President Donald Trump boards Air Force One. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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Tariffs: Trump's new weapon to combat the migration crisis
President Trump on Thursday announced a new 5 percent tariff on Mexico beginning in early June, saying the levy will "gradually increase" until the ongoing illegal immigration surge at the southern border is "remedied" and illegal migrants "STOP." Fox News is told the tariff on all goods by land, sea, and air from Mexico will hike to 10 percent on July 1 -- and potentially increase substantially from there.
"Thousands of innocent lives are taken every year as a result of this lawless chaos. It must end NOW!" Trump said in a White House statement. Specifically, White House sources told Fox News that Mexico would need to step up security efforts on the border, target transnational smugglers, crack down on illicit bus lines and align with the U.S. on a workable asylum policy.
South Korean media: North Korea executes five officials over failed Kim-Trump summit
North Korea has executed five officials for their role in the failed second summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last February, according to a South Korean newspaper. Citing the newspaper, Bloomberg News reported that Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea's special envoy to the U.S., and four other North Korean Foreign Ministry officials were executed in March because of the breakdown of the February summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Trump's closely watched summit with Kim ended abruptly, without the two leaders signing any agreements over nuclear disarmament. Top Kim aide Kim Yong Chol is reportedly sentenced to hard labor for his part in the summit.
Mueller may still sit on the hot seat
One thing Special Counsel Robert Mueller made clear Wednesday in his only public remarks on his findings in the Russia investigation was that he had no desire to testify before Congress. The hundreds of pages in his report, Mueller believed, are his best testimony. However, Mueller may not have a choice. Not satisfied with Mueller’s comments, some leading Democrats are anxious to have the now-former special counsel testify under oath.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has already said in a statement that Mueller' public remarks left many questions unanswered. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also said that Mueller's report was not enough, telling the New York Times that "there is a difference between reading the book and seeing the movie on the big screen."
Exclusive: Mayor Pete’s brother-in-law says his ‘rags-to-riches’ story is made up
Pastor Rhyan Glezman, brother-in-law of Pete Buttigieg, said Thursday evening that the “rags to riches” narrative in a newspaper profile about the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and his husband is a lie. The “story couldn’t be further from the truth,” Glezman explained on Fox News' Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle.” The Washington Post article claimed that Chasten Buttigieg -- the candidate's spouse -- had been “shunned” by his family and even struggled with homelessness. Glezman said the family has no memory of Chasten’s supposed homelessness and shunning. “There has never been any amount of shunning him from the family. I love my brother dearly. I want the best for him. I want the best for Pete,” Glezman said. He said he thinks Buttigieg made up the story because it helps to have a compelling narrative to stand out in a crowded field of candidates.
'H-I-S-T-O-R-I-C': National Spelling Bee declares 8 co-champions after 20 rounds
Spell it U-N-P-R-E-C-E-D-E-N-T-E-D. After a historic 20 rounds, eight competitors were named co-champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Sixteen kids had advanced to the finals Thursday, pared down from 50 competitors after 5 1/2 hours of competition in Oxon Hill, Md. The winners were Rishik Gandhasri, 13; Erin Howard, 14; Saketh Sundar, 13; Shruthika Padhy, 13; Sohum Sukhatankar, 13; Abhijay Kodali, 12; Christopher Serrao, 13 and Rohan Raja, 13.
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TODAY'S MUST-READS
Chicago police release batch of Jussie Smollett case documents.
New York Times bans reporters from CNN's Don Lemon, MSNBC's Maddow shows for being 'too partisan:' report.
Netflix, Disney consider boycotting Georgia, continue partnerships with Egypt, China.
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
EXCLUSIVE: Trump administration in early stages of possible $100B offering of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Uber posts $1B loss, matching projections in first earnings report as public company.
College enrollments continue to drop.
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SOME PARTING WORDS
Tucker Carlson explains why impeachment of President Trump appears certain.
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Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Have a good day and weekend! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Monday morning.
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