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Year: 2025

Massive Russia sanctions package stalls as Trump pushes for Ukraine peace talks

Massive Russia sanctions package stalls as Trump pushes for Ukraine peace talks

Senators are growing antsy to move ahead with a massive sanctions package against Russia, and the only thing standing in the way is President Donald Trump. In the midst of the extremely partisan budget reconciliation process, nearly the entire upper chamber has coalesced behind the sanctions package from Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., which would slap up to 500% “bone-breaking” tariffs on countries buying energy products from Moscow. UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE TALKS YIELD NO CEASEFIRE, ZELENSKYY WARNS PUTIN SHOULD NOT BE ‘REWARDED’ The measure is designed to place Russia’s war machine into a chokehold by imposing duties on oil, gas, uranium and other exports largely purchased by China and India, which account for nearly three-quarters of Moscow’s energy business. Trump has pushed for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which have so far not yielded an end to the three-year conflict, and has begun to sour on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to find a peaceful end to the ongoing conflict. He recently questioned “what the hell happened” to the Russian leader. The latest round of negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, ended without a ceasefire, and Putin’s recent demands for large chunks of territory in exchange for peace have been nonstarters for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A successful surprise drone attack by Ukraine and fears of a retaliatory strike by Russia have lawmakers growing increasingly anxious to sanction Russia into oblivion, but the president has yet to give Graham — a top ally of Trump’s — and Blumenthal’s bill his blessing. “If President Trump asked me my opinion, I would tell them, ‘let’s go now,’” Sen. John Kennedy, R-L.a., one of the 82 co-sponsors of the bill, told Fox News Digital. US READIES RUSSIA SANCTIONS OVER UKRAINE, UNCLEAR IF TRUMP WILL SIGN, SOURCES SAY And Graham, who traveled to Ukraine with Blumenthal to meet with Zelenskyy during the Senate’s Memorial Day recess, wants to see his sanctions levied against Russia by as early as next week when world powers gather in Italy for the upcoming G7 Summit to “deliver an unequivocal message to China.” “The theme of this engagement was that we appreciate President Trump’s earnest efforts to bring about peace and entice Putin to come to the table,” Graham said in a statement after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. “It is our view Putin is not responding in kind, he is not interested in peace and that he plans to continue to dismember Ukraine.” Blumenthal believed that Trump “has been played” by Putin and accused the Russian leader of being “totally unserious” about the negotiations with Ukraine.   The lawmaker confirmed to Fox News Digital that he and Graham would hold a briefing for all 100 Senators on the current state of affairs in Ukraine on Wednesday. He said there was “no question” that Trump’s input would be significant for the bill’s fate, but noted that even House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-L.a., came out in support of levying strict sanctions on Russia, which suggested a bicameral desire to inflict monetary pain on Moscow and its allies. “We have 82 senators, evenly divided, bipartisan, which I think speaks volumes,” Blumenthal said. “If it’s given a vote, it will pass, and obviously President Trump’s views will matter as to whether it’s given a vote.” TRUMP WARNS PUTIN IS ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE’ AFTER DECLARING THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS ‘GONE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY’ Still, Senate Republican leadership is waiting for a green-light from the White House before making any decisions to put the bill on the floor. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., countered on the Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio that his team and the White House were working together to make sure that the sanctions package “from a technical standpoint” hit the mark of what the president wanted to do. “We’re trying to give [President Trump] as much space and room as necessary for him to try and negotiate the best possible outcome and get a peaceful solution in Ukraine,” Thune said. “And if the sanctions contribute to that, then yeah, we’re available and ready to move.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  Meanwhile, lawmakers don’t see the sanctions package as undermining any ongoing efforts from the White House to broker a peace deal. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-S.C., believed that the legislation would instead act as a “real enabler” for the Trump administration. And Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va, similarly believed that the sanctions bill could give Trump a “stronger hand” in negotiations. “These are sanctions that would be very punishing to the Russian economy,” he told Fox News Digital. “And we think the president can say, ‘Look, this is going to be very serious, but it can be avoided if we reach an accord right now that’s a cease fire.’”

Trump says Xi is ‘very tough’ and ‘extremely hard to make a deal with’

Trump says Xi is ‘very tough’ and ‘extremely hard to make a deal with’

Chinese President Xi Jinping is “very tough” and “extremely hard to make a deal with,” President Donald Trump admitted Wednesday. Trump made the statement on his Truth Social platform, clarifying that he still “likes” the Chinese leader. The statement comes as Trump is expected to hold a phone call with Xi sometime this week to discuss tariff negotiations. “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” Trump wrote. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett revealed plans for Trump to speak with Xi on Sunday. ‘NO REASON’ FOR NEW NUKES: TRUMP FLOATS DISARMAMENT TALKS WITH CHINA, RUSSIA “President Trump, we expect, is going to have a wonderful conversation about the trade negotiations this week with President Xi. That’s our expectation,” Hassett said Sunday during an interview on ABC News’ “This Week.” Trump’s plans for a call come after he leveled tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods following the president’s reciprocal tariff plans in April, when China retaliated against the U.S. with tariffs of their own.  FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS 5 TRUMP TARIFF EXECUTIVE ORDERS China and the U.S. reached a preliminary trade agreement last month, which Trump said China violated in a Truth Social post on Friday.  “I made a FAST DEAL with China in order to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation, and I didn’t want to see that happen. Because of this deal, everything quickly stabilized and China got back to business as usual. Everybody was happy! That is the good news!” Trump wrote. “The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” he added. Trump’s administration is holding trade talks simultaneously with countries across the globe. They requested many of those countries to submit their best trade deal offers by Wednesday. Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report

Elise Stefanik unveils new PAC as New York governor’s race buzz grows

Elise Stefanik unveils new PAC as New York governor’s race buzz grows

House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is unveiling a new political fundraising machine Wednesday as she continues to generate buzz as a potential 2026 New York gubernatorial candidate. Stefanik is eyeing a potential bid for the governor’s mansion in Albany. She told a Republican crowd in Staten Island Monday she was “strongly considering” entering the race. Her new state political action committee, Save New York, appears aimed at further cementing her status as a heavyweight in Empire State GOP politics. MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE “Kathy Hochul is the worst bovernor in America, and she is leading a failed Democrat Party. After years of failed single-party Democrat rule in New York, it has never been more clear that we need strong, commonsense Republican leadership in New York,” Stefanik said in a statement. She said Save New York “will focus on supporting Republican candidates and campaigns in local elections this November to build the groundwork for 2026.” MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE “I am proud of the strong support my political team has developed over the past decade due to the generous support from New York voters and donors who have built our political apparatus into a fundraising and political juggernaut to deliver policies that benefit hardworking New York families,” Stefanik said. The New York Republican has been a key ally to President Donald Trump since his first term in the White House. Trump had appointed her ambassador to the United Nations in his second term, and she was poised to sail through the confirmation process before concerns about the House GOP’s razor-thin majority forced Stefanik to bow out of contention. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., appointed Stefanik chairwoman of House GOP Leadership after she gave up her role as House GOP Conference chair for the Trump administration. In the House, she’s been a leader on issues like antisemitism on college campuses, playing a key role in Republicans’ investigation of anti-Israel protests on Ivy League campuses. Stefanik is one of two House Republicans considering a bid for New York governor. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., one of three House GOP lawmakers representing districts former Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024, has openly toyed with his own gubernatorial effort. Trump recently endorsed Lawler for re-election in his House district.

Could this top Trump ally break Republican’s 2-decade losing streak in this key state?

Could this top Trump ally break Republican’s 2-decade losing streak in this key state?

EXCLUSIVE: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, headlining a local GOP fundraising dinner in this MAGA stronghold in Democrat-dominated New York City, sent a likely hint of things to come. “Are we ready to fire Kathy Hochul next year?” said the six-term congresswoman from a largely rural, red-leaning district in Upstate New York, drawing loud cheers at the Staten Island GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Hochul, blue-state New York’s Democrat governor, is running for re-election next year for a second four-year term. And Stefanik, who is a member of the House GOP’s leadership, is the most high-profile Republican to seriously consider taking on Hochul in the 2026 elections. NEW YORK GOV HOCHUL FACING PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM HER OWN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Pointing to next year’s battle, Stefanik said the eventual GOP nominee taking on Hochul “needs to be the toughest fighter, who has taken on the media, who has taken on the radical left, who has taken on the naysayers, and who is a proven winner.” It sounded like Stefanik, who early in her congressional tenure was seen as an establishment Republican but who has become a top ally of President Donald Trump and a MAGA champion, was talking about herself. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, OPINION ON ELISE STEFANIK Stefanik, in a national exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her appearance at the Staten Island GOP event, said she’s “proud to be” one of Trump’s top supporters in the House. “I stepped up to deliver President Trump’s agenda that is unleashing American energy [independence], securing the border, cutting taxes for New Yorkers, specifically the state and local tax deduction,” she touted.  “I am very close to President Trump. I chaired his campaign in New York. I was the first Republican member to endorse him.” Stefanik highlighted that she and the president “talk about a lot of different things. He’s paying close attention to New York. He knows that New York state needs new leadership, strong Republican leadership.” And Stefanik said she “would be honored to have his support” if she pulls the trigger and launches a 2026 Republican gubernatorial campaign in the Empire State. It’s been 23 years since a Republican won a gubernatorial election in heavily blue New York. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. George Pataki’s second re-election victory in 2002. But Hochul will likely face a very competitive re-election. MORE POLLING PROBLEMS FOR THIS BLUE-STATE DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR FACING RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR Hochul was the state’s lieutenant governor when, in August 2021, she was sworn in as New York’s first female governor after three-term Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term. But Zeldin’s showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee since Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. Meanwhile, Trump, who lost New York by 23 points in the 2020 presidential election, trimmed his deficit by 10 points last November. While Hochul’s approval ratings in a recent Siena College poll were holding slightly in positive territory, the survey indicated a majority of New Yorkers would still prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor of the Empire State. According to the poll, which was conducted May 12-15, 36% of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (55%) saying they wanted someone else.  Stefanik, in her Fox News Digital interview, reiterated her argument that Hochul is “the worst governor in America.” And she highlighted that “we need a candidate who will speak and reach out to New Yorkers of all political stripes. I’ve done that in my congressional district. When I first ran for Congress, I was the underdog. No one in my family is political. I grew up in a small-business family. I flipped a district from Democrat to Republican, and we’ve won it by double digits ever since.” If she decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign, Stefanik may not have the GOP primary to herself. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who’s in his second term representing a key swing congressional district that covers a large swath of New York City’s northern suburbs, is mulling a 2026 GOP run for governor. “I think Kathy Hochul is the most feckless, incompetent governor in America,” Lawler said in a Fox News Digital interview in April. Lawler has said that he’ll make a decision on whether to run for governor or for re-election this month. But Trump last month endorsed Lawler for re-election, a likely sign that the president would rather have the congressman seek re-election as the House GOP fights to protect its razor-thin majority in the chamber rather than seek the governor’s office. Another Trump supporter, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, has also mulled a run for governor. Asked about a potential GOP primary for governor, Stefanik said, “I think Republicans will work it out. We know how important it is to unify again.” “I work very well with all of my colleagues, including those who are considering, but I think we’ll work it out on the Republican side,” she added. But the Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA), in a memo, argued, “The Republican nomination in New York will be decided by one person: Donald Trump.” And the DGA argued that the GOP race “has already grown fractious and messy.” Stefanik was interviewed about an hour after news broke that Hochul would face a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor. New York Lt. Gov. Anthonio Delgado on Monday announced his bid to try and oust his boss as the Democrats’ nominee in next year’s election in a rare move by a lieutenant governor to primary challenge a sitting incumbent. Delgado, in a video announcing his candidacy, took a jab at his boss, saying, “What we need right here in New York is bold, decisive, transformational

Elon Musk warns excessive spending will plunge US ‘into debt slavery’

Elon Musk warns excessive spending will plunge US ‘into debt slavery’

Billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk, who issued a scathing rebuke of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the House Republicans who voted for it, is sounding the alarm about America’s profligate spending, warning that it will plunge the nation “into debt slavery.” “This immense level of overspending will drive America into debt slavery!” Musk declared early on Wednesday in a post on X.  His warning comes as the U.S. national debt is more than $36 trillion.  WHITE HOUSE STANDS BY TAX BILL AFTER MUSK CALLS IT A ‘DISGUSTING ABOMINATION’ “Interest payments already consume 25% of all government revenue. If the massive deficit spending continues, there will only be money for interest payments and nothing else! No social security, no medical, no defense … nothing,” he declared in another post. President Donald Trump has been supporting the proposal that cleared the House last month, but on Tuesday, Musk blasted both the measure and those who voted for it. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” Musk asserted in a post on X. HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR SPENDING CANCELLATIONS AS ELON MUSK AND CONSERVATIVES DEMAND DEEPER BUDGET CUTS When Fox News’ Peter Doocy brought up Musk’s critique on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn’t change the president’s opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill, and he’s stickin’ to it.” Musk is pounding the drum on the importance of tackling America’s debt and spending problems. GOP SENATORS EXPRESS ‘CONCERNS,’ ‘SKEPTICISM’ OVER TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL AFTER MUSK RANT “Mammoth spending bills are bankrupting America! ENOUGH,” Musk declared in a tweet.