Trump taunts Trudeau with new title as he continues tariffs push: ‘Great State of Canada’
President-elect Trump took another jab at the Canadian prime minister on his Truth Social account just after midnight on Tuesday, saying “it was a pleasure” to meet with “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” “It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada,” Trump wrote. “I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!” MUSK, STALLONE AMONG STAR-STUDDED NAMES PARTYING AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO CLUB FOR THANKSGIVING Trump and Trudeau met at the president-elect’s luxurious Mar-a-Lago property in West Palm Beach, Florida, last week, calling it a “very productive meeting.” Trudeau flew to Florida just days after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products. Trump has proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, citing what he describes as both nations’ failures to stem the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs into the United States. Trump’s slight on Tuesday comes after sources previously told Fox News that the president-elect told the prime minister during the meeting that if a tariff for failing to address trade and immigration issues would kill the neighbor to the north’s economy, maybe it should become the 51st state. “We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, fair trade deals that do not jeopardize American workers and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. TRUMP’S TARIFF THREATS GO BEYOND ‘TRADE AGREEMENT’ TO ADVANCE AMERICAN INTERESTS: EXPERT “I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic, caused mainly by the drug cartels, and fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship!” The pair also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic, although Trump didn’t disclose other details about the conversation. “All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in office, and before,” Trump said, without saying whether tariffs were still on or off the table. Late last month, Trump said on Truth Social he would impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. MEXICAN PRESIDENT MIGHT BE CHANGING VIEW ON US AS TRUMP WIN SENDS WARNING TO RULING SOCIALISTS “Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border,” he wrote. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.” During his first term, Trump renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), replacing it with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which went into effect July 2020. The USMCA aimed to modernize and address issues in the original NAFTA, particularly concerning labor rights, environmental standards and digital trade. “I’m going to inform her [Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum] on day one, or sooner, that if they don’t stop this onslaught of criminals and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send in to the United States of America,” Trump said during his last North Carolina campaign stop before the election. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Pennsylvania Dem Gov Shapiro condemns UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect: ‘Coward, not a hero’
Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a blistering condemnation of the suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold blood. Shapiro railed against the suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione, in remarks at a Monday press conference after Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. “The suspect here is a coward, not a hero,” Shapiro said. The governor spoke out against “vigilante justice” and rebuked those who have praised the slaying of Thompson “in some dark corners” of the internet. LUIGI MANGIONE, ALLEGED UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO KILLER, CHARGED WITH MURDER IN NEW YORK “In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint,” Shapiro said. His remarks came hours after a six-day manhunt for Thompson’s killer came to an end at a McDonald’s in Altoona. UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED AT PENNSYLVANIA MCDONALD’S Mangione, a 26-year-old software developer, was taken into custody by rookie Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye after an employee and a customer at the McDonald’s recognized the suspect from wanted posters. When officers approached Mangione – who was wearing a mask and a beanie and working on a laptop in the back of the restaurant – and asked him to remove his face covering, they recognized him as the suspect wanted for questioning in Thompson’s murder. WHO IS LUIGI MANGIONE, SUSPECT IN UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER? During that encounter, he allegedly handed over a fake ID, gave a phony name and “became quiet and started to shake” when asked if he had recently been to New York. He was also allegedly in possession of writings criticizing the healthcare industry, and a ghost gun similar to the one believed to have been used to kill Thompson. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Altoona police initially took Mangione into custody on charges unrelated to Thompson’s murder – possession of an unlicensed firearm, providing false identification to police and forgery. He has since been charged with murder in New York, according to online court records. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
‘Exceptionally qualified’: Trump transition rolls out Hegseth hype video amid Capitol Hill meetings
FIRST ON FOX: The transition team for President-elect Donald Trump is touting the support of several Republican senators for Pete Hegseth, who Trump has picked to lead the Department of Defense (DOD) in 2025. In a new video, Republican senators offered praise for Hegseth and his abilities, as he and Trump make the case for him taking the lead of the DOD. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told reporters that Hegseth was “perfect” for the role, while Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., predicted he would be “great.” RACHEL MORIN’S MOM PLEADS SENATORS ‘HEAR OUR CRIES FOR HELP’ IN MASS DEPORTATIONS HEARING TESTIMONY Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., pledged, “I’m going to do whatever that [I] can to make sure he’s confirmed as Secretary of Defense.” “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a clear mandate to deliver on his campaign promises — and his Cabinet selections reflect his commitment to putting America First,” said Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in a statement. “Pete Hegseth is an exceptionally qualified, highly educated, and tough patriot who has not only served this country with courage, but has also devoted his life to advocating for our troops and veterans. Mr. Hegseth’s extensive military experience, combined with his steadfast commitment to restoring the Pentagon and our armed forces to greatness, will advance President Trump’s vision of returning meritocracy, accountability, and efficiency to the United States military.” GOP SENATOR QUESTIONS FBI OVER REPORTED IRANIAN HACK ATTEMPT OF TRUMP PICK KASH PATEL The video comes as Hegseth continues to meet with Republican senators on Capitol Hill as he also faces scrutiny over accusations of sexual assault, drinking and potential mismanagement of funds at a veterans nonprofit. Hegseth has reportedly denied all the allegations that surfaced following Trump’s announcement of him as his choice for DOD secretary. JOHN CORNYN ‘INCLINED’ TO BACK TRUMP FBI PICK KASH PATEL AFTER SENATE MEETING Hegseth had a second meeting with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on Monday after their first meeting did not leave her convinced to support him. In a statement following their discussion, the senator said, “As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS APPOINT INCOMING CALIFORNIA, NEW JERSEY SENATORS 3 WEEKS EARLY When Fox News host Bill Hemmer pressed Ernst on her first meeting with Hegseth, she admitted that the meeting had not quite gotten her to a “yes” on Hegseth. Hegseth, who worked at Fox News as a political commentator and weekend host over a 10-year period, is an Army combat veteran who is decorated with two Bronze Stars. He served for nearly 20 years, completing tours in Guantánamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Biden admin’s cold-shoulder approach to crypto concerns industry leaders: ‘Needs to be looked at’
Leaders in the cryptocurrency space are up in arms over documents that were recently uncovered showing the Biden administration instructed banks not to engage in cryptocurrency business. The uncovered documents allegedly confirm suspicions that cryptocurrency tech founders were being “debanked” under a program known colloquially as “Operation Chokepoint 2.0.” Chris Lane, the former chief technical officer of Silvergate Bank, accused federal regulators of contributing to his bank’s collapse after the documents were released Friday. “Silvergate became what it was serving cryptocurrency clients,” Lane wrote on social media. “[Crypto was a] strategic vertical we started focusing on in 2013. Regulators came in sometime in Spring 2023 and severely limited the amount of U.S. dollar deposits we could hold for digital asset clients. There went our entire business model.” Lane described the experience as the equivalent of being “shot in the back.” HOW DOES THE FUTURE OF CRYPTOCURRENCY CHANGE AFTER TRUMP’S ELECTION WIN? Meanwhile, David Sacks, President-elect Donald Trump’s new artificial intelligence and crypto czar, said Friday that there were “too many stories of people being hurt by Operation Choke Point 2.0,” and that “It needs to be looked at.” Last week, Paul Grewal, the chief legal officer for Coinbase, considered one of the largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms, shared documents that he and his team had obtained following Freedom of Information Act requests that have paralleled a protracted legal battle between the company and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The documents showed that the Biden administration’s FDIC sent numerous letters to banks, calling on them to “pause all crypto-asset related activity.” BIPARTISAN LAWMAKERS PUSH BIDEN TO INVESTIGATE HAMAS’ CRYPTOCURRENCY FINANCING “Law-abiding American businesses should be able to access banking services without government interference,” Grewal said Friday in conjunction with his publication of the documents. “The incoming administration has the opportunity to reverse so many poor crypto policy decisions, chief among them politically motivated regulatory decisions like Operation Chokepoint 2.0.” Grewal pledged to continue fighting for transparency, including seeking to obtain copies of the documents without redactions. Concerns over regulators stifling crypto from engaging with banks gained renewed traction during Thanksgiving week after tech investor Marc Andreessen said on Joe Rogan’s podcast that more than 30 tech founders had been “debanked” for political reasons. Andreessen compared what was taking place to a similar Obama-era program known as “Operation Chokepoint,” which sought to inhibit high-risk industries like payday lenders and gun dealers. Fox News Digital reached out to the FDIC and SEC for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
Speaker Johnson says ‘still some concern’ about Elon Musk-backed online safety bill
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he still has lingering doubts about a children’s online safety bill that Elon Musk threw support behind this weekend. “There’s still some concern about the free speech components of that, and whether it might lead to further censorship by the government of valid, you know, conservative voices, for example. So we’re working through all that,” Johnson told reporters at his weekly press conference Tuesday. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is the most significant social media reform pushed by the Senate in decades. It breezed through Congress’ upper chamber in a 91 to 3 vote but hit a snag in the House of Representatives, where leaders have expressed concern about possible censorship and about the power it bestows on the Federal Trade Commission. ELON MUSK AND VIVEK RAMASWAMY AGREE ON ‘NEED TO SCRUTINIZE’ US FUNDING FOR NGOS Linda Yaccarino, CEO of the Musk-owned social media platform X, announced over the weekend that they have worked with the Senate sponsors of the bill to alleviate some of those issues. “We’ve heard the pleas of parents and youth advocates who seek sensible guardrails across online platforms, and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) addresses that need. After working with the bill authors, I’m proud to share that we’ve made progress to further protect freedom of speech while maintaining safety for minors online,” Yaccarino wrote on the platform this weekend. “We urge Congress and the House to pass the Kids Online Safety Act this year.” It precipitated a pressure campaign over the weekend by allies of President-elect Donald Trump pushing the House to take up the bill. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and Donald Trump Jr., were among those who sounded off, as well as Musk himself, who posted on X, “Protecting kids should always be priority #1.” Johnson said Tuesday that he appreciated the efforts behind the legislation. He also suggested the effort could be renewed next year, with only two weeks left in the current congressional term. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER OPEN TO ‘BIPARTISAN COOPERATION’ IN ELON MUSK’S DOGE PLANS “I’m grateful for the hard work that’s been done. I’m grateful for the support behind it. Certainly, I think all of us, 100% of us, support the principle behind it,” the speaker said. “But you’ve got to get this one right when you’re dealing with the regulation of free speech. You can’t go too far and have it be overbroad, but you want to achieve those objectives. So it’s essential that we get this issue right. “We are very optimistic that if it’s not done this year, that we can do that early next year with our Republican majorities, because it’s the Republican Party that has been working aggressively to protect children online.” The bill’s leaders, Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., thanked Musk and Yaccarino for their work over the weekend. GOP SENATOR ANNOUNCES ‘DOGE ACTS’ TO BACK MUSK, RAMASWAMY GOVERNMENT COST-CUTTING OBJECTIVES “These changes should eliminate once and for all the false narrative that this bill would be weaponized by unelected bureaucrats to censor Americans,” Blackburn and Blumenthal said. “We appreciate that this endorsement and revised text reflects their publicly stated goal of furthering free speech without fear of censorship. We reiterate X’s call to pass KOSA by the end of the year – it is clear that this legislation has overwhelming support from Congress.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP KOSA would put the onus on social media companies to prevent and mitigate potential harm that could be caused to users under age 17. The bill would also force platforms to block addictive components for minor users and make it easier for minors to protect their information, among other measures.
‘Unified government’: Incoming House Republican reveals agenda for new Congress after ousting Dem incumbent
EXCLUSIVE: An incoming House Republican, who defeated the incumbent Democrat in Colorado, reveals what he expects to see from Republicans in the House during the next Congress. Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, who defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital that voters in his district “could see with their own eyes” that rising crime was a problem. “I didn’t have to convince people there was a problem. I just had to show them that. Look, as a Colorado native born and raised here, 12 years in the U.S. Army and the Colorado Army National Guard, one combat deployment overseas, and then doing all the stuff the National Guard does domestically here in Colorado, another 10 years in law enforcement, married with two boys, state representative,” Evans said. “I know how to fix these problems and I know how to bring the actual dinner table solutions to make everybody’s lives better, safer and more affordable.” Evans explained that his district, which is 40% Hispanic, was frustrated with the crisis at the southern border. INTERNAL HOUSE GOP MEMO REVEALS WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE CELEBRATING IN $895B DEFENSE BILL “There’s actually quite a lot of frustration around the folks like my family, you know, my mom’s first generation American, my abuelito is an immigrant from Chihuahua, northern part of Mexico,” Evans said. “He earned his citizenship with two Purple Hearts in World War Two. My uncle reminds me constantly, you know, gave the citizenship for our branch of the Chavez family, was paid for in blood on the battlefields of Western Europe,” he continued. “And so for a large segment of the Hispanic population, you know, the folks that did it right, that are here working jobs, that are law-abiding, to see this massive influx across the border of folks who, you know, at the very least, are immediately rolling across the border and getting the red carpet rolled out via taxpayer funded handouts and resources.” Evans will enter Congress in January, when Republicans have control of both chambers and the White House. However, in the House of Representatives, they will have a razor-thin majority with a small margin for error. Evans told Fox News Digital he is confident Republicans in the House will unite to push through Trump’s agenda. ‘WE’RE GOING TO GUT THE FISH’: REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE’S MUSK, RAMASWAMY “I think that we will get on the same page and I think that the next two years are going to be very, very different from the last two years because we do have a unified government,” Evans said. “And so folks know that it is now time for the Republicans who control the House, the Senate and the presidency to come through on all of those campaign promises, everything that we talked about, making safe and secure communities, making sure that we’re securing the borders. Making sure that we’re improving America’s standing globally and that we’re once again projecting those calm, steady hands on the wheels in the international community through consistent, steady American leadership, all of these things. It’s up to us to deliver those now.” “My promises to my district were things like public safety. I’m going to stand by our state and local law enforcement,” he continued. “I’m going to make sure that we’re giving them the tools that they need to keep our communities safe and so much of that starts with ensuring that we are working to get rid of these sanctuary state policies that blatantly ignore federal law and that in Colorado, at least outright prohibit law enforcement from even being able to work with Immigration and Customs to deport violent gangbangers, cartel members and other criminals who are taking advantage of the left’s soft on crime policies and these open border policies.” In terms of the economy, Evans said that Republicans will work to be “making sure that we get the economy empowered again to get the cost of living down, cut punitive regulations, cut red tape, and make sure that folks can get good paying jobs, that those good paying jobs are available for them, and that the overall economy is flourishing again so that things can be affordable.” Evans said that Trump’s victory in November shows that Republicans have a mandate in the next Congress. “The American people have given the Republican Party unified government for the next two years. I think that is absolutely indicative of the fact that they want to see change,” Evans said. “They know that their lives are not better now than they were four years ago. They’re ready to go a different direction. And so, for the next two years, it’s up to us to roll up our sleeves and truly get to work for all Americans, whether they voted for us or not.”
Netanyahu knocks Obama, John Kerry in first appearance at corruption trial
In his first appearance in court for corruption charges, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid bare his stark disagreements with former President Barack Obama over Iran and a Palestinian state. “Obama made it clear to me that U.S. policy was going to take a sharp turn against the ideas I believed in,” Netanyahu recounted of his interactions with the U.S. in the early days of the Obama administration. “He saw Iran not as a threat but as an opportunity and saw a vital need for us to return to the ’67 lines and establish a Palestinian state here.” Netanyahu took the stand for about four hours Tuesday morning in Tel Aviv District Court. The trial was moved from Jerusalem for undisclosed security reasons and convened in an underground courtroom, according to Reuters. He recalled his rocky relationship with Obama – how they failed to see eye to eye on an appropriate course of action for Palestinians. “I had to face great pressure to create a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu said. “[Obama] demanded it during the first meeting, he said: ‘Not even one brick will you build over the Green Line.’ I responded: ‘Half of Jerusalem is over the Green Line; for instance, the Gilo neighborhood.’ Obama said: ‘Gilo too.’ He demanded a total construction freeze, massive pressure. I had to deal with this, I had to deflect it, and it was no small matter.” NETANYAHU TO TESTIFY IN CORRUPTION TRIAL AMID MULTIPLE CONFLICTS Netanyahu called to mind a disagreement with then-Secretary of State John Kerry, who was urging Israeli forces to withdraw from Judea and Samaria. “Kerry explained to me that my fear of placing security in Judea and Samaria in Palestinian forces’ hands was unfounded because the Americans were training Palestinian forces and we could withdraw.” He also said Obama had recommended Israel take notes from the U.S. policy in Afghanistan, and Netanyahu predicted it would not age well. “Obama suggested I make a secret visit to Afghanistan to see how American forces were training local forces. I told him the moment you leave Afghanistan, these forces will collapse under Islamist forces, and that’s exactly what happened.” The corruption trial, which stems from a 2019 indictment for alleged breach of trust, accepting bribes and fraud, takes place against the backdrop of Israel’s war with Hamas. Netanyahu must attend court three times a week while it is ongoing. Netanyahu, 75, is the first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. The charges include: accepting gifts from Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in exchange for advancing his interests, failing to report a bribery attempt from newspaper “Yediot Aharonot” publisher Arnon Mozes, who wanted Netanyahu to allow a bill outlawing free newspapers to pass and offered him favorable coverage in exchange, and accepting an offer in which Shaul Elovitch, the owner of Israeli telecom conglomerate Bezeq, would grant Netanyahu favorable media coverage in exchange for favorable regulatory changes. ICC REJECTS ISRAELI APPEALS, ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS FOR BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, YOAV GALLANT Netanyahu said he is not in office for personal gain, and directly responded to allegations he asked for a constant supply of luxury items like champagne and cigars. “Absolute lies,” he said. “I work 17-18 hours a day… It’s around-the-clock work into the early hours of the night. There’s almost no time to see family. I didn’t see the children, and that’s a hefty price to pay,” Netanyahu said, adding that his rare leisure time is spent reading history or economics books. The prime minister argued that if he had been concerned about better media coverage, he could have just moved toward granting Palestinians statehood. “Had I wanted good coverage, all I would have had to have done would be to signal toward a two-state solution… Had I moved two steps to the left I would have been hailed,” he said. The court had been granting Netanyahu delays in his testimony throughout the 14-month-long war in Gaza, but last week ruled he must start testifying. In the lead-up to his court date, Netanyahu classified the charges against him as a witch hunt and railed against law enforcement and the media. “The real threat to democracy in Israel is not posed by the public’s elected representatives, but by some among the law enforcement authorities who refuse to accept the voters’ choice and are trying to carry out a coup with rabid political investigations that are unacceptable in any democracy,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “Netanyahu is on trial for allegedly using his political power to improve his media coverage. His defense: the coverage was not positive but hostile, and I did not attempt to change it for the benefit of Netanyahu the citizen but for the benefit of the State of Israel in response to Obama’s hostile stance,” Amit Segal, chief political analyst for Israel’s Channel 12, told Fox News Digital of the prime minister’s testimony.
J6 committee chair seethes over ‘threat of vengeful prosecution,’ vows to withstand Trump and his ‘minions’
Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, responded to President-elect Donald Trump floating jail time for members of the former congressional committee, underlining he is “not afraid of [Trump’s] most recent threats.” “Donald Trump has shamefully undermined the rule of law, degraded our democracy, and eroded our Constitution for years, and his latest lies about the work of the January 6th Select Committee are just the latest installment. But let me be clear: Those of us who investigated his central role in the January 6th insurrection are simply not afraid of his most recent threats,” Thompson said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Monday. “Donald Trump and his minions can make all the assertions they want – but no election, no conspiracy theory, no pardon, and no threat of vengeful prosecution can rewrite history or wipe away his responsibility for the deadly violence on that horrific day. We stood up to him before, and we will continue to do so.” Trump joined NBC’s “Meet the Press” for an interview that aired Sunday, when the president-elect railed that former Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, Thompson and others on the J6 committee “deleted and destroyed” evidence related to the investigation and “should go to jail.” ‘RIDICULOUS’: CHENEY RESPONDS TO TRUMP FLOATING JAIL TIME FOR J6 COMMITTEE MEMBERS “Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps,” he said in the interview. “They deleted and destroyed all evidence.” “And Cheney was behind it. And so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee,” he continued. “For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail.” DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE’LL PARDON JAN. 6 RIOTERS ON DAY ONE: ‘ACTING VERY QUICKLY’ Trump’s comments that aired Sunday come as President Biden reportedly mulls issuing blanket, “preemptive pardons” to those viewed as Trump’s political foes, such as Cheney, Thompson and California Sen.-elect Adam Schiff. Thompson added in his statement to Fox Digital that the committee diligently followed House rules throughout the investigation. “Our committee was fully authorized by the House, all rules were properly followed, and our work product stands on its own. In fact, in the two years since we have completed our work, no court or legal body has refuted it.” Cheney, a longtime outspoken critic of Trump’s, also responded to Trump’s remarks earlier this week, slamming the suggestion of jail time as “a continuation of his assault on the rule of law.” HOUSE GOP REPORT ALLEGES JAN 6 COMMITTEE ‘DELETED RECORDS AND HID EVIDENCE’ “Here is the truth: Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power,” Cheney said in a response statement to Trump, which was provided to Fox News Digital. “He mobilized an angry mob and sent them to the United States Capitol, where they attacked police officers, invaded the building and halted the official counting of electoral votes. Trump watched on television as police officers were brutally beaten and the Capitol was assaulted, refusing for hours to tell the mob to leave.” The Jan. 6 committee was founded in July 2021 to investigate the breach of the U.S. Capitol earlier that year by supporters of Trump ahead of President Biden officially taking office on Jan. 20. The Jan. 6 committee’s investigation was carried out when Democrats held control of the House. The committee concluded its 18-month investigation last year, when Republicans regained control of the House and sent referrals to the Justice Department recommending Trump be criminally prosecuted for his involvement in the lead-up to supporters breaching the Capitol. The committee was composed of seven Democrats and two Republican lawmakers, Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both of whom are no longer in office. TRUMP CRITICISM OF LIZ CHENEY AS ‘RADICAL WAR HAWK’ FRAMED AS CALL FOR VIOLENCE BY ‘IRRESPONSIBLE’ MEDIA Trump has previously alleged that members of the committee “deleted” evidence amid the investigation, which was supported by a report released by House Republicans released earlier this year claiming the select committee “deleted” records and hired “Hollywood producers” to promote a political narrative while investigating Jan. 6. Among its key findings, the report claimed that the select committee was designed “to promote a political narrative” and also asserted that it “deleted records and hid evidence” ahead of Republicans taking the House majority during the 2022 election cycle. “THE SELECT COMMITTEE DELETED RECORDS AND HID EVIDENCE – Reps. Thompson and Cheney failed to turn over video recordings of witness interviews and depositions despite using these recordings in their high-profile, primetime hearings. The Subcommittee recovered over one hundred deleted or password-protected files, including some files that were deleted days before Republicans took the majority. They also hid multiple transcribed interviews of witnesses who had firsthand knowledge of Trump‘s actions on January 6,” the report, which was spearheaded by Republican Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk, found. REP LOUDERMILK BLASTS JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE FOR TARGETING HIM: ‘THERE IS A WAR ON THE TRUTH IN THIS COUNTRY’ Thompson denied the claims of deleting evidence in a July 2023 letter to Loudermilk, detailing that the committee had called on the federal government regarding the “proper archiving of such sensitive material to protect witnesses’ safety, national security, and to safeguard law enforcement operations.” Cheney has also publicly and repeatedly denied claims the committee mishandled evidence. “Donald Trump knows his claims about the select committee are ridiculous and false, as has been detailed extensively, including by Chairman Thompson,” Cheney continued in her response to Trump’s remarks over the weekend, referring to Thompson’s 2023 letter. “There is no conceivably appropriate factual or constitutional basis for what Donald Trump is suggesting – a Justice Department investigation of the work of a congressional committee – and any lawyer who attempts to pursue that course would quickly find themselves engaged in sanctionable conduct.”
New York AG Letitia James says she won’t drop civil fraud case against Trump
New York Attorney General Letitia James said she will not drop the civil fraud case against President-elect Donald Trump as she waits for the appeal court decision, arguing presidents are not immune from civil litigation. Trump and his attorneys demanded that James drop her civil fraud case against him, his family and his businesses “for the greater good of the country” last month. TRUMP DEMANDS NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMES DROP CIVIL FRAUD CASE ‘FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE COUNTRY’ Trump was ordered to pay a $454 million civil fraud judgment in James’ lawsuit against him. Trump has appealed the ruling, and judges on a New York appeals court seemed receptive to potentially reversing the judgment altogether. The New York attorney general’s office on Tuesday said they are not going to take action to drop the case against the president-elect. James’ office argued that presidents do not have immunity from civil litigation arising from unofficial conduct, and said lawsuits “may proceed while the president is in office.” James’ office also argued that the final judgment does not impact any conduct Trump may undertake as president. They also said Trump’s inauguration is “irrelevant to the 14 other defendants found liable in our case.” James’ office also said that they are now waiting for a decision on Trump’s appeal, and said waiting for that decision on the civil matter “does not in any way affect Trump’s ability to serve as president.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trump’s Defense pick goes on offense as support grows for Hegseth confirmation
What a difference a week makes. As Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s defense secretary nominee, returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with more Republican senators, his once apparently teetering nomination now seems to be on much firmer ground. While Hegseth’s confirmation is still far from a sure bet, a very public pronouncement of support from Trump, behind-the-scenes efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance, and Hegseth’s own determination seem to have resuscitated a nomination that appeared to be headed toward life support. “We look forward to earning these confirmation votes,” a confident Hegseth said Monday night in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity.” WHAT PETE HEGSETH TOLD FOX NEWS’ SEAN HANNITY In the wake of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the president-elect’s first attorney general nominee, ending his confirmation bid amid controversy, there has been a full-court press by Trump’s political orbit to bolster Hegseth in order to protect him and other controversial Cabinet picks. “If Trump world allowed a couple of establishment senators to veto a second nominee, it would have led to a feeding frenzy on Trump’s other nominees, and so the thinking in Trump world was we have to defend Pete not just for the sake of defending Pete, but also for the sake of defending our other nominees,” a longtime Trump world adviser, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News. WHAT SEN. ERNST SAYS ABOUT THE HEGSETH NOMINATION Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led. Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won’t drink “a drop of alcohol” if confirmed as defense secretary. Trump’s defense secretary nominee was interviewed hours after meeting a second time with Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, which will hold Hegseth’s confirmation hearings. Ernst, a conservative lawmaker first elected to the Senate in 2014, is considered a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Hegseth, who in the past has questioned the role of women in combat. The senator is also a survivor of sexual assault who has a strong legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military. After meeting with Hegseth, Ernst wrote in a statement Monday that “as I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst emphasized that “following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women – based on quality and standards, not quotas – and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks.” TRUMP RALLIES BEHIND HEGSETH BUT INVITES DESANTIS TO ARMY-NAVY GAME Hegseth, speaking with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, noted that “it was a great meeting. People don’t really know this. I’ve known Sen. Ernst for over 10 years. “You get into these meetings, and you listen to senators – it’s an amazing advise and consent process – and you hear how thoughtful, serious, substantive they are on these key issues that pertain to our Defense Department,” he continued. “And Joni Ernst is front and center on that. So to be able to have phone calls and meetings time and time again to talk over the issues is really, really important. The fact that she’s willing to support me through this process means a lot.” Last week, after her first meeting with Hegseth, Ernst said in a social media post that she and Trump’s defense secretary nominee had a “frank and thorough” conversation. A day later, when asked in an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” if she wasn’t ready to vote to confirm Hegseth, the senator replied, “I think you are right.” Even Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a longtime Trump ally in the Senate, was expressing serious concerns about Hegseth’s nomination. Fox News and other news organizations late last week reported that Trump was potentially considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as defense secretary as a possible replacement should Hegseth’s nomination falter. TRUMP ORBIT RAMPS UP CRITICISM OF ERNST OVER HEGSETH NOMINATION But on Friday, Trump took to social media to praise Hegseth. “Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News,” the president-elect wrote. And he praised Hegseth in a high-profile network TV interview over this past weekend. Vance, who remains a senator from Ohio until he steps down to assume the vice presidency, has been working behind the scenes to consolidate support for Hegseth among his Republican colleagues in the Senate. “It’s fair to say that JD has been Pete’s biggest champion internally in Trump world and has spent a lot of time over the last two weeks helping shore up support for Pete among his colleagues in the Senate,” a source in Vance’s political orbit told Fox News. Meanwhile, Trump’s political team and allies – fueled by grassroots support for Hegseth – turned up the volume. “There will be no resource that we won’t use to go after those U.S. senators that vote against Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks or his other nominees,” longtime Trump outside adviser Corey Lewandowski told Fox News. Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect’s oldest son and MAGA powerhouse, took to social media to target wavering Republican senators. “If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin [President Biden’s defense secretary], but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” Don Trump Jr.