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DHS shutdown triggers TSA ‘emergency measures’ as lawmaker warns airports could feel economic pain

DHS shutdown triggers TSA ‘emergency measures’ as lawmaker warns airports could feel economic pain

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is taking emergency measures amid a partial DHS shutdown that dragged on for another week, as a top lawmaker who oversees transportation warned of potential economic fallout at airports. While Democrats have held up funding for DHS, their intended target — ICE — remains resourced due to a $75 billion infusion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year. Over the weekend, several reports claimed DHS was prepared to pause TSA PreCheck — the program that allows qualified frequent fliers a speedier pass through security. But a TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that PreCheck remains “operational with no change for the traveling public.” HERE’S HOW THE DHS SHUTDOWN COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF EVERYDAY AMERICANS “As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the spokesperson said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also told CNN on Wednesday that one contingency could arise in which unpaid TSA officers may need to find alternative employment to provide for their families. At that point, “we’ll have to prioritize where the most travelers go through their security checkpoints,” she said. So far, there have been no noticeable flight delays due to the TSA shutdown. As of now, the main TSA program suspended is that of “courtesy escorts” for dignitaries, including members of Congress. Escorts have been paused to “allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies,” a TSA spokesperson said. WHY KEEPING LAWMAKERS IN DC DURING SHUTDOWN MAY HAVE CAUSED MORE HARM THAN GOOD “Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security,” the agency said in a statement. However, the top lawmaker on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation told Fox News Digital that the program does not appear to be universally in place, noting he either goes through TSA security like other travelers or occasionally gets assistance from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office when flying to Washington. “I personally haven’t seen too much of a slowdown because they are essential personnel and they’re gonna be working,” Chairman Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday. “The problem is, those folks — they need their paychecks. And so, we’re making them work without a paycheck and that’s just not right,” he said, adding that he plans to ask DHS about long-term contingencies if the shutdown drags on. “If somehow this is going to be affecting service in any way, I would expect more people not to be showing up to work, but again, I haven’t had direct reports from TSA telling me that travel has been disrupted.” Gimenez said that for a district like his — South Dade and the Florida Keys — air travel is inextricably tied to its economy. It is served by two airports: the major international hub of MIA and the much smaller, tourism-powered EYW. NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ “Obviously, in Miami, a lot of people know who I am, and a lot of those agents know who I am, and they’ve acted very professionally,” he said when asked if he has heard directly from constituents or agents about the shutdown. A source familiar with the situation also said Miami International Airport is the city’s top employer and the region’s leading economic generator. Gimenez agreed, adding that when MIA faces any adversities, it ripples into the surrounding area. “The longer this goes on, I would think you’re going to see some travel disruptions due to TSA, due to, you know, those folks that aren’t getting paid – and [then onto] hotels, and it’ll affect everything. It affects everything.” Fox News Digital reached out to ranking member LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., for her take on the situation. McIver’s district notably encompasses another major international hub: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). In a statement to Fox News Digital, Noem said the current situation is the third time Democrats have forced a shutdown of her agency during the 119th Congress. “Shutdowns have real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but they endanger our national security,” she said. “The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians. TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.” Noem further warned that FEMA — another affected agency — must brace for yet another nor’easter and will halt all non-disaster-related response efforts while its resources are tied up. Global Entry, a Customs and Border Protection-facilitated program at airports receiving international flights, will be halted. The program, seen as the traveler’s version of TSA PreCheck for international arrivals, will have officers reassigned to assist other arriving passengers. “CBP will also be suspending requests for port courtesies for members of Congress at all ports of entry to include escorts and tours in order for personnel to be reassigned to essential border security operations,” the agency said.

Thune calls out ‘two Americas’ as Democrats refuse to stand for war heroes, law enforcement at SOTU

Thune calls out ‘two Americas’ as Democrats refuse to stand for war heroes, law enforcement at SOTU

The top Senate Republican said the congressional Democrats’ actions during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union showed a jarring disconnect from reality. As Trump moved through his record-breaking speech, pointing out Olympians, war heroes and others, congressional Democrats largely sat still, refusing to stand. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., contended it was the manifestation of the political divide in Congress. “I was, like, watching two Americas,” Thune said. HOUSE GOP MOVES TO CENSURE DEM WHO DISRUPTED TRUMP ADDRESS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR Trump challenged congressional Democrats to get out of their seats during the speech, catching them flat-footed in a request that came roughly through the midway mark of his address. “I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle,” Trump said. “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” At that moment, like several others throughout the night, Democrats didn’t budge. DEMOCRATS’ BIG MISFIRE AT STATE OF THE UNION HAS GOP STRATEGISTS SALIVATING: ‘HUGE MOMENT’ “And clearly, I think you saw in the chamber us as Republicans expressing support,” Thune said. “That contrast, when he asked the question and asked people to stand up and every Democrat was seated, I don’t know how you explain that. We are living, literally, in two Americas.” Several congressional Democrats opted to skip the speech altogether, either attending counter-programming events in Washington, D.C., or watching from afar. Some who did attend opted to act disruptively during the State of the Union, like Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was escorted out of the chamber for the second year in a row — this time for flashing a sign that read “Black people aren’t apes” — or Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who shouted insults and rebuttals to Trump as he continued through the night. REBEL GOP SENATE CANDIDATE ENTERS LION’S DEN FOR TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., showed up and blasted Trump’s address the next morning. “Last night was not America’s State of the Union,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “It was Donald Trump’s state of delusion. For two long hours, the president stood in the House chamber congratulating himself, inflating his own ego, but offering no solutions to our country’s many problems. He’s in a bubble.” Thune contended that Democrats’ actions were indicative of their policy positions and charged that what Americans saw was “a party that is for open borders, a party that’s for sanctuary cities, a party that is basically the pro-defund law enforcement.” “The way the Democrats were reacting to what the president had to say — whoever the president is, Democrat or Republican — you ought to have people who want to do what’s in the best interest of the American people,” Thune said. “And I hope there are still some Democrats around who want to do that.”

Rubio calls Cuban shootout with stolen speedboat ‘highly unusual,’ withholds judgment

Rubio calls Cuban shootout with stolen speedboat ‘highly unusual,’ withholds judgment

Secretary of State Marco Rubio held back his judgment when addressing the shootout between Cuba’s coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat. The secretary called the situation “highly unusual” and emphasized the need for the U.S. to evaluate the facts of the incident before giving its response. While speaking with reporters in Saint Kitt on Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. was “going to have our own information” on the incident, and it would be evaluated to determine what occurred. He also said, “There are a number of things that could have happened,” but refused to speculate on various scenarios. “Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in the open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time. But we’re going to find out,” Rubio said. “We’re not going to base our conclusions on what they’ve told us. And I’m very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here, and we will know it soon. And then, you know, we’ll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us.” CUBAN COAST GUARD KILLS 4 IN EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE WITH STOLEN SPEEDBOAT AS MINISTRY IDS ‘CRIMINAL’ SUSPECTS One reporter asked about the possible consequences for Cuba if those on the boat were Americans, but Rubio would not give an answer, saying there was more analysis of the facts that had to be done. Vice President JD Vance confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that Rubio had briefed him on the situation. Similarly to Rubio, Vance said several details remained unknown and the U.S was closely monitoring the situation. “Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be, but I can’t say more because I just don’t know more,” Vance said. On Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the country’s coast guard shot four dead and left six others wounded in a shootout with a U.S.-registered speedboat. The ministry also said the speedboat was carrying 10 “armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements from the detainees, intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes.” AS TRUMP URGES DEAL, CUBAN PRESIDENT WARNS THAT THE COUNTRY WILL DEFEND ITSELF ‘TO THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD’ The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. said in a statement that the speedboat crew fired on the Cuban personnel who boarded the vessel. It added that the commander of the Cuban watercraft was injured in the shootout. “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the embassy’s statement on X read. The embassy added that “investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.” Cuba’s Interior Ministry said personnel found “assault rifles, handguns, handcrafted explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic lookers and camouflage uniforms” aboard the vessel. Seven of the men involved have been identified, the ministry said, including: Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Additionally, among the deceased was Michel Ortega Casanova. The ministry said it is working to confirm the identities of three others. It also claimed that those aboard the speedboat were Cubans living in the U.S. and that many had “a known history of criminal and violent activity.” According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel, registered in Florida with number FL7726SH, is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat. A source told Fox News that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement contacted the Miami-based owner, who confirmed the vessel had been docked at a marina in the Florida Keys. After being notified by authorities, the owner — who is not considered a suspect — reported the boat stolen. Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Trump envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva for closely watched Iran negotiations

Trump envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva for closely watched Iran negotiations

Oman’s foreign minister met Thursday in Geneva with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as efforts intensify to reach a new agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. The minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, said the talks focused on Tehran’s proposals and perspectives, as well as questions and responses from the U.S. negotiating team regarding key aspects of Iran’s nuclear program and the guarantees required for a potential agreement. “His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs clarified that the efforts are continuing intensively and in a constructive spirit, under the negotiators’ unprecedented openness to new and creative ideas and solutions, while preparing the supportive conditions for progress and reaching a fair agreement with sustainable guarantees,” the ministry said in a post on X. The closely watched meeting comes amid heightened regional tensions and a visible U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, including the repositioning of naval assets and additional air defense capabilities. TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE ‘UNFORTUNATE’ OUTCOME The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and multiple guided-missile destroyers are operating in the Arabian Sea, as well as additional destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Several combat ships are also positioned in the Persian Gulf near Iran’s southern coastline. IRAN ANNOUNCES TEST OF NEW NAVAL AIR DEFENSE MISSILE IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS US MILITARY BUILDUP CONTINUES  U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that while Trump prefers a diplomatic solution, Washington views Iran as a “grave threat” and remains deeply concerned about both its nuclear ambitions and expanding missile arsenal. He said the talks in Geneva would be “largely focused on the nuclear program” but warned that Tehran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missiles poses a major obstacle. POTENTIAL US MILITARY STRIKES ON IRAN COULD TARGET SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, PURSUE REGIME CHANGE: REPORT “Iran possesses a very large number of ballistic missiles, particularly short-range ballistic missiles that threaten the United States and our bases in the region and our partners in the region, and all of our bases in the UAE, in Qatar, in Bahrain,” he explained. “I want everybody to understand that, and beyond just the nuclear program, they possess these conventional weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans, if they so choose to do so. These things have to be addressed.”