Ukraine ambassador’s reaction to fiery Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Office clash goes viral
During a heated exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova appeared distraught with her head in her hand. The moment was captured in a number of viral photos and videos as Trump questioned Zelenskyy about not wanting a ceasefire with Russia at a live White House press event. As shaky microphones hovered above the spatting leaders, Markarova lowered her head to her right hand and closed her eyes. ZELENSKYY BREAKS SILENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER FIERY OVAL OFFICE EXCHANGE WITH TRUMP: ‘THANK YOU AMERICA’ President Trump addressed Zelenskyy, saying, “You’re saying you don’t want a ceasefire. I want a ceasefire because you get a ceasefire faster than an agreement.” The Ukrainian president chimed in, “I said to you … with guarantees. Ask our people about [a] ceasefire, [about] what they think.” Trump starkly halted the conversation, saying “that wasn’t with me.” ZELENSKYY LEAVES WHITE HOUSE AFTER BEING ‘KICKED OUT’ FOLLOWING HEATED MEETING The leaders were expected to sign a deal sharing Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and discuss a peace deal with Russia when the conversation turned contentious. After questions were posed by Zelenskyy about diplomacy, Vice President JD Vance reprimanded him for “try[ing] to litigate” in front of the American media, calling his actions “disrespectful.” “Do you think that it’s respectful to come into the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country,” Vance asked Zelenskyy. Sources close to Zelenskyy noted tensions were high prior to the meeting, Fox News Digital previously reported. Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the mineral security agreement before Friday’s meeting due to the absence of security guarantees protecting Ukraine from another Russian invasion. Even though the Ukrainian president warned he would need those assurances to sign the deal, sources said the dismissal angered Trump and Vance. Just minutes after reporters asked their first questions, the heated disagreement unfolded. Reporters watched in shock as the meeting came to an abrupt halt, and Zelenskyy was rushed out of the White House. Minutes later, Trump posted to Truth Social, saying, “President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.” Zelenskyy subsequently posted to X, thanking America and Trump for their support and allowing the visit. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that,” he wrote in the post. Markarova was ambassador for roughly a year when Russia invaded Ukraine, thrusting her into the spotlight. In September, Fox News Digital exclusively reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote a letter to Zelenskyy seeking Markarova’s firing after she allegedly organized a U.S. taxpayer-funded tour of an American manufacturing site for Zelenskyy in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Johnson, R-La., said the tour “purposely excluded” Republicans, calling it “election interference.” “The facility was in a politically contested battleground state, was led by a top political surrogate for Kamala Harris and failed to include a single Republican because — on purpose — no Republicans were invited,” Johnson wrote in the letter. He said the “shortsighted and intentionally political move” prompted Republicans to “lose trust” in Markarova’s ability to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat. “She should be removed from her post immediately,” Johnson wrote. The Embassy of Ukraine to the United States of America did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Iowa governor signs bill removing transgender protections from civil rights code
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill on Friday that removes protections for transgender people in the state’s civil rights code. While not every state has protections for transgender people, Iowa Democrats added them to the civil rights code in 2007. Iowa is the first state to remove gender identity protection from its state civil rights code. The new law follows President Donald Trump’s executive orders only recognizing two sexes, restricting sex change operations and restricting trans people in the military, as well as state efforts to ban trans women from women’s bathrooms and women’s sports. TRUMP ORDER RESTRICTING SEX-CHANGE PROCEDURES FOR MINOR IN LINE WITH ‘DO NO HARM,’ DOCTOR SAYS The bill also defines male and female based on the person’s reproductive organs at birth. Iowa’s civil rights code will still include protections for race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin and disability status. Reynolds described the bill in a video she uploaded to X on Friday. “Today I’m signing into law a bill that safeguards the rights of women and girls,” she said. “It’s commonsense to acknowledge the obvious biological differences between men and women. In fact, it’s necessary to secure genuine equal protection for girls. It’s why we have men and women’s bathrooms, but not men and women’s conference rooms. Girls’ and boys’ sports, but not girls’ math, boys’ math.” She said that “these commonsense protections were at risk because, before I signed this bill, the civil rights code blurred the biological line between the sexes.” Reynolds acknowledged that it is a “sensitive issue for some, many of whom have heard misinformation about what this bill does. The truth is that it simply brings Iowa in line with the federal civil rights code, as well as most states.” She added that every Iowan, “without exception, deserves respect and dignity. We are all children of God and no law changes that.” Trump signaled his approval of the law on Thursday, shortly before it was signed. PENTAGON SAYS TRANSGENDER TROOPS ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM SERVICE WITHOUT AN EXEMPTION “Iowa, a beautiful State that I have won BIG every time, has a Bill to remove Radical Gender Ideology from their Laws,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Iowa should follow the lead of my Executive Order, saying there are only two genders, and pass this Bill – AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. Thank you Iowa!” Critics of the law say it will allow transgender people to be discriminated against in all aspects of life. Democratic Iowa state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, who identifies as a transgender woman, said, “The purpose of this bill and the purpose of every anti-trans bill is to further erase us from public life and to stigmatize our existence. The sum total of every anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bill is to make our existence illegal.” Protesters also filled the state Capitol’s rotunda on Thursday, holding up signs like “Trans rights are human rights” and shouting, “No hate in our state!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Keenan Crow, who directs policy and advocacy for the LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa, told The Associated Press that the group will take any legal action “available,” adding that they’re still trying to understand how the law will be enforced. All Democrats in the state House and Senate voted against the bill and were joined by five House Republicans. The law goes into effect July 1. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Off the Rails at the White House
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Here’s who Biden blames for his 2024 election loss, Trump divulges after private convo -‘Fired me illegally’: Emotional ex-USAID employees leave building with belongings after mass layoffs -‘Great job’ or ‘no idea what he’s doing’? Elon Musk email sets Capitol Hill ablaze Conversations about a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia came to a screeching halt Friday after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led to a canceled press conference, a minerals deal off the table and Trump asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official confirmed. Trump accused Zelenskyy of “disrespecting” the U.S. during their meeting Friday and said the Ukrainian leader was not ready to secure peace for his country. “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”…Read more ‘YOU’VE TALKED TOO MUCH’: Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy spar over Russian war in tense exchange: ‘very disrespectful’ ‘SIDING WITH DICTATORS’: Furious Dems attack Trump, Vance after explosive Oval Office meeting: ‘Siding with dictators’ MANY ‘THANKS’: Zelenskyy breaks silence on social media after fiery Oval Office exchange with Trump: ‘Thank you America’ ‘DISGRACE’: GOP Ukraine supporters alarmed after explosive Trump, Zelenskyy meeting ‘TERRORISTS’: White House touts extradition of cartel figures amid Trump admin crackdown FINANCING TERROR: Illegal immigrant ISIS operative charged with financing terror, firearms violations and immigration fraud ‘DETERRENCE’: Top House Republican threatens to expose CCP officials if China invades Taiwan ‘MASTER DEALMAKER’: Inside Trump’s budget bill victory amid House GOP rebellion ‘CHAOTIC’: Democratic lawmaker demands Musk, OPM stop sending mass emails to staffers TICK TOCK: Pam Bondi sends fiery note to Kash Patel accusing FBI of withholding docs ‘SUPERCHARGE’: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to ‘streamline’ FAA hiring process amid air traffic control shortage LOOKING THE OTHER WAY: Gabbard says Biden admin ignored ‘highly inappropriate’ chats happening at national security agencies ‘INSUFFICIENT FUNDING’: Biden-era Coast Guard failed to ‘consistently’ stop drug smugglers: watchdog ‘FULL COOPERATION’: Virginia gov promises ‘full cooperation’ with ICE to deport illegal immigrants Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Europe needs to ‘step up’ or Zelenskyy needs to ‘step down’: What’s next after explosive Oval Office meeting
Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations came to a screeching halt Friday after an Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy erupted in anger. The world is now left wondering where negotiations go from here and whether the two world leaders can repair their relationship enough for the U.S. to broker peace. Some say Europe may need to step up and get involved to help end the hostilities, while others think Zelenskyy either needs to do major damage control or step down. “It is hard to foresee what happens next,” one European official told Fox News Digital. “The optics of it were simply terrible. … This is another sign for Europe to get its act together and support Ukraine. Mobilize Russia’s foreign assets. Purchase arms for Ukraine. Increase defense spending this year. Move forward with EU membership. There are things Europe can do to help Ukraine build leverage.” Trump said he did not believe Zelenskyy was “ready” for U.S. involvement in the peace process, and Republicans who once supported aiding Ukraine’s fight against Russia seem to have grown tired of the Ukrainian leader. TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a one-time staunch supporter of Ukraine, said after the meeting that the war-torn nation may need to seek a new leader who can work with Trump. “The question for me, for the Ukrainian people … I don’t know if Zelensky can ever get you where you want to go with the United States. Either he dramatically changes or you gotta get someone new,” said Graham. Another former State Department official said Europe needs to have an “emergency meeting” to figure out how to move forward. “I think we’re gonna have to see an emergency meeting of the Europeans with the United States, and I think there’s gonna have to be a little bit of a cooling down right now between Zelenskyy and the U.S.,” said Joel Rubin, a deputy assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration. TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “That Oval meeting was either the bane of Zelenskyy’s political career or the bane of Ukraine,” said former Rep. Mike Garcia, a Republican who served as an informal liaison between Speaker Mike Johnson and rank-and-file House members on Ukraine. “One of those two will cease to exist in the next few months.” He added that Friday’s spat was a natural result of Zelenskyy operating under a “blank check mentality.” “The pill that Zelenskyy seems to not have swallowed yet is that he’s not going to get everything that he wants,” Garcia told Fox News Digital. “He was humiliated on the global stage in a time when his people needed him to be a little more gracious and grateful for this stuff that he’s gotten. “He needs to come back and say he is very grateful for what he has gotten, say ‘I am alive because of the United States. I’m willing to sit down and negotiate in good faith for a peace agreement that may not yield everything that I want and may not, you know, certainly won’t get us to the borders that we had in 2012-2013 before the Crimea invasion.’” The White House was taken by surprise at Zelenskyy’s “combativeness” after President Donald Trump accused him of being a “dictator” last week and invited him to the White House to sign a mineral deal this week. SCOOP: GOP UKRAINE SUPPORTERS ALARMED AFTER EXPLOSIVE TRUMP, ZELENSKYY MEETING “The president and vice president did not expect Zelenskyy to engage in such disrespectful behavior,” a source close to Vance said. The testy White House meeting was cut short as aides escorted Zelenskyy off the premises before closed-door negotiations had even begun. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” Trump told Zelenskyy. Vance accused Zelenskyy of trying to litigate their issues in front of the U.S. media. “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country, please,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you seen the problems we have? Come once,” the Ukrainian president replied. Trump announced after the meeting that Zelenskyy may return to the Oval Office “when he is ready for peace.” “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure,” Trump wrote. “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Conservatives explode at botched Epstein document rollout: ‘Complete disappointment’
The Justice Department’s rollout of the Epstein files on Thursday and Friday drew heated criticism from many on social media from those expressing dismay at the level of detail of the files and the time it took to release them. The highly anticipated release of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday did not include a “client list” or any new startling information, and speculation continued into Friday with the Justice Department saying that some of the documents were still being tracked down. Many conservatives took to social media to express frustration and disappointment with the rollout over the past couple of days. “I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today… A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein’s phonebook,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., posted on X. “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!” PEDO ACT: LAWMAKER MOVES TO PROTECT EPSTEIN FILES, ACCUSES ‘CERTAIN FBI AGENTS’ OF TRYING TO DESTROY DOCS “The fact that the Epstein files haven’t yet been released demonstrates that the President doesn’t yet have operational control of the DOJ and FBI,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., posted on X on Friday morning. “It could take a while to establish, or as with his first term, it might never be established.” Many on social media also took issue with the presence of several conservative influencers at the White House who were pictured outside holding binders that said “The Epstein Files Phase 1,” suggesting that new information had been released. “Pam Bondi: ‘We’re releasing the first of the Epstein files tomorrow.’ Americans: ‘Cool! Then we’ll get to read them?’ Bondi: ‘Well actually you’ll get to see fun little photo shoots of conservative personalities & influencers holding a binder!’” Daily Signal investigative columnist Tony Kinnett posted on X. “Not interested in some big theatrical rollout of the Epstein files, if they even exist anymore,” conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. “Put them online for everyone to see. Hold a press conference to walk us through it. There’s a time for showmanship and a time to be direct and boring. This is definitely the latter.” “The most likely outcome of the ‘Epstein Files’ has always been that it’s mostly stuff we already knew and nothing truly game-changing,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “That’s even more true for the JFK files. If that’s the case, just admit it and move on. Stop hyping this crap up and then not delivering.” BONDI SAYS EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST ‘SITTING ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW,’ AND IS REVIEWING JFK, MLK FILES Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel which explained the delay in the release of the documents and placed blame on an FBI field office in New York. Bondi said she had requested the full Epstein case file before Patel was confirmed as the head of the FBI and received about 200 pages of files — far fewer than the number of pages released last year in a civil lawsuit connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, the trafficker’s former lover and convicted accomplice. “I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” Bondi wrote. “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.” “By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained,” Bondi added. “There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access.” As of Friday afternoon, no new files had been released. Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment. “What you’re going to see, hopefully tomorrow, is a lot of flight logs, a lot of names, a lot of information,” Bondi said on Fox News on Wednesday night when asked about the type of information that would be released Thursday. “But, it’s pretty sick what that man did, along with his co-defendant.” Many defended Bondi against accusations of a botched document rollout, including DOGE chief Elon Musk. “People don’t understand that you don’t get instant power here,” Musk posted on X in response to a post defending Bondi for being in a position of “fighting against a leftist culture.” Patel addressed the situation late Thursday in a post on X. “The FBI is entering a new era—one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice,” Patel wrote. “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.” Fox News Digital’s Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.
VP Vance shares special message to ailing Pope Francis amid breathing crisis
Vice President JD Vance shared that although he was “surprised” by Pope Francis’ criticism on the Trump administration’s immigration policy, he believes the pontiff is “fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians.” While speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Vance – a convert to Catholicism – said that although he disagrees with Francis and some Catholic bishops on certain stances, he and his children pray for the pope daily. Francis, 88, is currently suffering from pneumonia and an infection in both lungs and is being treated in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Earlier this month, Francis issued a major rebuke of the Trump administration’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.” US CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS SUES TRUMP OVER IMMIGRATION, REFUGEE FUNDING FREEZE Francis wrote a letter to the U.S. bishops, in which he appeared to criticize Vance’s religious argument in defense of the deportation policies. Despite this, Vance shared a message of unity between Catholics and Christians, saying, “I don’t think it’s good for us as Christians to constantly fight with one another over every single controversy in the church.” “Sometimes we should let this stuff play out a little bit and try to live our faith as best we can, under the dictates of our faith and under the dictates of our spiritual leaders but not hold them to the standards of social media influencers because they’re not,” he added. “My goal is not to litigate when I’m right and when they’re wrong or vice versa. My goal is to maybe articulate the way that I think about being a Christian in public life when you also have religious leaders in public life who have a spiritual duty to speak on the issues of the day.” The vice president even led attendees in a prayer for the pope. POPE FRANCIS’ CONDITION IMPROVING BUT WILL REMAIN ‘GUARDED’ UNTIL HE IS STABLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS: VATICAN “I believe that the pope is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership, and he’s a man who cares about the spiritual direction of the faith,” said Vance. “Every day me and my children have said a prayer for the Holy Father, and we pray for his health, and we pray for his comfort as he deals with what appears to be a pretty serious health crisis.” He shared a significant memory of his of the pope’s message of courage and hope in the earliest days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which began just weeks after his daughter’s birth. VANCE VOWS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ‘BIGGEST DEFENDERS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES,’ CATHOLICS “I will always remember the Holy Father, whether he makes his way through this illness – and I certainly hope that he does – I will always remember the Holy Father in March of 2020, at a time of incredible stress for really the entire world … the Holy Father standing in an empty Saint Peter’s Square, holding the Eucharist above his head and giving a sermon that I return to consistently, because it was incredibly meaningful to me at the time, [and] it remains meaningful today.” Concluding, Vance said, “If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room and millions of faithful Catholics in this country who are praying for him as he weathers his particular storm.”
GOP lawmakers demand info on Biden-era spending used to declare student-athletes as employees
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans are demanding records showing the extent to which the Biden administration used taxpayer money to defend its position that student-athletes are employees of the universities for which they play. Representatives Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Rick Allen, R-Ga., made the request in a letter to Marvin Kaplan, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) newly appointed chairman, and acting General Counsel William Cowen. They demanded a full accounting of the expenditures incurred during the Biden administration’s years-long case against the University of Southern California, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA. President Joe Biden’s NLRB argued the entities intentionally obscured the rights of college athletes by labeling them “student-athletes” and not “employees.” The request for expenditure reports from Walberg, who chairs the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Allen, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, comes as there is a growing appetite on Capitol Hill to enact reforms for the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules. COLLEGE FOOTBALL COUNTRY SEEKS KEY TAX EXEMPTION FOR ATHLETES TO ENHANCE RECRUITMENT, BOOST TEAM CONTINUITY The rule change allowed student-athletes to profit from their NIL, which was previously prohibited by the NCAA. Walberg and Allen’s letter said the expenditure records will “provide important assistance to Congress in determining whether legislative changes are warranted.” “The Committee is concerned that the Biden-Harris NLRB spent significant taxpayer resources pursuing a case meant to curry favor with union interests for nearly three years,” the letter states. “The outcome could have upended intercollegiate athletics and stripped numerous scholarship opportunities from American students.” The NLRB’s general counsel during the Biden administration, Jennifer Abruzzo, issued a September 2021 memo explaining that the National Labor Relations Act, the nation’s primary federal law protecting union organizing, “fully support[s] the conclusion that certain Players at Academic Institutions are statutory employees.” The announcement came just a few months after the NCAA began letting students profit from NIL after public pressure and state court cases. While the change in how college athletes are treated has been welcomed by many, others have been concerned about the move’s potential implications. Earlier this month, the Trump administration rescinded the Biden administration NLRB’s September 2021 memo insisting college athletes be recognized as employees under federal labor laws. The Trump administration this month also revoked guidance issued by President Joe Biden on his way out of the White House that required schools to distribute direct NIL payments equally to female and male athletes. HOW NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS LAWS HAVE CHANGED COLLEGE SPORTS Aaron Withe, an expert in government unionization and a former college athlete, said he fears continued momentum toward viewing college athletes as strictly employees will destroy college sports. “Are unions going to step in between a coach and their athletes for yelling at the players, or because practice went long or because they’re making them run an exceptional amount of lines?” Withe wondered. “If you’re represented by a union, they’re now your bargaining agent. You have no ability to go represent yourself in anything with the university if it is deemed they are your employer. You’ve got no ability to go negotiate with them anymore.” Withe pointed out that the move could also lead schools to cut sports programs if they are not generating enough revenue, will affect the long-held tradition that meritocracy is the root of athletic competition and increase the financial burden on schools hoping to keep their athletic programs competitive. “Public institutions, they’re already forking over a cost for the NIL deals. Providing college athletes the same protections as typical employees is just going to increase their tax burden because it’s going to be paying players that ordinarily wouldn’t be getting paid. Schools are going to be forced to pay those guys, so there’s going to be a bigger tax bill associated with it,” Withe said. FORMER MIAMI BASKETBALL COACH JIM LARRANAGA LEFT ‘EXHAUSTED’ BY NIL’S IMPACT ON COLLEGE SPORTS “Attracting top-tier talent is going to be the hardest thing,” he added. “Because you’ve got a contract among all of your athletes — let’s say, for football or basketball or whatever — you can’t then go and bring in a superstar, a stud quarterback, because you can’t pay them the same level that you could without the union. … Basically, money would sort of have to go over to the bigger revenue-generating sports to compensate everyone equally.” The letter from Walberg and Allen added that, under an employee-employer relationship, student-athletes could be forced to start paying federal taxes on any scholarship funds they receive. Proponents of the move to classify college athletes as employees say it is high time student-athletes begin getting their piece of the financial pie. “Colleges and universities have profited off student athletes for decades. It’s the government’s job — not its burden — to make sure student athletes’ rights are respected and they get their fair share,” Karla Walter, senior fellow for Inclusive Economy at the Center for American Progress, told Fox News Digital. “The Senate and House labor committees should be more worried about the fact that the Trump administration has effectively shuttered the agency charged with enforcing most Americans’ labor rights.” EX-NFL COACH JON GRUDEN RIPS STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS Walter added that unionization is viewed favorably among those who don’t have the option to be in one. “Half of non-union workers say they would join a union if they could, but unionization rates hover around 6% in the private sector,” she said. “Student-athletes generate tens of millions of dollars for their universities,” said Andrew Stettner, director of economy and jobs at The Century Foundation. “Just like anyone else whose labor enriches a broader entity, they have a right under the National Labor Relations Act to collectively bargain for things like revenue sharing, workplace conditions and protections from injury,” Last year, the GOP-controlled Committee on Education and Workforce passed legislation to prevent college athletes from being considered employees, but it went no further. Texas GOP Sen. Ted
‘Utter disaster’: Lindsey Graham calls for Zelenskyy resignation after White House throwdown
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Friday called for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resign after a disastrous Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, after which the president asked him to leave. “He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,” Graham, a longtime advocate for Ukraine and foreign policy hawk, told reporters at the White House. The South Carolina Republican called the Friday meeting a “complete utter disaster.” TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country,” Graham said. He slammed the “disrespectful” Oval Office display from Zelenskyy, going as far as saying, “I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again.” According to the senator, he doesn’t think Americans saw the Ukrainian president as someone they feel comfortable going “into business with,” following the televised dispute. TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top,” said Graham. The senator stressed that the Ukrainian-American relationship is “vitally important.” However, he cast doubt on whether Zelenskyy could ever “do a deal with the United States.” “After what I saw, I don’t know,” said Graham. FURIOUS DEMS ATTACK TRUMP, VANCE AFTER EXPLOSIVE OVAL OFFICE MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY: ‘SIDING WITH DICTATORS’ Following the public fallout between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance, the Ukrainian president’s speaking event at the Hudson Institute set for Friday afternoon was abruptly canceled. He is still slated to appear on Fox News’ “Special Report” at 6 p.m. ET for an exclusive interview with Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ After the Friday meeting, Zelenskyy wrote on X, “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS. Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.” Zelenskyy has yet to react to Graham’s call for his resignation. A representative for Zelenskyy did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Where Zelenskyy is headed following tense White House exchange with Trump, Vance
Ukraine President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy departed the White House ahead of schedule on Friday, following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance that culminated in the U.S. leader showing Zelenskyy the door. Zelenskyy was seen hopping into his SUV outside the White House on Friday afternoon after he got into a heated exchange with the president and vice president in a meeting that was intended to bring Ukraine closer to ending a yearslong war with Russia. The Ukraine president traveled to the U.S. on Friday to meet with Trump at the White House, just hours after Trump celebrated that a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia was in its final stages. The Trump administration, as part of the peace deal, was working to ink an agreement with Ukraine that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support the U.S. has offered the nation since war broke out in 2022. Instead, the deal was not signed and a planned press conference was canceled after Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House, a White House official told Fox News. TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS Zelenskyy was scheduled to speak before the Hudson Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, late Friday afternoon, but event coordinators reportedly announced the speech was canceled. He is still slated to join Fox News’ Bret Baier for an exclusive interview on “Special Report” at 6 p.m. ET. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ The White House meeting grew tense in its final approximate 10 minutes, after Vance said that peace would be reached between Russia and Ukraine through U.S. diplomacy efforts. “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country.” “Have you’ve ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?” Zelenskyy shot back. “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour,” Vance continued. “Mr. President, do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to, trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Zelenskyy continued that under war, “everybody has problems, even you,” and that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump shot back at Zelenskyy. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” Trump added at another point during the exchange. “You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.” Vance interjected, asking Zelenskyy if he had “said thank you once this entire meeting.” “You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October — offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country,” Vance said. TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY WAR OF WORDS HEATS UP EVEN AS US LOOKS TO WIND DOWN WAR IN UKRAINE “The problem is I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States,” Trump said before the meeting concluded. “And your people are very brave. But you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.” Trump posted to his Truth Social account shortly after the meeting that Zelenskyy was “not ready for Peace.” “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump wrote. “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.” “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” he wrote. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.” Zelenskyy posted his own social media post Friday afternoon, profusely thanking U.S. officials for their support. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit,” he posted to X. “Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.” Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Texas A&M System bans drag shows from its universities
The move potentially sets up a new First Amendment fight between students and university administrators.