The White House on Saturday said it is in Iran’s ‘best interest to accept’ its proposal on a nuclear deal following a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency saying the country is swiftly increasing its stockpile of near weapons-grade enriched uranium. 

‘President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. ‘Special Envoy [Steve] Witkoff has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it’s in their best interest to accept it. Out of respect for the ongoing deal, the administration will not comment on details of the proposal to the media.’ 

The IAEA’s report said Iran had increased its stockpile to 900.8 pounds of uranium enriched by up to 60% as of May 17, a nearly 50% increase since the agency’s last report in February, which put the stockpile at 605.8 pounds. 

The report said Iran is ‘the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material,’ which is a ‘serious concern.’

The IAEA added that just 92 pounds of 60% enriched uranium is enough to produce an atomic bomb if it is enriched to 90%. 

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but U.S. intelligence agencies say the country has ‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.’

Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a joint statement that the report was based on ‘unreliable and differing information sources,’ claiming that it was biased and unprofessional. 

The statement added, ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its disappointment about the report, which was prepared by imposing pressure on the agency for political purposes, and expresses its obvious objection about its content.’

On Thursday, Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that he was unsure a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal could be imminently reached.

‘Iran is sincere about a diplomatic solution that will serve the interests of all sides. But getting there requires an agreement that will fully terminate all sanctions and uphold Iran’s nuclear rights — including enrichment,’ he wrote. 

Oman Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi presented the Trump administration’s first formal proposal in Tehran Saturday, which calls for Iran to cease all uranium enrichment and for a regional consortium that includes Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states and the U.S. for producing nuclear power, The New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the document. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also put out a rare statement on a Saturday about the IAEA’s report, calling it ‘grave.’

‘The agency presents a stark picture that serves as a clear warning sign: Despite countless warnings by the international community, Iran is totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,’ Netanyahu’s office said. 

‘The report strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years — the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful. This is evident from the alarming scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment activity. Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever.

‘The report clearly indicates that Iran remains in non-compliance of its fundamental commitments and obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to withhold cooperation from IAEA inspectors. The international community must act now to stop Iran.’

Hamas has agreed to release 10 living hostages and return the bodies of 18 more, but the terms of the proposed deal have been deemed unacceptable by the U.S. and Israel.

The group, which has been on the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations since 1997, made the announcement in a statement Saturday and said it was being done on the condition that a number of Palestinian prisoners be returned in exchange as part of a means to achieve a permanent ceasefire.

Israeli media reported that Hamas added new demands to the proposal from U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, including a permanent ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian aid flow into the strip.

Witkoff’s proposal did not include a full withdrawal or a ceasefire, the Jerusalem Post reported, and that Hamas added terms of its own.

In a statement posted to X on Saturday, Witkoff called Hamas’ response to the American proposal ‘totally unacceptable’ and warned it ‘only takes us backward.’ He urged the group to accept the original framework in order to begin proximity talks as early as next week, which could pave the way for a 60-day ceasefire and the return of both living and deceased hostages.

In a statement before Witkoff’s response, Hamas wrote: ‘After conducting a round of national consultations, and based on our immense sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) today submitted its response to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest proposal to the mediating parties. 

‘This proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to our people and our families in the Gaza Strip.’

Reacting to the announcement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that while Israel had agreed to the updated Witkoff framework, ‘Hamas continues to cling to its refusal.’ The office emphasized that Israel remains committed to bringing its hostages home and defeating Hamas, citing Witkoff’s remarks as confirmation that Hamas’ latest stance undermines progress.

Hamas is holding 58 hostages in Gaza. Of these, Israeli intelligence assesses that at least 34 are deceased, leaving approximately 24 believed to be alive. More than 250 people were captured during the Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

The latest proposal being negotiated involves the release of 10 living hostages and a number of bodies during a 60-day pause in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, including 100 serving long sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing a Hamas official and an Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity.

U.S. negotiators had not publicized the terms of the proposal.

Witkoff’s office reiterated on social media that the proposed deal could allow ‘half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased’ to return to their families if Hamas agrees to enter talks under the current terms. 

The statement stressed that the window to finalize the deal is narrowing, and that major negotiations could begin ‘in good faith’ within days if Hamas accepts.

‘As stated by the U.S. President’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff: Hamas’ response is unacceptable and sets the situation back,’ the Prime Minister’s Office said.

President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiators were nearing a deal.

‘They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza, and we’ll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow,’ Trump told reporters in Washington. Late in the evening, asked if he was confident Hamas would approve the deal, he told reporters: ‘They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.’

Deep differences between Hamas and Israel have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March.

Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely, be dismantled as a military and governing force and return all hostages still held in Gaza before it agrees to end the war. Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Jerusalem – Iran angrily lashed out at Austria’s government Friday after Fox News Digital reported on a document asserting that Tehran has developed an advanced nuclear weapons program that can launch long-range missiles. 

The explosive report from Austria’s version of the FBI—the Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service—provides a specialized window into the Iranian regime’s illicit atomic weapons program and its espionage activities in the central European country.

Fox News Digital was the first news organization to report on the Iran sections of the report on Wednesday, sparking a major diplomatic row between the Islamic Republic and Austria.

‘The Iranian nuclear weapons development program is well advanced, and Iran possesses a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads over long distances,’ the Austrian domestic intelligence agency report stated.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, denounced the Austrian intelligence agency ‘for spreading lies,’ and called on the Austrian government to ‘provide an official explanation regarding the irresponsible, provocative, and destructive act by one of its official institutions,’ according to the Ministry’s website.

Tehran-based Austrian diplomat Michaela Pacher was summoned to the Iranian foreign ministry, according to the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

‘[Pacher] took this opportunity to reiterate Austria’s and the EU’s position on the Iranian nuclear program,’ Austrian officials said in a statement. ‘This position was most recently expressed to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.’

Austria expressed support for an EU statement along with other countries in March.

‘Iran already accumulated more than six significant quantities of 60% enriched material [which the Agency defines as the approximate amount of nuclear material for which the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded] and is currently producing one significant quantity of highly enriched uranium every month,’ noted the EU statement.

The EU statement added that ‘All these actions carry very significant proliferation-related risks and raise grave concerns about Iran’s intentions, since they have no credible civilian justification. In this context, the EU remains concerned by statements made by Iranian officials about Iran’s capacity to assemble a nuclear weapon.’

The shocking Austrian intelligence findings contradict the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program, but has ‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.’ There have long been conflicting views (between U.S. intelligence agencies and European intelligence services) over Iran’s illegal nuclear weapons program.

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the Austrian report.

‘President Trump is committed to Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon or the capacity to build one,’ a White House official said.

The Austrian report coincides with a new International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. The AP reported on Saturday that Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the UN nuclear watchdog said Saturday and called on Tehran to urgently change course and comply with the agency’s probe.

The report comes at a sensitive time as Tehran and Washington have been holding several rounds of talks in the past weeks over a possible nuclear deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to reach.

The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency says that as of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%.

That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. A report in February put the stockpile at 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds).

The IAEA report raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is now ‘the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material’ — something the agency said was of ‘serious concern.’

In February, Fox News Digital reported that the IAEA said Iran has sufficient enriched uranium to manufacture six nuclear weapons.

‘The Islamic Republic is the standard-bearer of deception and stonewalling. Today’s damning IAEA reports confirm how Iran has been in violation of the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] for years, even when the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] was in effect. It shows the regime cannot be trusted with any diplomatic agreement,’ said Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

The JCPOA is the formal name for the Iran nuclear deal that was concluded between the Obama administration and Iran. President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 because, his administration said at the time, the deal did not prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.

‘I think Iran’s regime’s response to Austria’s findings shows its sensitivity over these matters,’ Brodsky said. ‘It also wants to bully Austria. Austria should force the Iranian regime to decrease the size of its embassy in Vienna which it has long used as a hub for malign intelligence collection and operations throughout Europe.’

The clerical regime’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, posted on his X account a statement in response to the Fox News Digital report.

‘Media is speculating about an imminent Iran-U.S. deal. Not sure if we are there yet,’ he wrote. ‘Iran is sincere about a diplomatic solution that will serve the interests of all sides.

‘But getting there requires an agreement that will fully terminate all sanctions and uphold Iran’s nuclear rights—including enrichment. Path to a deal goes through the negotiating table and not the media.’

The U.S. talks to dismantle Iran’s illicit atomic weapons program coincides with a nationwide truckers’ strike in Iran. The widespread labor unrest could severely weaken the regime, according to Iran experts.

The exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in the U.S, called on U.S. labor unions to stand with Iranian truckers.

 ‘Truck drivers and workers across Iran are on strike and are putting their lives on the line to fight for their rights and for a better future for their families,’ Pahlavi, who lives in the U.S, wrote on X. ‘Now, they are being jailed and threatened for posting photos and videos of their strike. Only in a free Iran will all workers have the right to freely and openly organize. I invite you, labor unions and leaders, to stand with your fellow workers in Iran and show your solidarity.’

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore: China’s military is ‘rehearsing for the real deal,’ and a full-scale invasion of Taiwan ‘could be imminent.’

‘We are not going to sugarcoat it – the threat China poses is real,’ he added.

Beijing swiftly rejected the allegation. Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, head of the Chinese delegation and vice president of China’s National Defense University, called the remarks ‘groundless accusations,’ stating that ‘some of the claims are completely fabricated, some distort facts and some are cases of a thief crying ‘stop thief.’’ Despite such denials, a growing body of evidence suggests China may indeed be preparing for a military move against Taiwan.

Numerous indicators draw this conclusion. Here are nine:

1. China has intensified its joint sea and air exercises surrounding Taiwan, including rehearsals simulating blockades, encirclements, and amphibious assaults. These drills closely mirror operational strategies that would likely be employed in an actual invasion and are widely interpreted by analysts as concrete signals of Beijing’s willingness to use force.

2. The Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) has positioned H-6 bombers, capable of delivering nuclear payloads, on outposts such as Woody Island in the South China Sea. These platforms significantly extend China’s strike capability and serve as strategic messaging to both Taipei and Washington.

3. China continues to conduct gray-zone operations aka non-kinetic forms of coercion, including cyberattacks on Taiwan’s infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, and illegal incursions by maritime militia vessels. Though these actions fall below the threshold of open warfare, they are designed to wear down Taiwan’s defenses and destabilize the region. 

4. According to U.S. intelligence assessments, Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed the PLA to be capable of launching an invasion of Taiwan by 2027. While not a confirmed deadline for action, it has catalyzed PLA modernization, emphasizing joint force integration and amphibious readiness. 

5. China’s strategic expansion in Latin America – especially through Belt and Road investments and attempts to influence key nodes such as the Panama Canal reflect broader ambitions to project global power and encircle U.S. interests. These moves indirectly support Taiwan-related ambitions by distracting or overextending U.S. response capabilities.

6. Recent PLA exercises have incorporated civilian ferries capable of transporting tanks and personnel—suggesting preparations for amphibious operations on Taiwan’s shores. The dual-use nature of these assets allows China to mask military buildup under the guise of civilian activity.

7. Beijing has intensified its political narrative around ‘reunification,’ including state media coverage, educational reforms, and speeches by top Chinese officials. These ideological signals often precede military action in authoritarian regimes.

8, China has rapidly expanded its coastal infrastructure, including new docks, airstrips, and logistics hubs in Fujian Province—directly across the Taiwan Strait. Satellite imagery suggests these assets are optimized for a cross-strait operation.

9. Chinese fighter jets and warships have entered Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) at unprecedented levels. In early 2025 alone, PLA aircraft breached Taiwan’s ADIZ over 1,200 times, prompting elevated readiness levels in Taipei.

The question of whether China will invade Taiwan is no longer hypothetical but a matter of timing and risk calculus. While Beijing continues to deny aggressive intent, the evidence suggests a sustained and deliberate military buildup with the intent to compel reunification—if not peacefully, then by force. 

Hegseth’s warning reflects not alarmism, but a sober assessment of escalating realities. These indicators—military drills, strategic deployments, political rhetoric, and infrastructure mobilization—align with historical precedents for pre-invasion posturing.

The international community must take this threat seriously. Strengthening deterrence, improving intelligence sharing, and reinforcing Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities are critical to avoiding a regional catastrophe. For the United States and its allies, readiness is no longer optional—it is a strategic imperative.

Hamas has said it has agreed to release ten living hostages being held captive by the terror group and return the bodies of 18 others. 

The militant group made the announcement in a statement Saturday and said it was being done on the condition that a number of Palestinian prisoners be returned in exchange as part of a means to achieve a permanent ceasefire.

Hamas said the agreement comes after a proposal by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who has yet to comment publicly on the Hamas statement.

‘After conducting a round of national consultations, and based on our immense sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) today submitted its response to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest proposal to the mediating parties,’ the Hamas statement reads. 

‘This proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to our people and our families in the Gaza Strip.’

Hamas is holding 58 hostages in Gaza. Of these, Israeli intelligence assesses that at least 34 are deceased, leaving approximately 24 believed to be alive. More than 250 people were captured during the Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

The latest proposal being negotiated involves the release of 10 living hostages and a number of bodies during a 60-day pause in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, including 100 serving long sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing a Hamas official and an Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity.

U.S. negotiators had not publicized the terms of the proposal.

President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiators were nearing a deal.

‘They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza, and we’ll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow,’ Trump told reporters in Washington. Late in the evening, asked if he was confident Hamas would approve the deal, he told reporters: ‘They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is facing backlash after saying that creating life is ‘the least’ of what a woman’s reproductive system does. 

On the latest episode of the podcast ‘IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson,’ the former first lady and her brother were joined by OB/GYN Dr. Sharon Malone, whose husband, Eric Holder, served as Attorney General under former President Barack Obama. During the discussion, the former first lady lamented that women’s reproductive health ‘has been reduced to the question of choice.’ 

‘I attempted to make the argument on the campaign trail this past election was that there’s just so much more at stake and because so many men have no idea about what women go through,’ Obama said. She went on to claim that the lack of research on women’s health shapes male leaders’ perceptions of the issue of abortion.

‘Women’s reproductive health is about our life. It’s about this whole complicated reproductive system that the least of what it does is produce life,’ Obama added, ‘It’s a very important thing that it does, but you only produce life if the machine that’s producing it — if you want to whittle us down to a machine — is functioning in a healthy, streamlined kind of way.’

In the same episode, the former first lady seemed to scold Republican men by saying that the men who ‘sit on their hands’ over abortion are choosing to ‘trade out women’s health for a tax break or whatever it is.’ Obama also criticized Republican women, suggesting they voted for President Donald Trump because of their husbands.

‘There are a lot of men who have big chairs at their tables, there are a lot of women who vote the way their man is going to vote, it happened in this election.’

The ‘Becoming’ author’s remarks drew criticism from pro-life activists, including Danielle D’Souza Gill, the wife of Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas. The couple announced the birth of their second child earlier in May. 

‘Motherhood is the most beautiful and powerful gift God gave women. Creating life isn’t a side effect, it’s a miracle. Don’t let the Left cheapen it,’ D’Souza Gill wrote in a post on X.

Isabel Brown, a content creator and author, also slammed the former first lady as a ‘supposed feminist icon.’

‘I am SO sick [and] tired of celebrities [and] elitists attempting to convince you that your miraculous superpower ability to GROW LIFE from nothing is somehow demeaning [and] ‘lesser than’ for women,’ Brown wrote.

At the time of this writing, Obama’s podcast is ranked 51 on Apple Podcasts and doesn’t appear on the list of the top 100 podcasts on Spotify. However, it is ranked 91 on the list of 100 trending podcasts on Spotify. The entire episode with Malone is available on YouTube, where it currently has just under 41,150 views so far.

Hunter Biden was seen out and about with his family in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday amid Republicans’ investigation into an alleged ‘conspiracy’ related to his father’s cognitive decline as president. 

The embattled son of the former president toured Cape Town with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and son, Beau Biden Jr., driving a rented Toyota sedan, a big change from the black Chevy Suburbans he was used to traveling in before President Donald Trump yanked his Secret Service detail. 

In March, Trump terminated Hunter Biden’s Secret Service detail after former President Joe Biden extended his son’s detail indefinitely. Typically, children of former presidents only enjoy Secret Service protection if they are 16 or younger.

Trump’s move to remove Hunter Biden’s detail came as the former president’s son was once again vacationing in South Africa.

Hunter Biden and his family were seen on the Sea Point Main Road, a main thoroughfare in a wealthy part of Cape Town, paying for parking and stopping into the local butcher. Based on the images, it is apparent Hunter no longer has the luxury of a Secret Service detail.

The new pictures also mark the first time Hunter Biden has been seen publicly since his father’s public cancer announcement.

Republicans are launching a new investigation into the alleged ‘conspiracy’ behind former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. 

Senstors Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, announced plans to hold a Senate Judiciary hearing June 18 to look into the alleged cover-up of the 82-year-old former president’s mental decline while in office by the media and those closest to him.

The lawmakers are still gathering witnesses for the probe, which would be the first full congressional committee hearing on the subject.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.

A federal appeals court paused a lower ruling blocking President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, siding with the administration Thursday in a legal fight over the White House’s use of an emergency law to enact punishing import taxes. 

The back-and-forth injected more volatility into markets this week after several weeks of relative calm, and court observers and economists told Fox News Digital they do not expect the dust to settle any time soon. 

Here’s what to know as this litigation continues to play out.

What’s happening now?

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit temporarily stayed a lower court ruling Thursday that blocked two of Trump’s sweeping tariffs from taking force.

The ruling paused a decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) allowing Trump to continue to enact the 10% baseline tariff and the so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ that he announced April 2 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.

It came one day after the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled unanimously to block the tariffs.

Members of the three-judge panel who were appointed by Trump, former President Barack Obama and former President Ronald Reagan, ruled unanimously that Trump had overstepped his authority under IEEPA. They noted that, as commander in chief, Trump does not have ‘unbounded authority’ to impose tariffs under the emergency law. 

Now, lawyers for the Trump administration and the plaintiffs are tasked with complying with a fast schedule with deadlines in both courts. Plaintiffs have until 5 p.m. Monday to file their response to the Court of International Trade, according to Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation of the Liberty Justice Center, which represents five small businesses that sued the administration. 

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit gave plaintiffs until Thursday to file a response to the stay and the Trump administration until June 9 to file a reply, Schwab told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

The goal is to move expeditiously, and lawyers for the plaintiffs told Fox News they plan to file briefs to both courts before the deadlines to mitigate harm to their clients.

‘Hopefully,’ Schwab said, the quick action will allow the courts to issue rulings ‘more quickly than they otherwise would.’

What’s at stake?

The Trump administration praised the stay as a victory.

The appellate court stay on the CIT ruling ‘is a positive development for America’s industries and workers,’ White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.

‘The Trump administration remains committed to addressing our country’s national emergencies of drug trafficking and historic trade deficits with every legal authority conferred to the president in the Constitution and by Congress.’

But some economists warned that continuing to pursue the steep tariffs could backfire. 

The bottom line for the Trump administration ‘is that they need to get back to a place [where] they are using these huge reciprocal tariffs and all of that as a negotiating tactic,’ William Cline, an economist and senior fellow emeritus at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said in an interview. 

Cline noted that this had been the framework laid out earlier by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had embraced the tariffs as more of an opening salvo for future trade talks, including between the U.S. and China. 

‘I think the thing to keep in mind there is that Trump and Vance have this view that tariffs are beautiful because they will restore America’s Rust Belt jobs and that they’ll collect money while they’re doing it, which will contribute to fiscal growth,’ said Cline, the former deputy managing director and chief economist of the Institute of International Finance.

‘Those are both fantasies.’

What happens now?

Plaintiffs and the Trump administration wait. But whether that wait is a good or bad thing depends on who is asked.

Economists noted that the longer the court process takes, the more uncertainty is injected into markets. This could slow economic growth and hurt consumers. 

For the U.S. small business owners that have sued Trump over the tariffs, it could risk potentially irreparable harm.

‘Some of the harm has already taken place. And the longer it goes on, the worse it is,’ said Schwab. 

The White House said it will take its tariff fight to the Supreme Court if necessary. But it’s unclear if the high court would choose to take up the case.

The challenge comes at a time when Trump’s relationship with the judiciary has come under increasing strain, which could make the high court wary to take on such a politically charged case. 

Lawyers for the plaintiffs described the case as ‘very likely’ to be appealed to the Supreme Court, but it’s unclear whether it will move to review it.

‘It’s possible that because the case is before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which essentially applies to the country, unlike specific appellate courts, which have certain districts, that the Supreme Court might be OK with whatever the Federal Circuit decides and then not take the case,’ Schwab said. 

For now, the burden of proof shifts to the government, which must convince the court it will suffer ‘irreparable harm’ if the injunction remains in place, a high legal standard the Trump administration must meet.

Beyond that, Schwab said, the court will weigh a balancing test. If both sides claim irreparable harm, the justices will ask, ‘Who is irreparably harmed more?

‘And I think it’s fair to say that our clients are going to be more irreparably harmed than the United States federal government. Because our clients might not exist, and the United States federal government is certainly going to exist.’

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrapped up his time as the public face of DOGE in a press conference with President Donald Trump on Monday, leaving behind a total estimated $175 billion in government cost-cutting over the past few months. 

The $175 billion in savings from slashing government contracts, selling assets, identifying improper payments, and other cost-cutting measures amounts to $1,086.96 per each individual taxpayer, according to the DOGE website. 

The cuts took place all across the government, highlighted by a complete dismantling of USAID, where 83% of the agency’s programs and 5,200 contracts were canceled following the conclusion of a six-week review by DOGE.

Trump discussed some of the other more significant cuts in the Friday press conference.

$20 million for Arab Sesame Street in the Middle East,’ Trump said. ‘Nobody knows what that’s all about. Nobody’s been able to find it. $8 million for making mice transgenders. So they spent $8 million in making mice transgender. And those are better than many others. I could sit here all day and read things just like that.’

While some outlets, including The New York Times and BBC News, have disputed DOGE’s $175 billion estimate and argued the true number is smaller, Musk told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that the savings will continue to build, and he is confident the total cuts will amount to $1 trillion in the coming years. 

The DOGE influence will only grow stronger,’ Musk said. ‘I liken it to a sort of person of Buddhism. It’s like a way of life so it is permeating throughout the government. And I’m confident that over time, we’ll see $1 trillion of savings, and a reduction in $1 trillion of waste, fraud reduction.’

Additionally, Musk said that the DOGE cuts would soon hit the $200 billion threshold for fiscal year 25-26.

From the start, DOGE was hit with not only a tsunami of negative press and outraged Democratic lawmakers, but also a series of lawsuits, which bogged it down in protracted legal battles as Musk struggled to reach his original estimates of $1-2 trillion in cuts. 

This, coupled with the reality of most of the major end cuts requiring congressional approval to carry out, relegated DOGE’s impact on cutting around the edges of the big programs and agencies it likely would have liked to eliminate entirely.

Musk was asked on Friday what the biggest ‘roadblock’ was for him at DOGE.

‘It’s mostly just a lot of hard work,’ Musk responded. ‘It’s really not any one person or Congress. It’s going through really millions of line items and saying just each one of them makes sense or does not make sense.’

‘Obviously, at times when you cut expenses, those who are receiving the money, whether they receive, whether they’re receiving that money legitimately or not. They do complain, and you’re not going to hear someone confessing that they received money inappropriately. Never. They’re going to always say that they received money appropriately for a report. Of course, naturally, that’s what you’d expect.’

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

With Elon Musk leaving his role at the White House as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump saying DOGE’s work will continue, the question now in Washington is who will take the reins to become Musk’s successor.

Musk, who has led Trump’s waste-cutting task force from Inauguration Day until now, announced his departure in an X post this week, saying: ‘As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,’

Musk said the DOGE mission ‘will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.’

So, who will take Musk’s place? Right now, no one.

A senior White House official previously told Fox News Digital that ‘the DOGE employees at their respective agency or department will be reporting to and executing the agenda of the president through the leadership of each agency or department head.’

The official said DOGE is now part of the ‘DNA’ of the federal government, and that it will keep operating as it already has. 

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that ‘the DOGE leaders are each and every member of the president’s cabinet and the president himself, who is wholeheartedly committed to cutting waste, fraud and abuse from our government.’

These statements cast doubt on whether any singular individual will succeed Musk as the DOGE chief. However, if Trump finds a DOGE successor necessary and decides to shift gears, who could fill Musk’s shoes?  

Amy Gleason

While Musk was never an official federal employee, Amy Gleason, a little-known government employee who also worked in the first Trump administration, has been serving as the official acting chief of the United States DOGE Service (USDS) since February.

If the president decides to steer clear of any public-facing DOGE chief, it seems likely that he will keep Gleason on as a more behind-the-scenes DOGE leader at USDS.

Gleason, 53, is a career official who was recognized by the Obama administration as a ‘champion of change’ for her work with several nonprofits researching and raising awareness about a rare autoimmune disorder known as Juvenile Myositis. Gleason previously worked in the first Trump administration in what was then called the U.S. Digital Service before leaving to work at Russell Street Ventures, which was founded by Brad Smith, another DOGE leader.

Keeping Gleason on as DOGE chief would allow the president to keep the agency’s efforts alive while following the structure of each cabinet head leading their own waste-cutting programs.

Russell Vought

As director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought has already been a central figure in DOGE’s waste-cutting efforts.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Vought already has plans to continue Musk’s efforts, even in his current role as OMB head. Vought is a close ally of Trump and a much more subdued personality than Musk, making him appear as a likely pick to take over DOGE. 

However, Vought does come with his own political baggage, with many on the left labeling him a ‘Christian nationalist’ and criticizing his role as a co-author of Project 2025. Still, he was successfully confirmed by the Senate in his current role as OMB director.

Vivek Ramaswamy

A one-time GOP presidential candidate-turned key Trump ally, Vivek Ramaswamy, has been widely reported as a top contender to replace Musk at the helm of DOGE. Ramaswamy co-led DOGE alongside Musk for a short period at the start of Trump’s second term. However, he stepped down from his DOGE leadership role in February to begin his run for Ohio governor.

Though Ramaswamy shares Musk’s and Trump’s vision for cutting government waste, it would seem unlikely he would rejoin the DOGE team any time soon with his eyes on winning the keys to the Ohio governor’s mansion in 2026.

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.