War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the end of the Pentagon‘s long-running flu vaccine mandate for U.S. troops.

“The War Department is once again restoring freedom to our Joint Force,” Hegseth announced in an X post, linking to a video statement of his signing the new policy. “We are discarding the mandatory flu vaccine requirement, effective immediately.”

Hegseth said service members would no longer be forced to take the annual flu shot, and instead could decide for themselves whether it was in their best interest, casting the move as part of a broader rollback of what he called overly aggressive medical mandates imposed under the Biden administration.

“Our new policy is simple,” Hegseth said. “If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it, you should.”

HEGSETH VOWS TO REBUILD MILITARY DETERRENCE SO ENEMIES ‘DON’T WANT TO F— WITH US’

“But we will not force you.”

The announcement appears to go further than a Pentagon policy shift disclosed last fall, when an internal memo showed the department had already begun scaling back the flu shot requirement, at least for some troops.

Hegseth framed the change as a matter of personal liberty, religious freedom and military readiness. In the video, he accused the Biden administration of forcing troops to choose “between their conscience and their country” and said that period was over under President Donald Trump.

DAVID MARCUS: IN TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF WAR, IT’S SOLDIERS — NOT EXPERTS — CALLING THE SHOTS

“In this case, this includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it,” Hegseth said. “The notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member everywhere in every circumstance at all times is just overly broad and not rational.”

The Pentagon had required annual flu vaccinations across the force for years, arguing that widespread immunization helped protect readiness, especially in close-quarter military settings where illness can spread quickly. A memo obtained by The Associated Press and reported in September 2025 showed the department had already softened that stance.

That memo, signed May 29 by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, said reservists would only be required to get the flu shot if they were on active duty for 30 days or more. It also said the military would no longer pay for reservists or National Guard members to get vaccinated on their own time.

HEGSETH WORKS OUT WITH US TROOPS IN MALAYSIA AS WAR DEPARTMENT VOWS ‘WE WILL BE FIT, NOT FAT’

At the time, the policy change was not publicly announced, and the memo itself sent mixed signals. While it said the department would require seasonal flu vaccination “only when doing so most directly contributes to readiness,” it also appeared to leave the annual requirement in place for active-duty service members.

Hegseth’s new announcement suggests the administration is now moving beyond those limited exemptions and ending the universal mandate altogether.

The move fits into a broader Trump administration effort to revisit military vaccine policy, particularly after the bitter fight over the COVID-19 vaccine. Hegseth explicitly linked the flu shot decision to that earlier controversy, saying, “You know what I’m talking about, what happened [with] COVID-19 and the vaccine. No more.”

HEGSETH SHREDS SOVIET-STYLE BUREAUCRACY AND ‘FIVE-YEAR PLANS’ GOVERNING PENTAGON

“That era of betrayal is over,” Hegseth declared.

The administration has already offered back pay to service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine under Biden, and has encouraged them to return to uniform.

Hegseth made clear the administration intends for the change to be a sharp break from past policy.

“Your body, your faith, and your convictions are not negotiable,” he said. “It’s common sense.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz launched a federal political action committee on Monday and the name of the new venture quickly created a stir on social media among conservatives.

Walz’s PAC, first reported in Politico Playbook, is named  the “Small Town PAC.” The governor said he wants to “show up in small towns” and “organize in places too many people have given up on, and build power with the folks who call these places home.”

“If Democrats want to win in more places, we’ve got to start showing up in more places,” Walz wrote in an X post.

Walz was widely mocked by conservatives when he ran for vice president in 2024 for his attempts to make inroads with rural voters — like touting his blue collar roots and hunting hobby.

MINNESOTA DEMS UNITE TO BLOCK WALZ, ELLISON IMPEACHMENT PUSH, SPARKING ONLINE OUTRAGE: ‘THEY’RE PANICKING’

“Small towns and townships overwhelmingly voted against you, Tim,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “We think your policies are despicable.”

“Small towns across Minnesota loathe @Tim_Walz,” Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate and State Rep. Kristin Robbins posted on X. 

“He infamously disparaged them as @RocksAndCowsHQ and his left-wing policies are opposed by most!”

Daniel Turner, Executive Director of Power the Future, wrote on X, “Good Lord small town America hates everything you stand for: open borders, trans insanity, defund the police, rampant crime, Somali fraud.”

NEW BOOK SHEDS LIGHT ON HARRIS DECISION TO PICK WALZ AS HER RUNNING MATE OVER SHAPIRO: ‘WENT WITH HER GUT’

“If Democrats want to win in small towns again, this is the last person they should listen to. In eight years as Governor, he has shown voters across Greater Minnesota that the DFL no longer represents them,” Minnesota state Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, posted on X. 

Others on social media, including Grage, dusted off the 2024 campaign trail nickname “Tampon Tim” which conservatives used to mock Walz’s much-maligned support of a bill to put free menstrual products in all school restrooms, including boys’ rooms.

“Oh look, Tampon Tim wants to expand the fraud,” conservative radio host Gregory Jon posted on X. 

Walz didn’t miss an opportunity to take a swipe at one-time rival Vice President JD Vance while announcing the new PAC.

“Republicans like JD Vance like to portray their small-town neighbors as petty, resentful, and small-minded. I disagree. I think the problem facing small towns are Republicans like JD Vance,” he said.

Vance’s office hit back with: “The problem facing many small towns in Minnesota is that Tim Walz gives their money to fraudulent daycares.”

Fox News Digital did not hear back from Walz’s office when reached for comment.

Walz’s new political venture comes roughly four months after mounting pressure over the massive fraud scandal under his watch forced him to drop his bid for re-election as governor.

Small Town PAC’s website suggests that after leaving office at the end of the year, Walz will be working with Democrats to “build the future” by “investing in people with fresh ideas, energy, and integrity” to “strengthen the Democratic Party from the ground up.”

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is under fire after a one-word social media post fueled accusations he was a “traitor” cheering against the United States amid the war in Iran.

“Awesome,” Murphy wrote on X in response to a post reporting that 26 ships in Iran’s shadow fleet have made it past the US blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

Murphy’s post adds to his long-running criticism of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and revived scrutiny over his past posture toward Iran, giving critics fresh ammunition to cast the Connecticut Democrat as hostile to U.S. interests.

Social media commenters unleashed on Murphy for the message, with some asking if his account was “hacked” and others accusing him of cheering on Iran. 

SCHUMER BLASTED TRUMP FOR FAILING TO OUST MADURO — NOW WARNS ARREST COULD LEAD TO ‘ENDLESS WAR’

“First of all this is false,” Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, posted, denying the report Murphy responded to. “Second, a Dem senator cheering on the number one state sponsor of terror is shameful.” 

DOUG SCHOEN: AS A DEMOCRAT, I BACK TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE — MY PARTY IS WRONG

Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst notably told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday morning that there is “no evidence” that Iranian shadow fleet vessels, ships used to evade international sanctions, have made it through the U.S. blockade.

Murphy’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the X post and whether his message was intended seriously or in jest.

“The tweet was sarcasm. Chris obviously thinks it’s terrible that Donald Trump continues to mishandle every aspect of a war he started but clearly has no strategy to end,” a spokesperson for Murphy told Jewish Insider on Monday. 

Commenters continued criticizing Murphy on X on Tuesday morning. 

“This is what late stage TDS looks like: Cheering on Iran to defeat the U.S. Navy,” the Trump War room account wrote.

“This U.S. senator is publicly cheering for America’s enemy during war. The Senate should vote to censure him,” Mike Davis, Article III Project founder and president, commented.

SCHUMER CALLS TRUMP ‘A MILITARY MORON’ AND SAYS US ‘WORSE OFF’ NOW THAN WHEN IRAN WAR STARTED

“Was Sen. Murphy’s account hacked?” Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York wrote.

“Chris Murphy roots against America,” conservative commentator Steve Guest posted.

“‘I love when Iran wins, it’s awesome…’ – a UNITED STATES SENATOR???????????!!!!!!!!!,” added Matt Van Swol, a former employee of the Department of Energy, according to his X bio.

CRUZ SAYS TRUMP’S MOVE TO STRIKE IRAN ‘MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION’ OF HIS PRESIDENCY

Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, 2026, when U.S. forces, alongside partner forces, launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran.

As the Trump administration pressures Iran to curb its nuclear program, the U.S. is using its naval and air power to choke off Iranian shipping around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

Murphy recently called out Trump for his posts related to the war with Iran, saying it is a “a clear war crime.”

Fox News’ Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds introduced legislation that would require biometric tracking of every entry and exit from the United States, as part of a Republican push to crack down on visa overstays and fraudulent immigration documents.

With illegal crossings down sharply under President Donald Trump’s second term, Republicans are shifting toward the next phase of immigration enforcement — tracking visa overstays and closing documentation loopholes. Donalds’ bill aims to force full nationwide use and federal oversight of the biometric entry-exit system.

Donalds told Fox News Digital exclusively he introduced the legislation on Monday.

“Thanks to President Trump’s decisive actions, our borders are more secure than they have been in decades. We are now moving to finish the job by introducing the Reform Immigration Through Biometrics Act, which provides the oversight needed to ensure every entry and exit is fully verified,” Donalds told Fox News Digital. 

FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS ICE PARTNERSHIP ONLY THE BEGINNING IN ILLEGAL MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

The bill would close gaps to ensure full coverage at every port, provide system flow updates and identify what is “slowing” it down by requiring DHS to report to Congress. The biometric data system collects fingerprints, facial images and iris scans.

Immigration reform is a central focus of the second Trump administration, with officials shifting attention toward internal tracking and enforcement gaps, not just border crossings.

The biometric entry-exit system was first introduced a decade ago, following a 2004 recommendation from the 9/11 Commission to strengthen national security through a comprehensive tracking method.

HOUSE GOP BILL COULD TRIGGER SELF-DEPORTATION FOR SOMALI REFUGEES AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE

Previous administrations failed to fully implement the system across all ports of entry, leaving it incomplete. A final rule issued in December 2025 now mandates a nationwide rollout.

Donalds’ legislation aims to ensure it is fully executed this time by holding DHS accountable. 

“The border has been secured, but the work is far from over,” said Donalds in a press release. “Visa overstays and fraudulent documentation remain a large piece of the overall illegal immigration puzzle that needs to be addressed.”

Data from the Border Patrol cited by Pew Research found there were 237,538 migrant encounters at the Mexican border in 2025. It is the lowest number since Richard Nixon was president in 1970 when 201,780 were encountered.

I REPRESENT A BORDER DISTRICT THAT WAS SWAMPED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WHAT I’M SEEING NOW MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

Donalds, a candidate for Florida governor to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, said he anticipates “swift passage” of the bill.

“Republicans are steadfast in our commitment to the mandate entrusted to us by the American people,” he told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: A redistricting referendum backed by Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is the culmination of a rapidly escalating “power grab” by Democrats in what has been a key swing state for years, a new report by the Honest Election Project Action (HEP) alleges.

HEP’s report argues that after regaining control of the state from Republicans in 2025, Democrats are now “rigging the rules so they never lose power” again. Leveraging their unified control, the report points to the Democratic-majority Virginia legislature passing 54 election bills this session, which it said is “more than any state in the nation.”

Among the bills passed by the Virginia legislature were measures to bar immigration enforcement officers from voting locations, expand ranked-choice voting and place new limits on the removal of voters deemed ineligible. Spanberger also signed a bill to add Virginia to the National Popular Vote Compact, a coalition of states committed to awarding their Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Perhaps most controversial, however, Spanberger signed another bill setting in motion a referendum to allow the legislature to redraw congressional districts that critics say would heavily favor Democrats.

“Democrats used their newfound status to launch a partisan power grab and a deliberate assault on election safeguards,” the report alleges, adding, “Virginia is the latest example of the left’s gerrymandering hypocrisy: condemn it when done by opponents, stop at nothing to impose it when it delivers power.”

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF ‘ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

If approved by voters Tuesday, the referendum would amend Virginia’s constitution to allow lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and implement a new map immediately. The change would temporarily override the state’s current bipartisan redistricting process for this cycle, with the existing system set to resume afterward.

Besides signing the bill to set the redistricting referendum in motion, Spanberger has also given her full endorsement of the amendment. In a March statement, she emphasized that “Virginia’s approach is different” regarding redistricting.

She framed the amendment as a temporary measure “directly responsive to what other states decide to do,” stressing that “it preserves Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting process for the future.”

“I supported the formation of Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting commission in 2020, and that support has not changed,” she said. “What has changed is what we’re seeing in states across the country — and a president who says he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats before this year’s midterm elections.”

“Virginians have the opportunity to take action in response to this extraordinary moment in history. That’s why, as a Virginia voter, I’m voting in favor of this amendment,” Spanberger added.

The effort has also been supported by former President Barack Obama, who recently released an ad urging Virginians to vote “yes” for the amendment.

VIRGINIA DEM ADMITS REDISTRICTING PUSH AIMS TO ‘STOP TRUMP’, NOT ABOUT ‘FAIRNESS’

Meanwhile, Honest Election Project argues in its report that “far from ‘strengthening democracy,’ Virginia’s 2026 session is a case study in the left’s agenda to trade election security for political advantage.”

The report points out that during the session, Democrats “delivered on virtually every major item on the left’s election-law wish list.”

In all, the report says that Virginia lawmakers introduced 103 election-related bills, 93% of which it says were ultimately sent to Spanberger. Thus far, the governor has signed nine of those measures, per the report.

Among the other policies HEP takes issue with is a measure to prohibit immigration enforcement within 40 feet of a polling place, election board meeting site or recount location. The report accused Virginia Democrats of working to “exploit election law to hamper federal immigration enforcement and essentially turn areas around polling places into expansive sanctuary zones for illegal aliens.”

The report also slams Virginia Democrats over ranked-choice voting and the National Popular Vote Compact, both of which it calls “structural changes to push politics to the left.”

The Virginia legislature also passed a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to convicted felons upon their release from prison. Virginians will have the opportunity to approve or reject the amendment at the ballot box this November.

Another measure passed by the legislature was a bill barring officials from cross-checking the state’s voter roll against the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to identify noncitizens, and from removing ineligible voters based on a SAVE match. While Spanberger stated, “I approve the general purpose of this bill,” she returned the bill to the legislature with amendments.

HEP argues that based on the data, Virginia “stands out for the breadth and depth of its efforts to rewrite election rules.”

VIRGINIA DEMOCRAT SPARKS BACKLASH FOR OMITTING MURDER-SUICIDE IN POST ON JUSTIN FAIRFAX

Jason Snead, executive director of Honest Elections Project Action, told Fox News Digital that “in just four months, Virginia Democrats, under Abigail Spanberger’s leadership, have launched a blatant, partisan assault on election integrity to try to rig the rules to solidify permanent Democratic power in Richmond.”

“But that’s just par for the course for Democratic lawmakers nationwide, whose first move after gaining power is to always rewrite the rules for their benefit,” asserted Snead.

He added that Honest Elections Project Action is “proud to expose Democrats for this shameless power grab and urges Virginians to make their voices heard in opposition.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and the offices of Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott and Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell for comment.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened to “reveal new cards on the battlefield” in a Monday evening social media post just days before the agreed ceasefire between the United States and Iran is set to expire.

“Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table — in his own imagination — into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.

“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” he concluded.

Ghalibaf led the Iranian delegation in Islamabad during April 11 peace talks with a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance. That meeting happened while a two-week ceasefire, mediated by Pakistan, was in effect. The ceasefire, announced on April 8, is set to expire on Wednesday.

WHY TRUMP FACES AN AGONIZING DECISION ON OBLITERATING IRAN’S OIL SUPPLY IF HE CAN’T GET A DEAL

Vance is now expected to land in Pakistan again Tuesday to lead a second round of talks ahead of the deadline, according to PBS.

While Vance will hope to reach a long-term peace deal, Iran has signaled intransigence. Ghalibaf’s warning came two days after the Islamic Republic announced Saturday it was reimposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a previously announced decision to open the key waterway.

Trump announced the Strait was “COMPLETELY OPEN” in a Friday Truth Social post, but insisted that the maritime blockade would continue “until there is a ‘DEAL.’

IRAN’S LEADER THREATENS ‘EVEN BIGGER BLOW’ AGAINST US, TRUMP SAYS HE’S IN ‘NO RUSH’ TO TALK

The next day, Iran’s joint military command said that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state… under strict management and control of the armed forces,” adding that the restrictions would remain as long as the U.S. blockade did.

Iranian leadership has gone as far as to declare they won’t participate in the Islamabad peace talks with the U.S., Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday.

“If the U.S. sends a team to Islamabad, that is a matter that concerns them,” Baqaei said in a press conference.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept any deadlines or ultimatums to safeguard its national interests. We have clearly stated our red lines from the beginning, and we will not change our principled positions,” he added.

President Donald Trump is urging Virginians going to the polls Tuesday to reject a redistricting ballot measure that could hand Democrats as many as four House seats in November, a large haul with House Republicans hanging onto a slim majority.

“This referendum is a blatant partisan power grab that nobody’s really ever seen anything like it,” Trump told a telerally call with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday night, The Hill reported.

Just say “no” to Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s push, he added.

“It’s the liberal extremist Gov. Abigail Spanberger, too bad, and the far-left Democrats in Richmond after Spanberger promised Virginia voters that she would never do this,” he told the call. “And if it passes, Virginia Democrats will eliminate four out of five congressional seats, so you’re going to get just wiped out in terms of representation in Washington.

DEMS FACE SCRUTINY OVER CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION GAPS IN BLUE STATES: ‘DON’T HAVE CLEAN HANDS’

“That’s what it’s all about. Please get out and vote and vote no. It’s very simple,” the president added. “Just vote no.” 

Virginia has moved to push through a new map before the 2026 midterms, something that would not otherwise happen before the 2030 census.

Democrats currently hold six of the 11 House seats in Virginia, a state that narrowly went for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, but the new map would hand the Democrats a huge 10-1 advantage.

SPANBERGER ONCE BLASTED GERRYMANDERING AND NOW BACKS AMENDMENT CRITICS SAY COULD ERASE VIRGINIA GOP

Among the nearly 6 million registered voters in the state of Virginia, Democrats do have an edge, but not one that wide. The state is majority Democrat (51.24%), but Republicans (30.56%) and independents (18.2%) are both well represented, according to Independent Voter Project data.

“We have to stand up for fair maps and we have to vote no,” Johnson told the call. 

“As your speaker of the House, I see firsthand every single day how all five of those members are leading the fight on things like lowering costs and securing our borders and making Virginia and America great again,” he said. “And we need to return all five of them to Congress this November.”

GOP-LED COUNTIES PUSH BACK AGAINST DEMOCRAT’S REDISTRICTING CHARGE, TESTING VIRGINIA’S CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS

Johnson was referring to the vulnerable seats of Virginia GOP Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, John McGuire, Ben Cline, and Morgan Griffith.

The new map would leave only Griffith’s 9th Congressional District with a Republican edge, but it would pit him against Cline in a difficult primary. Kiggans’ seat would remain a swing district, but one trending further into the favor of Democrats.

“They definitely want to turn us into New England,” Cline told the Ruthless Podcast last week. “Massachusetts used to have Republican members of Congress, a much more balanced delegation. Now it’s 9-0. But Republicans vote, what, 40% of the population there. They do it in Illinois. Most of the states where they control, they’re trying to just draw Republicans completely out.”

SCHWARZENEGGER PUSHING BACK BACK AGAINST NEWSOM REDISTRICTING BID IN CALIFORNIA

It is not just about gaining house seats either. The map difficulty moves future candidates further left even on the right, according to Cline.

“Their goal is the long game,” Cline added. “It is the short game of the next election, but it’s also the long game of trying to turn rural Virginia into either a non-impact on politics or convert. You either assimilate or you’re destroyed.”

Griffith is planning a legal challenge on the structure of Tuesday’s special election ballot question for its “compactness, other arguments about the process, and the question on the ballot,” he told WJHL.

“These maps are horrible, and they do not work for good government, or good representation by any of the congressmen or women of Virginia,” he added.

JD VANCE CALLS ON REPUBLICANS TO TAKE ‘DECISIVE ACTION’ TO COUNTER DEMOCRATIC GERRYMANDERING

Notably, the ballot asks a generic question about a desire to “restore fairness,” suggesting the previously democratically approved map might be unfair.

“Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”

Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, is calling out the disenfranchisement of voters in the state.

“It’s a measure to silence and disenfranchize the voices of millions of Virginians,” he told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday morning. “And you’re exactly right when even The Washington Post calls the ‘yes’ campaign brazenly dishonest, that says something: They’re definitely not a friend to conservatives.”

‘FULL OF S—‘: NEW YORK REPUBLICAN ACCUSES STATE DEMS OF HYPOCRISY IN REDISTRICTING PUSH

“But what this is is nothing but a left-wing power grab” Miyares continued. “Virginians have already spoken on this in 2020 by a 30-point landslide. They said, ‘Hey, we don’t want politicians of either party drawing these lines,’ but Democrats, as soon as they got in power — remember Abigail Spanberger promised in August of 2025 that she wasn’t going to gerrymander Virginia — yet that was the very first bill she signed in office and is one of the reasons why she’s the least popular governor in the entire history of modern Virginia politics.“

While Spanberger has argued Virginia has to retaliate for other states efforts to redrawn favorable districts in their states for this midterm election, Miyares argued this one is the last and most blatantly lopsided.

“It’s been called the most gerrymandered map in the entire country,” he told Fox News. “And now it’s why rural Virginians are standing up saying, ‘No, do not disenfranchise our voices,’ because 56 counties in Virginia, if this passes, will effectively not have a voice in Congress.

“That’s wrong. That’s not fair. That’s not democracy. Virginians need to go vote now, today.”

Kevin Warsh heads into his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday morning vying to be the richest-ever chair of the Federal Reserve amid mounting questions over his sizable financial portfolio.

Newly released disclosures reveal the extent of Warsh’s wealth but leave key portions of his holdings unclear, which could complicate his path toward confirmation since the position he is up for wields enormous influence over financial markets. 

The disclosures are likely to draw scrutiny from lawmakers due to potential conflicts of interest and concerns over transparency, both central focuses of the confirmation process — particularly at a time when the central bank’s credibility is already under a microscope.

TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEETS GOP SENATOR HOLDING UP HIS CONFIRMATION

According to documents submitted to the Senate last week, Warsh reported assets valued at roughly $135 million to $226 million, positioning him to become the wealthiest chair in the Federal Reserve’s history if confirmed.

The nearly 70-page filings, released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics as part of the standard vetting process for senior nominees, detail a portfolio spanning investments, board roles and other financial interests.

TRUMP’S FED PICK DISCLOSES $131M FORTUNE AS NOMINATION FACES HEADWINDS

Still, the disclosures leave some gaps.

For example, certain holdings are listed in broad ranges or lack full detail, a common feature of such filings but one that can draw scrutiny when nominees are poised to oversee institutions with vast influence over financial markets.

In fact, a note from a government ethics official attached to the filings says Warsh is currently out of compliance with ethics rules for certain holdings where he did not disclose the funds’ underlying assets.

The Office of Government Ethics said the rest of the filing meets federal requirements and that Warsh would return to full compliance once he divests those assets, which he has pledged to do within 90 days of confirmation.

That dynamic could prove especially sensitive for Warsh as lawmakers weigh potential conflicts of interest and the steps he would need to take to avoid them.

Beyond that, the filings also underscore the scale of wealth tied to his family. 

They do not include the far larger fortune connected to his wife, Jane Lauder—granddaughter of Estée Lauder’s founder—which Forbes estimates at about $1.9 billion. Separate disclosures show Lauder holds millions of dollars in additional assets, further adding to the family’s overall financial footprint.

TRUMP’S FED PICK KEVIN WARSH FACES UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK OVER ONGOING POWELL PROBE

Warsh’s potential ascent comes at a turbulent moment for the central bank.

Senators are still weighing ethics concerns tied to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with at least one Republican vowing to block Warsh’s confirmation over the issue.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has been holding up the nomination, said he supports Warsh but will not back his confirmation until a Justice Department investigation into Powell is resolved. But that’s unlikely considering President Donald Trump’s push for the probe and refusal to back off pressuring DOJ to investigate. 

On Jan. 11, Powell confirmed that the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into his congressional testimony regarding the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s two historic buildings on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

That probe comes as the Federal Reserve faces mounting pressure on multiple fronts, including a Supreme Court case testing its independence and persistent cost-of-living concerns weighing on President Donald Trump’s economic agenda.

Against that backdrop, scrutiny of Warsh’s finances—and how he manages them—is likely to intensify as his nomination advances.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., may be running out of road as Republicans lay the groundwork for an expulsion vote as soon as Tuesday.

The House Ethics Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday afternoon to formally recommend punitive action against the embattled lawmaker. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., has vowed to force a vote on Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion regardless of the committee’s suggested sanction.

Despite the looming expulsion threat, Cherfilus-McCormick has resisted calls to quit Congress on her own terms.

“For those asking whether I plan to resign, the answer is no,” Cherfilus-McCormick recently told Fox News Digital. “This is not the time to abandon the district, not when they too are fighting for their future.”

INDICTED DEMOCRAT SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK FACES RARE HOUSE ETHICS HEARING

A successful expulsion vote would make Cherfilus-McCormick the first lawmaker since former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., in 2023 to be expelled by the House. Just six lawmakers have been expelled from the House in U.S. history.

Cherfilus-McCormick was found guilty of more than two dozen ethics violations involving financial misconduct during a rare House ethics trial in March. She has denied any wrongdoing and is facing a separate criminal trial after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2025.

The guilty ethics verdict centered on a charge that Cherfilus-McCormick funneled more than $5 million in disaster relief funds to her campaign that was improperly paid to her family’s healthcare company.

She did not try to return the money, which amounted to more than 100 times what the government owed the family-run company.

It takes a two-thirds majority to expel a member of Congress, meaning Steube’s resolution would have to receive buy-in from Democrats.

Former Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who are facing sexual misconduct allegations, both resigned last week to fend off expulsion threats. Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., is also facing a looming expulsion vote.

JEFFRIES DECLINES TO BREAK WITH INDICTED DEMOCRAT AFTER ETHICS PANEL’S GUILTY VERDICT

The vast majority of Democrats have yet to voice support for Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion, though a swath of moderates and progressives broke their silence after the House Ethics Committee’s verdict. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told reporters last week that she would vote to expel Cherfilus-McCormick if she did not resign, citing the House Ethics Committee’s verdict. 

However, top Democrats have continued to stand by their indicted colleague.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that Democrats would convene following the conclusion of the Ethics Committee’s proceedings to discuss Cherfilus-McCormick’s fate.

“We will proceed in a manner consistent with our approach to these types of ethics matters, which is to always and at all times follow the facts and apply the relevant law without fear of it,” Jeffries told reporters Monday.

The Congressional Black Caucus, an influential group among Democrats on Capitol Hill, has also been largely silent on the allegations facing Cherfilus-McCormick, who is a member of the group.

The CBC notably contributed $5,000 to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign during the first fundraising quarter of 2026, which runs from January to March.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., signaled his support for the expulsion effort last week, citing “alarming facts” identified by the bipartisan ethics panel.

Cherfilus-McCormick has defied calls to suspend her re-election campaign, despite having just $11,000 in the bank, according to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. Her campaign entered April with nearly $4.4 million in debt, some of which is due to mounting legal fees. 

The indicted lawmaker represents a safe blue seat that could be carved up if Florida’s Republican-controlled state legislature moves forward with redistricting. A growing number of Democrats are vying to unseat her during the August 2026 primary, including Gen Z activist Elijah Manley, rap artist Luther Campbell and former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness.

Cherfilus-McCormick is facing a separate 15-count criminal indictment that could result in her being sentenced to more than 50 years in prison if convicted. In addition to allegedly stealing FEMA money, federal prosecutors have also charged her with participating in a straw donor scheme to allegedly conceal illicit money flowing to her campaign and conspiring to file a false federal tax return. 

A federal judge last week approved a delay in the proceedings until February 2027 at the request of both Cherfilus-McCormick’s legal team and the prosecution.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asserted in a Monday post on X that regardless of which political party wields power in Washington D.C., the nation continues traveling down the same path.

“Nothing ever changes in Washington. No matter which party is in charge. You still get a bigger debt. You still get foreign wars and you pay for them. Your cost of living still increases and the value of the dollar continues to shrink,” Greene wrote.

“Voting for both Democrats and Republicans is the worst ROI for the American people,” she added.

TRUMP TRASHES MTG AFTER REPUBLICAN WINS CONTEST TO FILL HER OLD SEAT ‘DESPITE THE STENCH LEFT BY GREENE’

Her criticism comes amid the 2026 midterm election cycle, which will determine whether Republicans maintain their majorities in the House and Senate.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Tuesday.

Greene, who in the past had been a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, left Congress in the middle of her term early this year after a falling out with the president last year.

TRUMP PUSHES BACK AGAINST PUNDITS, SAYS ISRAEL DID NOT TALK HIM INTO THE IRAN WAR

Greene wrote “25th AMENDMENT!!!” in part of an April 7 post on X after Trump, in a Truth Social post, threatened regarding Iran that “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

The president ultimately announced a ceasefire and did not follow through on his threat against Iran.

Trump-backed Republican Clay Fuller won the April 7 special election runoff to fill the House seat that had been vacated by Greene.

In an April 8 Truth Social post, the president congratulated Fuller and blasted Greene as “deranged.”

EX-TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE JOINS LEFT-WING CALLS FOR THE 25TH AMENDMENT AS IRAN DEADLINE NEARS

“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown’s (GREEN TURNS TO BROWN UNDER STRESS!) seat in Congress has been taken over by a wonderful and talented man, Clay Fuller, who won convincingly, and right from the beginning, despite many people running for that ‘TRUMP’ +37 seat, and despite the stench left by Greene. Congratulations to Clay Fuller, a very large improvement over his deranged predecessor!” the president declared in the post.