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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defends USA men's team for 'unfair' portrayal of women's squad
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defended the United States men's hockey team for their reactions to President Donald Trump talking about the women's team following their gold medal victory at the Milan Cortina Games.
While on the phone with the men's team after they defeated Canada to win gold, Trump said he would "have" to invite the women’s team, which also defeated Canada to win Olympic gold, to last week's State of the Union address. He added that he "probably would be impeached" if he did not extend an invitation to the women's team.
Members of both teams have said they supported each other throughout the Olympics, and Bettman agreed with that sentiment.
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"I know for a fact that the men's team had no intention of doing anything to slight the women's team," Bettman said on Tuesday, via Sportsnet. "If anything, both teams were chanting, 'Two for two.'
"What happened and how it was portrayed, I wish didn't happen the way it did, and I think it was unfair to the men's team. And again, I don't think the women's team had a different view of it. I mean, look at (U.S. women's captain) Hilary Knight and the others talking about what happened. These two teams respected each other."
Jeremy Swayman, the men's team's backup goaltender, admitted the team "should have reacted differently" to Trump's comments. But he and Jack and Quinn Hughes all spoke highly of the women's team and their relationships with them.
Jack Hughes told reporters after his gold medal-winning goal that the first thing he thought about when the puck went in was Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal for the United States women's team against Canada three days earlier.
The brothers’ mother, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current player development staff member, said the players only cared about "bring[ing] so much unity to a group and to a country."
Knight and Megan Keller, who scored the women's golden goal, joined the Hughes brothers on this past weekend's "Saturday Night Live."
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Walz mocked online after GOP lawmaker floats theory in heated hearing about why Kamala Harris chose him as VP
GOP Rep. Pat Fallon blasted Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a heated fraud hearing on Wednesday in an exchange that was quickly amplified by conservatives on social media.
"It's been widely reported that in 2008, when Barack Obama was choosing his vice presidential candidate, he had three criteria. He wanted to make sure he picked someone that wasn't as smart as him and had less talent and charisma and couldn't possibly outshine him, so he picked Joe Biden," Fallon said in the House Oversight Committee hearing.
"And then Joe Biden in 2020 used the exact same criteria," Fallon continued. "He wanted to make sure he picked somebody that wasn't as smart as him, had less talent and charisma, and wouldn't outshine him, and he picked Kamala Harris."
Fallon went on to say that in 2024, "I think it's very evident why Kamala Harris picked you."
WALZ ACCUSED BY JORDAN OF TRYING TO ‘HIDE BEHIND’ COURT ORDER IN FEEDING OUR FUTURE PAYMENTS
Walz appeared to take the criticism in stride as he laughed and responded with, "I wouldn't know, Congressman."
"The talent pool isn't just shallow, brother, we have hit the shore," Fallon said before ending his questioning.
The clip immediately made waves on social media, particularly from conservatives.
"Tim Walz just got SCORCHED," conservative commentator Nick Sortor posted on X.
Conservative influencer account Libs of TikTok called the exchange "one of the most INCREDIBLE OWNS in American politics."
"Rep. Pat Fallon torches Tim Walz," Brandon Straka, the founder of the #walkaway campaign, posted on X.
Much has been made in media reports and books in recent months about what went into Harris's decision to name Tim Walz as her running mate instead of other candidates, particularly Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Ultimately, according to the book "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," Harris "went with her gut" and chose Walz believing he was the "better fit" in a decision her staff was "unanimously behind."
Fox News Poll: Voters give poor marks to economy, Congress and Trump
With prices still a concern and economic confidence subdued, voter anger toward Washington has reached new highs. Majorities say the economy is struggling, inflation is not under control, and the federal government is falling short.
A new Fox News survey finds a record 70% disapprove of the job congressional Democrats are doing, up 6 percentage points since December (29% approve). Views of congressional Republicans have mostly held steady, with 36% approving and 64% disapproving.
FOX NEWS POLL: BEYOND RED VS. BLUE, FINDING ME + YOU ACROSS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE
The gap reflects greater party unity on the right: 77% of Republicans approve of their party’s leaders while just 62% of Democrats approve of theirs.
The sour mood extends beyond Congress. Eight percent are "enthusiastic" about how the federal government is working and another 26% are "satisfied." But a majority is "dissatisfied" (33%) or "angry" (32%) with Washington.
While these views are similar to the one-year point in Joe Biden’s presidency (February 2022), there are two key differences. First, the 8% enthusiastic and the 32% angry are at record highs. And second, the partisan intensity has flipped — Republicans were more than four times as likely as Democrats to be angry in 2022, while Democrats are more than five times as likely as Republicans to feel that way now.
FOX NEWS POLL: VIEWS ARE DIVIDED ON US ACTION AGAINST IRAN
"Political science research indicates anger is a more powerful mobilizing force than hope or fear," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducted the survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. "The anger on the left may be one reason Democrats have been doing so well in recent special elections and early 2026 primaries."
Much of that frustration appears rooted in the economy: only 30% rate it positively, down from 32% earlier in President Trump’s term (July 2025). More than twice as many say economic conditions are only fair or poor.
Voters are still feeling cost pressures. Compared to a year ago, most say grocery prices have increased (81%), including more than half who say they are up a lot (56%). Large numbers also say costs have increased for utilities (79%), healthcare (71%), housing (65%), and gas (51%).
And while 22% say inflation is completely or mostly under control, the highest going back to 2022, most say it is not.
More than half, 57%, rate their personal finances negatively, and those ratings are especially high among independents (61%), Black voters (66%), voters under 30 (66%), women (66%), and households with income below $50K (74%).
Just 9% say there are a lot of jobs in their community that pay decent wages, while 15% say there are almost none.
Reflecting those concerns, half of voters identify the cost of living (50%) as the most important economic issue facing the country, far ahead of government spending (18%), jobs (10%), income inequality (9%), tariffs (8%), and taxes (4%).
Currently, 43% approve and 57% disapprove of the job Trump is doing overall. It was 44% and 56% in both January and December.
Another 6 in 10 say he is focused on the wrong things. By comparison, 54% said Biden had the wrong focus in November 2021.
Virtually all Democrats are unhappy with the job Trump is doing (95% disapprove) and say he is focused on the wrong issues (94%). Republican unity is strong but not absolute: 87% approve and 83% say he has the right focus. There is a fault line within the GOP over support for the MAGA movement.
Among Republicans who identify with MAGA, approval of the president climbs to 98% compared to just 63% among non-MAGA Republicans. And there is a similar 38-point gap on whether he is focused on the right issues (95% MAGA vs. 57% non-MAGA).
Most independents disapprove of Trump’s job performance (72%) and think he is focused on the wrong issues (78%).
Border security is the president’s only positive issue, with 52% of voters approving (48% disapprove). His ratings are underwater by 35 points on the cost of living (32% approve, 67% disapprove), 27 points on tariffs, 23 points on the economy and healthcare, 20 points on foreign policy, 19 points on taxes, 13 points on jobs, and 6 points on immigration. Republicans rate Trump far more negatively on the cost of living (33% disapprove) than other measures.
On tariffs, 63% of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling them, while another 56% oppose tariffs in general. The top concerns about tariffs are higher consumer costs, the risk of a trade war, and reduced product availability. The main reasons for supporting them are preventing unfair trade practices from other countries, protecting U.S. jobs, increasing government revenue, and reducing the trade deficit.
After the Supreme Court’s Feb. 20 ruling limiting the administration’s tariff authority, 62% say Trump is being treated fairly by the High Court, including majorities of Democrats (76%) and independents (58%), and half of Republicans (50%).
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Still, the Court’s own ratings have slipped: 57% disapprove — up 7 points since last summer. The higher disapproval is driven largely by a near doubling among Republicans, from 20% disapproving in 2025 to 39% today.
Conducted February 28-March 2, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,004 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (642) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.
Michelle Pfeiffer, 67, has social media buzzing about how she's 'still incredibly beautiful'
Michelle Pfeiffer is proving that she's a timeless beauty in back-to-back appearances.
On Tuesday night, Pfeiffer, 67, attended the Yves Saint Laurent Womenswear show during Paris Fashion Week. The actress was in head-to-toe YSL and wore a black blazer with matching slacks. She rolled her sleeves up to about her elbows and wore green heels with a dramatic pointed toe.
Pfeiffer tied the look together with gold bangles and a sheer shirt underneath.
The "Scarface" icon shared photos to Instagram, and she was instantly flooded with praise. "Absolutely stunning show! 🔥 Thank you for having me, @ysl @anthonyvaccarello 🤍," Pfeiffer captioned her post.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER AND KURT RUSSELL REVEALED IN FIRST IMAGES FROM 'YELLOWSTONE' SPINOFF 'THE MADISON'
"I think shes absolutely gorgeous 😍 god bless her and actress that's had a wonderful career," one user wrote.
Another added, "Still gorgeous 😍 ♥️."
"AS ALWAYS, so beautiful! Slay Queen!" a third user wrote. "Still incredibly beautiful ❤️🥰," another added.
The following day, Pfeiffer attended the UK "Madison" premiere. Pfeiffer stuck to a pearl theme for premiere night and wore a mid-length black Oscar de la Renta dress, fully embellished with pearls.
She accessorized with matching pearl earrings and rings and wore a pair of Gianvito Rossi black pumps.
On Wednesday, Pfeiffer took to Instagram and shared a video from moments on the red carpet. "Beautiful night in one of my favorite places celebrating @themadisonpplus. 🤍🤠," she captioned her post.
On the carpet, Pfeiffer posed with members of "The Madison" cast, including Kurt Russell. Pfeiffer leads the "Yellowstone" spinoff, which is a "heartfelt study of grief and human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana," according to a synopsis of the show.
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Aside from Pfeiffer and Russell, "The Madison" stars Beau Garrett, Elle Chapman, Patrick J. Adams, Amiah Miller, Alaina Pollack, Ben Schnetzer, Kevin Zegers, Rebecca Spence, Danielle Vasinova and Matthew Fox.
In January, the first stills from the highly anticipated show was released. Pfeiffer was seen sitting in a wooden rocking chair on a porch. Pfeiffer's character, Stacy Clyburn, is described as the "heart of the family." She is holding a book in the shot.
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In another image, Russell's character, Preston Clyburn, is sitting on a tree stump looking off into the distance. Other stills show Russell with Fox fly-fishing in a stream in Montana.
A press release for the series says "The Madison" is "a profound love story channeled through a deeply personal family drama about resilience and transformation." It also mentioned that this is Taylor Sheridan's "most intimate work to date."
The series unfolds "across two distinct worlds — the beautiful landscape of Montana and the vibrant energy of Manhattan — as it examines the ties that bind families together," the release stated.
The first season of "The Madison" consists of six episodes and will premiere on Paramount+ March 14.
Pop star Zara Larsson sparks outrage after joking about fan's abortion
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson appeared to celebrate a fan's abortion in a reply to a TikTok video on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, a fan posted a video of Larsson performing her song "Midnight Sun" at a recent concert. The caption read, "I didn’t know I was pregnant here but at least my baby got to hear midnight sun before I aborted it."
Days later, Larsson replied, "I killed the performance and then you killed it after the performance purrrrrr."
GRAMMYS RED CARPET TURNS INTO ‘SPECTACLE OF NUDITY’ WITH ‘CLOWN AESTHETIC,’ INSIDER SAYS
Her comment sparked outrage from pro-life critics on social media.
"Speaking about babies this way is demonic. The normalization of abortion’s violence is evil, and it exposes that the Left only cares that babies continue to die," Students for Life of America wrote.
"Women are not victims of abortion," Foundation to Abolish Abortion communications director Ben Zeisloft commented.
Columnist Samantha Smith remarked, "Millions of little girls look up to Zara Larsson … and this is the example she’s setting for them. Utterly grim."
"'No one is celebrating abortion,'" commentator Isabel Brown mocked.
"You have to be possessed by an actual demon to think this is funny in any way, @zaralarsson," conservative activist Robby Starbuck wrote.
"Demonic," Libs of TikTok replied.
Larsson's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Larsson recently received global attention after American figure skater Alysa Liu performed her routine set to Larsson and Pink Pantheress' song "Stateside" at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Liu went on to become the first American woman to win gold in the women's figure skating competition since 2002.
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"You know it's good when the commentators are quiet," Larsson said in a video reacting to Liu's performance before adding how it was "so cute."
As for politics, Larsson has been outspoken about her anti-Israel stance.
In 2023, she posted a photo of herself in an Instagram story with the caption, "Oh so it's stand with Ukraine when Russia invades but not Palesti-" — implying an equivalence.
MICHELLE OBAMA COMPLAINS THAT SOCIETY TELLS WOMEN 'DON’T HAVE AN ABORTION' BUT FAILS TO AID MOTHERS
In 2025, she revealed to Sveriges Radio that she dropped out of performing at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest after the organization allowed Israel to compete.
"It’s a super big stage, over 100 million people watching, but I didn’t feel like I could go on that stage and stand for those who competed, Israel. It didn’t feel right there and then," Larsson said, adding, "I didn’t want to do it. It didn’t feel right. I’m not sad I declined and I would do it 100 times over."
Dem known for Trump impeachment disrupts GOP hearing on illegal immigrant truck licenses
A Democratic lawmaker who previously drafted impeachment articles against President Donald Trump disrupted a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing Wednesday, accusing Republicans of using concerns about illegal immigrants holding commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to distract from what he called Trump’s broader failures.
"This past weekend a convicted felon with bone spurs illegally attacked Iran, launching a protracted war of regime change," Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., said during his opening remarks, arguing Republicans were diverting attention from congressional war powers.
The hearing — hosted by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Accountability — focused on whether illegal immigrants are obtaining non-domicile CDLs and whether the Department of Homeland Security has properly coordinated with transportation authorities and ICE to enforce immigration laws tied to commercial trucking.
EXCLUSIVE: NOEM BACKS TRUMP'S 'DALILAH LAW' AFTER CRASH LEAVES YOUNG GIRL UNABLE TO WALK, TALK
Officials from Oklahoma and Florida were invited to testify about illegal immigrants holding non-domicile CDL licenses, which they said has caused deadly crashes on the nation’s highways.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard del Toro was one of the witnesses, and he investigated a high-profile case in which an illegal immigrant from India with a California CDL allegedly killed a family on Florida’s Turnpike after failing to properly complete an illegal U-turn on the tollway.
As Chairman Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., gaveled the hearing in, Thanedar interrupted with a parliamentary inquiry, questioning why the Homeland Security panel — rather than Transportation — was holding the proceeding.
"Per Rule X, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has jurisdiction over transportation regulatory agencies, and roads and safety thereof," Thanedar said.
"Any bills to improve highway safety would need to be considered and voted on by that committee."
NOEM PREPS TO BATTLE HOUSE DEMS AFTER BIPARTISAN BASHING IN SENATE OVER DOGS, ICE
The Detroiter added that he wanted to go on record about his objections to holding the hearing, saying it is really about "scapegoating immigrants" to deflect from issues with Trump’s handling of the economy, "which is running off the road."
Brecheen appeared nonplussed, and reiterated that the committee remains a proper venue, and whether or not the House Transportation Committee could investigate similarly.
"While DOT is the primary federal regulator of CDLs, DHS plays a critical role in granting work authorizations and immigration benefits through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services," Brecheen said.
"ICE partnered with state highway patrol agencies in several states to conduct joint enforcement operations targeting illegal aliens operating commercial motor vehicles, resulting in significant arrests and taking unsafe drivers off the road."
He noted one case in his home state where an illegal immigrant with a New York driver’s license that had a REAL ID endorsement and the name "No Name Given" was discovered and arrested along Interstate 40.
He observed the REAL-ID Act itself was signed by former President George W. Bush after 9/11 and that anyone authorized to haul hazardous materials could effectively be driving an 80,000-pound "chemical bomb" if they so chose.
"This is absolutely under the jurisdiction of this committee," he said.
After Brecheen’s own opening statement, Thanedar followed.
In 2025, Thanedar first drafted Articles of Impeachment against Trump, saying he is "unfit to serve" and "represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s Constitution."
Thanedar’s articles include usurpation of appropriations, abuse of trade powers, violation of First Amendment rights, creation of an unlawful office (DOGE), bribery and tyrannical overreach.
Thanedar was also the only Democrat to appear for the subcommittee hearing.
House Oversight Committee calls Bill Gates, Leon Black to testify over Jeffrey Epstein ties
A House Oversight Committee has called seven more individuals to testify in Washington, D.C., about their ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell — including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates; Leon Black, co-founder of investment firm Apollo Global Management; and Kathryn Ruemmler, former White House counsel to former President Barack Obama.
James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, fired off a new round of letters Tuesday after interviewing former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary last week as part of the panel’s expanding probe.
Others called to testify include Lesley Groff, a former longtime executive assistant to Epstein; Sarah Kellen, another former Epstein employee; Doug Band, a longtime personal aide and counselor to Clinton; and tech billionaire Ted Waitt, a former boyfriend of Maxwell.
Addressing each individual, Comer wrote, "Due to public reporting, documents released by the Department of Justice, and documents obtained by the Committee, the Committee believes you have information that will assist in its investigation."
BILL GATES PULLS OUT OF INDIA AI SUMMIT KEYNOTE ADDRESS AMID EPSTEIN FILES SCRUTINY
A spokesperson for Gates told Fox News Digital that he will appear before the committee for a transcribed interview scheduled for May 19.
"Gates welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee," the spokesperson said. "While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work."
According to the roughly 3 million emails the Department of Justice released during the Epstein investigation, Gates reportedly had affairs and sought medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection for himself and his wife at that time, Melinda French Gates, without her knowing.
Last Tuesday, Gates reportedly acknowledged having affairs with two Russian women, which Epstein later discovered, but said they did not involve Epstein’s victims.
"I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," Gates said, according to a town hall recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Gates also admitted he was "foolish" to have spent time with Epstein, the outlet reported.
BILLIONAIRE LEON BLACK DETAILS JEFFREY EPSTEIN RELATIONSHIP DURING EARNINGS CALL
Billionaire Leon Black, set to testify on May 13, has been accused of raping an autistic 16-year-old girl in 2002 at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, according to a high-profile lawsuit filed in summer 2023.
The victim alleged that Epstein and Maxwell groomed her to serve as a living "doll" for the late financier and his wealthy associates.
Black, who left Apollo Global Management in 2021, previously hired Epstein for personal tax advice, the firm said last month.
BILLIONAIRE LEON BLACK ACCUSED OF RAPING AUTISTIC TEEN IN JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S HOME: LAWSUIT
Ruemmler, who resigned as a top attorney at Goldman Sachs over her ties to Epstein, will appear before the committee on April 21, her spokesperson said Tuesday.
"Ruemmler welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee," spokesperson Jennifer Connelly told Reuters. "She has done nothing wrong and had no knowledge of any ongoing criminal activity on his part."
Ruemmler previously served as a White House counsel to Obama and an associate counsel to Clinton.
According to DOJ documents, she reportedly received gifts from Epstein and counseled him on managing media questions regarding his criminal activities. Connelly told the outlet that she was a practicing criminal defense attorney at the time and had even represented a client in common with Epstein.
FOX Business’ Rebecca Rosenberg and Reuters contributed to this report.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck challenges 'The View' on border security, sparks heated immigration debate
Elisabeth Hasselbeck challenged "The View" on Wednesday — including the live studio audience — on the importance of border security, sparking a debate with the liberal co-hosts.
Following Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem's hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Hasselbeck read off some statistics about the border that she praised — though acknowledging some mistakes — before posing a question to the audience.
"We need a strong border, especially now with our current global situation," she said. "And I believe that you may say you don't want border control, and you're against ICE, but I actually don't believe you in your daily lives."
"How many people in the audience here had to go through security to get here?" Hasselbeck asked. "Raise your hand, just be honest, otherwise you go to jail, I guess, for legal trespassing, right? This is an authorized audience. They had to go through security to get through the border, to get right here to just hear us talk."
DEMS TAP ICE DETAINEES, SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AS GUESTS FOR TRUMP’S SPEECH: DHS
Co-host Sunny Hostin hit back and said, "They were not at the border when Renee Good and Alex Pretti were murdered — and death is not a mistake."
The comment was met with cheers from the audience. Hasselbeck agreed and argued that all lives lost mattered, including those murdered by illegal immigrants.
Hostin continued, "Secretary Noem is wholly unqualified for her job. She has zero empathy. No. She is not taking responsibility for what she did."
The liberal co-hosts then argued Noem should be impeached.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
'THE VIEW' PANEL ERUPTS AS GUEST DEFENDS TRUMP AGAINST RACISM CLAIMS
Co-host Joy Behar jumped in, "I just want to give you this one statistic from the Cato Institute. Only 5% of people detained by ICE have violent convictions. 73% have no convictions. Correct. That's really what the problem is."
Hasselbeck countered that thousands of children were trafficked during the Biden administration. The guest co-host said the "how" mattered when it came to a fix for illegal immigration.
"It was done without a 'how' under the Biden administration and Obama," Hasselbeck said.
Whoopi Goldberg then jumped in to argue that former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden should be taken out of the conversation before cutting to commercial.
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After returning from the commercial break, Goldberg argued that everyone in America wants "tight borders."
"They want people who are not good for the country out of the country, but if you go in, and you say that's what you're going to do, and suddenly you're sweeping up five-year-olds," she said.
Hasselbeck is co-hosting the show this week in place of Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is on maternity leave. Hasselbeck is a former co-host of the show.
Operation Epic Fury survives Senate challenge as Republicans close ranks behind Trump
Senate Republicans closed ranks Wednesday, handing President Donald Trump a win on his use of force in Iran, despite lingering questions about America’s involvement in the Middle East.
The Senate shot down a resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., aimed at limiting Trump’s military actions in Iran on Wednesday, following days of speculation about whether Republicans would cross the aisle — as they have done before — to reprimand the president.
The administration pushed hard to lobby support for Operation Epic Fury, holding several briefings with Congress to make its case. It appeared to work, at least for now, convincing some Republicans on the fence to back continued military action in Iran.
RUBIO SAYS IN ‘SIMPLE ENGLISH’ IRAN RUN BY ‘LUNATICS,’ DEFENDS TRUMP STRIKE AS ‘RIGHT DECISION’
Only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted in favor of the resolution, while Sen. Jon Fetterman, D-Pa., was the lone Democrat to cross the aisle in support.
Democrats argued that Trump’s actions were another instance of him disregarding Congress’ authority to use military force, that they lacked a clear strategy going forward and, further, that they were yet another campaign promise he had broken.
"It's time for the president to keep promises, not break them," Kaine said ahead of the vote. "That's why I'm so glad that we're going to put everybody on the record … Nobody gets to hide and give the president an easy pass or an end run around the Constitution."
Democrats also seized on the administration’s refusal to rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran.
"They refuse to take off the table the insertion of ground troops," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., warning the conflict could expand beyond air and naval operations. "This is going to make the operations in Libya look like child’s play."
FALLEN US SOLDIERS IN OPERATION EPIC FURY REMEMBERED AS PATRIOTIC, DEDICATED
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who previously supported a resolution to rein in Trump’s war powers in Venezuela, said he would oppose the latest effort.
But like last time, he said a ground operation would require congressional approval.
"I’ve always said that committing ground troops would be something I think would require immediate congressional authorization, but that doesn’t appear to be on the immediate horizon," Hawley said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that the goalposts kept moving for the administration, which he said was a clear sign that "a strategy is missing."
Republicans countered that the president acted within his constitutional authority as commander in chief. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the War Powers Act "an unconstitutional shift of authority from the president," arguing Congress retains the ability to restrict funding if it disagrees with military action.
"We don’t need 535 commanders in chief," said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., arguing against the legislation.
There was also fatigue among some in the GOP over Kaine’s repeated efforts to reassert congressional authority in conflicts.
Republicans privately huddled Tuesday to discuss the strikes and the upcoming war powers vote ahead of their briefing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan "Raizin" Caine and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
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A source familiar with the closed-door discussion told Fox News Digital that Republicans who may have been swayed were frustrated with Kaine’s repeated use of the Senate floor to push resolutions limiting Trump’s war authorities.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., noted that it was Kaine’s fifth resolution to rein in Trump’s war powers since he returned to office last year, which accounts for nearly half of all war powers resolutions put forward in U.S. history.
"These resolutions have been used only 11 times in 50 years," Barrasso said. "The senator from Virginia alone accounts for nearly half of them. Yet Senator Kaine introduced zero war powers resolutions when Barack Obama and Joe Biden were president."
Rubio told reporters after a briefing with every senator on Tuesday that the administration had complied with the War Powers Act, though it believes the law is unconstitutional and noted that congressional leaders had been notified ahead of the strikes.
Rubio had previously suggested that the U.S. carried out Operation Epic Fury after it became clear that Israel intended to strike Iran first, a point he later walked back.
"If you tell the President of the United States that if we don't go first, we're going to have more people killed and more people injured, the president is going to go first," Rubio said. "That's what he did. That's what the president will always do."
Meanwhile, U.S. forces have now struck more than 2,000 targets in Iran, largely focusing on taking out the regime’s air defenses and missile capacity. Six U.S. service members have been killed in the operation, as have nearly 50 top Iranian leaders.
The Iranian government claims at least 1,045 people have been killed throughout Iran during the operation.
As airstrikes rain down on the Iranian regime, can a fractured opposition unite to lead if it falls?
As U.S. and Israeli air forces continue to attack Iran’s leadership and facilities with devastating military strikes, there are intense discussions unfolding about who will rule the country if the regime falls.
One of the biggest questions being asked by Iran experts is whether the fragmented opposition groups can come together and unite in defeating the regime.
Lawdan Bazargan, an Iranian political and human rights activist who was imprisoned by the regime for her dissident activities in the 1980s, told Fox News Digital there is a dangerous precedent for a total unified opposition.
"Unity cannot mean everyone stands under my flag," she said.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN WANTS TO TALK, BUT WHO WILL LEAD AFTER KHAMENEI?
"That model failed Iran once before. In 1979, one figure [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] absorbed moral authority while claiming he wasn’t seeking office and ended up consolidating absolute power. It’s also not fair to automatically position someone who has not lived in Iran for decades as the interim authority of over 90 million people. That fuels more mistrust, not less."
She also warned about the need to avoid a Venezuela situation in which Nicolás Maduro was replaced by his devotee, Delcy Rodríguez.
Mariam Memarsadeghi, a senior fellow at The Macdonald-Laurier Institute and founder and director of the Cyrus Forum for Iran's Future, told Fox News Digital, "When it comes to helping unite opposition forces, the crown prince [Reza Pahlavi] has the most responsibility because he is leading. It is to everyone’s advantage for him to build true alliances and real cooperation.
"He can start through reconciliation with prominent figures who once were in collaboration with him before spoilers in his own ranks were propelled by regime manipulation and infiltration to turn on others. It will be tempting to think that, because he is popular, he does not need others. But there is much hard work ahead."
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Reza Farnood, a researcher, writer and activist, told Fox News Digital, "In 48 years of activism and struggle, I have never experienced such broad unity and alignment. Even those who for years held firmly leftist views and were staunch opponents of the Shah and the Pahlavi family are now openly supporting the prince. Inside Iran, people are openly and courageously chanting his name."
Yet others remain skeptical of Pahlavi.
"Unfortunately, the Iranian opposition is more divided than ever," Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, said. "And I blame much of it on Reza Pahlavi and his team. Take the announcement of the formation of the new Kurdish Iranian coalition. Pahlavi attacked the coalition as soon as it was formed, labeling them as ‘separatists.'
"But then Pahlavi had to walk back his statement after he found out that President Trump had called Kurdish leaders, an important development."
Nader added, "The Kurds are very organized and capable. And they are armed. Anyone who wants to free Iran has to work with them. The regime is a deeply entrenched system in Iran. It’s an ideology and belief system that will not be uprooted with air strikes. And the regime has been preparing for this moment for decades. The individual leaders may not matter as much as the system."
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Yet while many voices claim Pahlavi should be the rightful successor to bring democracy to Iran, others point to the influential Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), the Iranian exile organization that has attracted supporters like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The group was reportedly the first to highlight Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions and regularly posts videos on its social media showing its active units operating against the regime. A post on X dated March 3 shows attacks against regime targets.
"Resistance Units step up anti-regime activities nationwide," it said, adding that there have been 30 operations in 15 cities, including Tehran, in recent days.
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Its Paris-based leader, Maryam Rajavi, says she supports a secular provisional government. Ali Safavi, an official with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital, the organization "has consistently argued that unity must be built on principles — republicanism, popular sovereignty, human rights and the separation of religion and state — rather than on personalities or nostalgia for past systems."
The NCRI is the umbrella organization for groups that fall under MEK.
Andrew Ghalili, the policy director for the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), defended Pahlavi's standing, saying, "There is no figure within the Islamic Republic who has legitimacy with the Iranian people or who would be a credible partner for the U.S.
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"As for opposition unity, the pro-democracy opposition is more united than it gets credit for. At the Munich Security Conference in 2025, a broad coalition came together around Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and four core principles for democratic transition. That includes monarchists, republicans, human rights advocates, ethnic minority representatives — all committed to a democratic, territorially intact Iran."
Ghalili claimed, "When people say the opposition is ‘fractured,’ they're usually lumping in groups like the MEK, which is universally reviled inside Iran and has no democratic credentials or aspirations, or separatist movements that don't reflect what Iranians, including ethnic minorities, actually want. The real pro-democracy opposition is already uniting. The world, and international media, should recognize it."
"If the West truly wants stability and not a Venezuela-style managed authoritarian transition, it should not anoint personalities," Bazargan warned. "It should push for a structured transition that guarantees free and fair elections within 12 months, with distributed authority and real safeguards against concentration of power.
"Iran does not need another supreme figure, even a secular one. It needs an accountable transitional framework, so every Iranian feels they have a stake in their future. Without that, fragmentation will continue, and fragmentation only helps the regime survive."
Her warning was echoed by Memarsadeghi, who said, "The Iranian people will not trust in any process that leaves in power any vestige of the regime that massacred them."