House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is no "big fan" of hiking the tax rate for America's wealthiest to 40%, an idea reportedly being mulled by Republicans to offset some costs of their in-progress tax package.

"We're the Republican Party, and we're for tax reduction for everyone, and that's a general principle that we always try to abide by," Johnson told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. 

Though there are many discussions, thoughts and theories on how to get all the GOP's goals accomplished, Johnson said he wouldn't "put any money on any of [those] yet."

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TAX CUTS ‘TOP PRIORITY’ FOR CONGRESS, SAYS TOP HOUSE GOP LEADER

"I would say just stay tuned. The next five to six weeks are going to be critical as all these negotiations happen in the committees of jurisdiction," he continued.

"You'll hear lots of rumors and lots of talk, but we'll see where it all lands."

TRUMP'S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ TAX AGENDA SCORES MAJOR VICTORY IN HOUSE DESPITE GOP REBELLION THREATS

Johnson voiced the need for consensus on the package, eyeing the 218 votes needed in the House and the 51 votes needed in the Senate for successful passage, assuring viewers that the bill will have reached an adequate "comfort level" before heading to the floor.

According to Bloomberg, the floated 39%-to-40% tax rate would affect those earning $1 million or more annually, a two-to-three percentage increase from the current 37% rate.

A new survey finds dramatic growth in church attendance among young adults in the United Kingdom and should challenge the idea that religion is dying in Britain, its author says.

The survey entitled "Quiet Revival" found a 12% rise since 2018 among 18-24-year-olds who say they attend church at least monthly.

Among young men, that number has skyrocketed from 4% to 21% over the past six years.

More young women are also attending church, according to the survey, increasing from 3% to 12%.

GEN Z MEN POUR INTO CHURCH PEWS MORE OFTEN THAN WOMEN, FLIPPING THE TREND ON FAITH: ‘WHAT’S THE LORD DOING?'

Attendance is also up among older members of Gen Z, the Millennial generation, and those above 65 years old in the UK.

Among those 25-34-years old, attendance has shot up from 4% to 13%, and among 35-44-year-olds, attendance has increased from 5% to 8%. There's also been a 5% increase in attendance among the oldest generation, from 14% to 19%.

Overall, church attendance has risen by 50% in the UK over the past six years, the survey claims, and the church has grown more ethnically diverse, with one in five people coming from an ethnic minority.

The survey was commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov.

GROWING NUMBER OF GEN Z MEN SUPPORTING TRUMP REPRESENTS ‘ONGOING CULTURE SHOCK’ IN US POLITICS, VOTER SAYS

Dr. Rhiannon McAleer, who co-authored the report, said the findings will challenge the popular notion "that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline."

"While some traditional denominations continue to face challenges, we’ve seen significant, broad-based growth among most expressions of Church — particularly in Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism. There are now over 2 million more people attending church than there were six years ago," she said.

The survey also found more men than women go to church, with 13% of men overall saying so compared to 10% of women overall.

The UK survey mirrors an emerging trend about the religious views of young people in the United States.

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A 2023 survey by The Survey Center on American Life found that among Gen Z adults, more women than men said they had left their childhood faith.

The survey found 54% of Gen Z adults who left their formative religion were women while 46% were men.  

It was the opposite among older Americans, however. Among the Baby Boomer generation, 57% of people who left their religion were men, while 43% were women, the survey said.

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith was pressed by ABC News' Jon Karl on Sunday about whether he was really considering a run for the presidency — prompting the ESPN host to say that he had no choice but to consider a potential run.

"I have no choice, because I’ve had elected officials — and I'm not going to give their names — coming up to me. I’ve had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature. I’m not a politician. I’ve never had a desire to be a politician," Smith said, noting his contract with ESPN.

Smith posted on X that he was leaving the doors open for a run earlier this month. 

"People have walked up to me, including my own pastor, for crying out loud, who has said to me, ‘you don’t know what God has planned for you, at least show the respect to the people who believe in you, who respect you, who believe that you can make a difference in this country to leave the door open for any possibilities two to three years down the line.’ And that’s what I’ve decided to do," the ESPN host said. "So, I would hope somebody else would step up that’s more qualified than me, but if it has to come down to me, it is something I would consider. Yes, I would. Because I don’t mind tussling with these folks at all on the left or the right. All of them disgust me, to be quite honest with you."

STEPHEN A. SMITH REGRETS BACKING VP HARRIS, 'OPEN' TO VOTING GOP: 'NOT INTERESTED' IN THE 'FEAR MONGERING'

Smith also took aim at the Democratic Party during the interview and said that the party's failures were the reason why he, a sports analyst, was even being polled as a potential 2028 Democratic contender.

"The bigger picture here is Elizabeth Warren was just on with you. You’re going to have a multitude of Democratic representatives on with you. They talk, and they talk, and they talk, but what can they do? They position themselves to do absolutely nothing. I didn’t hear anything about tariffs from Democrats before the election. Trump had been preaching about this for the longest time," he added. 

He argued that Democrats focused on woke culture, cancel culture and abortion rights, and that its focus was not going to win an election.

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"It’s an indictment against the Democratic Party that doesn’t have leadership and doesn’t have a vision, and it’s sad," he said.

"Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open," Smith posted on April 7, including an article noting his thoughts on the matter.

Speaking of the future at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, Smith suggested, "If it comes in late 2026, 2027, where I look at this country and think it’s an absolute mess and there’s legitimate reason to believe — whether it’s via exploratory committees or anything else — that I indeed have a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States, I am not going to rule it out, and I'm not playing." 

Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired back at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Sunday after the New York Democrat called him and other Trump appointees "Dumb Effing Individuals," a play on the DEI acronym, in an X video on Saturday.

"That's how far they have fallen. It's astonishing, not surprising," Hegseth told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.

"Of course, they don't like the fact that we're ripping DEI out of the military and making it colorblind and merit-based."

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH TOUTS ‘HISTORIC’ DEALS TO DETER ‘CHINESE INFLUENCE’ IN PANAMA CANAL

"If their whole strategy is… minute-long videos on TikTok to call us names while we secure the southern border, kick out Chinese influence, revive the warrior culture inside our military, that's why they lost in a historic fashion to President Trump last time, and their future looks bleak as well."

Jeffries' remarks criticized Hegseth's instruction to purge the U.S. Naval Academy's library of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related content.

He vowed to keep pressure on "extremists" behind the move.

HEGSETH SAYS PANAMA AGREED TO ALLOW US WARSHIPS TO TRAVEL ‘FIRST AND FREE’ THROUGH CANAL

Hegseth shared the latest news from several foreign policy arenas — a historic deal to deter Chinese influence in the Panama Canal and President Trump's "dead serious" effort to prevent a nuclear Iran in this week's "Sunday Morning Futures" exclusive.

Rather than focusing on DEI, he said he remains focused on "rebuilding America's military" with "peace through strength" policies, cutting out waste and investing in new technologies like the F-47 fighter jet.

"We're looking at all the ways in which our military academies educate and giving guidance to get rid of DEI, and I think the American people appreciate that," he added.

Hollywood superstar Will Smith opened up on a new podcast about the spiritual journey he's been on since his fall from grace after slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards.

During a conversation with Christian rapper Lecrae on the April 4 "The Deep End with Lecrae," Smith was candid about the "inward work" he's done over the past few years to reach a "brand new" version of himself, both professionally and personally.

The "Independence Day" star told Lecrae that he had to "trust himself and God" to "let go" of things in his life that weren't serving him and believe there was a bigger plan. 

Smith confessed that he also realized all the fame and success he earned didn't bring life meaning.

'BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE' BOOSTS WILL SMITH COMEBACK WITH $56M BOX OFFICE OPENING

"It is such a rare gift to reach the end of the material world, to reach the end of money. To get to the point where you can buy anything you want, and you sit in your house and there’s nothing else to buy. Whereas buying things used to scratch an itch," he said. 

"Now there's nothing else to buy… To have had all the sex that you wanted. How many more number one movies do I need? How many more Grammys do I need?" Smith said. "It’s such a rare gift to get to the end of the material world and a place where only God is left."

Smith said he came to realize that the "material world" only had so much to offer.

"People usually do that when they hit rock bottom. But there’s a corresponding place to rock bottom which I call cliff top. Where you actually pop out of the material world and you [realize] there’s nothing left here," he continued. "And inward is the only place left."

RUSSELL BRAND OPENS UP ABOUT SOBRIETY, CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY, IN INTERVIEW WITH SEAN HANNITY

"There’s no country you can go to. There’s no relationship you can start. No new job that’s going to do it… You get to the end of it. It’s excruciating, but I would wish that on everybody. I wish everybody could get everything they want to see that it doesn’t satisfy," he added.

Later in the interview, Smith said that while he was raised by a Christian grandmother, his current views on spirituality have been shaped by other religions, including Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. 

"My religion is love," he said. "I believe in the oneness and possibility of harmony of people who are reaching for the one truth."

Smith said he recognized that he lived a "blessed" life and said he doesn't view himself as better than those who may have to make different life choices because of where they grew up or the situations they've been put in.

Smith is currently promoting his newest music album, "Based on a True Story," which is his first full album in twenty years.

Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin accused "Real Time" host Bill Maher in a testy exchange on Friday of having "fallen into the trap" by meeting with President Donald Trump the previous week. 

Maher, a longtime Trump critic who's nonetheless stood out on the late-night circuit with his criticism of leftist excess, said Trump was "gracious and measured" during his visit to the White House, acknowledging his warm words might not be well-received by progressives.

Rogin, however, pushed back on Maher's decision to visit the White House and suggested that he had been used as part of a "PR stunt." 

"I think you've fallen into the trap, and I think I represent 99% of the internet when I say this: you've played the game of proximity is principle," Rogin said. "I'm not questioning your motivation, I'm questioning Trump's, OK?"

BILL MAHER CALLS TRUMP ONE OF THE 'MOST EFFECTIVE POLITICIANS' BECAUSE OF HIS AUTHENTICITY

Rogin emphasized that both he and the audience trusted that Maher met with Trump in good faith, but questioned Trump's motives for the dinner.

The praise seemed to have struck a nerve with Maher, who told Rogin, "You don't have to patronize me, dude. I don't know you. I've never met you."

"Not everybody has to like it. That's what we said. There are people who didn't want it to happen at all. You sound like one of them, it's OK."

Rogin attempted to talk over the late-night host but was abruptly cut off by Maher asking, "Did you hear what I said? What is the alternative to not talking? Just sit at your lunch table and don't talk to anybody?"

In his response to Maher, Rogin claimed that Trump saw this meeting as a "PR stunt," and used Maher as a "prop in that PR stunt."

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Piers Morgan, a guest on the panel, also pushed back on Rogin's interpretation of the meeting, pointing out that most Americans aren't as tribal as social media might lead some to believe.

"If you go on social media for five minutes now, you just have this tribal fury raging all day long. Everyone's got to be implacably there, implacably there, and actually, most Americans and most Brits; they're not like that," Piers explained, adding, "And then, the idea that Bill Maher is now going to stop criticizing Donald Trump… is preposterous!"

Maher then affirmed Piers' idea, noting that he didn't hold back on Trump during his opening monologue or during his interview with former Trump advisor Steve Bannon earlier in the show.

Not giving Rogin a chance to respond, Maher jumped right back into challenging his interpretation of the Trump meeting.

"The fact that you began your little rant with ‘the internet,’ that tells me everything. You take your cues from the internet. Good luck," he told Rogin.

BILL MAHER EXPLAINS WHY HE'S REJECTING CALLS TO JOIN THE POLITICAL RIGHT

Rogin attempted to push back on Maher, questioning whether the late-night host believed that Trump would be "changed" after the meeting. Maher quickly shut him down.

"I said in the piece I did not think that was going to happen!" he sternly told Rogin, to which the columnist replied, "In that case then, go with God and enjoy."

FIRST ON FOX -- President Donald Trump’s legal team continued to dial up the pressure on CBS and parent company Paramount Global on Thursday with a massive discovery demand for 107 different forms of communications. 

Trump is seeking $20 billion in a lawsuit against CBS, alleging election interference over its handling of a "60 Minutes" interview. The president has accused CBS of aiding his Democrat rival Vice President Kamala Harris through deceptive editing one month before they faced off in the presidential election. The saga began when Harris was widely mocked for a "word salad" answer she gave to "60 Minutes" correspondent Bill Whitaker during a preview of the interview on "Face the Nation," as CBS aired a more coherent answer to the same question during a primetime special. 

In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Trump’s legal team has requested "all documents in CBS Interactive’s possession, custody, or control, wherever located, including documents in the possession of its representatives, attorneys, or other persons directly or indirectly retained by CBS Interactive, or anyone else acting on its behalf or otherwise subject to its control" pertaining to the interview. 

FCC CHAIR CALLS CBS NEWS' CONDUCT ‘HARD TO EXPLAIN’ FOLLOWING RELEASE OF KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

The demand includes all communications between CBS and the FCC, The Biden administration, the Harris campaign and the DNC from September 22, 0224 through February 11, 2025. Trump’s legal team also asked for all communications about the interview involving "60 Minutes" executive editor Tanya Simon’s, executive producer Bill Owens, "Face the Nation" anchor Margaret Brennan or Whitaker, along with "any documents containing communications about interviewing or potentially interviewing President Trump for the Election Special." 

Trump’s legal team has demanded "any documents containing communications" about the unedited exchange between CBS staffers and the Biden administration, Harris campaign and the DNC. 

The 27-page list of discovery demands also asks for all internal communications "60 Minutes" honchos had with editors, journalists and correspondents during the controversy, along with any communications with the Harris campaign. 

TRUMP'S LAWSUIT AGAINST CBS EXPANDS AFTER RELEASE OF '60 MINUTES' TRANSCRIPT, ADDS PARAMOUNT AS DEFENDANT

Any communications pertaining to the lawsuit between CBS and Paramount employees have also been requested, along with any communications about advertising or commercials during the programs that aired the Harris interview.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, is also named and Trump’s legal team wants to see her interactions with "60 Minutes" employees, too. 

Critics accused CBS News of editing Harris' "word salad" answer to shield the former vice president from further backlash. The discovery request comes after Trump secured a legal victory earlier this week when a judge deemed CBS and Paramount’s motion to dismiss "moot."

CBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

CBS STAFFERS UPSET OVER ‘60 MINUTES’ DRAMA, ADMIT KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW EDITS WERE AN ‘UNFORCED ERROR’

New FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered CBS News to hand over the unedited transcript as part of its investigation into whether the network violated the FCC's "news distortion" policy after a complaint was filed. CBS had refused to release the unedited transcript until the FCC got involved. 

Last week, Trump’s legal team led by attorneys Ed Paltzik and Dan Epstein amended the original lawsuit after the release of the unedited transcript and raw footage of its controversial "60 Minutes" interview. The lawsuit added CBS News' parent company, Paramount Global, as a defendant, citing how the "60 Minutes" election special was platformed on its Paramount+ streaming service. The lawsuit added Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as a plaintiff and increased the damages claim to $20 billion.

CBS parent company Paramount Global is reportedly considering settling the suit ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump's FCC, which has the authority to halt the multibillion-dollar transaction. Redstone is reportedly in favor of settling with the president. 

The case against CBS and Paramount Global is one of the many legal fronts, criminal and civil, being coordinated by Trump’s Senior Counsel Boris Epshteyn.

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. 

Republican and Independent voters in a Fox News Digital focus group reacted positively to President Donald Trump's executive actions targeting transgender ideology in America's sports and other institutions.

The focus group of 156 voters across the political aisle watched a video clip of the president signing his executive order, "Keeping men out of women's sports," on February 5.

Trump said, "Actions were taken today are the latest in a sweeping effort to reclaim our culture and our laws from the radical left crusade against biological reality."

"On day one, I made it official, and I'm making it official policy of the United States government that there is, you know, two genders. We have two genders. What might they be? Man and woman, Right? Male and female. Male and female. Can't think of too many others, but it's pretty amazing."

NEW POLL REVEALS WHICH TRUMP POLICIES AMERICANS LOVE AND HATE

"I rescinded federal funds too, and this is so important, to any program that promotes transgender ideology using taxpayer dollars. We're not going to do it. We're not going to do it. And last week I effectively banned the chemical castration and surgical mutilation of minor children."

After Trump referred to two genders and his action to strip federal funding for transgender surgeries, Democratic voters' approval remained steady, but Republican and Independent voters' approval steadily climbed, according to the Fox News Dial.

President of Maslansky + Partners Lee Carter, who conducted the focus group for Fox News Digital, remarked, "Even Democrats mostly agree!"

"For anyone who is hysterical and thinks this resonates because people are transphobic – that is not it at all," she added.

NEW POLL SHOWS WHAT AMERICANS THINK OF TRUMP'S RECORD-SETTING FIRST 3 WEEKS

"People believe a few things: 1. Children need to be children. 2. If you are too young to have a beer or get a tattoo you are too young to make this decision. 3. Common Sense needs to prevail. 4. Our tax money shouldn’t fund it," Carter continued.

One focus group member said, "Finally, something that makes sense. Taking away government money for things we shouldn't be involved in was one of the best things Trump has ever done."

The group also reacted to a video of Trump discussing his initial executive orders challenging diversity, equity and inclusion ("DEI") and gender ideology in American institutions during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 23. 

"With the recent yet somewhat unexpected great Supreme Court decision just made, America will once again become a merit-based country," Trump said. "You have to hear that word merit-based country."

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"And I've made it official, an official policy of the United States that there are only two genders, male and female, and we will have no men participating in women's sports and transgender operations, which, became the rage will occur very rarely. Finally, as we restore common sense in America, we're moving quickly to bring back strength and peace and stability abroad," he continued.

Republican and Independent voters' approval shot up when Trump brought up making America once again a "merit-based country." After he declared a ban on male athletes in women's sports and transgender medical operations, both groups' approval steadily increased.

Democratic voters' approval remained level, dipping slightly during his remarks about gender ideology, according to a Fox News Dial.

Carter found the groups' reaction "fascinating."

"Look at the strength of reactions to ‘merit-based’ and ‘common sense’," she remarked.

One focus group member said, "He may be a rude dude, but I love his thoughts and how much common sense he is making! Love this!"

A total of 156 voters participated in the Fox News Digital focus group. Seventy-five Democratic voters participated, along with 49 Republican voters and 32 Independent voters.

Trump has signed 63 executive orders since his inauguration, according to a count from Fox News, which far surpasses the rate of any presidential predecessors during their first weeks in office.

According to a Marquette Law School Poll national survey released on Wednesday, Trump's most popular executive action with Americans is his order having the federal government recognize only two sexes — male and female. 

Sixty-three percent of adults nationwide supported the move, with just 37% opposed, the survey indicates.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

"The View" co-host Joy Behar went on a rant about where America got its name on Thursday as the co-hosts discussed President Donald Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico. 

"This country that we're in was settled by indigenous people, right? And yet they named the country after an Italian White man, Amerigo Vespucci. That's what America is named after, Amerigo Vespucci, a White European," she said.

"Why was it named after a White man if it was settled by indigenous people?" Behar continued.

The co-hosts discussed the Trump White House barring the Associated Press from an event at the Oval Office on Tuesday for the outlet's refusal to use the term "Gulf of America" in accordance with President Trump’s executive order renaming the body of water between the United States and Mexico.

TRUMP SIGNS PROCLAMATION DECLARING FEBRUARY 9 'GULF OF AMERICA DAY' AHEAD OF SUPER BOWL: 'ANOTHER BIG WIN'

Co-host Sara Haines said the renaming of bodies of water was relatively common. 

"The body of water south of China, which much of the world calls the South China Sea, China calls it South Sea, Vietnam calls it Eastern Sea and the Philippines has designated parts of it the West Philippines Sea," she said. "So it happens."

Behar then made the argument that Trump shouldn't be focused on renaming the body of water. 

"But why does he care about it when the prices are going up on the eggs?" she said. "People did not vote to rename the Gulf of Mexico."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"Plastic straws and the Gulf of America, give me a break," the liberal co-host added.

AP Executive Editor Julie Pace said the outlet was barred from attending a White House signing of executive orders by Trump.

"It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism," Pace said in a statement. "Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment."

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said she didn't have a problem with the renaming, and argued it was more inclusive.

"I don’t hate renaming the Gulf of America, and I’m going to tell you why. It’s a more inclusive term. It is North America, Mexico and the United States are part of the Americas. It would be petty if he called it the ‘Gulf of the United States,’" she said. "These are the things Donald Trump does to trigger reaction from the media."

Fox News' Alexa Moutevelis and David Spector contributed to this report.

Federal Communication Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr has opened an investigation into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices at Comcast and NBCUniversal.

Carr wants to ensure that Comcast, which owns multiple assets including NBCUniversal, is not promoting unfair forms of discrimination in violation of FCC regulations and civil rights laws. Carr, who was selected to serve as FCC chairman by President Trump, said the administration has already taken quick and decisive actions to root out the scourge of DEI. 

"President Trump is leading America away from the scourge of invidious DEI discrimination and ensuring that everyone in this country has a fair shot at succeeding. Discriminatory DEI programs cannot be squared with this country’s civil rights laws and following President Trump’s leadership the FCC will ensure that every company we regulate ends illegal DEI programs," Carr told Fox News Digital. 

FCC CHAIR SAYS IT’S ‘REALLY CONCERNING’ THAT A SOROS-BACKED RADIO STATION EXPOSED UNDERCOVER ICE AGENTS

Carr sent a lengthy letter to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts on Tuesday, informing the Philadelphia-based company’s top executive of the probe.

"I am writing to inform you that I have asked the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to open an investigation into Comcast and NBCUniversal. In particular, I want to ensure that your companies are not promoting invidious forms of discrimination in violation of FCC regulations and civil rights laws," Carr wrote in the letter obtained by Fox News Digital. 

"As you know, the Communications Act and Commission rules prohibit regulated entities—like Comcast and NBCUniversal—from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, or gender. Indeed, the FCC’s longstanding Equal Employment Opportunity or EEO rules set forth specific requirements that both Comcast and NBCUniversal must adhere to," the letter continued. "Nonetheless, I am concerned that Comcast and NBCUniversal may be promoting invidious forms of DEI in a manner that does not comply with FCC regulations."

Carr then noted that Comcast promotes DEI as "a core value of our business" online and public reports state that the company has an entire "DEI infrastructure" that includes annual "DEI day[s]," "DEI training for company leaders" and other similar initiatives.

"NBCUniversal has similar DEI initiatives, including executives specifically dedicated to promoting DEI across the TV and programming side of the business," Carr wrote. 

FCC LAUNCHES PROBE INTO SOROS-BACKED RADIO STATION THAT REVEALED LIVE LOCATIONS OF UNDERCOVER ICE AGENTS

"But promoting invidious forms of discrimination cannot be squared with any reasonable interpretation of federal law. It can only deprive Americans of their rights to fair and equal treatment under the law," he continued. "Despite the emergence of DEI initiatives in recent years, these forms of discrimination have long been condemned by America’s civil rights laws."

Carr noted that the Supreme Court has stated "distinctions between citizens solely because of their ancestry are by their very nature odious to a free people whose institutions are founded upon the doctrine of equality" and has written that racial classifications "threaten to stigmatize individuals by reason of their membership in a racial group and to incite racial hostility." 

Carr added that Trump has already "issued an Executive Order that will end the radical and wasteful DEI programs that have spread across the federal government" and issued another executive order to "end illegal discrimination and restore merit-based opportunity across the private sector." 

"At my direction, the FCC has already taken action to end its own promotion of DEI. As a next step, the FCC will be taking fresh action to ensure that every entity the FCC regulates complies with the civil rights protections enshrined in the Communications Act and the agency’s EEO rules, including by shutting down any programs that promote invidious forms of DEI discrimination," Carr wrote. 

DOGE SLASHES OVER $100M IN DEI FUNDING AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: 'WIN FOR EVERY STUDENT'

"I am starting this broader effort with Comcast and NBCUniversal for two reasons. First, as noted above, there is substantial evidence that your companies are still engaging in the promotion of DEI. Second, your companies cover a range of sectors regulated by the FCC—from cable to high-speed Internet and from broadcast TV stations to MVNO wireless offerings," Carr continued. "Therefore, I expect that this investigation into Comcast and its NBCUniversal operations will aid the Commission’s broader efforts to root out invidious forms of DEI discrimination across all of the sectors the FCC regulates."

Comcast provided Fox News Digital with the following statement: "We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the FCC to answer their questions. For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers."

Carr was previously the senior Republican member of the FCC, first nominated to the commission by Trump in 2017.

CNN's Anderson Cooper clashed with former GOP Gov. Chris Sununu on Tuesday over the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) findings, as the CNN host accused Sununu of putting words in his mouth.

"It’s 23 days in here, guys, 23 days. You’re talking about 2.3 billion that was saved last year. These guys are saving 2.3 billion a day," Sununu said after praising President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for transparency. "It’s all going to come because what they also said was, if we have to go to Congress, we’ll go to Congress. We’ll show where it is."

Musk, the head of DOGE, has been focused on determining areas of federal funding waste. Musk spoke to reporters from the Oval Office on Tuesday and emphasized cutting federal spending was "essential."

"He’s giving very specific things, but he’s not actually giving any evidence of that," Cooper pushed back. "But some of the details that have come out like the $59 million spent on luxury hotels. It’s actually not." 

PRESIDENT TRUMP PREDICTS ELON MUSK WILL FIND ‘HUNDRED OF BILLIONS’ IN WASTE IN NEXT DOGE DIRECTIVES

"You’re talking about the FEMA money that was abused for migrants. That was FEMA money for migrants. That’s okay now?" Sununu shot back.

Cooper said he didn't think it was okay and told Sununu, "Don’t put words in my mouth."

The former New Hampshire governor asked Cooper if he would stop that process. 

"Don’t be a d--k. What I’m saying is the portrayal by him is just not factually accurate. He’s talking about luxury hotels," he said, shaking his head. 

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Alyssa Farah Griffin, a CNN commentator and co-host of "The View," interjected and said, "I think the issue, too, is these are congressionally appropriated funds. I think you and I, as conservatives, could look for a lot of things in the federal budget we would be more than happy to see done away with. But I think that there have been things that have been presented as one thing and then turn out to be something very different."

Later in the show, Cooper apologized to Sununu. 

"I was mean, I was rude to you," Cooper said, surprising the GOP governor. "I don't know why I said that."

"Are you kidding?" Sununu responded. "I grew up with seven brothers and sisters, and I’m a Sununu."

The historic Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) organization denied a motion by local members to restrict biological males who identify as transgender from joining its ranks over the weekend. 

The DAR, which currently allows natal males to join its chapters across the country, has pointed to the policy as a necessity for DAR to maintain its tax-exempt status. A local chapter in Texas challenged that premise with the help of the Center for American Liberty (CAL), but the DAR National Board of Management (NBOM) rejected the proposal to national bylaws in a vote on Saturday.  

Laura McDonald, member of the Martha Laird DAR Chapter which proposed the change, told Fox News Digital that she is disappointed, but not discouraged.

"The rejection by the National Board of Management of our proposal to define a woman in our bylaws sadly confirms what we knew all along – that leadership is taking a political stance which is not based on fears of the loss of 501(c)(3) nonprofit status," she said. "We are indebted to The Center for American Liberty for their help in exposing this truth. We will continue fighting for the Truth."

In January, CAL drafted a letter to DAR leadership, arguing that the policy to exclude natal men, including natal men who identify as women, from membership eligibility is both lawful and would not jeopardize the DAR’s status as a tax-exempt nonprofit, according to a memorandum reviewed by Fox News Digital. In September 2024, the Martha Laird Chapter, along with the endorsement of 11 other chapters, submitted a proposed bylaw amendment to prohibit all men, including trans-identifying men, from DAR membership eligibility. 

TRUMP ORDER RESTRICTING SEX-CHANGE PROCEDURES FOR MINORS IN LINE WITH ‘DO NO HARM,’ DOCTOR SAYS 

"A woman is defined as a biological female at conception, having naturally occurring X chromosomes, exclusive of Y chromosomes, and certified as female or girl on the original birth certificate," the proposed bylaw read. "NSDAR and its chapters may not discriminate against an eligible applicant."

McDonald said her chapter has another proposal ready that they will vote on at their next meeting in March. 

"The language of the new proposal will accommodate the concerns the NBOM addressed in their rejection letter," she said. "We are looking forward to this process again in the coming year – our goal is to Restore our Iconic, Historic and once prestigious American Institution founded by women, for women and we intend to see it through."

According to a copy of the rejection letter shared with Fox News Digital, the NBOM found the proposed amendments "not to be suitable for inclusion in the bylaws and not to be in the best interests of the Society," adding that it "rejected the proposed amendments in their entirety" and that they will not be forwarded to the 134th Continental Congress.

The letter also said the DAR will continue to rely on its "long-standing policy" to accept state-certified birth certificates and will not introduce requirements for chromosomal DNA tests to establish an applicant's sex.

"We will continue doing this every year until we at least get a vote at the Continental Congress," McDonald previously told Fox News Digital. "That's the only fair and transparent way to handle this."

CAL argued, on behalf of the Martha Laird DAR Chapter in Texas, that members of the organization have a First Amendment right to exclude trans-identifying men from eligibility. 

"To the extent state and local public accommodation statutes may be interpreted to require the DAR to admit trans-identifying men, such a requirement would likely violate the DAR’s First Amendment rights if the DAR determined that such a requirement would interfere with its ability to advance its intended message," the memorandum reads. 

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Additionally, they argue that while nonprofits run the risk of losing their nonprofit status if they act in a way that is illegal or contrary to "national public policy," it is unlikely that the DAR, a genealogical association that limits membership to natal females, violates national public policy.

"To the best of our knowledge, the IRS has never revoked a sex-based organization’s nonprofit status based on the fact that the organization excluded trans-identifying men from membership eligibility," the memorandum reads. "Moreover, the DAR currently excludes men who do not identify as transgender from eligibility." 

The DAR was founded in 1890 as a place for women who share a commitment to honoring Revolutionary War patriots and promoting historical preservation, as they couldn't join their male counterparts in the Sons of the American Revolution. Members famously must trace their lineage to those who helped fight in the war for American independence. 

"The fact that we've excluded men since our founding… we should have lost our nonprofit status a long time ago or never even obtained it to begin with," McDonald said. 

In June 2024, former DAR member Brenda Becker spoke with Fox News Digital about her resignation from the organization in protest following the bylaw amendment that said chapters cannot "discriminate against an eligible applicant based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law," leading to criticism that biological men identifying as transgender women could be part of the group. But the DAR has claimed that was already the case. 

"This literally is the epitome of gaslighting because, first of all, they tell members that nothing has changed in their admissions process from the beginning when we were founded in 1890, that only women are eligible for membership," McDonald said. "But, then they go on to say that a man who claims he's a woman is a woman, and therefore he's eligible for membership. But if you are a man that doesn't claim to be a woman, you're not eligible for membership." 

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The updated language was criticized for its vagueness, with some members expressing confusion last year over whether this would mean transgender women could join. In a document titled "Answers to Frequently Asked Member Questions Regarding Transgender Women in DAR," which was shared with Fox News Digital, the organization's leadership affirmed that transgender members were permitted to join.

Since the organization announced the amendment during DAR’s 2023 Continental Congress, over 500 members and former members of the DAR have sent nearly 3,000 messages to DAR leadership expressing discontent with the bylaw change, according to the New Tolerance Campaign (NTC). Members against the change argue that unless the bylaws are reversed, they will be forced to share changing rooms, restrooms and hotel rooms with biological males.

Becker told Fox News Digital she and other women feel like they are being deceived, and added it was ironic that one can join the DAR using an altered birth certificate when membership is contingent on accurate biographical records. McDonald added that this was especially important because the organization hasn't typically allowed any altered birth certificates to act as verification for admission. 

"If I were to adopt a little girl right now, she could not use her altered birth certificate to get into the DAR, using my line, my biological line," McDonald explained. "She would have to go dig up her original birth certificate and jump through all these other hoops that other applicants don't, to prove her biological line."

Fox News Digital reached out to DAR for comment. 

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman commended Vice President JD Vance's artificial intelligence (AI) speech in Paris on Tuesday while laying out his vision for how people can take advantage of the rapidly evolving technology at the same conference.

Altman and Vance appeared Tuesday at the AI Action Summit in Paris, where world leaders, top tech executives and policymakers teamed up to hash out tech policy and its intersection with global security, economics and governance.

During his remarks, Vance called for AI systems developed in the U.S. to remain free of "ideological bias" and vowed that the U.S. would "never restrict our citizens' right to free speech."

Vance also pushed for a "deregulatory flavor" to emerge at the conference while cautioning against the pitfalls of "excessive regulation" that could hamper a transformative industry. He also vowed that the U.S. would back pro-growth AI policies.

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"We believe that excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off, and we'll make every effort to encourage pro-growth AI policies and I'd like to see that deregulatory flavor making its way into a lot of the conversations at this conference," the vice president said.

When asked about his advice to everyone trying to get in the AI race and advantage of new models, Altman told the conference there are two directions people can take to harness their capabilities.

"Vice President Vance said a lot of things that I really liked but one of them, a point that he hit a few times, was just the scale of the economic opportunity …. he used the phrase "lightning in a bottle" and I really think it's this moment – I think it was like a great a great phrase – we are in this moment that I've never seen before," he said.

Altman opined that perhaps the world was in a similar situation during the Industrial Revolution or the beginning of the internet but noted that there would be a massive economic impact as the cost of computers lowers and the monetary value of AI work increases.

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He pointed to software engineering agents as just one example of how companies can run better people and do "way more with way less."

Altman noted that the second direction is building consumer-facing and business-facing products that use AI in this fundamental way.

"Chat GPT is one example of that – a lot of other companies have done great stuff there. I think people should be imagining more than they are – I think a lot of people are still thinking about like last year's AI which was just much more limited, and what you can do now is like really quite remarkable," he added.

Other world leaders who attended the AI Action Summit include French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Shri Modi and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing.  

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During the event, Vance also issued a warning to other foreign governments about "tightening the screws" on U.S. tech companies with international footprints, claiming the Trump administration would not tolerate such limitations. He also cautioned against working with adversaries who have "weaponized A.I. software to rewrite history, surveil users and censor speech."

Vance's comments coincide with some recent actions from the Trump administration to advance AI in the U.S.

In January, Trump unveiled a new $500 billion AI infrastructure project called Stargate, a datacenter joint venture between investment holding company Softbank, and tech companies OpenAI and Oracle that Trump labeled the "largest AI infrastructure project in history."

The project includes an initial investment of $100 billion that is slated to grow to $500 billion over Trump's term in office and will build "colossal" data centers in the U.S. to power AI.

Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

"The View" co-host Joy Behar called on Democrats to flood the airwaves by calling in to news shows, including their ABC talk show, to speak out against President Donald Trump. 

"Remember when Trump used to call in constantly, he was on this show, Barbara [Walters] interviewed him, and he called in on 'Morning Joe.' That is what they should be doing. Every time, they should be ambushing the airwaves, the Democrats, get off your butts and start doing it," Behar said. 

Behar also suggested Democrats needed their own version of Trump as members of the party continue to determine the best way forward. The co-hosts discussed whether Democratic leaders needed to be more provocative to gain traction with voters.

"It seems to be that you need a candidate that's like Trump on the left. Somebody who speaks the vernacular. He comes out there and might as well say I got a hemorrhoid today, and they like it. Because it’s real," she said. "They need something like that."

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Sunny Hostin chimed in and said, "I hope not," and Whoopi Goldberg argued that Democrats were speaking out against the president, citing Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as some other members of the party.

"Not to media bash, but, you know, people keep saying, well, why aren’t we hearing from people? It’s not that we’re not hearing from Democrats. They’re out there. Jasmine Crockett is out there, AOC is out there, people are out, Chuck Schumer. We see Chuck Schumer. You’re not getting the coverage because to them, they’re boring," Goldberg said. 

"People are doing what they can do. They have a very slim minority, and they're doing what they can and they’re as vocal as they can be, but if you’re not getting the information, and you're not getting it the way you used to get all kinds of information, it's hard to back through," she added.

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Goldberg also asked Behar for examples of Democrats who should be calling into the news and doing interviews. 

Behar said former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas are good messengers for the party. 

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Goldberg insisted, "I'm telling you, they're out there doing it."

Behar then demanded Democrats to call into "The View" as they speak. 

The mother of Marc Fogel, an American who had been detained in Russia since 2021, is expressing relief and gratitude to President Donald Trump for securing his release Tuesday.

"(Trump) promised me he would get him out, and he kept his promise," Malphine Fogel told "America Reports." "I can't thank him enough." 

Marc Fogel, a history teacher who was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, is heading back to U.S. soil after Russia released him following talks with Trump administration officials. Fogel was serving a 14-year sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.

His mother, Malphine, met with Trump before his fateful rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, asking the then-presidential nominee to not forget her son’s name. He assured her that he would bring her son home. 

Now, Malphine is celebrating that fulfilled promise. 

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"I met with President Trump, and he was just as cordial as he could be," Malphine Fogel recalled of the Butler meeting. "He told me three different times, 'If I get in,' he said, 'I'll get him out' and I really think he's been instrumental." 

Besides wanting to thank Trump "profusely" for his work in bringing her son home, Malphine Fogel also expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others who worked on the case. 

She described the relief she felt after learning her son would soon be home.  

"It was a total surprise when he called, and he said he was in the Moscow airport," the joyous mom. "So, that meant that (they) had taken him out of the prison to Moscow. ... The last week or so, for some crazy reason, I had a better feeling about things, but I hadn't heard from him in a week, so I thought that was odd and when he called this morning, it was just a total shock." 

Fogel said her son will be "sore from all the hugs" he receives once he lands in the United States. 

"It's just an unbelievable situation right now," she said. "We're just waiting and waiting to get him into the U.S. I think the first thing he'll do is stoop down and kiss the ground." 

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX -- President Trump scored a victory on Tuesday when a judge deemed CBS and Paramount’s dismissal complaint "moot" as his election interference and news distortion lawsuit moves forward. 

Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News in October, alleging election interference over its handling of the "60 Minutes" interview, accusing the network of aiding his Democratic rival through deceptive editing just days before the election. 

Last week, Trump’s legal team amended the original lawsuit following the release of the unedited transcript and raw footage of its controversial "60 Minutes" interview. The lawsuit added CBS News' parent company Paramount Global as a defendant, citing how the "60 Minutes" election special was platformed on its Paramount+ streaming service. Additionally, the lawsuit added Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as a plaintiff and increased the damages claim to $20 billion. 

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U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk denied a motion from CBS and Paramount, who were seeking to dismiss for failing to state a claim and for improper venue. 

"Plaintiffs add a Defendant, a Plaintiff, and a litany of factual allegations and legal claims in their Amended Complaint. Accordingly, the Motions are denied as moot," Kacsmaryk ruled in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital. 

CBS sought to dismiss the case because it believed Texas is an improper venue, with the case being transferred from Texas to New York as an alternative. Kacsmaryk’s moot ruling means it will remain in Texas for the time being. 

CBS and Paramount have 21 days to renew the motion to dismiss based on the amended complaint. 

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Judge Kacsmaryk added, "Nothing in this Order shall be construed as a determination on the merits of either Plaintiffs’ or Defendants’ substantive arguments and claims in the Motions or Amended Complaint."

CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The victory for Trump comes as pressure continues to build on CBS. 

Last week, the FCC released the raw transcript and footage handed over by CBS News, which showed CBS News had aired only the first half of Harris' response to Whitaker's question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not "listening" to the Biden administration in a preview clip that aired on "Face the Nation," but aired only the second half of her response during the primetime special. 

"But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening," Whitaker said in the October 2024 interview. "The Wall Street Journal said that he— that your administration has repeatedly been blindsided by Netanyahu, and in fact, he has rebuffed just about all of your administration's entreaties."

FCC CHAIR CALLS CBS NEWS' CONDUCT ‘HARD TO EXPLAIN’ FOLLOWING RELEASE OF KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

"Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And we're not going to stop doing that. We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end," Harris responded.

New FCC chair Brendan Carr ordered CBS News to hand over the unedited transcript as part of its investigation into whether the network violated the FCC's "news distortion" policy after a complaint was filed.

In the preview clip that aired on "Face the Nation," Harris was asked why it seemed like Netanyahu wasn’t listening to the U.S. 

"Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of, many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region," Harris responded in the "Face the Nation" clip. 

Harris was mocked by conservatives for offering a lengthy "word salad" to Whitaker. But when that same question aired the following night in the primetime election special, a shorter, more focused answer from the vice president followed.

"We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end," Harris said in the primetime special. 

Critics accused CBS News of editing Harris' "word salad" answer to shield the vice president from further backlash, and there were calls for the network to release the full transcript after it only shared transcripts of what had aired. CBS News refused to release the raw transcript until the FCC got involved.

CBS parent company Paramount Global is reportedly considering settling the suit ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump's FCC, which has the authority to halt the multibillion-dollar transaction. Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, is reportedly in favor of settling with the president. 

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. 

Republican strategist Brad Todd called out CNN for not questioning whether former President Biden was laying the groundwork to defy court orders, as the panel went all in on President Trump's opposition to restraining orders against a couple of his executive actions. 

"This is not a new reality. Let’s rewind the tape. A couple of years ago, Joe Biden lost his plan for student loan forgiveness, if you will, at the Supreme Court. His quote was, ‘I will stop at nothing to do this.’ And he then proceeded to give up $48 billion of student loan debt in defiance of the Supreme Court," Todd said, as CNN host Jim Sciutto pushed back.

Several of the Trump administration's actions, such as the federal funding freeze and the barring of the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to personal data, have been challenged by Democratic attorneys general and several states that took issue with the executive orders. Scuitto wondered whether the Trump administration was laying the groundwork to disobey any future court rulings with regard to his executive action.

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"When Joe Biden said ‘I will stop at nothing' when he lost the student loan case, we didn‘t get on television and CNN didn‘t say, ‘I wonder if he’s laying the groundwork to defy the court.’ We don’t, we treat Republican presidents different than we treat Democratic presidents in this conversation," he added following more discussion from the panel.

Paul Engelmayer, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York and an appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday that sided with 19 Democratic state attorneys general who claimed that giving DOGE "full access" to the Treasury’s payment systems violates the law.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell also filed a new motion Monday ordering the Trump administration to comply with a restraining order issued Jan. 31, temporarily blocking the administration’s efforts to pause federal grants and loans. 

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Sciutto asked CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams to respond to Todd's argument, calling the idea that Biden did the same thing a "talking point."

"Certainly, I will give the president this. He has every right to challenge orders. He has every right to say the courts are wrong. He has every right to vindicate his rights. But when both he and JD Vance are making the argument that, well, there will come a day when we simply will not adhere to court orders, that to me is the big problem," Williams responded.

Todd brought up Biden's commission to look at expanding the court and accused the former president and the Democratic Party of trying to undermine the integrity of the Supreme Court for several years.

CNN contributor Alex Thompson argued that Trump was "doing something new" in trying to push the "limits of executive order."

"Like Barack Obama did with the waters of the United States and the clean power plan and Joe Biden did the student loan act, presidents advancing executive policy to get to the Supreme Court and test the limits is as old as the presidency, this is not extraordinary," he said.

Williams agreed with Todd's argument. 

Fox News' Diana Stancy and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Indigenous Canadian star Buffy Sainte-Marie lost one of the most prestigious honors for a civilian after an investigation found she might not have been Indigenous after all.

In 2023, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) News conducted an investigation into Sainte-Marie based on public records and interviews, including with estranged family members of the singer-songwriter. The 82-year-old icon has said she was born in the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan and adopted as an infant by a White family in Massachusetts, but her birth certificate says she was born as Beverly Jean Santamaria to parents of Italian and English ancestry in the U.S.

The news organization obtained several documents that seemed to confirm the allegation, including Sainte-Marie’s birth certificate which says she was born as a White female in Stoneham, Massachusetts to Albert and Winifred Santamaria in 1941.

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Though Sainte-Marie repeatedly criticized the investigation as an attack against her, the Canadian government’s official publication, the Canada Gazette, announced that her appointment to the Order of Canada had been rescinded.

"Notice is hereby given that the appointment of Buffy Sainte-Marie to the Order of Canada was terminated by Ordinance signed by the Governor General on January 3, 2025," the Gazette published on Saturday.

Fox News Digital reached out to Sainte-Marie for a comment but has yet to receive a response.

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Sainte-Marie was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1997. She was also considered the first Indigenous Oscar winner after winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song for co-writing the song "Up Where We Belong" from the 1982 film "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Shortly after the investigation in 2023, Sainte-Marie released a lengthy statement calling the investigation "full of mistakes and omissions" based on a story "fabricated by [her] abuser and repeated by two members of [her] estranged family."

She also argued that it was "common" for birth certificates to be "created" by western governments for Indigenous children after they were adopted.

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"If you are a pure-blood documented something, I’m glad for you. It’s awesome and beautiful to hear you speak your lineage, history and genealogy. But even if your documentation says you’re racially pure, you might miss the point. Being an 'Indian' has little to do with sperm tracking and colonial record keeping: It has to do with community, culture, knowledge, teachings, who claims you, who you love, who loves you, and who’s your family," Sainte-Marie wrote.

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans lawmakers are renewing efforts to gut federal funding to NPR and PBS amid the Trump administration’s upheaval of the federal bureaucracy.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., is leading a bill in the House of Representatives that would halt taxpayer dollars from going to either media broadcaster and reroute existing federal funds to reducing the national debt, according to legislative text previewed by Fox News Digital.

"As a former newspaper owner and publisher, I understand the vital role of balanced, non-partisan media. Unfortunately, these taxpayer-funded outlets have chosen advocacy over accuracy, using public dollars to promote a political agenda rather than report the facts," Tenney told Fox News Digital.

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The legislation’s Senate counterpart is being led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who told Fox News Digital, "Americans have hundreds of sources of news and commentary, and they don’t need politically biased, taxpayer-funded media choosing what they should see and hear. PBS and NPR are free to compete in the marketplace of ideas using donations, but their public subsidy should end."

Republicans have long targeted NPR and PBS, accusing both outlets of sharing a liberal bias while receiving government funding.

Less than 1% of NPR's funding comes directly from the federal government, though other funding comes indirectly from grants and dollars allocated to local member stations who then pay fees back to NPR. More than a third of its funding comes from corporate sponsorships.

PBS also gets a mix of federal funds through other avenues.

However, the GOP's demands to end federal allocations to both outlets now come at a time when the executive branch is fervently searching for places to block government spending that does not align with the Trump administration's agenda.

Elon Musk, who is leading Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, has been critical of NPR in the past.

"Defund NPR. It should survive on its own," Musk wrote on his X platform earlier this month.

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Soon after he acquired X, Musk briefly hit NPR with a "State-Affiliated" media label, which is normally reserved for the media arm of authoritarian governments.

Tenney's bill is one of multiple efforts targeting NPR and PBS during this Congress. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who chairs the DOGE subcommittee under the House Oversight Committee, said she wants the heads of each organization to come testify before her new panel.

Podcaster Joe Rogan blasted the Democratic Party for failing to learn from its historic defeat in November. 

While some Democrats have responded to the election loss as a time for reflection as a political movement, others appear committed to their ideology. Rogan and writer Bridget Phetasy spoke about how the Democratic Party is continually shedding more and more people who feel its ideology has gone off the rails.

The podcast host argued that predictions about a red wave during the Biden administration may not have become true during the midterms, but in the general presidential election, "That red wave happened."

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Phetasy noted that there have been multiple waves of people leaving the Democratic Party, saying that she even saw people doing so the previous day. She marveled, "How are you guys still shedding people?"

"They’re gonna keep shedding people," Rogan said. "They’re not going to correct course." He went on to argue that Democrats are still operating as if they had unchecked domination of both media and social media. 

"They're not course-correcting at all. You know, they're saying stupid s---. It's all nonsense," he said. "Their understanding of social media and the dynamics and that you set up by having completely state-controlled mainstream media, where they only said the narratives that you guys wanted. They all said it in step. So you could watch different programs repeat the exact same words, exact same phrases."

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Now, he said, "We know you’ve got talking points, we don’t trust you anymore. We don’t trust The New York Times. We don’t trust The Washington Post. We don’t trust CNN or MSNBC. They’re all full with propaganda." 

He derided the left-wing narrative that their defeat was driven by mysterious donors stirring uprisings online, but rather because, "You guys suck, you guys f---ing suck, and you’re not real people," adding, "Nobody wants to hang out with Brian Stelter."