Senate Republicans offered a rare rebuke against President Donald Trump and his trade strategy on Tuesday, despite still remaining largely in lockstep amid the ongoing government shutdown.

A handful of Senate Republicans joined Senate Democrats to end Trump’s use of emergency powers to implement steep, 50% tariffs on Brazil. While the resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., advanced from the upper chamber, it can’t be taken up in the House until early next year.

That’s because House Republicans recently passed a rule that would not allow the chamber to consider legislation dealing with Trump’s tariffs until January of next year.

Five Senate Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, joined all Senate Democrats to advance the resolution with a 52-48 vote.

Their defection from their GOP colleagues comes after Vice President JD Vance warned lawmakers not to vote against Trump’s usage of tariffs during Senate Republicans’ closed-door lunch earlier on Tuesday.

Vance argued after the lunch that tariffs give Trump leverage to craft new trade deals that benefit the country and urged Republicans not to break ranks against the president.

‘To vote against that is to strip that incredible leverage from the president of the United States. I think it’s a huge mistake and I know most of the people in there agree with me,’ he said.

Trump initially used emergency powers to enact stiffer tariffs on Brazil in July and argued ‘that the scope and gravity of the recent policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Brazil constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat’ to the U.S.

It’s not the first time the Senate has disapproved of Trump’s tariffs. Earlier this year, Republicans joined Democrats to rebuke Trump’s emergency declaration for 25% tariffs against Canada, and they tried and failed to reject his use of global tariffs. 

Kaine also has plans to bring two more resolutions, one to block tariffs on Canadian goods and the other on Trump’s global tariffs, later this week.

‘It makes no sense to impose tariffs on Brazil, and it’s just being done to back up the president’s friend,’ Kaine told reporters ahead of the vote.

Kaine was referring to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who at the time of Trump’s declaration, was being prosecuted for an attempted coup after an election loss in 2022. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in September.

Paul argued that ’emergencies are like war, famine, tornado, not liking someone’s tariffs is not an emergency.’

‘Tariffs are an import tax, they are a tax, not a tax on China,’ Paul said. ‘It’s a tax on the people who buy stuff from China, which are mostly Americans. Taxes are supposed to originate in the House, so I will continue to vote to end the emergency.’

When asked why more Senate Republicans hadn’t joined him on his tariff position, Paul said, ‘Fear.’

President Donald Trump spoke to the press while en route to South Korea on Tuesday aboard Air Force One and made remarks about his authority to deploy U.S. military forces domestically — something that will likely draw legal and political concerns.

Trump was traveling to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), where he is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During the media availability, Trump claimed he could deploy U.S. military forces into American cities if necessary, claiming that ‘the courts wouldn’t get involved.’

When speaking with reporters, he said he would consider using the military beyond the National Guard if the need arises.

‘I would do that if it was necessary,’ he said. ‘It hasn’t been necessary. We’re doing a great job without that.’

Trump also argued that, as president, he has the power to take such an action.

‘If I want to enact a certain act, I’m allowed to do it routinely,’ he said. ‘I’d be allowed to do whatever I want… You understand that the courts wouldn’t get involved. Nobody would get involved.’

He added, ‘I could send the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. I can send anybody I wanted, but I haven’t done that because we’re doing so well.’

Trump made it a point to use San Francisco as an example, describing how federal officials were ‘all set to go last Saturday’ to intervene in the city but held off after local leaders asked for a chance to handle it themselves.

‘We would have solved that problem in less than a month,’ he said, adding that federal intervention ‘would go a lot quicker and it’s much more effective.’

He also emphasized what he described as progress in other parts of the U.S.

‘Memphis is making tremendous progress,’ Trump said. ‘It’s down, I think, almost 70%, 60–70%. And within two or three weeks it would be down to almost no crime.’

The president is scheduled to meet with Xi on Wednesday to discuss fentanyl trafficking, trade policy and border security.

President Donald Trump offered new details about his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, saying he expected the meeting to last several hours.

Trump made the comments during a diplomatic dinner hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung on Wednesday. Trump was caught on a hot mic as he sat down for the meal, saying his meeting with Xi on Thursday morning would last ‘three to four hours.’

‘We’re going to have something that’s going to be very, very satisfactory to China and to us. I think we’re gonna have a — I think it’s going to be a very good meeting. I look forward to it tomorrow morning when we meet,’ Trump said.

During his formal remarks, Trump also said he was confident that South Korea’s conflict with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un would ‘work out very well.’

‘You have a neighbor that hasn’t been as nice as they could be, and I think they will be. I know Kim Jong Un very well, and I think things will work out very well,’ he said.

Trump said earlier this week that he would be open to meeting with Kim during his time in South Korea. Trump is entering the final leg of his five-day Asia trip on Wednesday, having already visited Japan earlier this week.

‘I’d love to meet with him if he’d like to meet. I got along great with Kim Jong Un. I liked him, he liked me,’ Trump said during a gaggle on Air Force One on Monday.

Trump met with Kim multiple times during his first term, becoming the first U.S. president to set foot in North Korea. No meeting has been announced for this week, however.

Trump’s talks with his South Korean counterpart come as the two countries move closer to completing a new trade agreement.

Henry Haggard, former minister counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, told Fox News Digital, ‘Trump’s main objective in meeting Lee Jae-myung is to secure a trade deal and, along with that, $350 billion in investments in the United States.’

‘He will also seek to push Lee to commit to a stronger stance against China, and to increase defense spending. Lee will seek to charm Trump, as the key to keeping the bilateral relationship on track is for Lee to have a stronger relationship with Trump.’

Lee is head of a left-leaning government that has so far shown reluctance to enhance South Korea’s partnership with the U.S. for fear of provoking Chinese backlash.

Fox News’ Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

If you’re over 50 and maxing out your 401(k), there’s a big change coming in 2026 that could affect how much tax you pay on your ‘catch-up contributions.’ While it’s mostly about taxes and retirement planning, there’s an unexpected side effect: scammers are circling. Every time your financial habits or personal data become public, it’s a chance for fraudsters to try to exploit you. Here’s what’s changing, why it matters, and how to protect yourself before the scammers come knocking.

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What’s changing with 401(k) catch-up contributions

Right now, if you’re over 50, you can make extra contributions to your 401(k) on top of the standard annual limit ($23,500 in 2025). These ‘catch-up’ contributions are typically tax-deferred, meaning the money comes out of your paycheck before tax and grows tax-free until retirement.

But starting in 2026, for anyone earning more than $145,000 in the previous year, these catch-up contributions will no longer be tax-deferred. Instead, they’ll become like the Roth 401(k), meaning you pay taxes on the money now, but it grows tax-free and can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement.

That sounds simple, but it creates a ripple effect:

• High earners will see less take-home pay now.
• Tax planning gets trickier, and some people may consider restructuring their accounts or investment strategies.
• And, most importantly for CyberGuy readers: these changes create new opportunities for scammers.

Why the new rules could attract scammers

Scammers constantly look for financially active retirees. When rules like this change, fraudsters send out emails, calls, or letters pretending to be financial advisors, IRS agents, or plan administrators. Their goal? To trick you into giving away account numbers, Social Security details, or direct-deposit information.

Some common scam tactics to watch for:

• Fake ‘plan update’ emails claiming you need to verify your 401(k) contributions due to the law change.
• Roth conversion scam calls claiming you can ‘avoid extra taxes’ by transferring your account through a third-party ‘advisor.’
• Urgency and fear tactics, such as ‘Act now, or lose your retirement benefits!’

Even savvy retirees can be caught off guard, especially when the message sounds official and references real tax law changes.

How to protect yourself from 401(k) scams and data theft

With new 401(k) rule changes taking effect, scammers are using the confusion to trick retirees and workers alike. Follow these steps to stay alert, safeguard your savings, and protect your personal data from being stolen or misused.

1) Know the legitimate changes

Start by understanding Secure 2.0 and how catch-up contributions will be taxed. Reliable sources include your plan administrator, the IRS website, or a licensed tax advisor. Staying informed helps you spot fake claims before they cause harm.

2) Use a personal data removal service

For retirees, this extra layer of protection keeps sensitive information out of reach from scammers who exploit tax changes, Roth conversions, and retirement updates. While you can manually opt out of data brokers and track your information, that process takes time and effort. A personal data removal service automates the task by contacting over 420 data brokers on your behalf. It also reissues removal requests if your data reappears and shows you a dashboard of confirmed removals.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

3) Verify every call and email, plus use antivirus software

If you get a call or email about your 401(k), don’t assume it’s real. Hang up or delete it, then contact your plan administrator directly using official contact details. Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from unknown messages.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

4) Monitor your credit and accounts

Cybercriminals often use personal information from earlier data leaks or data brokers. Watch your credit reports and account activity closely. Early detection can stop suspicious transactions before they escalate.

5) Set up alerts and freezes if necessary

Ask your bank and retirement plan to enable transaction alerts. You can also temporarily freeze your credit to prevent anyone from opening new accounts in your name. This is especially useful during times of financial change.

6) Educate friends and family

Scammers often target retirees and their relatives who help manage finances. Remind your loved ones never to share account details over the phone or email. Protecting everyone in your household keeps scammers from finding weak links.

Kurt’s key takeaways

As 2026 approaches, the new 401(k) rule changes will reshape how millions of Americans manage their retirement savings. Staying informed, cautious, and proactive can protect your financial future. Scammers thrive on confusion, but by verifying information, monitoring your accounts, and removing your personal data from risky sites, you can stay one step ahead. Remember, the more control you take over your privacy, the harder it becomes for criminals to exploit it.

Have you taken steps to see where your personal data is exposed, and what did you find most surprising when you checked? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Senate Republicans are mulling a handful of bills to meet funding shortfalls as the shutdown drags on, but one that would prevent funding for federal benefits from lapsing may not get a shot on the floor.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is pushing a bill that would extend funding for food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), until the government reopens and regular government funding continues.

His legislation comes after the Trump administration announced over the weekend the funding for the program would run dry on Saturday, and that they would reshuffle funding from an emergency contingency fund to keep the program afloat.

It’s one of a handful of bills pushed by Republicans to try and ease the pain of the ongoing shutdown. Others include efforts to pay certain federal workers, the military, and air traffic controllers, who missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.

Hawley stressed that he would like a vote on the bill, but that it is so far being blocked from reaching the floor. He believed the legislation, which has 10 Republican co-sponsors and one Democratic co-sponsor, would pass if it hit the floor.

‘My strong encouragement is we don’t need to allow 42 million people to go hungry,’ he said.

But Senate Republican leadership and the White House want to exert pressure on Senate Democrats to reopen the government, and using the piecemeal ‘rifle shot’ strategy could get in the way of that.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., took a firm position against the rifle-shot approach after a closed-door lunch with the Senate GOP and Vice President JD Vance.

‘This piecemeal approach, where you do one-off here, one-off there, to make it seem, you know, more politically palatable to somebody or less painful. That’s just a wrong way to do this,’ Thune said. ‘There’s just a simple way to do it is to pick up the bill on the desk of the Senate and give us five more Democrat votes to pass it.’

Vance said that ‘we’re trying to keep as much open as possible’ and exploring all options with limited funds for SNAP and other issues, and he noted that the White House had found a way to pay the troops.

‘You know what would make this really easy? If the Democrats just opened up the government. Then we wouldn’t have to play this game where we’re trying to find, trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with this budget,’ Vance said.

Other Republicans echoed leadership and the White House’s sentiment.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., similarly has a one-off funding bill that would pay working federal employees and the military, which he’s trying to reconfigure into a compromise proposal with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

However, he didn’t appear keen on supporting Hawley’s bill.

‘The way you provide SNAP benefits is you vote for the House CR. It’s that simple,’ he told Fox News Digital.

But co-sponsors of the bill were still hopeful that it could get a shot before the Saturday funding cliff.

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., is the lone Democratic co-sponsor on the bill. He noted that while Senate Democrats’ primary focus during the shutdown was on extending the expiring Obamacare premium subsidies, it was ‘not to take food from people who need it.’

‘I’m really concerned about people not getting fed,’ he said.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is another co-sponsor on the bill and told Fox News Digital that it depended on ‘how much longer this [shutdown] goes’ on whether the SNAP legislation hits the floor.

‘I hope so, because we can’t let people who need food to starve to death because of Democrats’ vanity and lack of humanity,’ he said.

Federal judges will tackle antisemitism at an annual convention next week, joining a rare multi-judge panel in a forum typically reserved for one-person lectures, Fox News Digital has learned. 

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman, who will moderate the discussion, said the panel is ‘unprecedented’ and a needed change to address what he said was a rise in antisemitism in the aftermath of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel in 2023. The panel is part of the Federalist Society’s annual National Lawyers Convention.

‘This conversation on faith, understanding, and moral responsibility could not be more timely,’ Altman said. ‘It reflects the importance of the moment, the endurance of Western values, and Judge [Robert] Bork’s abiding belief in moral clarity and in the strength that comes from open dialogue.’

The event has for years been named after the late Bork, who, incidentally, once helped break a law firm’s avoidance of hiring Jewish lawyers, according to Senate testimony by his peers in 1987. 

The judges who will participate in the discussion include seven Trump appointees, including Altman, one appointee of former President George Bush, and a justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Altman, a vocal Jewish judge who is based in the Southern District of Florida, said he has also arranged numerous trips for federal judges of varying faiths to visit Israel after the Oct. 7 attack.

He said that although his personal conversations about Israel had largely been centered on campuses, ‘it became clear’ to him that the judiciary needed to chime in because heated discourse surrounding the topic involved legal questions.

The deadly attack in Israel reignited conflict in Gaza and led to nationwide anti-Israel protests, especially on U.S. college campuses. Protesters claimed Israel was killing thousands of innocent Palestinians in Gaza indiscriminately, while the Israeli government said it gave fair warning about its offensive and that its targets were Hamas terrorists.

‘Those claims, is Israel violating the laws of war? Is it an apartheid state? Does it occupy land that doesn’t belong to it?’ Altman said. ‘Those are just legal questions with legal answers, and I thought, who better than federal judges to understand what the applicable legal rule is, to adduce and find out what the relevant facts are, and then to apply the facts to the law and issue a judgment, than a federal judge.’

Some of the judges who will participate on the panel have been on Altman’s Israel trips.

The Federalist Society indicated that the judges plan to speak about their personal experiences talking with people of other faiths about anti-Jewish sentiments. They also plan to address First Amendment concerns surrounding antisemitism.

The discussion comes as the Trump administration has aggressively targeted noncitizens for speech that it has claimed in court is at odds with its national security posture because it is too critical of Israel and potentially supportive of Hamas.

Free speech proponents have warned that offensive and politically charged speech is protected under the Constitution. In the case of Mahmoud Khalil, which has become a flashpoint in these discussions, the courts have been examining the extent to which noncitizens enjoy First Amendment protections.

Altman said he has observed a one-sidedness in the opposite direction on campuses and that pro-Israel expression has been suppressed. Just this year, New York University canceled Jewish legal scholar Ilya Shaprio’s talk there because of what it said were security risks from protesters.

‘I was shocked, honestly, to discover that so many young people in our country, especially on our college campuses, had a totally incorrect view about the one Jewish state in the world and its role in the Middle East and its history and how it came to be, and it also became clear that the sort of debate that was taking place on campus wasn’t really a debate, because only one side of the story was being told,’ Altman said.

The House Freedom Caucus is holding an event this week aimed at praying for an end to political violence as well as those affected by the ongoing government shutdown.

The conservative caucus’ prayer call will be co-led by the Family Research Council, a Christian public policy group.

Attendees are expected to include House Republicans in the Freedom Caucus, former Trump Cabinet official Ben Carson and Frank Turek of Turning Point USA, whose founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated in an act of political violence earlier this year.

In addition to prayers for an end to political violence and the government shutdown, attendees are also expected to pray for President Donald Trump, Congress and peace for Israel.

The event is slated for Thursday, which will mark Day 30 of the ongoing government shutdown.

There appears to be no clear end in sight to the fiscal standoff, with both Republicans and Democrats still firmly entrenched in their positions.

Republicans are pushing for a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal spending levels called a continuing resolution (CR), aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a more enduring deal for FY2026 — which began on Oct. 1.

The GOP bill also included some $88 million in increased security spending for Congress, the White House and the Supreme Court, given the heightened political threat environment.

That measure passed the House on Sept. 19 with support from just one Democrat and all but two Republicans.

It’s stalled in the Senate, however, where at least five more Democrats are needed to overcome a filibuster. Democratic leaders are demanding any funding bill be paired with an extension of COVID-19-era Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

Senate Democrats tanked the GOP’s bill 13 times since Sept. 19.

More than a dozen Republican senators want to see the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk included in President Donald Trump’s proposed pantheon of American heroes.

In a letter to Trump led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the lawmakers requested that Kirk be included in the National Garden of American Heroes, a massive project of 250 life-size statues of some of the country’s most notable figures.

If included, Kirk would join the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Kobe Bryant, Martin Luther King Jr., Amelia Earhart and Albert Einstein, among several others, in the proposed statuary park.

‘The inclusion of Mr. Kirk in the National Garden would not only honor his personal achievements but would also underscore the vital role that civic engagement plays in our national heritage,’ the lawmakers wrote. ‘Recognizing leaders who encourage participation and dialogue ensures that the Garden reflects both the historical and contemporary voices that continue to shape America.’

Kirk was assassinated last month in Orem, Utah, while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University. Since then, lawmakers have pushed for a commemorative coin in his honor; he was posthumously honored by Trump with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and his birthday, Oct. 14, was honored as the Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance.

The latest move to see a statue of Kirk erected in the proposed park in South Dakota, which would sit near Mount Rushmore, also has the backing of his widow, Erika Kirk.

She said in a statement to Fox News Digital that her late husband ‘forever changed the direction of this country, and he made it [a] better place for our children, young people and families. Charlie’s legacy will be felt for generations to come.’

‘My husband was a modern American Founding Father, and he deserves every honor and accolade this nation can bestow on him,’ she said. ‘I am grateful to Senator Cassidy and the 14 other senators who have nominated Charlie for this tremendous honor.’

The National Garden of Heroes was first established by Trump through an executive order in 2020 and later reaffirmed in one of his last executive orders during his first term in early 2021. It later got an injection of $40 million in funding from his ‘big, beautiful bill,’ which he signed into law in July.

In the order, Trump said that the garden would be ‘built to reflect the awesome splendor of our country’s timeless exceptionalism.’

‘In short, each individual has been chosen for embodying the American spirit of daring and defiance, excellence and adventure, courage and confidence, loyalty and love,’ Trump said. ‘Astounding the world by the sheer power of their example, each one of them has contributed indispensably to America’s noble history, the best chapters of which are still to come.’

Trump’s plan, according to a grant application portal that teed up the project’s ambitious timeline, is to have the marble, granite, bronze, copper or brass life-size statues created and situated in the garden by July 2026 to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary.

California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris both remarked in the past few days that they’re keeping their options open for potential 2028 presidential runs. 

‘Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,’ Newsom told ‘CBS News Sunday Morning’ when asked if he would give ‘serious thought’ to a 2028 presidential run after the 2026 midterms. ‘I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.’

‘I have no idea,’ Newsom said of whether he would decide to run, adding that he has not let academic struggles from across his life prevent him from working to ascend the political ladder. ‘The idea that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, that still struggles to read scripts, that was always in the back of the classroom, the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, extraordinary. Who the hell knows? I’m looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that’s the question for the American people.’

Newsom long has been floated as a likely Democrat nominee for the presidency, most notably after the unprecedented 2024 race when President Joe Biden dropped out of the running amid heightened concerns over his mental acuity, and then-Vice President Harris took up the mantle in his absence. President Donald Trump ultimately swept the seven battleground states and won the popular vote and the Electoral College. 

Harris also left the door open to a potential 2028 presidential run while speaking with the BBC in an interview that aired Saturday. Harris is a longtime California Democrat who has served as San Francisco district attorney, the California attorney general, and a U.S. senator representing California before ascending the political landscape as the nation’s vice president in 2021. 

‘I am not done,’ Harris told the British outlet. ‘I have lived my entire career as a life of service, and it’s in my bones.’

Harris said during the interview that her grandnieces would see the first female president ‘in their lifetime, for sure,’ and that she could ‘possibly’ be that woman, according to the BBC. 

Harris brushed off polling that shows her as a 2028 Democrat outsider, saying during the interview that she historically has not listened to polling data.

‘If I listened to polls I would have not run for my first office, or my second office — and I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here.’

The 2024 presidential election threw the Democrat Party into a tailspin as it continues searching for its next de facto leader. Harris published a memoir in September detailing her 107 days on the campaign trail after Biden dropped out of the race, which included a handful of shots at the former president that has caused rifts within the party to grow deeper as it looks for fresh leadership. 

Both Newsom and Harris are longtime political foes of Trump, who has railed against both of them for promoting left-wing West Coast policies. 

Trump, who is term limited and in the midst of his second presidency, welcomed a potential Newsom presidential run back in May, but said the California high-speed rail project intended to connect San Francisco and Los Angeles would prevent him from proceeding in a presidential race.

‘I would love him to run for president,’ he said. ‘I’d love to see that, but I don’t think he’s going to be running because that one project alone — well, that, and the fires and a lot of other things — pretty much put him out of the race.’

The ‘one project alone’ refers to the high-speed rail project that has been plagued by delays and increased costs, with the Trump administration pulling the funding plug on the project in July. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the respective offices of Newsom and Harris Monday morning for additional comment on their 2028 remarks and has yet to receive replies.