Eight inspectors general abruptly fired by President Donald Trump at the start of his second term appeared in federal court Thursday to challenge their dismissals — a long-shot case that nonetheless sparked fireworks during oral arguments.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes acknowledged on Thursday that it would be difficult for the court to reinstate the eight ousted inspectors generals, who were part of a broader group of 17 government watchdogs abruptly terminated by Trump in January, just four days into his second White House term. 

In a lawsuit last month, the eight inspectors general challenged their firings as both ‘unlawful and unjustified’ and asked to be reinstated — a remedy that Reyes acknowledged Thursday would be exceedingly difficult, even if she were to find that their firings were unconstitutional.

 ‘Unless you convince me otherwise,’ she told the plaintiffs, ‘I don’t see how I could reinstate the inspectors general’ to their roles.

Reyes suggested that the best the court could do would be to order back pay, even as she told both parties, ‘I don’t think anyone can contest that the removal of these people — the way that they were fired — was a violation of the law.’

The preliminary injunction hearing comes more than a month after the eight fired inspectors general filed a lawsuit challenging their termination as unconstitutional. Plaintiffs asked the judge to restore them to their positions, noting in the filing, ‘President Trump’s attempt to eliminate a crucial and longstanding source of impartial, non-partisan oversight of his administration is contrary to the rule of law.’  

Still, the remedies are considered a long shot — and Trump supporters have argued that the president was well within his executive branch powers to make such personnel decisions under Article II of the Constitution, Supreme Court precedent and updates to federal policy.

In 2022, Congress updated its Inspector General Act of 1978, which formerly required a president to communicate to Congress any ‘reasons’ for terminations 30 days before any decision was made. That notice provision was amended in 2022 to require only a ‘substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons’ for terminations.

The 30-day period was a major focus of Thursday’s hearing, as the court weighed whether inspectors general can be considered ‘principal’ or inferior officers. 

The White House Director of Presidential Personnel has claimed that the firings are in line with that requirement, which were a reflection of ‘changing priorities’ from within the administration. 

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, suggested earlier this year that Congress should be given more information as to the reasons for the firings, though more recently he has declined to elaborate on the matter.

Reyes, for her part, previously did not appear to be moved by the plaintiffs’ bid for emergency relief.

She declined to grant their earlier request for a temporary restraining order — a tough legal test that requires plaintiffs to prove ‘irreparable’ and immediate harm as a result of the actions — and told both parties during the hearing that, barring new or revelatory information, she is not inclined to rule in favor of plaintiffs at the larger preliminary injunction hearing.

Despite being an ocean away, Rosie O’Donnell can’t seem to keep her mind off President Trump. 

The two have an ongoing feud that goes back decades, and after Trump was elected a second time, the comedian moved her family to Ireland.

But she still posts anti-Trump content on her social media accounts every few days. 

On Thursday, the 63-year-old posted a video on her Substack channel saying she forgives MAGA supporters.

‘I forgive them, and I know they didn’t ask for my forgiveness. And I hope that doesn’t sound condescending, but I forgive them for making the mistake of believing the Americanized propaganda where we sold a conman as a businessman,’ she said.

The White House told Fox News Digital ‘Good riddance!’ when asked for comment. 

The former co-host of ‘The View’ added that she blames Mark Burnett, who created and produced Trump’s former reality series, ‘The Apprentice.’ 

She said she had met Burnett, and he was a ‘nice guy, and I’d love to know what happened to him. Was it pure greed? Cause everybody in the world knew just how bad he is, but Mark Burnett put a shine on the s—, and everybody thinks it’s gold, and it really is not.’ 

She also brought up Trump and Burnett earlier this week in a TikTok video. 

‘We’ve been lied to by the media that is corporately owned for a very long time, and one of the biggest offenders was the show ‘The Apprentice,’ produced by Mark Burnett,’ she said Monday. ‘He taught Donald Trump how to lie into a character and sell it with rudeness, and that’s all that Donald Trump is.’

The ‘League of Their Own’ actress has even been writing anti-Trump poetry, which she describes as ‘simplistic lyrics to a song to convey a feeling or a mood.’ 

‘once a misogynist…always a creep/ he went after me for years and hasn’t stopped yet/ those who love him/ think I’m the anti christ/ those who hate him/ are my people,’ she wrote in part in one such effort on Substack earlier this month. 

Last week, she also appeared on Ireland’s ‘Late Late Show,’ where she discussed her recent decision to move out of the U.S., her longstanding feud with Trump and more.

In the interview, O’Donnell said she never imagined she’d leave the country and that it’s ‘overwhelmingly sad to me personally and way too much for me to take as well emotionally’ that he won the presidential election in 2024.

When asked about her decision to move to Ireland, she also said, ‘The President of the United States has it out for me and has for 20 years,’ later adding that ‘he sort of uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need.’

She also suggested on the show that Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk’s involvement in Trump’s win should be investigated. 

‘I question why the first time in American history a president has won every swing state and is also best friends and his largest donor was a man who owns and runs the internet,’ O’Donnell said Friday on Ireland’s ‘The Late Late Show.’

O’Donnell confirmed her move to Ireland earlier this month, saying she left the U.S. days before Trump’s inauguration, explaining on TikTok that she thought it ‘would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child.’

O’Donnell and Trump have been involved in a feud since 2006, after she criticized him on ‘The View’ about his leniency toward a Miss USA winner who had been accused of drug use and other bad behavior.

At the time, in reference to Miss USA Tara Conner, Trump said he was a ‘believer in second chances. Tara is a good person. Tara has tried hard. Tara is going to be given a second chance.’

Their feud has continued over the years, with O’Donnell telling Seth Meyers after Trump’s first win that she spends ‘about 90% of my working hours tweeting hatred toward this administration.’

Trump also brought her up in a 2015 Republican primary debate, joking ‘only Rosie O’Donnell’ when he was asked about having called women disparaging names like ‘fat pigs’ and ‘slobs.’ 

During last year’s election, Trump brought up O’Donnell’s name again when he told a crowd at the October Al Smith dinner that ‘The View’ had gotten ‘so bad’ that showrunners ‘really need to bring Rosie O’Donnell back.’

Her name also came up last week when a reporter asked Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, ‘Why in the world would you let Rosie O’Donnell move to Ireland? I think she is going to lower your happiness.’

Before Martin could answer, Trump chimed in and replied, ‘That’s true. I like that question. Do you know you have Rosie O’Donnell? Do you know who she is? You’re better off not knowing.’

O’Donnell later said on the ‘Late, Late Show’ that she sent the prime minister an apology note over the Oval Office episode. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at restoring what he calls ‘truth and sanity’ in American history by reforming the Smithsonian Institution, protecting national monuments, and countering divisive ideology in public institutions.

Trump’s order directs Vice President Vance to work on eliminating ‘improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology’ from Smithsonian museums, research centers, as well as the National Zoo. 

It also pushes Congress to ensure taxpayer dollars do not fund exhibits or programs that ‘degrade shared American values’ or promote ideologies which divide Americans by race.

‘Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite history and force our nation to adopt a factually baseless ideology aimed at diminishing American achievement,’ the order states. 

The Smithsonian is criticized in the EO for promoting narratives that claim American and Western values are harmful. Trump specifically calls out exhibits that suggest sculpture has been used to ‘promote scientific racism’ and that the United States has maintained power through racial systems.

The order also takes issue with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which previously suggested that ‘hard work,’ ‘individualism,’ and ‘the nuclear family’ are aspects of ‘White culture.’

Additionally, the EO declares that the Smithsonian ‘celebrate women’s achievements in the American Women’s History Museum and do not recognize men as women.’

The Executive Order also directs the Secretary of the Interior to restore national parks, monuments, and statues that have been ‘improperly removed or changed’ in recent years to fit what it calls a false revision of history. 

Under the Executive Order, agencies must complete restorations and improvements to Independence Hall before our nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

President Donald Trump late Thursday signed an executive order to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions in agencies with national security missions.

The order cites his authority granted under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and will affect most of the federal government. 

Agencies such as the Departments of State, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Justice and Commerce and the part of Homeland Security responsible for border security are just a few listed in the executive order.

The need to end collective bargaining with federal unions in these agencies is because of their role in safeguarding national security, according to the order. 

‘President Trump is taking action to ensure that agencies vital to national security can execute their missions without delay and protect the American people. The President needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect our national security,’ according to a White House fact sheet regarding the order.

It also claims that ‘Certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump’s agenda,’ and that the ‘largest Federal union describes itself as ‘fighting back’ against Trump. It is widely filing grievances to block Trump policies.’

According to the administration, VA’s unions have filed 70 national and local grievances over President Trump’s policies, averaging over one a day since the inauguration.

‘President Trump supports constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions,’ the White House said.

Police and firefighters will continue to collectively bargain.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., fired back after Elon Musk unflinchingly stood behind the decision to label the lawmaker a ‘traitor.’ 

Musk made the accusation earlier this month when replying to a post in which the senator, who is also a Navy veteran and retired astronaut, argued that it is important for the U.S. to ‘stand with Ukraine.’

When Fox News’ Bret Baier asked Musk why he leveled the accusation, Musk indicated that Americans should care about U.S. interests over those of another nation, adding, ‘if they don’t, they’re a traitor.’

‘But he’s a decorated veteran, a former astronaut, a sitting U.S. senator,’ Baier pressed.

Musk said that does not mean it is ‘OK’ for Kelly to place the interests of another nation over the U.S.

Kelly fired back during an appearance on CNN. 

‘My entire life has been about serving this country,’ he declared, asserting that he always supports America’s best interests and ‘standing with our allies and standing up for democracy is in the best interests of the United States.’

Kelly added that he would categorize Musk as being ‘much closer to Russia.’

Earlier this month, after Musk called him a ‘traitor,’ the senator announced that he would get rid of his Tesla electric vehicle, saying he did not want to drive a ‘car built and designed by an a–hole.’ 

‘I bought a Tesla because it was fast like a rocket ship. But now every time I drive it, I feel like a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people. So Tesla, you’re fired! New ride coming soon,’ he tweeted.

He later announced that his ‘new ride’ is a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Trump administration intends to boost military ties with the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea.

The assurance came during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines, part of Hegseth’s trip to Asia to reaffirm Washington’s ‘ironclad’ commitment to the region under the administration of President Donald Trump.  

‘Deterrence is necessary around the world but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese,’ Hegseth told Marcos. ‘Friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there is free navigation whether you call it the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea.’

‘Peace through strength is a very real thing,’ Hegseth said, praising the Philippines for standing ‘very firm’ to defend its interests in the contested waters.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a major security and global trade route. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the resource-rich and busy waters, but confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in the last two years.

Chinese forces have used powerful water cannons and dangerous maneuvers in the high seas to block what Beijing said were encroachments by Philippine ships into China’s waters. Chinese military aircraft have also approached Philippine patrol planes at alarmingly close distances to drive them away from the Scarborough Shoal, a hotly disputed fishing atoll in the disputed waterway.

Hegseth echoed that pledge by expressing ‘the ironclad commitment’ of Trump and him ‘to the Mutual Defense Treaty and to the partnership.’

Marcos told the U.S. defense chief that by visiting the Philippines first in Asia, he ‘sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region, within the South China Sea.’

‘We have always understood the principle that the greatest force for peace in this part of the world would be the United States,’ Marcos said.

Hegseth’s visit to the Philippines comes a month before the longtime treaty allies hold their largest annual combat exercises that will include live-fire drills. 

The defense secretary’s visit comes as he faces calls back home for his resignation for texting attack plans to a Signal group that included top-level U.S. security officials and the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.