House Democrats failed again Thursday to fracture Republicans’ support for President Donald Trump’s Iran strategy as GOP lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected an effort to curb his war powers.

The House of Representatives deadlocked in a 212-212 vote, blocking a resolution offered by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., that would have forced Trump to end hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization. 

Every Democratic lawmaker except for Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted for the measure. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a leading Trump foe, and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Tom Barrett, R-Mich., were the lone Republicans to cross party lines in support of the resolution.

Several lawmakers in both parties did not vote.

WHERE AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE STANDS AS NEW POLLS ROLL IN

The failed vote comes after peace talks between Washington and Tehran stalled in recent weeks, though the ceasefire has largely stayed intact despite sporadic fighting.

Trump said Monday the ceasefire was “on life support” and reiterated his demand that Iran end its nuclear program. 

Amid the stalemate, congressional Democrats have linked the war to voter concern about affordability in an effort to pressure GOP lawmakers to buck the president.

“The single fastest way to bring down costs is to end this war,” House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said on the House floor Wednesday. “And once again, Republicans are going to have an opportunity to do just that. Once again, they have a chance to bring our service members home and end this chaos.”

But Republicans have argued that limiting Trump’s war powers could undermine his ability to end the conflict.

“By putting an arbitrary limitation on America’s ability to deploy both kinetic as well as diplomatic pressure on Iran, I think it ends up harming our ability to negotiate, to get Iran to stand down,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, a colonel in the Air Force Reserve, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“What I’ve seen from the president is a clear desire to stop Iran’s ability from having a nuclear weapon and in their ability to be the number one sponsor of state terrorism,” he added.

TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES GET LEGAL COVER AS SCHOLARS SAY ARTICLE II PLAYBOOK SPANS OBAMA ERA AND BEYOND

The vast majority of Republicans have continued to stand by Trump’s Iran strategy despite the administration cruising past a 60-day deadline to seek congressional approval of the conflict. 

The president has argued the indefinite ceasefire that began April 7 effectively stopped the clock. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also contended that the 1973 War Powers Resolution giving Congress a say over the use of military force is unconstitutional.

Across the Capitol, GOP support for the war in Iran appears to be on shakier ground.

The Senate narrowly defeated a war powers resolution on Wednesday, the seventh attempt from Democrats since Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28, that would have ended hostilities with Iran. 

Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, crossed party lines to support the measure curbing Trump’s war powers while Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in opposition. Just one more GOP yes vote would have allowed the resolution to clear the chamber.

Murkowski, who flipped her vote to support the war powers resolution, said Wednesday that the administration’s timeline in Iran “has taken us beyond the 60 days” deadline for Congress to authorize or halt the conflict. 

She had hoped the administration would provide more clarity, but that information hadn’t come, prompting her to join with Democrats in curbing Trump’s war powers.

“We’re in a different place than we were last time we voted on this,” Murkowski said. 

A Fox News poll published in late April found that 55% of Americans oppose military action against Iran. Nearly six in ten respondents said the war will not improve the safety of Americans enough to justify military action.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said his “heart breaks” for Erika Kirk after she had to live through the White House Correspondents’ Dinner assassination attempt not even a year following her husband’s murder.

The Pennsylvania Democrat described their exchange as a “very personal human interaction” amid the chaos of the shooting as he recalled to Fox News Digital a conversation he had with the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“How triggering that must have been for her,” Fetterman said.

“I expressed how sorry I am,” he detailed of the moment. “She was frantic, understandably, after her husband was assassinated.”

DEMOCRAT JOHN FETTERMAN DECRIES ‘DEHUMANIZING’ ATTACK AGAINST CHARLIE KIRK’S WIDOW ERIKA

Fetterman expressed his frustration over online attacks targeting Kirk following the shooting after a video went viral that showed her leaving the hotel in tears and pleading: “I just want to go home.”

“It blows,” he said. “People attack a widow. I mean what’s wrong with people? That’s bonkers.”

Kirk’s husband was assassinated in September during one of his famous college outreach events on the campus of Utah Valley University.

Fetterman has often been lauded as the lone Democrat willing to go across party lines to vote with and side with Republicans on a handful of issues — this includes his support for Israel.

FETTERMAN CALLS FOR US TO SUPPLY ANYTHING ISRAEL NEEDS FOR IRAN ATTACK: ‘MILITARY, INTELLIGENCE, WEAPONRY’

Beyond the emotional aftermath of the shooting, Fetterman also weighed in on escalating tensions with Iran, signaling his support for prioritizing U.S. foreign policy and defense to restrain nuclear threats.

When asked about President Donald Trump’s proposed gas tax relief, Fetterman pivoted to emphasizing the need to continue applying pressure on Iran to disarm and abandon its nuclear ambitions.

“I think it’s important to stand and demand Iran to surrender its nuclear material,” he said. “I mean, my views haven’t changed.”

Fetterman has previously called out members in his party for criticizing Trump’s efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, citing their opposition may give Iran hope Trump will succumb to political pressure to pull back. He was the only Democrat on Wednesday to vote against a Senate war powers resolution aiming to limit American involvement in the conflict with Iran — for the seventh time.

He also suggested China should take a more assertive role in pressuring Iran and share in the economic consequences.

“I think China should feel that pain,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate. Why can’t China demand that?”

“Why not? Unless they want to create Iran as a nuclear power, and that would be incredibly dangerous for the whole world peace.”

IRAN FUNDING EMERGES AS KEY TEST FOR JOHNSON’S RAZOR-THIN HOUSE MAJORITY

As tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program continue, China has been scrutinized by U.S. officials over its economic ties to Iran, including allegations that Chinese entities have helped Tehran evade sanctions and supported its military infrastructure.

Fetterman also indicated his support for Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027 — the largest request ever made by an administration.

 “I’m very open to this,” he said. “The idea that we are the arsenal of the free world.”

“It’s really important to make sure that we have whatever’s necessary to defend democracy in the global stage.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said she has received death threats for “doing my job” and meeting with foreign ambassadors about Cuba’s fuel shortages and U.S. sanctions.

Following her trip to Cuba as part of a congressional delegation in April, conservatives are now labeling the progressive lawmaker a “traitor” who is “conspiring against the U.S.” because she met with political leaders to discuss the “crisis” on the island.

“I’ve gotten death threats as a result of this,” Jayapal told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “People are calling for me to be shot, and it’s just a fabrication. It is what’s wrong with so much of the work that we do.”

SPATE OF HEALTH SCARES AND VIOLENT THREATS HIGHLIGHT GROWING VULNERABILITIES FOR LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL

Following her controversial visit to Cuba with Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., Jayapal spoke at a Seattle briefing, where her comments went viral on X.

She admitted to meeting with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, senior government officials, political dissidents, civil society groups and foreign diplomats to discuss the island’s “crisis beyond imagination.”

Jayapal justified the meetings as part of her job as a member of Congress.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said. “First of all, I had a meeting with the ambassadors of a couple of countries to hear how U.S. policy toward Cuba was affecting those countries. We meet with ambassadors all the time. That is part of our job, to assess what’s going on on the ground.”

She said U.S. sanctions have not been effective. Instead, she called for direct negotiations with Cuba.

“I’ve been very clear that the way to engage with Cuba is through a true diplomatic negotiation and that none of the embargo, that’s been the longest-standing embargo for over 60 years, or the fuel blockade is helping us to achieve any of that,” she said.

Jayapal said she is working to address the impacts of U.S. fuel restrictions, which she has slammed as “cruel collective punishment” to the citizens of the island.

“I’m working on legislation to address negative impacts of U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba,” she said. “I’m a member of Congress. I have every right to go travel and to meet with other ambassadors.”

DEM REPRESENTATIVE ADMITS TO WORKING WITH MEXICO TO SNEAK OIL INTO CUBA, DESPITE BLOCKADE

Her actions have raised questions about the Logan Act, a rarely used federal law that bars unauthorized individuals from negotiating with foreign governments in disputes involving the U.S.

The White House weighed in, blasting Jayapal’s trip as “shameful” and accused her of “suffering from [Trump Derangement Syndrome]” in a statement to Fox News Digital last week.

“The Democrats continue to show Americans who they really are, the America Last party who sip margaritas with terrorists, advocate for illegal alien criminals, and undermine the United States to aid a failed communist regime,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said.

Cuba’s ties to adversarial countries and actors, including Iran and Hezbollah, remain a national security concern, according to the Trump administration. The island’s economic crisis has fueled a surge in migration to the U.S. in recent years.

Jayapal told Fox News Digital that most Americans would not approve of civilians’ living conditions in Cuba if they knew how bad it is. 

“The humanitarian crisis on the ground, with babies in the NICU being unable to get care for their incubators to work,” she said. “The lack of food on the island, so many other things, is a travesty, and I actually don’t think that most Americans would want that.”

RUBIO SAYS CUBA NEEDS ‘NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE’ AS BLACKOUTS, UNREST GRIP ISLAND

Jayapal has also called for lifting the U.S. embargo, removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list and supporting legislation to block potential U.S. military action.

She has previously criticized the Cuban government, which has faced scrutiny for political repression and limits on free speech.

Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price and Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a stark warning to President Donald Trump that Taiwan could trigger “clashes and even conflicts” between the world’s two superpowers, injecting a note of potential confrontation into an otherwise upbeat summit in Beijing.

“President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said following the meeting.

The White House, however, downplayed the exchange, with a senior administration official telling Fox News Digital that “both sides reiterated their long-stated stance on the issue and everyone understands each other’s position.”

Trump struck a notably warm tone in his public remarks, predicting a “fantastic future together” and praising Xi as “a great leader” as the two leaders opened talks focused heavily on trade, investment and economic cooperation.

TRUMP HEADS TO BEIJING FOR HIGH-STAKES XI TALKS AS TAIWAN TENSIONS, TRADE DISPUTES TEST US STRENGTH

“In fact, the longest relationship of our two countries that any president and president has had,” Trump said. “We’ve had a fantastic relationship. We’ve gotten along.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blasted Trump following the meeting, accusing him of failing to respond forcefully to Xi’s warning.

“Just hours in, and Xi Jinping has already threatened to, quote, collide or even clash, unquote, with the United States if we continue our support for Taiwan. Trump apparently didn’t say anything in response. He was just mute,” Schumer said. “For the sake of democracy and the stability of the global economy. Trump must not sell out Taiwan. Trump must also safeguard the interests of American workers, families and businesses.”

RUBIO SAYS COMMITMENT TO TAIWAN WON’T CHANGE AMID TRADE TALKS WITH CHINA

The exchange underscores how Taiwan — long the most sensitive and potentially explosive issue in U.S.-China relations — is re-emerging as a central fault line, even as both sides seek to project stability and focus publicly on trade and economic cooperation.

Analysts had warned ahead of the summit that the best-case scenario for Taiwan would be for the issue to stay off the agenda entirely, amid concerns Beijing could try to extract concessions or shape U.S. policy language behind closed doors.

Trump himself had suggested before the summit that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could come up during discussions with Xi. He told reporters earlier this week, “I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi.”

TRUMP ADMIN ANNOUNCES $11B TAIWAN ARMS SALES DEAL

That prospect alarmed some national security analysts, who warned against allowing Taiwan to become part of a broader U.S.-China negotiation over trade or other strategic issues.

“Taiwan needs to stay off the menu,” retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said during a media briefing ahead of the summit. “If they’re on the menu and it’s about foreign military sales, it’s bad. If it’s on the menu and it’s about some kind of reimagining our statements, that would be worse.”

Experts say even subtle shifts in wording could carry significant consequences. A change from the longstanding U.S. position that it “does not support” Taiwan independence to language stating it “opposes” it, for example, could be seized on by Beijing to bolster its claims over the self-governing island.

For decades, U.S. policy has walked a careful line — formally recognizing Beijing as the government of China under the “One China” policy, while maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan and providing it with defensive weapons under the Taiwan Relations Act. Washington has also deliberately kept its military response ambiguous, a strategy known as “strategic ambiguity,” aimed at deterring both a Chinese invasion and a unilateral declaration of independence by Taiwan.

After the summit, however, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to minimize the Taiwan portion of the talks, saying U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “did not feature prominently” in the discussions and insisting longstanding U.S. policy remained unchanged.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu reiterated Beijing’s longstanding position in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling Taiwan “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and warning that China would “never promise to renounce the use of force” against “Taiwan independence” separatist activities.

“The DPP authorities’ obstinate pursuit of their separatist agenda is the root cause undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Liu said.

Despite the tensions surrounding Taiwan, the public tone of the summit remained cordial, with both leaders emphasizing cooperation and economic ties.

Xi told Trump that “China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation,” adding that the two countries “should be partners, not rivals.”

Trump arrived in Beijing accompanied by a delegation of top American executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, underscoring the administration’s focus on trade and investment even as geopolitical tensions simmer beneath the surface.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, tussled with high-profile Soros-backed Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephen Descano over soft-on-crime policies that critics said let illegal immigrant criminals back on the street.

Descano was seated two spots away from Cheryl Minter, mother of Stephanie Minter, who was allegedly murdered by Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh at a bus stop not far from George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Minter’s case, following several similar incidents and the failure by Descano or fellow witness Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid to honor ICE detainers, spurred lawmakers to haul them across the river to testify about the rapidly deteriorating safety of what the prosecutor called one of America’s safest counties.

Jordan began by pressing Kincaid on why she “let” illegal immigrant suspect Marvin Morales-Ortiz out of her jail: “Because the guy beside you wouldn’t prosecute him, right?”

HOUSE PANEL SUMMONS SOROS-BACKED FAIRFAX PROSECUTOR OVER RELEASES TIED TO VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CASES

“You’d have to talk to him,” Kincaid replied, adding a judge later ordered his release, before bristling at Jordan’s follow-up question about law enforcement morale in Fairfax.

Jordan then turned to Descano, questioning changes to language on his website about considering immigration consequences in charging decisions.

Descano said the excerpt was part of a “campaign” statement and not an actual law enforcement policy, leading Jordan to incredulously ask whether people should believe his campaign statements will translate into policies upon election.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Descano countered.

“This is almost laughable,” said Jordan. “This is your policy. You said it right here. You told the voters, if you elect me, I will take into account immigration consequences when making, charging and pleading [decisions].”

Descano’s exchange with next Republican to ask questions, Rep. Jeff Van Drew of South Jersey, also quickly escalated into near-shouting.

WAVE OF ALLEGED MIGRANT MURDERS IGNITES FURY ACROSS US AS OFFICIALS WARN OF MORE CARNAGE, CRACKDOWN NEEDED

Van Drew criticized sanctuary policies, including in his home Garden State, and told Minter that his own condolences could not do justice to what happened to her daughter in Descano’s territory.

He called the conditions in sanctuary jurisdictions “bizarro world” and asked the prosecutor if communities are safer when illegal immigrant criminals are deported or when they are released.

“Well, sir, that’s not –” Descano began before Van Drew cut him off. “Yes or no – I’m asking the questions.”

“You’re a human being. You’re sitting next to a woman who lost her daughter. Can you tell me if illegal criminals are removed from the country; if we’re safer,” Van Drew said, prompting a fiery response from Descano:

“To suggest I don’t care about what happens in my community…” he began before more crosstalk ensued.

“Dammit, answer my question,” Van Drew eventually fumed.

GRIEVING VIRGINIA MOTHER TELLS FAR-LEFT PROSECUTOR ‘DO YOUR JOB’ AFTER DAUGHTER STABBED TO DEATH

“Explain to the lady next to you (Cheryl Minter). Abdul Jalloh was charged in your county more than 40 times. Not four times. 40 times. Your office dropped the charges in almost every single case. That’s fact. We have it documented. We can look at it your own. Fairfax County Police Department wrote your office [in] May 2025 saying he had shown a, quote, ‘blatant disregard for human life and was a danger to the community’ and that if he wasn’t detained and deported, he would seriously hurt someone or kill someone,” Van Drew said.

“The very man went out and then killed someone. So the question is, couldn’t’ve we done better there?”

Another panelist also elicited occasional rifts with the lawmakers. Libertarian analyst David Bier of the Cato Institute often defended the idea of counties making their own decisions about whether to cooperate with federal law enforcement.

Part of Bier’s opening statement drew some eyebrows on X, as he appeared to suggest as much as 20% of Fairfax County’s population is deportable – when trying to argue against mass deportation.

“The first step would be to give up on the mass deportation fantasy. About 1 in 5 Fairfax residents is someone who could be deported or who lives with them. It would destroy neighborhoods, rip Americans away from their spouses, parents, friends, families, customers, employees, employers, nurses, nannies, and teachers,” Bier said.

Bier also accused DHS of ignoring the Laken Riley Act and instead of “racially profiling Americans at Home Depot” and shooting people like Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

A county clerk in Wisconsin claims that a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent attempted to interview a county election director at her residence and released a statement defending the state’s handling of the 2020 presidential election. 

“I can confirm that a representative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation visited the home of my Elections Director and left her business card,” Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said in a statement on Thursday morning. 

“We will be following up to determine the nature of this visit. It is unfortunate that the FBI chose to visit the private residence of Milwaukee County’s Elections Director rather than contact the Election Commission’s office directly. No dedicated public servant should be subjected to that type of intrusion simply for carrying out her responsibilities with integrity and professionalism.”

Christenson went on to defend the state’s handling of the 2020 presidential election as “fair and transparent” and said “this has been proven repeatedly over the last six years by the post-election canvass, the Presidential Election Recount, State court-based challenge, Federal court-based challenge, the forensic audit by the Wisconsin’s Legislative Audit Bureau, and two additional independent audits. Continuing to relitigate settled questions does not strengthen public confidence in elections but it undermines it.”

DOJ TAUNTS MEDIA AFTER TRUMP SCORES WIN IN BATTLEGROUND-STATE BALLOT FIGHT

“While we cooperate with all legitimate law enforcement actions, we will defend against any attack on our democracy and will defend the rights of voters of Milwaukee County,” Christenson wrote. “Our responsibility as election officials is to safeguard the integrity of the process through facts, transparency, and adherence to the law, and the record clearly demonstrates that those standards were met in 2020.”

Christenson went on to suggest the FBI’s actions are an “attack on democracy.”

TRUMP ACCUSES SCHUMER OF TRYING TO ‘INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTIONS’ WITH LATEST STRATEGY

The FBI declined to comment.

Milwaukee County, the largest county in the state, has been a target of conservatives alleging improprieties with the 2020 election, and the FBI has been active across the country investigating election integrity issues.

In January, searched Fulton County Georgia’s main election facility in Union City, near Atlanta, and focused on records connected to the 2020 general election after obtaining a court-approved search warrant, Fox Atlanta reported.

An underlying affidavit revealed the bureau was probing allegations of ballot irregularities and record-keeping failures in Georgia, a state President Donald Trump lost by a razor-thin margin to President Joe Biden that became ground zero for Trump’s election fraud claims in the aftermath of 2020.

In March, the FBI subpoenaed 2020 voting documents in Arizona. Multiple U.S. officials confirmed the election probe to Fox News, saying the DOJ is looking at a large tranche of Arizona data from 2020 and 2024.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

The White House described how President Donald Trump had a “good meeting” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, saying in its readout that the two sides discussed ways to “enhance economic cooperation,” expand market access for American business into China and “increase Chinese investment into our industries.”

“Leaders from many of the United States’ largest companies joined a portion of the meeting,” the White House noted. “The Presidents also highlighted the need to build on progress in ending the flow of fentanyl precursors into the United States, as well as increasing Chinese purchases of American agricultural products.”

The White House said the U.S. and China agreed that the Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.

TRUMP, XI MAKE REMARKS AT STATE BANQUET ON DAY TWO OF CRITICAL CHINA VISIT

China and the U.S. are both nuclear-armed nations.

TRUMP’S UPBEAT CHINA MESSAGE COLLIDES WITH DEEPENING BEIJING RIVALRY

“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy. President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future. Both countries agreed that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the White House noted.

While Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. position on Taiwain remains unchanged following Trump and Xi’s meeting, China’s foreign ministry said “Xi stressed that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.”

TRUMP PLEDGES TO RAISE DETAINED PASTOR’S CASE WITH XI JINPING DURING BEIJING VISIT AS FAMILY PLEADS FOR HELP

“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy. ‘Taiwan independence’ and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the U.S.,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “The U.S. side must exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan question.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., prioritized the nation over partisanship on Wednesday by joining with Senate Republicans in voting to confirm President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh to serve as Federal Reserve System Board of Governors chair.

Aside from Fetterman, the 54-45 vote was strictly along party lines, with Republicans voting for confirmation and Democrats voting against it.

“Today @SenateGOP, along with the Democrat who put country before political ideology, confirmed @POTUS’s nominee Kevin Warsh as the next Chairman of the @FederalReserve,” Bessent declared in a Wednesday post on X.

SENATE CONFIRMS KEVIN WARSH AS FED CHAIR AS TRUMP’S ECONOMIC VISION COMES INTO FOCUS

“Chairman Warsh will usher in a new day at an institution that is in need of accountability, sound policy guidance, and the renewed sense of purpose to help guide our economy. His chairmanship opens the door and lays the groundwork for every American family to build and grow in the world’s greatest economy,” Bessent added.

Fetterman said in a statement issued on Wednesday, “I’ve met Kevin Warsh and believe he will be transparent and responsive to Congress and the public. His promise to maintain Fed independence in setting interest rates is crucial and I look forward to working with him.”

“I also maintain we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Chair Powell. Through multiple administrations and a global pandemic, our economy has been the envy of the world under his steady hand. He never broke the law, has done a remarkable job, and I’m profoundly grateful for his service as Chair. I encourage him to stay on the Fed Board as long as he wants,” Fetterman added.

FETTERMAN CALLS OUT ‘ABSOLUTE SOCIALIST’ SEATTLE MAYOR AND ‘AVOWED COMMUNIST’ GRAHAM PLATNER

During his first presidential administration, Trump nominated Powell for the chairmanship. Then, President Joe Biden, during his White House tenure, tapped Powell to remain in the role for a second term.

Trump more recently has been a vociferous Powell critic.

“After my term as Chair ends on May 15, I will continue to serve as a governor for a period of time to be determined. I plan to keep a low profile as a governor. There is only ever one Chair of the Federal Reserve Board. When Kevin Warsh is confirmed and sworn in, he will be that Chair,” Powell said last month.

POWELL WILL REMAIN AT THE FED FOR NOW, SETTING UP POTENTIAL CLASH WITH TRUMP

The Federal Reserve website notes that “Mr. Powell has served as a member of the Board of Governors since taking office on May 25, 2012, to fill an unexpired term. He was reappointed to the Board and sworn in on June 16, 2014, for a term ending January 31, 2028.”

Chinese security officials allegedly blocked an armed U.S. Secret Service agent from entering an event on Thursday during President Donald Trump’s visit to the country, according to media members on the ground. 

A Secret Service agent was reportedly blocked from entering Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven with their weapon on Thursday, according to reporters. The incident triggered an alleged “intense standoff” that delayed entry to the venue for over a half-hour due to heated discussions. 

“We’ve seen several intense confrontations since being here,” wrote a Telegraph correspondent on X of the situation. 

TRUMP GETS RED-CARPET WELCOME IN CHINA, BUT PAST BEIJING TRIP SHOWS PAGEANTRY ONLY GOES SO FAR

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.

Trump and Xi met Thursday in Beijing as part of a two-day state visit, with the White House saying the leaders discussed Iran, energy security, fentanyl controls and market access.

CHINA ROLLS OUT RED CARPET FOR TRUMP AS XI MEETING TESTS TRADE, TAIWAN TENSIONS

Other videos posted by reporters on social media show the press having difficulties navigating following Trump during the meetings and events. 

“Several times the Chinese tried to stop US reporters and staff from leaving their positions and joining the motorcade,” the Telegraph correspondent said on X.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Secret Service for comment on Thursday. 

This is not the first time tensions have flared between the Secret Service and Chinese security officials.

During Trump’s 2017 visit, commotion was caused over the nuclear football, a briefcase that holds the tools for the president to order a nuclear strike, Axios first reported at the time.

SECRET SERVICE MUST ‘COURSE CORRECT’ AFTER ALLEGED SMUGGLING EPISODE ON TRUMP TRIP, FORMER AGENT SAYS

Reports at the time said that when the U.S. military aide carrying the briefcase entered the Great Hall, Chinese security officials blocked his entry. The then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was notified and rushed over to escort the aide.

“We’re moving in,” Kelly said, according to Axios. A Chinese security official then grabbed Kelly, before a U.S. Secret Service agent grabbed that Chinese security official, and allegedly tackled him to the ground.

The U.S. Secret Service later denied the reports of “tackling” issuing a statement on X.

FORMER SECRET SERVICE OFFICIALS WARN OF LOW-TECH THREATS FACING TRUMP AFTER LATEST MAR-A-LAGO BREACH

“FACT CHECK: Reports about Secret Service agents tackling a host nation official during the President’s trip to China in Nov 2017 are false,” the agency wrote.

A source told Fox News at the time there was a bit of shoving during the incident, which then de-escalated and reiterated that the “football” was never touched.

Trade has emerged as a central focus of President Donald Trump’s high-stakes meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, following a Supreme Court setback over Trump’s tariff agenda earlier this year. 

“President Trump had a good meeting with President Xi of China,” a White House official told pool reporters early Thursday morning. “The two sides discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries, including expanding market access for American businesses into China and increasing Chinese investment into our industries.”

The talks come as Trump’s tariff agenda faced a setback after a Supreme Court ruling limited his use of emergency powers to impose duties, which cut directly into one of his preferred tools for pressuring Beijing. The ruling came against the backdrop of a yearslong tariff standoff between the U.S. and China, with Trump arguing aggressive duties are needed to force fairer trade terms while Beijing has repeatedly pushed back.

TRUMP’S TARIFF POWER GRAB BARRELS TOWARD SUPREME COURT

“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level!” Trump posted to Truth Social on May 12, previewing he would press Xi on American trade. “In fact, I promise, that when we are together, which will be in a matter of hours, I will make that my very first request. I have never seen or heard of any idea that would be more beneficial to our incredible Countries!”

After Trump touched down in China on Wednesday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning wrote on X Thursday, that “President Xi stressed to President Trump that facts have shown time and again that trade wars have no winner.”

“China-U.S. economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature. Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right choice,” she added.

TRUMP GETS RED-CARPET WELCOME IN CHINA, BUT PAST BEIJING TRIP SHOWS PAGEANTRY ONLY GOES SO FAR

Tariffs have been at the center of Trump’s China strategy since his first term, when he imposed duties on Chinese imports and Beijing retaliated with tariffs of its own. The fight has remained one of the defining pressure points in the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. 

A major piece of Trump’s “America First” agenda has focused on leveling the global trade playing field by holding other countries accountable for trade deficits. One of his first moves after returning to office was rolling out the “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025, which were designed to serve as leverage in trade negotiations while also generating new revenue.

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, invalidated Trump’s use of an emergency law to impose tariffs in February, ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president, even after declaring a national emergency, to impose tariffs. 

Trump had championed ahead of SCOTUS’ decision that the court should rule in his favor as part of his larger effort to boost the economy, jobs and bring down costs for Americans. 

KAVANAUGH RIPS SUPREME COURT MAJORITY’S ‘ILLOGICAL’ LINE ON TARIFFS

Justice Brett Kavanaugh dissented, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Trump took issue with Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — both of whom he nominated in his first term — for joining the majority, including just this month when he said the ruling has cost the U.S. $159 billion. 

“I don’t want loyalty, but I do want and expect it for our Country,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday. “Yes, I have another way of doing Tariffs, but it is far slower, and more laborious than what was just determined, in a close decision, to be ‘illegal’ or ‘unconstitutional,’ with three powerful, and highly accurate, dissents! Well, maybe Neil, and Amy, just had a really bad day, but our Country can only handle so many decisions of that magnitude before it breaks down, and cracks!!!”

TRUMP’S SIGNATURE TARIFFS HANG ON KEY QUESTION ABOUT CONGRESS’ POWER BEFORE SUPREME COURT

Trump moved to preserve his tariff pressure campaign through other trade authorities, including Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, though that route is temporary and has already drawn its own legal challenge. 

A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the administration is also looking to Section 301, which allows the U.S. to investigate and respond to unfair foreign trade practices.

“This tariff tool has already held up from prior legal challenges,” said the spokesperson. 

Trump visited China in 2017 in meetings that produced more than $250 billion in announced commercial deals and cooperation pledges at the time, but it did not prevent trade relations from deteriorating in 2018. 

This week’s talks come amid a renewed tariff standoff that reignited after Trump returned to office in 2025. The pressure began with new fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods in February, before widening into a broader reciprocal tariff push that triggered retaliation from Beijing, and has since shifted toward negotiations over temporary off-ramps.

U.S. Trade representative Jamieson Greer previewed goals for Trump’s state visit last month on Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump,” sharing that a top priority is stability between the two countries.

“We want to make sure we continue to have a flow of the rare earth we need for our manufacturing we wanna make sure that the Chinese continued to buy a lot of American agriculture and airplanes and other kinds of things that Americans are good at making, and we want to set the table to continue to have stability over the next six months to a year and so these are the kind of things that we’re looking for as outcomes from the trip,” Greer said.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.