— The House GOP’s campaign committee is taking aim at congressional Democrats for voting against a measure to fund the federal government through Sept. 30 and avoid a government shutdown at the end of this week. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee is launching digital ads against 35 House Democrats who may face challenging or competitive races in the 2026 midterms, when the GOP aims to defend its fragile majority in the chamber.

The spots, shared first with Fox News Wednesday morning, are going up hours after the House, almost entirely along party lines, voted 217-213 to pass a Republican-crafted bill that cuts non-defense spending by roughly $13 billion, boosts defense spending by around $6 billion and gives President Donald Trump more leeway in how to spend the funds.

Thanks to heavy last-minute lobbying by Trump and his allies inside and outside the chamber, the House GOP didn’t need a single Democrat’s vote to pass the bill.

One Democrat, moderate Jared Golden of Maine, who represents a district carried by Trump the past three presidential elections, voted for the Republican measure.

And the one Republican to vote against the bill, far right Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, is being threatened by Trump and his allies with a possible primary challenge next year when he’s up for re-election.

The digital ads by the NRCC, which are identical for all the targets, will run online in the districts of Democratic representatives Josh Harder (CA-09), Adam Gray (CA-13), Jim Costa, (CA-21), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), George Whitesides (CA-27), Derek Tran (CA-45), Dave Min (CA-47) and Mike Levin (CA-49) of California; Darren Soto (FL-09) and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) of Florida; Eric Sorensen (IL-17) of Illinois; Frank Mrvan (IN-01) of Indiana; Kristen McDonald Rivet (MN-08) of Michigan; Don Davis (NC-01) of North Carolina; Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) of New Hampshire; Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) and Nellie Pou (NJ-09) of New Jersey; Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) of New Mexico; Dina Titus (NV-01), Susie Lee (NV-03) and Steven Horsford (NV-04) of Nevada; Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Pat Ryan (NY-18) and Josh Riley (NY-19) of New York; Greg Landsman (OH-01), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and Emilia Syles (OH-13) of Ohio; Janelle Bynum (OR-05) of Oregon; Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) of Texas; Eugene Vindman (VA-07) of Virginia; and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) of Washington state.

The NRCC says there’s a modest ad buy behind the digital spots.

‘House Democrats threw a tantrum at the expense of the American people, shutting down the government just to score political points. After months of failure, they’ve learned nothing and doubled down on their embarrassing dysfunction.’ NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said.

Democrats disagree.

‘The strong House Democratic vote in opposition to this reckless Republican spending bill speaks for itself,’ House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top Democrat in the chamber, told reporters after the vote.

And House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar of California took aim at what he called a ‘partisan’ measure and emphasized that ‘we put up a strong vote in opposition of this bill because this hurts families.’ 

Ukraine on Tuesday agreed to a preliminary proposal put forward by the Trump administration that called for a 30-day ceasefire contingent on Russia’s acceptance of the terms in a major step toward ending the brutal war.

But even if the Trump administration is able to get Moscow to the negotiating table and end the three-year war under a new treaty, which several security experts say Russian President Vladimir Putin is under no real pressure to do, can the Kremlin chief be trusted?

Russia under Putin has repeatedly violated formal international agreements intended to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, chiefly from its former Soviet overlord.

These agreements include the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal in exchange for assurances over its territorial integrity after its 1991 withdrawal from the Soviet Union, as well as the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership by which Moscow and Kyiv agreed to respect one another’s existing borders. Both deals were first violated in 2014 when Putin seized Crimea and backed Russian separatist forces in the Donbas region. 

The 2014-2015 Minsk Agreements, though criticized as ‘weak,’ attempted to end Russia’s aggression in eastern Ukraine, an agreement that was never fully achieved and was again violated by Putin’s 2022 invasion. 

Some world leaders and security officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have cautioned that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to be achieved in the near term and against Putin’s reliability in adhering to any international agreement without serious security commitments from the West.

‘The problem here is that the Russians only understand win-lose outcomes, which means that to prevent them from ever attacking Ukraine again, they must see themselves to be the losers in the war just as they did at the end of the Cold War,’ Michael Ryan, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy and former acting assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told Fox News Digital.

Security officials interviewed by Fox News Digital argued that securing Ukraine’s future is not about ‘trusting’ Putin. It’s about actually putting Russia in a position where any future violations would hinder Moscow more than it could be enticed by unchecked opportunity.

‘Even if a deal is concluded, Russia will continue clandestine operations across the world to expand its footprint in terms of geopolitical influence,’ Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer, told Fox News Digital, noting the former KGB operative can be counted on to ‘continue election interference campaigns, cyber warfare, espionage and destabilization operations across the globe.

‘There’s no such thing as peace in Russia’s strategic military thinking. You are in a constant confrontation.’

Ryan argued a Trump-brokered peace deal needs to reflect on the lessons learned from previously failed agreements, like the post-WWI Treaty of Versailles, which arguably led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

‘How to solve this conundrum? Just as we did after World War II … reconstruction of Ukraine must include economic reconciliation with Russia,’ Ryan said. ‘The Russians saw how we rebuilt the losing side in World War II Germany and Japan. They expected us to do the same for Russia after the Cold War, but we did not.  

‘We can’t make that same mistake if we want lasting peace for Ukraine and if we want to split Russia from China,’ he added, noting other adversaries are watching how the West handles this geopolitical hurdle.

There are numerous obstacles when it comes to the Trump administration’s attempt to negotiate with Putin, including arguments over occupied territory, international recognition of occupied lands, international aid and support for Ukraine, international confiscation of frozen Russian assets, Zelenskyy’s standing at home, the return of prisoners of war and the return of abducted Ukrainian children, according to Peter Rough, senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute.

‘Putin has officially annexed four Ukrainian oblasts as well as Crimea. But Moscow has yet to conquer any of the four entirely,’ Rough told Fox News Digital while traveling to Ukraine. ‘I can’t imagine that Ukraine will withdraw from the areas they control, having fought tooth and nail to defend those regions. 

‘I also doubt that the West will offer de jure recognition to the areas Moscow controls,’ he added. ‘So, Putin would have to swallow all of that in a peace deal.’

Each issue alone is a massive undertaking to negotiate, and while Ukraine this week may be outlining concessions it could make to secure a deal coordinated by the U.S., Putin is unlikely to do the same, according to Koffler, who briefed NATO years ahead of the 2022 invasion on Putin’s plans.

‘Putin is unlikely to make any concessions as he believes he is in a strong position,’ Koffler told Fox News Digital. ‘The disparity in combat potential dramatically favors Russia over Ukraine, which is out-manned and outgunned because Putin transitioned the Russian military and economy on a wartime footing seven years prior to the invasion of Ukraine.’

‘Putin believes he has prepared Russia to fight till the last Ukrainian and till the last missile in NATO’s arsenal,’ she added, echoing a January warning issued by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who said Russia’s defense industry output over a three-month period equates to what all of NATO produces an entire year.

‘Putin is highly unlikely to agree to a ceasefire because he doesn’t want to give a strategic pause to Ukraine, the U.S., and NATO to re-arm,’ Koffler said. ‘He doesn’t trust Washington. He doesn’t trust President Trump any more than we trust Putin. 

‘He trusts Trump even less than Biden because he could read Biden and predict his behavior. He cannot read Trump because Trump is unpredictable.’

The experts argued there are too many variables that could play out during negotiations that will determine whether Putin can be adequately held accountable or ‘trusted’ regarding future agreements.

Ultimately, Koffler said, Putin will not leave eastern Ukraine.

‘Ukraine has always been a red line for Putin, in terms of who has geopolitical control of it, Russia or the West. And he will continue to enforce this red line,’ she said. ‘The only way to ensure that Putin doesn’t invade another country is to make NATO strong again, beef up force posture, increase defense spending, secure its command-and-control networks and develop actual deterrence and counter-strategy that addresses every prong of Putin’s strategy.’ 

While issues at NASA grew under former President Joe Biden, the space agency prioritized embedding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives into its workforce, according to a new report from watchdog group OpenTheBooks.

Amid preparations for its Starliner capsule mission — which ultimately went awry, leaving two astronauts stranded in space — NASA spent more than $13 million on related efforts between 2021 and 2024. During the ongoing Starliner spaceship debacle, an Inspector General report highlighted even further shortcomings by the agency, particularly related to quality control around NASA’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon.

Simultaneously, while NASA was facing these mission-critical deficiencies, it was also reportedly taking substantial steps to embed DEI into agency practices through a variety of avenues, including grants, contracts, employee guidance, agency-wide strategic equity commitments, book talks and more.

During President Donald Trump’s first term, he sought to root out DEI programs in the federal government, similar to his efforts today. Before ending his first term, in September 2020, Trump signed an executive order to combat race and sex stereotyping within federal government programs. His order was rescinded just a few months later by the Biden administration. During former President Joe Biden’s first few days in office, he signed several executive orders aimed at embedding the equity considerations Trump sought to get rid of in federal government programs.

Following Biden’s directives, NASA went full force at embedding these principles into its day-to-day operations, OpenTheBooks’ report illustrates. At the same time, NASA was preparing its Starliner capsule to transport two astronauts to the International Space Station for what was intended to be a week-long mission. Instead, due to multiple malfunctions with the rocket that carried them there, the astronauts were stranded in space for months. Elon Musk’s SpaceX was ultimately tapped to help bring the astronauts home, and they are expected to return sometime this month.

In 2021, the same year NASA’s Starliner capsule was undergoing test flights, NASA employees were engaged in a book talk about ‘open[ing] the lines of communication on anti-racism,’ alongside author Uju Asika. Asika, who was also invited back the following year, spoke to parents at NASA about her book, ‘Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World,’ in which she laments her ‘Eurocentric’ education in the U.K., ‘colonialism,’ and the results of the 2016 election. An earlier book talk at the space agency in 2020 included talks by infamous anti-racist scholar Ibram X. Kendi. 

Around the same time as Asika’s talks to NASA employees, the agency also unveiled its 2022-2026 ‘Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity Inclusion & Accessibility.’ Major goals of the plan included race and sex-based hiring and promotion initiatives. The same year, NASA unveiled its 2022 Equity Action Plan, which included new DEI-related contractor policies. Those policies, among other things, included ‘a requirement for contractors to provide a DEIA plan upon award to demonstrate commitment to diversifying their workforce.’ The Equity Action Plan also retooled NASA’s grant and procurement process, aimed at encouraging grant proposers to consider DEI principles, even when seemingly unrelated.

In 2022, employees were also provided guidance ‘for Supporting Gender Transition/Affirmation in the Workplace.’ The guidance encouraged employees to ‘be willing and available to collaborate with the transitioning employee on the development, implementation, and evolution of a Workplace Gender.’ It added that any ‘transitioning employees’ should be allowed to use the restroom, locker room, or other facility of their choice, and not compelled to use one that does not align with their choice.

In total, NASA spent at least $13 million on DEI-related programs under Biden, according to OpenTheBooks. One contract uncovered by the organization provided more than $2.3 million for a consulting group to help ‘incorporate and deeply engrain diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the culture and business’ at NASA. 

‘NASA’s mission is too risky to get distracted by identity politics,’ John Hart, CEO at OpenTheBooks, said. 

‘Newtonian physics and atmospheric reentry do not care about antiracism talks and gender ‘affirmation’ policies,’ Hart added. ‘NASA has an opportunity to take one small step toward fiscal responsibility and one giant leap toward common sense.’

Beyond the Starliner mission debacle that left two astronauts stranded in space, a report from the Inspector General last year detailed widespread quality control issues in NASA and contractor Boeing’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon. The report pointed out that workers on NASA’s Space Launch System program lacked sufficient experience, among other issues.

This week, the Trump administration began a ‘phased reduction in force’ at NASA, which included shuttering the agency’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.

Acting NASA administrator Janet Petro said in a memo to employees at NASA this week that while the force reduction, which includes the closure of multiple offices, will mean ‘difficult adjustments,’ the agency is viewing it as an opportunity to ‘reshape’ its workforce and ensure it is ‘doing what is statutorily required … while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency.’ 

‘NASA is committed to engaging the best talent to drive innovation and achieve our mission for the benefit of all,’ Cheryl Warner, a NASA spokesperson, told Fox News Digital when reached for comment. ‘As new guidance comes in, we’re working to adhere to new requirements in a timely manner. Our agency has complied with the requirements of executive orders and additional guidance from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.’

Greenland’s center-right Demokraatit party pulled off a surprise victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, taking Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede’s party, Inuit Ataqatigiit, out of power. Independence from Denmark became a focal point of the election amid President Donald Trump’s repeated talk of the U.S. taking control.

‘People want change … We want more business to finance our welfare,’ said Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Demokraatit’s leader, according to Reuters. The outlet added that Nielsen said Greenland does not ‘want independence tomorrow’ and would prefer separation from Denmark be based on a ‘good foundation.’

Four of the five main parties on the ballot, including the ones that won first and second place, Demokraatit Party and Naleraq, favor independence from Denmark, but disagree on the pace. Greenland, whose population is approximately 57,000 people, currently operates as a semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. However, Trump’s renewed interest in the island sparked conversations about breaking away from the Danish crown.

Prime Minister Egede, whose party failed to maintain control, said in a Facebook post that he respects the outcome of the election and that the parties are ready for negotiations. 

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen congratulated the Demokraatit Party and said the Greenlandic future would face ‘massive pressure’ from Trump, according to the Associated Press, which cited Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR. Poulsen reportedly added that ‘the future of Greenland is based on what the Greenlandic people and government want.’

The Demokraatit Party saw a major increase in support, winning nearly 30% of the vote compared to just 9% in 2021, according to the Associated Press, which cited Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation KNR TV.

Earlier this month, Trump brought up Greenland in his address to a joint session of Congress.

‘We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,’ Trump said, eliciting laughter from the crowd. ‘We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it… One way or the other, we’re going to get it.’

In the same address, Trump vowed that the U.S. would ‘take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.’

During a January phone call with Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Greenland must be allowed to make decisions about its own future. Both Prime Ministers Frederiksen and Egede told President Trump that ‘Greenland is not for sale,’ Axios reported at the time.

In December 2024, then-President-elect Trump tapped Ken Howery as US ambassador to Denmark. Trump said in a post on Truth Social announcing the pick that ‘the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.’

President Trump also eyed Greenland during his first term, causing friction between himself and Prime Minister Frederiksen. In 2019, after the Danish leader called the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland ‘absurd,’ President Trump abruptly canceled his trip to Denmark over the ‘nasty’ comment.