while acknowledging there are millions of good people who work within it and it is possible to mantle that dispairing while respecting the individual human beings as we do it after ramaswamy says he is hearing that federal government unions are scrambling to update collective bargaining agreements to avoid getting fired. many employees aren't happy with the idea of returning to the office five days a week. the largest union for federal workers, the american federation of government employees, says efforts to cut government waste should start with contractors but it adds when it comes to changes in working conditions that could impact union contracts, the union takes the position that such changes must be negotiated with it through the normal collective bargaining process. doge hasn't made any official recommendations yet, john, already facing pushback. >> john: democrats are defending the norms. john stewart had something to say about that on monday.

martha. >> martha: president-elect trump getting ready for lift-off, another boost on their way to the spacex starship. he launched a plan to restart the government. >> john: i'm john roberts, bill and dana are off today. martha, an opportunity to work almost side-by-side with you on screen. cities apart. getting so you need a scorecard to keep track of the new players out there. here are the latest nominees. howard lutnick for secretary of commerce, dr. oz heading medicaid and medicare. linda mcmahon for secretary of education. >> martha: democrats are looking at their party's future. one explained why so many democrats in his opinion voted

for trump. >> donald trump has given the republican party a gift. he has caused parts of the democratic coalition that people thought would never, ever consider voting republican to do exactly that. what we need is an agenda for urban america creating more jobs, lowering taxes. all the things that people have been asking for for generations from our cities that have been under democratic leadership and failed to deliver on those things. >> john: fox team coverage. democrats seek a new path forward. rich edson starting us off from west palm beach, florida. what's going on today? >> good morning, john. well, president-elect trump took a break from cabinet deliberations in florida to go watch a rocket launch in texas yesterday. that was a spacex launch. that is elon musk's space exploration company. musk has also been weighing in on cabinet selections.

while in texas trump reaffirmed his support of gaetz. he says he is standing by his attorney general nominee. >> mr. president, are you reconsidering the nomination of matt gaetz? >> no. >> the house ethics committee is investigating gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. jd vance is bringing gaetz around to skeptical senators today. trump picks more nominees. he says dr. oz is his choice to run medicare and medicate. celebrity heart surgeon who ran for a senate seat in pennsylvania a couple of years ago. wrestling executive and former head of the small business administration in the first trump term linda mcmahon will lead the department of education, hopefully into non-existence and lutnick secretary of commerce. he was considered for a treasury

secretary job. we are still waiting on a nominee there. there may be another opening to fill. jd vance posted on x yesterday he and president-elect were interviewing for an f.b.i. head job. that, of course, is currently occupied by chris wray who has that. at least the term that expires not until 2027. john. >> john: talk that he may step down of his own volition. rich edson in palm beach. thank you. >> martha: the democrats launching a full blown recovery effort as dust settles on their devastating election losses. the party turning its focus to the fight over who will lead the dnc. alexandria hoff live with the latest from the white house. hi. >> good to be with you. the head of the dnc which help shape messaging the democrats say they need to reconstruct. even after suffering major losses senate majority leader schumer said there is plenty his

party did right this election and gave two examples of that . one bringing up past policies, the other being focusing on the economy. >> we also did a lot of things wrong. and we will look in the mirror and analyze those. there are also some things that we didn't do that we should have done. the next month for us we're spending a lot of time listening and then as a unified party we'll move forward. >> some within the party are wondering if the listening is actually happening. three familiar names as new chair of the democratic committee. former maryland governor who works in the biden administration. ken martin in dnc leadership and former chicago mayor rahm emmanuel's name is being floated. o'malley believes vice president harris lost because i believe the american people's eyes were taken off the ball and by the politics of fear. another prospect of emmanuel to

take the dnc spot aoc said there is a disease in washington with democrats who spend more time listening to the donor class than the working people. that's the problem. musk weighed in. he said simply would be a good move with emmanuel. >> john: we have guy benson here. the democrats spent more than a billion dollars and lost in historic fashion and now there is a lot of self-reflection going on including chuck schumer. listen to what he said. >> we did a lot right and a lot of what we did right was focusing on economic issues. focusing on implementing the great things that we did in 2021 and 2022. we also did a lot of things wrong and we will look in the mirror and analyze those. >> john: like that michael

jackson show. i'm looking at the man in the mirror. no message could have been any clearer, guy. >> i'm perplexed by this, john. he said what we did right was focus on issues that americans care about like the economy and tout our policies when we had full control. that's what led them to do a lot of disastrous things. to blow up inflation, to withdraw from afghanistan, the list goes down the border crisis started. it's why they lost. if he thinks those are the good things they did the self-reflection has dug teep. if they want to say we got it right on policy let's continue to have that debate. >> john: policy is one thing. everything else that went on. portraying trump as hitler, denigrating supporters, pushing a far left woke agenda saying half the country was racist

didn't seem to play well with voters. slotkin said this. i personally think identity politics needs to go the way of the dough dough. people need to be looked at as independent americans whatever party they may be from. however, a large part of the democratic party didn't get that message and they are still doing what they were doing for the last four years and during the election campaign. >> yep. there is a lot of power wrapped up in identity politics for some of these groups and individuals. we heard from one, aoc calling some of the people being named as a possible dnc chair a disaster, puppet of the donor class, whatever she said. she could vacate her seat in the house which moved pretty right, by the way. it moved directionally away from her in the party. maybe she could run the party in the dnc. the choice the democrats make in the coming weeks give us a sense of what they at least think they

need to do differently next time. if it's a retread of similar names from the past or if the left wing base of the party goes nuts because the person is seen as too moderate and there is a big rift it could portend dark things again for the democratic party. >> john: bill clinton said things. what he said in georgia. if people were being properly vetted at the border laken riley might be alive. the potential for the first female president. listen. >> i think all these cultural battles we're fighting make it harder in some ways for a woman to win. >> you think it has more to do with party than gender. >> no. although i think it would probably be easier for a conservative republican woman to win. >> john: easier for a

conservative republican woman become the first female president. an interesting statement. >> i'm all for that. full speed ahead in the future. love the idea. i'm not sure he has this right. oh, it would have to be a woman on the right to finally shatter the glass ceiling and pull it off. years ago as a kid hearing similar arguments about a first black president. probably have to be a republican. would have to be someone like powell back in the day and barack obama came along and got a lot of support and talented politician and related to a lot of people and he, of course, made history in a big way in 2008. maybe it's not the american people, maybe it's the the quality of the candidates. hillary clinton, kamala harris couldn't cut it. that doesn't mean a woman on the left or right can't in the future. >> john: in 2028 i assume vance will get the nod but you never

know. great to see you. >> martha: moments ago a manhattan district attorney bragg speaking on trump's sentencing in the new york criminal trial. let's watch this. >> significant competing constitutional issues. the office of the presidency and all the obligations that come of that on the one hand. on the other hand the sanctity of a jury that has spoken and rendered a guilty verdict. frame that issue and that we set forth a recommended briefing schedule and we said that during the pen den see of that briefing schedule we anticipate that we won't oppose a motion for a stay. the next time we'll be talking. anything beyond that will be the judge. >> martha: bragg's opinion. jonathan turley has a piece in the "new york post" about why it is not a good thing for the country. we'll see how this plays out. keep a close eye on it.

stunning number highlighting the border crisis, 1.4 million illegal immigrants have been ordered to deport from this country but are yet to be removed. plus the u.s. taking dramatic action with its embassy in kiev as the war in ukraine escalates. details on that next. speaking of the war there, trey yingst is now near the front lines with the embattled ukrainian president zelenskyy. his message to the -- the president's message to the united states on what he says his country desperately needs. >> i think what is very dangerous if we lose unity in europe and what is most important unity between ukraine and the united states. out of control. get a newday 100 va cash out loan at lower mortgage rates to pay off those high rate car loans.

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>> john: the war in ukraine surpassing 1,000 days and the country's president has been there every step of the way. chief correspondent trey yingst spoke to him near the war's front lines. trey joins us now. what did you find out? >> good morning. more than 1,000 days into this conflict the ukrainians are bracing for more russian missile attacks. today the u.s. embassy in kiev closed its doors urging americans to stay close to shelters. this after i returned from the front lines of eastern ukraine with ukrainian president zelenskyy. as we prepare to board president zelenskyy's train to head to the donbas region we got news the united states has approved ukraine's use of attack long range missiles into russian territory.

the broader question is, what has isolation done to russia over the past 2 1/2 years? >> right now president zelenskyy is moving with the 25th brigade. we can see screens that show ukrainian drones in the distance trying to figure out exactly where the russian advance is happening. the russians are trying to take this city for the past eight months. so far have been unsuccessful. nice to see you, mr. president. >> thank you very much for coming. >> thank you for having us. can you tell us what message you are delivering to these soldiers on the front lines here? >> today is very important. for me it was very important to be on the front line very close to it. >> we'll continue the conversation on the train later on. earlier this month americans went to the polls and they reelected president-elect trump and he will be sworn into office

on january 20th. he has promised during his campaign to end the war in ukraine on day one. do you think that's possible? >> god bless it is possible. but i think that still it was a kind of expression, a figure of expression. he meant he can quickly stop the war and we will not push president trump as if you said that you can end the war in one day. i said that it is very hard to do that with putin. but the wish itself that he can end the war and end putin qui quickly, and i think he is capable of doing that. >> lawmakers in the house, senate and now the white house all republicans. more than 50% of republican voters according to recent polls

say that the united states is giving too much aid to ukraine. what should those americans understand about this war? >> first of all, we're really grateful to the united states of america to the people and for the bipartisan support that you are with us. the fact that we could restore and recover the majority of our territories witness this. when we are together and we are working cleverly, it is possible. >> hours after our interview with ukrainian president zelenskyy he ordered u.s. supplied missiles to be fired into southern russia, john. >> john: trey yingst for yours with the latest from kiev. thank you. >> martha: with that as background let's bring in kurt volker former u.s. ambassador to nato. good to have you with us. what is your takeaway from his reporting and conversation with

president zelenskyy? >> we're in for a rough couple of months. we see that putin is watching as we are going through a presidential transition. he knows president trump is going to come in and he knows the stakes will go up. he is already suffering militarily with shortages of russian troops and a need for north korean personnel and north korean artillery and trying to grab what he can now. i think we will see a very tense period right now before we start getting towards some kind of negotiation and peace later on. >> martha: we have seen an aggressive move from the biden administration to suddenly allow thipgs they weren't allowing before. allowed the long range missiles in the final hours, six weeks or so left and allow anti-personnel mines to be planted. they announced that this morning. what do you make of this on the way out the door release of the

things they've asked for for a very long time? >> it is just an illustration of how confused the biden add ministration's policies have been up to this point. no reason to have created this restriction on the use of these systems that they can only good so many kilometers and not further. ukraine has a right to defend themselves. if we give them weapons they should use them to defend themselves. the land mines prevent enemy forces from advancing. no reason not to give them to ukraine especially this type that are self-deactivating. so they are doing the right thing now. but far too late and having far overthought it in earlier times in the administration. >> martha: russia has said they are lowering the threshold under which they would use your nuclear weapons against an opponent and they are saying that they would allow it against

a power that doesn't possess nuclear weapons against a conventional weapon if the country that is supplying those weapons is a nuclear power. that means the united states, we're supplying these weapons. russia is saying because you have nukes, we would use them potentially against ukraine. what is your reaction to that? >> first off every time we do something to help ukraine russia drags out this nuclear threat and oh, we might use nuclear weapons. they do it not because they intend to use them but want to reestablish this idea they are deterring the u.s. and the west from taking any action to support ukraine. and this particular example is kind of amusing because they took this specific case of ukraine maybe using these weapons, u.s. supplying these weapons and trying to turn it into a doctrine of some kind. it is really just an effort to

try to influence western policy and it's the kind of thing we have heard several times before during the course of this invasion from russia. every time there is a reaction from the west they threaten nuclear weapons. >> martha: iran has en increased their amount of enriched uranium and now reported they would have enough nuclear fuel for four atomic bombs. we're seeing a ramp up ahead of the trump inauguration on january 20th. quick thought on that? >> that's exactly right. we should have never allowed this to happen. held iran accountable for the attacks in the region and not paid them off for hostages. not given them the frozen assets. it has emotion boldedened them and there is a time coming when they will be held accountable so trying to amass everything they can now, too. i certainly hope that we give them some very clear warnings even now during the transition

that they will not be acting with impunity anymore. >> martha: we haven't seen president biden to make his thoughts clear to iran or get them to back down. good to see you. thank you. >> john: texas border battle reffing up. governor abbott is adding more buoys to the rio grande. how will the white house respond this time around? democrats rushing to secure some power in the courts by pushing through president biden's judicial nominees but they face a tough fight from republicans. florida senator rick scott joins us after the break.

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now. humana. a more human way to healthcare. >> john: u.s. official revealing new statistics to fox news. 1.4 million illegal immigrants in our country who have been ordered to be deported by federal judges have yet to be removed. they are still here. of those only around 13,000 are being held in custody by ice according to this official. president-elect trump promised to carry out mass deportations when he takes office first focusing on criminal illegal aliens. >> using this land for deportation purposes is just part of a multitude of strategies that we're involved in. one is as we speak right now there are more orange buoys being put into the rio grande river to deny illegal entry.

second thing is we're working to make sure we're going after the criminals. >> martha: texas is not backing down against the biden-harris administration. they ordered wrecking ball size orange buoys along the rio grande to create a wall through the middle of the river to block migrants from crossing. brooke taylor live in eagle pass, texas with a look at the installation process. hi, brooke. >> hi, martha. we are oh he here in eagle pass getting an exclusive look at this happening in realtime. right now there is buoys in the river stretching about 1,000 feet. governor abbott's goal is to add 1,000 feet more of these buoys sending a strong message to the biden administration. we'll get into that in a second. we take you to live footage now of our drone. on top of this happening in realtime you can see the cranes starting to carry those buoys

into the river where they will be anchored into the ground now. between these buoys they have metal blades making it difficult for migrants to get over them. in 2023 when we saw a record number of migrants crossing here illegally, abbott had the national guard start to install these buoys here. the biden administration sued texas calling this a humanitarian disaster and putting the migrants at risk. abbott firing back and said texas has every right to defend its borders. he has not added any more of these buoys since 2023 until right now. you are looking at it again. this summer a federal appeals court ruled in texas's favor but the lawsuit ongoing is at a stand still right now. this move months before a new administration takes over and the biden still in office send a clear message and definitely showing a sign of defiance. in terms of what we're seeing

out here with crossings, we're not seeing the massive groups like we did last year but dps tells us they are seeing these smaller groups here of about 100 to 200 a day. they say 100 to 200 at a time. they are averaging 300 to 400 migrants a day and recently they are seeing more unaccompanied minors. now as for the buoys, migrants out here can technically go to different routes where they aren't buoys. abbott is hoping with a new administration they can get some federal backing and some more support to add even more buoys. let me tell you, he sees this as a more effective method than even the border wall. same with dps sources out here. it is a lot cheaper, they say. >> martha: interesting. those are serious buoys. thank you very much, brooke. >> we're not done. there are more judges to consider and confirm. we will spend the rest of the

week and the rest of this year focused on confirming them. >> john: senate democrats are rushing to confirm president biden's final judicial nominees before they lose control of the chamber on january 3rd. republicans are hoping to slow down or halt that process. president-elect trump urging his party to show up and hold the line. florida senator rick scott joins us now. the president-elect is calling out the troops to block these judicial nominees. how will republicans in the senate respond? >> we'll show up. republicans need to be a brick wall to these radical biden nominee picks. judicial picks. they are not people that should be judges. they have been so controversial. all my colleagues will show up and do everything we can and use every procedural move to make sure that these nominees do not get through and then donald trump will have the choice to pick people that believe in

following the law, believe in judicial restraint. i'm optimistic everybody will show up and we'll block the judges. >> john: here is what governor desantis had to say about the approval of circuit judge kidd to the 11th circuit. this leftist judge would have been voted down and filled by donald trump next year had republicans showed up. now the leftist judge have a lifetime of florida and we'll suffer the consequences. calculations that had all the republicans showed up with fetterman being absent you might have been able to temporarily pause his confirmation. why haven't republicans been showing up is the question? >> i think everybody will show up. president trump is clear. we have to block these judges. we are going to show up and get this done. it is disappointing that kidd got through. he will be a radical appeals

court judge and it will be too bad for all the states including florida that's impacted by them. we'll all show up and do everything we can to block them. >> john: vance didn't show up for a vote. i had more important things to do. i tend to think it is more important to get an f.b.i. director to dismantle the deep state that republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45. he deleted that post and yesterday showed up. again it begs the question where have republicans been and why did it take the president-elect to say get your butts out there? why didn't you do that before? >> i think everybody will show up. most of us were here. some people had some other obligations they thought were important. but i think the president-elect has been clear that these people need to show up. i think they will start showing up. i saw vance yesterday and i think everybody will show up

today. >> john: where do you stand on recess appointments? mitch mcconnell has said there won't be recess appointment. would you support that? >> i think we have to do everything. everything has to be on the table to get donald trump's nominees approved as quickly as possible. when trump become president in january of 2017 his nominees didn't get through quickly. that has to change. if we need to do recess appointment we should do that. >> john: senator, good to see you. see if everybody shows up today. appreciate it. >> thanks. >> martha: president-elect trump tapping linda mcmahon to lead the department of education. we'll speak with former education secretary from the first trump term betsy devos and tell us her thoughts on the pick and the controversial future of the department of education. plus a culture war on capitol hill as republican congresswoman nancy mace calls to ban

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>> martha: more transition news for you. president-elect trump has nominated former acting attorney general matthew whitaker to be the united states ambassador to nato. you know him well. many appearances on fox news to discuss legal issues. matt whitaker to be the ambassador to nato. senator kennedy speaking about the vance meetings with matt gaetz and senator rubio that are floating around on capitol hill today. here is what senator kennedy said moments ago. >> matt and j.d. asked for the meeting and, you know, we may talk about the dallas cowboys. >> do they think you are undecided? >> they just asked for a meeting and i said sure, i love meetings. >> do you have concerns about gaetz? have you decided? >> we have a process as you know and we'll follow it and we're going to have a full hearing in front of god and country and we'll vet all the nominees, not

just congressman gaetz. >> martha: all the important steps that are part of this process and said we'll have meetings and vet all these nominees and then we'll have a full hearing. that's the process here. the process is very much underway on capitol hill today. john. >> john: all right. lindsey graham from south carolina saying he is keeping an open mind. a culture war erupting on capitol hill over a bill to ban transgender women from using women's restrooms in the capitol including sarah mcbride said to be sworn in as the first transgender member of congress. mike emanuel here with an update. this is turning into quite a fight. >> female member of congress is defending her position saying women are vulnerable in private spaces. nancy mace of south carolina added a sign to a capitol hill bathroom. mace took on her critics last night. >> the height of hypocrisy and gas lighting. they are threatening to kill me

now because i as a woman am standing up to protect other women from men being in our private spaces, restrooms, bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, you name it. now they are threatening to kill me over this. being bullied online. >> sarah mcbride was elected in delaware mcbride said it is an attempt from far right wing extremists to the fact they have no real solutions to what americans are facing. other democrats are furious about this controversy. >> just disgusting and i just -- i was actually sick to my stomach when i read that yesterday. i think it's unfortunate someone is being attacked just coming to congress. she is going to use whatever restroom she needs to use. >> house speaker mike johnson said all new members are welcome with open arms. this is a new issue for congress. >> a man cannot become a woman.

that said, i also believe that's what scripture teaches what i just said. but i also believe that we treat everybody with dignity. so we can do and believe all those things at the same time. >> mace is pushing to have her resolution included in the house rules package. >> john: she is a victim of sexual assault and raped and doesn't want men in women's bathrooms. mike, always good to see you. >> martha: president-elect donald trump tapping his education secretary linda mcmahon. the president-elect celebrating that saying we'll send education back to the states and linda will spearhead that effort. joining us now is someone with firsthand experience former secretary of education in the first trump administration betsy

devos. welcome back to the program. good to have you here. what is your reaction to the appointment of linda mcmahon in this post of education? >> i think it is a great appointment. linda is a proven executive that has a ton of experience. she did a great job at sba. she has a heart for kids and education. and we all know that the department of education is a mess. it has failed in its mission and she will do a great job in implementing the policies that president trump has championed starting with education freedom, tax credit policy around school choice and cleaning up and clarifying title ix and this issue of men in women's bathrooms and women's sports. cleaning up the mess that federal student aid is and the whole fasa roll-out debacle and

importantly returning to the states and local communities power over decision making and resources to do the best thing for kids at the most local level devolving it away from washington and getting bureaucrats out of the mix. >> martha: there is an education choice for children's act that would be a federal school choice option for congress to consider. where does that stand and it sound like that's a high priority for president-elect trump? he mentioned that move federal school choice as one of his primary priorities. >> yes, absolutely. it has been continuing to gain support on capitol hill. of course, it does need to have congressional support and approval to implement. this would provide rocket fuel to what states are already doing and it would provide a vehicle for students in states that haven't yet had policies implemented to support those

choices in some of those states. it is a really important piece of the president's agenda and i think that this next congress is going to see it through. >> martha: would you say that the order of things should be to pass that and then to eliminate the department of education? >> well, there are a number of things that need to be cleaned up within the department before serious steps can be taken toward actually dismantling or devolving it away from washington. of course, actually closing it needs congress's approval but many steps can be taken to depower what happens in washington and to empower the states and local districts and importantly parents and families at the most local level. but those things all have to happen at the same time and or in succession starting with cleaning up the fasa and student loan debacle and then all of the

rest of it can be really addressed through block granting back to the states and taking care of the laws that the department of education has got to oversee. >> martha: former education secretary supportive of the president's pick. president-elect's pick for the next one, linda mcmahon. thank you, betsy devos, always good to see you. >> john: fox news alert. donald trump's attorneys have filed their response to alvin bragg in judge juan merchan's court seeking an immediate dismissal of the case against him saying in part that their petition immediate dismissal of the state is mandated by the federal constitution, presidential transition act of 1963 and interest in justice in order to facilitate the orderly transition of executive power following president trump's overwhelming victory. judge merchan has to make a decision whether or not he will dismiss the case or hold

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hello, colonial penn? >> harris: the democrat resistance is real and they are resisting who? president-elect trump and growing. another blue state governor says she will not help in trump's mass deportation plan and one major city just approved what it is calling a sanctuary status officially. plus i'll speak with one women's volleyball coach now suspended. big university, for speaking out about a transgender athlete. biological male on the team. republican congressman james comer, ben domenech. "the faulkner focus", top of the hour. >> martha: this just breaking moments ago. president trump's attorneys, former president trump requests a dismissal of his new york

case. you have seen this going back and forth over the last couple of days. senior correspondent eric shawn has the breaking details where it stands as of this hour. >> the letter from todd blanche, who is the president's lawyer. he says quote i'm reading. immediate dismissal of this case is mandated by the federal constitution, the presidential transition act of 1963, and the interests of justice. he is saying it is needed to be dismissed immediately in order to quote facilitate the orderly transition of executive power following president trump's overwhelming victory in the presidential race. he is citing the fact there need to be orderly transition and that this case would block that. earlier today, though, fox news asked d.a. bragg specifically is the former president above the law? his answer dealt with saying he was going to answer all that in motions in court saying that there are constitutional

competing issues here. bragg has said the case should not be dismissed but the potential of a sentencing put off until after the president's second term, which is in 2029. now waiting for the motions to be filed with judge merchan to see what he will do. we're now waiting for that. >> martha: eric, thank you very much. john, jonathan turley wrote it is like putting something on lay away having it over the president's head. not a good situation for him or the country. >> john: i can't imagine that bragg will let this go. he is up for re-election next year. merchan is appointed. maybe he might be more inclined. great to share the screen with you, martha. >> martha: i'll see everybody at 3:00 for "the story." "the faulkner focus" is next. >> harris: as we come in with this fox news alert president-elect trump now has a growing number of blue state