The “Ruthless” podcast kicked off its midterm candidate interview series on Thursday with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as the program aims to help listeners learn if hopefuls “can hang with the fellas and be a decent human being.”

Paxton, who is leading in the Republican Senate primary polls even without President Donald Trump’s endorsement, sat down with “Ruthless” co-hosts Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook for the first of a series of critical interviews designed to educate its audience ahead of “vitally important” midterm elections. 

“The midterms are incredibly important ,and one of the things that we promised you, as a listener of the ‘progrum,’ is we’re going to provide you interviews to get to know every single candidate that matters in every single one of these pivotal races,” Holmes said.

Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook host the “Ruthless” podcast.  (Fox News Media)

“Ruthless” also unveiled an interactive map that highlights key Senate races and links to information and interviews on each of the candidates ahead of the GOP primary season. The map, located at Ruthlesspodcast.com/map, will be updated throughout the year. 

“What it is designed to do is provide all of you who are listening throughout the country a real-time, totally accessible opportunity to click on your state and look at the candidates who are attempting to represent you,” Holmes said. 

“Ruthless” hopes the map and interview series will help listeners make more informed decisions.

“We understand that everyone in the mainstream media wants to shade one, or shade another,” Holmes said. “They’ll tell you exactly who it is they think you ought to vote for based on the tenor of the coverage of one candidate or another.”

“We approach this a different way here,” he continued. “You come down, you sit with the fellas, and we have, basically, one litmus test, and that litmus test is, can you hang with the fellas? Like, can you convince an audience that you can hang with the fellas and be a decent human being?” 

Smug added that “unlike the mainstream media,” guests on the podcast won’t face a “firing squad of liberals who are trying to help Chuck Schumer win a race.”

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Duncan noted that an assortment of interviews is already live on their new website, including with Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn.

“You’re going to have all of that at your disposal before you cast a ballot,” Duncan said.  “Over the next eight, nine months, we’re going to have a lot more, so it’s going to be a huge resource.” 

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, another hopeful for the Texas Senate primary, is set to appear next week.

“We’ll have all of them,” Holmes said. 

“You can take some time, not just to get to know them through the wedge questions that the media asks to try to put people on defense, but a little bit about their personality. Who they are. Because, ultimately, what you’re doing, particularly in Republican politics in primaries, is, there are shades of differences in globally recognized facts within the Republican Party,” he added. “But you’ve got to know that the guy, or the woman, that you’re sending there is ultimately going to represent your point of view.”

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“Ruthless” can be listened to on all podcast platforms and can be watched on YouTube. (Fox News Media)

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“Ruthless” has a licensing deal with FOX News Media as part of the company’s expansion of new media. 

A resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran is getting the blessing of the House of Representatives’ top Democrat.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., released a statement alongside other Democratic leaders Thursday announcing that they will force a vote on Massie’s resolution next week.

“As soon as Congress reconvenes next week, we will compel a vote of the full House of Representatives on the bipartisan Khanna-Massie War Powers resolution,” the joint statement read.

“This legislation would require the President to come to Congress to make the case for using military force against Iran. The Iranian regime is brutal and destabilizing, seen most recently in the killing of thousands of protesters. However, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is backing an effort by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna to force a vote on reining in President Donald Trump’s war powers. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images; Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

Jeffries and other top Democrats argued that any military force against Iran would be illegal without approval from Capitol Hill.

“We maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress. Next week, every Member will have the opportunity to go on the record as to whether they support military action against Iran absent Congressional approval,” they said.

Massie cited Congress’ war powers in the Constitution in unveiling the legislation earlier this month alongside Khanna.

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“Congress must vote on war according to our Constitution,” he posted on X. “[Khanna] and I will be forcing that vote to happen in the House as soon as possible. I will vote to put America first, which means voting against more war in the Middle East.”

Buses that were burned during Iran’s protests, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

There are multiple mechanisms for forcing a vote over the will of House leadership. But the quickest route is called a “privileged resolution,” which mandates that a specific piece of legislation is considered by the full chamber within two legislative days of its introduction.

Before a vote on the measure itself, however, House GOP leaders can call for a preliminary vote to “table” the legislation or refer it to the relevant committee, both ways of effectively killing those resolutions. 

It’s considered easier for lawmakers in the majority party to vote to kill resolutions on that procedural vote before they have to take a vote on the bill itself.

Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., left, and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., conduct a news conference after reviewing unredacted portions of the Jeffrey Epstein files, outside a Department of Justice office in NoMa on Feb. 9, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

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Privileged resolutions, which are traditionally seldom used, have gained popularity in recent years as Republicans grapple with a razor-thin House majority.

In this case, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can only afford one GOP defection if all Democrats vote to proceed with blocking Trump’s war powers. 

Because Massie is already likely to vote with the minority party, all remaining Republicans in the chamber must vote in lockstep to block the resolution.

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Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Democrats’ behavior during the State of the Union address this week “showed us that we cannot give power back to congressional Democrats” in the midterm elections this November. 

Vance, speaking during a visit to a machining facility in Plover, Wis., made the remark before ripping Democrats for not standing up Tuesday in support of Dalila Coleman, a young child who survived after an illegal immigrant from India allegedly struck the car she was in on a highway in San Bernardino County, California, in June 2024. 

“I want to talk about the stakes coming up in November, because it feels like this election in November is very far away. But if anything, the State of the Union should have showed us that we cannot give power back to congressional Democrats,” Vance said. 

“Now, I am fundamentally an optimist about this country. I believe most people, most human beings, most American citizens, whether they got a D next to their name or an R next to the name or they have no political affiliation, they’re good people. They love our country. They want our country to thrive and prosper. But I got to tell you, after the State of the Union, I’m not so sure that is true of the congressional Democrats that we saw at the State of the Union address,” Vance continued.

Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover, Wis., on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.  (Matt Rourke/AP)

“For example, you have this beautiful little girl. She had such a sweet moment with her dad. You may have remembered, she was probably six years old. She had been assaulted by an illegal immigrant. She had had a very bad, I think, medical prognosis. But it turned out that she was okay. This 6-year-old girl, hurt by a human being who never should have been in this country in the first place, who was led into this country by Joe Biden, the Democrats,” Vance said. 

“And she’s hugging her dad, and she’s so excited. And you can tell, and I think everybody’s heart feels very, you know, you get that warm and fuzzy feeling. And then I look over at the congressional Democrats, and they’re just scowling. They cannot clap their hands for a 6-year-old who survived an attack from an illegal alien. What is that?” the vice president added. “What kind of a person can’t stand up and cheer for an innocent young girl who’s doing well, who’s showing the entire country strength and resilience?” 

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Marcus Coleman holds his daughter Dalilah Coleman as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C.  ( Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The person driving the 18-wheeler that allegedly struck Coleman was identified as Partap Singh, who was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and immigration-related charges. 

“I think when that little girl was standing up hugging and kissing her dad, that those Democrats, there was at least a part of them, the human part and their soul that wanted to stand up and cheer for that little girl. And all of them sat on their hands. And you have to ask yourself, why is that?” Vance also said.

Republican members of Congress stand while Democrats keep their seats during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)

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“And the answer is because they know they don’t answer to you, they answer to somebody else. They answer to people who have corrupted this country,” he concluded. “They answer to the people who open the border. They answer the people who got rich off of illegal immigrant labor. We want you guys to get rich off of the labor of American citizens. We want American workers to get rich for working hard, not illegal aliens. And that, to me, is the fundamental difference between congressional leadership and congressional Democrats and the congressional Republicans under the leadership of this president.” 

Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report. 

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A TikTok influencer is responding to outrage online after seemingly recommending that her followers use a hotel coffee maker to wash their underwear while on the road. 

Influencer Tara Woodcox, who has over 700,000 followers on the platform, incurred wrath after her November 2025 video showed travelers how to clean their underwear using a coffee machine.

In the clip, Woodcox suggested placing the garment in the coffee filter compartment and running the brew cycle — so that hot water could flow over it.

“You close it, you press brew, and it puts scorching hot water through it,” she said.

After the TikTok ideo gained traction, Woodcox clarified that she never actually washed underwear herself in a coffee maker.

Influencer Tara Woodcox shared a video demonstrating a travel hack (not pictured) that uses a coffee maker. Some people reacted with outrage about the suggestion.  (iStock)

In the new social media post, she claims the idea was something she had heard about years earlier — but had not personally tried.

“I’ve never actually done that — but this is really funny, you guys,” she said.

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Woodcox also noted that she typically avoids using hotel coffee makers altogether because of concerns about cleanliness.

Still, the original video has continued circulating across social media, with many users expressing shock over the idea of using a shared hotel appliance in the way she supposedly suggested.

Woodcox (not pictured) described placing underwear in the coffee filter, running the brew cycle on a hotel coffee maker — then using a blowdryer on the clothes.  (iStock)

“So every hotel will now be adding a ‘do not use appliances for anything other than their designed purpose,'” one commenter wrote on Instagram.

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Others said the clip made them reconsider which items they use in a hotel room.

“I will never use a hotel room coffee maker again!” a person chimed in.

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“This is why we only drink at [the] breakfast table at [a] hotel restaurant and not in [the] room. We don’t use it,” a commenter wrote on Instagram.

Many users questioned how the suggestion could ever be considered acceptable.

Comments quickly poured in, with many people on social media questioning why anyone would ever use a coffee machine to clean their underwear. (iStock)

“How could she think this was OK? It’s revolting,” another person said. 

Whether or not she’s ever washed underwear in a coffee maker, Woodcox included a step-by-step guide for her followers in the original video.

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The influencer also said people could use the hotel’s blowdryer to dry the garment.

“You got yourself a cleaner pair of underwear to wear,” Woodcox said in the original video.

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She added she was surprised by how many people were already familiar with the hack.

She said in the original video, “I learned it years ago from a friend who was a flight attendant, and it’s brilliant.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the influencer for comment, but did not immediately hear back. On Instagram, her bio notes that she’s a fitness and nutrition coach, and also a mom of three. 

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital that agents detained a Columbia University student who was in the country illegally. The student, who DHS identified as Elmina Aghayeva, had a student visa that expired in 2016.

“ICE arrested Elmina Aghayeva, an illegal alien from Azerbaijan, whose student visa was terminated in 2016 under the Obama administration for failing to attend classes. The building manager and her roommate let officers into the apartment. She has no pending appeals or applications with DHS,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Columbia University in New York City said on Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered a residential building and detained a student. The university said the federal agents entered the residential building at approximately 6:30 a.m. local time.

Anti-ICE agitators demonstrated at Columbia University after federal immigration agents detained a student. (WNYW)

“Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person.’ We are working to gather more details,” Columbia University said in a statement. “It is important to reiterate that all law enforcement agents must have a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to access non-public areas of the University, including housing, classrooms, and areas requiring CUID swipe access. An administrative warrant is not sufficient.”

The university said law enforcement agents with a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena who are looking to access non-public areas of the university must contact public safety, which will then contact “the Office of the General Counsel to coordinate the university’s response.”

Many Columbia University buildings do not require a Columbia University ID (CUID) to enter, but in order to access the interior of the buildings, one would need to swipe through turnstiles with an ID.

While Columbia spoke about rules on its campus, DHS said that the incident did not take place on campus. 

An anti-ICE agitator holds a sign during a demonstration at Columbia University. (WNYW)

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New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu issued a joint statement condemning the incident. They said the agents’ actions have increased “mistrust and danger” in the city and the country.

“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger. As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance,” the statement read.

Barricades are installed in front of Columbia University after federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security entered a university residential building and detained a student, early Thursday morning, on Feb. 26, 2026. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown, held back in her response to the incident when asked about it on Thursday. The governor told reporters that the details of the situation were still “unfolding” and that, if the agents “misrepresented” themselves, that it showed the “out of control” nature of the administration’s crackdown.

“I still have to get the details, this is newly unfolding. I don’t wanna speak outside of turn here, but if that’s the case that just goes to prove our point: this is an organization out of control. They need to be focused, reorganized, retrained. Start over, it’s not working,” she said.

Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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