Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content.Here's what's happening-Pete Buttigieg says Biden running for a second term was 'maybe' a mistake-Pope Leo XIV makes first social media post, calling for peace-DHS announces 200% increase in Secret Service applications since President Donald Trump took officeThe Justice Department (DOJ) is moving funds formerly granted to groups supporting transgender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to law enforcement, Fox News Digital has confirmed.A Justice Department official told Fox News Digital that the DOJ, under Attorney General Pam Bondi's watch, will "not waste" funds on DEI."The Department of Justice under Pam Bondi will not waste discretionary funds on DEI passion projects that do not make Americans safer," the official told Fox News Digital. "We will use our money to get criminals off the streets, seize drugs, and in some cases, fund programs that deliver a tangible impact for victims of crime."READ MOREDOLLAR DIPLOMACY: Trump visits Qatar as country's jet offer puts spotlight on nation's growing influence in Washington'BLOODTHIRSTY CRIMINAL': Vance sears US leaders turning cops into 'enemies''ANOTHER LEVEL' OF COOPERATION: Trump signs agreements with Qatar on defense and Boeing purchases'LOST HIS CONFIDENCE': Trump says 'there's something wrong' with top Democrat he's known 'a long time'TENSE TALKS: Trump teases possible appearance at Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey as world awaits to see if Putin will showUNDER FIRE: UN revisits 'killer robot' regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow'RACIST ATTACKS': Dem lawmaker seethes RFK's 'legitimacy' as HHS secretary has 'expired' in heated exchangeREACTOR FACTOR: Republicans urge Trump to follow through on his plan to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilitiesFLYING HIGH: Dems condemn Trump's jet deal, call $400 million gift 'unconstitutional''GROSS VIOLATIONS': House Republicans take one step closer to banning congressional stock trading'WON'T RESPOND': AOC says DOJ 'won't respond' to her inquiry on potential probe'DEFUNCT': 'DOGE caucus is dead,' House Democrat declaresTRUMP TRAIN: House GOP moves Trump's agenda forward after all-night committee debate2028 SPECULATION: Targeted by Trump, well-known Democrat sparks 2028 speculation with stop in key stateFOR SALE: State Department approves sale of $1.4B worth of helicopters, F-16 parts to UAE ahead of Trump's visit'I WANT TO GO FOR JIHAD': Former Michigan Army National Guard member charged with plotting mass shooting at Army base on behalf of ISISPRISON TIME?: Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prisonGet the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

The White House is shutting down accusations from Democrats and anti-Trump "resistance" that nearly 14 million people will lose insurance coverage under Republican Medicaid reform proposals as part of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" with Republicans calling foul on the data spin and saying Dems are using it as a scare tactic.The infighting comes as Democrats and Republicans are going head-to-head over Medicaid spending levels, which has emerged as a prominent wedge between the parties amid the release of new analysis suggesting millions of people would lose their health insurance in order to foot the bill for Trumps tax cuts.While Democrats have merged data from two new reports from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to back up claims that nearly 14 million would lose coverage, the White House and Republicans are objecting, as not all the policy proposals evaluated were actually included in Republicans' legislation, and far fewer people would actually face insurance loss.Instead, Republicans argue that their proposed reforms to implement work requirements, strengthen eligibility checks and crack down on Medicaid for illegal immigrants preserve the program for those who really need it.MEDICAID BECOMES FLASHPOINT IN HOUSE DEBATE OVER TRUMP BUDGET BILL"President Trump is protecting Medicaid for every eligible American who relies on it by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within this program," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. "By taking commonsense measures to strengthen Medicaid, we will ultimately improve care for those who this program is intended to serve: pregnant women, the disabled, seniors, and low-income families.""The President has repeatedly said that he will save Medicaid to ensure it remains a reliable and sustainable lifeline for generations to come," Desai said.A series of calculations from the CBO have recently emerged evaluating multiple different Medicaid proposals further pitting Republicans and Democrats against one another on Medicaid reform.Much of the CBO's Health Analysis Division consists of Democrats or Democrat donors, however, according to conservative government research nonprofit American Accountability Foundation, putting its standing as a nonpartisan organization into question, Fox News Digital."The CBO likes to call itself nonpartisan in an attempt to disguise its role as an undercover leftist think tank," AAF President Tom Jones said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "In fact, the CBO is institutionally progressive, with 84% of its professional healthcare staff members being registered Democrats. These same staff members, who are on record donating to radicals like Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton, score legislation and present it to the American people like its sacrosanct."The CBO declined to comment to Fox News Digital on these claims.SENIOR HOUSE REPUBLICAN EVISERATES DEMS FOR FEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILLThe first new CBO analysis, commissioned by Democrats and released Thursday, failed to examine the exact proposals Republicans are considering and instead, took a shot in the dark at what Republicans might introduce, according to experts.Thats because Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., requested the CBO evaluate various policies that Republicans could have suggested. However, most of the policies analyzed are not identical to the ones that Republicans have actually put forward, experts said."That was Democrats trying to guess what Republicans were going to do," Ryan Long, a senior research fellow at the Paragon Health Institute, told Fox News Digital Monday.Michael Cannon, the director of health policy studies at the Washington-based libertarian-leaning Cato Institute think tank, voiced similar sentiments about the initial CBO report."The first thing to know is that this is not a Republican proposal that CBO was examining," Cannon told Fox News Digital Monday about the initial CBO analysis. "Theyre similar to Republican proposals, but these were proposals, ideas that the Democrats asked CBO to examine for the purposes of criticizing those proposals, using them as a CBO score as a cudgel against Republicans."While Democrats labeled the first scorekeepers report as proof that Republican policies would lead to "catastrophic" Medicaid cuts and force millions of people off their coverage, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said in a post on X that Democrats sought to "fear monger" Americans.Ultimately, the CBO report released Thursday evaluated five different initiatives that would rein in Medicaid spending, freeing up billions of dollars in spending but jeopardizing healthcare coverage for up to 8.6 million people.HOUSE GOP UNVEILS MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS IN TRUMP'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'Additional analysis from the CBO released Monday claimed that an additional 5.1 million Americans could lose their coverage if the measure fails to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that will expire in 2034, and includes a provision to fully implement the Marketplace Integrity Rule that seeks to crack down on eligibility verification.Although neither of these proposals is included in the Republican legislation, Democrats have added the numbers from these two CBO reports and have asserted that roughly 13.7 million people would go uninsured under Republican policies.Meanwhile, the latest CBO analysis released Tuesday examining Medicaid proposals included in the GOP measure found that adding work requirements, new eligibility checks and removing illegal immigrants from Medicaid would result in 10.3 million people losing coverage, and would leave 7.6 million people without insurance.CBO declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital on its recent reports.ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLIONAdditionally, Cannon pushed back against accusations that any of the proposals would actually cut Medicaid funding. While federal Medicaid spending is set to increase by 4.5% annually, the proposals CBO evaluated would simply curb that growth to at least 3% annually.But ultimately, Cannon said the report is a mechanism Democrats are using to ignite fears among Republicans as they seek a legislative victory of their own."Democrats want to beat up Republicans, of course they do," Cannon said. "They want to win elections, and they think if they can scare people, they can do it they don't want Republicans to get a political win, like tax cuts, and so this is their best weapon to stop tax cuts. Theyre making the most of it, so that's what's going on with that CBO score."The tension between Republicans and Democrats over Medicaid funding stems from a larger battle over Trumps budget package that is making its way through Congress.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is seeking to get the measure over the finish line in the House by Memorial Day.Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unveiled a portion of the measure Sunday that tackled Medicaid, as the panel follows through on requests to find $880 billion in spending cuts to foot the bill for other Trump priorities.Specifically, the committees proposal put forth policy initiatives, including a new 80-hour-per-month work requirement on certain able-bodied adults between the ages of 19 and 64 that receive Medicaid.The measure also puts limits on how much states spend on expanded Medicaid populations established through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which permitted states to increase their Medicaid coverage to those who make up 138% of the poverty level.Likewise, states that issue Medicaid coverage to illegal immigrants are in jeopardy of reduced federal Medicaid reimbursement funding under the measure. That would require the state to pick up additional costs.Still, Democrats claimed that the effort would seize healthcare coverage from "millions of Americans.""This is not trimming fat from around the edges, its cutting to the bone," Pallone said in a statement Sunday night. "The overwhelming majority of the savings in this bill will come from taking healthcare away from millions of Americans. Nowhere in the bill are they cutting waste, fraud, and abuse theyre cutting peoples healthcare and using that money to give tax breaks to billionaires."House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said Democrats are attempting to "scare" Americans."Democrats are pedaling incorrect reports that include policies that arent even in the bill," Guthrie told Fox News Digital Monday.Fox News Elizabeth Elkind and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

PRICEY PILLS Experts reveal the top 10 most expensive prescription drugs in the U.S. Continue readingSNEEZIN' SEASON Report reveals the 10 "allergy capitals" of the U.S., plus tips to manage symptoms. Continue readingSILENT STRUGGLE - A common symptom of aging could worsen loneliness in seniors. Continue readingFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitterLinkedInFox News FirstFox News OpinionFox News LifestyleFox News HealthFox News AutosFox News Entertainment (FOX411)Fox BusinessFox WeatherFox SportsTubiFox News GoFox Nation

PRICEY PILLS Experts reveal the top 10 most expensive prescription drugs in the U.S. Continue readingSNEEZIN' SEASON Report reveals the 10 "allergy capitals" of the U.S., plus tips to manage symptoms. Continue readingSILENT STRUGGLE - A common symptom of aging could worsen loneliness in seniors. Continue readingFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitterLinkedInFox News FirstFox News OpinionFox News LifestyleFox News HealthFox News AutosFox News Entertainment (FOX411)Fox BusinessFox WeatherFox SportsTubiFox News GoFox Nation

The Dallas Mavericks won the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes earlier this week when they secured the first overall selection of this year's NBA Draft.The Mavs have already insinuated the pick is not available in a trade, and all signs point to them taking the Duke star.It amounts to a bailout for Dallas, which traded away Luka Doni during the season.Because the Mavericks had only a 1.8% chance of getting the first pick, there has been speculation the lottery was rigged.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMEither way, it's a huge boost for the Mavs, who are getting just the fourth player to win the Wooden Award as a freshman, joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.However, Stephen A. Smith said Flagg's skill wasn't the only reason to select him."When youve got somebody with that kind of potential, and theyre White and you are in America, you keep that dude. Im telling you right now," Smith said on Wednesday's edition of "First Take."Smith backtracked a tad, noting the Mavs shouldn't pick Flagg strictly because he is White."The first order of business is he can ball," Smith added. "Its because he can play, but the fact that hes White, marketable even his name makes him more marketable. Im not passing that up at all."Smith's comments echo some made about Caitlin Clark last year, notably WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson."I think its a huge thing. I think a lot of people may say its not about Black and White, but, to me, it is," Wilson said at the time. "It really is because you can be top-notch at what you are as a Black woman, but yet maybe thats something that people dont want to see."They dont see it as marketable, so it doesnt matter how hard I work. It doesnt matter what we all do as Black women, were still going to be swept underneath the rug. Thats why it boils my blood when people say its not about race, because it is."The NBA Draft, where Flagg will formally find out his professional destination, is scheduled for June 25.

EXCLUSIVE:As Republican state financial officers across the country move to rid the government of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG), Fox News Digital spoke to Utahs state treasurer about the importance of bringing meritocracy and fiduciary responsibility back to markets and investments."ESG introduces another motive or another motivation to address societal issues through the capital markets or through investment, and when you do that, you violate the fiduciary standards that all of us as financial officers are committed to," Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks told Fox News Digital at the State Financial Officers Foundation conference in Orlando, Florida."And, so, because of that dual mandate, you really have problems when you're managing money for other people. If a single person wants to do it or a family wants to invest their money that way, that's their choice. But when you are managing money for other people, we don't have that choice. We have an obligation to do what's in their financial best interest."Oaks has been at the forefront of the fight against ESG, an investing principle critics say companies and institutions utilize to enact "woke" agendas,authoring several letters on the subject.WHITE HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS OVER $2B IN SAVINGS FROM DEI CUTS DURING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FIRST 100 DAYS"When you talk about managing money for the benefit of other people, which is what a lot of state treasurers do, we have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the beneficiary," Oaks explained. "So, we have the duty of loyalty and a duty of care."And it is really focused on the financial outcomes for the beneficiaries. They are depending on this money for their retirement, and, so, it is our financial obligation or fiduciary obligation to act in their best interests."Oaks said firefighters, teachers and police officers who depend on state pensions end up being harmed when states or companies are investing based on factors other than protecting investors.DEI IS DEAD. HERE'S WHAT SHOULD COME NEXT"ESG introduces another motive or another motivation to address societal issues through the capital markets or through investment, and when you do that, you violate the fiduciary standards that all of us as financial officers are committed to," Oaks said.Oaks and the other Republicans at the SFOF conference have also been vocal opponents of DEI measures and praised President Trump for his efforts to roll back DEI in government.Oaks told Fox News Digital ESG and DEI are closely related and that his opposition to DEI also links back to the desire to do what's best for shareholders in his state."DEI diversity, equity, inclusion that's really the S portion, the social portion of ESG, and, again, it's important because a lot of the push by activist folks in the financial markets is to push an agenda onto corporate America, to have them adopt policies at companies that really are not in the best interest of the companies. And companies have a fiduciary obligation to their shareholders," Oaks said."When they introduce things like DEI, you change hiring practices, not for merit-based, it moves to other discriminatory hiring practices and ultimately harms companies and their financial output. And, so, that ultimately harms the teachers, the firefighters, the police officers that you're trying to help with their retirement."Oaks was one of two dozen state financial officers who sent a letter in March to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), asset managers, proxy advisors and public companies, sounding the alarm on the financial risk of prioritizing a political agenda, like DEI, over financial returns.Oaks told Fox News Digital that when DEI is introduced at the state financial officer level, "we are potentially introducing financial harm.""And we've seen that with companies like Target, like Bud Light, you know, other companies that have adopted policies that are not in the financial best interest of the shareholders. They have harmed the shareholder value, and that ultimately harms the outcomes that these hardworking public servants and teachers, et cetera, that have worked so hard, retire with the money that they need."Fox News Digital's Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard moved the Presidential Daily Brief staff from the CIA to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Fox News Digital confirmed.A senior intelligence source told Fox News Digital that the director of National Intelligence "has always controlled" the presidential daily brief (PDB) and that Gabbard "is just moving it physically to ODNI from CIA in a streamlining effort and a continuity of workforce."The Presidents Daily Brief (PDB), according to the intelligence community, is a daily summary of high-level, all-source information and analysis on national security issues produced for the president and key cabinet members and advisers. It is coordinated and delivered by the ODNI with contributions from the CIA as well as other elements from the intelligence community. It has been presented to the president since 1946.GABBARD FIRES 'DEEP STATE' HEADS OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL TO ROOT OUT 'POLITICIZATION OF INTEL'The move comes after Gabbard, on Tuesday, also moved the National Intelligence Council from the CIA to ODNI. NIC, according to senior intelligence officials, has always been a DNI component.""It makes sense for them to be physically located at DNI," a CIA official told Fox News Digital.Another senior intelligence official pointed to Gabbards confirmation hearing, in which she said her "priority was to deliver timely, accurate and actionable intelligence as the Presidents principal intelligence advisor.""The PDB staff and the NIC are the primary apparatus that feeds her this advisory material, so moving them physically closer gives her the best support," the official said. "In other words, having them in closer proximity gives her less lag time and faster responsiveness to fill that role as principal intelligence advisor."DNI GABBARD REFERS INTEL OFFICIALS TO DOJ FOR PROSECUTION OVER ALLEGED LEAKS OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATIONThe official added: "Both moves are about providing the President more timely and actionable intelligence."The moves come as Gabbard has taken steps to root out leakers and alleged "deep state holdovers" who officials say are politicizing intelligence analysis and "trying to sabotage President Trumps agenda."FLASHBACK: BIDEN CAMPAIGN, BLINKEN ORCHESTRATED INTEL LETTER TO DISCREDIT HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY, EX-CIA OFFICIAL SAYSSo far, Gabbard has referred three intelligence community professionals to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information. Fox News Digital first reported on those criminal referrals in April.An ODNI official at that time told Fox News Digital that the intelligence community professionals allegedly leaked classified information to the Washington Post and The New York Times.Fox News Digital, on Tuesday, exclusively reported that Gabbard had fired the top officials leading National Intelligence Council, whom whistleblowers described as "radically opposed to Trump."Gabbard fired Mike Collins, who was serving as the acting chair of the National Intelligence Council, and his deputy, Maria Langan-Riekhof, Tuesday, senior intelligence officials told Fox News Digital.Fox News Digital reached out Langan-Riekhof for comment and did not immediately hear back, and couldn't immediately find contact information for Collins.Collins also has whistleblower complaints against him for political bias and "deliberately undermining the incoming Trump administration," officials said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThey added that Collins was closely associated with Michael Morrell, the former deputy director of the CIA who worked to write a public letter in 2020 claiming that Hunter Biden's laptop had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation," and to get signatures from top ex-intelligence officials.As for Langan-Reikhof, officials said she has been a "key advocate" for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and is someone who whistleblowers allege is "radically opposed to Trump."

President Donald Trump and his motorcade were greeted by dozens of mounted camels after his plane landed in Qatar Wednesday morning as he continues his four-day trip to the Middle East."We appreciate those camels," Trump said Wednesday while meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. "I haven't seen camels like that in a long time. And really, we appreciate it very much."The motorcade traveling from the Doha airport to the Amiri Diwan, which serves as the central hub of the Qatari government, also included red Tesa Cybertrucks in an apparent nod to Tesla CEO and Trump ally Elon Musk, as well as men on horseback.SAUDIS DEPLOY MOBILE MCDONALD'S FOR TRUMP'S TRIP TO THE KINGDOMTrump signed a series of agreements with al-Thani Wednesday as part of the trip, including a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S.Trump arrived to Doha Wednesday morning, and met with local leaders as well joined a Qatari State Dinner.TRUMP SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH QATAR ON DEFENSE AND BOEING PURCHASESWednesday's deals follow Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia Tuesday, when he signed a "strategic economic partnership" with Saudi Arabia for energy, defense, mining and space-based agreements that amount to $600 billion. Trump said the deal could lead to the creation of two million jobs in the U.S.Saudi Arabia also welcomed Trump with grand gestures, including sending fighter jet escorts to welcome Air Force One to the ground and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeting Trump on the tarmac.The Saudis also rolled out a mobile version of Trump's beloved fast-food joint, McDonald's, in Riyadh during his trip.

Arch Mannings junior season at Texas will be under a heavy spotlight this upcoming college football season, and many believe he's the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.Its not a certainty Manning will decide to go pro next year, but he does have the option to do so being three years removed from high school.If he does, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter says the league should borrow from the NBA and host a draft lottery.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe NBAs draft lottery is designed so teams can't tank a season for the first overall selection in the following years draft. Though there was debate Monday about the Dallas Mavericks being awarded the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, they had just a 1.8% chance of getting the pick.Granted, NBA teams still try to lose to increase their percentage of winning the first pick in the lottery. But the process still works, and Schefter agrees with the NBAs decision not to incentivize losing altogether.ARCH MANNING HYPE BEGINS AS EARLY MOCK DRAFTS GET RELEASED BEFORE 2025 SEASON"The more I think about it, the more I think the NFL should be in that business," Schefter said on ESPN Radios "Unsportsmanlike." "They dont want teams to tank. They dont want teams to lose. We had a couple situations last year where, in the last game of the year, the [New England] Patriots are putting in Joe Milton. Im not telling you theyre trying to lose, but they certainly dont want to win."Milton did lead the Patriots over the Bills in Week 18, 23-16, but Buffalo sat most of its starters for the playoffs.Still, Schefters idea is one that might catch on."If nothing else, if the NFL were able to implement a lottery system, theyd have one more night of ratings," Schefter said. "Theyre doing shows for everything else. Why would there not be a draft lottery show? That would rate huge. Could you imagine a year where there is a top quarterback prospect or the year Arch Manning comes out? They put that in primetime, a half-hour special primetime NFL Draft Lottery. Come on, it's a home run."With Quinn Ewers drafted by the Miami Dolphins, Manning is the presumptive starter for the Longhorns for the 2025-26 college season. He has flashed his talent in games Ewers was hurt or Texas was up big, but hes never had to lead the team through a full season.Manning hasnt hinted one way or another regarding his draft status for 2026..Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Bret Baier gives you a sneak peek of the next show.