President Trump continues torrid pace as Cabinet nominees Duffy, Vought face confirmation hearings

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, unveiled a 47-page report that he says will serve as a "roadmap" to "Make America Healthy Again."

Roy's report, titled "The Case for Healthcare Freedom," is a "painstakingly researched" summary of "America’s health crisis and how to address it," according to Roy. Its findings include that U.S. healthcare spending had reached $4.9 trillion in 2023, and suggests the flawed American healthcare system can have far reaching impacts on critical issues like taxes and national defense.

"The Case for Healthcare Freedom lays out a detailed roadmap for how Congressional Republicans can help President Donald Trump deliver on the promise to address America's health crisis," Roy said in a statement. "The problem isn't just health insurance, or Big Pharma, or food additives that are making us unhealthy; it's the fact that politicians, bureaucrats and corporations are all benefitting from a broken, cronyistic system that lets them put profits over patients with impunity." 

Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this excerpted story. 

Former Chicago Mayor Rod Blagojevich took to social media Wednesday afternoon to tell people that he is "not eyeing" an ambassadorship in the new Trump administration.

The explanation, Blagojevich said, was in response to a media inquiry from the New York Post on whether he was hoping to be tapped for such a position. Donald Trump previously commuted Blagojevich's prison sentence that was handed down to him in 2011, as a result of corruption charges stemming from his time as mayor.

"I’m not eyeing it. I’m not asking President Trump for anything," said Blagojevich. "I’m profoundly grateful to him for commuting my 14 year prison sentence and giving my daughter’s their father back. What I am seeking is justice and for the truth of the corrupt prosecution against me to be exposed. If we are going to save our democracy, lawfare and the weaponization of prosecutors for political purposes must end and those who engage in it must be brought to account."

Senate Finance Committee member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., expressed reservations Tuesday about the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health & Human Services secretary.

Kennedy, the second son of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y., has received both bipartisan praise and bipartisan criticism as President Donald Trump's choice to lead HHS.

"I have serious concerns about RFK Jr.’s dangerous views on vaccine safety, his baseless conspiracies about public health and medicine, and his inconsistent record on reproductive freedom," Warren said.

"I’m working to get answers."

Two committees -- the Senate Health Committee and Senate Finance Committee -- will review Kennedy's qualifications, according to reports.

Senate Health Committee chairman Dr. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is one of few lawmakers who will sit in on both hearings.

Cassidy told the Shreveport Times that, although he is a proponent of vaccines unlike Kennedy, he is not committed on which way he will vote.

Cassidy's ranking member is Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt..

The two top lawmakers on the Finance Committee for the hearing are Sens. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

The U.S. State Department has adopted a new policy under the Trump administration that effectively blocks U.S. embassies and outposts from flying Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, a report said Tuesday.

The Washington Free Beacon first reported that it obtained a copy of the "One Flag Policy" order, which permits only the American flag to be flown at U.S. facilities at home and abroad, with two notable exceptions: the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.

"Starting immediately, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content," the memo states, according to the outlet. "The flag of the United States of America united all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy. These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present."

Excerpted story by Stephen Sorace.

President Donald Trump took to social media Wednesday to wish his wife, Melania Trump, a happy 20th wedding anniversary.

To honor the occasion, Trump posted a photo of he and the first lady walking down the aisle in 2005. "Happy 20th Anniversary to Melania!" Trump captioned the post.

The pair got hitched at a 350-guest wedding ceremony at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-By-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. The couple met in 1998 at a party in New York City. 

The luxurious wedding was described at the time as fit for royalty — from the spectacular gown Melania Trump wore to the immaculately decorated reception at Trump's private club. The future first lady wore a $100,000 Christian Dior wedding gown. It consisted of a 13-foot train and a 16-foot-long veil covered in beading that reportedly took over 500 hours of hand sewing to create, according to published accounts of the event in The Palm Beach Post and The Palm Beach Daily News at the time.

Sydney Borchers contributed to this report. Click here to see photos from the pair's 2005 wedding.

President Donald Trump is quickly showcasing his accessibility to reporters days after returning to the White House, a stark contrast to his Democratic predecessor who frequently ducked questions and took scripted questions from reporters.

"We'll take a few questions," the president said on Tuesday, after announcing what's said to be a half-trillion dollar investment by top tech companies to vastly expand the nation's artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Trump then took questions for half an hour from reporters gathered at the White House. It was the second straight day the new president held an informal, off-the-cuff and freewheeling news conference with reporters. 

Excerpted story by Paul Steinhauser.

After taking the oath of office on Monday, the new president signed an order revoking former President Joe Biden's order known as Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform, which was signed in 2021.

On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to reinstate the ban on transgender troops he imposed during his first term. In his inauguration speech, he said he would formally recognize that there are only two genders: male and female.

There are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender service members.

The new executive order was part of a rapid-fire succession of moves Trump has taken to undo Biden's policies. In a statement, the White House called out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government that "has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy."

Excerpted story by Fox News' Morgan Phillips.

The director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has resigned from her position, while a Biden-era executive order that sought to phase out the use of private prisons has been repealed amid President Donald Trump's efforts to implement drastic reforms to the Justice Department.

Colette Peters, who has led the BOP since August 2022, is out as director of the beleaguered agency, and she has been replaced by William Lothrop, who had been serving as deputy director of the BOP.Peters was appointed by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 and touted as a reform-minded outsider tasked with rebuilding an agency plagued for years by staff shortages, widespread corruption, misconduct and abuse.

Excerpted story by Michael Dorgan.

The top Democrat on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Tuesday that he has "grave concerns" about President Donald Trump's nominee to run the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel.

"The person who is in charge of our nation's leading law enforcement organization, the FBI, should be someone who is non-partisan, solid, reliable, with a demonstrated skill in law enforcement," Durbin said during comments from the Senate floor. "After meeting with Kash Patel I have grave concerns about his fitness for the role of FBI director. Mr. Patel has neither the experience, the temperament or the judgment to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Durbin described Patel as a "staunch political loyalist" and accused him of repeatedly pushing "false conspiracy theories" and having an agenda to go after his political opponents.

Durbin cited Patel's response to the Jan. 6, 2021, siege on the U.S. Capitol, alleging that Patel said Jan. 6 was a planned event coordinated by the FBI and referred to law enforcement protecting the Capitol that day as "cowards."

Durbin also referred to Patel's fierce criticism of current and former government officials, pointing to what he described as an "enemies list" that Patel created for a book he wrote about "The Deep State."

"Mr. Patel's political grievances make him a favorite of the MAGA world but they have not prepared him to work night and day to keep America safe," Durbin said Tuesday from the Senate floor. "Mr. Patel's endless list of political grievances, and well documented threats of retribution, are disqualifying."

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee unanimously approved the nomination of Sean Duffy, President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Transportation, to advance for consideration before the full Senate.

Committee chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., both expressed their support to advance Duffy’s nomination shortly before voting commenced.

Cantwell thanked Republicans on the committee for waiting to vote on advancing Duffy’s nomination until his FBI background check had been completed. Though noting that she had lingering concerns about Project 2025 language concerning transportation and the new Trump administration’s “war against electric vehicles,” she said she supported Duffy’s nomination advancing to the full Senate. 

The final committee vote tallied in at 28 votes in favor and none against. 

President Trump has been an open book with the media in the first two days of his second term. The 47th President has demonstrated a level of accessibility that stands in stark contrast to his predecessor.

Today he will sit for his first one one interview with Fox News.

Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity will present an interview with Donald Trump from the Oval Office on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. 

A White House pool reporter Wednesday noted that Hannity walked through the briefing room and mentioned to reporters there that his interview with Trump was "amazing."

"He is focused and he's happy and he has a big agenda. He's dialed in," Hannity added of Trump, according to the pool report.

Hannity said of POTUS: "He is focused and he's happy and he has a big agenda. He's dialed in."

The "Hannity" exclusive sit-down will be Trump’s first Oval Office interview since returning to the White House. Trump will discuss the executive orders he’s signed thus far, his plans for his first 100 days in office and more. Trump has signed dozens of executive orders since he was sworn into office on Monday, advancing his administration's goals on issues from illegal immigration to withdrawing from the World Health Organization.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation has begun. Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) gaveled in at just after 2 p.m. after the committee had postponed the session from its original time at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

The committee is set to vote on whether to advance Duffy’s nomination for consideration before the full Senate. Duffy must receive a majority of votes from the committee for his nomination to be considered.

Fox News anchor Bret Baier discussed the possibility of President Donald Trump using Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution to adjourn Congress and push through his Cabinet appointments on Wednesday, as Democrats fight to delay their confirmations.

Baier noted that while it seems unlikely the House or Senate will formally adjourn, Trump could step in if one chamber does and the other does not.

"You're talking about a lot, a lot of big jobs," Baier said. "So where is the anger and how does it build, and is there pressure from President Trump on the House to formally adjourn and then do ... these recess appointments? I think it's something to watch. It's not there yet, but it is definitely something to watch."

Bret Baier noted that of Trump's 112 nominations awaiting confirmation, delays for approving just under 70 nominees could be pushed for approval into late March.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, poked fun at certain Democratic policy suggestions geared toward assisting illegal immigrants before the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday. 

Moreno’s remarks came as he questioned President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Budget and Management, Russell Vought. Specifically, Moreno asked if providing illegal immigrants with gender reassignment surgery would help working-class Americans.

“When you give sex-change operations to illegal immigrants, does that help working-class Americans?” Moreno said.

Moreno also asked if policies that would spend thousands of dollars on hotel rooms to house illegal immigrants, or provide them free health care would benefit working-class Americans. 

Vought answered no to all Moreno’s questions. 

In 2019, former Vice President Kamala Harris said she supported federally funded gender reassignment surgeries for detained immigrants and federal prisoners in an American Civil Liberties Union questionnaire, CNN previously reported. 

Russell Vought previously served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget in his first term, and founded the Center for Renewing America in 2021. The organization claims its mission is to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God,” according to its website.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., criticized President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting birthright citizenship, calling it a "breathtaking assault on the Constitution" during a Wednesday hearing in the House Judiciary Subcommittee.

Nadler argued the order would lead to widespread confusion and place burdensome demands on Americans to prove their citizenship.

"With the stroke of a pen, he has revived the harsh and inhumane policies of his previous administration," Nadler said, referencing Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy.  

"Right now, if both parents of H-1B status, a child is born abroad, but who has lived in the United States for nearly their entire lives must leave the country when they turn 21, unless they have their own immigration status," Nadler said. "That's bad enough."

Trump signed the executive order on Monday ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants -- one of a slew of border-related orders he is signing to overhaul U.S. immigration policy and border security.

"The privilege of United States citizenship is a priceless and profound gift," Trump says in the order.

The order, "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship" will almost certainly face an immediate legal challenge from civil rights and immigration activist groups, who argue such an order is unconstitutional. 

A U.S. official also told Fox News on Wednesday the Pentagon will be sending 1,500 U.S. active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month.

Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

A U.S. official tells Fox News the Pentagon will be sending 1,500 U.S. active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month. The Trump administration is expected to formally announce this afternoon. There are already 2,500 U.S. service members stationed at the southern border. They were ordered there in May 2023 during the Biden administration under title 10 authorities and were approved by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and are planned to be in place until end of FY2025, according to a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson.

These 1,500 service members will arrive at different locations along the southern border by the end of the month, the U.S. official said. They will be in the same roles as the service members already there, providing aerial reconnaissance, data entry, training, vehicle maintenance, detection and monitoring, and some other logistical support roles.

It is not clear what specific units are being sent yet.

This is the third announcement sending U.S. troops to the border in the last two years. In May 2023 former President Joe Biden and former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a request from former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border for 90-days to assist with the influx of migrants after pandemic era health restrictions ended in May 2023.

And in March 2024 former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved another DHS request for 2,500 service members including national guardsmen under Title 10 duty status.

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this post.

The Trump administration is significantly expanding its powers to quickly deport illegal immigrants, one of a number of rapid-fire moves made by the administration to fulfill its promise to launch a mass deportation operation.

A Department of Homeland Security notice, issued Tuesday, removes limits put on the power of expedited removal put in place in March 2022 during the Biden administration. Until the new memo, officials were limited in their use of the power to 100 miles of the border or recent arrivals.

Expedited removal allows for the rapid removal of illegal immigrants who have failed to meet the standard for asylum or have not requested asylum. The new power takes off the 2022 limits, allowing agents to remove those who are unable to prove they have lived in the U.S. for at least two years.

Excerpted story by Adam Shaw.

Russia’s foreign ministry has called on President Donald Trump to reaffirm the current international agreement surrounding the Panama Canal and to leave it in control of the nation of Panama. 

Alexander Shchetinin, the director of Russia’s foreign ministry’s Latin American department, told Russian news outlet TASS that he expects Trump "will respect the current international legal regime" of the canal as laid out in two 1977 treaties between the U.S. and Panama.

The agreement relinquished American control over the canal by the year 2000 and guaranteed its neutrality.

"We expect that during the expected discussions between the leadership of Panama and President Trump on issues of control over the Panama Canal, which certainly falls within the sphere of their bilateral relations, the parties will respect the current international legal regime of this key waterway," Shchetinin said.

He said that 40 countries also joined a protocol agreement, of which Russia is one, to recognize the canal’s neutrality and to keep it "safe and open."

The canal’s administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez, said this month that China is not in control of the canal and that all nations are treated equally under a neutrality treaty.

Excerpted from earlier reporting by Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Caitlin McFall as well as The Associated Press.