The ongoing investigations into whether widespread fraud has roiled Minnesota's social welfare programs could soon spread to other blue states, if House Republicans get their way.

Several GOP lawmakers told Fox News Digital they wanted to see probes expanded into New York, California, Illinois, and Wisconsin, among other areas, as both Congress and the federal government bear down on Gov. Tim Walz's administration.

"Many in California and representatives from New York are telling us that what is happening in Minnesota — the fraud, the daycares, the fake use of daycares and the embezzlement of American taxpayer money, billions of dollars — is just the tip of the iceberg," Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. 

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., said all states should be investigated, particularly for potential COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud within the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

MINNESOTA AG BLASTS HOUSE HEARING ON FRAUD SCANDAL IN HIS STATE : 'A LOT OF BULLS--- FROM REPUBLICANS'

"The bottom line is we obviously have made it very, very easy to defraud the federal government. We know that that went on during COVID with the PPP dollars, with a lot of the money that was flowing out. You know, shame on us for not policing that," Harris said. "Honestly, we should look at all states."

Federal attorneys have accused the state of Minnesota of losing potentially billions of dollars to fraud across multiple programs including childcare, food aid, and autism assistance.

State officials like Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have accused Republicans in the federal government of inflating that number for political purposes but have conceded that they are working within Minnesota to root out how and why some money did go to fraudulent means.

'TIP OF THE ICEBERG': SENATE REPUBLICANS PRESS GOV WALZ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL

The political pressure from the scandal forced Walz to drop his bid for a third term earlier this month.

In addition to the federal government, Congress is also engaged in an investigation into the matter, led by the House Oversight Committee.

Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital earlier this month that the probe will likely serve as a blueprint to investigate other states.

COMER SAYS WALZ 'RETALIATED' AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS

Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital he wanted to see that probe expanded into Democrat strongholds like California and New York, as well as Illinois, which borders his home state of Indiana.

"If it's happening in Minnesota, I am sure it's happened in California," Stutzman said. "I think that this is something that should be investigated not only in California, but also in Illinois, and also New York and other states. If anything, the burden of proof is on our governors across the country to show that they … have it under control."

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., alleged blue states were more vulnerable than red states.

BESSENT BLAMES WALZ AS TREASURY PROBES WHETHER MINNESOTA FRAUD FUNDS REACHED TERROR GROUP AL-SHABAB

"I think that we need to go after New York, California," Fine said. "I don't think you'll find this in red states, because we actually care about the future of the country. But I think in places with unified Democrat control, I think you're going to see widespread fraud everywhere."

And Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said his own home state of Wisconsin should be investigated as well.

"Every state should be examined, including the state of Wisconsin, because I believe that the state of Wisconsin under the Evers administration has been cooking the books for our SNAP program," Van Orden told Fox News Digital.

"When you get to California, Illinois, and New York, that's gonna make Minnesota look like you just had lunch at Taco Bell."

If those blue states are targeted, allegations of fraud could emerge as a new political cudgel for House Republicans as they fight an uphill battle to retain the majority in Congress this November.

Seats in states like Wisconsin, New York, and California in particular could all prove pivotal to controlling the House of Representatives for both sides.

A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his record in fighting fraud when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.

"Since 2019, the Governor has blocked over $125 billion in fraud, arrested criminal parasites leaching off of taxpayers, and protected taxpayers from the exact kind of scam artists Trump celebrates, excuses, and pardons. Despite this, the myths about California continue to circulate," the spokesperson said.

Newsom is notably expected to be a top contender in what's likely to be a crowded 2028 Democratic White House primary.

Fox News Digital also reached out to governor's offices in Wisconsin, New York, and Illinois for comment.

Nikki Glaser revealed she relied on heavy drinking to overcome her anxiety around sex.

Glaser opened up about her drinking problem, explaining she used alcohol to facilitate different parts of her life – including sex. Her habit posed a problem as she admitted it nearly destroyed her life.

"Alcohol was like – I was gonna get a DUI, which was gonna financially destroy me and potentially basically destroy me or others," she said during an interview with Graham Bensinger. "Like it was just, my relationships were based on drinking." 

"It was the only way I could have sex because I was scared of sex," Glaser continued. "So, I would get blackout drunk. I would hook up with people. And then the second I would have to have sober sex because, God forbid, it was like the bars were closed, or we couldn't get booze. And then I'm like 'Oh, yeah, let's do it. I'm having sex with someone. I hate this. But I have to go through with it because if I don't, then I am an alcoholic.'"

NIKKI GLASER ROASTS LEONARDO DICAPRIO'S DATING HISTORY DURING GOLDEN GLOBES OPENING MONOLOGUE

Glaser found alcohol to be the common denominator in situations she didn't want to be in.

"It was leading me to be in all these situations," Glaser continued. "You know, waking up in the morning being like, ‘Who did I meet last night? What did I say?’ Making friendships with girls that I would see them the next day, and they'd be like, ‘Thank you so much for talking me into getting that abortion.’ I'd be like, ‘What? Like I don't even know who you are.'"

Glaser explained she was a "lucid drunk," noting she would often be blackout drunk and nobody would know.

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The 41-year-old comedian has since given up drinking.

"I don't think I'll ever drink again. I have no plan on it," she told Bensinger. "You know, there are times where I go, ‘Ah, I could probably have one,’ but I just don't want to risk it."

"I can dance now without it," Glaser added. "I can have sex without, like, I used to drink because I was nervous to be around people. I don't need that anymore. I don't have social anxiety in that way. It used to facilitate things for me that I don't need it for anymore."

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Glaser began her career in stand-up comedy at the age of 18, while attending college. She appeared on two seasons of "Last Comic Standing" and eventually hosted her own show on Comedy Central, "Not Safe with Nikki Glaser."

She has released several comedy specials including, "Perfect," "Bangin,'" "Good Clean Filth" and "Someday You'll Die."

Her appearance in "The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady" in 2024 garnered significant acclaim.

Since then, Glaser has hosted the Golden Globes twice – in 2026 and 2025 – and is preparing to release her next comedy special. The untitled project was filmed in October during her "Alive and Unwell" tour.

A bipartisan, bicameral group of U.S. lawmakers set off to Denmark to reassure the NATO ally amid President Donald Trump's push for a takeover of Greenland.

The group was mostly made of Democrats, but included two Republicans: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Murkowski, Tillis, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., were among those who traveled to Europe for meetings with Danish and Greenlandic officials. Some members of the delegation are expected to go to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week.

"The trip will highlight bipartisan support for our allies in the Kingdom of Denmark and discuss how to deepen this partnership in line with our shared principles of sovereignty and self-determination, and in the face of growing challenges around the world, especially bolstering Arctic security and promoting stronger trade relations between the two countries," a statement Shaheen issued prior to the visit read.

TRUMP AFFIRMS US 'WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR NATO,' WHILE EXPRESSING DOUBTS ABOUT ALLIANCE

Coons, who led the delegation, underscored the lawmakers' desire to "reaffirm Congress' commitment" to Denmark, calling it one of the U.S.'s "oldest, strongest NATO allies."

"A great day leading our bipartisan delegation to Copenhagen meeting with Danish and Greenlandic officials to reaffirm Congress' commitment to one of our oldest, strongest NATO allies. In an increasingly unstable world In which our adversaries are cooperating, our alliances are more important than ever," he wrote in a post on X.

The visit comes as Trump's renewed push for the U.S. to takeover Greenland continues to draw criticism from both sides of the aisle and some of America's allies.

"That rhetoric doesn’t just undermine our bilateral relationship, it undermines the NATO alliance at a time when our adversaries seek to benefit from division," Shaheen said during a speech at the University of Copenhagen.

TRUMP'S GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD LIKELY ENTAIL ENORMOUS PRICE TAG: REPORT

The trip began before Trump announced on Saturday planned tariffs for Denmark and several European nations in a bid to force a deal for the U.S. purchase of Greenland. 

While the lawmakers were visiting, Denmark saw massive protests of crowds voicing their opposition to the U.S. taking the semiautonomous Danish territory. Thousands gathered across the country to show their solidarity with Greenland. The crowds chanted "Greenland is not for sale" and held banners with slogans such as "Hands off Greenland," according to Reuters.

"I am very grateful for the huge support we as Greenlanders receive... we are also sending a message to the world that you all must wake up," Julie Rademacher, chair of Uagut, an organization for Greenlanders in Denmark, told Reuters.

"Greenland and the Greenlanders have involuntarily become the front in the fight for democracy and human rights," she added.

TRUMP EYES ACTION ON GREENLAND, SETTING UP WHITE HOUSE FACE-OFF WITH DENMARK

Trump has insisted that the U.S. needs Greenland for purposes of national security, saying that Russia and China were eyeing the island. 

During her speech at the University of Copenhagen, Shaheen argued that Trump's approach is unnecessary, saying the U.S. already has pathways to secure its interests in the Arctic.

"Anything the president might want — whether it is U.S. bases to defend against Arctic threats or critical minerals deals — the leaders of Denmark and Greenland have made clear they are happy to partner with us. So, the threats are not only unnecessary, they are also counterproductive, and they risk undermining the broader NATO Alliance in the process," Shaheen added.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker pushed back against growing European backlash over Washington’s focus on Greenland after France announced new military exercises with Denmark, saying Arctic security is a core American defense interest and that Europe "has a tendency to overreact."

Americans appear divided on the idea, however, with 86% of voters nationwide saying they would oppose military action to take over Greenland, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. The survey found that voters opposed any U.S. effort to buy Greenland by a 55%–37% margin, suggesting the idea has yet to gain broad support among American voters.

Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin is getting hammered by Republicans for comparing the United States under President Donald Trump to Iran's Islamic theocracy, accusing both of showing "authoritarian behavior."

The comments from Martin came amid protests in Minneapolis and across the nation in the wake of last week's fatal shooting of a 37-year-old Minnesota woman and mother of three by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and in the midst of a wave of massive demonstrations against Iran's cleric-controlled government in recent weeks.

"From Tehran to my birthplace of Minneapolis, people are rising up against systems that wield violence without accountability. In Iran, brave protestors confront a far-right theocratic regime that crushes dissent and denies basic freedoms," Martin wrote. 

The DNC chair, a former longtime Minnesota state party chair, first made the comparison in a social media post last Sunday.

DNC CHAIR'S CONTROVERSIAL COMPARISON SPARKS BACKLASH

He added, "Here at home, tens of thousands are marching after the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good — demanding justice, transparency, and an end to an unchecked federal force that takes lives and tears families apart. Solidarity across borders means opposing authoritarian power everywhere and defending the right to live free from fear and state violence."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally in the Senate and a longtime proponent of a muscular U.S. foreign policy, bashed Martin.

"Number one, Ken Martin is a worthless piece of crap," Graham charged in an appearance on Fox News' "Hannity." "Can you imagine this guy fighting for freedom? To compare President Trump and the Trump regime to the ayatollah means you got the worst case of Trump derangement syndrome in the world. Go to hell." 

The DNC chair, reacting to Graham's attack, claimed the senator is "a sniveling coward and a Trump bootlicker who hasn’t had a strongly held conviction in decades. I will wear his condemnation as a badge of honor."

And in an MS NOW interview earlier this week, Martin argued that "people are very concerned that basic rights and human rights in this country are being violated by its own government ... this is now who we should be as America, but it's unfortunately who we've become under this administration."

DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST CALLS OUT PARTY FOR 'OPPOSE FIRST, THINK LATER' RESPONSE TO TRUMP'S CAPTURE OF MADURO

But Republican National Committee national press secretary Kiersten Pels claimed Friday in a statement to Fox News Digital that "this is a desperate ploy from a man who drove the DNC into financial ruin and political irrelevancy. Ken Martin is so unhinged that he’s comparing Tehran to Minneapolis and encouraging violent obstruction of federal law enforcement."

Democrats are energized, thanks in large part to their pushback against Trump and his sweeping and unprecedented moves in his first year back in the White House. And Martin's controversial comments appear to be getting a thumbs up from his own party.

"I think everyone is giving Ken a pass because he is from Minnesota and Minnesota has not been able to catch a break recently," a DNC committee member who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News Digital. "So this is very raw, very personal, and very hurtful for him."

VOTERS SHARPLY SPLIT ALONG PARTY LINES OVER ICE SHOOTING IN MINNESOTA

Asked about Martin's comparison, DNC committee member and longtime Democratic strategist Maria Cardona told Fox News Digital, "Ken Martin is not comparing Iran’s autocracy to Trump’s America. He is comparing Iran’s autocracy to Trump’s autocracy, specifically the absolute immunity Trump has given these lawless ICE agents, their lack of training, their being hired without background checks, and the $50,000 bonuses that guarantee that those ICE agents out there have no interest in and have no idea how to follow the law and how to properly and lawfully track down violent criminal undocumented immigrants."

And veteran Democratic consultant Joe Caiazzo, asked about Martin's comments, charged that "from the rhetoric deployed to policies enacted, and executive orders issued, it’s clear Donald Trump would love to be a dictator."

A source at the DNC told Fox News Digital, "everyone is supporting the general gist of what he is saying."

POLL: AMERICANS GIVE THUMBS DOWN TO POSSIBLE U.S. STRIKE ON IRAN

The conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board, in an opinion piece, criticized Martin.

"Overwrought rhetoric on domestic affairs is one thing. Yoking a false image of U.S. authoritarianism to the freedom struggle in Iran is morally obtuse. It’s a slur against his own country," the board wrote in an opinion piece. "It also undermines the Iranian people, who count on the U.S. and call desperately for its help, to say that America is yet another murderous tyranny, comparable to their own. Mr. Martin essentially told Iranians that the U.S. is on the side of their regime."

After Martin's comparison sparked fiery backlash on social media, he doubled down.

"If comparing the U.S. to Iran makes you angry, ask why. Killing protesters. Crushing dissent. Kidnapping and disappearing legal citizens. Ignoring courts. Threatening critics. Terrorizing communities. That’s authoritarian behavior—anywhere. If you’re rushing to defend it, maybe the problem isn’t the comparison. Trump keeps pushing it, Americans aren't buying it, and Minneapolis won’t be silent," Martin said in an additional post on X.

PROGRESSIVE TALK TO ‘ABOLISH ICE’ SPARKS FRESH DIVIDE AMONG DEMOCRATS

The trio of national polls released this week indicated that a majority of Americans give a thumbs down to how ICE is carrying out Trump's push for the mass deportation of millions of undocumented migrants. But there's a wide partisan divide, with Republicans supportive of ICE and the president.

Cardona emphasized that "Trump and ICE are losing public opinion over this, as a majority of Americans know that this should not happen in the United States of America."

And Martin, in his appearance on MS NOW, argued that "if Donald Trump thinks what he's doing in Minneapolis is going to improve his poll numbers, I think he has another thing coming."

An ICE agent shot and killed Good last week during a federal enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. Federal officials have said agents were attempting to make arrests when the woman tried to use her vehicle as a weapon against officers, prompting an ICE agent to fire in self-defense.

Top Democrats, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, criticized the federal account of the incident and rejected the claim that the officer acted in self-defense. Minnesota has since sued the Trump administration, claiming the immigration enforcement surge in the state is "unlawful" and "unprecedented."

Good’s death sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis, where thousands of ICE agents are now dispatched, and across the nation, with demonstrators calling for changes to federal immigration enforcement.

Trump on Thursday warned that if Minnesota's political leaders don't stop what he argued were "professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place."

Meanwhile, in Iran, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 2,677 people have been killed in the protests. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be significantly higher. 

The protests against Iran's dire economic conditions, which have rapidly escalated in recent days, are seen as some of the most violent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed the current system of clerical rule.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took aim at The New York Times' coverage of a Minneapolis shooting involving an illegal immigrant attacking a federal officer.

On Wednesday, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg after the suspect allegedly attacked the officer with a shovel as part of an ambush.

But the Times' breaking news omitted the migrant's actions that led to the shooting.

ICE AGENT SHOOTS VENEZUELAN NATIONAL IN MINNEAPOLIS AFTER SHOVEL ATTACK DURING AMBUSH: DHS

OBAMA-ERA CNN SEGMENT RESURFACES SHOWING DIFFERENT ICE COVERAGE COMPARED TO TRUMP YEARS

"Breaking News: A federal agent shot an immigrant in the leg in Minneapolis, federal officials said, one week after an ICE officer killed Renee Good in the city," the Times posted on X.

Additionally, the Times' headline read "Federal Agent Shoots Immigrant in Minneapolis, Homeland Security Says," telling readers beneath it that the shooting "comes a week after an ICE agent fatally shot a woman in the city."

JD VANCE FIRES BACK AT EX-ABC JOURNALIST FOR SUGGESTING OBAMA PEACEFULLY DEPORTED MIGRANTS

"This despicably misleading headline is exactly why the American people have completely lost faith in the mainstream media," DHS reacted on X. "This journalist knows the facts, was given the truth, and adamantly REFUSES to report it."

DHS went on to lay out "the facts," saying that "federal law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop in Minneapolis of an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022."

"In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed into a parked car," DHS said. "The subject then fled on foot. The law enforcement officer caught up to the subject on foot and attempted to apprehend him when the subject began to resist and violently assault the officer."

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The statement continued, "While the subject and law enforcement were in a struggle on the ground, two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle. As the officer was being ambushed and attacked by the two individuals, the original subject got loose and began striking the officer with a shovel or broom stick. Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg. All three subjects ran back into the apartment and barricaded themselves inside. The attacked officer and subject are both in the hospital. Both attackers are in custody."

The Times responded to DHS, saying on X, "Our reporting on this and other ICE shootings reflects what we can independently verify at the time of publication. We publish statements provided by government agencies and officials, but only report these details as facts once we’ve been able to independently verify the claims."

A spokesperson for The New York Times declined to further comment.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is leading legislation aimed at what Democrats describe as President Donald Trump’s "narcissism," seeking to bar sitting presidents from putting their own names on federal buildings. 

"For Trump to put his name on federal buildings is arrogant, and it is illegal," Sanders said in a press release Tuesday. "We must put an end to this narcissism — and that’s what this bill does.

"It’s no secret that President Trump is undermining democracy and moving this country toward authoritarianism," Sanders added. "Part of that strategy is to create the myth of the ‘Great Leader’ by naming public buildings after himself — something that dictators have done throughout history." 

Sanders was joined by Democratic Maryland senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks in introducing the Stop Executive Renaming for Vanity and Ego Act Tuesday, which would "prohibit the naming, renaming, designating, or redesignating of any Federal building, land, or other asset in the name of a sitting President, and for other purposes," according to text of the bill. 

SMITHSONIAN REPLACES TRUMP PORTRAIT DISPLAY, STRIPS JAN. 6 AND IMPEACHMENT REFERENCES FROM ACCOMPANYING TEXT

If the legislation should pass, a federal building, piece of land or other federal asset that is currently named after a sitting president must be reverted to the name established by federal law before that president took office, according to the text of the bill. 

The legislation follows Democratic outrage over the renaming of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in December 2025. 

When asked about the senators' remarks and legislation, the White House told Fox News Digital the Trump administration isn't focused on "branding." 

"Overdue upgrades of national landmarks and lasting peace deals are historic initiatives that would not have been possible without President Trump’s bold leadership," White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Huston told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "The administration’s focus isn’t on smart branding, but delivering on President Trump’s goal of Making America Great Again."

Previous presidents have had their names etched into the nation’s landmarks and institutions while still in office. Washington, D.C., for example, was named in 1791 while George Washington was serving as president as the new federal capital took shape. And, in 1930, Interior Secretary Ray Lyman Wilbur said the Boulder Canyon Project’s dam would be called the Hoover Dam during Herbert Hoover’s presidency. 

The Trump administration announced in December 2025 that the center's board of trustees unanimously voted to rename the center, saying Trump saved the institution from financial ruin during his second term. 

Presidents appoint the majority of the board's trustees, and Trump dismissed the previously appointed Board of Trustees "who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture" in the early weeks of his second administration. Trump also serves as the center's chairman of the board, the first president to fill the position. 

KENNEDY CENTER BLASTS ‘FAR-LEFT BIAS’ IN RATINGS COVERAGE, POINTS TO NO. 1 DEMOGRAPHICS TIE

When asked about the legislation, Trump–Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi underscored Trump's work to revitalize the center after "years of neglect." 

"President Trump deserves credit for saving America’s cultural center after years of neglect — as the very legislators attacking him now sat idly by while the center fell into disrepair," Daravi said. "Thanks to the chairman’s leadership and record-breaking fundraising, the Trump Kennedy Center is a thriving, bipartisan institution that welcomes patrons of all backgrounds — even those peddling baseless legislation to score political points." 

President of the Trump–Kennedy Center Richard Grenell told Fox News Tuesday that "President Trump has saved the arts institution," noting that when he was tapped to lead the center, it was relying on debt reserves to pay staff. 

"The board put President Trump forward, because President Trump saved the Kennedy Center. We have, for decades, watched the Kennedy Center be ignored by the very people now who are standing up and complaining about the rescuer," Grenell said. "They're complaining about the fireman who's come in to literally rescue and put out the fire."

TRUMP SAYS 'TRIUMPHAL ARCH' MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN WITHIN 2 MONTHS IN DC: REPORT

Grenell said in 2025 that he was rolling out a "commonsense plan" to make the center prosperous again, including getting rid of debt, expanding fundraising and its endowment and restoring programming that the administration argues appeals to a broader national audience. Fox News Digital previously reported the center nearly doubled its fundraising during the Kennedy Center Honors awards show in 2025 compared to the Biden administration, raising a record $23 million during the December 2025 event. 

Democrats feverishly came out against the renaming of the iconic cultural center, and Sanders said in December 2025 he would introduce legislation to prevent sitting presidents from renaming federal property after themselves, slamming the Kennedy Center name change as showing Trump's alleged "arrogance" and "narcissism." 

Van Hollen said Tuesday that "Trump doesn’t get to slap his name on any public institution he chooses."

"We don’t have kings or dictators in America, and this legislation stops him or any future sitting president from creating monuments to glorify themselves — because these landmarks belong to the people, not to self-worshipers," the Maryland senator continued. 

The U.S. Institute of Peace also was formally rebranded as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in December 2025 as the administration continues working to dismantle the agency. 

The institute is an independent, national institution funded by Congress that was established in 1984 under the Reagan administration to promote peace and diplomacy on the international stage. 

The White House defended the rename in a comment to Fox News Digital at the time, saying the agency is a "a bloated, useless entity that blew $50 million per year while delivering no peace," adding that Trump "ended eight wars in less than a year."

Lawmakers filed a lawsuit to remove Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in December 2025, while the shuttering of the Institute of Peace is still embroiled in court battles focused on whether the Trump administration controls the congressionally created agency. 

Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., joined the trio in co-sponsoring the legislation. 

The Washington Post took some heat on social media this week after promoting a column about Erika Kirk’s wardrobe. 

The Washington Post published a Jan. 8 piece headlined, "Erika Kirk is walking a fine line in a glittering pantsuit," which put a spotlight on wardrobe decisions the Turning Point USA CEO has made since her late husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated last year. 

"Kirk, a mother to two toddlers, continues to take on public-facing leadership duties while promoting traditional ideas about prioritizing marriage and motherhood, and her clothes are attempting to walk the same high wire… her styling of late suggests that she’s aware that she now needs to be able to blend into mainstream, secular, political contexts well enough to be taken seriously — but not so well as to be mistaken for a career woman or a feminist," Washington Post fashion writer Ashley Fetters Maloy wrote.

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The column, which went on to detail specific outfits recently worn by Kirk, irked many when it was shared on X by the newspaper on Jan. 10. Many appeared to take issue with the wording of the social media post. 

"Column: Erika Kirk, a mother to two toddlers, continues to take on public-facing leadership duties while promoting traditional ideas about prioritizing marriage and motherhood. Here’s how her clothes are attempting to walk the same line," The Washington Post wrote on X in a post that was widely criticized. 

Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema wrote, "For crying out loud will this s--- never end."

"Erika isn’t ‘prioritizing marriage’ because a radical leftist shot and killed her husband Good Lord. These people will never stop attacking the Kirk family," longtime Kirk family friend Jack Posobiec wrote. 

"I've been reporting for a quarter century now, and I still remember at my first daily newspaper job, we had to read a style guide that specifically cautioned reporters to be very careful about describing women's clothes in depth because it can be viewed as sexist," Axios reporter Marc Caputo responded. 

Pundit Jason Rantz asked, "How does this get printed?" 

ERIKA KIRK REFLECTS ON LIFE, LOSS AND FAITH IN FIRST TV INTERVIEW SINCE CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH

Conservateur founder Jayme Franklin added, "The left will lament how difficult it is to be a woman in America by claiming that we’re unfairly judged for our appearance and demeanor. Yet, in reality, the only women who are routinely subjected to that exact kind of scrutiny, are conservative women, who are met with the most vicious and antiquated attacks imaginable from the very people who profess to champion women’s empowerment."

Many others took to social media with thoughts on the piece:

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Erika Kirk was named the CEO of TPUSA after her husband's death.

The Washington Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment.