A Republican congressman who is "fed up" with the "scripted outrage" promoted by the left over the Department of Government Efficiency and Elon Musk's investigations of federal agencies published a letter to constituents dispelling the "lies about DOGE."

Virginia Republican Rep. Ben Cline published an open letter to constituents last week who are furious over Musk’s role leading DOGE as the Musk team parsed through agencies such as the Treasury Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to find fraud and cut government spending fat. 

The investigations have led to an apparent dismantling of USAID as DOGE and Republican lawmakers and think tanks publish reports showing the independent government agency has bankrolled foreign programs such as creating an Iraqi version of "Sesame Street" and provided funds to extremist groups connected to designated terror organizations. 

ELON MUSK OUTLINES 'SUPER OBVIOUS' CHANGES DOGE AND TREASURY HAVE AGREED TO MAKE

Democratic lawmakers, voters, as well as employees of the agency, have staged protests across the country over Musk’s work, slamming him as a billionaire "fascist" who has no right to investigate the federal government as he is not an elected official. 

USAID HAS 'DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF OBSTRUCTIONISM,' CLAIMS TOP DOGE REPUBLICAN IN LETTER TO RUBIO

"I’m fed up with the scripted outrage of the Left & their lies about DOGE. @realDonaldTrump campaigned on using @elonmusk’s expertise to make government more efficient. Trump won & he’s keeping that promise," Cline posted on X, linking to a letter to his constituents. 

Cline hit back in his letter that Musk has long held some of the highest security clearances in the nation through his work leading Space X. 

"Musk is not a private citizen being given ‘unprecedented access to personal or sensitive information,’ as the extreme left would lead you to believe. Mr. Musk holds some of the highest-level security clearances as a key defense contractor and his work is integral to ensuring U.S. military superiority," Cline wrote in his letter addressed to "Jane Doe" constituents on Thursday. 

"As you are aware, the rocket systems and satellites his companies produce are used across the federal government, including in the Department of Defense, and his Starlink system has been critical in supporting U.S. allies abroad. There are few, if any, private individuals who have done more to advance America’s technological and defense capabilities in modern history. If there is anyone qualified to bring the federal government into the 21st century and improve its efficiency, it is Elon Musk," he continued. 

Cline added that President Donald Trump "has Article II constitutional authority to appoint individuals who can help execute their vision for the federal government."

'VIPER'S NEST': USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM

"Most recently, President Trump designated Elon Musk as a ‘special government employee,’ which is defined by Section 202 of Title 18 of the United States Code. President Trump’s decision to enlist Mr. Musk is a bold step toward strengthening America’s technological leadership and eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies. This appointment is fully within the President’s discretion and is no different from past administrations appointing industry experts to key cabinet, advisory, and operational roles," Cline explained. 

"For over 20 years, Mr. Musk has undoubtedly showcased to the American people his unparalleled ability to drive innovation, develop world-leading technologies, and ensure America is the world leader in energy, Artificial Intelligence, rocketry, transportation, and healthcare, among other fields," he continued.

Musk reportedly gained access to the Treasury’s payment system last weekend, sparking widespread outrage that he had access to private information related to Social Security, payments to government contractors, Medicare benefits and other data. The outrage soon spilled into Musk and DOGE’s work investigating USAID last week, which crescendoed on Friday when a federal judge paused the Trump administration’s order to place thousands of USAID employees on leave while signage for the agency was removed or covered on the building’s headquarters and surrounding area. 

MUSK RIPS 'FRAUDULENT' TREASURY HANDOUTS AS REPORTS MOUNT DOGE HAS ACCESS TO FEDERAL PAYMENT SYSTEM

"​​There is no evidence to support the allegation that Elon Musk or his team has unlawfully accessed or seized the sensitive data. Any access to citizen data is strictly regulated, and the role of DOGE is focused on modernizing outdated systems, not compiling private information. The real threat to Americans’ privacy has come from an unchecked bureaucracy that has mismanaged data security for decades. The reforms proposed by President Trump and implemented by individuals like Mr. Musk are designed to prevent government overreach, not expand it," Cline wrote. 

Also on Friday, House Democrats, including Rep. Maxine Waters of Califorrnia, attempted to gain entry to the Department of Education’s headquarters to meet with acting Education Secretary Denise L. Carter. But they were seen clashing with a security guard as the DOGE team reportedly prepares to recommend major spending cuts to the department. Trump had repeatedly advocated and campaigned on shutting the Department of Education down in favor of giving states power over their respective education systems. 

ELON MUSK SLAMS 'MEAN' PODCAST HOSTS FOR CALLING DOGE EMPLOYEES 'ARROGANT LITTLE PR---S' AMONG OTHER THINGS

"The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is an essential initiative to reduce wasteful spending, cut bureaucratic red tape, and modernize government technology. On his first day in office, President Trump legally integrated DOGE into the federal government by way of an executive order renaming the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service (USDS)," he wrote.  

"Fully authorized under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), USDS will enhance government productivity and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. Each executive agency’s DOGE Team works in coordination with agency heads in order to ensure the implementation of President Trump’s DOGE agenda. Treasury Secretary Scott [Bessent] has already approved DOGE’s lawful access to unclassified records and systems to facilitate this integration," he wrote. 

Cline continued in his letter to constituents that he serves on the DOGE Caucus in Congress and "will work alongside President Trump to introduce reforms that streamline government operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and restore fiscal responsibility in Washington."

Musk outlined "super obvious" changes DOGE and the Treasury agreed to in order for the agency to be easily audited, such as providing a categorization code for outgoing payments, a rationale for any payments, and the creation of a regularly updated "DO-NOT-PAY list" that includes dead people, or fraudulent entities, such as groups with ties to terror organizations. 

"Yesterday, I was told that there are currently over $100B/year of entitlements payments to individuals with no SSN or even a temporary ID number. If accurate, this is extremely suspicious," Musk posted on Saturday. 

A federal judge blocked DOGE's ability to access Treasury Department systems on Saturday morning, teeing up a legal battle over DOGE’s work.

It was an arrest of biblical proportions. 

An intoxicated Virginia man who broke into a Bible study session took it upon himself to investigate, thinking it was a human trafficking operation, authorities said. 

David Campbell of Stafford is charged with breaking and entering, assault and public intoxication, the Stafford County Sheriff's office said. 

TRUMP FRIEND AND INFORMAL FAITH ADVISER: ‘GOD IS GIVING AMERICA ANOTHER CHANCE’

Campbell was intoxicated when he called authorities Wednesday evening saying he was upset his neighbors had doubled-parked their vehicles. Instead of taking up the issue with property management, Campbell confronted the neighbors in their residence and "observed" a large group of people, authorities said. 

"He would assume this to be a human trafficking operation and wanted deputies to investigate it," the sheriff's office said. "While reporting the incident, dispatches could hear the caller taunting and cursing at the neighbors."

When deputies arrived, Campbell, 48, was spotted in the middle of the road and exhibited signs of intoxication, authorities said. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING TASK FORCE TO ‘ERADICATE ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS’

He complained about the parking situation and demanded the deputies identify everyone inside the home. 

His neighbors told deputies that Campbell forced his way into the home as the group was conversing about the gospel.

"He would nearly strike an ordained minister and threaten to punch another male. Video evidence would confirm this," the sheriff's office said. 

Campbell was being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

An internal preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly showed that the number of staff members working at the air control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, was "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic."

On Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, D.C., and all 67 people onboard both aircraft are presumed to be dead.

The Associated Press obtained a report which showed one air traffic controller was working two positions at the time of the crash. 

Typically, the two assignments are split between two air traffic controllers.

FAA PANEL WARNS THAT CURRENT SAFETY LEVELS ARE ‘UNSUNSTAINABLE’

"The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," the report says.

The FAA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions and request for comment on the matter.

Despite the report saying the staffing was "not normal," a person familiar with the matter told the AP that staffing in the control tower at DCA on Wednesday night was at a normal level.

The person explained that the positions get combined regularly if air controllers have to step away from the console for breaks, or if they are involved in a shift change. Controllers may also have to step away when air traffic is slow, the person explained, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures.

The air control tower at Reagan National has been understaffed for years with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023. However, staffing targets set by the FAA and the controllers’ union call for 30.

FAA INVESTS $121M FOR AIRPORT MODIFICATIONS TO REDUCE RISK OF RUNWAY INCURSIONS

The FAA’s air traffic controller shortage is nothing new at Reagan National or most of the country’s air traffic control facilities.

Last year, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle appeared on FOX Business Network’s "The Claman Countdown" and warned that shortages could cause issues during the summer season if they were not addressed.

Biffle explained that while technology could help address the issue while promoting greater efficiencies in air travel over the longer term, the air traffic controller shortage contributes to delays and cancelations.

FAA HEAD STRESSES NEED FOR AVIATION INDUSTRY TO END CLOSE CALLS, RENEWS SAFETY PUSH

"There's opportunities to improve the technology that is kind of the backbone of air traffic control," Biffle said. "If you look to Europe, for example, there are some opportunities that we could adopt here that would be much more efficient — you'd burn a lot less fuel, get there faster and so forth. That is a big opportunity."

"At the same time, it doesn't negate the issue that I think we're 3,000 controllers short right now. And so that just causes, when you have a weather event, it just causes there to be more delays," he explained. "And ultimately, like we've seen the last few days, those delays then turn into cancelations because crews time out and so forth. [I] would really like to see the staffing get fixed. The technology is probably a longer solution."

The FAA's National Airspace System (NAS) safety review team created in April 2023 following several close runway incursions during takeoffs or landings at busy airports, determined that year that the concurrence of several challenges such as the air traffic control staffing crunch, insufficient funding and outdated technology "results in an erosion of safety margins that must be urgently addressed."

"The current erosion in the margin of safety in the NAS caused by the confluence of these challenges is rendering the current level of safety unsustainable," the team's report said.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

The cause of the shortage has been attributed to employee turnover and other factors like tight budgets, and ultimately, it has resulted in many controllers working 10-hour days and as many as six days a week, the New York Times reported.

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

The fatal collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter at Reagan International Airport on Wednesday night was likely a culmination of factors, according to aviation attorney Jim Brauchle, who says "we’ve been lucky" there haven’t been more air accidents.

Brauchle is a former U.S. Air Force navigator who now represents families of victims involved in aviation disasters, including the 2019 Boeing 737 Max 8 crash that killed 157 persons in Ethiopia shortly after takeoff and a 2014 Army Black Hawk helicopter crash that killed a soldier and seriously injured two others on board during a training flight at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia.

"I hate to say this, but a lot of people in the aviation industry have predicted that there was going to be an accident," Brauchle told Fox News Digital. "No one wants to, you know, say that out loud because obviously that's a horrific thing. But there's been a lot of near misses over the last several years. And we've been, you know, we've been lucky that there haven't been more of these."

The collision happened around 9 p.m. EST when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The regional jet had departed from Wichita, Kansas.

VIDEO SHOWS DC PLANE CRASH INVOLVING AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT, BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER

American Airlines said the jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the military said three soldiers were onboard the Army helicopter. Officials said later Thursday morning that no one is expected to have survived after a massive search-and-rescue operation in the frigid waters of the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia.

Brauchle said there are several ways aircraft avoid midair collisions, especially at the busy Reagan National Airport, including transponders and traffic collision avoidance systems that most commercial aircraft are equipped with, communication with air traffic control and what he called "seeing and avoid," in which pilots keep a lookout for other aircraft and obstacles.

Brauchle said that keeping a lookout for obstacles is harder than it looks.

"Having flown at night, having tried to look and see traffic, I think most people would say, ‘Oh, how hard is it to miss an airliner,’ right? You should be able to see that. But it's a lot more difficult than people would expect," he said.

At night in an urban environment like Washington, D.C., or northern Virginia, pilots may not be able to see other aircraft and instead may rely on seeing anti-collision or landing lights, according to Brauchle. But different ambient lights from tall buildings and towers that are lit may make it difficult to distinguish which lights belong to other aircraft.

"What I've heard from the audio is that they called out to [air traffic control]. The helicopter said that he had the aircraft in sight," the attorney said. "My guess is, and again, I'm just speculating, is they saw something that they thought was the airplane, whether it be a tower light, maybe it was another aircraft that was taking off. Whatever they thought they saw obviously wasn't the aircraft."

DC PLANE CRASH INVESTIGATORS TO REVIEW COMMUNICATION BETWEEN 2 AIRCRAFT: SENATOR

Brauchle said that typically, if two aircraft find themselves on the same path, the more maneuverable aircraft is supposed to try to move out of the slower aircraft’s way.

"In this case, it's kind of a really unique situation," he said. "Both of these aircraft appear to be where they were supposed to be, or at least on the route. Maybe not necessarily the altitude."

Citing the published routes for the two aircraft, Brauchle said that even if both aircraft are exactly where they’re supposed to be, there is only a couple of hundred feet of separation.

"If you have any type of, you know altimeter error or a pilot just slightly off altitude, you very easily are putting airplanes in the same airspace," the attorney said.

Reagan National Airport facilitates commercial, private and military traffic all in a relatively condensed airspace.

5 OF THE DEADLIEST US AIR DISASTERS

"You’re combining all these different aircraft, all different types of aircraft, all in a very confined space," he said, noting the swath of restricted airspace in the D.C. area due to national security concerns. "And that's kind of what's unique, I think, about Reagan is that it is so congested in such a confined space."

The cause of the collision remains unknown in the hours after the accident. Hundreds of first responders conducted a massive search-and-rescue operation for survivors, though the operation turned into a recovery later Thursday morning.

Brauchle said that, based on his experiences litigating and investigating such accidents with the Charleston, South Carolina-based Motley Rice law firm, the families of those who died are likely in shock because airplane accidents are "not supposed to happen."

"What I've also seen from the families is they're always looking for answers," he said. "They want to know why this happened. Why did they lose their loved one?"

Brauchle said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will likely release a preliminary report in 30 days, and thinks that families will eventually seek litigation as a result of this accident.

The NTSB is leading the investigation into the midair collision, with investigators from the FAA assisting.

An investigation into how an American Airlines jet carrying dozens of passengers and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., will likely involve communication between the two aircraft, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said Thursday morning.

"What we’re seeing right now is what happens if you have a lack of communication or a misunderstanding," Rounds, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told "Fox & Friends First."

Rounds said investigators will look at everything that happened during the flight, including potential mechanical breakdowns and avionic system failures, but he believes much of the discussion surrounding the collision will focus on communication between the aircraft and whether that communication was accurate.

"I’m sure there will be some second guessing, but I suspect that when everything is done and the dust settles the chances are really good that they’ll talk about a lack of communication between the aircraft," Rounds said.

LIVE UPDATES: AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE, MILITARY HELICOPTER COLLIDE NEAR REGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT IN WASHINGTON, DC

The cause of the collision remains unknown in the hours after the accident. Hundreds of first responders conducted a massive search-and-rescue operation for survivors in the frigid waters of the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. The operation turned into a recovery later Thursday morning. More than 30 bodies have been recovered so far, national security advisor Michael Waltz told Fox News.

The collision happened around 9 p.m. EST when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines, and it departed from Wichita, Kansas. American Airlines said the jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.

An Army official said three soldiers were onboard the helicopter as the aircraft was flying a training mission. The Army described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

5 OF THE DEADLIEST US AIR DISASTERS

All takeoffs and landings from the airport were halted as dive teams and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region scoured the site for survivors. Images showed boats around a partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane’s fuselage.

Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the FAA said. 

Rounds said while questions over safety around the airport will begin to surface, it is important to take care of the families of those onboard the two aircraft and first responders.

"This is a terrible tragedy," he said. "Right now, I think we hold those families close and we think about them, we think about the crews and also those first responders that have been out there all night long."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A massive search and rescue effort was underway after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines jet at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday evening.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport (DCA) around 9 p.m. local time. 

PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines, and it departed from Wichita, Kansas. There was no immediate word on casualties or the cause of the collision.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News' Sean Hannity that President Donald Trump is aware of the situation, calling it tragic. Trump later released a statement, writing: "I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise."

PLANE VEERS OFF AIRPORT RUNWAY IN SOUTH KOREA AND CRASHES, KILLING 179: REPORTS

According to American Airlines, there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the CRJ-700 aircraft.

"Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft," the airline said in a statement. "We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts."

There were three soldiers on the helicopter at the time of the crash, according to an Army official.

"We can confirm that the aircraft involved in tonight’s incident was an Army UH-60 helicopter from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir during a training flight," the Army confirmed to Fox News Digital. "We are working with local officials and will provide additional information once it becomes available."

KAZAKHSTAN PLANE CRASH SURVIVORS SAY THEY HEARD BANGS BEFORE AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN; PUTIN ISSUES STATEMENT

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter, which can carry 15 people, including two pilots, two crew chiefs and two rescue specialists.

Jack Potter, the president and CEO of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said during a press conference that flights will resume from the airport at 11 a.m.

At the time of the crash, Reagan National Airport reported clear skies, visibility of 10 miles and winds sustained out of the northwest at 16 mph, gusting to 26 mph. The temperature at the time was 50 degrees.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he was on the scene and closely monitoring the situation. He was just sworn in earlier in the day on Wednesday.

He later posted that he had directed the U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA to provide full support to the National Transportation and Safety Board, as well as all responding agencies and authorities.

"I have spoken with Washington D.C. Mayor Bowser, Virginia Governor Youngkin, Kansas Governor Kelly, and NTSB Chair Homendy to offer our agency’s complete assistance. Thank you to all first responders who are on the scene and conducting the search and rescue operations," Duffy wrote on X.

The FBI said it's Washington Field Office's National Capital Response Squad was responding to "an aviation incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport" in support of law enforcement and public safety partners.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said every available U.S. Coast Guard resource is being deployed to assist with search and rescue efforts. She also said her department is actively monitoring the situation and stands ready to support local responders.

The DC Fire and EMS Department confirmed that fireboats were on the scene.

Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr., said there are currently about 300 responders working at the scene.

AIRLINER'S FINAL 4 MINUTES OF RECORDINGS ARE MISSING AFTER CRASH THAT KILLED 179: INVESTIGATORS

A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National and the pilots said they were able. Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjusting its approach to the new runway.

In audio from the air traffic control tower around the time of the crash, a controller is heard asking the helicopter, "PAT25 do you have the CRJ in sight," in reference to the passenger aircraft.

Fox News has learned that the helicopter did respond, but on a different frequency, a frequency for helicopters.

"Tower did you see that?" another pilot is heard calling seconds after the apparent collision.

One video posted to X and captured from the webcam at the Kennedy Center caught what appeared to be the midair explosion near the Potomac River.

Trump posted further reaction to the crash on Truth Social.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport," he wrote. "The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"

Vice President JD Vance took to X to call on people to stay positive as the tragedy unfolded.

"Please say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening," Vance wrote. "We're monitoring the situation, but for now let's hope for the best."

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom released a video statement early Thursday morning saying the airline's "go team" was heading to the area, and he would also be on his way to the scene shortly. He also said the airline set up a special helpline for friends and family to call. That number is 1-800-679-8215.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley said she was aware of the incident.

"I am aware that a plane inbound from Wichita was involved in a crash at Reagan National Airport," she said. "I am actively in contact with authorities. My thoughts go out to those involved. I will share more information as it becomes available."

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., also posted on X about the crash.

"My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim and that he continues to be with their families.  There are no words that can make telling this story any easier," he wrote. "I ask the world to join me in praying for Kansas this evening, the first responders, rescue crews, and all those involved in this horrific accident. I have been in contact with local and national authorities asking for answers and will continue to demand more information on how this unfolded."

The collision marked the first time there has been a crash involving a U.S. commercial flight since 2009.

Colgan Air Flight 3407, a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo, New York, stalled and crashed during landing approach near Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Feb. 12, 2009. The plane slammed into a house.

All 45 passengers and four crew members were killed.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for more information. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lawmakers across the U.S. expressed sympathy and grief after a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. area on Wednesday night.

A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operating as an American Airlines flight collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter approaching Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, around 9 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The flight left Wichita, Kansas, earlier that day.

The passenger flight was carrying 60 people, but officials have not confirmed the exact number of injuries and fatalities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who started work on Monday, said that he was aware of the incident in a post on X.

"DoD actively monitoring," Hegseth's tweet read. "Poised to assist if needed. Prayers for all involved."

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH: MILITARY BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER COLLIDES MIDAIR WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES JET

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that he was at the FAA building and investigating the incident. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also shared a message from President Donald Trump on Wednesday night.

"I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport," the statement read. "May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., expressed sorrow after hearing of the crash.

"Our prayers are with all families impacted by the tragic plane crash that just took place here in DC," Luna's post read. "Incredibly heartbreaking."

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said that she was keeping all those impacted in her prayers.

FEDERAL JUDGE PAUSES TRUMP ADMIN'S TEMPORARY FEDERAL GRANTS, LOANS FREEZE

"My office is following the breaking and tragic news of a collision at @Reagan_Airport," the lieutenant governor wrote. "We pray for the victims, first rescuers, and all those impacted."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X that she was "deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA."

"We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders," the former South Dakota governor wrote. "Praying for the victims and first responders."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the FAA and American Airlines for more information.

Authorities are actively investigating the crash.

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

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares lambasted President Biden after he granted clemency to the "Waverly Two," who they said admitted to being responsible for the 1998 murder of a Sussex County police officer.

"I am beyond outraged and in utter disbelief that President Biden would announce clemency for Ferrone Claiborne and Terence Richardson – two men who admitted to being responsible for brutally killing Officer Allen Gibson, a hero and dedicated servant to our community," Youngkin said in a statement.

"What makes this even more unconscionable is the Biden U.S. Attorney advised the White House not to commute these sentences as they are violent offenders."

Youngkin said "the pain and sorrow this clemency causes the Gibson family is unimaginable."

BIDEN COMMUTES NEARLY 2,500 MORE SENTENCES IN FINAL DAYS OF PRESIDENCY

"To know that the men who took Officer Gibson’s life will walk free is not just a grave injustice- – it is a heartbreaking blow to those who continue to mourn his sacrifice. This is despicable; a grim day for justice and for the families who trust that our system will hold the guilty accountable," Youngkin said. 

Youngkin's office said Claiborne and Richardson admitted in Sussex County Circuit Court to being responsible for Gibson’s brutal killing.

"The evidence presented and the details surrounding Officer Gibson's death are deeply disturbing and tragic," Youngkin stated.

Youngkin's office said then-President Obama declined to grant clemency to Claiborne and Richardson.

Under the current terms, both men are set to be released in July.

"This is despicable. I’m beyond outraged and in utter disbelief that President Biden would announce clemency for these two violent criminals," Youngkin wrote in a post on X.

BIDEN'S FULL LIST OF CLEMENCY AND COMMUTATION RECIPIENTS REVEALED

Miyares echoed Youngkin's disgust and said his office would continue to seek justice for Gibson's family.

"I’m outraged by Biden granting clemency to cop killers, forcing the fallen officer’s child, Crissana, to relive this trauma. Shame on you, Joe Biden and your enabling staff. May the memory of Officer Allen Gibson & his family haunt each of you forever," Miyares wrote in a post on X.

Miyares also shared a statement from Crissana Gibson, who was outraged by Biden's decision.

"I am absolutely outraged by what has happened. My heart is shattered knowing that the men that killed my father are going to be released from prison and can walk the streets freely. This is a huge miscarriage of justice, and I am completely disgusted by the outgoing administration," she wrote. "The Virginia Attorney General's office has worked tirelessly to keep these murderers behind bars, and I am forever grateful for their dedication and hard work. I am so disappointed that the disgraceful Biden administration has failed my family, my father, and the entire law enforcement community. Neither my family nor I have ever supported the release of Richardson or Claiborne, and we denounce this decision by the outgoing failed presidency of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party’s abuse of the justice system." 

'SQUAD' DEM APPLAUDS BIDEN FOR SPARING MURDERERS FROM 'RACIST' DEATH PENALTY IN 11TH-HOUR CLEMENCY MOVE

Miyares said that on April 25, 1998, Allen Gibson, 25, woke up and went to work as a Waverly police officer and never returned home after he was shot with his own service weapon in the woods behind an apartment complex.

"He put on his bulletproof vest and said goodbye to his 8-year-old daughter Crissana. Officer Gibson found Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne engaged in a drug deal behind an apartment building. The men attacked Officer Gibson, and Richardson disarmed Officer Gibson and fatally shot him in the stomach right below his bulletproof vest," Miyares described.

Officials said that both Claiborne and Richardson were named suspects and arrested for Gibson's murder soon after his death.

Both men are still serving a life sentence for a remaining drug trafficking charge but were acquitted by a federal jury of murder and firearms charges.

On Friday morning, Biden announced that he would commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates as his presidency came to a close. 

The commutations are for people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses "who are serving disproportionately long sentences" compared to what they would receive if sentenced under today's law.

However, Biden has come under bipartisan fire for who he has decided to pardon or commute sentences for.

At the end of December, he chose to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 men on federal death row, helping them escape execution and sending them to prison for life without parole instead.

Biden also boasted about completing the "largest single-day grant of clemency" on Dec. 12 when he commuted sentences for 1,500 people and pardoned 39 others, most of whom were already serving time in home confinement because of decisions made during the COVID-19 era.

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, ordered flags to temporarily fly at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday.

"I hereby order that the flags of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia are to be flown at full-staff on all state and local buildings and grounds in the Commonwealth in recognition of the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States," Youngkin said on Saturday.

Youngkin's directive comes despite President Biden's order after the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29 that flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country should fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period, which just happens to include Inauguration Day.

It is a tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and order flags to be displayed at half-staff.

WASHINGTON GOVERNOR ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP INAUGURATION DESPITE MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER

Biden said the U.S. flag "should be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions."

Flags in Virginia will return to half-staff to honor Carter on Tuesday following the presidential inauguration, Youngkin said.

"The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring former President James Earl Carter, Jr. and remain at half staff through January 28, 2025," the governor wrote.

Youngkin joins several Republican governors who have also broken tradition and ordered flags to be raised on Monday, including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

DESANTIS ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE 30-DAY MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER

A trio of Democratic governors — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson — have also ordered flags to fly at full-staff for Trump's inauguration before the mourning period ends Jan. 28.

House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day.

Trump has criticized the idea of flags being displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter's death.

"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. "They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don't love our Country, they only think about themselves."

"Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast," he continued. "Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.

When President-elect Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20, Republicans will officially control the White House and both houses of Congress.

And while the political spotlight in 2025 will remain fixed on the new administration and GOP congressional majorities, as they aim to rock the nation's capital, some high-profile ballot box showdowns across the country will grab attention as they serve as a barometer of whether Trump and the Republicans' electoral momentum can be sustained.

And for Democrats, who aim to rebuild after suffering setbacks in the 2024 elections, 2025's off-year elections can't come soon enough.

THIS REPUBLICAN WOMAN MAY BECOME THE NATION'S FIRST BLACK FEMALE GOVERNOR

New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial contests in the year after a presidential election, and because of their spot on the calendar, they both garner plenty of national attention.

And Virginia is often seen as a bellwether of the national political climate and how Americans feel about the party in the White House. The party that wins the presidency has lost the ensuing Virginia gubernatorial election in recent decades, with only one exception.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, three years ago, became the first Republican in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in Virginia, a onetime key swing state that has shaded blue in recent cycles.

But Virginia is unique due to its state law preventing governors from serving two consecutive four-year terms, so Youngkin cannot run for re-election next year.

Running to succeed Youngkin is Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, who would make history as the nation's first elected Black female governor.

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Sears emphasized that "I'm not really running to make history. I'm just trying to, as I've said before, leave it better than I found it, and I want everyone to have the same opportunities I had."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS POPULAR REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WHEN HE LEAVES OFFICE IN A YEAR

Sears, who was born in the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. as a six-year-old, served in the Marines and is a former state lawmaker. She made history three years ago when she won election as Virginia's first female lieutenant governor. 

Three-term Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer who represents a conservative-leaning district, is her party's candidate for governor.

One of them will likely make history as the first woman elected Virginia governor.

Democrats currently control both houses of the Virginia legislature, after flipping the House of Delegates in the 2023 elections. All 100 seats in the state House are up for grabs in 2025, as Republicans aim to win back majorities in both the House and state Senate, where there will be special elections for two members who recently won election to Congress.

With little electoral competition, expect outside groups to sink millions in outside money into Virginia's statewide and legislative showdowns in 2025.

In blue-state New Jersey, Trump dramatically increased his support at the ballot box in the 2024 elections.

He came within six points of defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the state in November, a dramatic improvement from his 16-point loss to President Biden in New Jersey in the 2020 presidential election.

Trump's showing is giving Republicans encouragement that they can win governor's office in a state where Democrats control the government and enjoy a vast voter registration advantage over the GOP.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who won the 2017 and 2021 gubernatorial elections, is term-limited, and a crowded field of Democrats and Republicans are lining up to try and succeed him.

New Jersey's election for governor, like the contest in Virginia, is sure to grab the attention and resources of outside groups.

So will 2025 elections that will determine if Democrats hold onto their majorities on the state Supreme Courts in two key battleground states - Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Also garnering attention in the new year will be the mayoral election in the nation's most populous city.

New York City's embattled Democratic mayor, former police captain Eric Adams, has been indicted on federal corruption charges.

While he says he'll seek a second term steering New York City, the race may attract numerous challengers, possibly including former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who stepped down in 2021 amid scandals.

Virginia Republicans announced their top legislative priorities for the new year, with curbing fentanyl deaths chief among them.

Under current case law, it is difficult to charge a drug dealer with the murder of a user who died from fentanyl they had purchased unless they are in the proximity of that dealer, according to GOP legislators.

State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-New Kent, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Virginia hopes to address that legislative insufficiency.

"This [law] would say if you sell the drugs, it doesn't matter if you're in physical proximity," he said.

VIRGINIA DEMS ‘ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION’ AMID OUTRAGE OVER TRUMP'S FEDERAL WORKFORCE CUTS PLAN, GOP SAYS

McDougle and Senate Republican Caucus Leader Mark Obenshain are spearheading the effort.

Fox News Digital reached out to Obenshain, of Harrisonburg, for additional comment.

However, at a related press conference, Obenshain said that as long as people are "dying in every corner of Virginia, of every socioeconomic background, that means there’s people out there peddling this poison."

A pair of Senate special elections on Tuesday were set to determine whether Republicans will take a slightly belated majority in the chamber this term, as Democrats currently control it by one seat. 

Voters went to the polls in both Loudoun County and a swath of more red counties, including Buckingham, Fluvanna and Goochland.

On Wednesday, multiple outlets projected Democrats will hold their slim single-seat majority – requiring one liberal to side with McDougle and Obenshain on their counter-fentanyl proposal.

In 2022, the Old Dominion ranked 14th among states for total fentanyl-related deaths, with 1,973 fatalities, and was positioned near the national average in terms of death rate per capita, according to CDC data.

TOP DOGE SENATOR DEMANDS LAME-DUCK BIDEN AGENCIES HALT COSTLY TELEWORK, CITING VOTER MANDATE

For comparison, neighboring West Virginia leads the nation in fentanyl deaths per capita, but total deaths were 1,084, less than Virginia.

Seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, according to OnePillCanKill Virginia.

A representative for Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he believes prosecuting fentanyl dealers should receive bipartisan support:

"As Governor Youngkin has said time and time again, any person who knowingly and intentionally distributes fentanyl should be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," spokesman Christian Martinez told Fox News Digital.

"We cannot continue to let makers and dealers get away with murder – and it is time Democrat lawmakers side with victims' families over fentanyl makers and dealers."

In April, Youngkin signed Obenshain’s prior fentanyl-related bill, SB 469, which made unlawful possession, purchase or sale of encapsulating machines for the purpose of producing illicit drugs a Class 6 felony.

It also imposed felony penalties for subjects who allow a minor or mentally incapacitated person to be present during the manufacture of any substance containing fentanyl.

"People are dying in every corner of Virginia, of every socioeconomic background, that means there’s people out there peddling this poison. I was proud of our bipartisan effort last year to crack down on pill presses and their deadly effects and I hope that our colleagues will bring the same bipartisan spirit to this effort," Obenshain told Fox News Digital.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares previously said an average of five people die each day from fentanyl overdoses throughout the state. 

"By enhancing penalties and criminalizing the possession and use of machines to produce counterfeit drugs, we are supplying law enforcement personnel with the tools they need to hold drug dealers accountable for poisoning our communities," Miyares said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

After her husband signed the 2023 legislation, Virginia first lady Suzanne Youngkin said there is "nothing more important" than protecting families and communities in Virginia. "I applaud all persons working hard to fight the spread of this illicit drug taking the lives of far too many Virginians," she said.

Virginia Republicans also indicated this week that they will work to put Youngkin’s December plan curtailing taxation of gratuities into law. The plan somewhat mirrors President-elect Donald Trump’s "No Tax on Tips" campaign pledge.

"Hard-working Virginians deserve to keep the tips they earn for their service," McDougle said. "Governor Youngkin’s inclusion of this policy in the budget is an important step in our support of hard-working Virginians, and we’re proud to introduce the bill to put it in the Code of Virginia."

McDougle said Tuesday the chamber will also pursue a ban on transgender women competing in women’s and girls’ sports.

A water treatment plant failure threw North America’s oldest continuous lawmaking body into crisis this week, as lawmakers were effectively shut out of the Virginia State Capitol for safety reasons.

Throughout the rest of Richmond, residents were dealing with a lack of water, and hospitals had to employ tanker trucks to provide the water needed not only to quench patients, but to provide heat and sanitization of medical implements, according to one state lawmaker.

The right-leaning group Virginia Project said the crisis may be the reason for the legislature to take an immediate interest in infrastructure funding, before offering a Confederate-era suggestion:

"Perhaps the waterless legislature should retreat to Appomattox," a social media post from the group said, referring to the community about 100 miles southwest of the Capitol: where the Richmond-based Confederate States of America surrendered to the Union in April 1865.

YOUNGKIN TO DRAFT SANCTUARY CITY BAN, MAKING STATE FUNDING CONTINGENT ON COOPERATION

Others, like Virginia Republican Party chair Richard Anderson, placed blame on the recently-departed Democratic mayor who is now running for lieutenant governor.

"[The crisis is] a direct result of inept leadership by former Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond--who presided over his city's crumbling infrastructure," Anderson said.

"Stoney as LG? Never."

The crisis hit less than one week after the current Democratic mayor, Dr. Danny Avula, took office.

Avula, previously a pediatrician at Chippenham Hospital in neighboring Chesterfield County, said he has been hands-on since the water system first failed.

Avula said he spent much of Tuesday night at the city plant and announced Wednesday morning that some of the pumps are beginning to come back online.

"We're starting to see that reservoir level fill up. It's really encouraging. Right now the reservoir level is at 7ft for some context. [Our] reservoirs typically run at about 18ft."

Avula’s work drew him bipartisan praise, including from one prominent Republican.

YOUNGKIN INVITES NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO SETTLE IN VA OVER DC, MD

State Sen. Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg, the Senate GOP Caucus Chair, said he’s never seen a legislative session begin in such chaos in his 21 years in the Capitol.

"Kudos to the new mayor for his tireless efforts to resolve this inherited crisis," he said on X, formerly Twitter. 

State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, told Fox News Digital the water outage doubly affected his work, as both the Capitol and his district office in nearby Mechanicsville both felt the effects.

McDougle said the outage’s reach has gone beyond Richmond’s limits and into Henrico and Hanover counties to the north and east. Constituents have been reaching out to his office for help.

McDougle praised Gov. Glenn Youngkin for being "extremely aggressive in trying to find solutions to the problem that was created in the city," and offered the same for officials in suburban counties.

"[We are] trying to make sure that we're getting water to infrastructure like hospitals, so that they can continue to treat patients and to get water available to citizens so that they can take care of their families.

"But this has been a real effort on behalf of the state government and local jurisdictions trying to assist Richmond."

He said Avula does not deserve blame for the crisis, as he only took office days ago.

"It’s a shame this had to be on his first week," McDougle said. 

"But we need to really investigate and get to the bottom of how [the Stoney] administration could have let this become such an acute problem that would impact so many people."

Schools in McDougle’s district were shut down Wednesday, and the legislature was gaveled out until Monday — after concerns from leaders and staff that the fire-suppression system in the iconic Capitol could malfunction without enough water flow.

McDougle remarked that while exercising caution is wise, Virginia’s spot as the oldest continuous legislature obviously predated utilities, and that the people’s work can and should be done in whatever way possible while the Capitol is out-of-order.

Another state lawmaker put the blame at the foot of Richmond’s longtime Democratic leadership.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Del. Wren Williams, R-Stuart, said Richmond has been a city "plagued by systemic neglect and a lack of accountability."

"Now, Stoney wants to be our commonwealth's next lieutenant governor. Despite the city's growing infrastructure needs, Democrats in Richmond allowed critical issues like water contamination and aging pipes to fester, leaving residents vulnerable to unsafe drinking water and deteriorating public health," Williams said.

He previously proposed a bill that would have allowed state agencies to study utility upgrades and provide engineering support.

With Democrats marginally in control of the legislature and hoping to prevent Youngkin’s deputy Winsome Sears from succeeding him in November, Williams said the crisis is emblematic of Democrats’ "larger failure… in Virginia, where promises of progress and equity often ring hollow when the real work of maintaining essential services is neglected."

Richmond businessowner Jimmy Keady echoed Williams, telling Fox News Digital the crisis isn’t just a failure of infrastructure but of past city leadership:

"For nearly 48 hours, businesses have forced to close. Residents were left without clean water, and hourly workers lost wages," Keady said.

"The political implications are just as severe," added Keady, who is also a political consultant.

He noted Virginia’s legislature is only in session for a few months, and referenced how lawmakers must explicitly pass resolutions to extend business beyond a term’s end date.

"By losing nearly 11% of this short session, Virginia lawmakers are losing valuable time to pass legislation that will address growing problems throughout our commonwealth, such as economic growth, rising medical costs, and — sure enough — aging infrastructure."

Richmond’s water supply is primarily sourced by the James River.

Fox News Digital reached out to Stoney's campaign and House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Avula could not be reached.

In remarks late Wednesday, Youngkin praised public and private partners around the capital region that have helped residents deal with the lack of water, from Avula to companies like Amazon and Publix.

"The collaboration from the surrounding counties with the city of Richmond and the state resources has been truly inspiring. The counties of Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield not only brought to bear all their expertise in emergency management, but their resources."

"They all mobilized fire-pump trucks in order to make sure that if there was a fire emergency and there was no water available in the city, that in fact the city could react really quickly to those urgencies."

A public vote has opened to name the Metro Richmond Zoo's newborn female pygmy hippopotamus calf. 

The calf was born Dec. 9, a Christmas Eve news release from the Virginia-based zoo announced.

"Hippo hooray! The zoo is excited to announce a heartwarming addition to our animal family just in time for the holidays: a baby pygmy hippo. The newborn arrived on December 9, 2024, after a 7-month gestation. Congratulations to pygmy hippo parents Iris and Corwin on the birth of another little girl," the zoo in Mosley said in the release. 

THAI ZOO IMPLEMENTS TIME LIMIT TO VISIT VIRAL HIPPO MOO DENG

The unnamed calf is the hippo couple's third in the last 4½ years, the zoo said, and is the second born at Christmastime. 

The release included a video of the zoo's newest resident romping about her enclosure with her mother. The video was set to the Christmas carol "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." 

"Most people don’t get a hippopotamus for Christmas at all, so we feel lucky to have received two over the years," the Metro Richmond Zoo said.

Iris delivered this calf in water, her first water birth, according to the zoo. Pygmy hippopotamuses, unlike their larger, more common counterparts, give birth on both land and in water. 

SAN DIEGO ZOO DEBUTS TWO GIANT PANDAS FROM CHINA IN KEY CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

"The baby’s natural instincts kicked in, and she started moving around in the water immediately," the zoo noted.

The newborn weighed in at "a healthy 15 pounds" and will weigh up to 600 pounds when she is fully grown, the release noted.

On Friday, Dec. 27, the Metro Richmond Zoo launched a poll to name the new calf. 

Choices include Poppy, Juniper, Hammie Mae, and Omi.

Poppy was chosen as a tribute to her mother's floral name, Juniper is a nod to her winter birthday, Hammie Mae is "a sweet and southern tie to Virginia ham" and Omi is the Yoruba word for "water," according to the Metro Richmond Zoo. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The poll received an "incredible response" in the first 24 hours it was open, the zoo said in an update posted to its website and Facebook page.

"We’re thrilled to see so many people joining in on the fun of naming our adorable pygmy hippo baby," the zoo said. 

The zoo received more than 14,000 votes "from hippo fans all over the world" during the first day of voting. 

The Metro Richmond Zoo clarified that if no name won an outright majority of the votes, there would be a second vote with the top two contenders. 

The zoo also posted a graph of the results so far but declined to say which name was in the lead.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

The poll closes Dec. 31 at 2 p.m., and the winning name will be announced New Year's Day. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Metro Richmond Zoo for additional comment. 

The Metro Richmond Zoo's newborn pygmy hippo was born months after Moo Deng, another pygmy hippopotamus, went viral for her adorable antics in Thailand. 

Since Moo Deng first received worldwide attention over the summer, she has been parodied on "Saturday Night Live," correctly predicted the 2024 U.S. presidential election, inspired a makeup trend and prompted a two-hour-long traffic jam on the road to her zoo.

Virginia's top legislative Democrat sounded an alarm over President-elect Trump's Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) plan to tell a portion of the federal workforce "you're fired" for efficiency's sake.

The state Senate's top Republican responded Thursday by saying the majority party is "asking the wrong question."

Earlier this week, House Speaker Don Scott Jr. wrote a letter to the commonwealth's unemployment agency warning of the fallout from such a plan and a potential uptick in unemployment claims.

"We should all be concerned about what these changes mean for the employees raising their families in Virginia, paying taxes in Virginia and calling Virginia home," Scott wrote to Virginia Employment Commissioner Demetrios Melis in a letter reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

TOP DOGE SENATOR DEMANDS LAME-DUCK BIDEN AGENCIES HALT COSTLY TELEWORK, CITING VOTER MANDATE

"Taking President-elect Trump at his word that he will immediately move to downsize the workforce and relocate agencies, we can safely assume that a large portion of our workforce that resides in the commonwealth will be negatively affected," added Scott, D-Portsmouth.

Scott reportedly said he believes Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads area he represents would be hardest-hit.

"I have concerns that, in the coming months, not only will our nation experience a mass increase in unemployment due to the proposed changes to our government. But, more importantly, those changes will have a detrimental effect on Virginians, our commonwealth’s unemployment rate and our economy overall," he told the Times-Dispatch.

However, Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-New Kent, said the concept of DOGE addresses a greater concern for Virginians and U.S. taxpayers when it comes to fiscally responsible governance.

"That's the wrong question," McDougle said in an interview Thursday.

YOUNGKIN ‘PERSONALLY INVITES’ NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO SETTLE IN VA OVER MD, DC

"The question should be whether we are taking dollars that Virginians are earning and paying to the federal government and whether they are being spent wisely.

"If the federal government is paying people to do jobs they shouldn't be doing, then that's spending taxpayer dollars unwisely."

Trump's DOGE co-leader, Vivek Ramaswamy, previously told Fox Business, "We expect mass reductions … [and] certain agencies to be deleted outright." 

Ramaswamy's counterpart, Elon Musk, has expressed similar sentiments, including a tweet stating, "Delete CFPB," a reference to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Additionally, Sen. Joni Ernst, the Iowa Republican seen as the top DOGE lawmaker in the upper chamber, is spearheading a bill to relocate about one-third of federal workers outside the District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia area. The legislation proposed by Ernst has a lengthy acronym, the DRAIN THE SWAMP Act.

Ernst also demanded answers from Biden agency heads about work-from-home policies their staffs enjoy.

In his remarks Thursday, McDougle added that if Democrats were so concerned about the subject, they should have balked at plans to funnel Virginia taxpayer funds to the Washington-area Metro system to "subsidize" the lack of ridership from telework policies criticized by Ernst.

"I didn't feel our Democratic friends were as concerned with the millions of dollars going to fund Metro amid [federal workers not being required to] go into the office and having to subsidize them," McDougle said.

Virginia's 2024 budget included about $144 million in Metro funding. Metro CEO Randy Clarke said in June the transit agency found an additional $50 million in efficiencies for its nearly $5 billion budget, according to multiple reports.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Earlier this month, a top Democrat on the state House Labor Committee, said she was "very disappointed" with a response from representatives for Gov. Glenn Youngkin when she voiced concerns about potential federal workforce cuts.

State Delegate Candi Mundon King, D-Dumfries, noted in November that thousands of federal workers live in the state and in her district and called DOGE's plan "disastrous" after the Virginia Republican Party touted the "streamlin[ing of] government bureaucracy" as "good for all Americans, including Virginians."

Mundon King's district sits in the Washington exurb of Prince William County, which, for many years, was led by high-profile conservative Corey Stewart but has recently swung heavily Democratic.

"No wonder Northern Virginia has lost faith in Virginia Republicans," Mundon King said.

Youngkin, a successful business executive before entering politics, previously said anyone who leaves the private sector to work in government will immediately recognize it needs drastic adjustments.

"Whether it's me coming into state government in Virginia or President Trump coming back into the federal government, [we] know it is inefficient. It does not work with the same efficiency you would expect out of a business," he told The Daily Progress of Charlottesville.

Government efficiency plans "may result in some job losses for the federal government. … The great thing about the Commonwealth of Virginia is we have nearly 300,000 jobs that are unfilled," he added.

Melis similarly told Scott Virginia is "well prepared" to adapt to changes in employment figures and reassured Mundon King earlier this month that some of the concerns voiced were premature, according to The Roanoke Times.

Youngkin earlier this month invited workers in Trump's incoming administration to choose Virginia as their place of residence over Maryland or the District of Columbia, citing, in part, lower taxes and better-ranked schools.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said Virginia's economy was "stagnant" and the unemployment system "in shambles" when the Republican took office after eight years of Democratic governorship.

"Commonsense policies to lower the cost of living and bring real business-like efficiency to government have helped fix both," Martinez said.

"The governor appreciates Speaker Scott’s recent commitments to support further tax relief, which, along with a roaring economy and over 300,000 open jobs, means Virginia is in a great position as the president works to shrink the bloated federal government."