INTERNACIONAL
Trump pushes Congress to pass SAVE Act during State of the Union; no meddling with tariffs
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
State of the Union speeches are all about aspirations. It doesn’t matter if you’re Reagan. Clinton, Obama, the Bush tandem or Trump. Aspirations are the quintessence of State of the Union speeches. What presidents aspire to do. And what a president wants Congress to do.
All of this flows toward the ultimate of political aspirations: winning elections. Be it the next presidential election. Or, House and Senate seats during the midterms.
There were two big asks — and one admonition — from President Donald Trump this week. He wants Congress to approve the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship for people to vote. He wants lawmakers to pass a stock trading ban, handcuffing Congress from dealing in stocks. And the President doesn’t want Congress to meddle in tariff policy.
President Trump touted his new tariffs, arguing that they will eventually replace the nation’s income tax. This commander-in-chief has wielded executive power more broadly than any other president. So he instructed lawmakers to trade in their tariff authority.
«Congressional action will not be necessary,» Trump said of his new tariffs.
The Constitution blesses Congress with the power to impose tariffs. The Supreme Court upheld that power last week. But President Trump went ahead and slapped another set of tariffs on all nations, leaning on a different law.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks to reporters on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act at the U.S. Capitol. The legislation would introduce more proof-of-citizenship requirements for Americans voting in federal elections. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
Like most presidents, Trump wants to control legislation. That includes precluding Congress from tampering with his tariffs. However, a number of Republicans have their own aspirations: getting re-elected. That’s why some House Republicans, who believe their districts are getting hammered by tariffs, would like to reclaim that power. Or, at the very least, be on the record opposing the president.
The House voted a few weeks ago to extinguish a special rule House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and others put in place to block members from unwinding the tariffs for a year. Then the House adopted a plan to undo tariffs with Canada.
TRUMP’S PUSH TO ‘KNOCK OUT’ FILIBUSTER GAINS NEW GOP TRACTION AS FUNDING DEADLINE NEARS
But again, these are aspirations of some Republicans fed up with tariffs. The bulk of Republicans are okay with keeping them in place. And that’s exactly what Trump wants – regardless of what the Supreme Court decided.
President Donald Trump leaves after delivering the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
Let’s go back to Trump’s two major legislative asks in his speech. The SAVE Act is the one he really wants to be passed. This fits nicely with Trump’s narrative about illegal immigration, his claim that former President Joe Biden stole the 2020 election and voter fraud.
«They want to cheat. They have cheated. And their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat,» said the President of Democrats during his speech. «Cheating is rampant.»
TRUMP UNDERCUTS GOP PUSH TO ATTACH SAVE ACT TO SHUTDOWN BILL AS CONSERVATIVES THREATEN MUTINY
A study examining election fraud by the conservative Heritage Foundation, discovered that examples of election fraud are minuscule. For instance, Pennsylvania, a swing state, has only unearthed 39 instances of voting fraud over the past three decades.
The House already approved the SAVE Act. But the question is the Senate.
«The Senate is working. I think every Republican over there is obviously in favor of the SAVE America Act, and they’re trying to cobble together the votes. It’s a 70% Democrat issue. It’s over 90% in some polls,» said Johnson. «Hopefully, some Democrats will come to their senses. I don’t know how they can go home to their voters and say that they were opposing that when it’s such a popular issue. So we’ll see how it goes.»
See how it goes is right.
It was notable that in his plea for Congressional action on the SAVE Act, Trump did not demand that senators end the filibuster. Fifty GOP senators now support the SAVE Act. But the trick is whether those who endorse the legislation can hit the magic threshold of 60 yeas. That’s the number of votes required to break a filibuster.
Senate Majority leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly resisted altering the Senate’s filibuster customs and precedents to pass the SAVE Act. The bill will never become law unless the Senate changes things. And Thune reiterated his opposition to undoing the filibuster.
Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and others have advocated a «talking filibuster.» That means senators must actually speak and hold the floor for hours on end. Otherwise, the Senate must vote. Talking filibuster proponents don’t want senators to silently object from the sidelines. That’s what compels the Senate to take procedural votes needing 60 yeas to overcome a filibuster.
LEAVITT DEMANDS SENATE GOP ‘GET OFF THEIR BUTTS’ AND ABOLISH FILIBUSTER RULE TO ADVANCE TRUMP’S AGENDA
«The talking filibuster issue is one on which there is not a unified Republican conference. And there would have to be (unity) if you go down that path,» said Thune.
He mentioned that the GOP must «keep 50 Republicans unified pretty much on every single vote,» adding that «there isn’t the support for doing that at this point.»
President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)
Fox News is also told that there is some friction between House and Senate Republicans. Some Senate Republicans don’t appreciate the House amping up pressure to ditch the filibuster. The right to filibuster is a privilege to which senators of both parties cling tightly.
MARK HALPERIN: TRUMP STRATEGY SUPER SESSION PLOTS MIDTERM SURVIVAL AS HISTORY STALKS GOP
Moreover, subjecting the Senate to lengthy debate could tee up amendment votes which many vulnerable senators may find unsettling. Getting them on the record on a host of controversial issues wouldn’t help the GOP ahead of the election.
So, while it’s Trump’s aspiration to pass the SAVE Act, his aspirations regarding the filibuster are unclear at best.
Then, there’s the aspiration about prohibiting lawmakers from trading stocks. Even Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., stood and applauded when Trump made that entreaty.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION BECOMES POLITICAL BOXING MATCH AS DEMOCRATS BOYCOTT
Johnson said that the House is trying to «move (the bill) as aggressively and as quickly as we can.» But says he’s got to have «the votes for it.»
That’s the reason the House hasn’t addressed the bill yet. It lacks the votes. For now, that is an aspiration. If the bill has the votes, Johnson will deposit the legislation on the floor.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
There’s an old expression that the president «proposes» and Congress «disposes.» It’s certainly possible that even a GOP Congress will do that this year with some of Trump’s legislative wishes.
But that doesn’t handicap presidential aspirations. After all, even presidents can dream.
Related Article
politics,us,house of representatives politics,donald trump,state of the union,mike johnson
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday touted new momentum toward ending the country’s war with Russia after a high-level call with President Donald Trump’s envoys, pointing to progress on a U.S.-backed security deal.
Zelenskyy announced in an X post that he and his officials had a «positive» conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with talks centered around forging a «dignified peace.»
«We agreed to strengthen security guarantees, and I have already instructed our team to promptly update the documents so that the security guarantees for Ukraine are strong, the prospects for post-war reconstruction are real, and everything is doable,» Zelenskyy wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
WITKOFF AND KUSHNER SCHEDULED TO MEET PUTIN IN MOSCOW
He emphasized Ukraine needs clear agreements so that its citizens understand exactly how international partners will respond to deter any renewed Russian aggression.
«We need strong, shared positions, and Ukraine’s contribution to this strength is unquestionable,» Zelenskyy wrote. «… I expect that the teams will work substantively in the coming days so that we can all feel progress. A trilateral format — a leaders’ format — all of this is necessary.»
Ukranian leaders at a meeting discussing the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
TRUMP CONFIRMS HE INVITED PUTIN TO JOIN HIS BOARD OF PEACE: ‘HE’S BEEN INVITED’
In a subsequent video, Zelenskyy reported Russia launched a massive wave of more than 700 drones Wednesday, including «shaheds,» targeting Ukraine’s energy sites, food warehouses and residential buildings across multiple regions.
Although Ukrainian forces intercepted roughly 90% of the incoming drones, Zelenskyy condemned the bombardment as Russia’s direct response to Ukraine’s proposal for an Easter ceasefire.
Leaders meet to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (@ZelenskyyUa via X)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He noted that a halt in fighting during the holidays was intended to be a signal that diplomacy could be successful.
Beyond the U.S. and Europe, Zelenskyy said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is working to secure long-term defense contracts with several Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Turkey.
volodymyr zelenskyy, ukraine, russia, world politics, wars
Las repercusiones económicas de la guerra en Medio Oriente, que se encuentra ya en su quinta semana, están afectando a consumidores y empresas de todo el mundo y elevando el precio de productos básicos como los alimentos y el combustible.
“Aunque la guerra podría influir en la economía mundial de diferentes maneras, todos los caminos conducen a precios más altos y a un crecimiento más lento”, escribieron esta semana los principales economistas del Fondo Monetario Internacional.
El martes, las señales de tensión podían verse en las proyecciones más recientes de un fuerte aumento de la pobreza en todo el mundo árabe, un gran incremento de la inflación en Europa y nuevos máximos de los precios de la gasolina en Estados Unidos.
Los efectos son especialmente onerosos para los países pobres, que disponen de menos recursos. Los países de África, Asia del Sur, America latina y partes de Medio Oriente que importan la mayor parte de su energía se encuentran en una situación especialmente difícil para hacer frente a unos costos desorbitados.
Para estas economías, el efecto es como “un impuesto grande y repentino sobre los ingresos”, explicaron los economistas del FMI.
Sin embargo, aunque los países puedan conseguir los fondos, es posible que no dispongan de suministros de petróleo, gas y muchos otros productos básicos cruciales debido al bloqueo efectivo por parte de Irán del estrecho de Ormuz, una ruta marítima clave, así como a los daños que sufrieron infraestructuras energéticas en toda la región del golfo Pérsico.
Alrededor de un tercio del fertilizante mundial se transporta a través del estrecho de Ormuz. Con el comienzo de la temporada de siembra en el hemisferio norte, la escasez de fertilizantes ahora puede dar lugar a cosechas más pequeñas y a un aumento de los precios de los alimentos más adelante.
La escasez de otros materiales producidos en el Golfo, como el helio, el azufre y solventes que se utilizan para procesar plásticos, puede ralentizar la producción industrial, lo que hundiría el crecimiento de algunos países.
ARCHIVO – Barcos navegan por el golfo Pérsico hacia el estrecho de Ormuz mientras se pone el sol en Emiratos Árabes Unidos, el lunes 23 de marzo de 2026. (AP Foto, Archivo)
Para muchos habitantes de Medio Oriente, el panorama es especialmente inquietante. Un informe reciente de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) estima que la guerra podría llevar a la pobreza a cuatro millones de personas más en todo el mundo árabe y reducir la producción de la región en más de 100.000 millones de dólares.
En Europa, el aumento de los precios de la energía provocado por la guerra contribuyó a elevar la inflación en los 21 países que utilizan el euro, lo que hace temer que los banqueros centrales suban los tipos de interés si los precios siguen disparándose.
Los precios al consumidor en la eurozona subieron a una tasa anual del 2,5 por ciento en marzo, el ritmo más rápido en un año, según informó el martes la agencia de estadística del bloque. El aumento en febrero fue del 1,9 por ciento.
Christine Lagarde, presidenta del Banco Central Europeo, dijo la semana pasada que los responsables de las políticas estaban preparados para subir los tipos de interés si la inflación persistía por encima del objetivo del banco del 2 por ciento.
En Estados Unidos, la gasolina (nafta) superó el martes un promedio de 4 dólares el galón, un umbral que no alcanzaba desde agosto de 2022. Desde finales de febrero, el costo promedio de la gasolina normal ha subido 35 por ciento, según datos del club automovilístico AAA.
Una persona repostando combustible en una gasolinera, el martes 17 de marzo de 2026, en Baltimore. (AP Foto/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Ver la gasolina a más de 4 dólares el galón -cuando hace un mes estaba por debajo de los 3 dólares- podría empujar a los conductores estadounidenses a cambiar sus hábitos de gasto.
Los hogares de ingresos medios y bajos son los que más están notando el apuro. El impacto desproporcionado está haciendo que la economía estadounidense sea aún más asimétrica y dependiente del gasto de los consumidores de ingresos altos, dijo Moody’s en una actualización el martes.
La incertidumbre sobre cuánto durará la guerra y cuán graves podrían ser los daños a la infraestructura energética de la región está inquietando a gobiernos, empresas y consumidores. Algunos funcionarios han tomado medidas para reducir el consumo, como pedir al público y a los funcionarios que utilicen la bicicleta en lugar del coche, que suban por las escaleras en lugar de utilizar el ascensor y que trabajen cuatro días en lugar de cinco.
Hay algunos ganadores en medio del trastorno económico. Los países exportadores de petróleo que pueden suministrar su producto -incluidos Irán y Rusia- están cosechando ganancias inesperadas por la subida de los precios. Ahora que Estados Unidos ha levantado algunas sanciones contra estas dos naciones, ambas pueden utilizar la infusión de fondos para financiar sus esfuerzos bélicos.
The New York Times, data-cc, data-cc-nyt
INTERNACIONAL
ICE pressures Spanberger as Fairfax murder suspects trigger new detainers in ‘sanctuary’ clash
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger and local authorities in deep blue Northern Virginia are facing mounting hold requests from ICE after two more illegal immigrants were arrested for murder in Fairfax County this week.
This week, ICE lodged two detainers — requests to hold — for illegal immigrants charged with murder in Fairfax County. One detainer was lodged against 28-year-old Guatemalan national Misael Lopez Gomez, who is charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse after allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death. The agency lodged another detainer for a Guatemalan national, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, following his arrest by local authorities for second-degree murder in a machete stabbing.
The Department of Homeland Security has personally appealed to Spanberger and «Fairfax County sanctuary politicians» to not release Chavarria Muy.
These cases are the latest in a string of high-profile crimes involving illegal immigrants in Northern Virginia that have rocked the community.
ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGED GROPING OF MINOR GIRLS AT HIGH SCHOOL BEING INVESTIGATED BY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is facing criticism for rejecting a warrantless ICE detainer on a criminal illegal immigrant charged with murder, and days later, Virginia Democrats are continuing to push anti-ICE cooperation laws.
This comes after one of Spanberger’s first actions as governor was to issue an executive order barring state and local authorities from cooperating with federal authorities for immigration enforcement.
Here are some of the latest high-profile cases that have outraged Northern Virginia residents:
Misael Lopez Gomez – Infant murder
Two ICE sources told Fox News that Misael Lopez Gomez, who was recently arrested for allegedly beating his 3-month-old daughter to death in Fairfax County, is a Guatemalan illegal alien. The sources said Lopez Gomez is believed to have entered the U.S. as a got-away during the Biden administration in July 2023.
Fox News has learned ICE placed a detainer request on Lopez Gomez with Fairfax County law enforcement. According to local outlet WUSA9, the infant died from blunt-force trauma. The outlet reported Tuesday that Lopez Gomez is currently jailed without bond and is facing second-degree murder and felony child abuse charges.
Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy – Machete Stabbing
On Tuesday, ICE lodged a detainer request for Fairfax County to not release Chavarria Muy following his arrest in connection with a fatal stabbing on Sunday. DHS said that the killing was carried out using a machete.
WUSA9 reported that officers responding to a call in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia, found a man inside a home with multiple stab wounds. The victim was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the outlet.
Chavarria Muy was later arrested for the stabbing and charged with second-degree murder. According to DHS, he is in the U.S. illegally and entered at an unknown place and time.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis called the case «another preventable tragedy» caused by open borders policies.
FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR CHALLENGES SPANBERGER TO DEBATE HER REDISTRICTING FLIP-FLOP
Left to right: Misael Lopez Gomez, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, Israel Flores Ortiz and Abdul Jalloh. (Fox News; DHS; Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office; DHS; Steve Helber/AP Photo)
Israel Flores Ortiz – Minor groping
Fairfax County has also been rocked by a case involving 18-year-old Salvadoran illegal alien Israel Flores Ortiz, who is accused of sexually assaulting a dozen girls at a local high school he was attending.
ICE has also lodged a detainer for Flores Ortiz following his arrest for allegedly groping a dozen female high school students at a Fairfax County high school he attended. Like Chavarria Muy, DHS has asked Spanberger to intervene to prevent local authorities from releasing Flores Ortiz back into the public.
Flores Ortiz is facing 13 counts of assault and battery. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
According to DHS, Flores Ortiz is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration in 2024. His case has elicited disgust, outrage and fear from Fairfax County parents about the safety of schools in the area.
Abdul Jalloh – Neck stabbing
In late February, ICE lodged a detainer for another illegal alien, Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, charged with murder in connection with the fatal neck stabbing of a woman at a bus stop.
The victim, Stephanie Minter, 41, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was found dead at a local bus stop on Feb. 23 with multiple stab wounds to the upper body.
DHS said that Jalloh entered the U.S. illegally in 2012. He has an extensive criminal history that includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pick-pocketing.
ILLEGAL ALIEN MURDER SUSPECT AVOIDED SYSTEM AS ICE PUSHES DEM GOVERNOR TO KEEP HIM LOCKED UP
Fairfax County Public Schools bus is seen outside of Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia, Thursday, May 11, 2023. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Commenting on the most recent detainer being lodged for Chavarria Muy, DHS lamented «yet another life lost in a sanctuary county at the hands of a criminal alien who should have never been here in the first place.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The agency decried Fairfax County’s policies, saying it «has a history of refusing to honor immigration detainers.» DHS asked, «When will sanctuary politicians wake up and begin putting American lives FIRST?»
The White House’s rapid response social media account also chimed in, commenting, «Meanwhile, Democrats continue to block funding for [DHS], demanding changes to make ICE less effective in finding and arresting these criminals. Insane.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office and Fairfax County officials for comment.
sanctuary cities, illegal immigrants, abigail spanberger, virginia, migrant crime, enforcement, homeland security
La Justicia suspendió la aplicación de un punto de la reforma laboral que limitaba el paro docente
Ukraine signals progress on US security guarantees after call with Trump envoys
Se profundiza el impacto en la economía global por la guerra en Medio Oriente
Lewandowski se queda afuera: Suecia venció 3-2 a Polonia por el Repechaje al Mundial 2026
La Justicia ratificó el procesamiento de un policía por herir a una jubilada en una marcha frente al Congreso
La recaudación tributaria moderó su caída en marzo, pero sigue por debajo de la inflación
Máximo Kirchner salió al cruce de Milei y Macri tras el fallo por YPF a favor de la Argentina
El Gobierno cambia su propuesta de reforma: endurece penas para delitos comunes, pero no para los casos de corrupción
Nuevas críticas de Marcela Pagano contra los Milei: “Karina es la que gobierna”, aseguró
Dos jubiladas que le habrían prestado dinero a Manuel Adorni negaron conocerlo
POLITICA2 días agoDos jubiladas que le habrían prestado dinero a Manuel Adorni negaron conocerlo
- POLITICA2 días ago
Quiénes son las dos acreedoras del préstamo con el que Adorni compró su departamento en Caballito
- ECONOMIA2 días ago
Uno por uno: qué dicen los principales artículos de la Reforma Laboral que suspendió la Justicia por pedido de la CGT
