last time, and their future looks bleak as well.”

Jeffries’ remarks criticized Hegseth’s instruction to purge the U.S. Naval Academy’s library of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related content.

He vowed to keep pressure on “extremists” behind the move.

HEGSETH SAYS PANAMA AGREED TO ALLOW US WARSHIPS TO TRAVEL ‘FIRST AND FREE’ THROUGH CANAL

Hegseth shared the latest news from several foreign policy arenas — a historic deal to deter Chinese influence in the Panama Canal and President Trump’s “dead serious” effort to prevent a nuclear Iran in this week’s “Sunday Morning Futures” exclusive.

Rather than focusing on DEI, he said he remains focused on “rebuilding America’s military” with “peace through strength” policies, cutting out waste and investing in new technologies like the F-47 fighter jet.

“We’re looking at all the ways in which our military academies educate and giving guidance to get rid of DEI, and I think the American people appreciate that,” he added.

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Swing state to remove as many as 50K noncitizens from voter rolls following lawsuit

EXCLUSIVE: All 15 Arizona counties have now begun the process of verifying and removing noncitizens from their voter rolls, including nearly 50,000 registrants who did not provide proof of U.S. citizenship.

“This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans,” America First Legal (AFL) senior counsel James Rogers told Fox News Digital after his organization’s successful lawsuit spearheaded the process in Arizona.

AFL filed the lawsuit against the 15 Arizona counties last year on behalf of EZAZ.org, and Yvonne Cahill, a registered voter and naturalized citizen, arguing that the counties had not been following a state law that requires proof of citizenship to vote in local and state elections and for the state to do monthly checks of the rolls for noncitizens.

THOUSANDS LEAVE COUNTRY VOLUNTARILY AMID TRUMP SELF-DEPORT PUSH, DHS SAYS

As a result of the lawsuit, the 15 counties have now begun working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify the citizenship status of all registered voters in the state who failed to provide proof of citizenship.

While a 2013 Supreme Court ruling prohibits states from imposing voter registration requirements beyond the federal requirement that registrants must check a box affirming their U.S. citizenship, Arizona residents are still required to provide proof of citizenship to vote in state and local elections.

The Arizona law also requires that county recorders perform a monthly list maintenance to confirm the U.S. citizenship of so-called “federal-only voters,” a list of nearly 50,000 individuals who failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and were not allowed to vote in state or local elections. 

TRUMP ADMIN UNVEILS PLAN COSTING MIGRANTS MASSIVE FINE FOR EVERY DAY THEY DON’T SELF-DEPORT

Registrants confirmed to be citizens are then moved to the regular list while those found to be noncitizens are required to have their registration canceled.

But AFL argued in the lawsuit that county recorders had not been utilizing the resources available to them to help verify citizenship status, something the Arizona law requires them to do. As a result, all 15 counties have now sent requests to DHS in order to assist their efforts to clear the voter rolls of noncitizens.

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“This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls,” Rogers said. “It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in state and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona’s 15 county recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the state.”

Speaker Johnson makes position clear on possible tax hike for some Americans

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is no “big fan” of hiking the tax rate for America’s wealthiest to 40%, an idea reportedly being mulled by Republicans to offset some costs of their in-progress tax package.

“We’re the Republican Party, and we’re for tax reduction for everyone, and that’s a general principle that we always try to abide by,” Johnson told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. 

Though there are many discussions, thoughts and theories on how to get all the GOP’s goals accomplished, Johnson said he wouldn’t “put any money on any of [those] yet.”

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TAX CUTS ‘TOP PRIORITY’ FOR CONGRESS, SAYS TOP HOUSE GOP LEADER

“I would say just stay tuned. The next five to six weeks are going to be critical as all these negotiations happen in the committees of jurisdiction,” he continued.

“You’ll hear lots of rumors and lots of talk, but we’ll see where it all lands.”

TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ TAX AGENDA SCORES MAJOR VICTORY IN HOUSE DESPITE GOP REBELLION THREATS

Johnson voiced the need for consensus on the package, eyeing the 218 votes needed in the House and the 51 votes needed in the Senate for successful passage, assuring viewers that the bill will have reached an adequate “comfort level” before heading to the floor.

According to Bloomberg, the floated 39%-to-40% tax rate would affect those earning $1 million or more annually, a two-to-three percentage increase from the current 37% rate.

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Viral video of Trump allegedly snubbing actress Cheryl Hines does not show full picture

Videos of President Donald Trump appearing to snub actress Cheryl Hines, who is married to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a UFC match on Saturday evening are spreading like wildfire on social media, but don’t show the entire story. 

“This is clickbait. He went back to her,” former senior RFK Jr. advisor Link Lauren posted to X, showing a photo of Trump chatting with his HHS secretary and Cheryl Hines during the UFC match. 

Trump joined the UFC match in Miami on Saturday night alongside members of his Cabinet, and was seen shaking Kennedy’s hand after entering the arena to wild cheers, but appeared to ignore greeting Hines despite her reaching out for a handshake. Hines was seen pulling her hand away as Trump moved to greet other attendees. 

‘CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM’ STAR CHERYL HINES ON CONFLICTS WITH HUSBAND ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.: ‘AGREE TO DISAGREE’

Video of the exchange has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, while also generating headlines both in the U.S. and abroad speculating that the president “snubbed” Hines. 

“Cheryl Hines getting blown off for a handshake by President Trump is just missing the Curb theme music,” one user posted to X, referring to Hines starring on the hit show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

“Curb theme music – Trump showing no love for Cheryl Hines,” another post on X reads. 

Hines’ publicist Ann Gurrola told Fox Digital on Sunday that she did not attend the event and could not comment, but added that it appeared, based on reports, that Trump circled back to shake Hines’ hand and that videos of Trump appearing to snub Hines was likely “simply an oversight.” While an administration official added in comment to Fox Digital on Sunday that the president did not snub Hines.

ACTRESS CHERYL HINES WON’T BE AT EVERY RFK JR. POLITICAL EVENT, SAYS SHE HAS HER ‘OWN CAREER’

Fox Digital obtained another photo showing Trump speaking with Hines and others ahead of the UFC fight on Saturday.

X users have also shared footage and a screenshot showing Trump chatting with both Kennedy and Hines, indicating he circled back to talk to the couple. 

‘WEST WING’ STAR MOCKS ACTRESS CHERYL HINES FOR STAYING ‘SILENT’ AFTER HUSBAND RFK JR. ENDORSES TRUMP

“President Trump spoke with Cheryl Hines last night at UFC 314. There were some reports that Trump may have ‘snubbed’ Hines (wife of RFK Jr) at the event, but the footage below shows that was not the case,” one X user posted, accompanied by video footage of Trump speaking with Hines. 

“No, President Trump did not ‘snub’ RFK Jr’s wife, Cheryl Hines. He didn’t see her hand, and went back after he was done greeting Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, as seen in the picture below,” another X user posted. 

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“Video goes viral with social media users claiming Trump ‘snubbed’ RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines at the UFC 314. However, Trump appeared to not see her hand for the handshake and later went back to greet her and her husband,” another X user posted. 

The reports come after Hines previously criticized Trump and his rhetoric as “ridiculous and disrespectful,” but has joined a handful of Trump-related events at Mar-a-Lago and the White House since her husband endorsed Trump over the summer and ultimately became his HHS chief this year. 

Suspected arsonist terrorizes governor and his family in dead of the night

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were evacuated safely from the governor’s mansion early Sunday after authorities say a suspected arsonist set fire to the residence.

The fire broke out overnight after Shapiro, considered a potential presidential contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, and his family celebrated the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Shapiro posted on X that he and his family awoke at about 2 a.m. to police banging on their door after “an arsonist set fire” to the governor’s residence.

“Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” Shapiro wrote. “Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”

JOSH SHAPIRO TELLS MAHER HE’S ‘DAMN PROUD’ OF BEING JEWISH, DODGES WHETHER IT FACTORED INTO VP SNUB IN 2024

Firefighters and police responded around 2 a.m. to a report of a fire at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State Police said. 

No one was injured and the fire was extinguished, police said, adding that the fire caused significant damage to a portion of the residence.

“While the investigation is ongoing, the State Police is prepared to say at this time that this was an act of arson,” police said. No further details were immediately provided.

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Police said a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the fire.

Democrat mocked for how she tries to hide at the White House: ‘This is what my 2 year old does’

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, was ribbed online for seeming to hide her face during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. 

Whitmer was seen temporarily shielding her face from cameras in the Oval Office by holding up a folder, according to a photo by the New York Times. 

She later lowered the folder, as the president spoke to the press and encouraged Whitmer to comment as well. The Democratic governor, who clashed with Trump during his first term regarding her COVID-19 lockdown policies, met with the president to discuss recovery from an ice storm that impacted thousands of Michiganders, funding for the Selfridge Air National Guard base near Detroit, protections for the Great Lakes and the automobile industry. 

WHITMER DITCHES DEM PLAYBOOK ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS AMID 2028 SPECULATION

Whitmer, joined by Michigan State House Speaker Matt Hall and several Cabinet secretaries, stood steps away from Trump while he signed executive orders Wednesday. 

“We’re honored to have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, great state of Michigan. And, she’s been — she’s really done an excellent job. And a very good person,” Trump said. 

Whitmer told reporters afterward that she thought she was coming into the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting with the president and was taken by surprise by the press conference. 

Her face-shielding was derided online. 

“Whitmer covering her face is the perfect metaphor for the Democratic Party,” one user wrote. 

Another X user said, “Gretchen Whitmer hiding behind her files in the White House is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. This is what my 2 year old does.”

DEM GOVERNORS REVOLT AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS

“Was this the nail in the coffin of Gretchen Whitmer’s political aspirations?” a third user wrote.

Some users joked that Whitmer was “embarrassed” to be photographed with Trump but had no shame in placing a Dorito in the mouth of a podcaster in a 2024 social media post that critics said mocked a Christian sacrament. 

The photo showed Whitmer hiding her face while standing in between Trump aide Natalie Harpe and Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Myer. 

Myer shared the photo on X, writing: “#NewProfilePic.” 

Whitmer was in Washington to deliver a “Build, America, Build” address in which she called for bipartisan cooperation to strengthen American manufacturing. She was at the White House for her second meeting with Trump in less than a month, this time to talk about tariffs that were expected to disproportionately affect Michigan, whose economy is closely tied to an auto industry reliant on trade with Canada, Mexico and other countries.

In her speech Wednesday, which came before Trump announced he was pausing tariffs in most nations except for China, Whitmer highlighted areas of agreement with Trump on tariffs but criticized how they had been implemented.

“I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and I can tell you, here’s where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America,” said Whitmer, before adding, “I’m not against tariffs outright, but it is a blunt tool. You can’t just pull out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clear defined end-goal.”

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Whitmer’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of other high-profile Democratic governors, many of whom are also seen as potential contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. But Whitmer faces a more challenging political landscape than leaders such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker or California Gov. Gavin Newsom as she represents a state with a divided state legislature and that went for Trump in two of the last three elections.

Hundreds of passengers spend the night on grounded planes sitting on the tarmac

Nearly 300 Delta Air Lines passengers experienced a night of chaos and delays last week after poor weather forced two international flights to divert to a regional airport without customs – forcing the passengers to spend the night in their planes on the tarmac.

The two Delta flights, which departed from Mexico for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport last Thursday, did not reach their destination until the following day, according to the airline.

Instead, Flight 1828 from Cabo San Lucas and Flight 599 from Mexico City landed at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama as a diversion point around 9:30 p.m., a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to FOX Business.

“Flight crews, always looking to ensure the safety of all Delta customers and people, selected Montgomery, Ala. (MGM) for a diversion point and planned to continue to Atlanta once inclement weather cleared,” the statement said. 

SMALL AIRPLANE SKIDS OFF RUNWAY INTO BAY DURING BOTCHED LANDING AT OREGON AIRPORT

Because the regional airport lacks U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities, the travelers were unable to disembark the aircraft and were left stranded on the planes overnight. 

“Flights from international points of origin must arrive at an airport Customs and Border Protection staffing and facilities for processing, this was not possible until early Friday morning when a special accommodation was reached with Montgomery airport officials and CBP,” the spokesperson said.

FLIGHT PASSENGER SAYS MAN DELIBERATELY SQUATTED IN WINDOW SEAT, IGNITES SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE

While other airports with CBP facilities were nearby, they were also not within reach due to the weather.

“Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, also experiencing severe thunderstorms, was not suitable as a diversion airport due to conditions and reports of windshear,” the spokesperson continued.

Passengers sat in their planes until the morning around 5:30 a.m. when special CBP arrangements arrived. The travelers were allowed to enter the airport before finally departing for Atlanta around noon.

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The airline said they plan to refund each customer’s ticket as a result of the inconvenience.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for this experience. We fell short of how we aspire to serve and care for our customers amid thunderstorms in the Southeast U.S. Thursday evening. We are reaching out to each customer with a full refund of their booking,” the spokesperson said.

The airline also said they will work to sort out these kinds of weather-impacted delays in the future.

“Delta is conducting a thorough review of these events with an eye for making improvements and preventing an outcome like this again,” the spokesperson said.

Fans slam raging anti-Trump punk band for starting a fire as city still recovers from disaster

Green Day is catching some heat for their use of pyrotechnics during their performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. 

On Saturday, the legendary punk rock band took the stage to deliver a noteworthy set. However, the show was met with some outrage after a palm tree caught fire due to the fireworks ignited by the band’s pyrotechnics. 

In a video obtained by People magazine, concertgoers gathered around a palm tree which was engulfed in flames. 

GREEN DAY CALLS VICE PRESIDENT VANCE SLUR IN REWORK OF BAND’S 2000S-ERA SONG

“After all the California wildfires, they are using pyrotechnics??! It’s fine. They will host a benefit concert,” a user commented on the video, referencing the catastrophic LA wildfires earlier this year. 

“Can’t believe they are allowed to launch fireworks when it’s like 100 degrees in LA,” another wrote. 

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“They just set the entire coachella on fire,” one user added. 

A representative for Green Day did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

During their set, lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong also took aim at President Donald Trump and his administration after changing the lyrics in their hit song, “American Idiot.”

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In a video obtained by Billboard, Armstrong sang, “I’m not a part of a MAGA agenda,” instead of the original, “I’m not a part of the redneck agenda.”

This isn’t the first time Armstrong has taken such a political stance.

Earlier this year, Armstrong sang the same lyrics during a performance for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC, just weeks before Trump’s inauguration.

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They swore they’d never forget each other — now look who just reunited

The cast of the iconic 1980’s film “The Breakfast Club” – Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall and Emilio Estevez – reunited for the first time in 40 years during a pop culture event in Chicago. 

On Saturday, the former cast mates took the stage at C2E2 to reminisce about their experiences making the classic coming-of-age movie, in which five students from different high school cliques bond while serving Saturday detention together. 

“I feel really very emotional and moved to have us all together,” Ringwald, who played Clarie Standish in the movie, told the crowd, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

‘THE BREAKFAST CLUB’: 5 FACTS ABOUT THE JOHN HUGHES CLASSIC TO CELEBRATE ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY

While other members of the cast have reunited in the past, this was the first time Estevez joined them. 

“We don’t have to use the cardboard cutout anymore because he’s here.” Ringwald added. “I feel really moved that we’re all together.”

Estevez, who played star athlete Andrew Clark, admitted that joining the reunion was “something that finally I felt I needed to do just for myself.”

“This one felt special, it’s here in Chicago where we made the film,” he said. “It’s obviously the 40th anniversary, and it just felt like it was time. Somebody told me that Molly said, ‘Well, does Emilio just not like us?’ And that broke my heart. And I went, ‘No, of course I love all of them.’ And that just made sense, so here I am.”

At one point during the panel, Nelson, who played delinquent John Bender, said he didn’t think it’d take this long for everyone to reunite. But this time, he, Estevez and Ringwald were together, along with Hall, who played socially awkward Brian Johnson, and Sheedy, who starred as shy loner Allison Reynolds.

“I always felt in a weird way that the work was half done, that at some point we would all get back together – because there were too many questions by everyone, ‘What happens on Monday?’ The film is about the fact that everyone has to make that decision for themselves [about] what happens on Monday. But I felt, personally, that it was one shoe and I needed the second shoe, and that could only come from John,” Nelson said, referring to the movie’s late writer and director John Hughes. 

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“So his passing was profound for me, because it’s like the work will always be in a circle leaning one direction,” he added. “What we needed was the one to counterbalance it, because Hughes explained to us the differences between the young and old. So now is the time for him to show us where we meet in the end, because we’re all older now, but we’re not going to get that, which is sad. But in a way, Hughes has been telling us, ‘Think for yourself.'”

Fans were quick to share their reaction to the reunion on social media. 

“Love seeing this, great movie!” one user wrote on X. 

“Fantastic. Great for fans but I hope they enjoyed getting back together and recognizing what an impact that movie had / has on so many,” another wrote. 

Last year, Ringwald – who had recently watched “The Breakfast Club” with her daughter – reflected on the movie in an interview with The Times.

“There is a lot that I really love about the movie, but there are elements that haven’t aged well – like Judd Nelson’s character, John Bender, who essentially sexually harasses my character,” she told the outlet.

“I’m glad we’re able to look at that and say things are truly different now.”

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