JOHANNESBURG - President Donald Trump’s announcement that he plans to cut off all foreign aid to South Africa because he claimed it is "confiscating" land "and treating certain classes of people very badly" in "a massive human rights violation" has provoked strong reaction from the South African presidency and commentators. 

"The South African government has not confiscated any land", South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded in a statement, adding "We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters". 

Last week, Ramaphosa signed a bill into law permitting national, provincial and local authorities to expropriate land – to take it -"for a public purpose or in the public interest," and, the government stated "subject to just and equitable compensation being paid". However, sources say no expropriation has happened yet.

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL LAND SEIZURE BILL, ERODING PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS 

On his Truth Social Media platform, President Trump hit out at South Africa, posting "It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention. A massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!" Trump later repeated his comments while speaking to the press on Sunday night at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Pieter du Toit, assistant editor of South African media group News 24, posted on X "The U.S. President, clearly advised by Elon Musk, really has no idea what he’s talking about." 

South African-born Musk is trying to expand his Starlink internet service into South Africa, but President Ramaphosa has reportedly told him he must sell off 30% of his company here to local broad-based so-called Black empowerment interests.

In response to the South African president’s statement, Musk fired back on X, asking Ramaphosa, "Why do you have openly racist ownership laws?"

INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN, CONGRESS SHOWDOWN LOOMS WITH SOUTH AFRICA OVER SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA, US FOES

Analyst Frans Cronje told Fox News Digital that President Trump may be referring to the ongoing killing of farmers in South Africa when he posted that certain classes of people are being treated very badly.

"President Trump's recent comments on land seizures in South Africa cannot be divorced from his past comments on violent attacks directed at the country's farmers. Whilst these comments have often been dismissed as false, the latest South African data suggests that the country's commercial farmers are six times more likely to be violently attacked in their homes than is the case for the general population." 

Cronje said there may be agendas in play behind President Trump’s statements.

"Such seizures may also apply to the property of American investors in South Africa. Cronje is an adviser at the U.S. Yorktown Foundation for Freedom. He added "with regards to land specifically, the legislation could enable the mass seizure of land which has been an oft expressed objective of senior political figures in the country. To date, however, there have been no mass seizures, in part because there was no legislative means through which to achieve such seizures." 

Now, with the bill having been signed into law, Cronje says that has changed. 

"The comments around property rights in South Africa must be read against broader and bipartisan US concern at developments in South Africa. In 2024 the US/South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act was introduced (in Congress) amid concerns that the South African government's relationships with Iran, Russia, and China threatened US national security interests."

Cronje, who also advises corporations and government departments on economic and political trajectory, continued. "Last week, South Africa’s government, together with that of Cuba, Belize and four other countries supported the formation of the ‘Hague Group’ in an apparent move to shore up the standing of the International Criminal Court, amid the passage through Congress of the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act that prescribes sanctions against any country that is seen to use the court to threaten US national security interests. South Africa has in recent years been prominent in employing both that court and the International Court of Justice in the Hague to press for action against Israel and Israeli leaders."

South Africa’s Ramaphosa played down the importance of U.S. aid, stating "with the exception of PEPFAR (The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIVAids program, there is no other significant funding that is provided by the United States in South Africa." President George W. Bush introduced PEPFAR in 2003.

Analyst Justice Malala, speaking on South African news channel, ENCA, said that, under the Trump administration, "the United States is going to upend South Africa in many ways."

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staffers said that they tracked over 600 workers who reported getting locked out of the USAID computer systems overnight, according to the Associated Press. People who remained in the system got emails stating that "at the direction of Agency leadership" the headquarters facility "will be closed to Agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3."

Elon Musk, who is spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort, had said during an X spaces conversation that President Donald Trump agreed that the USAID should be shut down.

Musk indicated that the shut-down process is underway. 

He said that unlike an apple contaminated by a worm, the agency is "a bowl of worms."

MUSK'S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST' FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

"There is no apple," he said. "It's beyond repair."

Musk noted that the more he has gotten to know Trump, the more he likes the president.

"Frankly, I love the guy. He's great," the business tycoon said of the commander in chief.

USAID WORKERS PUT ON LEAVE AS TRUMP OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE RESISTANCE TO AID PAUSE

Musk has been excoriating USAID in posts on X.

"USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die," he tweeted.

"USAID was a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America," he asserted.

RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’

"We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could [have] gone to some great parties. Did that instead," Musk noted.

President Donald Trump has a busy week planned to start February, including speeding through more confirmations for the president’s Cabinet picks.

Trump made good on his promise of new tariffs over the weekend, hitting Canada and Mexico with 25% duties and China with a 10% tariff over concerns about fentanyl and continued illegal immigration.

Those tariffs are expected to be fully in force by Tuesday and have already drawn retaliation from Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a 25% tariff on some goods coming into the country from the U.S. on Sunday. Mexico, meanwhile, has also signaled a plan to impose tariffs on the U.S., though specific increases have yet to be announced.

STEFANIK LOOKS BACK TO FIERY EXCHANGES WITH COLLEGE LEADERS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: 'WATERSHED MOMENT'  

The beginning of the week will also see the deadline pass for six senior FBI officials to retire, resign or be fired, according to a report by USA Today, making good on Trump’s plans to push aside leaders who were promoted by former FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Monday will also see the Senate vote on Trump’s pick for treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, as well as a vote to advance former Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., Trump’s pick to serve as transportation secretary.

Tuesday will see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet with Trump at the White House, the first meeting between the two leaders since Trump regained control of the Oval Office.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, will appear before the Senate Committee on Finance on Wednesday, a day that will also see Howard Lutnick, Trump’s choice for commerce secretary, appear before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., Trump’s choice to lead the Small Business Administration, will testify in front of the Senate Committee on Small Business.

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Wednesday will also see the Senate Committee on the Judiciary vote on whether to send former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice, to the full floor for a confirmation vote.

Thursday is the deadline for federal workers to decide whether they would prefer to return to work in the office or accept a buyout and severance package that would see them paid through the end of September, part of Trump’s plan to trim the federal workforce.

Thursday will also be a busy day for Trump Cabinet picks, with Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Panel. Meanwhile, Kennedy will make an appearance in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, while former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Trump’s choice to be the director of national intelligence, will appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

The Senate’s Budget panel will also vote whether to move Russ Vought, who Trump nominated to lead the Office of Management and Budget, to a vote on the full floor, while the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will decide whether to advance Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The busy week will see another highlight Friday when the Bureau of Labor Statistics' first monthly jobs report comes out since Trump took office, with the U.S. looking to hit 49 consecutive months of job gains.

When Canadian and American teams face off against one another, it is commonplace for both countries' national anthems to be played or performed.

That was the case at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, when the Minnesota Wild visited the Senators for an NHL bout.

The visiting team's anthem is normally performed first, as was the case on Saturday night.

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But, before the home crowd heard its own anthem, they let out boos at the end of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The game came on the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order, which will go into effect Tuesday, consisting of a 25% additional tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China.

Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff, according to the White House. In a statement obtained by Fox News Saturday, the Trump administration said the order is in response to an "extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, (that) constitutes a national emergency."

Ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation, Trump said he would "love" if Canada could become the "51st state."

On their four-game homestand that wrapped up following their 6-0 victory, the Senators hosted all USA teams – there are seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League and 25 teams based in the states.

The Senators will kick off a four-game U.S. road trip against the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning (two games), and Florida Panthers before returning home on Feb. 22 to host the Montreal Canadiens. 

The long layover comes due to the upcoming 4 Nations tournament featuring the USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden.

Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis, Brooke Singman and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

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

Tech billionaire Elon Musk ripped alleged "fraudulent" Treasury payments on Saturday as reports circulated that the Department of Government Efficiency has gained acces to the federal government's payment system as the second Trump administration continues cutting what they say is government fat and overspending. 

"The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once," Musk, the chair of DOGE, posted early Saturday morning to X. 

Musk's post came just ahead of the New York Times reporting Saturday afternoon that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted DOGE personnel access to the payment system. The Treasury spends roughly $6 trillion per year on payments for federal agencies. 

The ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, posted to social media on Saturday that he has also been informed that DOGE was granted access to the system. 

DOGE ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $1B IN SAVINGS AFTER CANCELING 104 FEDERAL DEI CONTRACTS

"Sources tell my office that Treasury Secretary Bessent has granted DOGE *full* access to this system. Social Security and Medicare benefits, grants, payments to government contractors, including those that compete directly with Musk's own companies. All of it," Wyden posted to social media site BlueSky on Saturday evening. 

DOGE's reported access to the payment system comes after the Washington Post reported on Friday that the former acting director of the Treasury, David A. Lebryk, was planning to exit the finance department of the federal government following a clash over granting DOGE access to its payment system. Lebryk oversaw the Treasury Department in the days between President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 and Bessent's confirmation to lead the department on Jan. 27. 

TOP DOGE LAWMAKER SAYS TRUMP ‘ALREADY RACKING UP WINS FOR TAXPAYERS’ WITH EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES

On Friday, reports also spread that civil servants within the Office of Personnel Management, which works as the federal government's HR department, were reportedly locked from the office's computer systems by DOGE. 

Musk quipped on X on Saturday that working over the weekend is a "superpower," where the "opposing team" disappear for two days. 

"Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days! Working the weekend is a superpower," he posted. 

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

Trump officially created DOGE via an executive order signed on his first day in office. The EO outlines that government agency chiefs provide DOGE with access to internal government platforms such as, "software systems, and IT systems."

"Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the USDS Administrator and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure USDS has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.  USDS shall adhere to rigorous data protection standards," the executive order reads. 

Trump and Musk had long previewed the creation of DOGE while on the campaign trail, championing that the team would weed out overspending and fraud within the federal government. DOGE is not a government department, but instead operates as a team within the Trump administration. 

Before Trump's win in November, Musk hosted the Republican president for an interview on X in August, where Musk railed against government overspending and inflation that has gripped the nation in recent years. 

"A lot of people just don’t understand where inflation comes from. Inflation comes from government overspending because the checks never bounce when it’s written by the government. So if the government spends far more than it brings in, that increases the money supply. If the money supply increases faster than the rate of goods and services, that’s inflation," Musk said during their conversation. 

MUSK RENEWS HARSH REBUKE OF DEMS WHO REJECTED DEPORTING SEX OFFENDERS: VOTE OUT ‘EVERY ONE’

"So really we need to reduce our government spending, and we need to re-examine… I think we need a government efficiency commission to say like, ‘Hey, where are we spending money that’s sensible. Where is it not sensible?’"

Since its official creation last month, DOGE's X account has provided updates on its work to cut government spending, including announcing last week that it has cut more than $1 billion from federal spending through now-defunct diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and personnel. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Treasury Department on Sunday morning, but did not immediately receive replies. 

The Trump administration announced on Saturday that it is imposing tariffs through its new International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the tariffs Saturday, which will go into effect Tuesday, consisting of a 25% additional tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China.

Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff, according to the White House. In a statement obtained by Fox News Saturday, the Trump administration said the legislation is a response to an "extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, (that) constitutes a national emergency."

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"This challenge threatens the fabric of our society," the executive order states. "Gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illicit drugs of all kinds have poured across our borders and into our communities.

"Canada has played a central role in these challenges, including by failing to devote sufficient attention and resources or meaningfully coordinate with United States law enforcement partners to effectively stem the tide of illicit drugs."

In a fact sheet released by Trump officials, the White House said the tariffs are meant to hold the three countries accountable for "their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country."

The move was widely criticized by foreign leaders on Saturday. In an X post, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he "did not want this, but Canada is prepared."

RNC CHAIR, AFTER CRUISING TO RE-ELECTION, VOWS TO BE ‘TIP OF SPEAR’ TO PROTECT TRUMP

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her country "categorically reject[s] the White House's slander against the Mexican government of having alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention of intervention in our territory."

"Mexico not only does not want fentanyl to reach the United States, but anywhere," the statement read. "Therefore, if the United States wants to combat criminal groups that traffic drugs and generate violence, we must work together in an integrated manner, but always under the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, collaboration and, above all, respect for sovereignty, which is not negotiable."

The changes were widely expected after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday the tariffs would roll out over the weekend.

On the same day, Trump told reporters the U.S. may also increase tariffs on imports from the European Union, arguing the tariffs would make the U.S. "very rich and very strong." 

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"We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday. "I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it."

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

LGBT activists and groups are already mobilizing to block gender-related executive orders President Donald Trump signed since taking office to fulfill one of his key campaign promises to crack down on "gender ideology extremism." And more legal challenges are expected in the coming weeks.

The executive orders, signed in late January, include a reinstatement of the ban on transgender troops in the military, a ban on federal funding for sex changes for minors and a directive requiring federal agencies to recognize only "two sexes," male and female, in official standard of conduct.

"This ban betrays fundamental American values of equal opportunity and judging people on their merit," Jennifer Levi, director of Transgender and Queer Rights at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law), said in a statement about the trans military ban. 

"It slams the door on qualified patriots who meet every standard and want nothing more than to serve their country, simply to appease a political agenda."

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS BANNING 'RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY,' DEI INITIATIVES IN THE MILITARY

GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), were among the first groups to file a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration for its military ban. The lawsuit, Talbott v. Trump, was brought forward on equal protection grounds by six active-duty service members and two individuals attempting to enlist, according to the groups' announcement.

The plaintiffs include a Sailor of the Year honoree, a Bronze Star recipient and several who were awarded meritorious service medals. They were identified as U.S. Army Reservist Lt. Nicolas Talbott, Army Maj. Erica Vandal, Army Sgt. First Class Kate Cole, Army Capt. Gordon Herrero, Navy Ensign Dany Danridge, Air Force Master Sgt. Jamie Hash, Koda Nature and Cael Neary. The latter two are civilians who are seeking to enlist in the military.

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS 'NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE': 'NO EXCEPTIONS'

Another lawsuit, filed by a transgender inmate receiving taxpayer-funded medical treatments, is challenging Trump's executive order that ends medical transgender treatments – such as hormones, sex changes and grooming accommodations – for federal prisoners.

The unnamed inmate, who goes by "Maria Moe" in court documents and is represented by GLAD Law, NCLR and Lowenstein Sandler LLP, is claiming Trump and the Bureau of Prisons are violating the Fifth and Eighth amendments and claims to be "at imminent risk of losing access to the medical care she needs to treat her gender dysphoria."

U.S. District Judge George O’Toole in Boston temporarily blocked BOP officials from transferring "Maria Moe" to a men's prison, according to a ruling released by the inmate's attorney Thursday. The temporary restraining order was issued Sunday, the same day the suit was filed.

Prison officials are expected to keep the inmate in the women's prison general population and maintain her transgender medical treatments, NBC first reported. 

CRACKING DOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: TRUMP ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS, RESTRICTS FACILITY USE

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Trump's other executive orders, too, especially Trump's immigration-related policies. More are expected in the coming weeks. 

A memo released Wednesday by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management provided guidance on directing federal agencies to acknowledge that women are biologically female and men are biologically male, Reuters reported. Trump said last week federal funds would not be used to promote "gender ideology." 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the litigation but did not hear back before publication.

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

Pro-life activists sentenced to prison under the Biden administration are speaking out after receiving pardons from President Donald Trump.

"I have never, ever, ever seen any violence on the part of pro-life people," Paulette Harlow said in an exclusive interview with "Outnumbered" co-host Kayleigh McEnany. 

Harlow, 75 at the time of her conviction, was found guilty of federal civil rights conspiracy and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS

"There were several things that were said to us. One was that this trial was not about abortion, which was sort of ridiculous, because that’s the reason that we were there, to stop abortions," Harlow said. 

"To love the mothers and the children, but primarily to see if we could intervene and save the life of the babies. And saving the life of the baby, you often save the life of the mother as well."

Harlow was among several protesters sentenced for participating in an abortion clinic blockade in Washington, D.C., in October 2020. Prosecutors argued that Harlow and others forcefully entered the clinic, blocking doors with furniture, ropes, and their bodies. She was sentenced to 24 months in prison.

"These defendants conspired to use force to prevent fellow citizens from exercising rights protected by law," said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia in a press release. "People cannot resort to using force and intimidation to prevent others from engaging in lawful activity simply because they disagree with the law."

The FACE Act, passed in 1994, prohibits threats, obstruction, and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services. The law was enacted during a period of increasing protests and violence against abortion providers, including the 1993 murder of Dr. David Gunn.

Earlier this month, Trump pardoned more than two dozen anti-abortion activists, telling reporters, "We released 23 people that were unjustly put in and having to do with pro-life. And they will be released, and they’ll be out very shortly. It was disgraceful what happened."

"I was appalled watching Garland. He was isolating us and targeting us because of our pro-life stance. And especially, he was targeting Catholics," said Harlow. 

Republican lawmakers have repeatedly accused the Department of Justice of holding an "anti-Catholic bias" in its handling of pro-life activists. 

SEN. HAWLEY GRILLS AG GARLAND ON ANTI-CATHOLIC BIAS IN THE FBI, RAID ON PRO-LIFE FAMILY: ‘GIVE ME AN ANSWER!'

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., echoed these concerns on X, writing, "No administration in history has targeted Christians like the Biden Admin. We saw one persecution after another, from shutting down churches during COVID to raiding pro-lifers' homes at the crack of dawn. EVERY pro-life prisoner Biden wrongly imprisoned should be pardoned."

When questioned by Hawley about the DOJ’s treatment of Catholics, then-Attorney General Merrick Garland defended the department, stating, "Our department protects all religions, all ideologies. It does not have any bias against any religion of any kind."

Many abortion rights advocates criticized the pardons, arguing they signal Trump's opposition to abortion access. However, Trump has stated on the campaign trail that he would veto a federal abortion ban if it reached his desk.

On social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, he posted: "Everyone knows that I would not support a federal abortion ban under any circumstances and would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters (the will of the people!)."

PRO-LIFE ACTIVISTS FOUND GUILTY ON CONSPIRACY CHARGES FOR 2020 'RESCUE ACTION' AT DC CLINIC

Among those sentenced for the blockade was William Goodman, who described the conditions he faced while serving his 27-month sentence.

"We went over two weeks without toilet paper," Goodman said. "And some of the guys mentioned that some of the men who were there with gender dysphoria, wearing dresses, could get mascara, lipstick, and perfume—but we couldn’t even get toilet paper or basic needs. So there was a lot of neglect."

While prosecutors argued that some of the protesters acted violently, Jean Marshall, a former nurse and sister of Paulette Harlow, denies those claims. Marshall was also sentenced to 24 months.

She described her time in prison as difficult but said she relied on her faith for support.

"We had a Bible study going, and a couple of the women joined," Marshall told McEnany. "They were so enthusiastic and thankful. One of them even said, ‘Now I know why I wound up in prison, so that I could hear this Bible study.’"

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Despite the experience, Marshall said she has no regrets.

"I was so thankful to God that He could use me," she said.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whose vote cemented Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation last month, opened up about the effort to corroborate last-minute allegations against President Donald Trump's nominee.

"Anytime you have an allegation and somebody is willing to put it in sworn testimony, you owe it to the process to review it and not just dispose it out of hand," the North Carolina Republican told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

"And that's exactly what I did. And then I arrived at the conclusion that I'd support Pete's nomination"

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Hegseth was confirmed after a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance, making the final margin 51-50. 

Three Republicans — senators Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voted against Hegseth.

Given the Republican conference's 53-seat majority, nominees can only afford to lose three votes, assuming all Democrats are opposed and each senator is in attendance. 

ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR. ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY

Tillis' decision on whether to back Hegseth was not disclosed until minutes before he cast his vote. If he became the fourth Republican to oppose Hegseth, the confirmation would have failed. 

The senator asked Hegseth several additional questions after the new allegations surfaced and the hours until his confirmation vote wound down. 

The nominee's response letter, which proved to be to Tillis' satisfaction, was shared on X by Hegseth during the vote. 

Speaking on the subject with Fox News Digital, the senator explained he had "developed a reputation for completing due diligence" and that he takes his role seriously. 

According to Tillis, he agreed to speak with Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle, before she filed a sworn affidavit alleging that he made his ex-wife Samantha fear for her safety, in addition to claims of alcohol abuse.

'OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC': BIPARTISAN SENATORS TARGET FENTANYL CLASSIFICATION AS LAPSE APPROACHES

Danielle is not the sister of Hegseth's ex-wife. She is the former wife of his brother. 

The call between the senator and Danielle was about "what conceptually would be in the affidavit," Tillis said.

"And I said, 'If that's true, and it could be corroborated, then it would carry weight,'" Tillis recalled. 

However, he said the lack of corroboration left the allegations without credibility. 

"I could never speak directly to a person who could corroborate the testimony of one person," he said. 

After Hegseth's confirmation, it was reported that sources said Tillis had "personally assured" Danielle that if she provided the affidavit, it would be significant and might persuade Republicans to oppose the defense secretary nominee, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Asked about the report, Tillis emphasized that he gave the caveat that it must be corroborated in his conversation with Danielle. 

"Corroboration means at least two people have to be involved, and they have to be involved in the event, not a bystander. And I was unable to. I attempted to do it, but I was unable to get to that point. And, therefore, I had to make the same judgment that I did with the other allegations," he explained. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

Tillis wouldn't divulge whether Danielle or her attorney suggested she had been a witness to the alleged events. 

"I'm not going to get into those discussions because I do know that my conversation was leaked a couple of hours after I had it on Sunday. Clearly, I would have no reason to do it. But I don't leak private conversations. I don't even discuss them at any level of detail," he said.

Multiple requests for comment to Danielle's attorney, Leita Walker, from Fox News Digital went unanswered. 

Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accused President Donald Trump of being too incompetent to lead the country because he suggested the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) played a role in the tragic Washington, D.C., aircraft collision on Wednesday.

"We face the unfortunate reality that we must be honest with the nation about: Donald Trump is unfit to lead during moments of crisis like this," Pritzker said in a statement Thursday night. 

The blue state governor, whom Trump evoked on the campaign trail as an example of the downfall of Democrat-run states, urged the Trump administration to respond to the American Airlines crash with "information and facts to instill confidence in our nation’s aviation safety."

"Before victims have even been identified, Trump is blaming people with disabilities," Pritzker said, referring to FAA DEI hiring practices. "He’s blaming the U.S. service members in the Blackhawk helicopter. He’s blaming hiring programs he can’t even name or offer examples of. The buck stops with him — yet he is failing to demonstrate his role as protector of the American people and head of our government."

TRUMP ATTACKS DEI POLICIES AFTER DC PLANE CRASH, SAYS FAA EMPLOYEES MUST BE HELD TO 'HIGHEST STANDARDS'

The second-term governor is among the long list of Democrats considering a 2028 presidential run. Pritzker has seized opportunities over the past two weeks to play a leadership role in Democrat opposition to Trump, refusing, for example, to follow Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. 

PRITZKER BASHES TRUMP ORDER ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: 'WE WILL NOT FOLLOW AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL ORDER'

Pritzker’s comments Thursday were the latest in a long-standing feud between the two. 

"Sloppy J.B. Pritzker… has presided over the destruction and disintegration of Illinois at levels never seen before in any State," Trump wrote on Truth Social in June. "Crime is rampant and people are, sadly, fleeing Illinois. Unless a change is made at the Governor’s level, Illinois can never be Great Again!"

Trump’s attacks have veered into the ad hominem, labeling Pritzker a "rotund Governor from the once great State of Illinois, who makes Chris Christie look like a male model."

In his statement, Pritzker demanded the Trump administration answer his "critical questions," including why the control tower was not fully staffed during the crash; why the Trump administration fired members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee; whether the president now understands fully staffing federal agencies is a "matter of life and death"; and whether he plans to reverse federal workforce cuts. 

Pritzker questioned whether Elon Musk played a role in the removal of the former FAA director; why a replacement for FAA director was not named until after the crash; whether the federal government authorized the Blackhawk helicopter to fly on a commercial flight path; and if the government will continue allowing helicopters to fly at the same altitude as commercial planes.

"Will the President, Vice President, Defense Secretary, and Transportation Secretary cooperate with the independent NTSB investigation and correct any misinformation they spread about the crash?" Pritzker demanded to know.

Trump on Thursday listed headlines about Biden-era FAA DEI hiring that he suggested weakened the agency.

"Here's one," Trump said in the White House briefing room. "The FAA's diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. That is amazing. And then it says the FAA says people with severe disabilities, the most underrepresented segment of the workforce, and they want them in. They can be air traffic controllers. I don't think so."

"This was on January 14th, so that was a week before I entered office," Trump said, seeking to push blame onto the Biden administration. "They put a big push to put diversity into the FAA's program."

Trump then expanded his list of conditions allowed among controllers: "Hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism."

The president drew a stark contrast between Democratic policies and his own first-week executive orders that halted DEI programs in the federal government and restored "the highest standards of air traffic controllers."

"Brilliant people have to be in those positions," he stated.

When asked how he came to the conclusion that diversity had something to do with the crash, the president said, "Because I have common sense."

Pritzker is not the only potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender who took issue with Trump’s comments. After Trump called former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg a "disaster," Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic primary candidate, called Trump’s comments "despicable."

"As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying," he wrote on X. "We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch. President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe."

The new federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced Friday that taxpayers will see just over a $1 billion savings through the elimination of 104 diversity, equity and inclusion-related (DEI) contracts.

As of Wednesday, DOGE had recorded the cancellation of 85 "DEIA" contracts from 25 federal agencies. By Friday afternoon, that number had grown to 104 contracts totaling $1,000,060,792, according to a DOGE news release.

Of note, 21 Department of the Treasury contracts were canceled, saving a total of $25,247,783. In second place was the Department of Health & Human Services, which canceled 15 contracts worth $28,187,448.

While the Office of Personnel Management only had three contracts canceled, the dollar figure was pinned at a whopping $494,956,233, an average of about $165 million per DEI contract.

TOP DOGE LAWMAKER SAYS TRUMP ‘ALREADY RACKING UP WINS FOR TAXPAYERS’ WITH EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES

The other agencies with the most contracts canceled by the Trump administration include Agriculture with 11 and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Homeland Security with seven each.

According to a release Monday from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 60 employees whose roles were solely focused on DEI were placed on administrative leave, and spokesperson Morgan Ackley said the administration is "laser focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors."

"We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA’s core mission," Ackley said.

The rapid-fire DEI contract eliminations come one week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting the endeavors, officially described as "ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity."

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

However, a consortium of liberal state attorneys general lambasted Trump with a warning that the moves "have nothing to do with combating discrimination."

A  joint statement led by Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha Friday called the executive orders that led to the dismantling of DEI policies and programs "unnecessary and disingenuous."

Neronha and his co-signers — attorneys general from California, Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Washington state — said they would agree to be "willing partners" in cracking down on discrimination if Trump chose instead to utilize "longstanding civil rights laws" rather than the path he has chosen.

"Contrary to President Trump’s assertions, the policies he seeks to end do not diminish the importance of individual merit, nor do they mean that employers are lowering their standards, hiring unqualified candidates, or engaging in race-and-sex-based preferences," the statement said.

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"DEIA initiatives simply ensure that there are fair opportunities for everyone, helping to maximize contributions from all employees and enabling businesses and organizations to succeed in their missions."

In Congress, Rep. Aaron Bean and Sen. Joni Ernst have been leading DOGE efforts to further curtail government waste and abuse.

Bean, a Republican from Jacksonville, Florida, founded the Congressional DOGE Caucus in November, and Ernst, Iowa, has led the charge to lobby for return-to-work requirements for federal employees and sales of unused or underused federal office space.

Congressional Democrats are dismissing the White House's demand for an apology after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., urged people to "fight" President Donald Trump's agenda "in the streets."

"Right now, we're going to keep focus on the need to look out for everyday New Yorkers and everyday Americans who are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda that is trying to cut taxes for billionaires, donors, and wealthy corporations and then stick New Yorkers and working class Americans across the country with the bill," the Democrat said during a press conference. 

"That's not acceptable. We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. We're going to fight it in the streets," he continued. 

ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY

A spokesperson for Jeffries, Christie Stephenson, told Fox News Digital, "The notion that Leader Jeffries supports violence is laughable. Republicans are the party that pardons violent felons who assault police officers. Democrats are the party of John Lewis and the right to petition the government peacefully."

She also referred to the comments as promoting "nonviolent protest" on X.

'OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC': BIPARTISAN SENATORS TARGET FENTANYL CLASSIFICATION AS LAPSE APPROACHES

"You should really get a quote from one of the violent criminals President Trump just let on the streets. Or the one who immediately got picked up on child pornography charges," a spokesperson for House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital.

The lawmakers were likely referencing Trump's recent move to pardon nearly all defendants with charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

Jeffries' remark was quickly shared by the Trump White House's rapid response team Friday on X before Republicans began calling for an apology. 

A senior White House official told Fox News Digital, "Hakeem Jeffries must apologize for this disgraceful call to violence."

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., also demanded an apology, writing on X, "House Minority Leader [Jeffries] should promptly apologize for his use of inflammatory and extreme rhetoric.

"President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country; Jeffries needs to stop trying to divide it."

SCOOP: KEY GOP SENATOR WHO HESITATED ON PETE HEGSETH PUSHES KASH PATEL FOR FBI

Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Fox News Digital in a statement, "The Democratic Leader’s comments are deranged but not unexpected. Senate Republicans are fighting to make America safer and more prosperous while the Democrats remain obsessed with protecting criminal illegal aliens, identity politics, and unhinged attacks on President Trump."

On social media, rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers remained silent on the comment from Jeffries. 

President Donald Trump isn't worried about American consumers taking a hit after unveiling new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, and said the tariffs will ensure that other countries treat the U.S. "fairly." 

"There may be temporary, short-term disruption, and people will understand that," Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office. 

Trump also signaled that he also may increase tariffs for European Union countries, and said that the tariffs would make the U.S. "very rich and very strong." 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced earlier Friday that Trump would roll out tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China starting Saturday.

Trump’s economic plan during his campaign called for extending the 2017 tax cuts and imposing tariffs ranging from 10% to 20% on all imported goods. For countries like China, that number could go up to 60%.

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

These countries will face these tariffs because they have allowed an "unprecedented invasion of illegal fentanyl that is killing American citizens," according to Leavitt. 

"The president will be implementing tomorrow a 25% tariff on Mexico, 25% tariffs on Canada, and a 10% tariff on China for the illegal fentanyl they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans," Leavitt told reporters on Friday at a White House press briefing. "These are promises made and promises kept."

CANADA READIES TRUMP TARIFFS RESPONSE: 'IN A TRADE WAR, THERE ARE NO WINNERS'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that Canada was prepared to respond to any tariffs executed, and warned there could be "disastrous consequences" for American workers and consumers. 

"We’re ready with a response, a purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate response," Trudeau said. "It’s not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act."

Meanwhile, Leavitt said that the tariffs are not expected to spark a trade war with Canada and that Trump would respond to Trudeau in "due time." 

"The president is intent on doing this," Leavitt said. "And I think Justin Trudeau would be wise to talk to President Trump directly before pushing outlandish comments like that to the media."

When asked if Mexico, Canada or China could offer any concessions to remove these new tariffs, Leavitt said Trump would decide at a later date. 

"If the president at any time decides to roll back those tariffs, I'll leave it to him to make that decision," Leavitt said. "The president is intent on ensuring that he effectively implements tariffs while cutting inflation costs for the American people." 

Leavitt also said that Trump hadn't determined a timeline for additional tariffs on European Union countries, and said she wouldn't "get ahead" of Trump on that matter. 

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he's concerned that the tariffs will only mean cost increases for American consumers. 

"We should be focused on going hard against competitors who rig the game, like China, rather than attacking our allies," Schumer said in a statement Friday. "If these tariffs go into full effect, they will raise prices for everything from groceries, to cars, to gas, making it even harder for middle-class families to just get by."

HOUSE DEMS THREATEN TO BLOCK TRUMP'S BIG TARIFF PLANS: ‘UNACCEPTABLE’

House Republicans moved to reintroduce the U.S. Reciprocal Trade Act on Jan. 24, a measure that would permit Trump to unilaterally impose trade taxes on both adversaries and allies. 

Trump previously praised the measure in 2019, claiming it would "give our workers a fair and level playing field against other countries."

Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., also introduced their own legislation in January that would block Trump from using emergency powers to implement tariffs, amid concerns that American consumers would end up footing the bill.

"The American people have clearly and consistently said that the high cost of living is one of their top concerns," DelBene said in a statement on Jan. 15. "Not only would widespread tariffs drive up costs at home and likely send our economy into recession, but they would likely lead to significant retaliation, hurting American workers, farmers, and businesses."

The Associated Press and Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

FIRST ON FOX: The White House is blasting House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries after pledging to fight Republicans' agenda "in the streets."

"While President Trump remains focused on uniting our country and delivering the mandate set by the American people, the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, incites violence calling for people to fight ‘in the streets’ against President Trump’s agenda," White House deputy press secretary Kush Desai told Fox News Digital.

"This unhinged violent rhetoric is dangerous. Leader Jeffries should immediately apologize."

Republicans are hammering Jeffries, D-N.Y., for his comments at a press conference in Brooklyn on Friday. 

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

The Democratic leader appeared beside Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., to criticize Trump's handling of the recent deadly aircraft collision in Washington, D.C., and his administration's policies freezing federal funding.

At one point, Jeffries was asked about Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams' lack of pushback against Trump, and whether it made him a "good fit" to lead the Big Apple.

Jeffries avoided weighing in directly on Adams, however, responding, "I'll have more to say about the future of the mayorship of the city of New York at the appropriate time."

DOGE SENATOR SEEKS TO ENSURE FEDS CAN CONTINUE PURSUING COVID FRAUDSTERS, DEBTORS AS IG SOUNDS ALARM

"Right now, we're going to keep focused on the need to look out for everyday New Yorkers and everyday Americans who are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda that is trying to cut taxes for billionaires, donors, and wealthy corporations and then stick New Yorkers and working class Americans across the country with the bill," Jeffries said.

"That's not acceptable. We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. We're going to fight it in the streets."

When asked for clarification, Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson told Fox News Digital, "The notion that Leader Jeffries supports violence is laughable. Republicans are the party that pardons violent felons who assault police officers. Democrats are the party of John Lewis and the right to petition the government peacefully."

She posted similar comments on X, where she signaled the comments were referring to "nonviolent protest."

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But GOP lawmakers immediately called on Jeffries to apologize, accusing him of using inflammatory language in an already-tense political environment.

"House Minority Leader [Jeffries] should promptly apologize for his use of inflammatory and extreme rhetoric. President Trump and the Republicans are focused on uniting the country; Jeffries needs to stop trying to divide it," House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., wrote on X.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, did not mention Jeffries but said Americans were emphatically behind Trump's agenda.

"More than 77 million Americans — including patriotic Iowans I’m proud to represent — sent a clear mandate by electing President Trump and Republican majorities to Congress. They want secure borders, a strong economy, energy dominance, and safe communities," Feenstra told Fox News Digital.

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump is expected to sign a memo Friday to lift the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) former President Joe Biden put into effect before leaving office, Fox News Digital has learned. 

The president’s memo will direct federal agencies to reject last-minute collective bargaining agreements issued by the Biden administration, which White House officials said were designed to "constrain" the Trump administration from reforming the government. 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFERS BUYOUTS TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING REMOTE WORKERS: 'DEFERRED RESIGNATION'

The memo prohibits agencies from making new collective bargaining agreements during the final 30 days of a president’s term. It also directs agency heads to disapprove any collective bargaining agreements that Biden put through during the final 30 days of his term. 

The White House said collective bargaining agreements enacted before that time period will remain in effect while the Trump administration "negotiates a better deal for the American people." 

Biden’s Social Security Administration Commissioner, Martin O’Malley, in December 2024 came to an agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees guaranteeing that the agency’s 42,000 employees would not have to work in office during the Trump administration. 

The White House told Fox News Digital that the new policy "ensures the American people get the policies they voted for, instead of being stuck with the wasteful and ineffective Biden policies rejected at the ballot box." 

'GET BACK TO WORK': HOUSE OVERSIGHT TO TAKE ON GOVERNMENT TELEWORK IN 1ST HEARING OF NEW CONGRESS

"The outgoing Biden administration negotiated lame-duck, multi-year collective bargaining agreements — during the week before the inauguration — in an attempt to tie the incoming Trump administration’s hands," a White House fact sheet on the memo obtained by Fox News Digital states. 

The White House pointed to the Biden administration’s Department of Education’s agreement that prohibited the return of remote employees and agreements for the Biden Small Business Administration and Federal Trade Commission. 

"These CBAs attempt to prevent President Trump from implementing his promises to the American people, such as returning Federal employees to the office to make government operate more efficiently," the fact sheet states. "President Biden’s term of office ended on January 20th. Under this memorandum, he and future Presidents cannot govern agencies after leaving office by locking in last-minute CBAs." 

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

The president’s new memo is also aimed to ensure that federal government agencies operate under similar rules as private sector unions and employers. 

The memo comes after the White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agency and department heads to notify employees by the new return to in-person work order. That order required employees to work full-time in the office unless excused due to disability or qualifying medical conditions. 

TRUMP WILL FIGHT BIDEN REMOTE WORK DEAL; UNION VOWS TO FIGHT BACK

Additionally, OPM sent emails this week to the full federal workforce offering the option of resignation with full pay and benefits until Sept. 30 if they do not want to return to the office. Those workers have until Feb. 6 to decide. 

The federal workers who did not get that option include postal workers, military immigration officials, some national security officials and any positions agencies decide to carve out. 

The Senate’s lead "DOGE" lawmaker said Friday that her quest for government efficiency is beginning to come full-circle, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture instituted a return-to-work mandate she said was first spurred by a 2024 whistleblower who contacted her office.

"The Trump administration, DOGE, and I are already racking up wins for taxpayers," Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital on Friday.

"Growing up on a farm, I know what working from home really means."

President Donald Trump, too, highlighted the difference between telework in white-collar jobs and Americans in agriculture and manufacturing who don’t have the luxury of working from a desk.

In remarks to reporters, Trump said that federal workers appear less productive when working from home and that the dynamic is "unfair to the millions of people in the United States who are, in fact, working hard from job sites and not from their home."

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

He also warned federal workers they would have to report to the office or, "You’re fired."

In that regard, Ernst looked back on a whistleblower who came to her and alleged that USDA's District of Columbia offices were largely vacant.

That, she said, spurred her to outline policy proposals that eventually became "DOGE" – a term popularized by Trump ally Elon Musk.

"When I first discovered that the Department of Agriculture was a ghost town, I took action to end federal employees’ abuse of telework and get the agency working for Iowa farmers," said Ernst.

"I have put bureaucrats on notice that their four-year vacation is over, and we are just beginning to get Washington back to work and serving the American people."

A memo from Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington obtained by Politico on Thursday ordered senior staff "with assigned duty stations" to work from their offices full-time. Additional guidance would follow for workers without a preassigned workstation.

Ernst characterized the memo as that full-circle moment.

DOGE SENATOR SEEKS TO ENSURE FEDS CAN CONTINUE PURSUING COVID FRAUDSTERS, DEBTORS AS IG SOUNDS ALARM

Ernst reportedly brought up her early concerns about teleworking bureaucrats and unused Washington office space running up tabs on the federal ledger during a meeting with Trump and Musk at Mar-a-Lago last year.

She previously compiled a report following an investigation into government waste and abuse through which $2 trillion in savings could be realized if the issues were addressed.

In a December statement highlighting that report, the House Budget Committee – now led by Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas – said the Biden administration’s condoning of mass telework "generated complacency in the workforce while costing taxpayers billions in unnecessary maintenance and upkeep costs."

"Early success means there is much more to come," a person familiar with the Senate’s DOGE work added.

According to a report from the Government Accountability Office, only 11% of the USDA's office space was occupied in the first quarter of 2023, and 75% of available space across 17 federal agencies has remained empty since the pandemic.

Ernst built her initial pre-formal-"DOGE" probes off of the USDA whistleblower, which is why she believes the latest development mandating return-to-work for agriculture bureaucrats is the issue now coming full-circle.

Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., – the chairman and founder of the DOGE Caucus – praised Ernst's work and said taxpayers deserve to have a government operating at "full capacity."

"President Trump’s executive order requiring federal employees to return to work is the first step in improving government efficiency."

"This is just common sense, and the exact type of waste DOGE will continue to crack down on," Bean said.

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Ernst’s first DOGE "win" came with the passage of an otherwise Democrat-favored bill named for former President Joe Biden’s longtime friend Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., and signed as both Delawareans were departing public service.

Within the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act was a provision to compel the General Services Administration to sell the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building.

The block-long "stripped classicist" building southwest of the U.S. Capitol was designed by Philadelphia architect Charles Z. Klauder in the 1930s, and originally hosted the Social Security Administration.

However, its total occupancy dwindled to 2% – largely Voice of America workers – by 2025.

Another "DOGE" amendment sponsored by Ernst that requires agency oversight and reporting regarding telework was successfully added to a major appropriations bill passed in December.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment for purposes of this story but did not receive a response by press time. 

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed two executive orders appointing a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) deputy administrator and ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety.

The orders came after an American Airlines plane carrying 64 people and an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers crashed in midair at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The aircraft plummeted into the frigid Potomac River near Reagan National Airport, leaving 67 people presumed dead.

In the Oval Office Thursday, Trump signed an order appointing Chris Rocheleau acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN DC PLANE CRASH INVOLVING AMERICAN AIRLINES JET AND MILITARY HELICOPTER

Rocheleau most recently served as National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) CEO and held multiple leadership roles at the FAA during his more than 20-year tenure, including director of the office of emergency operations and investigations.

The NBAA wrote in a statement it "welcomed" the announcement.

"Chris is an outstanding leader who will be good for the FAA, good for aviation and good for the country, especially at this challenging time," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "He has demonstrated excellence at every level in the government, military and aviation industry."

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Trump called Rocheleau a "very capable guy" while signing the order.

A second executive order ordered an immediate assessment of aviation safety and an elevation of "competence" over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

While signing the order, he said former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama's DEI policies were "just crazy."

The memorandum says the Obama administration introduced a biographical questionnaire at the FAA to shift the hiring focus away from objective aptitude, and the Biden administration later encouraged the recruitment of people with "severe intellectual disabilities."

"During my first term, my Administration raised standards to achieve the highest standards of safety and excellence," Trump wrote in the memo. "The Biden Administration egregiously rejected merit-based hiring, requiring all executive departments and agencies to implement dangerous ‘diversity equity and inclusion’ tactics, and specifically recruiting individuals with ‘severe intellectual’ disabilities in the FAA."

While Trump ordered an immediate return to merit-based recruitment, hiring and promotion on his second day in office, he noted the recent plane crash "underscores the need to elevate safety and competence as the priority of the FAA."

Trump said Thursday the collision was a "confluence of bad decisions that were made, and you have people that lost their lives, violently lost their lives."

When asked about the roles those with "severe intellectual disabilities" were hired to fill, the FAA told Fox News Digital it would not comment.

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this story.

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the FBI, was the latest of the commander-in-chief's administrative picks to face lawmakers in a confirmation hearing Thursday, clashing with several Democrats, including Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

One former lawmaker weighed in on the exchange, labeling Schiff an "embarrassment" while stating that the California senator had an "ax to grind" with Patel. 

"The American people lost him in the United States House of Representatives. That was a gain for the House of Representatives. But I think the Democratic senators are now realizing that the circus has come to them," former Congressman Devin Nunes said on "The Will Cain Show" Thursday. 

KASH PATEL TURNS TABLES ON DEM SENATOR WITH VIRAL RESPONSE: ‘YOU’VE GOT TWO MINUTES'

"I thought Adam Schiff was an embarrassment like he normally is. He clearly has an ax to grind with Kash Patel, because it was Kash on our team that made a mockery of this guy year after year after year for lying to the American people."

Schiff sparred with Patel during his confirmation hearing on Thursday, particularly over a recording of a song released by Jan. 6 Capitol riot inmates.

"So you're being considered for director of the FBI. And here you did no diligence to find out whether people you were associating with now, the President of the United States in song, were convicted of attacking police officers. Is that who we want running the FBI? I want you to turn around. There are Capitol police officers behind you. They're guarding us. Take a look at them right now. Turn around," Schiff said during the hearing.

"I'm looking at you. You're talking to me," Patel responded.

"Look at them. I want you to look at them if you can. If you have the courage to look them in the eye, Mr. Patel, and tell them you're proud of what you did. Tell them you're proud that you raised money off of people that assaulted their colleagues, that pepper sprayed them, that beat them with polls. Tell them you're proud of what you did, Mr. Patel. They're right there. They're guarding you today. Tell them how proud you are," Schiff followed up.

KASH PATEL FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM SENATOR AFTER BEING GRILLED ON J6 PARDONS: ‘BRUTAL REALITY CHECK’

"That's an abject lie and you know it. I've never, never, ever accepted violence against law enforcement," Patel responded.

Nunes called out Schiff's "audacity" in trying to "tarnish" Patel's reputation.

The Schiff-Patel exchange was one of a number of fiery exchanges during the hearing. Democrats quizzed Patel about his record, including statements he had made in his book, "Government Gangsters."

Patel slammed what he described as "grotesque" attacks against him.

Devin Nunes believes Democrats' attacks on Patel, specifically those led by Schiff, will backfire.

"It won't take long before the United States Senate, the Democrat senators included, you could see it there today, that they're going to get sick of Adam Schiff, and they're going to be sad that he entered the U.S. Senate," he concluded.

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Fox News' Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

The top Republican on the Senate's chief health committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., indicated Thursday during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s second confirmation hearing of the week that his vote for Trump's nominee to head Health and Human Services was not a lock, noting that he was "struggling" to confirm Kennedy over his inability to admit vaccines are safe and don't cause autism.

Kennedy faced two separate hearings in front of Senate lawmakers this week in his bid to be the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy was probed frequently over his views on vaccines, which have been a sticking point for many senators as they figure out whether to vote in favor of Kennedy's nomination or not.

RFK JR RIPS DEM SENATOR FOR PUSHING ‘DISHONEST’ NARRATIVE ON PAST VACCINE COMMENTS: ‘CORRECTED IT MANY TIMES’

During the hearings, Kennedy refused to reject claims he has posited publicly in the past that vaccines cause autism and argued he is not anti-vaccine but rather "pro-safety." Kennedy added during the hearings that his plan as HHS secretary would be to "follow the science," noting that if the science says he is wrong on vaccines, he will publicly apologize. 

But senators, like Cassidy, have suggested during Kennedy's confirmation hearings that the science says vaccines are safe — and they don't cause autism.

"My responsibility is to learn, try and determine, if you can be trusted to support the best public health," Cassidy, a former physician, said during his closing remarks at Kennedy's Thursday confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). "A worthy movement called ‘MAHA,’" Cassidy continued, "to improve the health of Americans, or to undermine it, always asking for more evidence, and never accepting the evidence that is there … That is why I've been struggling with your nomination." 

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Cassidy repeatedly asked Kennedy during the Thursday hearing to publicly declare that vaccines don't cause autism, but he refused. "That would have an incredible impact," Cassidy said. 

"There are issues we are, man, ultra-processed food, obesity, we are simpatico. We are completely aligned," Cassidy continued during his closing remarks. "And as someone who has discussed immunizations with thousands of people, I understand that mothers want reassurance that the vaccine their child is receiving is necessary, safe and effective. We agree on that point, the two of us, but we've approached it differently. And I think I can say that I've approached it using the preponderance of evidence to reassure, and you've approached it using selective evidence to cast doubt."

Meanwhile, Cassidy pointed out the massive "megaphone" Kennedy has as a descendant of former President John F. Kennedy, and questioned whether he will use his credibility "to support" or "to undermine" the nation's public health and its confidence in vaccines.

"I got to figure that out, for my vote," Cassidy said.