President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday, to showcase the speed at which he’s acted during the first two and a half months of his second administration.

‘107 executive orders signed in 67 days, more than any in American history,’ the president wrote in a social media post.

Trump has been expanding the powers of the presidency, as he has upended long-standing government policy and made major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of executive orders and actions. 

While Trump repeatedly touts his performance steering the nation, the latest public opinion polling suggests Americans may not be so pleased with the job he’s doing as president.

Trump stands at 42% approval and 56% disapproval in an AP/NORC released on Monday that questioned adults nationwide March 20-24.

That’s slightly lower than a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted March 21-23, which indicated the president at 45%-51% approval/disapproval.

Trump’s numbers were slightly higher in the most recent Fox News national poll, which was in the field March 14-17. Americans appeared divided on the job the president was doing, with 49% approval and 51% disapproval.

An average of all the most recent national polls that asked the presidential approval question indicates that Trump’s approval ratings are slightly in negative territory. Trump has seen his numbers edge down slightly since the start of his second term, when an average of his polls indicated the president’s approval rating in the low 50s and his disapproval in the mid-40s.

Contributing to the slide, the economy and jitters that Trump’s tariffs on America’s top trading partners will spark further inflation, which was a pressing issue that kept former President Joe Biden’s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency.

Only 40% of those questioned in the AP/NORC poll gave the president a thumbs up on the job he’s doing steering the economy, with 58% saying they disapprove.

And Trump stood at 38% approval and 60% disapproval on how he’s handling trade negotiations with other countries. A slew of Trump’s proposed tariffs are expected to go into effect on Tuesday.

Inflation was arguably the top issue that boosted Trump to victory in last November’s presidential election, and it remains critical to his political fortunes.

‘If prices remain high, he’s going to have trouble,’ warned Daron Shaw, a politics professor and chair at the University of Texas who serves as a member of the Fox News Decision Team and is the Republican partner on the Fox News poll.

But the AP/NORC does have some good news for the president. It’s the latest survey to indicate an increase in the percentage of Americans who are optimistic about the direction of the country.

Thirty-eight percent of those questioned said the country’s headed in the right direction, up from 28% in January at the end of Biden’s term in the White House. The jump is mostly fueled by a 34% surge in Republicans saying the country’s headed on the right track.

According to the poll, Trump’s favorable rating is underwater at 42%-54% favorable/unfavorable.

As with his approval rating, there’s a massive but expected partisan divide.

But Trump’s favorable ratings are superior to Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and Tesla and Space X chief executive, and White House advisor whose controversial moves downsizing the federal government as he steers the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have grabbed tons of attention.

According to the poll, Musk’s favorable rating stands at 36%, with 55% seeing him in an unfavorable light.

There are 35 U.S. Senate seats up for election in 2026, with at least four battleground states expected to decide the balance of power – and whether Republicans maintain control of all three branches of government during the second half of President Donald Trump’s term. 

In 2025, Republicans control the Senate 53-47, including two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Jon Husted, John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy could all face fierce fights to maintain their U.S. Senate seats next year. 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) announced in January that Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., will chair the DSCC with Sens. Mark Kelly, Adam Schiff and Lisa Blunt Rochester as vice chairs during the 2026 election cycle. The DSCC has not yet announced their target races for next year. 

‘Democrats have a Senate map that is ripe with offensive opportunities, particularly when coupled with the building midterm backlash against Republicans. Republicans have more seats to defend, and they’re doing it in a hostile political environment,’ DSCC Spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

As the party in power tends to struggle more during the midterm elections, Democrats are already identifying ‘offensive opportunities’ to regain Republican Senate seats. 

‘I am confident that we will protect our Democratic seats, mount strong challenges in our battleground races, and look to expand our efforts into some unexpected states. Over the course of my career, I’ve won in red and purple places, and I look forward to helping the next generation of Senate candidates do the same,’ Gillibrand said when she was named DSCC chair. 

North Carolina

Sen. Thom Tillis was censured by the North Carolina Republican Party in 2023 for reportedly veering from Republican ideology on gun control policies, LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights. 

Tillis is considered a moderate Republican for his commitment to Ukraine funding, support for gun control legislation that expanded background checks and implemented red flag laws, voting to codify same-sex marriage and supporting legal pathways for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. 

The bipartisan senator was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2020. He went against his more conservative colleagues by voting to certify former President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020. 

Tillis has fallen in line with Republicans in 2025 by voting to confirm Trump’s cabinet nominees, even as some expressed concern over his more controversial picks. However, that does not mean Tillis has been able to escape the ire of Trump’s orbit. 

‘Thom Tillis is running 20 points behind DJT in North Carolina. We’re going to need a new senate candidate in NC unless we want to hand the gavel back to Schumer,’ a political advisor to Donald Trump Jr., Arthur Schwartz, said on X earlier this month. 

The Cook Political Report, a top nonpartisan political handicapper, rated Tillis’ 2026 re-election bid as ‘lean Republican.’ 

Maine

Maine has long been a political outlier as one of only two states to split its electoral votes for the presidential election. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won Maine in 2024, but Trump still secured one electoral vote for winning Congressional District 2. 

Republican Sen. Susan Collins is considered another moderate Republican – which could serve her once again in the politically split state. 

Collins voted against the Senate confirmations of Trump’s nominees for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. She has not shied away from criticizing Trump either, slamming his Jan. 6 pardons and proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health grants. 

Collins has been a U.S. senator since 1996, surviving many primary and general election challenges from both sides of the political aisle. She became the first Republican woman to win a fifth term in the Senate in 2020. 

She is already facing two 2026 challengers – Democrat Natasha Alcala and Independent Phillip Rench. Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who sparred with Trump over transgender athletes playing in women’s sports, has not ruled out a run for Collins’ Senate seat. 

 The Cook Political Report also rated Collins’ race ‘lean Republican.’

Ohio

Ohio’s Republican Sen. Jon Husted finds himself in a unique position heading into the 2026 midterms. He was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Jan. 17, 2025 to fill the vacancy left by Vice President JD Vance. 

Husted is Ohio’s former lieutenant governor. He also served as Ohio’s secretary of state and as a state legislator. 

Because Husted was not elected U.S. senator, he will need to campaign in 2026 for the special election. If he wins, Husted will retain his seat and complete the remainder of Vance’s term – through 2029. 

Rumors swirled that DeWine could choose Trump-ally Vivek Ramaswamy to replace Vance this year, but the moderate Republican governor ultimately chose his politically similar ally. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy has launched his own bid for Ohio governor. 

The race is rated ‘likely Republican’ by The Cook Political Report.

Texas

Sen. John Cornyn has been the senator for Texas since 2002. While Cornyn is solidly conservative and has supported Trump, he has expressed private disagreement with the president on issues such as budget deficits and border security.

Cornyn is already gearing up for tough potential primary challenges from Trump-ally Rep. Wesley Hunt and conservative Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. 

Both Hunt and Paxton have not formally announced campaigns to primary the long-time Texas senator, but both candidates would set up a competitive race for Cornyn to keep his seat. 

The race is ranked ‘solid Republican’ by The Cook Political Report with some GOP infighting expected if Hunt or Paxton announce Senate campaigns. 

Louisiana

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy is also expected to face a tough primary challenge in 2026. John Fleming, the Louisiana state treasurer and former representative, has declared a Senate bid.

Rep. Clay Higgins, who was also expected to challenge Cassidy, announced on Thursday that he will not pursue a Senate campaign in 2026. 

Cassidy voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial, alienating him from the Trump-loyalists of the party. 

The former physician raised concerns over Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during his confirmation hearing. While he ultimately voted to confirm Kennedy, Cassidy questioned Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism as it conflicted with his own medical background.  

Cassidy has served in the Senate since 2015, after starting his political career in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Louisiana State Senate. 

While Republicans work to maintain incumbent Senate seats, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has identified four battleground states in 2026 as opportunities to pick up seats and widen their slim majority in the U.S. Senate. 

‘Every battleground state — Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire and Minnesota – is in play, and we play to win,’ NRSC regional press secretary Nick Puglia said in a statement to Fox News Digital last week. 

The Trump administration is breaking all modern presidential staffing records since taking office in January, bringing in ‘thousands of America First warriors’ to fight for President Donald Trump’s agenda, the head of presidential personnel told Fox News Digital. 

‘My Administration is breaking all modern Presidential Staffing Records since taking Office on January 20th,’ Trump posted Friday on his Truth Social. ‘The Presidential Personnel Office has made over 2,200 offers, all accepted, to exceptionally qualified Candidates, who are helping us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.’ 

Trump added, ‘We have sent more Nominations to the Senate than anyone ever before, and will continue to hire America First Patriots as we work together to unleash our Nation’s, Golden Age!’ 

The Trump administration has sent more nominations to the Senate by Trump’s 65th day in office, 277 and counting, than the previous record-holder, former President Barack Obama, sent by his 150th day in office, Sergio Gor, the director of the Presidential Personnel Office, told Fox News Digital. 

Trump officials have made more than 2,300 offers to ‘exceptionally qualified and aligned candidates across the Trump administration,’ Gor said. 

Gor also said 1,800 appointees are already at work — and almost every agency is more than half-filled, with many over two-thirds full. 

‘Every day we are focused on finding thousands of America First warriors to join this administration and fight for the agenda President Trump ran and won on,’ Gor told Fox News Digital. ‘We have made incredible, record-breaking progress by not only hiring the right people, but also keeping the Washington Swamp out of this administration.’ 

Gor added, ‘With President Trump’s historic leadership, this is the team that will usher in the new Golden Age of America.’

Trump’s Cabinet was confirmed in record time, with officials noting that none of his Cabinet-level nominees failed in committee or on the Senate floor for confirmation. 

On day 67 of the Trump administration, 41 total Trump nominees have been confirmed, including 21 of the 22 Cabinet level positions and 20 sub-Cabinet positions. By comparison, on the 67th day of the Biden administration, 13 Cabinet-level nominees had been confirmed.

By Friday, March 28, a total of 238 Trump administration nominations had been sent to the Senate. By March 28, 2021, 150 Biden nominees had been sent to the Senate for confirmation. 

Officials say that they have not only maximized the speed of their personnel selection process, but are also recruiting ‘the most talented bench of nominees in Republican presidential history.’  

The record-breaking hiring comes while the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is also shrinking the size of the federal workforce, to slash government spending and eliminate bureaucrats working against the Trump agenda. 

Earlier in March, the president directed his Cabinet secretaries to work with DOGE and to use a ‘scalpel’ when deciding which workers will remain in their jobs.

‘As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet,” Trump posted on Truth Social in early March. 

However, the Trump administration is touting the ‘incredible America First slate of candidates’ that have been confirmed to their posts, pointing specifically to FBI Director Kash Patel, who officials say is a ‘fierce advocate for American law enforcement and a critic of Washington corruption,’ border czar Tom Homan, whom officials call ‘the most respected immigration law enforcement official in modern history’ and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, whom officials call a ‘widely respected physician and healthcare reformer.’ 

‘Just as important as hiring the right people is keeping the wrong people out of this administration,’ a personnel official told Fox News Digital. ‘With the mandate President Trump has given this Presidential Personnel Office we are only hiring aligned and capable supporters of the president and his agenda in these critical roles.’ 

French politician Marine Le Pen and eight other members of her right-wing party were found guilty of embezzling public funds on Monday, and she herself was barred from running for public office.

The French court did not immediately announce how long Le Penn will be ineligible for office, and she stormed out of the courtroom before he finished reading her sentence. She is a top candidate to run for president in 2027, and Le Pen has said that prohibiting her from running in that election would be ‘political death.’

Le Pen has argued that such a sentence would also effectively disenfranchise her voters. She came in second place to French President Emmanuel Macron in both the 2017 and 2022 elections, and her National Rally party has grown massively in support in recent years.

‘There are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election,’ Le Pen told the court prior to her sentencing.

The facts of her case relate to the spending of funds from the European Parliament to support aspects of the National Rally party. Prosecutors established in court that EU parliament funds were used to pay Le Pen’s bodyguard as well as her personal assistant. The other defendants were convicted of similar uses of the funding.

Prosecutors requested a 2-year prison sentence as well as a 5-year period of political ineligibility for Le Pen.

Le Pen said she felt they were ‘only interested’ in preventing her from running for president.

Le Pen and other right-wing figures have risen in Europe thanks in large part to a surge in anti-mass immigration sentiment.

Her court ruling comes as Macron has struggled to come to grips with President Donald Trump’s return in the U.S., leading to conflict between Europe and the U.S. over economic policies and the defense of Ukraine.

Last week, the Trump administration touted its negotiations with Ukraine and Russia and said both nations had agreed to ‘eliminate the use of force’ in the Black Sea – but the Kremlin later confirmed this was only contingent on the removal of international economic restrictions.

‘Russia shall have no right of say regarding the support we are providing and will provide Ukraine, nor shall they set the conditions,’ Macron reportedly said in response.

Macron also shot down Trump’s call for Europe to consider ending sanctions on Moscow.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greenland’s prime minister said Sunday that the U.S. ‘will not get’ the resource-rich island in the Atlantic.

President Donald Trump wants to annex the self-governing territory of Denmark, a NATO ally of the United States, claiming it is needed for national security purposes.

‘President Trump says that the United States ‘will get Greenland.’ Let me be clear: The United States will not get it. We do not belong to anyone else. We decide our own future,’ Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post.

Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee visited Pituffik Space Base, the Department of Defense’s northernmost military installation, in Greenland on Friday. 

In a Saturday interview with NBC, Trump said that military force wasn’t off the table in regards to acquiring Greenland, according to the Associated Press.

‘I think there’s a good possibility that we could do it without military force,’ Trump said. ‘This is world peace, this is international security,’ he said, but added: ‘I don’t take anything off the table.’

Although the Danish territory has said it is seeking independence from Copenhagen but isn’t interested in becoming part of the U.S., Trump has repeatedly floated, dating back to his first administration, a desire to secure Greenland for the U.S. as Russian and Chinese presence grows in the Arctic. 

Polls have shown that nearly all Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the United States. Anti-American protesters, some wearing ‘Make America Go Away’ caps and holding ‘Yankees Go Home’ banners, have staged some of the largest demonstrations ever seen in Greenland.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan, Diana Stancy and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

The Taliban’s supreme leader said Sunday there is ‘no need’ for Western laws in Afghanistan, noting that democracy is dead as long as sharia laws are in place.

Hibatullah Akhundzada was speaking during a sermon marking Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic holiday, at the Eidgah Mosque in the southern city of Kandahar.

‘There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws,’ Akhundzada said as he emphasized the importance for Islamic laws, according to audio of his message that was published on X by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

The Taliban’s interpretation of sharia has resulted in restrictions for Afghan women and girls, who have been denied an education, working roles in many job fields and from appearing in most public spaces.

These laws have isolated the Taliban in the international community, but they have still been able to establish diplomatic ties with some countries, including China and the United Arab Emirates.

Akhundzada has taken a stronger approach on policy since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the region, despite some officials initially promising a more moderate government.

The terror group’s supreme leader criticized the West in his remarks on Sunday by saying non-believers were unified against Muslims and that the U.S. and other countries were united in their hostility toward Islam, pointing to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Akhundzada said democracy had come to an end in Afghanistan and sharia was in effect. He also argued that supporters of democracy were attempting to separate the people from the Taliban government.

The Taliban have no credible opposition inside or outside the country, although some senior figures within the government have criticized the leadership’s decision-making process and concentration of power in Akhundzada’s circle.

Some Taliban members want greater engagement on the world stage and to eliminate harsher policies to attract more support from outsiders.

In recent months, there has been increased engagement between the Taliban and the U.S. under President Donald Trump, mostly due to prisoner exchanges and releases.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly called for the destruction of Israel during Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Çamlıca Mosque in Istanbul on Sunday.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Erdoğan said ‘May Allah, for the sake of his name ‘Al-Qahhar,’ destroy and devastate Zionist Israel.’ His call for the annihilation of the Jewish state has drawn fierce condemnation, particularly from Israeli officials.

In response to his remarks, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated on X, ‘The dictator Erdogan revealed his antisemitic face,’ adding that ‘Erdogan is dangerous to the region, as well as to his own people, as has been proven in recent days,’ Sa’ar referred to the widespread protests in Turkey and added, ‘Let’s hope NATO members understand how dangerous he is, and not before it’s too late.’ 

Following his comments, Turkey’s foreign ministry issued a statement that read, in part, ‘We categorically reject the outrageous statement made by the Foreign Minister of the Netanyahu government.

‘These disrespectful and baseless allegations are part of an effort to cover up the crimes committed by Netanyahu and his associates,’ adding, ‘We will continue to stand by the innocent civilians targeted by Israel and to defend their rights.’

In a social media post, Israel’s foreign ministry demanded clarity on whether Erdoğan denies his antisemitic views, emphasizing the president’s problematic actions both domestically and internationally. 

‘What bothered the Turkish Foreign Ministry? Here’s a way to clarify the dictator’s words: Clearly state that Erdogan is not an antisemite, that he is not an obsessive hater of the Jewish state.’ 

The post underscores the growing concern over Erdoğan’s intentions toward Israel.

The tensions between Turkey and Israel go beyond Erdoğan’s support for Hamas, although that remains a central issue. Hamas, which carried out the brutal massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis on October 7, 2023, has long had Turkish backing. Erdoğan’s refusal to denounce Hamas, describing them as a legitimate political party, has angered Israel and much of the international community.

The diplomatic relationship between Turkey and the U.S. has also been under scrutiny. While Turkey’s domestic actions, like cracking down on political opponents, including the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoglu, have sparked unprecedented protests, U.S. officials are attempting to stabilize relations. On March 26, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, discussing Turkey’s potential support for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire and other geopolitical issues, despite recent internal turmoil.

‘Turkey’s strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing the worst domestic political crisis of his career. The streets are flooded now with protesters who are outraged over the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu, restrictions on the internet, and other authoritarian maneuvers,’ Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

‘To deflect, Erdogan has engaged in blistering rhetoric against Israel. This comes amidst Erdoğan’s unflinching financial and political support for Hamas since the October 7 war erupted, not to mention Erdoğan’s support for the al-Qaeda government in Syria, which also poses a threat to Israel,’ Schanzer said.

The tensions between Turkey and Israel are not limited to Hamas support. Erdoğan’s actions in Syria, where Turkey has backed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who overthrew the Assad regime and gained control over parts of the country, have further strained relations with Israel, leading to growing concerns over Ankara’s role in fostering instability on Israel’s borders.

Before Erdoğan’s most recent threats against Israel, Trump administration officials had indicated that they may lift restrictions on defense contracts with Turkey, including the potential reinstatement of Turkey’s F-35 program participation. This comes after a phone call between Presidents Trump and Erdoğan on March 21, which may pave the way for a change in policy that could potentially allow the sale of the F-35s to Ankara.

As a NATO member, Turkey plays a pivotal role in the alliance’s security framework. 

Even a casual reader of history will have noticed over the past many years that the antiseptic term Common Era (CE) has slowly but surely replaced the elegant Anno Domini (AD) as the marker of the time period that began 2,025 years ago in most historical works.

Though at first glance this may appear to be a minor change, it most definitely is not, and given the Trump administration’s brave and much-needed work to repair the damage done by wokeness, it’s possible that the damage here could be reversed.

Before getting to how an executive order bringing back AD would work, let’s first take a look at why it is so necessary to restore it to our written works of history.

Anno Domini is not only a description, it is an explanation. It is directly telling us that the reason we call this year 2025 is that Christ lived 2,025 years ago. It’s not just some happy accident that Jesus lived at this time. His life is the entire basis of the chronological system.

This keeps us in communion with over 1,000 years of our own history, from old books that used, ‘In the year of our Lord, ….’ to 20th Century classics of history that used the classic and traditional AD.

Now, progressive historians, which accounts for all but about six of them, insist that all they are doing by using Common Era instead is separating religion from the ‘scientific’ or at least empirical, study of history. But this is an easily disproven lie.

The names of our months, for example, are taken from Roman gods, and yet nobody thinks we should change the name of March so it isn’t derived from a Pagan god of war. The difference is that, like all things leftist, this is really about power.

Months named after Roman gods do not bother progressives because they do not view ancient Roman Paganism as part of a dominant culture that has to have its power over society weakened by the enlightened. But this is exactly how they view Christianity.

Put another way, Leftist historians are convinced that using AD imposes Christianity on non-Christians, and therefore a more neutral, or dare I say, common term should be used instead.

This is nonsense. There was never any significant group of people living outside of ivy-covered walls and ivory towers who were even remotely bothered by the term AD before the historians started in with this silliness.

You’d sooner find a bodega owner in the Bronx who wants to be called ‘Latinx.’

Moreover, this change from AD to CE is part of a much broader attempt to erase Christianity not just from public life, but from the history of the West as a whole, of which it is unquestionably the most important force.

Christianity didn’t grow up alongside Western civilization, it IS Western civilization, or at least was until about 10 minutes ago. Not only do progressives want Christian heritage and tradition removed from our society’s present and future, they want to erase it from our past.

As to the restoration of AD in our history books, there is a huge step that President Trump could take by executive order. With the swipe of a Sharpie, he could require that all books documents produced by the federal government or with federal funding use the more accurate and descriptive term Anno Domini.

It really is not too late to make CE a quirky footnote, used during a brief tenure of academic madness in the early 21st Century. Given how much federal funding university book publishers receive, the change could come very quickly.

Of course, such a move by Trump would occasion bloody howls of censorship and accusations of stomping out academic freedom. But American taxpayers, Christian or otherwise, should not be paying for the Left’s mission to tear Christianity from the heart of our civilization.

Sometimes it’s the little things, the ones which don’t seem to matter, that wind up mattering the most, because it starts with who cares if a man wants to wear a dress, and then its surgery on kids. It starts with leveling the playing field and winds up at ‘no white males need apply.’

The erasure of Anno Domini is one of these times, one of these canaries in a coalmine for our society, and the time is now to restore it to its rightful place.