INTERNACIONAL
SCOOP: Treasury Secretary Bessent to huddle with key Republican caucus as Trump enacts tariff plan
FIRST ON FOX: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be on Capitol Hill again on Wednesday to meet with a key Republican caucus, Fox News Digital has learned.
A source familiar with the planning told Fox News Digital that Bessent is among the speakers at the Republican Study Committee’s weekly lunch on Wednesday. Discussions are likely to focus on tariffs and the budget reconciliation process, the source anticipated. It comes as House Republicans wrestle with a way forward on both fronts.
SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES
House Republicans on the Republican Study Committee are meeting with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, on Wednesday. (Getty)
On tariffs, some Republican lawmakers have said they would like more clarity from the White House on President Donald Trump’s plans – including whether his sweeping import taxes on friends and foes are a negotiation tactic or a matter of long-term policy.
One GOP lawmaker told Fox News Digital that Trump’s messaging has been «well-received» but added, «It would be nice to have more information.»
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who is leading a bipartisan bill to retake Congress’ power on tariffs, told reporters on Tuesday, «I don’t like the thought of waging a trade war with the entire world, and that’s what we’re doing right now.»
«I mean, I surely support tariffs on China. It’s not that I oppose all tariffs, I think there are some countries that would need it. But I question why on Canada,» Bacon said.
MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, is chairman of the Republican Study Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Others, like Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., were more supportive – though he also signaled he saw it as more of a negotiating tool.
«I believe in fair and free trade, I really do, but what we have right now is not fair, and it’s not free – we pay a disproportionate tax to other nations,» Haridopolos told Fox News Digital. «Whatever you tax me, I’ll tax you. Even better, if there’s no tax between the two countries, that’s a win for the United States in general.»
«I think the president has taken a strong position to say, ‘We’re a very generous country, and….all we’re asking for is for our trading partners to treat us the way they want to be treated.’»
The Republican Study Committee has more than 170 members and acts as the House Republican conference’s de facto think tank at times.
Bessent, meanwhile, opened the door to using tariffs as a hardball tactic in trade talks with other countries – likely welcome news for Republicans who were concerned about the long-term impact on their districts.
He told CNBC on Tuesday morning that he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were tapped to lead talks with Japan. He also said Trump himself would be «directly involved in those negotiations.»
«There are 50, 60, maybe almost 70 countries now who have approached us. So it’s going to be a busy April, May, maybe into June. And Japan is a very important military ally,» Bessent said. «And the U.S. has a lot of history with them, so I would expect that Japan’s going to get priority, just because they came forward very quickly. But it’s going to be very busy.»
HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR URGES JOHNSON TO CHANGE COURSE ON SENATE VERSION OF TRUMP BUDGET BILL
President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled «Make America Wealthy Again» at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 2025. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
On the other end, the White House is working with House GOP leaders to convince critics of the Senate’s version of a sweeping bill to advance Trump’s agenda.
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Republicans are aiming to use their majorities to pass a massive piece of legislation dealing with border security, energy and defense, as well as extending Trump’s 2017 tax policies.
Fiscal hawks are angry that the Senate’s version of the bill mandates a minimum of $4 billion in cuts, whereas the House plan calls for at least $1.5 trillion.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Treasury Department but did not immediately hear back.
House Of Representatives,Republicans,Donald Trump,Politics
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, anunció que Israel y el grupo terrorista Hamas llegaron a un acuerdo para un intercambio de rehenes por prisioneros, en el marco de la primera fase de un plan global para la finalización de la guerra en Gaza.
El plan, estructurado en 20 puntos, establece los pasos a seguir en la zona de Medio Oriente. El primer punto del esquema establece que Gaza debe convertirse en “una zona desradicalizada y libre de terrorismo para que no represente una amenaza para sus vecinos”. La segunda cláusula agrega que el enclave “será reconstruido para beneficio de su población, que ha sufrido más que suficiente”.
El tercer apartado fija la condición de que, si ambas partes aceptan, “la guerra terminará inmediatamente”. Israel deberá retirarse a la línea acordada para preparar la liberación de los cautivos, mientras se congelan las operaciones militares. El cuarto punto impone un plazo estricto: “Dentro de las 72 horas de que Israel acepte públicamente este acuerdo, todos los rehenes, vivos y muertos, serán devueltos”.
El quinto punto establece el componente recíproco: tras la liberación de los rehenes, Israel pondrá en libertad a “250 prisioneros condenados a cadena perpetua, además de 1.700 gazatíes detenidos después del 7 de octubre de 2023, incluidas todas las mujeres y niños”.
También se estipula que, por cada rehén fallecido que se devuelva, Israel entregará “los restos de 15 gazatíes”.
El sexto punto aborda el tratamiento de los combatientes de Hamas. Quienes se comprometan a la “coexistencia pacífica y a entregar sus armas” recibirán amnistía, y quienes deseen salir de Gaza contarán con un pasaje seguro hacia otros países.
El séptimo compromiso abre la puerta a la asistencia humanitaria: “Al aceptarse este acuerdo, la ayuda ingresará inmediatamente en Gaza”, con volúmenes mínimos iguales a los pactados en el acuerdo del 19 de enero de 2025, incluyendo reparación de infraestructuras esenciales.
Según el octavo apartado, la distribución de esa ayuda quedará en manos de la ONU, la Cruz Roja y otras instituciones neutrales. El cruce de Rafah se abrirá en ambas direcciones bajo el mismo mecanismo del acuerdo de enero.
El noveno punto crea un gobierno provisional: Gaza quedará bajo la administración de un “comité tecnocrático palestino, apolítico, con supervisión internacional de una ´Junta de Paz´, encabezado por Donald Trump y figuras como Tony Blair”, encargado de la financiación de la reconstrucción hasta que la Autoridad Palestina pueda asumir el control.
El décimo punto introduce un “plan económico de Trump para reconstruir y revitalizar Gaza”, a cargo de expertos en desarrollo urbano del Medio Oriente. El undécimo crea una “zona económica especial con tarifas preferenciales y acceso negociado con países participantes”. El duodécimo apartado garantiza que “nadie será forzado a salir de Gaza”, aunque quienes deseen emigrar pueden hacerlo con derecho de retorno.
El punto trece excluye al grupo terrorista Hamas del futuro político del enclave: “Hamas y otras facciones acuerdan no tener ningún papel en el gobierno de Gaza, directa o indirectamente”. Todo el arsenal militar será destruido bajo supervisión internacional, con un programa de recompra de armas y reintegración financiado por donantes externos. El decimocuarto punto asegura la participación de actores regionales en la vigilancia del cumplimiento de las obligaciones para garantizar que “la nueva Gaza no represente una amenaza”.
El decimoquinto establece una Fuerza Internacional de Estabilización, que “se desplegará de inmediato en Gaza” para entrenar a la policía local y cooperar con Egipto e Israel en el control fronterizo. El decimosexto compromete a Israel a no ocupar ni anexar el territorio, con una retirada progresiva en función de la desmilitarización, conservando solo un perímetro de seguridad transitorio.
El decimoséptimo apartado prevé medidas de ayuda y reconstrucción en zonas “libres de terrorismo” bajo control internacional en caso de que Hamas dilate o rechace el plan.
El decimoctavo punto impulsa “un proceso de diálogo interreligioso basado en la tolerancia y la coexistencia”. El decimonoveno sugiere que “al avanzar la reconstrucción y cumplirse el programa de reforma de la Autoridad Palestina”, podrían darse condiciones para avanzar hacia “la autodeterminación y el Estado palestino”.
El vigésimo y último punto establece que Estados Unidos “abrirá un diálogo entre Israel y los palestinos para acordar un horizonte político de coexistencia pacífica y próspera”.
(Con información de AFP y EFE)
Domestic,Politics,North America,Government / Politics
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It must be something about October and two-year intervals in Congress.
Congress was paralyzed for more than three weeks without a leader two years ago this October as the House unceremoniously ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
And Congress is paralyzed again this October – unable to find the votes to re-open the government.
«There’s nothing for us to negotiate,» said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. «We did the job to keep the government open. And now it’s on the Senate Democrats.»
OMINOUS RED AND ORANGE SKIES HAD CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE AS SHUTDOWN LOOMED
But Democrats say that’s the problem. There haven’t been negotiations. Save for a brief White House meeting last week between President Trump and the top four bipartisan, bicameral Congressional leaders a day before the shutdown.
«The Majority Leader in the Senate, John Thune, R-S.D., talks about, ‘we’ll have conversations.’ We need more than conversations. We need a real negotiation,» said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., on Fox.
So there are no talks. And the sides are seemingly talking past each other.
It seems as though Congress is positively heading nowhere as shutdown negotiations drag on. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
So, they’ve turned to handicapping.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., gamed out that the shutdown would run another week.
«It won’t end until everybody in the Senate takes their ego out back and shoots it. And then it’ll end,» predicted Kennedy.
It always is, and always will be about the math.
Senate Republicans can conjure up the votes of 55 senators to break a filibuster on the House-passed bill to fund the government. But they need 60 yeas. And Republicans are determined to stick to their playbook.
«I can tell you there’s more than five Democrats in the Senate who know that (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. has led them into a box canyon with this Schumer shutdown,» said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Fox. «But the consequences will start to pile up.»
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: SENATE REVOTES TODAY ON ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wouldn’t directly answer a question about what would trigger federal firings. But Leavitt made clear that jobs hung in the balance.
«We don’t want to see people laid off. But unfortunately, if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unfortunate consequence of that,» said Leavitt.
Democrats excoriated the Trump Administration for hinting it would cut programs and jobs in agencies important to Democrats.
«Americans really hate bullies. And this kind of bullying from the White House is going to backlash because they understand that an authoritarian president uses grants to New York for infrastructure, laying off workers, deliberately inflicting pain,» predicted Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. «Don’t inflict unnecessary pain and then boast about it.»
Some Republicans practically reveled in the White House approach.
«All’s fair in love and war. I think that there’s a price to pay for the Democrats shutting this down,» said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. «These will be part of the consequences.»
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., argued that the shutdown is «collective punishment» and undercuts Republicans equally harshly. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
But one Democrat argued that the Trump administration’s gambit would also undercut Republicans and voters who supported the president. Even in blue states.
«There’s a lot of folks in Vermont, there’s lot of folk in Illinois who voted for President Trump. So this sort of collective punishment,» said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., on Fox. «I think it’s a really bad idea.»
But the president is coy about when the shutdown could trigger federal layoffs.
«It could,» said the president. «At some point it will.»
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted that his department saw «a slight uptick» in aviation safety employees who were calling out sick during the shutdown – since they weren’t being paid.
«They’re thinking about how am I going to get a paycheck? How do I make a car payment,» said Duffy.
WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’
But if you squint, you can see a few signs of bipartisanship.
Johnson is discussing Obamacare subsidies with one prominent Democrat.
«I had I think a fruitful discussion, with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., about two days ago, a day or so ago,» said Johnson on efforts to address looming Obamacare premium spikes. «Whatever the conference committee comes up with, I will put on the floor. I’m ready to go.»
But Schumer is skeptical about the Speaker’s promises.
«Delay has always been Speaker Johnson’s MO. Speaker Johnson has survived by kicking the can down the road,» said Schumer. «When Johnson says later, they know he means never.»
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., insists Democrats are «playing a losing game.» (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Tension is building as the shutdown barrels into its second week as lawmakers spin in circles.
«I realize that my Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far left base. But they’re playing a losing game here,» said Thune.
But each side is now engaged in a game of parliamentary chicken. Republicans won’t budge from their demand that Senate Democrats approve their funding plan. And Democrats won’t relent from their insistence that the sides shore up Obamacare subsidies.
«I’m not going to vote to reopen the government until I see a way that we can do that,» said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Even some Republicans worry about Obamacare price spikes.
«There are some folks in what is the new part of the Republican Party, which is blue-collar workers,» said Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., on Fox Business. «We have to be careful how we do this. We just shouldn’t cut it. We should make sure we use a scalpel and not a sledgehammer.»
SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026?
But even if bipartisan senators were to forge a deal, the plan may slam into a brick wall in the House.
«Republicans have spent most of their careers being against Obamacare. Why would they expand it and add a subsidy on top of a subsidy?» asked House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.
A debate is now raging over which side will cave. Or which party faces political consequences.
Naturally, Republicans believe Democrats will pay a price.
«Their radical base just wants to see them up here fighting Donald Trump, not over any particular issues,» said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.
But Democrats don’t see a political downside.
«Are you concerned in any way about the political ramifications that voters might blame your side down the road?» yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
«The American people are crystal clear on who shut down the government. Crystal clear,» replied Jeffries.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., suggested Americans are «crystal clear» on who shoulders the blame for the shutdown. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
However, some lawmakers doubt that voters care about who «shut down the government.»
«My constituents don’t care about the finger pointing. They just want us to govern,» said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa.
As the impasse deepens, the Senate shifted from parliamentary posturing to ecumenical intercession.
«On this third day of the government shutdown, inspire them to work for your glory in all they think, say, and sow,» prayed Senate Chaplain Barry Black during his invocation of the Senate last week.
HERE’S WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE SHUTDOWN
And then there are the sideshows. The White House sent out a meme portraying Budget Director Russ Vought as the Grim Reaper. And the president trolled Jeffries with an AI-generated social media video, casting Jeffries in a sombrero and a mustache with mariachi music playing in the background.
At the same time, Republicans warned about grave shutdown consequences.
«Real pain is being endured by real people,» said Johnson.
But in the next breath, the Speaker defended the president making light of circumstances, describing the trolling as «entertainment.»
«That’s what President Trump does. And people are having fun with this,» said Johnson.
I didn’t let that go.
«On one hand, you say this is very serious. That people have jobs on the line. On the other hand, you say, ‘oh, this is just fun and games and they’re trolling.’ Which is it?» I inquired.
«What they’re trying to have fun with, trying to make light of, is to point out the absurdity of the Democrats’ position,» answered Johnson.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended President Trump’s making light of current circumstances as «entertainment.» (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
So we don’t know if or when Vought will drop the anvil on federal workers. But one senator who caucuses with the Democrats and voted for the GOP plan, signaled his support could wane if Republicans overplay their hand.
«If they start firing thousands of people or clawing back other kinds of programs, I think, it could hurt their chances of getting this resolved,» said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.’
The Senate has now blocked the House-approved spending package on six separate occasions. The sides are having casual conversations. But nothing has happened.
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It’s as though Congress is on a merry-go-round to nowhere, just going around and around. Everyone’s getting dizzy. And just wants to dismount.
congress,government shutdown,house of representatives politics,senate,white house
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