The White House News

Fears over President-elect Trump’s plan to declare a state of emergency at the border and make use of the military as part of a mass deportation plan have been overblown, according to one expert.

“The country is not going to be militarized,” Alfonso Aguilar, a former chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship and the director of Hispanic engagement at the American Principles Project, told Fox News Digital. “Neighborhoods with immigrants are not going to militarize.”

The comments come after Trump confirmed Monday via Truth Social a report that he is “prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”

“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team, told Fox News Digital.

‘TRUE!!’: TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’

Such plans have been rumored for much of Trump’s campaign, raising fears among some critics that a future Trump administration would deploy the military onto American streets.

“They are promising to use the military to do mass raids of American families at a scale that harkens back to some of the worst things our country has done,” Todd Schulte, the president of FWD.us, an immigration advocacy organization, told The Associated Press in October.

But Aguliar argued that the military is to play a support role, providing logistics support to the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

“There is a lot of fearmongering from the left and many in the media,” Aguliar said. “These are not going to be sweeps of neighborhoods, these are going to be targeted arrests… initially going after criminals.”

“I would anticipate that the military would participate in a supportive capacity,” he continued. “You’re detaining people, you’re going to need to move these people and provide shelter.”

DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS

Aguilar pointed out that federal law limits how Trump can use the military domestically, meaning ICE officers are likely to lead deportation efforts with a logistical hand from the military. On the border, the military would serve as a show of force while also helping be the eyes and ears for Border Patrol officers who are stretched thin across multiple sectors.

“That’s historically how we use the military,” Aguliar said. “Force projection to dissuade people from coming in, but their role is basically to help detect… helping move [migrants] to buses… all the logistical support.”

Aguliar also argued that ICE is likely to make wider use of workplace raids, where again the military’s logistical might could be harnessed to assist with detaining and transporting arrested migrants.

“They’re not going to set loose the military in neighborhoods trying to detect illegal immigrants,” Aguliar said.

Meanwhile, many blue state leaders have announced plans to push back against Trump’s deportations plans, with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey saying she is prepared to use “every tool in the tool box” to protect the state’s migrant residents and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker vowing to “do everything that I can to protect our undocumented immigrants.”

“We cannot prohibit them, federal law enforcement, from coming into our state to, you know, conduct raids or do anything else like that,” Pritzker said last week. “Meanwhile, I think it would be very difficult for them to just spread out across the country. They don’t have enough manpower within the Department of Homeland Security in order to carry that out.”

EXCLUSIVE: The GOP appears to be attracting more of America’s youth than in previous elections, with the 2024 cycle seeing a double-digit shift by young voters toward the top of the Republican ticket.

One of the Republicans leading that new wave is Rep.-elect Brandon Gill, of Texas, who at age 30 will be the youngest member of the House GOP conference and among the youngest in the 119th Congress overall.

“I think that’s a few things. One is that younger voters are looking, more than anything, for sincerity. They’re looking for people who understand what they’re going through,” Gill told Fox News Digital.

“And the reality is, the younger voters, they don’t like things like censorship. They don’t like government authorities telling them what they can and can’t say. Younger voters don’t like entering the workforce and finding out that it’s really difficult to buy a home in Joe Biden’s economy, that it’s really difficult to get a good paying job, to put food on the table, to get groceries.”

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’

The Trump-Vance campaign made multiple overtures to young voters, and young men in particular, who Republicans believed felt largely left behind and disaffected by Democratic leaders’ push toward progressivism. 

President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance sat for interviews with an array of podcasts that generally appeal to young men, including “The Joe Rogan Experience” and a one-on-one with comic Theo Vonn.

The strategy appears to have paid off; Fox News’ voter analysis of the 2024 election saw an 11-point shift by voters under 30 toward Trump, compared to 2020.

Vice President Kamala Harris also significantly underperformed with that age group, netting 51% of those voters compared to President Biden winning 61% when he beat Trump.

Gill spoke with Fox News Digital on Friday afternoon, just after being elected president of the freshman class of House Republicans – a largely ceremonial role for incoming new lawmakers with leadership aspirations.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

“We’ve got to take our country back,” Gill said. “And I jumped in the race because we’ve got to have real, conservative, hard-core fighters who are willing to stand up to the swamp, to the establishment, and actually get real conservative reform here.”

The Texas Republican was elected to represent a deep-red district occupied by retiring House Rules Committee Chairman Michael Burgess, R-Texas, who is four decades older than Gill.

Asked how Republicans can sustain the momentum of 2024 in future elections, Gill said it was about following through on promises.

MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

“I think that the Republican Party, especially President Trump, has a very, very clear mandate, right?… We’ve got a majority in the House. We’ve got a majority in the Senate. President Trump not only won the Electoral College, he won every single swing state. He won the popular vote as well,” Gill said.

“And if Republicans, if we come in, and we execute on the mandate, we do what we said we were going to do, then in two years and four years… people are going to reward us at the ballot box in future cycles.”

In addition to his own fundraising during the 2024 election cycle, Gill also contributed over $170,000 to other House GOP candidates and incumbents, his campaign said.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Democrat from Massachusetts, indicated that she is in support of a Joint Resolution of Disapproval introduced by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders last week, which seeks to block President Biden’s latest arms sale to Israel. 

Sanders said he plans to bring a vote on the resolution some time this week, citing Israel’s violation of international law in its failure to adequately provide humanitarian aid to Gazans amid the nation’s ongoing war with Hamas . Meanwhile, in a statement shared with The Guardian, Warren indicated that she, too, is in favor of halting Biden’s latest weapons sales to Israel for the same reason. 

“On October 13, the Biden administration told Prime Minister Netanyahu that his government had 30 days to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza or face the consequences under U.S. law, which would include cutting off military assistance,” Warren’s statement reads. 

“Thirty days later, the Biden administration acknowledged that Israel’s actions had not significantly expanded food, water and basic necessities for desperate Palestinian civilians. Despite Netanyahu’s failure to meet the United States’ demands, the Biden administration has taken no action to restrict the flow of offensive weapons.”

COULD BIDEN COPY OBAMA WITH DECEMBER SURPRISE AT UN TO PUNISH ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU?

Last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin penned a letter to Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, informing him that if the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not improve over the next month, the U.S. may choose to restrict its future military support to Israel as it continues to wage war against Hamas in Gaza and against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The letter laid out specific steps for Israel to take, including boosting the amount of aid trucks let in to Gaza to 350 per day.

The U.S. ultimately determined, following the 30-day deadline, that while Israel had only made limited progress, it was not in violation of international law. But this conclusion did not sit well with Israel’s critics. 

TRUMP SAID TO LIFT ALL MILITARY RESTRICTIONS ON ISRAEL ON 1ST DAY IN OFFICE ACCORDING TO REPORTS

“Israel’s actions failed to meet any of the specific criteria set out in the U.S. letter. Israel not only failed to meet the U.S. criteria that would indicate support to the humanitarian response, but concurrently took actions that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground, particularly in Northern Gaza,” a group of humanitarian aid groups wrote in a report. 

The joint resolution of disapproval being put forth by Sanders and backed by Warren is a legislative tool used to reverse actions taken by the executive branch.

“The failure by the Biden administration to follow U.S. law and to suspend arms shipments is a grave mistake that undermines American credibility worldwide,” Warren said in her statement of support for Sanders’ resolution. “If this administration will not act, Congress must step up to enforce U.S. law and hold the Netanyahu government accountable through a joint resolution of disapproval.”

The Republican Party blasted Democrats on Monday for their refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, taking aim at three-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey for moving ahead with a costly recount effort, one they argue is a “blatant” violation of state law.

The recount in the state comes after The Associated Press declared the race for Republican candidate David McCormick, who narrowly edged out Casey, a Democrat.

McCormick’s unofficial margin of victory stands at roughly 26,000 votes, or within the 0.5% threshold required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt announced last week that the state would proceed with the recount, noting that counties across the Keystone State had reported a total of some 80,000 uncounted provisional, mail-in or absentee ballots.

The recount began Monday and will continue through Nov. 26, Schmidt said. 

SIZE OF SLIM REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY HANGS ON 5 UNCALLED RACES

Still, Republican Party officials have argued that the results have been decisive and that Casey lacks any achievable path to victory in the recount. 

Republicans have also criticized Casey for declining to waive the recount, which is expected to cost taxpayers more than $1 million.

“What’s taking place in these counties is absolute lawlessness,” Pennsylvania Republican Party Chair Lawrence Tabas said of the recount.

RNC FILES TWO LAWSUITS IN PENNSYLVANIA AMID SEN BOB CASEY REFUSING TO CONCEDE RACE

In recent days, both the national and state Republican parties have petitioned the state Supreme Court not to count mail-in ballots with either incorrect or missing dates in key counties across the state, including Bucks County, Center County and Delaware County.

“Let’s be clear about what’s happening here: Democrats in Pennsylvania are brazenly trying to break the law by attempting to count illegal ballots. They are doing this because they want to steal a senate seat,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley wrote in a post on X.

He also addressed the RNC lawsuits to contest the county decisions, vowing to “fight for as long as necessary” to ensure McCormick’s victory is certified.

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“This is the exact kind of left-wing election interference that undermines voter confidence,” Whatley said.

Results of the recount are slated to be announced Nov. 27.

The House Ethics Committee is meeting this Wednesday after previously postponing a meeting where the panel was expected to discuss its investigation of now-former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Fox News has learned.

Lawmakers were expected to vote on whether to release the committee’s report into Gaetz last Friday before that meeting was canceled without explanation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters that Gaetz had resigned from Congress effective immediately on Wednesday, hours after he was tapped to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters after Gaetz’s nomination that his panel would lose jurisdiction over the Florida Republican if he left Congress.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’

“Once the investigation is complete, then a report will be issued, assuming that at that time, that Mr. Gaetz is still a member of Congress. If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is taking a position with the administration as the attorney general, then the Ethics Committee loses jurisdiction at that point,” Guest said before news of Gaetz leaving.

“Once we lose jurisdiction, there would not be a report that would be issued. That’s not unique to this case.”

The committee’s probe was put to an end after Gaetz’s resignation.

However, several Republicans have already said the report should be released if Gaetz were to go through the attorney general vetting process, including GOP senators whose support would be critical to Gaetz being confirmed.

MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz, which began in 2021, stems from accusations of illicit drug use and sex with a minor.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), which Gaetz has been tapped to lead, also previously investigated the matter but closed that probe with no charges filed.

Gaetz himself has denied any wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for the House Ethics Committee declined to comment on the new Wednesday meeting, which was first reported by CNN.

MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT

Johnson lent his voice to the increasingly heated debate on Friday, telling reporters he did not believe the report should be released.

“The Speaker of the House is not involved with those things. I am reacting to media reports that a report is currently in some draft form and was going to be released on what is now a former member of the House. I do not believe that that is an appropriate thing,” the house speaker said.

“That would open up Pandora’s box and I don’t think that’s a healthy thing for the institution, so that’s my position.”

Fox News Digital reached out to a Gaetz spokesperson for comment.

Fox News’ Daniel Scully contributed to this report.

Vice President Kamala Harris spent a whopping $1.5 billion during her 15-week campaign that ended in defeat to President-elect Donald Trump, including burning through millions of dollars on star-studded events on the eve of the election, according to a report.

According to The New York Times, Harris’ swing state rallies on the night before Election Day exceeded the campaign’s planned budget, ballooning to over $10 million. 

These pricey celebrity events featured Lady Gaga in Philadelphia, Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit, Christina Aguilera in Nevada, James Taylor in North Carolina and Katy Perry in Pittsburgh. While the singers did not receive compensation, the newspaper said officials confirmed that the support staff was compensated.

Part of the higher-than-expected costs came from having to rebuild an entire rally venue in Pittsburgh after the Secret Service said the initial location could not be properly secured, The Times reported.

DEBT-RIDDEN HARRIS CAMPAIGN SPENT $2.6 MILLION ON PRIVATE FLIGHTS FOR STAFF IN OCTOBER: FEC DOCUMENTS

How Harris spent such an exorbitant amount of money during her compressed campaign has left questions as to where all that cash went. 

One payment being scrutinized in recent days has been the reported $1 million payment to Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

An initial report by the Washington Examiner showed the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions on Oct. 15, a month after Winfrey’s town hall with Harris and weeks before the pair appeared at a Harris Philadelphia rally. Now, two sources have told The Times that the full price of the event with Winfrey was closer to $2.5 million.

A Harpo Productions spokesperson acknowledged to Variety that the company took money from the campaign but claimed it was for “production costs.”

“Oprah Winfrey was at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo,” the spokesperson said.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE CRITICIZES HARRIS CAMPAIGN FOR PAYING MASSIVE SUMS TO OPRAH WINFREY, OTHER CELEBS

Other major costs for Harris’ failed campaign included $111 million in online ads seeking donations, about $50 million for door-to-door canvassers and $2.5 million paid to three digital agencies who work with online influencers, The Times reported.

Eyebrow-raising expenses were listed in a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing obtained by Fox News Digital. According to the FEC filing, in the month of October alone, the Harris campaign spent $2,626,110 on private flights. 

The costs ranged from $3,500 to $940,000 per disbursement, with $2.2 million going to a company named Private Jet Services Group, while $430,000 went to Advanced Aviation Team, a charter flight broker.

The Harris campaign is believed to be $20 million in debt, but Harris campaign chief financial officer Patrick Stauffer said in a statement reported by the Times that “there will be no debt” on the upcoming December filings for the campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.