Will Vance remark about US bailing on Ukraine encourage Putin to sink nascent peace talks?
Vice President JD Vance’s suggestion this week that the U.S. could walk away from supporting Ukraine if peace talks with Russia stagnate could serve as catnip for the Kremlin, according to experts who say Russian President Vladimir Putin might choose to smother progress in hopes of getting America to wash “its hands of the war.” While President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. may disengage from the negotiations as a last resort if they prove futile, Vance has taken the rhetoric a step further by saying the U.S. is definitely open to doing so. “We’re more than open to walking away,” Vance told reporters on board Air Force Two on Monday, just moments before a high-stakes phone call between Trump and Putin. “The United States is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes.” But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that no one wins if the U.S. steps aside from the talks, except for Russia. “It is crucial for all of us that the United States does not distance itself from the talks and the pursuit of peace because the only one who benefits from that is Putin,” Zelenskyy wrote in a Monday post on X. Vance’s remark about abandoning mediation between the two countries would only embolden Russia, even though a lack of U.S. involvement still wouldn’t give Putin everything he wants, according to John Hardie, the deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Russia program, a nonprofit research institute based in Washington. For the moment, Moscow still benefits from U.S. involvement in the talks because the Kremlin wants the U.S. to help advance a deal that benefits Russia and alleviates sanctions, Hardie said. “But, for the Kremlin, the United States washing its hands of the war would be the next best outcome if it means an end or reduction to U.S. support for Ukraine, especially since President Trump may well move to normalize relations with Russia anyhow,” Hardie told Fox News Digital. “So the administration’s threat to walk away risks perversely incentivizing Kremlin intransigence. A better approach would be to ramp up the economic and military pressure on Russia if Putin continues to reject compromise.” Russia still desires normalization with the U.S., which can only happen if the war ends swiftly and relatively amicably, said Peter Rough, a senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute think tank. “That reset in relations is a giant carrot the administration is dangling in front of the Kremlin,” Rough told Fox News Digital. “If the U.S. walks away because Russia will not make peace, however, then that carrot disappears as well.” Rough noted that other administration officials besides Vance, including Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have mentioned the possibility of walking away from a deal, so Vance’s comments don’t necessarily reflect a huge change in policy. And it’s unclear right now what exactly stepping aside would mean. “The purpose of those comments has been to impress on the Kremlin that U.S. patience is not limitless,” Rough said. Vance hasn’t shied away from issuing bold foreign policy statements since becoming vice president. From sparring with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February to appearing to counter Trump when Vance remarked in May that the war in Ukraine was far from over after Trump indicated a deal might emerge soon, Vance has been outspoken in a way most vice presidents haven’t been. When asked for comment or if there were any concerns about Vance’s Monday statement, the White House referred Fox News Digital to Vance’s office. Vance’s office declined to provide comment when asked if his remarks would encourage Russia to sit the negotiations out and continue its attacks. WHY ZELENSKYY KEEPS PUSHING NATO MEMBERSHIP EVEN THOUGH TRUMP SAYS IT’S NOT HAPPENING Vance has adopted an outspoken approach as vice president, starting off with his fiery February statements at the Munich Security Council in which he asserted that Europe needed to “step up in a big way to provide for its own defense.” That boldness has carried over into the Russia-Ukraine negotiations, where Vance has taken a proactive approach, at times appearing to be forging his own path. Vance and Rubio engaged in discussions to end the conflict in Ukraine with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Rome on Sunday, among other issues. Vance and Rubio also discussed the Trump administration’s efforts to end the war with Vatican prelate Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher on Monday. Aboard Air Force Two on Monday, Vance said the negotiations had reached “a bit of [an] impasse” between the two countries and that the conflict is not the Trump administration’s war to wage but rather belongs to former President Joe Biden and Putin. “There is fundamental mistrust between Russia and the West. It’s one of the things the president thinks is, frankly, stupid, that we should be able to move beyond,” Vance told reporters. “The mistakes that have been made in the past, but … that takes two to tango.” “I know the president’s willing to do that, but if Russia’s not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to have to say … this is not our war,” Vance said. “It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war. It’s not our war. We’re going to try to end it, but if we can’t end it, we’re eventually going to say, ‘You know what? That was worth a try, but we’re not doing it anymore.’” TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL Vance’s Monday statement came just before Trump was scheduled to speak with Putin, seemingly undercutting the high-leverage telephone call and also underscoring Vance’s influence over foreign policy matters in the White House. Specifically on Ukraine negotiations, Vance has remained outspoken, engaging in confrontation when Zelenskyy visited the White House in February. In that exchange, Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” after Zelenskyy
White House urges immediate vote on GOP’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’
The White House threw its weight behind House Republicans’ version of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” Wednesday, pressing lawmakers to vote on the measure “immediately.” “The Administration strongly supports passage of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” the White House said in a statement of Trump administration policy obtained by Fox News Digital. “This bill implements critical aspects of President Trump’s budgetary agenda by delivering bigger paychecks for Americans, driving massive economic growth, unleashing American energy, strengthening border security and national defense, (and) preserving key safety net programs for Americans who need them, while ending waste, fraud, and abuse in Federal spending, and much more.” It comes hours after the conservative House Freedom Caucus called for a delayed vote after continued disagreements over rollbacks to Medicaid coverage. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ PASSES KEY HOUSE HURDLE AFTER GOP REBEL MUTINY “I’m not sure this can be done this week. I’m pretty confident it could be done in 10 days. But that’s up to leadership to decide,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told reporters. Republicans are working to enact Trump’s agenda via the budget reconciliation process, which allows the party in power to pass sweeping legislation without the minority party’s input by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51. Their current multitrillion-dollar bill would advance Trump’s priorities on immigration, taxes, energy, defense and the debt limit. Meanwhile, the national debt continues to climb, surpassing $36 trillion earlier this year. NATIONAL DEBT TRACKER: AMERICAN TAXPAYERS (YOU) ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR $36,213,570,763,720.98 AS OF 5/20/25 The Freedom Caucus is meeting with Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at the White House Wednesday afternoon in a bid to resolve differences. Meanwhile, a White House official told Fox News Digital the administration wants the House to vote on the bill at some point Wednesday. “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act reflects the shared priorities of both Congress and the Administration. Therefore, the House of Representatives should immediately pass this bill to show the American people that they are serious about ‘promises made, promises kept,’” the new White House statement said. “President Trump is committed to keeping his promises, and failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal.” HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT The statement ended by affirming that Trump would sign the legislation into law if it got to his desk, a significant endorsement of House GOP leaders’ plans. The bill itself is not yet finished, however. Republican leaders have signaled they are including additional provisions via a “manager’s amendment” that are expected to cover Medicaid work requirements and an amended state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. House conservatives have been pushing for the bill to include more aggressive cuts to Medicaid — specifically the expanded population who became eligible under the Affordable Care Act — and a full repeal of former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its green energy subsidies. Trump paid a rare visit to Capitol Hill Tuesday, where he personally told House Republicans he wanted the bill passed as soon as possible. The Freedom Caucus, meanwhile, has insisted that it is pushing to enact Trump’s campaign promises to the fullest possible extent.
Controversial office vacant for first time in nearly a decade, but emerging secrets haunt those involved
It’s the first time in nearly a decade that a special counsel is not investigating something related to a sitting or former president, but the remnants and revelations of past special counsel probes continue to break through the news cycle. Every attorney general-appointed special counsel since 2017 has now released their reports, issued their indictments, received their verdicts, shuttered their offices, disassembled their teams and returned to their government or private sector roles. Essentially, they’ve all moved on. BIDEN INTERVIEW AUDIO REVEALS WHO BROUGHT UP BEAU’S DEATH – AND IT WASN’T HUR First, in 2017, there was Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who was investigating whether members of the first Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Then, in 2019, there was Special Counsel John Durham, who was investigating the origins of the Mueller investigation and the original FBI probe into then-candidate Donald Trump and his campaign. Soon, it was 2022, and Special Counsel Jack Smith began investigating then-former President Trump for his alleged improper retention of classified records held at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after his presidency. Smith also began investigating events surrounding the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Next up, in 2023, Special Counsel Robert Hur was appointed and began investigating now-former President Joe Biden’s alleged improper retention of classified records, which occurred during his vice presidency as part of the Obama administration. DURHAM FINDS DOJ, FBI ‘FAILED TO UPHOLD’ MISSION OF ‘STRICT FIDELITY TO THE LAW’ IN TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE Later in 2023, David Weiss, who had served as U.S. attorney in Delaware and had been investigating Hunter Biden since 2018, was appointed special counsel to continue his yearslong investigation into the now-former first son. At this point, those investigations have all come to their resolutions: Mueller, in 2019, found there was no collusion; Durham, in 2022, found that the FBI ignored “clear warning signs” of a Hillary Clinton-led plan to inaccurately tie her opponent to Russia using politically funded and uncorroborated opposition research; Smith, in 2022, charged Trump but had those charges tossed; Hur, in 2023, opted against charging Biden; Weiss, in 2023, charged Hunter Biden, who was convicted and later pardoned by his father. But the curiosity surrounding those investigations that dominated headlines for the better part of a decade remains, largely because of so many loose ends and the prevalence of unanswered questions. A trickle, sometimes more like a flood, of information and news related to those probes continues to seep into the news cycle. On Friday night, audio of Biden’s interview with Hur was made public. Hur closed his investigation in 2024 without charging the then-president and infamously described him as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” Some congressional lawmakers had demanded the release of the audio of Biden’s interview amid questions about the former president’s memory lapses and mental acuity. BIDEN STRUGGLES WITH WORDS, KEY MEMORIES IN LEAKED AUDIO FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL HUR INTERVIEW The audio – as expected, based on the transcript of the interview released in 2024 – showed Biden struggling with key memories, including when his son, Beau, died; when he left the vice presidency; and why he had classified documents he shouldn’t have had. In a throwback to another special counsel investigation, the United States Secret Service last week paid a visit to former FBI Director James Comey after he posted a now-deleted image on social media that many interpreted as a veiled call for an assassination of Trump. Comey on Thursday posted to Instagram an image of seashells on the beach arranged to show “86 47” with the caption, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” Some interpreted it as a coded message, with “86” being slang for “get rid of” and “47” referring to Trump, who is the 47th president. TRUMP SAYS COMEY KNEW ‘ASSASSINATION’ MEANING BEHIND DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST Comey later deleted the post and wrote a message that said, “I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.” Comey was the FBI director who, in 2016, allowed the opening of the bureau’s original Trump-Russia investigation, known inside the FBI as “Crossfire Hurricane.” Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later, Mueller was appointed as special counsel to take over that investigation, thus beginning the string of special counsels. Durham investigated the origins of the FBI probe and found that the FBI did not have any actual evidence to support the start of that investigation. Durham also found that the CIA, in 2016, received intelligence to show that Hillary Clinton had approved a plan to tie then-candidate Trump to Russia; intelligence that the FBI, led by Comey, ignored. DECLASSIFIED TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE DOCS TO DATE: WHAT TO KNOW On July 28, 2016, then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama on a plan from one of Clinton’s campaign foreign policy advisers “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.” Biden, Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper were in the Brennan-Obama briefing, according to the Durham report. After that briefing, the CIA properly forwarded that information through a counterintelligence operational lead (CIOL) to Comey and then-Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok with the subject line “Crossfire Hurricane.” Fox News first obtained and reported on the CIOL in October 2020, which stated, “The following information is provided for the exclusive use of your bureau for background investigative action or lead purposes as appropriate.” DURHAM: FBI IGNORED ‘CLEAR WARNING SIGN’ OF CLINTON-LED EFFORT TO ‘MANIPULATE’ BUREAU FOR ‘POLITICAL PURPOSES’ “Per FBI verbal request, CIA provides the below examples of information the CROSSFIRE HURRICANE fusion cell has gleaned to date,” the memo continued. “An exchange (REDACTED) discussing US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s approval of a plan concerning US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russian hackers hampering US elections as a means of distracting the
South African-born Musk evoked by Trump during meeting with nation’s leader: ‘Don’t want to get Elon involved’
President Donald Trump evoked Elon Musk during his Oval Office meeting with South Africa’s president on Wednesday, during talks about the ongoing attacks white farmers in the country are facing. Trump went back and forth with President Cyril Ramaphosa over whether what is occurring in South Africa is indeed a “genocide” against white farmers. At one point, during the conversation, a reporter asked Trump how the United States and South Africa might be able to improve their relations. The president said that relations with South Africa are an important matter to him, noting he has several personal friends who are from there, including professional golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, who were present at Tuesday’s meeting, and Elon Musk. DEMS SLAM ELON MUSK, MELANIA TRUMP WITH XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: ‘GO BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA!’ Unprompted, Trump added that while Musk may be a South African native, he doesn’t want to “get [him] involved” in the ongoing foreign diplomacy matters that played out during Tuesday’s meeting. “I don’t want to get Elon involved. That’s all I have to do, get him into another thing,” Trump said to light laughter. “But Elon happens to be from South Africa. This is what Elon wanted. He actually came here on a different subject — sending rockets to Mars — OK? He likes that better. He likes that subject better. But Elon’s from South Africa, and I don’t want to talk to him about that. I don’t think it’s fair to him.” Musk, who was present at the Oval Office meeting Tuesday, has been an open critic of his native-born country’s government and has described the ongoing conflict there as a “genocide.” HOUSE DEM BLASTED FOR ‘UNHINGED’ ELON MUSK RANT TELLING HIM TO ‘GO BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA’ Ahead of the meeting with Ramaphosa earlier this month, Musk-owned X garnered backlash over its AI chatbot, Grok, providing unsolicited responses about attacks against white farmers in South Africa. Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which makes the technology for Grok, said following complaints that an “unauthorized modification” to Grok’s algorithm is the reason why it kept talking about race and politics in South Africa, according to the Associated Press.
Donald Trump Jr. has ‘ZERO interest’ in a 2028 run, but isn’t ruling out possibility of a political future
Donald Trump Jr. is not ruling out the possibility of a political future, but asserts that he has no interest in making a run “anytime soon.” At the Qatar Economic Forum, he fielded a question about the possibility of running for office after his father steps down. During his response he did not close the door on the prospect, saying, “I don’t know. Maybe one day … that calling is there.” LESS THAN 4 MONTHS INTO TRUMP’S 2ND TERM, DEMS ARE ALREADY EYEING THE 2028 RACE But he asserted in a post on X that he is not at all interested in pursuing office in 2028. “And FWIW, I’ve always said, while I’ll never 100% rule it out down the line, I have ZERO interest in running for office in 28 or anytime soon,” he said in a portion of that post. TRUMP STORE SPARKS BUZZ AND DEBATE WITH NEW TRUMP 2028 MERCHANDISE Donald Trump Jr. is President Donald Trump’s eldest child. The president just began his second term about four months ago. JD VANCE ASKED ABOUT POTENTIAL 2028 PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN ‘FOX & FRIENDS’ EXCLUSIVE There have been two father-son pairs in U.S. history who both served as president: George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and John Adams and John Quincy Adams.
DNA Verified: Did TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee mock Rafale fighter jets?
The video was shared with the claim that the TMC MP demonstrated an alleged failed attempt at using Rafale jets, linking it to Operation Sindoor.
Trump unveils ‘Golden Dome’ missile shield, blindsides key senators
Before President Donald Trump’s dramatic reveal of the “Golden Dome” missile defense project on Tuesday, the proposal wasn’t even on the radar of many lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Several senators told Fox News Digital they had received no briefing on the initiative’s costs – and some hadn’t heard of it at all. “I don’t support blank checks. I haven’t seen the cost figures,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital. Two senior members of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, one Republican and one Democrat, asked, “what’s Golden Dome?” in response to questions about the project Trump commissioned in January. CHINA ACCUSES US OF ‘TURNING SPACE INTO A WARZONE’ WITH TRUMP’S GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE PROJECT Trump’s sweeping plan – pitched as an American version of Israel’s Iron Dome – carries an ambitious price tag and timeline. He’s floated a $125 billion estimated cost and says it could be built in three years, by the end of his term. A government funding package moving through Congress, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, includes $25 billion to jumpstart the project. But defense experts and even some Republican allies anticipate the cost to be much higher. “This is not going to be a $25 billion or $35 billion project. It will likely cost in the trillions if and when Golden Dome is completed,” said Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who announced plans to form a Golden Dome Caucus during a recent Washington Times defense industry event earlier this month. Sheehy warned that simply scaling up Israel’s Iron Dome to protect the U.S. is “a fundamentally different technological proposition.” “The challenges don’t scale linearly with the size of Israel, which is the size of New Jersey,” he added. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated the project could cost around $500 billion – though some believe even that figure is likely too low. CBO estimated that the space-based interceptors portion of the dome could cost at least $161 billion but up to $542 billion. But it didn’t account for any ground-based interceptors in that cost. “I’ve been 34 years in this business, and I’ve never seen an early estimate that was too high,” said Space Force chief of space operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “We don’t always understand the full level of complexity until you’re actually in execution, doing the detailed planning.” LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP’S ‘GOLDEN DOME’ PROJECT Some Republican lawmakers suggest the potential benefits outweigh the massive spending required. “It might very well prevent a war,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-N.D., said. “When we talk about spending billions on defense, that is small compared to one single major war – not only in trillions of dollars, but in bloodshed.” Once a missile is launched toward the U.S. homeland, the Golden Dome system aims to detect it, and orbital systems would aim to hit the missile during its “boost” phase, either with a laser or a kinetic interceptor. Otherwise, ground-based systems could deploy to knock it off its path. Others noted competing defense priorities. “That’s gonna be a long, drawn-out process, and it’s gonna cost a lot of money,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. “Right now, we’re redoing our missile silos… we’re transitioning to different types of warfare. If we’re gonna do [Golden Dome], we do it the right way.” Supporters of the plan argue that technological advances have dramatically lowered the cost of missile defense, enough to potentially flip decades-old strategic assumptions. Chuck DeVore, a defense expert at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and former Reagan administration official, said the old logic – that it’s always cheaper to build offensive missiles than defenses – may no longer apply. “That calculation is changing now,” DeVore said. “With low-cost orbit launches and inexpensive electronics, it may actually be less expensive to defend against nuclear missiles than to build them. If that’s the case, we’re at a truly revolutionary inflection point.” DeVore also warned that traditionalists in the defense establishment may push back. “You’re going to see people defending the status quo,” he said. “They’ll say we need that money for more conventional defense – more divisions, more jet fighters, maybe another aircraft carrier.” Still, DeVore argued that a homeland missile defense system is overdue. “The ability to truly defend the homeland and save American lives is better than mutual assured destruction – especially in an age of nuclear proliferation where we can’t always be sure where the threat is coming from.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., agreed on the project’s importance, even as he said he hadn’t been briefed on the cost and needs of the project. “I think it’s the most important thing we could do to keep our homeland safe.”
Biden’s senility scandal leads top Republican to demand DOJ probe into ‘representations’ to public
EXCLUSIVE: Bombshell developments continue to emerge about former President Joe Biden’s declining health along with allegations of a White House cover-up. In response, a top Republican is urging the Justice Department to investigate whether any laws were broken in how Biden’s condition was presented to the public. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is expected to write Wednesday afternoon to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding that the DOJ open a probe into “any potential violations of federal law surrounding the representations made to the American people about the health and wellbeing (sic) of then-President Biden.” In the letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Cornyn cited the May 18 report from Biden’s camp that he is battling late-stage aggressive prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. “This announcement follows the publication of news reports calling into question the former president’s capacity and awareness during his time in office,” Cornyn said as other Biden critics questioned what then-White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor knew while treating the president. TEXAS LAWMAKERS SEEK TO GET FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR BIDEN ERA BORDER CONTROL EXPENSES In the letter, Cornyn expressed concern that Biden’s “associates,” including O’Connor, misrepresented or made “material omissions” to the public about his mental and physical fitness. Conservatives beat the drum of Biden’s alleged senility for years but were often lambasted by the mainstream media for questioning the White House’s line on the matter. “I fear the American people were deliberately misled about President Biden’s health. Instead of providing full transparency, which is the obligation of the commander-in-chief, important information was kept secret,” Cornyn wrote. “I do not have confidence in the former president’s aides and staff, including medical staff, or their ability to be honest and straightforward about President Biden’s cancer diagnosis.” ARIZONA KAMALA HARRIS RALLY SPEAKERS COURT ‘JOHN MCCAIN REPUBLICANS’ He noted how President Donald Trump assented to calls that he take a cognitive test to demonstrate fitness for office while contrasting that with Biden’s refusal, which famously resulted in a tense exchange with a CBS News correspondent when the then-president asked, “Why the hell should I take a test?” and asked if the Black news anchor was “a junkie” who might want to undergo a test for cocaine in his system. Cornyn contrasted White House claims that Biden was “fit for duty” with revelations, including those in a CNN anchor’s new book, that he was only capable of working “four to six good hours” per day. “These positions are in direct conflict,” Cornyn will tell Bondi, adding that despite having the world’s best medical care at his fingertips, Americans have been asked to “accept coincidence after coincidence” involving his health. He also cited the 25th Amendment, which he noted provides Americans an insurance policy that their government can continue to function if the infirmity or death of a president should occur. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “These actions potentially impacted the trust the American people have in their government and weakened us on the world stage.” He cited a report from earlier this week that White House staff had secretly discussed the possibility that Biden would be confined to a wheelchair while still putting on a brave face to the public. Former President Franklin Roosevelt, stricken by polio, conducted the nation’s business from a wheelchair. “I encourage the Department to conduct a full investigation and ensure that no federal laws were violated during the previous administration,” Cornyn concluded. Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative for comment.
Violent Mexican drug gang’s high ranking members sanctioned by Trump
The Trump administration sanctioned two high-ranking members of the Cartel del Noreste Wednesday — one of the most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico and a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, Fox News Digital has learned. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the two leaders of the organizations, formerly known as Los Zetas. Officials said the gang exerts “significant influence over the border region,” especially near the Laredo, Texas point of entry. DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIME The first individual sanctioned was Miguel Angel de Anda Ledzema, a high-ranking member of Cartel del Noreste who oversees the procurement of guns and ammunition for the group. According to the Treasury Department, he has overseen payments to facilitators and straw purchasers in the United States and organized the delivery of firearms to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico — straw purchasers who made false representations to secure firearms from American businesses, who officials say “fell victim to the cartel’s lies.” The Treasury Department said that one of the weapons purchased in this arms trafficking conspiracy was recovered after Cartel del Noreste attacked Mexico’s army during a patrol in March 2024. The second individual sanctioned was Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, who was known as the second-in-command of Cartel del Noreste before his February arrest by Mexican authorities. The Treasury Department said he led an armed enforcement wing of the organization. He had been arrested in connection with attacks on the Mexican military and Mexican police. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a rifle, a handgun, 300 grams of methamphetamine and a package of 1,500 fentanyl pills. Officials said the new sanctions underscore the Trump administration’s commitment to targeting Cartel del Noreste and other violent cartels involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking and other heinous crimes endangering the American people. VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS “In working toward the total elimination of cartels to Make America Safe Again, the Trump Administration will hold these terrorists accountable for their criminal activities and abhorrent acts of violence,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday. Cartel del Noreste “and its leaders have carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping, and terrorism, threatening communities on both sides of our southern border.” Bessent added, “We will continue to cut off the cartels’ ability to obtain the drugs, money, and guns that enable their violent activities.” The new sanctions were imposed in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Officials said the action was also closely coordinated with Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit. President of the National Border Patrol Council Paul Perez told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump’s actions against cartels “fulfills the promise that he made when he stated time and time again that he would not allow the cartels to operate with impunity on our borders or within the interior of the United States.” “These actions deal a significant blow and serves to send the message to all cartels, as well as to those who wish to do harm to Americans, that President Trump will not just talk about it, he will follow through,” Perez said. “The amount of drugs, weapons and other contraband, to include the smuggling and trafficking of persons into and throughout the United States, created chaos and terror that the actions of the Trump administration is bringing to an end.” “We fully and without hesitation support the actions taken by President Trump and his administration to take on the cartels,” Perez added. The actions come after Trump directed cartels to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. In April, the Justice Department hit a high-ranking member of Tren de Aragua on terrorism and international drug distribution charges — the first time the U.S. government has used terrorism charges to prosecute a member of the violent gang.
Rubio tells House Dem ‘this is not a game show’ during heated hearing
Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with Rep. Brad Sherman during a House hearing on Wednesday, telling the California Democrat that “this is not a game show” when Sherman demanded that he only answer questions with a “yes” or a “no.” Rubio testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C., fielding questions on foreign aid, nuclear proliferation in Saudi Arabia and Iran, the war in Ukraine and more. Sparks began to fly early on when Sherman questioned Rubio on a potential nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. “First, I will tell you that there has been no conversation about entering into one. For example, during the recent trip,” Rubio began before Sherman cut him off. “I’ve got limited time,” the congressman interjected. “Either give me a yes or a no.” RUBIO FIRES BACK AFTER DEM SENATOR SAYS HE REGRETS VOTING FOR HIM, SPARKING TENSE EXCHANGE “Well, I’m going to give you my answer if you want my answer,” Rubio replied. But Sherman cut Rubio off, stating that he was reclaiming his time. “Well, reclaim your time. But it’s not a game show,” Rubio said. “I get to answer. These are complex questions.” “Mr. Secretary, I’m reclaiming my time,” Sherman said. “The filibustering takes place in the Senate. Not here.” “I’m not filibustering. I’m trying to answer your question,” Rubio replied. Sherman then moved on to his next question, asking whether Rubio could assure Congress that the Trump administration would continue sanctions on Iran until they verifiably agree to abandon all nuclear enrichment. “That’s a yes or no question,” Sherman told Rubio. Rubio replied: “No, it’s not.” RUBIO, KAINE CLASH ON SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES: ‘YOU DON’T LIKE THAT THEY’RE WHITE’ “Well, can you give me a yes or no? Should I go on to go on to the next?” Sherman asked. “We believe that Iran should not be allowed to enrich uranium, correct,” Rubio answered. “You believe that?” Sherman asked. “We believe that an acceptable deal with Iran is one in which they cannot enrich, because if they can enrich, they can weaponize,” Rubio said. “I know why we don’t want – I asked you will we agree, will we continue the sanctions until they verifiably agree to get rid of enrichments.” “Oh, you have nothing to worry about,” Rubio said. “The worry was the previous administration. This administration–” “Your refusal to give me an answer is loud and clear,” Sherman interjected before shouting over Rubio that he was reclaiming his time. The House hearing brought Rubio to testify on the State Department’s posture on protecting American interests. Throughout the hearing, Rubio asserted that any actions taken by the government must have measurable outcomes for the American people, specifically making the country safer, stronger or more prosperous.