Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., saw her nomination to serve as ambassador to the United Nations under President Donald Trump crumble last week before she ultimately withdrew her name from consideration. 

The saga unfolded quickly, with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, only being informed of Stefanik’s withdrawal by the White House roughly two hours before Trump shared it on social media. 

Two senior House GOP aides told Fox News Digital that even Republican leaders were blindsided by the decision. 

‘Trump pulling Stefanik’s nomination for ambassador to the U.N. blindsided seemingly everyone on Capitol Hill,’ one senior House GOP aide said Thursday. ‘As early as yesterday, representatives were praising her as the ‘soon-to-be-ambassador.’’

A White House official told Fox News Digital it was about the GOP’s shrinking majority in the House: ‘The season for needing votes is upon us – reconciliation, debt ceiling. Every vote counts.’

Trump himself was reportedly concerned about the slim House majority and Democrats over-performing in special elections in Florida. Stefanik, who had been poised for a bipartisan confirmation process, said she’d spoken with Trump multiple times since Thursday.

‘It was a combination of the New York corruption that we’re seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin,’ Stefanik said on ‘Hannity’ Friday. ‘I’ve been in the House. It’s tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country.’

‘The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I’m committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents,’ she added. 

Upon hearing the news, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters, ‘The only reason they would do it is because of the House,’ referring to the lower chamber’s slim majority.

‘Because everybody likes her [and] thinks she’s qualified.’

‘But I could understand why that would be a problem,’ he explained. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., wasn’t even aware of her looming withdrawal when reporters first asked him. ‘It’s probably something to do with political realities,’ he said. 

The Republicans’ House majority is crucial to getting Trump agenda priorities done through the key budget reconciliation process, which the GOP has been trying to expedite. 

With an already fragile majority, Republicans also faced potential trouble on two fronts in special elections prior to Stefanik stepping back. 

For Stefanik’s New York district, Republican-on-Republican infighting was threatening the party’s hold on the seat. 

One of the candidates even threatened to run as a third-party candidate if he didn’t get the GOP nod. 

That could have put the possibility of splitting the Republican base in play, giving a Democratic candidate a prime opportunity to prevail – though GOP elections sources denied concerns over her seat.

Another point of concern for the GOP majority is the election to replace national security advisor and former Rep. Mike Waltz in Florida’s 6th District on Tuesday. 

The Democratic candidate, Josh Weil, and Democrats have poured money into the race to flip the red seat. 

If Weil is successful, Republicans in the House would have one less vote to advance Trump’s agenda items, particularly his hallmark tax cuts. 

As the reality of these concerns set in, Trump took to Truth Social last week to confirm that Stefanik was withdrawing as U.N. ambassador nominee. ‘I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

‘With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations,’ he said. 

A group of more than two dozen financial officers from across the United States has sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi warning how the ‘domestic terrorism’ attacks carried out against Tesla dealerships in recent weeks ‘have led to significant financial losses affecting millions of Americans.’

‘These attacks are not just politically charged, they undermine the financial well-being of the public servants who dedicate their lives to the betterment of our society and affect the long-term financial growth of our state pension systems and other state treasury investments,’ the letter to Bondi, signed by 26 state financial officers nationwide, explains. 

‘Many state investment funds, including public pensions that hold the retirement savings of our public school teachers, first responders, and police officers, are invested in Tesla for good reason. As of December 31, 2024, Tesla employs over 125,000 workers, and, before these incidents began in late January 2025, was valued at roughly $1.3 trillion and trading at over $400 per share,’ the letter continued. ‘Since these attacks started, Tesla’s stock has plummeted. It is unconscionable that the financial well-being of our public school teachers and police officers, and all beneficiaries of our state treasury funds – to say nothing of those whose personal property has been vandalized – has become collateral damage of rage politics and violent actions.’

What began as protests against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have escalated into violent incidents against the Trump ally’s company, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows and charging stations set on fire. 

The rise in incidents has caused the FBI to launch a task force to crack down on Tesla crime, and the Justice Department to announce charges against arson suspects, with Bondi labeling the attacks ‘domestic terrorism.’

The letter commends the actions the administration has taken, including ‘swift’ action by the FBI and says it is ‘our responsibility to call out radical elements of society that seek to use violence as a form of political and economic persuasion.’

‘The despicable attacks being carried out on Tesla vehicles across the nation are driven by radical political hatred and must not be tolerated. Not only are the attacks a threat to innocent people’s physical safety – they have also caused considerable financial harm, not just for Tesla owners or the company itself, but for millions of everyday Americans whose pension funds are invested with Tesla,’ Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

‘As a result, the retirement savings of schoolteachers, police officers, and other public servants are at serious risk. My co-signers and I thank the Justice Department for their swift and decisive action against the perpetrators and call on other elected officials to condemn this violence for exactly what it is: domestic terrorism meant to intimidate and destabilize society.’

Prominent Democrats have been slow to condemn the violence at Tesla dealerships, including over a dozen Democrats who have previously warned about the dangers of domestic terrorism in the past. 

As the violence across the country continues, Elon Musk and other top Republicans have been increasingly calling out the protests and violence as being motivated by far-left groups and organizations. 

‘The anti-Tesla attacks are dangerous, selfish, and completely indefensible,’ O.J. Oleka, CEO of the State Financial Officers Foundation, told Fox News Digital. 

‘The radicals behind these crimes are dead wrong if they think they are victimless or merely symbolic. Those engaging in this domestic terrorism are putting human life at risk while also robbing hardworking Americans of their financial peace, especially those who depend on public pensions. No teacher or police officer or first responder should have to see their retirement savings suffer because hate-fueled violence was allowed to go on, or worse, shamefully encouraged by certain attention-hungry politicians. As this letter makes clear, our financial officers will support every necessary action to protect Americans, their property, and their financial future.’

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is resigning from the House Freedom Caucus, she announced in a letter to fellow conservatives on Monday.

It’s the latest escalation in her fight against House GOP leaders and a small group of members on the right flank of their conference over the issue of proxy voting. Luna has teamed up with Democrats and several other Republicans on a mechanism aimed at forcing consideration of legislation that allows new parents in the House to vote remotely for 12 weeks around their baby’s birth.

‘I have consistently supported each of you, even in moments of disagreement, honoring the mutual respect that has guided our caucus,’ Luna wrote. ‘That respect, however, was shattered last week.’

The focus of her anger is a brief incident from earlier this month when a group of House conservatives held up a chamber-wide vote on unrelated legislation to press GOP leaders to kill Luna’s measure – known as a ‘discharge petition.’

A discharge petition allows lawmakers to force a bill onto the House floor, despite objections from leadership, provided the mechanism gets signatures from a majority of the chamber.

‘Acting within the House conference rules – rules we all agreed to – I sought to bring a vote to the floor on a measure that would allow new mothers in Congress (fewer than 14 in our nation’s history) and fathers, if they choose, to vote by proxy,’ Luna continued. 

 ‘This was a modest, family-centered proposal. Yet, a small group among us threatened the Speaker, vowing to halt floor proceedings indefinitely – regardless of the legislation at stake, including President Trump’s agenda – unless he altered the rules to block my discharge petition.’

She shared praise for House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., whose conduct she called ‘gentlemanly,’ but added, ‘With a heavy heart, I am resigning from the Freedom Caucus.’

‘I cannot remain part of a caucus where a select few operate outside its guidelines, misuse its name, broker backroom deals that undermine its core values and where the lines of compromise and transaction are blurred, disparage me to the press, and encourage misrepresentation of me to the American people,’ Luna wrote.

She will be the first House Freedom Caucus member to leave the group, which does not advertise its membership, in the 119th Congress.

The most recent departures before Luna include Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Randy Weber, R-Texas, who were both pushed out, and Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who left during the shakeup.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he believed proxy voting was ‘unconstitutional’ in remarks after House Republicans’ weekly closed-door meeting on Tuesday.

‘We addressed this in conference this morning. A couple of our, a handful of our colleagues, have gotten behind the effort, and, look, I’m a father. I’m pro-family,’ the speaker said. ‘Here’s the problem. If you create a proxy vote opportunity just for young parents, mothers and, the fathers in those situations, then where is the limiting principle?’

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of Luna’s now-former House Freedom Caucus colleagues, wrote on X of the issue, ‘Respectfully to my friend – this (unconstitutional) rule would ultimately NOT be limited to moms. Cancer patients, dads, & worst of all, people who lazily abuse it (eg, voting from boats). She leaves out her discharge allows no amendments! We should show up to work/vote.’

A Palestinian man protesting Hamas, the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip, was fatally tortured, with his body left on his family’s doorstep as a warning to others who are thinking of publicly opposing the organization. 

Uday Al Rabay, 22, was beaten and died after participating in an anti-Hamas protest in the Palestinian territories last week, said a senior officer affiliated with the opposition Fatah party, The New York Post reported.

‘Uday was martyred by the criminals of Hamas. And what’s his crime? He told the truth, because he refused to be silent on injustice, because he did not kneel to Hamas,’ said Mazen Shat, a police officer linked to Fatah, to the Telegraph.

Rabay was targeted allegedly after pictures purportedly of him were shared on the Telegram messaging app. He was allegedly kidnapped after the protest last week. 

‘Hamas is oppressing people in a brutal way,’ Shat said. ‘Like a puppy [with] a rope around his neck, they dragged [Uday’s body] to the door of his house and told his family that this is the punishment for those who complain about Hamas.’

Protests against Hamas happened in Gaza after Israel resumed its bombing of the territory following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire between Hamas and the Jewish state. 

Israel has bombarded Gaza since, prompted backlash against Hamas. 

‘People have been under Israeli bombing since October 2023, they don’t want the war to continue by all means,’ said Sam Habeeb, a London-based Gazan, to the Telegraph.

Protesters have called for Hamas to be removed from power.

‘The people do not want the rule of Hamas. The rule of Hamas is over,’ a protester said, according to the Akron Jewish News. ‘This Hamas rule has destroyed us, killed us and displaced all the people.’

President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would continue to search for Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012. 

Tice, who previously served as a captain in the Marine Corps and was a student at Georgetown University Law Center, started working as an independent journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post and other outlets in Syria in May 2012 before jihadist militants seized him near Damascus. 

Trump said that although there has been ‘virtually no sign’ of Tice, his administration would continue to try to secure Tice’s release. 

‘Until we find out something definitive, one way or the other, we’ll never stop looking,’ Trump told reporters Monday. ‘But we have been, and the response – it’s just a lot of dead ends. It’s been done for a long time. The problem is, there’s never been a sighting.’

Trump’s comments come after Tice’s mother, Debra, told reporters at the National Press Club in December that they’d received information suggesting that her son was still alive. 

‘We have from a significant source that has been vetted all over our government: Austin Tice is alive,’ his mother Debra Tice said Dec. 6. She later met with former President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, at the White House to discuss her son’s wrongful detainment. 

Meanwhile, rebels also overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime in December, prompting the FBI to issue a statement reiterating its push from April 2018 for more information that could lead to Tice’s release. 

‘Given recent events in Syria, the FBI is renewing our call for information that could lead to the safe location, recovery, and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was detained in Damascus in August 2012,’ the FBI said in a statement in December. 

‘The FBI and our government partners remain committed to bringing Austin home to his family, and we are still offering a reward of up to $1 million for information that leads to Austin’s safe return,’ the FBI said. 

Both Trump’s first administration and Biden’s administration have launched efforts to advance the release of Tice. Biden urged the Syrian government to release Tice in 2020, and said the U.S. knew ‘with certainty’ that the Syrian regime was holding him hostage. Syria has publicly denied it has detained Tice. 

There were 46 American nationals known to be held captive in 16 different countries in 2024, according to the nonprofit Foley Foundation, which advocates for U.S. hostages and was named after James Foley, a U.S. journalist kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014. That number is now likely closer to the low 30s after the recent releases of hostages in January and February through efforts by the Trump administration. 

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and Stephany Price contributed to this report. 

: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., will vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nominee, Dr. Mehmet Oz, after securing commitments from him regarding transgender treatments for minors and abortion. 

‘On this basis, I will vote to confirm him. Now that I am confident that he has moved away from his previous positions, and he’s moved into alignment with the president, I feel comfortable voting for him,’ he told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Monday. 

The senator revealed that Oz responded to his inquiries and disavowed his past stances on transgender treatments for minors and abortion in a series of posts on X earlier in the day. 

‘Dr. Oz has responded to my questions re: past support for trans treatments for minors & his criticism of right to life. Oz now disavows his previous support for trans surgeries & drugs for minor children. He pledges to ‘end chemical and surgical mutilation of children,’’ Hawley wrote on X on Monday. 

‘He also walks back past criticism of state pro-life laws, says he supports the Dobbs decision, and is ‘unequivocally pro-life.’ He vows to enforce conscience protections, end the abuse of [the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act], and work to end funding for abortion providers,’ he continued. 

‘This was really a big shift of position for him,’ he explained, adding that he was ‘delighted’ by Oz’s responses. 

‘When it comes to the [transgender] issue and the life issue, those are non-negotiable for me, just as I believe they are for the president,’ the Missouri Republican explained. ‘I want to know that these people are 100% clear.’ 

‘Every member of the Trump administration is working from the same playbook, President Trump’s playbook, to restore commonsense policies and put an end to left-wing ideological nonsense afflicting our government,’ White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital in a statement. ‘We look forward to the Senate’s swift confirmation of Dr. Oz so he can join the rest of our all-star team at HHS working to Make America Healthy Again by restoring common sense, transparency, and confidence in our healthcare apparatus.’

Earlier in the month, Hawley sent Oz a list of questions, specifically probing him on those issues. As of last week, Hawley said the nominee hadn’t responded, which the senator called ‘strange.’ 

Oz previously used his television show as a platform for people who supported and promoted transgender treatments, particularly for minors. Specifically, he hosted two transgender children on his show in 2010 in a segment titled, ‘Transgender Kids: Too Young to Decide?’ 

He also expressed concerns about state laws to limit abortion during a 2019 interview on the popular radio show ‘The Breakfast Club.’

It’s ‘a hard issue for everybody,’ he said at the time. 

And while on ‘a personal level,’ Oz didn’t like abortion, he also believed he should not ‘interfere with everyone else’s stuff,’ he said. 

Oz also opposed government jurisdiction on the subject of abortion when he ran for Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican in 2022.

‘I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all,’ he claimed during a debate with now-Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. ‘I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward, so states can decide for themselves.’

Hawley’s commitments from Oz are just the latest he’s received from Trump nominees as he considers them for confirmation. He previously got assurances from now-Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the same issues. 

When it came to now-leader of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Marty Makary, Hawley led a successful campaign to secure the resignation of a top lawyer with the FDA who previously argued in favor of abortion pill access in a high-profile case while in former President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ). 

‘I just view my role for those I have to vote on — I want to know that these people are going to align with the president,’ Hawley said, noting that he believes Trump has ‘moved really fast [and] really strong’ on the issues. 

President Donald Trump said he would ‘love’ to run against former President Barack Obama in a hypothetical third-term run for the presidency that he has floated in recent days. 

‘I know it’s hypothetical right now, but if you were allowed for some reason to run for a third term, is there a thought that the Democrats could try to run Barack Obama against you?’ Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Trump on Monday evening from the Oval Office. 

‘I’d love that,’ Trump responded. ‘I’d love that …. That would be a good one. I’d like that. And no, people are asking me to run, and there’s a whole story about running for a third term. I don’t know, I never looked into it. They do say there’s a way you can do it, but I don’t know about that.’

Trump said that he has not looked into the potential legal avenues of running for a third presidency, saying he has nearly four years left of his term and is focused on doing a ‘fantastic job.’

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1951, prevents presidents from serving more than two terms. The amendment was ratified after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected as president for four terms. 

Roosevelt died during his fourth term and Vice President Harry Truman assumed the presidency. FDR is the only president in the nation’s history who has been elected and served more than two terms, which was largely due to the political and economic climate at home and abroad, with his presidency unfolding amid the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. 

Trump teased he might run for a third term in an interview with NBC News on Sunday, saying he is ‘not joking’ about making another run for the Oval Office and enjoys working. 

‘There are methods which you could do it,’ Trump said when asked about how he could go about running for a third term. NBC News floated a possible method during the interview where Vice President JD Vance could run for the presidency, win and pass the torch to Trump. The president said such a scenario is one of the methods he could use to serve a third term. 

‘It is far too early to think about it,’ he added of another potential run.