Most shocking examples of Chinese espionage uncovered by the US this year: ‘Just the tip of the iceberg’
This year has had no shortage of alarming Chinese espionage efforts targeting the United States that were uncovered by government officials. 2025 saw the conviction of a former active-duty military member accused of selling Navy secrets to Chinese intelligence, the arrests of Chinese nationals accused of trying to recruit active-duty service members as intelligence assets and smuggle dangerous toxins into the United States, the disruption of a Chinese “Hacker-for-Hire” ecosystem, and more. “President Trump is not afraid of the Chinese,” Gatestone Institute senior Fellow Gordon Chang said on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria” following a new arms sale to Taiwan. However, Chang lamented that Trump was ambivalent to the “information war” with China, noting that “the Chinese are able to tar him and tell the rest of the world that Trump is afraid of the Chinese … but when you look at the reality, President Trump is going after China across the board,” Chang argued. EX-TRUMP DHS OFFICIAL SOUNDS ALARM OVER NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT WITHIN CRITICAL US INDUSTRY One of the alarming Chinese espionage headlines to hit the news this year was an effort by several Chinese nationals to smuggle a pathogen described by the government as a “potential agroterrorism weapon” into the United States in 2024. A complaint against the suspects was unsealed by federal officials this year, leading the case to make headlines nationwide. One of those individuals complicit in the case, Yunqing Jian, 33, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China and a researcher employed at the University of Michigan, was allegedly receiving money from the Chinese government for her work on the pathogen the suspects were trying to smuggle. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, who worked at a Chinese university conducting research on that same pathogen, initially lied but then admitted to smuggling it through the Detroit airport so it could be taken to the University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked. Jian eventually pleaded guilty. She was later sentenced to time served and then deported back to China. Her boyfriend was immediately deported to China when he was caught at the Detroit airport trying to bring the toxin into the United States. Just this month, a separate Chinese researcher from Indiana University was also accused by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of trying to smuggle a dangerous toxin into the country, this time Escherichia coli (E. coli). The FBI identified the smuggling suspect as post-doctoral researcher Youhuang Xiang, who also allegedly made false statements to law enforcement. FCC, STATE AGS TO JOIN FORCES IN CRACKDOWN ON CHINA-LINKED COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Federal officials have disrupted Chinese intelligence efforts to recruit assets in the United States this year as well, according to Justice Department communications. In July, federal officials disrupted a “Clandestine PRC Ministry of State Security Intelligence Network” that was operating in the United States and was attempting to bribe active-duty soldiers with thousands in cash to work for them as assets. The following month, in a separate case, a federal jury convicted former Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, also known as Patrick Wei, who was caught trying to sell military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for $12,000. Hacking was a big part of Chinese espionage efforts in 2025 too. A major Chinese-linked hacking threat referred to as “Salt Typhoon” was reported this year to have launched an attack compromising at least 200 American companies as part of its broader efforts that have included gaining access to law enforcement wiretapping mechanisms and information on members of Congress, according to the top cyber chief at the FBI. Critical infrastructure manufacturers like AT&T, Verizon, Charter Communications, and others have reportedly been exposed by the group, which was first uncovered publicly in 2024 but whose efforts have dated back several years. Earlier this year, in March, the Department of Justice also announced that federal officials had disrupted a “Hacker-for-Hire Ecosystem” operating out of China at the direction of Chinese intelligence officers as well. These malicious actors worked for private companies and as contractors in China, which was intended to hack and steal information in a way that would obscure the Chinese government’s involvement, the DOJ said. China’s increasing acquisition of farmland in the United States has been of growing concern during 2025 as well, with Chinese-linked entities buying up land near military bases, including a trailer park near Missouri’s Whiteman Air Force Base. “From smuggling crop-killing pathogens and E. Coli into the United States, to conspicuously purchasing a trailer park that shares a fence with America’s entire B-2 bomber fleet and selling ‘green’ tech devices that spread kill switches across our electrical grid, Communist China seeks to harm the American homeland,” Michael Lucci, a China-hawk and the founder of State Armor Action, a conservative group with a mission to develop and enact state-level solutions to global security threats such as those emanating from China. “Furthermore, these events are just the tip of the iceberg,” Lucci continued. “Lawmakers across the country must accelerate action to shield Americans from CCP influence, espionage, and sabotage. Communist China treats the United States as an enemy, and it is past time we recognize the CCP party-state always and everywhere chooses conflict with the United States.”
‘Perception vs. reality’: Trump’s economy picks up speed — but voters aren’t buying it yet
Economic momentum is building under President Donald Trump, but translating those gains into political advantage will require sharper messaging, economist Stephen Moore said, as voters remain skeptical despite improving indicators. “There’s a perception, and there’s reality,” explained Moore in an interview with Fox News Digital. “The reality is what the numbers show — that median family income is up by about $1,200 this year, adjusted for inflation. We’re seeing real increases in wealth. Anyone investing in the stock market — not just rich people, but about 160 million Americans — has retirement savings in stocks.” WHITE HOUSE TEASES MAJOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PLAN AS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS Still, Moore, a former Trump adviser and co-founder of a free-market advocacy organization, Unleash Prosperity, acknowledged that rising costs in everyday life continue to shape how many Americans view the economy. “People tend to focus on the things that are rising in price, and I understand that,” Moore said. “But there are also areas where costs have fallen, including gasoline, airline tickets and some everyday items.” That disconnect between economic data and how voters feel about the economy poses a political challenge for Trump, who returned to the White House promising affordability but is now confronting doubts over whether that pledge is being met. A Fox News national survey found that 76% of voters rate the economy negatively, up from 67% in July and 70% at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term. The poll showed voters are more likely to blame Trump than Biden for current economic conditions, with three times as many saying Trump’s policies have hurt them personally. The sentiment has fueled Democratic messaging focused on affordability, which has resonated in recent state and local elections. THE SOCIALIST EXPERIMENT COMES TO NYC: MAMDANI’S VISION FOR A MORE AFFORDABLE CITY That disconnect, Moore said, isn’t just about prices — it’s also about tone. “I think people want empathy from the president,” Moore said. “People in the middle and working class want to know that this president understands the struggles of working 40 hours a week and still having a hard time meeting their bills.” To close that gap, Moore compared Trump’s current challenge to Ronald Reagan’s early presidency, which followed economic difficulties after Jimmy Carter — a dynamic he said mirrors the aftermath of the Biden administration. “Trump should use an old line from Ronald Reagan, because Reagan’s first 18 months in office were very tough. We had a very bad economy as a residual effect from Jimmy Carter. And Reagan told the American people, stay the course, these policies are going to work and they’re going to make America better off.” Moore said recent data suggest the recovery is accelerating, and that momentum is likely to continue. “In the last couple of months, the economy has really sped up,” Moore said. “At 4.3% growth, that’s a very high rate, and the recovery is well in progress. It’s been a very prosperous first year and I expect 2026 to bring very strong continued economic growth.”
Tiny Pacific nation to take up to 75 deportees as Trump administration accelerates mass removals
Palau has struck a deal with the U.S. to accept up to 75 deportees from the U.S. in exchange for $7.5 million in foreign aid. The agreement will allow “third-country nationals” who have never been charged with a crime to live and work in the Pacific nation, which has a population of about 18,000 people, according to announcements Wednesday from President Surangel Whipps Jr.’s office and the U.S. Embassy in Koror. “The United States deeply appreciates Palau’s cooperation in enforcing U.S. immigration laws, which remains a top priority for the Trump administration,” the U.S. Embassy in Koror said in a statement. “In this regard, the United States granted $7.5 million to address the needs of relevant Palau public services.” HOW A TINY AFRICAN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY CAN PLAY A ‘VITAL ROLE’ IN US NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERT The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding, with Palau citing labor shortages as a key motivation. “Palau and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding allowing up to 75 third country nationals, who have never been charged with a crime, to live and work in Palau, helping address local labor shortages in needed occupations,” Whipps’ office said in a statement. EXCLUSIVE: 17,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED UNDER LAKEN RILEY ACT IN TRUMP’S SECOND TERM The Trump administration will also provide $6 million to support Palau’s struggling civil service pension plan system and $2 million for new law enforcement initiatives, according to Whipps’ office. Palau, a former filming location for the long-running reality TV series “Survivor,” has long been a recipient of U.S. support and relies heavily on foreign aid, according to the New York Post. CROCKETT ACCUSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OF DISHONESTY OVER BORDER ENCOUNTER NUMBERS Under a deal brokered during the Biden administration, Washington committed $889 million in aid over 20 years, according to the State Department. As the Trump administration ramps up mass deportations, many countries have agreed to take illegal immigrants, including Uganda, Rwanda, Eswatini, South Sudan, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Misspelled learning center, no children inside: Emmer presses Walz over Minnesota daycare tied to $4M
The third-ranking leader in the House of Representatives, who also happens to hail from Minnesota, demanded answers from Gov. Tim Walz after a YouTuber tried to confront employees of an alleged daycare center that had misspelled signage and no signs of activity outside but reportedly received $4 million in state funds. The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at least $1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities. A portion reportedly ended up in the hands of the Somali terror group Al-Shabab. Responding to the video, Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Twin Cities suburbs and St. Cloud, lashed out at the governor. “4 million dollars of hard-earned tax dollars going to an education center that can’t even spell learning correctly. Care to explain this one, Tim Walz?” he wrote on X. HHS PROBES MINNESOTA’S USE OF BILLIONS IN FEDERAL SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDS AMID FRAUD CONCERNS: REPORT The Quality Learning Center also recently made news for collecting 95 violations from the state human services agency between 2019 and 2023, according to St. Paul’s ABC affiliate. Such violations range from failure to keep hazardous items away from kids to the daycare not having any records for more than a dozen listed children, according to the outlet. Documentation reviewed by Fox News Digital showed the site’s current license does not expire until the end of 2026. MINNESOTA SENATE CANDIDATE WEARS HIJAB IN VISIT TO SOMALI MARKET AS FRAUD SCANDAL UNFOLDS This week, YouTuber Nick Shirley and another man approached a building labeled the Quality Learing Center (sic) on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, with Shirley noting that “Learning” was spelled incorrectly on the daycare’s sign outside. Almost immediately, a woman appears and repeatedly yells — ostensibly to anyone inside the building — “Don’t open up. It’s ICE.” Shirley asked the woman whether she thought he or the other man were immigration agents and identified himself as an online commentator. COMER WARNS ‘WALLS ARE CAVING IN’ ON TIM WALZ AS MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE WIDENS The man held up a paper that appeared to show $1.9 million had been disbursed to the center in fiscal year 2025, adding that the total disbursement to the center that he had recorded was $4 million. “Go away. You’re not welcome here. Shame on you,” the woman told Shirley. It remained unclear whether the woman had any association with the center. “Are you in favor of $1.9 million going illegally/fraudulently to this business that [is called] ‘Quality Learning Center’ but can’t spell ‘learning’ right on the door?” MAGNITUDE ‘CANNOT BE OVERSTATED’: FEDS SAY MINNESOTA FRAUD MAY BE MORE THAN $9B A document on the Minnesota Department of Human Services website showed the center is supposed to account for 99 children, a figure also mentioned in the video by Shirley. “There’s no one here,” he said. “This is a prime example of the billions of dollars in fraud happening right now in Minnesota. This is one of the hundreds of ‘daycares’ receiving millions of dollars from the government. This daycare (that can’t even spell learning right) received $1,900,000 in tax-exempt funding from CCAP in 2025. This is just one of the thousands of fraudulent businesses operating in Minnesota.” MINNESOTA MAYORS SAY CONSTITUENTS ‘SCARED’ AS FRAUD CRISIS LEAVES QUESTIONS UNANSWERED X commentator Greg Price shared the video, writing that if people try to “knock on the doors of Somali-owned daycares that have received millions of tax dollars from the Minnesota government, liberal white women will accuse you of being ICE.” U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson has said that when investigations of the overall CCAP and Minnesota state programs are complete, the fraud could exceed $1 billion. The Treasury Department is also investigating, with Secretary Scott Bessent remaining vocal in public statements on the matter. The most notable recipient was a supposed child nutrition effort called Feeding Our Future, while other recipients of CCAP (Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program) funding have drawn scrutiny in recent days. Fox News Digital reached out to the number listed for the daycare in state government documents, but an automated message said the call could not be completed as dialed. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Walz and the top prosecutor in Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison. Fox News Digital also reached out to U.S. DHS for any comment on critics of the Minnesota investigation appearing to attribute ICE employment as a proxy to people they believe could cause undue trouble in public.
Trump suggests he’ll call final shots on peace deal ahead of Zelenskyy meeting: ‘We’ll see what he’s got’
President Donald Trump said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy preparing to unveil a new peace plan when the two meet Sunday. “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday he will meet with Trump Sunday in Florida and will share a 20-point peace proposal for the president to review. Additionally, Zelenskyy said the meeting will likely focus on security guarantees for Ukraine, adding it was unclear if “territorial issues will be discussed.” MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE “The 20-point plan that we worked on is 90% ready. Our task (is) to make sure that everything is 100% ready. It is not easy, and no one says that it will be 100% right away, but nevertheless we must bring the desired result closer with each such meeting, each such conversation,” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital to confirm the meeting. Trump voiced optimism about the meeting with Zelenskyy and future conversations with Putin. “I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump told Politico. Trump also said that he expects to speak with Putin “soon.” US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Trump said in November he would not meet with Zelenskyy again — or Putin — unless a deal to end the war was in its final stages. Zelenskyy has indicated progress is being made and touted that he had a “a very good conversation” with Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff Thursday. Specifically, Zelenskyy said, talks focused on ending the war and efforts to ensure lasting peace in the region. Trump has met with Zelenskyy multiple times since taking office in January, including in February when Zelenskyy sparred openly with Trump and Vance in the Oval Office over engaging in diplomacy with Russia to end the conflict. Additionally, Trump met with Putin in Alaska in August. Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Kash Patel announces permanent closure of J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building for Reagan building move
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that the bureau has finalized plans to permanently close the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building, ending years of debate over the agency’s deteriorating headquarters. The FBI has scrapped a nearly $5 billion proposal to construct a new building that would not have opened until 2035. Instead, the bureau will relocate most headquarters staff to the existing Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., Patel said. “After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility,” Patel posted to X. “Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could.” KASH PATEL TO SHUT DOWN FBI HOOVER BUILDING, MOVE HQ ACROSS DC TO RONALD REAGAN BUILDING Patel said the move will save billions of dollars and noted that key safety and infrastructure upgrades are already underway at the Reagan building. Once renovations are complete, the majority of FBI headquarters employees will move into the building, according to Patel. “Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain,” Patel said. “This decision puts resources where they belong: defending the homeland, crushing violent crime, and protecting national security. It delivers better tools for today’s FBI workforce at a fraction of the cost.” CHINESE RESEARCHER ON US VISA CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING E. COLI INTO THE COUNTRY, FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS Earlier this year, Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a memo Patel sent to the FBI, notifying employees of the relocation, and stressing that it is the “most cost-effective way” to serve the American people. Patel, in May, first hinted that the bureau would be reallocating its workforce around the country, and would move agents out of the Hoover building, which opened in 1975. PATEL BLASTS BIDEN’S ‘EMBLEMATIC FAILURE’ AFTER AFGHAN NATIONAL CHARGED IN GUARD SHOOTING The FBI and the General Services Administration (GSA) had been looking at options for a new FBI headquarters for more than a decade, including locations near D.C. in Maryland and Virginia. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Interior Department plans AI Theodore Roosevelt exhibit for America250
EXCLUSIVE: President Theodore Roosevelt is known for revolutionizing how America manages and explores. Now, revolutionary artificial intelligence technology will allow Americans to engage with the legendary president one century after he left office, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News Digital. While Roosevelt was famously brought to life on the big screen by the late Robin Williams in “Night At The Museum,” Burgum said the Interior Department envisioned a slightly different iteration of bringing the president back to life. Roosevelt will be rendered in a groundbreaking AI exhibit in the form of a human-avatar that will respond intelligently to visitor’s questions at his namesake national park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the North Dakota-Montana line. 4 US HOTSPOTS JUST MADE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S TOP DESTINATIONS LIST The exhibit will have its grand opening during the America250 celebration, Burgum told Fox News Digital. The new site is “one of the biggest things” that the Interior Department is planning for the new year, the former North Dakota governor said. “That will occur over our Fourth of July weekend,” he said. The exhibit will be housed at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Burgum noted that Roosevelt authored more books than any other president, and offered more spoken-word than any other president except President Donald Trump. TOP TRUMP DEPARTMENT ROLLS OUT CHRISTMAS TREE SAVINGS PLAN: ‘MAKING THIS SEASON BRIGHTER’ Roosevelt came to the “Dakota Territory” in 1883 to hunt bison, and today the lands within his namesake part don’t look much different than they did then. Besides miles of breathtaking landscape, the park explores Roosevelt’s ranch life, conflicts with and cultures of local Native American tribes, and the cattle-ranch boom of the 1880s. Many of the animal trophies netted by Roosevelt later ended up festooned in the Old Ebbitt Grill, a famous Washington, D.C., saloon near the White House. TRUMP ADDS HIS BIRTHDAY AS FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY WHILE AXING MLK DAY AND JUNETEENTH “[If] you come to the library, you’re going to have a chance to visit directly with Theodore Roosevelt,” Burgum said. While Roosevelt’s maxim was to “speak softly and carry a big stick” — suggesting actions are more important than words — the landmark library will enthrall the public with his own vernacular, Burgum said. “Ask him a question, he’ll answer in his own words. So it’s going to be a fun experience. Kids are going to be dragging their parents to this museum.” “And if you love the outdoors, which Theodore Roosevelt did, the library looks into Theodore Roosevelt National Park,” Burgum said, adding that the national park is the only one named for a person instead of a place — like “Hawai’i Volcanoes,” “Yosemite” or “Gettysburg.” While Shenandoah National Park is synonymous with its coterminous roadway — Skyline Drive — and Harpers Ferry National Park is home to its own Amtrak station, Roosevelt’s park will also feature another working mode of transportation. “There’ll be a hitching post in front of this library,” Burgum quipped, as horseback was the mode of choice during that 1858-born president’s time.
New motion seeks former Colorado Clerk Tina Peters’ release, challenging state after Trump’s pardon
Attorneys representing Tina Peters filed a motion seeking to have the former Colorado county clerk released from jail and for an appellate court to recognize a pardon recently issued by President Donald Trump. Tina Peters, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump earlier this month, spent her Christmas in a Colorado prison after being convicted in October 2024 as the state resists the pressure from Trump. The motion, obtained by Fox News Digital, was filed Dec. 23 and outlined why Peters should be released. “There is no question that the Pardon forgave federal offenses,” the motion states. “However, the Pardon also forgave Colorado state court convictions for actions Clerk Peters ‘may have committed or taken part in related to election integrity and security’ during the applicable time period.” TRUMP ISSUES SWEEPING PARDONS FOR 2020 ELECTION ALLIES — WHAT THE MOVE REALLY MEANS Peters was a Republican law clerk who was convicted of official misconduct, conspiracy and influencing a public servant, according to Colorado state law, after she allowed unauthorized access to voting equipment on suspicions that the 2020 election may have been stolen from Trump. PRO-TRUMP CLERK CONVICTED IN 2020 ELECTION SCHEME THREATENED, ATTACKED IN PRISON, LAWYER SAYS She was sentenced by a Colorado judge to nine years in prison in October 2024. Trump issued a pardon in early December 2025, stating on Truth Social that Peters is “a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest.” “Instead of protecting Americans and their Tax Dollars, Democrats chose instead to prosecute anyone they can find that wanted Safe and Secure Elections,” Trump posted. “Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest. “Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections,” Trump continued. “Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!” TRUMP PARDONS RUDY GIULIANI, MARK MEADOWS, SIDNEY POWELL, OTHERS INVOLVED IN 2020 ELECTION INTERFERENCE SAGA Colorado officials and the court argue that the federal government has no jurisdiction over the proceedings and that a pardon applies only to federal cases. “We’re not surprised by President Trump shouting into the wind and issuing a meaningless pardon for his friend and fellow election denier Tina Peters,” Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib told Fox News Digital in early December. “The president has no legal authority to demand her release.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, Peters’ attorney, Peter Ticktin, said the pardon should be applicable to state charges. “I have great confidence that the appeal will be determined in Tina’s favor,” Ticktin explained. “However, the pardon which was issued by the grace of President Trump and for which we are extremely grateful could have put us in a difficult position. “Contrary to Colorado’s governor, we see the pardon as applicable to state charges,” Peters’ attorney added. “Hence, the Colorado Court of Appeals may or may not have jurisdiction to hear the appeal, which has been pending.” The court issued a response, obtained by Fox News Digital, to the motion on Christmas Eve, stating that the prosecution must file a response by early January and did not offer any official stance on the motion. Peters is expected to spend New Year’s Day in prison as proceedings remain stagnant until the early January deadline.
Trump casts Maduro’s ouster as ‘smart’ move as Russia, China enter the fray
President Donald Trump is taking his pressure campaign to the next level against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and making it clear he doesn’t believe the strongman should be leading the country — all while China and Russia are speaking out on the escalating conflict involving their ally. The Trump administration has launched a series of strikes targeting alleged drug boats off the coast of Latin America in recent months and announced this month a “complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela” as his administration has significantly beefed up its naval assets in the region. While the Trump administration has said that these efforts align with the administration’s effort to curb the influx of drugs into the U.S., the campaign also appears geared toward removing Maduro from power. This isn’t the first attempt by Trump to squeeze out Maduro. He previously imposed sanctions on Venezuela and backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó during his first term. As a result, Trump said Monday that Washington’s pressure campaign against Venezuela would “probably” be sufficient to coerce Maduro to step down and made it clear he believes that’s something Maduro should be doing. US COAST GUARD PURSUES THIRD ‘DARK FLEET’ OIL TANKER AS TRUMP TARGETS VENEZUELAN SANCTIONS EVASION NETWORK “That’s up to him, what he wants to do,” Trump said Monday. “I think it would be smart for him to do that. But, again, we’re going to find out.” The White House has historically refused to comment on whether it is pursuing regime change in Venezuela even though it does not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state and insists he is the leader of a drug cartel. China and Russia are speaking out about U.S. actions in the region, accusing the U.S. of breaking international law after the U.S. seized multiple oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela. The first seizure occurred Dec. 10, and Trump confirmed Monday that the U.S. is still pursuing another oil tanker that a U.S. official told Fox News Digital is a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion.” TRUMP’S VENEZUELA OIL BLOCKADE PUTS CHEVRON IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH-STAKES SANCTIONS CRACKDOWN “The U.S. practice of arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels grossly violates international law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters Monday. Jian said Beijing opposes anything that “infringes upon other countries’ sovereignty and security, and all acts of unilateralism or bullying.” Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yván Gil spoke over the phone Monday, and the “Russian side reaffirmed its all-out support and solidarity with the leaders and people of Venezuela in the current context.” “The ministers expressed grave concern in connection with Washington stepping up its escalation actions in the Caribbean, actions fraught with far-reaching consequences for the region and creating a threat for international shipping,” the statement said. MADURO TRAPPED WITH FEW RETALIATION OPTIONS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN SEIZES VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER Katherine Thompson, a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute, previously told Fox News Digital that adversaries like Russia and China are likely perplexed as to why the Trump administration has zeroed in on the Maduro regime. That’s because Caracas doesn’t jeopardize U.S. interests as much as other actors, in addition to the Trump administration’s “American First” mantra, Thompson said. “I imagine, for them, it’s probably a bit puzzling if they’re looking at it through a real, brass tacks, realist lens why this administration would be prioritizing ousting the Maduro regime as opposed to conflicts in other theaters,” Thompson said earlier in December. The Trump administration has conducted nearly 30 strikes in Latin American waters since September as part of its hard-line approach to crack down on the influx of drugs into the U.S. For example, the Trump administration designated drug cartel groups like Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa and others as foreign terrorist organizations and bolstered its naval assets in the region in recent months, including signing off on the unprecedented step of sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the region. In addition to the strikes against alleged drug vessels, Trump has suggested for months that strikes on land could be the next step. “We’re knocking out drug boats right now at a level that we haven’t seen,” Trump said Dec. 3. “Very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too.” Although the Trump administration has said it has the authority to conduct these attacks against alleged drug boats, Democrats and some Republicans have questioned the legality of the strikes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and senators Tim Kaine, D-Va., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a war powers resolution this month to bar Trump from using U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela. Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
Karoline Leavitt is expecting a baby girl in May 2026, says motherhood is ‘closest thing to Heaven on Earth’
EXCLUSIVE: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is expecting a baby girl, Fox News Digital has learned. Leavitt and her husband Nick are expecting their second bundle of joy to be born in May 2026. Their first son, Niko, was born in July 2024. “My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family and can’t wait to watch our son become a big brother,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God for the blessing of motherhood, which I truly believe is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth.” Leavitt told Fox News Digital that she is “extremely grateful to President Trump and our amazing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for their support, and for fostering a pro-family environment in the White House.” “Nearly all of my West Wing colleagues have babies and young children, so we all really support one another as we tackle raising our families while working for the greatest president ever,” Leavitt said. Leavitt added: “2026 is going to be an amazing year for the President and our country, and personally, I am beyond excited to become a girl mom.” A senior White House official told Fox News Digital that Leavitt will remain in her post as press secretary. Leavitt will be the first pregnant press secretary in U.S. history.