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No 2 Republican Steve Scalise lays out government funding strategies, with fiscal deadlines looming

DORAL, Fla. — House Republicans have their work cut out for them in the coming weeks, with three fiscal deadlines looming and President Donald Trump pushing for a very active first 100 days of his administration.

Congressional GOP leaders are working on a massive conservative policy overhaul via the reconciliation process. By lowering the threshold for passage in the Senate from 60 votes to a simple 51-seat majority, it allows the party in power to advance their policy goals into law, provided those policies deal with budgetary and other fiscal matters.

‘We want to deliver on all the things that President Trump talked about during the campaign… including no tax on tips, which was one of those early items that the president talked about, but also ensuring no tax increases happen. We can fully fund our border security needs, making sure we build the wall out, that we give more technology and tools to our Border Patrol agents,’ House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital.

‘We can produce more energy in America… try to get rid of some of these crazy rules and regulations that add so much cost for no good reason to families.’

Scalise said it would be ‘much more robust’ than Republicans’ last reconciliation bill passed in 2017 – the last time the GOP controlled Congress and the White House.

His optimism comes as congressional Republicans still appear divided over how best to enact their plans. Senate Republicans and some GOP hardliners in the House have argued that trying to pass a bill with border and energy policies first would give Trump a quick win, while allowing more time for more complex issues like taxes.

But House leaders are concerned that, given Republicans last passed two reconciliation bills in one year in the 1990s with much larger majorities, the two-track strategy could allow Trump’s 2017 provisions to expire and raise taxes on millions of families.

‘You have to start somewhere. We’re starting with one package,’ Scalise said. ‘No disagreement on the details of what we’re going to include.’

Meanwhile, lawmakers are also contending with the debt ceiling being reinstated this month after it was temporarily suspended in a bipartisan deal during the Biden administration. At least one projection suggests Congress will have until mid-June or earlier to deal with it or risk financial turmoil that comes with a downgrade in the U.S.’s national credit rating.

And coming on March 14 is the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown, which Congress has extended twice since the end of the previous fiscal year on Oct. 1.

The No. 2 House Republican floated the possibility of combining those latter two deadlines.

‘The Appropriations Committee, which is not directly involved in budget reconciliation, is simultaneously having a negotiation with the Senate on government funding, you know, working with the White House to make sure it meets President Trump’s priorities,’ Scalise said. 

‘I would imagine the debt ceiling could very well be a part of that conversation in that negotiation.’

Scalise spoke with Fox News Digital at the House GOP’s annual retreat, held this year at Trump’s golf club in Doral, Florida.

Lawmakers huddled behind closed doors for three days to hash out a roadmap for grappling with their multiple deadlines and enacting Trump’s agenda.

They also heard from the president himself, as well as Vice President JD Vance.

Trump has on multiple occasions called on Republicans to act on the debt limit to avoid a U.S. credit default. Vance told Republicans on Tuesday that Trump wanted them to do so without giving leverage to Democrats – a weighty task given some GOP hardliners’ opposition to raising or suspending the limit over the U.S.’s $36 trillion national debt.  

House GOP leaders can currently only afford one defection to still pass a bill along party lines.

They’ve been forced to seek Democratic support on government funding multiple times, including most recently in December. 

With no topline agreement reached and roughly 19 days in session before the March 14 deadline to avert a partial government shutdown, it’s becoming increasingly likely that congressional leaders will have to combine all 12 annual appropriations bills into one massive ‘omnibus,’ a move also generally opposed by GOP hardliners.

‘I think we’re getting closer,’ Scalise said of a topline number for fiscal year 2025 spending. ‘The House and Senate were apart by a pretty sizable amount of money. They’re trying to negotiate that down to get a resolution.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Scorched-earth Shanahan: RFK Jr’s former running mate threatens political war against confirmation opponents

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s former presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan called out various senators by name, warning that she will fund primary challenges against them if they oppose confirming Kennedy to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services.

‘Dear U.S. Senators, Bobby may play nice; I won’t,’ she wrote in a post on X.

In a video, Shanahan said that in 2020 she ‘cut large checks to Chuck Schumer to help Democrats flip two Senate seats in Georgia from red to blue.’ Peach State Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and John Ossoff both initially took office after winning runoff contests in early 2021.

Shanahan bluntly warned the two senators, ‘Please know I will be watching your votes very closely. I will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of America’s children.’

She then proceeded to call out Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.

‘While Bobby may be willing to play nice, I won’t. If you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election. And I will enlist hundreds of thousands to join me,’ she declared.

Shanahan, who urged people to reach out to their senators to press them to support Kennedy’s nomination, followed up her video with a post tagging each of the 13 senators she had mentioned — the post also included phone numbers.

Kennedy, a Democrat-turned-independent presidential candidate, ultimately dropped out and backed Donald Trump in the 2024 White House contest.

Trump later announced Kennedy as his pick to serve as HHS secretary. 

But the HHS nominee still needs to earn enough support in the Senate to clear the confirmation hurdle.

Shanahan voted for Trump during the 2024 presidential election.

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NHL tracker: Struggling former No. 1 goaltender goes on waivers

Fewer than six weeks remain before the NHL trade deadline.

So far, there have been 18 trades (including a January blockbuster between the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes), four coaching changes, plus extensions signed by Igor Shesterkin, Jake Oettinger, Logan Thompson, Alexis Lafreniere, Linus Ullmark and others this season. Other top players also remain eligible for extensions, including Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Brock Boeser plus just-traded Mikko Rantanen.

There will be more trades as teams build toward a Stanley Cup run or make moves for their long-term future. The trade deadline is March 7.

Follow along here this season for signings, trades, transactions and other news from the NHL:

Jan. 29: Kraken waive goalie Philipp Grubauer

The Seattle Kraken placed former No. 1 goalie Philipp Grubauer on waivers and plan to send him to the American Hockey League if he clears. Grubauer, who was the team’s top goalie early in the franchise’s history, has been supplanted by Joey Daccord. Grubauer has lost six in a row for the second time this season and has a 3.83 goals-against average and .866 save percentage in 21 appearances. He’s signed through 2026-27 at a $5.9 million cap hit.

Jan. 29: Kings’ Drew Doughty to make season debut

The Los Angeles Kings get a key player back with defenseman Drew Doughty scheduled to make his season debut Wednesday night against the Florida Panthers. The 2016 Norris Trophy winner, who broke his ankle in the preseason, has had at least 50 points the past two seasons and Brandon Clarke is the only Kings defenseman close to that pace this season. Los Angeles’ power play has also dropped from 12th last season to 29th this season. Doughty’s return also puts him in the mix for a spot on Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off after the withdrawal of Alex Pietrangelo. Doughty won gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup.

Also: Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson will replace injured New Jersey Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom for Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. … Devils coach Sheldon Keefe announced that captain Nico Hischier is week-to-week with an unspecified injury.

Jan. 28: Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov needs surgery for lower-body injury

Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov will have surgery for the lower-body injury that had kept him out of the lineup for 12 games after Christmas. General manager Bill Guerin said the surgery isn’t season-ending, but will keep him out the lineup for a minimum of four weeks. Kaprizov had 50 points in 34 games before the injury and two assists in three games after he returned but was ‘very uncomfortable,’ coach John Hynes said. The Wild went 7-5 without Kaprizov and are third in the Central Division.

‘It’s not the end of the world,’ Guerin said. ‘We’re going to keep playing and continue to get better. When Kirill’s healthy and all healed up, he’ll be back and we’ll be even better.’

Also: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Brandon Saad on waivers and will send him to the American Hockey League if he clears. Saad, 32, who had 26 goals last season, has seven in 43 games. He’s signed through next season at a $4.5 million cap hit.

Jan. 27: Capitals’ Logan Thompson gets six-year extension

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson will average $5.85 million in the extension, up from his current $766,667 cap hit. Thompson has been one of the top stories and goaltenders this season. Acquired in the offseason, he has put together a 22-2-3 record, 2.09 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. He ranks second in the league in MoneyPuck’s goals saved above expected. Thompson, 27, mostly has split time with Charlie Lindgren (11-9-2), who’s a pending unrestricted free agent, and the pairing has helped lift the Capitals to the top record in the league. ‘With his size (6-4) and exceptional athleticism, we are confident that this signing will enhance one of the most critical positions on our team, especially as he enters the prime years of his career,’ Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said in a statement.

Jan. 27: Islanders acquire Scott Perunovich from Blues

The New York Islanders give up a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick for Scott Perunovich to address another injury on their blue line. The trade was announced after Ryan Pulock (upper body) was placed on the injured list. Perunovich had six points in 24 games with the St. Louis Blues this season. Last week, the Islanders signed free agent defenseman Tony DeAngelo for the remainder of the season because Noah Dobson is out with a lower-body injury.

Jan. 26: Rangers sign Will Borgen to five-year extension

New York Rangers defenseman Will Borgen, who was acquired in the Kaapo Kakko trade, will average $4.1 million in the deal, according to ESPN. Borgen has three points, 29 hits and 29 blocked shots since arriving in New York.

Also: The Vegas Golden Knights announced that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was withdrawing from the 4 Nations Face-Off to ‘tend to an ailment and prepare for the remainder of the regular season with Vegas.’ Team Canada will need to announce a replacement before the Feb. 12-20 tournament.

Jan. 24: Mikko Rantanen traded in blockbuster deal

The Colorado Avalanche no longer have to worry whether they can fit pending free agent Mikko Rantanen in their salary structure. The two-time 100-point scorer was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. The Hurricanes also get Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks, who retained 50% of Rantanen’s salary.

The Avalanche pay MVP Nathan MacKinnon $12.6 million a year, and that was likely their top limit for Rantanen. Though Colorado loses a prolific scorer, Necas is the Hurricanes’ top scorer and is signed through next season. Drury is also signed through 2025-26 and will be a restricted free agent.

Last year, the Hurricanes were also aggressive before the deadline, but they lost in the second round and weren’t able to re-sign Jake Guentzel.

TRADE GRADES: Who won blockbuster deal?

Jan. 24: Devils’ Jacob Markstrom out with knee sprain

Jan. 17: Oilers sign John Klingberg for one year

The Edmonton Oilers added defensive depth by signing veteran John Klingberg for the remainder of the season. Terms weren’t disclosed.

Klingberg, 32, who had season-ending hip surgery in November 2023, is known for his puck-moving ability and work on the power play. He has 412 points in 633 games, plus 39 points in 63 playoff games.

The 2024 Stanley Cup finalists traded Cody Ceci and chose not to match an offer sheet to Philip Broberg during the offseason.

Jan. 15: Penguins place goalie Tristan Jarry on waivers

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed goalie Tristan Jarry on waivers after Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken in which he gave up three goals on 17 shots. A Kraken short-handed goal leaked through him in the first period, and Seattle scored twice in 50 seconds in the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit.

The veteran two-time All-Star was sent to the American Hockey League in late October and recalled on Nov. 9. Jarry is in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a $5.375 million cap hit. He has a 3.32 goals-against average and .886 save percentage.

‘He’s continued to come in here, put the work in and that’s not been a question at all,’ general manager Kyle Dubas said. ‘That just hasn’t materialized the way we would like it to on the ice. At this level, you get to the point where you have to do what’s right … for him and for us.’

Jan. 14: Canadiens’ Emil Heineman out after accident

Montreal Canadiens forward Emil Heineman will be out three to four weeks after being hit while crossing a street in Utah. The team said the accident occurred Monday and Heineman suffered an upper-body injury. ‘He got hurt crossing a street yesterday,’ coach Martin St. Louis told reporters on Tuesday. ‘I don’t think it was at a high speed but enough to cause some damage. It’s unfortunate.’ The Canadiens are in Salt Lake City to play the Utah Hockey Club. Heineman, 23, has 17 points in 41 games this season. He ranks third among NHL rookies with 10 goals.

Jan. 10: Oilers’ Evander Kane has knee surgery

Evander Kane will need more time before he makes his season debut after he had knee surgery on Thursday. The Edmonton Oilers said Kane would need four to eight weeks of recovery time, which will pause his rehab from the abdominal surgery he had in September. Kane, 33, had 24 goals last season plus eight points in the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He was unable to play the final five games of that round because he had been slowed in the playoffs by a sports hernia. He has another year left on his contract at a $5.125 million cap hit.

Also: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Ridly Greig to a four-year, $13 million contract extension.

Jan. 6: Rangers claim Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from Kings

Arthur Kaliyev, 23, had two seasons of double-digit goals, though he dropped to seven goals last season. He has yet to play in the NHL this season because of injury but completed a five-game conditioning stint. The former second-round pick averages about 12 minutes a game. He’ll likely fill a bottom-six role after the Rangers’ earlier trade of Kaapo Kakko.

Jan. 5: Ducks re-sign Frank Vatrano for three years

The Anaheim Ducks are often sellers leading up to the trade deadline, but they lock in their third-leading scorer, Frank Vatrano, for three years. He would have drawn a lot of interest if the Ducks had made him available. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the deal is worth $18 million but deferred money lowers the salary cap hit to $4.57 million. He scored 37 goals last season and has 20 points this season. He had a three-point night after the signing was announced.

Jan. 3: Bruins re-sign Mark Kastelic

The rugged forward’s deal averages $1.567 million a year. He was tied for the team lead with 76 penalty minutes and had 151 hits.

Dec. 28: Nashville Predators, Colorado Avalanche make trade

The Nashville Predators called up forward Vinnie Hinostroza, the American Hockey League’s leading scorer, then traded forward Juuso Parssinen to the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche also get a 2026 seventh-round pick and the Predators get back forward Ondrej Pavel and a 2027 third-round pick.

Hinostroza, a 374-game NHL veteran, signed a two-year deal with the Predators in the offseason but had spent the entire season in the AHL. So has Pavel. Parssinen had five points in 15 games with Nashville this season. The Predators and Avalanche swapped backup goaltenders earlier in the season.

Dec. 27: Avalanche give extension to Mackenzie Blackwood

The Colorado Avalanche gave goalie Mackenzie Blackwood a five-year extension 18 days after acquiring him in a trade. Terms weren’t disclosed, but reports said it was worth $5.25 million a year, up from the current cap hit of $2.35 million in his contract that expires this summer.

The Avalanche goaltending struggled at the beginning of the season, and Colorado traded Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood on Nov. 30. The Avalanche shipped out Alexandar Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 for Blackwood.

Blackwood has gone 3-1 with a 2.03 goals-against average and .931 save percentage since arriving.

Dec. 26: Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, hire Todd McLellan

The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday after two-plus seasons and brought in veteran Todd McLellan to try to turn around the season.

McLellan, 57, who won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings as an assistant coach in 2008, was signed to a multi-year contract as the franchise’s 29th head coach. He has a 598-412-134 regular-season record over 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, making the playoffs nine times. He was with the Red Wings from 2005-08 and left after the championship season to join the Sharks.

Associate coach Bob Boughner also was fired, and Trent Yawney was hired as an assistant coach. The Red Wings had lost nine of their last 12 games to follow to seventh place in the Atlantic Division

Dec. 19: Bruins waive forward Tyler Johnson

The Boston Bruins placed forward Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating the one-year contract he signed in November. That would make him free to pursue opportunities with other teams. Johnson had two points in nine games this season and the move follows the Bruins claiming Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers.

Dec. 18: Rangers trade Kaapo Kakko to Kraken

The New York Rangers get back defenseman Will Borgen and 2025 third- and sixth-round picks in exchange for Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick of 2019. The trade happened less than a day after Kakko complained about being a healthy scratch. ‘It’s just easy to take the young guy and put him out,’ he said Tuesday. ‘That’s how I feel.’

Kakko, 23, has never matched the expectation of being that high a pick, getting 40 points in his top season in 2022-23. He has 14 points this season and was named by Finland to the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The trade is the second recent shake-up move by the sliding Rangers, who dealt captain Jacob Trouba, a defenseman, to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. Borgen, who was taken by the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, had 20 or more points and averaged nearly 200 hits the past two seasons but has just two points and a minus-13 rating this season.

In other trades Wednesday:

The Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators swapped defensemen with Alexandre Carrier, 28, heading to Montreal in exchange for Justin Barron, 23. Carrier gives the Canadiens an experienced right-shot defenseman. He signed a three-year deal this offseason and the Predators save $2.6 million in cap space with the trade.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman P.O. Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. Joseph will help the Penguins with defenseman Marcus Pettersson out with an injury. Joseph played his first four NHL seasons with Pittsburgh.

Dec. 18: Justin Schultz retires after 12 NHL seasons

Defenseman Justin Schultz, 34, who won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced his retirement after 12 seasons with four NHL teams. Originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2008, he couldn’t reach terms with that team and joined the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent in 2012, making the all-rookie team. Schultz was traded to the Penguins in 2016 and won championships that season and the following season. He played two seasons each with the Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken, finishing his NHL career with 71 goals and 324 points in 745 games. Schultz signed to play in Switzerland this season but stepped down after eight games.

Dec. 14: Blues acquire Ducks’ Cam Fowler in trade

The St. Louis Blues give up minor league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick to land defenseman Cam Fowler, 33, who spent his entire NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks. St. Louis also gets a 2027 fourth-round pick and the Ducks retain about 38.5% of Fowler’s remaining salary.

The Blues, who will be without Torey Krug (ankle) this season, get a veteran defenseman who averages more than 21 minutes a game in ice time. Fowler was moved eight days after the Ducks acquired defenseman Jacob Trouba in a trade.

“This was a difficult trade to make considering what Cam has meant to this organization,” general manager Pat Verbeek said. “He has been a valuable and respected member of our team for 15 seasons, representing the Ducks with ultimate class. … After meeting with Cam several times over the last few months, it became clear to both of us it may be time for a change.”

Also: The Boston Bruins claimed forward Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers from the New York Islanders. The Maine native had played for Boston College in 2018-19.

Dec. 13: Islanders waive Oliver Wahlstrom, Pierre Engvall

The New York Islanders have placed forwards Oliver Wahlstrom and Pierre Engvall on waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The move happened after injured forwards Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair returned to practice. Engvall, who signed a seven-year contract in 2023, passed through waivers earlier this season and played six games in the American Hockey League. He has six points in 20 games. Wahlstrom, a 2018 first-round pick, has four points in 27 games.

Also: The Minnesota Wild claimed defenseman Travis Dermott off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. The Wild placed defenseman Jake Middleton on long-term injured reserve after he was hit in the hand by a shot on Thursday night. … The Vegas Golden Knights signed forward Keegan Kolesar to a three-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Dec. 12: Canucks’ J.T. Miller returns from personal leave

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller said he was returning from his personal leave and played Thursday night against the Florida Panthers. The Canucks announced his leave of absence on Nov. 19. The team went 5-3-2 while he was away.

Miller, who has 16 points in 17 games this season and topped 100 last season, said he wouldn’t answer questions about why he was away from the team.

‘I’m excited to play,’ he said. ‘I want to play and obviously a fun game against the defending champions. Just happy to be around the guys and looking forward to tonight.’

Miller skated a little more than 14 minutes, had two assists and won 60% of his faceoffs.

While he was away, he was named to Team USA for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

Also: Anaheim Ducks forward Travis Zegras had surgery for torn meniscus in his right knee and is expected to miss six weeks. … The Utah Hockey Club claimed defenseman Dakota Mermis off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dec. 10: Kevin Shattenkirk announces retirement

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk announced his retirement on Tuesday after 14 NHL seasons with seven teams. He won a Stanley Cup in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Drafted 14th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2007, he also played for the St. Louis Blues (five 40-point seasons), Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks before joining the Boston Bruins in 2023-24 for what would be his final season.

Shattenkirk, 35, finishes with 103 goals, 381 assists and 484 points in 952 career games, plus 48 points in 91 playoff games. He scored in overtime during Game 4 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

Dec. 9: Avalanche land Mackenzie Blackwood in goalie trade with Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche’s season-opening goaltending tandem of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen is out after a subpar start. Now they’re running with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood after separate trades with the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators, respectively.

The Blackwood trade is the latest one and includes forward Givani Smith and a draft pick going to Colorado, while forward Nikolai Kovalenko and two picks go to San Jose. Blackwood has a .904 save percentage to Georgiev’s .874, and he made 49 saves in his last game. Georgiev was pulled in his second-to-last start.

GOALIE SWAP: Full details of Avalanche-Sharks trade

Dec. 6: Rangers trade Jacob Trouba, extend Igor Shesterkin

The sliding New York Rangers dominated the news Friday by trading captain Jacob Trouba and giving Igor Shesterkin an eight-year extension that makes him the highest-paid NHL goalie.

The Rangers officially announced the extension on Saturday.

The Trouba trade happened first Friday with the Rangers getting back defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. But the biggest part is the Anaheim Ducks took on Trouba’s $8 million cap hit, giving the Rangers flexibility. Trouba, who has struggled this season and didn’t waive his no-trade clause this summer, adds a veteran presence to the young Ducks. He and new teammate Radko Gudas are two of the hardest hitters in the league.

Shesterkin will average $11.5 million in his new deal, according to reports, moving him past Carey Price ($10.5 million) as the top-paid goaltender. The Rangers rely heavily on Shesterkin, who faces a lot of high-danger shots.

Also: The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens pulled off a minor trade. Forward Jacob Perreault, son of former NHL player Yanic Perreault, heads to Edmonton for defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer. … The Carolina Hurricanes placed forward Brendan Lemieux on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. He requested the move so he can pursue another opportunity, general manager Eric Tulsky told the team’s website.

Dec. 5: Blackhawks fire coach Luke Richardson

The last-place Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Luke Richardson. Anders Sorensen, coach of the Blackhawks’ Rockford IceHogs team in the American Hockey League, was named interim head coach.

The move happened with generational player Connor Bedard going through a sophomore slump and unhappy with his production. He recently ended a 12-game goal drought and didn’t make the Canadian roster for this season’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

‘As we have begun to take steps forward in our rebuilding process, we felt that the results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season and ultimately came to the decision that a change was necessary,’ general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement about the coaching move.

Richardson leaves Chicago with a 57-118-15 record.

Dec. 4: Stars’ Tyler Seguin to have hip surgery, miss 4-6 months

The Dallas Stars announced that forward Tyler Seguin will have surgery on his left hip on Thursday and is expected to miss four to six months. That timeline would have him out of the lineup until near the end of the regular season or into the playoffs. Seguin, 32, had been having a strong season, ranking third on the team with 20 points in 19 games.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF: Rosters announced

Nov. 30: Wild acquire defenseman David Jiricek from Blue Jackets

The Minnesota Wild acquired former first-round pick David Jiricek, 21, from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package that includes 22-year-old defenseman Daemon Hunt and a package of draft picks including a top-five protected 2025 first-round pick. Jiricek, a 2022 sixth-overall pick who had been sent to American Hockey League, will report to the Wild’s AHL team. The other picks heading to Columbus: 2026 third- and fourth-rounders and a 2027 second-rounder. The Wild get a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Nov. 30: Predators, Avalanche swap goaltenders

The Colorado Avalanche acquired backup goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators for backup goalie Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick. The Avalanche, who have the league’s third-worst team goals-against average, were expected to make some sort of goaltending move but not necessarily this one. Annunen, 24, has slightly better stats this season, but he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Wedgewood, 32, who was signed in the offseason and played five games for the Predators, has another year left on his contract.

Also: The NHL fined Boston’s Nikita Zadorov and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin $5,000 each for an exchange in Friday’s game. Zadorov poked Malkin with his stick from the bench, and the Penguins star responded with a slash toward the bench, hitting Mason Lohrei.

Nov. 25: Penguins acquire Philip Tomasino from Predators

Philip Tomasino (one point in 11 games) is the final year of his contract so the struggling Nashville Predators get something in return, a 2027 fourth-round pick. The equally struggling Pittsburgh Penguins get another person for their bottom six. The former first-round pick’s best season was 32 points as a rookie in 2021-22.

Nov. 24: Blues fire coach Drew Bannister, hire Jim Montgomery

In a surprising move, the St. Louis Blues on Sunday fired Drew Bannister after less than a year as coach, replacing him with former Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery.

The announcement from Blues president and general manager Doug Armstrong comes with the team losing 13 of its first 22 games this year. Bannister had taken over for Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube last season and had his interim tag removed at the end of the season.

Montgomery, a former assistant to Berube, has an overall regular-season record of 180-84-33 as a head coach with Boston and Dallas. He was just let go by the Bruins last week after they lost 12 of their first 20 games. – Steve Gardner

Nov. 22: Golden Knights sign Brett Howden to five-year extension

Forward Brett Howden will average $2.5 million in the five-year contract extension. He plays in the Vegas Golden Knights’ bottom six and has eight goals this season.

After the Golden Knights lost free agents Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup title team this summer, they’ve been working to get extensions done early. Defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb signed recently. Goalie Adin Hill and Keegan Kolesar also are pending unrestricted free agents from that championship team.

Nov. 19: Canucks’ J.T. Miller out indefinitely for personal reasons

‘Right now, our sole focus is making sure that J.T. knows the entire organization is here to support him,’ general manager Patrik Allvin said. ‘Out of respect to J.T., we will have no further comment at this time.’

Miller ranks second on the Canucks and is their top-scoring forward with 16 points in 17 games. He scored 103 points last season.

Nov. 19: Boston Bruins fire coach Jim Montgomery

The Boston Bruins made Jim Montgomery the first coaching casualty of the 2024-25 NHL season, firing him less than two seasons after he was named coach of the year.

Associate coach Joe Sacco, a former Colorado Avalanche head coach, will take over behind the bench as the interim head coach.

The move came after a blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. Montgomery, who was in the final year of his contract, was let go with the team sitting at 8-9-3 and sporting poor underlying numbers.

BRUINS: More details on coaching change

Nov. 18: Islanders’ Mike Reilly to have procedure on heart

General manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters that the pre-existing heart condition was discovered during routine testing for a concussion that had sidelined the defenseman since Nov. 1.

‘It’s probably a blessing in disguise of what transpired,’ Lamoriello said. ‘They detected this, something that you’re sometimes born with, but never knew.’

He said Reilly has been cleared from the concussion.

Nov. 15: Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin returns from suspension

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin returned Friday night from his six-month suspension. He was suspended during the playoffs last May under Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He also was in the program for about two months earlier in the 2023-24 season and missed part of the 2023 playoffs for personal reasons. Nichushkin is a key offensive contributor with 28 goals in 54 games last season. Injured forwards Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood also returned Friday.

Also: The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Brayden McNabb, the franchise leader in games played, to a three-year contract extension that averages $3.65 million a year.

OILERS: Connor McDavid is fourth fastest to reach 1,000 points

Nov. 13: Sabres claim goalie James Reimer off waivers

The Buffalo Sabres claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers, bringing him back to where he signed a free agent contract in the summer. Reimer was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks off waivers earlier this season when the Sabres tried to send him to the American Hockey League. The Ducks put him on waivers after the return of injured goalie John Gibson. Reimer, on a one-year, $1 million contract, played two games in Anaheim with a 4.50 goals-against average. No. 1 Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was hurt in Monday’s loss but hasn’t been ruled out for Thursday’s game.

Also: Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will be out ‘weeks’ with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot, coach Jim Montgomery said.

Nov. 12: Capitals reacquire Lars Eller in trade with Penguins

Center Lars Eller, 35, is a familiar face for the Washington Capitals after playing in Washington from 2016-23 and winning a Stanley Cup there in 2018. He kills penalties and is strong in the faceoff circle. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ side of the trade might be more interesting. They get a 2027 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder, and this also could be an indication that the Penguins are shaking up the roster after a disappointing start. Eller’s trade will allow the team to give more ice time to younger players. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.

Also: The Winnipeg Jets claimed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche and loaned him to their American Hockey League affiliate. They had lost him on waivers to the Avalanche last month.

Nov. 11: Flames’ Anthony Mantha to have season-ending surgery

Also: The Colorado Avalanche placed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on waivers. They had claimed him off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets last month.

Nov. 9: Penguins recall veteran goalie Tristan Jarry from minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled two-time All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry from his conditioning stint in the American Hockey League. Jarry was loaned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 26 after recording a 5.37 goals-against average and .836 save percentage. His AHL numbers were 2.16, .926.

Also: The Philadelphia Flyers made rookie Matvei Michkov a healthy scratch for a second consecutive game.

Nov. 8: Kraken acquire Daniel Sprong from Canucks

The Seattle Kraken landed Daniel Sprong, one of their former players, in exchange for future considerations. The Kraken have struggled to score this season and Sprong had 21 goals for them two seasons ago. The forward has scored double-digit goals five times. He had one goal with Vancouver this season.

Oct. 30: Sharks acquire Timothy Liljegren from Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs get defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. Liljegren, 25, had been limited to one game in Toronto this season, and the Maple Leafs recently committed to blue-liner Jake McCabe with a five-year extension. But Liljegren should fit in well in San Jose, which is building around younger players. Benning, 30, and Liljegren are signed through 2025-26.

This is the second day with an NHL trade after none previously since the season opened in North America.

Oct. 29: Utah acquires defenseman Olli Maatta from Red Wings

The Utah Hockey Club gives up a third-round pick as it addresses a desperate need for a veteran defenseman. Sean Durzi and John Marino are out long-term after surgery. Utah has been leaking goals during a four-game losing streak, including blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period against the previously winless San Jose Sharks. Maatta is solid defensively and has nearly 700 games of NHL experience.

Oct. 28: Maple Leafs sign Jake McCabe to five-year extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year extension with an annual average value of $4.51 million. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports there is some deferred money in the deal. McCabe, 31, had been acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a February 2023 trade and ranks fourth on the team in average ice time this season. He has three assists in nine games and a team-best plus-6 rating.

Also: The New York Rangers recalled rugged forward Matt Rempe from the American Hockey League after he played two games there. The Rangers play the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in what has become a feisty rivalry.

Oct. 26: Penguins send goalie Tristan Jarry to minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to their American Hockey League affiliate on a conditioning loan after his early season struggles. He had been sent home from the Penguins’ road trip to work on his game after recording a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage in three games. He was pulled from his last start on Oct. 16 and gave up six goals in the opener.

Jarry is in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a $5.375 million cap hit. Rookie Joel Blomqvist has had the most starts in the Penguins net this season and Alex Nedeljkovic recently returned from an injury.

Also: The New York Islanders signed rugged forward Matt Martin for the rest of the season. He had been to camp on a tryout agreement after spending 13 of his 15 seasons with the Islanders.

Oct. 25: Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere gets seven-year extension

The New York Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere have agreed to a seven-year extension as he builds on last season’s breakthrough. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick will average $7.45 million in the deal, according to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. That’s up from this year’s $2.325 million cap hit. Lafreniere, 23, broke through with 28 goals and 57 points last season and added eight goals and 14 points in the playoffs. He is averaging a point a game this season through seven games and scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday. He is signed through 2031-32.

Oct. 24: Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore signs for seven years

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will average $7.425 million in the extension, which kicks in next season and runs through 2031-32. Getting him signed now is important after the Golden Knights lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup team to free agency during the summer.

Theodore, 29, is the franchise’s top-scoring defenseman with 296 points and has opened this season with seven points in six games. Vegas’ top three defensemen (also Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin) are signed through at least 2026-27.

Oct. 22: Panthers give coach Paul Maurice contract extension

Maurice, who joined the Panthers in 2022-23, went to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season and won it last year. His 29 playoff wins are a franchise record.

He has 98 regular-season wins with Florida and his 873 career wins rank fourth all time in NHL history.

Also: The Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Oct. 17: Stars’ Jake Oettinger signs eight-year contract extension

The Dallas Stars signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that kicks in next season. The $8.25 million cap hit matches the deals recently signed by the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman and Senators’ Linus Ullmark.

Oettinger has led the Stars to the Western Conference final the past two seasons.

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US Open tennis tournament changes its scheduling format

NEW YORK – The U.S. Open will expand its main draw to 15 days, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Wednesday, kicking off a day earlier than the usual Monday opener for the tournament’s first weekend start in the Open Era.

The schedule change will see the men’s and women’s singles first rounds play out over three days from Sunday, Aug. 24.

The added day will allow main draw access for another 70,000 attendees or more, after a third straight year of record-breaking attendance in 2024.

The Sunday opener will include six new ticketed sessions, with day and night sessions for the famed Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.

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MLS makes push for new viewers on Xfinity, DirecTV, T-Mobile

Major League Soccer and Apple are making a major push to reach more viewers in 2025.

Soccer fans with Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV can subscribe and watch MLS Season Pass through the TV providers, while T-Mobile users will be able to access MLS Season Pass for free, the league announced Wednesday.

MLS also will debut “Sunday Night Soccer” — a showcase to engage and retain soccer fans with the league’s most compelling game of the week.

MLS also has high hopes for “Onside: Major League Soccer” — an eight-part documentary series produced by Box 2 Box Films, the company behind Netflix’s popular “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” series. The new docuseries premiers Feb. 21.

The new initiatives increase opportunities for fans to watch MLS games during a pivotal push for the sport in the United States, which will co-host World Cup 2026 with Canada and Mexico.

“We’re always going to look for different ways to make this content more accessible to people,” Apple executive producer of live sports Royce Dickerson said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

“We just want to hit as many people as we possibly can, get it across as many devices and platforms as humanly possible. All we want to continue to do is push out the product as much as we can to as many people at any given moment.”

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play New York City FC in the first match of the 2025 MLS season on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy will host the league’s newest team, San Diego FC, in the first “Sunday Night Soccer” game on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET. This match will also be broadcast live at Times Square in New York City.

‘Sunday Night Soccer’ will include dedicated pre- and postgame shows, and be available for Apple TV+ subscribers. Jake Zivin, Taylor Twellman and Andrew Wiebe will call the Sunday games in English, while Sammy Sadovnik and Diego Valeri will lead the Spanish broadcasts.

Select preseason games also are available for free on MLS Season Pass and Apple TV+ before the season, including LAFC facing LIGA MX champions Club America on Feb. 11, and Inter Miami’s preseason finale against Orlando City on Feb. 14.

Xfinity customers can sign up for MLS Season Pass and access MLS games within the channel guide on X1, the Xfinity Stream app, the X1 Sports app and the Apple TV app. Xfinity subscribers will also have free access to “MLS 360” — the league’s version of NFL RedZone — throughout the season without a Season Pass subscription. Xfinity customers will get a free preview from Feb. 22 to March 2.

DirecTV customers will be able to subscribe to MLS Season Pass with matches available on channels 480-495, ensuring a similar experience to other sports leagues’ packages, with a free preview from Feb. 22 to March 1. The satellite provider will also continue to provide MLS Season Pass to over 300,000 commercial establishments, like bars and restaurants.

T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers can receive complimentary access to MLS Season Pass for the season, through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app starting Feb. 18.

The league also previously announced the ability to watch MLS games on Apple TV+ via Amazon Prime Video last October.

MLS Productions — the media and broadcast production arm of the league — is coming from its new space at WWE Studios in Stamford, Connecticut. The league also recently announced a renewed broadcast production relationship with IMG this week.

“We’ve seen growth in our audiences and growth in our subscriptions. We’re bullish on what we’re building,” MLS executive vice president of media Seth Bacon said.

“It’s how do you take something that’s performing really well, and make it perform even better. That’s what these new partnerships are all about.”

Customers can subscribe to MLS Season Pass for $14.99 per month during the season, or $99 for the full season, and Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 per month, or $79 per season. A subscription to MLS Season Pass for this season will be included with each full-season MLS club ticket account. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

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Democrats coordinate multi-state response to Trump’s funding freeze

Morally indignant Senate Democrats piled on President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze Wednesday, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announcing a coordinated response with Democratic governors to come.

The Office of Management and Budget issued a memo on Monday issuing a pause on all federal grants and loans aiming to eradicate ‘wokeness’ and the ‘weaponization of government’ to improve government efficiency. The memo claims nearly $3 trillion was spent in 2024 on such assistance programs. 

The White House insists this freeze does not touch programs including Social Security, Medicare, or other entitlement payments, but Schumer called Trump’s action ‘chaotic,’ ‘careless,’ and ‘cruel’ at the Democratic leadership’s weekly press briefing. 

‘In one instant, in the blink of an eye, in the dark of night, Donald Trump committed one of the cruelest actions that I have seen the federal government do in a very long time,’ Schumer said, claiming Trump had shut off ‘billions, maybe trillions of dollars that average American families need.’ 

The minority leader said there are ongoing discussions between Capitol Hill Democrats and various Democratic governors on a coordinated response to Trump’s action. Two dozen blue state attorneys general have already announced legal action to keep the federal grant, loan and other aid flowing. 

Democrats said they have received an avalanche of phone calls from local officials, non-governmental organizations, charities and individual constituents demanding to know if OMB’s memo meant taxpayer dollars they rely on to serve people were about to disappear.

‘Chaos reigned. I got calls from a whole lot of Republican town supervisors and mayors, asking, what about flood prevention? What about sewer construction projects?’ Schumer said. He recounted additional calls from food bank operators, nonprofit groups that treat addiction and church groups worried they would not be able to make payroll.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that the OMB memo would not impact individuals who receive direct assistance from the federal government. She described the pause as ‘temporary’ and likened it to simultaneous efforts by the Trump administration to freeze hiring and regulations in an effort to shrink the government. 

‘Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,’ the memo, obtained by Fox Digital, reads. 

A federal judge on Tuesday imposed a stay on Trump’s action, delaying it until Monday as a torrent of lawsuits against the administration were announced this week.

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday led a coalition of 22 other attorneys general suing to stop the implementation of the memo.

In a statement from James’ office, she said the policy ‘puts an indefinite pause on the majority of federal assistance to states’ and would ‘immediately jeopardize state programs that provide critical health and childcare services to families in need, deliver support to public schools, combat hate crimes and violence against women, provide life-saving disaster relief to states, and more.’

Republicans have mostly backed Trump, insisting that the new presidential administration has a right to examine how taxpayer dollars are spent.

‘This is not unusual for an administration to pause funding and to take a hard look and scrub of how these programs are being spent and how they interact with a lot of the executive orders that the president signed,’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters, though he expressed hope that the White House would ‘further clarify what exactly will be impacted by this.’ 

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democratic appropriator, said Trump’s actions have endangered chances for a bipartisan spending agreement when the government funding deadline arrives in March.

‘It is extremely difficult to agree to a compromise on anything if the White House is going to assert that they control the funds, we don’t,’ Murray said. ‘So this is really putting that in jeopardy.’ 

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White House still committed to freezing ‘woke’ funds despite rescinding OMB memo

The White House remains committed to freezing federal grants and loans aimed at ‘woke’ programs, Fox News has learned, despite the administration’s move to rescind the original Office of Management and Budget memo — effectively ending the legal battle and any ‘confusion’ for recipients. 

A federal judge on Tuesday paused the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo, which aimed to freeze funding to various federal programs.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration rescinded the original memo. 

‘In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Wednesday. ‘The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments.’ 

Leavitt told Fox News that rescinding the memo ‘should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending.’ 

Judge temporarily blocks Trump

‘In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding,’ Leavitt said. 

The memo, sent to federal agencies on Monday, issued a pause on all federal grants and loans aiming to eradicate ‘wokeness’ and the ‘weaponization of government’ to improve government efficiency. 

‘Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,’ the memo, obtained by Fox Digital, reads. 

The pause was set to take effect at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday.

Democrats had criticized the Trump administration’s freeze of federal funds, arguing that President Trump is circumventing Congress and withholding congressionally appropriated funds, violating the Impoundment Control Act. 

U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan for the District of Columbia, appointed by former President Joe Biden, imposed an administrative stay on Tuesday afternoon, pausing the Trump administration’s action.

The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.

The White House stressed that despite the memo being rescinded, if money coming out of federal agencies is at odds with the president’s executive orders, for example, funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, those funds will still be frozen. 

But programs including Social Security benefits, Medicare, food stamps, welfare benefits and other assistance going directly to individuals will not be impacted under the pause, according to Leavitt. 

Leavitt, during the White House press briefing on Tuesday, described the pause as ‘temporary,’ and noted that the Trump administration has executed other freezes throughout the government, including a regulatory and hiring pause. 

‘It’s incumbent upon this administration to make sure, again, that every penny is being accounted for honestly,’ Leavitt said. 

Additionally, Leavitt said that Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency that aims to eliminate government spending and waste identified $37 million that was about to go to the World Health Organization, along with $50 million to ‘fund condoms in Gaza.’ 

‘That is a preposterous waste of money,’ Leavitt said. 

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RFK Jr’s confirmation hearing goes off rails amid multiple clashes with Dem senators: ‘Repeatedly debunked’

It didn’t take long for the confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to turn contentious as Senate Democrats grilled him.

The verbal fireworks exploded minutes into the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, the first of two straight days of congressional confirmation hearings for the controversial vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump.

Kennedy repeatedly insisted that he was not ‘anti-vaccine’ and slammed multiple Democrat senators for pushing a ‘dishonest’ narrative against him that he has ‘corrected’ on national television many times. Democrats on the committee pointed to a slew of past comments from the nominee in which he questioned or disparaged COVID shots and other vaccines.

‘The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, and charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He’s made it his life’s work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines,’ Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the panel, charged in his opening statement.

Moments later, as Kennedy delivered his own opening comments and said ‘news reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety,’ a protester shouted out ‘you lie.’

The heckler was led out of the hearing room by Capitol Police, as was a second protester minutes later.

And another protester was spotted in the audience holding a sign reading, ‘Vaccines Save Lives, Not RFK JR.’ 

Democrats on the committee repeatedly pointed to Kennedy’s controversial vaccine views, including his repeated claims in recent years linking vaccines to autism, which have been debunked by scientific research.

They also spotlighted Kennedy’s service for years as chair or chief legal counsel for Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit organization he founded that has advocated against vaccines and sued the federal government numerous times, including a challenge over the authorization of the COVID vaccine for children.

In his opening statement, which Fox News exclusively obtained ahead of the hearing, Kennedy spotlighted that ‘I believe vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I’ve written books about vaccines. My first book in 2014, the first line of it is ‘I am not anti-vaccine’ and last line is ‘I am not anti-vaccine.’’

But he quickly faced a grilling from Democrats.

Wyden led off his questioning of Kennedy, the scion of the nation’s most storied political dynasty, by spotlighting a scathing letter from the nominee’s well-known cousin, Caroline Kennedy, which accused him of being a ‘predator’ and urged lawmakers to reject the nomination.

The senator also pointed to past Kennedy vaccine comments in podcasts, including one from 2020 when he said he ‘pay anything’ to be able to go back in time and not vaccinate his kids.

‘Are you lying to Congress today when you say you are pro-vaccine? Or did you lie on all those podcasts?’ Wyden asked.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren presses RFK Jr on vaccine lawsuits during heated exchange

Pushing back in a very heated exchange, Kennedy claimed that statements he made on podcasts have ‘been repeatedly debunked.’

And he vowed that he would do nothing to prevent Americans from obtaining certain vaccines.

‘I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS Secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,’ Kennedy emphasized.

The next Democrat to question Kennedy, Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, accused him of peddling half-truths, peddling false statements.’

Benett grew heated as he asked Kennedy about other past comments, asking, ‘Did you say Lyme disease is a highly likely militarily engineered bioweapon?’

‘I probably did say that,’ Kennedy answered.

And Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has known Kennedy for decades – dating back to their days as law school students at the University of Virginia, told his friend ‘frankly, you frighten people.’

If confirmed, Kennedy would have control over 18 powerful federal agencies overseeing the nation’s food and health, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The 71-year-old Kennedy launched a long-shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House.

Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.

Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS.

In the two months since Trump’s announcement, it’s not just Democrats who’ve raised questions about Kennedy’s confirmation. Social conservative Republicans took issue with his past comments in support of abortion rights.

‘My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn’t have the government involved, even if it’s full term,’ Kennedy said as he ran for president. 

But since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has walked back his stance on abortion. And in an exchange Wednesday with Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy declared ‘I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy.’

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former two-time Democratic presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a ‘major U-turn’ on abortion.

Sen. Johnson gets round of applause at RFK Jr. hearing

Kennedy was also questioned about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government health care programs used by millions of older, disabled, and low-income Americans.

‘I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program,’ Kennedy said of Medicaid.

And he said that President Trump hadn’t asked him to cut the program but rather ‘asked me to make it better.’

Kennedy, whose outspoken views on big pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, vowed that ‘if confirmed, I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track.’

While Democrats may find common ground with Kennedy’s aim to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle – including overhauling dietary guidelines and take aim at ultra-processed foods – and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases, Kennedy lamented that they oppose him because he’s Trump’s nominee.

Now they’re against me because anything that President Trump does, any decision he makes, has to be lampooned, derided, discredited, marginalized, vilified,’ Kennedy argued.

With Republicans controlling the Senate by a 53-47 majority, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation. During Wednesday’s hearing, no Republicans appeared to oppose the nomination.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina appeared to lean into the Democrats’ attacks on Kennedy, asking ‘I got a real quick question for you: Are you a conspiracy theorist?’ 

Republican lawmaker bullish on RFK Jr. nomination

Kennedy answered that it ‘is a pejorative that’s applied to me mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions of powerful interests.’

GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, a chemical engineer, spotlighted that there are several Republican doctors on the committee.

‘We believe in science. I’m thankful that you do, too,’ Daines said.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who said he had a ‘frank conversation’ with Kennedy about immunizations when they met earlier this month, didn’t ask about vaccines during the committee hearing. Instead, he kept his questions to federal healthcare programs, including Medicare.

Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin took aim at Democrats on the committee for what he claimed was ‘hostility on the other side… I’m disappointed with it.’

The hearing ended three and a half hours after it began, with Kennedy departing the committee room to cheers from supporters.

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Lee Zeldin faces Senate confirmation vote to lead Trump’s EPA

The Senate will vote Wednesday on whether to confirm former Rep. Lee Zeldin to head the government’s leading agency on environmental rules and regulations.

President Donald Trump tapped Zeldin, who previously served as a congressman from New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under his administration. During his tenure in Congress, Zeldin, an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, launched a campaign for governor in New York, when he trailed only five percentage points in the largely Democratic state.

Zeldin underwent a confirmation hearing earlier this month, when he was questioned on climate change by members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The Senate held a cloture vote for Zeldin on Wednesday afternoon, which ended the debate over his nomination. The chamber will now proceed to a final floor vote. 

If confirmed on Wednesday, Zeldin will head the agency that surveys environmental issues, provides assistance to wide-ranging environmental projects, and establishes rules that align with the administration’s views on environmental protection and climate change. 

During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin pledged that if confirmed, he would ‘foster a collaborative culture within the agency, supporting career staff who have dedicated themselves to this mission. I strongly believe we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come.’

The latest round of voting comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., continues to advance the confirmation process to push through Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

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Howard Lutnick, Trump Commerce secretary pick, says it’s ‘nonsense’ that tariffs cause inflation

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, told senators the argument that tariffs cause inflation is ‘nonsense’ during a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

‘The two top countries with tariffs, India and China, do have the most tariffs and no inflation,’ Lutnick noted. 

‘A particular product’s price may go up,’ he conceded, while arguing that levies would not cause broad inflation. ‘It is just nonsense to say that tariffs cause inflation. It’s nonsense.’ 

Lutnick testified before members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee ahead of an impending committee and full Senate floor vote to confirm him to the Cabinet position. 

Inflation, which ticked as high as 9.1% in June 2022 under the Biden administration, became a defining issue in the 2024 election as Trump promised to bring household prices back down. 

Lutnick also said he prefers ‘across-the-board’ tariffs on a ‘country-by-country’ basis, rather than ones aimed at particular sectors or products. 

‘I think when you pick one product in Mexico, they’ll pick one product. You know, we pick avocados, they pick white corn, we pick tomatoes, they pick yellow corn. All you’re doing is picking on farmers.’

‘Let America make it more fair. We are treated horribly by the global trading environment. They all have higher tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and subsidies. They treat us poorly. We need to be treated better,’ Lutnick went on. ‘We can use tariffs to create reciprocity.’

He said Trump, a longtime friend, was of a ‘like mind’ that tariffs need to be simple. ‘The steel and aluminum had 560,000 applications for exclusions,’ said Lutnick. ‘It just seems that’s too many.’ 

Trump recently signed an executive order directing the Commerce Department and the Office of the US Trade Representative to conduct a review of U.S. trade policy and tariff models, with a focus on China. Trump has said he intends to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1 amid concerns of mass migration and drug trafficking. He also said he would increase tariffs on China by 10%. 

Lutnick also sounded off about Europe treating the U.S. industry unfairly. 

I think our farmers and ranchers and fishermen are treated with disrespect overseas,’ he said.

‘Europe, for example, comes up with all these sort of policies, that our ranchers can’t sell steak. If you saw European steer and an American steer, it’s laughable. The American steers are three times this size. The steaks are so much more beautiful.

‘But they make up this nonsensical set of rules so that our ranchers can’t sell there.’ 

Lutnick said Chinese tariffs ‘should be the highest.’ 

‘But the fact that we Americans cannot sell an American car in Europe is just wrong. And it needs to be fixed,’ he said,

‘While they’re an ally, they are taking advantage of us and disrespecting us. And I would like that to end.’ 

His comments echoed those of Trump last week. 

‘The European Union is very, very bad to us,’ he said. ‘So they’re going to be in for tariffs. It’s the only way… you’re going to get fairness.’

The governments of Mexico, Canada and nations in Europe have prepared a list of their own U.S. imports that will face tariffs in a tit-for-tat trade war if Trump follows through on taxing their own goods as they’re brought into the U.S. 

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said Monday that European nations should unite to use their collective economic force against the U.S. if needed. 

‘As the United States shifts to a more transactional approach, Europe needs to close ranks,’ she said at a news conference in Brussels. ‘Europe is an economic heavyweight and geopolitical partner.’

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