AG hits state with lawsuit for defying exec order on trans athletes in women’s sports

The U.S. Justice Department announced a lawsuit against the state of Maine for its continued defiance of President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep biological males out of girls’ and women’s sports and violations of Title IX.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit at a press conference on Wednesday morning. It is the latest chapter in the battle between the state and the Trump administration after a federal judge paused a funding freeze that was initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Bondi was joined at the press conference by conservative activist Riley Gaines and fencer Stephanie Turner, who recently drew viral attention to the issue of trans inclusion in women’s fencing with a clip of her kneeling in protest of a trans opponent.

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“The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi said at a press conference. “… What they have been through is horrific.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey’s offices for comment.

“We want to get states to comply with us,” Bondi added.

Bondi said they were seeking an injunction and have titles returned to the girls who “rightfully” won competitions in which trans athletes participated in.

Turner spoke about the Justice Department’s lawsuit against the state to Fox News Digital.

“It’s sad that this has to be a political issue, and I think this was a missed opportunity by the Democrats to garner support among the vast majority of the United States.” Turner said of the press conference. 

“I’m so grateful that we have an administration that is taking this issue seriously.”

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The announcement of the lawsuit comes nearly two months after an infamous hostile exchange between Trump and Mills at a White House bi-partisan meeting of governors on Feb. 21. The exchange ended with Trump uttering the phrase “see you in court” after Mills insisted her state would refuse to comply with his order.

Now, Trump’s administration has made good on his vow to take the issue to court. 

The administration has hammered the state with federal pressure to comply with the issue over the last seven weeks, launching multiple investigations into its educational institutions and even cutting funding from the USDA. 

In response, the state has launched its own lawsuit against the administration over the recent USDA cuts and a federal judge has also ordered that the funding can not be frozen. 

Republican opposition within the state has fought aggressively against Mills, the Democrat majority in the legislature and educational bodies that have firmly stood in support of trans inclusion. State Rep. Laurel Libby has been a central figure in this opposition, having drawn attention to the issue initially with a social media post identifying a trans athlete who won a girls’ pole vault competition in February. 

Now, Libby is gratified to see the DOJ intervene and take legal action against the state. 

“Despite repeated warnings from President Trump, Governor Janet Mills and Maine Democrats have continued to discriminate against Maine women and girls, prioritizing their woke ideology over biological reality. As a result, the Department of Justice has no choice but to take action against the erasure of women and girls in sports,” Libby told Fox News Digital.

“Maine Democrats have doubled down on their far-left agenda and now our students and families stand poised to lose hundreds of millions in federal funding. Their radical gender ideology is endangering the continued existence of women’s sports and penalizing Maine students, against the will of Maine citizens.”

Libby is joined by her Republican colleagues in opposing the Democrat authority in the state that defies Trump, alongside several passionate civilians who have spoken out on the issue in recent months.

A school district in Maine is moving to comply with Trump instead of the state over the issue. The MSAD #70 School Board voted unanimously on Monday night to comply with Title IX, and Superintendent Tyler Putnam told Fox News Digital that he will amend the district’s policies to prevent trans athletes from competing in girls’ sports. 

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A Maine parent named Nick Blanchard recently garnered national attention after he was cut off at a school board meeting in Maine’s capital city of Augusta while he discussed the controversial issue and a petition he launched to have a school administrator removed from her position for supporting trans inclusion. 

Maine high school student Cassidy Carlisle spoke at a rally in Augusta opposing Mills on the issue and made a trip to the White House to discuss the issue in her state on Feb. 27. Carlisle was driven to take action on the issue after losing to a trans athlete in cross-country and Nordic skiing competitions. Before that, she had to share a locker room with a trans athlete six years ago during a middle school gym class. 

As the conflict in Maine has become a national issue, the conservative opposition has also garnered support from prominent national activists. 

Nicole Neily, Defending Education founder and president, celebrated the ruling in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“The Department of Justice’s lawsuit shows that this administration is serious about prioritizing student safety – which is a welcome change for parents across the country. Maine has made a conscious decision to violate the original intent of Title IX by allowing male participation in female sports, and that action has consequences,” Neily said. 

American Parents Coalition Executive Director Alleigh Marré told Fox News Digital she believes the Trump administration is sending a strong message with this lawsuit.

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“This action by the Administration sends a clear message to parents who have been fighting for their daughters’ private spaces to be protected and for fair athletic competition. Our daughters’ rights and privacy should not be subject to ideological whims. The next generation of girls deserve a world where they are protected and respected,” Marré said.

Trump admin considering cutting one department’s budget nearly in half

The Trump administration is mulling a proposal that would slash the State Department budget by $27 billion – nearly in half – and shutter smaller embassies and consulates across the globe. 

The proposal calls for the elimination of funding for more than 20 international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO and the Organization of American States, a diplomatic source in possession of the document told Fox News Digital. 

The U.S. contributed around $13 billion to the United Nations in 2023 and around $3.5 billion to NATO. The proposed budget calls for allocating $2 billion for “America First” priorities. Those coffers could be used for “specific partners” like India and Jordan, according to the document, or broader priorities, like the South Pacific Tuna Treaty. 

However, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday, “there is no final plan, final budget.” 

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The proposal is an early draft and has to pass layers of approval within the administration before it even gets to Congress. Congress can then take it as an outline but ultimately draw up its own budget figures. 

The foreign service travel budget and benefits would be scaled back, and the Fulbright scholarship program would be eliminated.

The document calls for a 2% reduction in diplomatic security, cuts to the inspector general’s office and the closure of smaller embassies in countries such as the Maldives, Malta, Luxembourg and the Central African Republic.

It also proposes a 54% cut to global public health funding, with carve-outs for malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis, and a complete elimination of international peacekeeping funds.

When asked about the budget plan during a State Department briefing, spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “Throughout the history of the United States, everyone has a budget plan and everyone has ideas for budgets. And every president has a budget plan and sends it to Congress. And then Congress either accepts it or they have their own ideas, which happens more often than not.”

“There is no final plan, final budget,” she emphasized. 

The Trump administration has moved quickly to dismantle foreign aid, eliminating nearly 90% of USAID projects and merging the agency with the State Department and defunding “soft power” institutions like Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting networks. 

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The White House budget is set to be transferred to Congress next month before the Republican-led House and Senate get to work on passing appropriations bills for each agency of government. 

Meanwhile, agencies are expected to present their own plans for reorganization to the White House this week, outlining what cuts they believe are necessary to further shrink the federal government. The State Department has not yet publicly detailed its plans for downsizing. 

As reports of the cuts emerged, Democrats warned that U.S. adversaries would fill the vacuum left by America around the world. 

The cuts “would leave our country alone and exposed and allow China and Russia to fill the vacuum made vacant by this administration,” according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, N.H., top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee. 

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“Why in the world would we cut funding for NATO at a moment when war is raging in Europe and security threats on the continent grow?” she added.

It is not clear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorses the initial proposal. “I want to hear from Secretary Rubio directly,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, Hawaii, top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that handles State funding, calling the reports “deeply troubling.”

Protesters forcibly escorted out of public event hosted by GOP representative

Police forcibly escorted at least six people out of a town hall being held by GOP Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday night and were forced to deploy a taser against two of the individuals.

Reporters on the ground at the event in Georgia indicated there were at least six protesters escorted from the town hall within minutes of it starting. Three of the individuals were eventually charged by police for their involvement in the disruption, including one for disorderly conduct, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

“Put your hands behind your back!” a police officer can be heard in a video of the incident shared on social media by CBS News reporter Jared Eggleston. “F— off –” the man can be heard yelling as he disappeared off-screen behind a wall, before a loud bang could be heard followed by the sound of a taser.

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A second bang from another taser going off could be heard shortly thereafter.

Different videos from the event show a handful of others being escorted out, with some leaving on their own volition and others having to be literally dragged out by police. 

“Free Garcia,” one protester could be heard saying as they were exiting in a video posted to X, referring to Kilmar Ábrego García, who has been at the center of a deportation controversy after a federal judge said the Trump administration wrongly deported him with a group of Venezuelan gang members. 

“Free Kilmar!” another could be heard screaming repeatedly on video as they were escorted out.

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At moments, as police escorted the protesters out of the town hall, Green engaged with the disruptors.  

“The protest is outside. Thank you very much,” Greene said. “If you were to sit and listen, you’re welcome to listen. Everyone across the aisle – Democrats, Independents,” she added while someone was being escorted out.  

“I’m glad they got thrown out,” Greene said following the event. “That’s exactly what I wanted to see happen … This isn’t a political rally or a protest. I held a town hall tonight. You know who was out of line? The protesters.” 

The disruption at Greene’s rally follows increased volatility at local GOP town halls. Things have gotten tense enough that the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., has told his fellow Republicans to temporarily refrain from holding in-person town hall events. 

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Citing the uptick in “Democrat threats of violence,” GOP Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman followed Hudson’s advice and moved all of her in-person town halls online. The move came after an incident in which an attendee of one of her in-person events followed Hageman as she left and initiated a physical confrontation with her staff, eventually requiring police to intervene.

Green was only one of a handful of GOP members that decided to do an in-person event amid the current ongoing legislative recess, according to NBC News.

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Trump’s tariff gamble put to the test as China chokes off critical supplies

U.S. industry will soon feel the “squeeze” as China halts exports of rare earth minerals – key components in weapons systems, electric vehicles and consumer electronics – in direct retaliation for President Donald Trump’s sweeping 145% tariffs.

Shipments of magnets from China have ground to a halt, the New York Times reported on Sunday, as Beijing tightens export controls in a direct strike on U.S. manufacturing and defense supply chains. While the move is intended to pressure the White House, industry sources say its impact will be global, with exports halted to all foreign buyers, not just the United States.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett acknowledged the growing alarm on Monday, telling reporters at the White House, “Rare earths are a part of lots of the economy. The rare earth limits are being studied very carefully, and they’re concerning, and we’re thinking about all the options right now.”

After Trump’s tariff announcement, China hit back with its own 125% tariff on U.S. goods and imposed new export restrictions on seven rare earth materials. Exporters are now holding back shipments as they navigate a potentially lengthy licensing process. Overseas deliveries of magnets – vital for assembling cars, robotics and defense systems – came to a halt on April 4 as the new rules took effect.

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The ban doesn’t apply to finished products containing rare earths, potentially undercutting Trump’s tariff strategy. U.S.-made goods that rely on imported materials could face production delays, while goods produced and manufactured in China would still be available for import.

China produces around 60% of the world’s critical mineral supply but processes even more, up to 90%. 

For years, the U.S. and much of the world enabled China’s dominance in mineral mining and processing, drawn by its lower costs driven by lax environmental rules, cheap labor and heavy government subsidies.

But China’s dominance has also given it enormous leverage: the power to deliver a crippling blow to global industry in the technological age.

“This is a wake-up call now where we don’t have a choice anymore,” said Pini Althaus, a mining executive and managing partner at Cove Capital.   

The world beyond China is already entering a tungsten supply crisis. The mineral – essential for solar panels, electric vehicles and defense systems – is 80% sourced from China, which imposed export controls in February.

Josh Ballard, CEO of USA Rare Earths, predicted the defense industry would feel the effects first.

“That has to be shipped here and done here in the U.S.,” he said.

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“I’m betting it affects a lot of the auto manufacturers fairly quickly. Anybody who’s doing their assembly manufacturing here, there will be a knockdown effect,” Ballard added. 

Products like iPhones, which come into the U.S. fully assembled, won’t feel the effects as quickly despite containing dozens of chemical elements. 

Trump exempted electronics from his 145% Chinese tariff scheme, though the White House has said those exemptions are only temporary. 

The president has moved to counter China’s grip on the critical minerals market through a range of efforts, from a push to buy Greenland, to mineral talks with Ukraine, to executive action streamlining the U.S. mining process. Smaller nations in Central Asia and Africa have taken notice, and they’re seeking favor with Washington by showcasing the mineral resources they can bring to the table.

Trump envoy Massad Boulos recently traveled to the Congo to strike a deal that would allow U.S. industry access to Congo’s mineral resources. 

And Trump is now drawing up an executive order to trigger strategic stockpiles of deep sea metals mined off the Pacific to counter 

As the U.S. rushes to stockpile critical minerals, it’ll be competing with allies like the European Union, Korea and Japan, which have also been cut off from China’s resources. 

“It’s going to be a competition now as to who can start stockpiling these materials, who can enter into offtake agreements with mine owners, with downstream the companies that are manufacturing some of the downstream products, like magnets, lithium batteries, etc.,” said Althaus. 

“We’re going to start seeing a lot more urgency.”

It takes an average of 29 years to build a new mine for critical minerals in the U.S., where there is almost no infrastructure to process such mines once they’re taken out of the ground.

To shore up U.S. supplies, industry experts say they need the government to ease the permitting process and offer tax incentives for mineral exploration. 

Early stage exploration is both risky and expensive, according to Althaus: “The very few projects that are ready to go into production, for the most part, can obtain financing, but in order to build a long-term domestic supply chain, you have to start with the exploration projects as well.”

He said the U.S. could launch an initiative similar to Canada’s flow-through shares for mining that would make exploration costs tax-deductible.

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“I think it has to be a public-private partnership, both in terms of at the mine level but also the downstream processing.”

“Private capital isn’t going to take that risk as quickly as we need it to be taken,” said Ballard. “Where the federal government could help the most is being that catalyst to bring capital into the industry.”

Trump redoubles attack on Harvard, says it does not deserve federal funding

President Donald Trump doubled down on his attacks against Harvard University on Wednesday, saying the institution is a “joke.”

Trump spoke out on social media Wednesday after Harvard refused to comply with requirements from the Department of Education (DOE) to address antisemitism and other issues on campus. He also blasted Harvard for hiring Bill de Blasio and Lori Lightfoot, the former mayors of New York City and Chicago respectively.

“These two Radical Left fools left behind two cities that will take years to recover from their incompetence and evil. Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and ‘birdbrains’ who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called ‘future leaders,'” Trump wrote.

“Look just to the recent past at their plagiarizing President, who so greatly embarrassed Harvard before the United States Congress,” he continued. “Many others, like these Leftist dopes, are teaching at Harvard, and because of that, Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges. Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”

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Trump’s administration withheld $2.2 billion in federal funding from Harvard after the university refused to work with the DOE.

In a statement on Monday, Harvard University President Alan Garber said the terms of the agreement make “clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner.”

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“Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the intellectual conditions at Harvard,” Garber wrote.

Trump and other prominent Republicans have also proposed taxing the endowments of Harvard and other Ivy League schools. Harvard holds an endowment of over $50 billion, while the other seven Ivy League schools total nearly $140 billion in endowments.

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“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump wrote earlier this week.

“Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” the president added. 

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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has also proposed taxing Ivy League schools to offset the costs of passing tax cuts for working-class Americans.

Dog lovers bite back after liberals target man’s best friend to push green agenda

Woof.

Mother Jones republished an article from fellow progressive outlet The Guardian on Saturday that argued that while dogs may be man’s best friend, they’re Mother Nature’s “villains.”

The left-wing magazine highlighted new research, originally published by The Guardian, that concluded dogs have “extensive and multifarious” environmental impacts, disturbing wildlife, polluting waterways and contributing to carbon emissions. It pinpointed how canines are disturbing native wildlife, particularly shore birds.

An Australian review of existing studies published in Pacific Conservation Biology analyzed dog attacks on other animals, finding that it may account for the colony collapse of little penguins in Tasmania, while a study of animals taken to the Australia Zoo wildlife hospital found that mortality was highest after dog attacks.

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In the U.S., the report continued, studies have found that deer, foxes and bobcats were less active in or avoid wilderness areas where dogs were allowed. Other intel showed that insecticides from flea and tick medications kill aquatic invertebrates when they wash off into waterways. Dog feces, meanwhile, can leave scent traces and affect soil chemistry and plant growth.

A canine’s carbon footprint is also “significant,” according to the study.

A 2020 study found the dry pet food industry had an environmental footprint that is around twice the land area of the UK, with greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the 60th highest-emitting country.

The owners of furry friends weren’t particularly impressed by the dog doom deep dive. They united in ripping the Mother Jones report on X, with several users responding with photos of their own beloved dogs or wondering if a rival animal wrote it.

“Did… a cat write this?” columnist Tim Carney asked.

Others wondered why the liberal outlet was trying to unearth the bad in what is considered a universally beloved animal.

“Is there any enjoyable part of life these insufferable kill joys won’t attack?” The Young Turks host Ana Kasparian wondered.

“First environmentalists came for cows and people said nothing. Now they want to sacrifice dogs to save the planet? Not a winning message by the net-zero crowd, whose track record is notoriously bad,” Gabriella Hoffman, Energy & Conservation Director for the Independent Women’s Forum Center, said.

The study suggested that a way to tamp down on dogs’ environmental impact is to “keep them leashed in areas where restrictions apply and to maintain a buffer distance from nesting or roosting shorebirds.”

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The review’s lead author, Prof Bill Bateman of Curtin University, perhaps anticipating backlash from pet owners, said the research did not intend to be “censorious” but aimed to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of man’s best friend, according to Mother Jones. 

“Although we’ve pointed out these issues with dogs in natural environments… there is that other balancing side, which is that people will probably go out and really enjoy the environment around them — and perhaps feel more protective about it — because they’re out there walking their dog in it,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mother Jones for comment.

Common medical test linked to 5% of cancers, study suggests: ‘Use them wisely’

CT scans, or CAT scans, are widely used to get internal images of the body and diagnose dangerous medical conditions — but they could pose a hidden risk.

A new study from the University of California – San Francisco found that CT (computed tomography) scans could be responsible for 5% of all cancer diagnoses each year, according to a press release.

“While some uncertainty exists, it doesn’t significantly affect the core conclusion: A small but meaningful percentage of cancers are linked to CT scans, and this number can be reduced,” first author Rebecca Smith-Bindman, MD, a UCSF radiologist and professor, told Fox News Digital.

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The researchers’ estimates show that the ionizing radiation exposure from CT scans is comparable to other significant risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and excess body weight.

To predict how many future cancers could result from current CT scans, the researchers updated a previous analysis of 2023 data on scan volumes, scan types and radiation doses, according to Smith-Bindman, MD.

“We used a well-validated model to estimate cancer risk and conducted sensitivity analyses to confirm the robustness of our findings,” she said.

“This is a modeling study, meaning our conclusions depend on the accuracy of the data used.”

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Based on the review, the researchers estimate that approximately 103,000 future cancers will be caused by CT scans performed in 2023 in the U.S., with the highest number of cases affecting adults aged 50 to 69.

Individual cancer risk is highest for babies and children, with babies under 1 year old 10 times more likely to develop the disease compared to others in the study.  

Adults, however, account for the majority of scans, which drives the overall cancer burden, Smith-Bindman noted.

“CT doses are sometimes higher than necessary.”

The most common cancer types resulting from CT radiation, according to the study, include lung cancer, colon cancer, leukemia and breast cancer. 

The study, which was published on April 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine, received funding from the National Institutes of Health.

“In many cases, CT is the most appropriate test for achieving rapid and accurate diagnoses,” Smith-Bindman told Fox News Digital.

“However, the use of CT continues to rise, including a concerning increase in imaging that is performed without a justified medical reason — often referred to as ‘low-value scanning.’” 

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Based on the findings, the researchers recommend avoiding unnecessary CT scans to avoid potential harms. 

Another risk-reducing approach is to lower the radiation dose per scan.

“CT doses are sometimes higher than necessary, so patients are encouraged to ask their healthcare providers or technologists to use the lowest possible dose for their scan,” Smith-Bindman advised.

Ultimately, the researcher said, patients should have informed conversations with their healthcare providers about the necessity of a CT scan and whether alternative imaging options — like ultrasound or MRI — might be more appropriate. 

“If CT is clearly indicated, the benefits far outweigh the risks,” she said. “But if not, it’s best to avoid the scan altogether.”

“Less can be more when it comes to good patient care.”

Dr. Nicole Saphier, board-certified radiologist and Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the study but commented on the risks and benefits of CT scans.

“I have long advocated for the judicious use of medical imaging, often citing that less can be more when it comes to good patient care,” she told Fox News Digital.

IMAGE

“The recent study linking the ionizing radiation from CT scans to an increased risk of cancer underscores what many in the medical community have understood for years: while imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool, it is not without risk.”

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Saphier said the study may even underestimate the total number of cancers attributable to medical imaging. 

“Many cases of medical intervention-induced cancers may go unrecognized due to long latency periods, the complex interplay of contributing factors and the fact they omitted radiation from image-guided procedures, x-rays and other forms of medical radiation from this study,” she noted.

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“As imaging use and medical interventions continue to rise — especially in younger populations — the cumulative radiation exposure over a lifetime becomes an increasingly important consideration.”

That said, Saphier went on, CT scans and other medical imaging modalities — which are “fast and cheap” — save lives every day.

“The key is balance. Physicians must remain vigilant in weighing the benefits against the risks, and should always explore alternative modalities when appropriate, such as ultrasound or MRI, which do not use ionizing radiation.” 

Informed decision-making is essential for both clinicians and patients, according to the doctor. 

“We must continue to refine our protocols, limit unnecessary imaging and ensure we are using the lowest possible doses without compromising diagnostic quality,” Saphier concluded.

“This is not a call to avoid CT scans — it is a call to use them wisely.”