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Democrats join DOGE subcommittee, including member seeking 'good government'
Democrats have named their members to serve on the House Oversight Subcommittee for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and warn they will "fight back" against cuts to critical federal programs.
The newly minted agency, a key promise of President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, is tasked with slashing government waste and providing increased transparency when it comes to government spending. It was created via executive order on Monday.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. announced on X Tuesday that she will serve as the ranking member.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DOGE AND ITS QUEST TO SLASH GOVERNMENT WASTE, SPENDING
Stansbury will be joined by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D- Mass., Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, as well as Eleanor Holmes Norton, a non-voting congressional delegate for Washington, D.C., per Politico. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., the ranking member of the full Oversight and Government Reform Committee, will be permitted to sit on the subcommittee in an ex officio capacity, the outlet reports.
Stansbury vowed to "use every tool available to work across the aisle and combat policies that are harmful to Americans."
She said in a video on X that Democrats are "100% in" on DOGE if it operates to improve government efficiency and make federal agencies work better. But if it’s going to be "political theater to do the bidding of President Trump and his billionaire allies," then they are prepared to "fight back."
"I know what good government looks like and am not afraid to fight for it," Stansbury said in a separate statement, per Politico. "At the same time, I am prepared to fight to protect the vital programs, services, and employees that keep our communities safe and the economy running."
'EFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLE': GOP-LED DOGE BILL AIMS TO SLASH OUTFLOW OF FEDERAL DOLLARS
Garcia, too, said he will use his position on the oversight subcommittee to "fight back" against the House GOP’s plans to "attack the federal workforce." He said Republicans plan on cutting critical federal programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and give tax cuts to billionaires and the wealthiest corporations.
He took aim at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who is chair of the subcommittee.
"Marjorie Taylor Greene and her extremist allies are helping push a radical agenda in this subcommittee that includes eliminating the Department of Education and programs for seniors and veterans," Garcia said in a statement.
"We’re ready to fight back on day one, call out attempts to slash our social safety net, and make sure we take care of working families and the middle class."
Earlier on Tuesday, Greene announced Republican members selected to serve on the subcommittee; Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas; Rep. William Timmons, S.C.; Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas; Rep. Brian Jack, R-Ga.; Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.; Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo.; and Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas.
She said they bring a wealth of experience and are dedicated to providing a more efficient, effective and accountable federal government.
"Together, we will strive to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement within federal agencies, ensuring that the government operates efficiently and transparently for the American people," Greene said in a statement.
The announcements come amid news that former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is leaving the newly created department.
Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk, the world's richest person, was tapped in November by Trump to steer DOGE, is expected to launch a Republican campaign for Ohio governor early next week, according to a Fox News source.
Running for elected office requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on its structure. GOP Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Biden left Trump 'inspirational' message in 'very nice' letter, new president says
President Donald Trump on Tuesday described the letter former President Biden left him inside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as "inspirational" and teased reporters that he may release the "very nice" note at some point.
Trump was asked about the letter, which he found inside the Resolute Desk on Monday with a little help from Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy, during a press conference announcing a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
"It was a very nice letter," Trump told reporters. "It was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it, do a good job. Important, very important. How important the job is."
The president added that he appreciated the letter so much that he may release it to the public.
"It was a positive, for him, in writing it," Trump continued. "I appreciated the letter."
Trump found the letter – addressed to "47″ – after Doocy asked if President Biden left him a letter while he was signing a flurry of executive orders in the Oval Office on Monday in front of a gaggle of reporters.
"He may have. Don’t they leave it in the desk? I don’t know," Trump told Doocy before discovering the white envelope. "Thank you, Peter. It could have been years before we found this thing."
Trump had then teased reporters that they should read it together before pulling back the reigns. He said he’d open the letter later Monday night.
POLITICO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CALLS TRUMP ‘GREATEST AMERICAN FIGURE OF HIS ERA’ DUE TO HIS INFLUENCE
The presidential tradition of leaving a letter to their successor began in 1989 when President Ronald Reagan left the White House after two terms in office, with former President George H. W. Bush taking over.
Bush continued the tradition despite losing the White House to former President Bill Clinton after just one term in office. The tradition has carried on to this day through Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Biden.
Biden, however, was the first president to find himself in the unique position of writing a letter to someone who is both his successor and the predecessor who left him a note four years earlier. Trump became the first president to serve nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s.
Biden has said Trump left him a "very generous letter," but has so far declined to share the content of what Trump wrote, deeming it private.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Trump excoriates bishop as 'Radical Left hard line Trump hater' after politically charged prayer service
President Donald Trump blasted Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, after she directed politically charged remarks towards him during an interfaith service of prayer for the country at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, the day after Trump's inauguration.
"Let me make one final plea, Mr. President," she said. "In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and [transgender] children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives."
She went on to say that "the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors."
"I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here," she said.
REVEREND ASKS TRUMP TO HAVE ‘MERCY’ ON IMMIGRANTS, LGBTQ CHILDREN WHO ‘FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES’
Trump trashed Budde and her performance in a post on Truth Social, suggesting that she and her church should apologize to the public.
The president also pointed out that there are illegal immigrants who have entered the country and killed Americans.
"The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA," Trump declared in the post on Wednesday.
"Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!" he asserted.
TRUMP SIGNS ‘FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL’ PARDON OF SILK ROAD CREATOR ROSS ULBRICHT
Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., indicated in a post on X that he is Episcopalian, and objected to Budde's remarks.
"As a conservative Episcopalian who supports President Trump and his agenda, I am profoundly disappointed that Bishop Mariann Budde politicized today’s inaugural Service of Prayer for the Nation. By disregarding President Trump’s appointment of Scott Bessent, a brilliant, openly gay man to serve as Treasury Secretary and Elon Musk, a genius, first generation legal immigrant to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, Bishop Budde’s gratuitous criticisms ring hollow," Barr declared.
"Sadly, the only message Bishop Budde delivered through her unwelcoming and hypocritical words to the President was that the Episcopal Church’s motto of ‘All are Welcome’ apparently doesn’t apply to the majority of Americans who voted for Donald Trump."
WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY
Budde has been open about her opposition to Trump in the past.
"We need to replace President Trump," she said in a video clip that ABC News posted on social media in 2020.
New Secretary of State Marco Rubio pauses refugee operations, ramps up visa vetting
FIRST ON FOX: Newly sworn-in Secretary of State Marco Rubio is advising his department to cease refugee resettlement operations and begin ramping up vetting of visas from certain regions in response to executive orders from President Donald Trump.
After officially becoming its next secretary, Rubio directed the Department of State to halt refugee resettlement programs, a senior department source told Fox News Digital.
He also ordered the department to implement enhanced vetting for visa applications from "dangerous regions."
The secretary cited new executive orders signed by Trump after his inauguration Monday.
LAKEN RILEY ACT SET TO BECOME ONE OF FIRST BILLS TO HIT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DESK
Among dozens of executive orders, Trump signed one aimed at "Realigning The United States Refugee Admissions Program" and another to "[Protect] the United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats."
NEXT OHIO SENATOR, A 'FISCAL CONSERVATIVE,' AIMS TO 'GET GOVERNMENT OUT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES'
The former dictated that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) be suspended due to its detrimental effect on the country's interests. The latter order calls for increased vetting of all aliens, "to the maximum degree possible," especially those "from regions or nations with identified security risks."
DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE
Trump's executive order on refugees further stipulates that "the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit aliens to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such aliens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States."
Rubio was the first Trump Cabinet member confirmed, the Senate voting unanimously to do so Monday night.
He was sworn in Tuesday morning, becoming the 72nd secretary of state.
OHIO GOV. DEWINE PICKS LT. GOV. TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE'S VACANT SEAT
In remarks at the department Tuesday, Rubio said, "There will be changes, but the changes are not meant to be destructive. They're not meant to be punitive.
"The changes will be because we need to be a 21st century agency that can move by — a cliché that's used by many — at the speed of relevance. But we need to move faster than we ever have, because the world is changing faster than we ever have. And we have to have a view that some say is called ‘look around the corner.’
"But we really need to be thinking about where are we going to be in five, seven, 10 or 15 years. Some of the issues that confront humanity today have no precedent. They have no historic precedent. Some of the challenges we face have no historic precedent. We can compare it to another era, to another time, but they're not the same. Things are moving faster than ever," he explained.
Immigration was a top campaign priority for Trump during the 2024 election.
In his inaugural address Monday, Trump promised, "I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country."
Sen. Thune suggests staying through weekend to confirm Trump picks after Dems delay votes: 'Shouldn't be hard'
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., showed frustration with Democrats on Tuesday after a confirmation vote for President Trump's pick for CIA director in John Ratcliffe, who has bipartisan support, was blocked.
Speaking on the Senate floor after the vote was blocked by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Thune said the Senate can remain in session all weekend to confirm Trump's picks if progress continues to be delayed.
"Do we want a vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because that's what we're going to do. This can be easy or this can be hard," Thune said. "This is about America's national security interests, and we're stalling, so that's not going to happen."
NEW GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO DEMS 'SEEKING TO DELAY' PETE HEGSETH DOD CONFIRMATION
Ratcliffe was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee by a bipartisan vote of 14 to 3. Because of that, Thune said the vote to confirm him "shouldn't be hard."
"Democrats and Republicans, in a very big bipartisan fashion, agree that he is very qualified for this job," Thune said, adding that he isn't sure what stalling accomplishes.
When blocking the vote, Murphy said many Democrats have "serious concerns" about Ratcliffe's ability to work as CIA director because he "repeatedly politicized intelligence" during his eight months as National Intelligence director in 2020.
"I don't think it's too much to ask to make sure that we have a full, real debate that lasts two days on the Senate floor," Murphy said on Tuesday.
CONFIRMATION DELAYS STACK UP FOR TRUMP NOMINEES AS PAPERWORK LAGS IN FEDERAL OFFICES
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the delay is for "no good reason" and is simply an attempt "to drag out all of these nominations to play procedural games."
Cotton noted that while the Democrats acted in similar fashion in 2017 with Trump's first administration and the Republicans in 2021 with Biden's picks, that this didn't happen during confirmation votes prior to the past two elections.
"We should especially get back to that practice when it is a highly accomplished, well-qualified nominee of integrity, like John Ratcliffe," Cotton said. "Now we're going to spin our wheels for two days. But, as I said, don't make plans for the weekend. Don't have any dinner dates scheduled starting on Thursday night because we're going to get these nominees done the easy, collegial way. Or apparently the hard way."
Only one of Trump's Cabinet nominees has been confirmed thus far, and that was former Florida senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. He was confirmed on Monday by a unanimous vote.
Several nominees have advanced out of committee votes while others still await confirmation hearings.
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He is a liar and prevaricator.
One of the major policy issue flip-flops of Obama was that on the important issue of NAFTA. In the primary campaign Obama vigorously campaigned against NAFTA, sending out a flyer stating, "Only Barrack Obama consistently opposed NAFTA," calling it a "bad trade deal," "devastating," and "a big mistake." Obama said he would take "the hammer" to Mexico and Canada. Now in the general election, Obama has blatantly backtracked on his anti-NAFTA position saying, "I'm not a big believer in doing things unilaterally." "I'm a big believer in opening up a dialogue and figuring out how we can make this work for all people." When called on his about-face, Obama responded by saying, "Sometime during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified."
The second and most blatant major policy flip flop was that on public campaign financing. Obama was one of the chief proponents of public campaign financing when he was running in the primaries. But then after realizing how much money he could raise in the general election, he opportunistically opted out of the public finance system. As David Brooks eloquently described the situation in a New York Times piece: "In February 2008 he said he would aggressively pursue spending limits. He answered a Midwest Democracy Network questionnaire by reminding everyone that he has been a longtime advocate of the public financing system. But Thursday, at the first breath of political inconvenience, Fast Eddie Obama threw public financing under the truck." In early 2008, Obama wrote in response to the Midwest Democracy Network questionnaire, "If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election." He would later on in the primaries tell Tim Russert, "I will sit down with John McCain an make sure that we have a system that works for everybody." Of course no such attempt at "sitting down" or negotiations ever took place. Here's what the SunPost of Florida had to say about Obama's flip-flop on this important issue: "Speaking of selling one's soul, Sen. Obama did one of the most repulsive 180s in recent political history by becoming the first contestant from a major team to drop out of the public financing system for the general election since the system was changed in 1976. . . .Obama is not independent from the system; he is just using his mastery of it to his advantage. And he's doing it exactly the same calculating way that he used the system in Illinois to deny his rivals a place on the ballot."
While Obama has flip-flopped and even lied about several votes and policy issues, the most troubling lies he has told relate to his personal history and character. In one of his campaign ads, entitled "dignity," Obama claims he "passed a law to move people from welfare to work –slashed the rolls by 80%." Problem with this assertion is that this law in question was passed in 1996, and Obama did not enter the Illinois State Senate until 1997! Obama claims in another ad that he "worked his way through college and Harvard Law." Problem with that assertion is: Obama had only two jobs during those years, and they were both summer jobs! Furthermore, Obama lied on his bar application to the state bar of Illinois on two counts: 1) He concealed his long history of illegal drug use and possession; and 2) He failed to report unpaid criminal citations in excess of $200.
Obama has advertised a fairy tale biography in his ads, one in which his father was a poor goat herder from Kenya. Nothing could be further from the truth. Barack Hussein Obama, Senior belonged to a well-connected and politically privileged family. His cousin Rao Odinga now rules parts of the country. Obama, Senior had the finances and privilege to travel to America and attend Harvard. The rewriting of Barack Obama's family background is part of a concerted cover-up of the nefarious political and criminal activities on the part of his Kenyan family, particularly his dictator cousin Rao Odinga.
One of the most blatant lies on the part of Obama is that pertaining to his Muslim background. Obama has fiercely denied that he was ever a Muslim, and till this day his official campaign sites state that "Barack Obama Is Not and Has Never Been a Muslim," followed by "Obama never prayed in a mosque. He has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a committed Christian." The mainstream media has followed the Obama camping in lock-step, and reported it as a fact that Obama was never a Muslim; but the truth is he was! The aspect of this story most dangerous to democracy is that both the Obama campaign and most media have labeled any statement or notion that Obama was a Muslim as a "smear," thus attacking and impugning the personal integrity and credibility of those who are merely reporting the facts. Here are the facts that PROVE beyond a reasonable doubt that Barack Hussein Obama was indeed a Muslim for at least a few years of his life:
A) Both Barack Obama's Kenyan father and Indonesian step-father were Muslims. According to Islam, if your father is Muslim, you are a Muslim. Barack Obama's half-brothers are all Muslim.
B) In his first elementary school in Indonesia, a Catholic school named, "Strada Asisia," Obama was listed as "Muslim" on his registration form. Obama's third grade teacher at this time, Fermin Katarina Sinaga, recalls that "Barry [Barack] went to the mosque with Lolo [Obama's Indonesian step-father]."
C) The next Indonesian school Barry Obama attended was the Basuki School, where Obama partook in Muslim studies two hours per week, nearly every week. According to Tine Hahiyary, one of the teachers at Obama's school, Obama was quite religious and took part in "mengaji classes." Mengaji classes teach Muslims how to read and chant from the Koran. It is something that primarily fundamentalist Muslims do. It is extremely rare for a non-religious Muslim to take mengaji classes.
D) Barack Obama's own half brother in Kenya has already exposed Senator Obama. In an interview with the Jeruslam Post just this past June, Malik Obama stated that Barack Obama would be a good president for the Jewish people "despite his Muslim background."
E) The Los Angeles Times interviewed a close childhood friend of Barry Obama, named Zulfin Adi, who stated that Obama did indeed pray in a mosque.
A 2007 Associated Press photograph, suppressed until now, shows the school register of the child who is today known as Barack Hussein Obama but was officially listed then as Barry Soetoro, whose citizenship was listed as "Indonesian" and whose religion was listed as "Islam." The visual evidence starkly contradicts the Obama campaign's claim that he was not a Muslim and confirms that he is a national of at least one other country.
In addition, it raises the highly problematic issue of what is Obama's official name. If it turns out to Barry Soetoro, and no official change of name was ever made, Obama may face an array of charges of deception and misprision that may throw into doubt, at the very least, his fitness to run.
Obama has tried to extricate himself of any criticism for attending a racist church for 20 years. Every time a tape of a racist sermon from the podium of Trinity United Church pops up, Obama has distanced himself by claiming he was never in the church when those sermons were made. Considering the sheer number of such sermons, such a claim would imply very irregular church-going on the part of the Obamas. That impression however is contradicted by Obama’s own words in a 2004 interview with Chicago Sun Times in which he claims to have attended almost every Sunday service. Furthermore, Obama must have known about Reverend Wright’s racist and anti-Semitic views from an article on the reverend in a February, 2007 Rolling Stone article in which Wright is quoted as saying: "We [the U.S.] are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns and the training of professional KILLERS. . . . We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. . . . We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. . . . We care nothing about human life if the ends justify the means!" Finally, a NewsMax reporter witnessed and reported on an incident in which Obama did indeed witness a July 22, 2007 racist rant on the part of Reverend Wright, and not only did nothing to condemn it, but ostensibly expressed pleasure with those comments: “Wright laced into America’s establishment, blaming the “white arrogance” of America’s Caucasian majority for the woes of the world, especially the oppression suffered by blacks. To underscore the point he refers to the country as the ‘United States of White America.’ Many in the congregation, including Obama, nodded in apparent agreement as these statements were made.”