Trump announces $5 billion pledge in Gaza aid from Board of Peace members
Members of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion in aid for Gaza, the president announced Sunday. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, saying the funding would be formally pledged during a Feb. 19 meeting in Washington, D.C. The Board of Peace was chartered in January and currently includes nearly 20 countries. “On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that Member States have pledged more than $5 BILLION DOLLARS toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts, and have committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force and Local Police to maintain Security and Peace for Gazans,” Trump wrote. “Very importantly, Hamas must uphold its commitment to Full and Immediate Demilitarization. The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,” he added. TRUMP SEEKS DAVOS SIGNING CEREMONY FOR GAZA BOARD OF PEACE Israel formally joined the Board of Peace last week ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House. ISRAELI BOBSLED TEAM APARTMENT ROBBED AHEAD OF WINTER OLYMPICS, COMPETITOR SAYS Leaders from 17 countries participated in the initial Gaza Board of Peace charter signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia. A handful of other countries were also invited by the White House to join, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China, among others. Poland and Italy on Wednesday said they would not join. Trump has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Michael Murphy, a guided-missile destroyer, as his envoys meet with Iranian officials in Oman. Other U.S. naval assets, including the USS Bulkeley, USS Roosevelt, USS Delbert D. Black, USS McFaul, USS Mitscher, USS Spruance and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., are positioned across key waterways surrounding Iran, from the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Rubio defends US operation in Venezuela, calls out reporter for trying to start a fight
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, going on to call out a reporter for supposedly trying to stir up tension during a press conference. Rubio made the statement during a joint appearance with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. A reporter referenced Fico’s previous criticism of the U.S. operation against Maduro and asked whether he stood by it, leading Rubio to address the issue first while he was answering other questions from the same reporter. “I think you asked him a question in order to, like, see if you can get him against us, or something… A lot of countries didn’t like what we did in Venezuela. That’s OK. That was in our national interest,” Rubio said. “I’m sure there’s something you may do one day that we don’t like, and we’ll say we didn’t like that you did this,” Rubio continued, while turning to Fico. “So what? That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be friends, we’re not going to be partners.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES VENEZUELA TURNING OVER MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF OIL TO US GOVERNMENT ‘IMMEDIATELY’ “We have very close allies that didn’t like what we did in that regard. I can tell you what, it was successful. It was necessary, because the guy was a narco-terrorist, and we made him a bunch of offers,” the secretary continued. “And look what’s happened in Venezuela in the six weeks since he’s been gone,” Rubio said, acknowledging that the country still has “a long way to go.” “There’s still much work that needs to be done, but I can tell you Venezuela is much better off today than it was six weeks ago. So we’re very proud of that project. And I know some will disagree… I think everyone can now agree that Venezuela has an opportunity at a new future that wasn’t there six weeks ago,” he added. Rubio’s statement comes days after President Donald Trump recounted the military’s strength during the operation to capture Maduro. Trump, speaking in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, honored U.S. special forces and their families for their roles in the operation. STATE DEPT CONFIRMS ‘LIMITED NUMBER’ OF PERSONNEL IN CARACAS WORKING TO RESUME VENEZUELA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS “It was in a matter of minutes before (Maduro) was on a helicopter being taken out of there. They had to go through steel doors,” Trump said Friday afternoon. “The steels were like it was like paper-maché. You know what paper-maché is? That’s weak paper.” U.S. special operations forces carried out the successful capture of Maduro and his wife on sweeping narcotics charges. Trump celebrated that there wasn’t single U.S. casualty during the operation, despite Maduro being housed on a heavily-armed military base. “These guys blasted through every door,” Trump continued Friday. “They got up to him before he got to the big safe. But that wouldn’t have worked either, because they had equipment that was going to knock that out in a matter of minutes, but he never got there. It went so fast.” Maduro was whisked off on a helicopter, and brought to the U.S., where he faces federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and weapons-related offenses. He is being held in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City. Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Maryland woman says TPUSA high school event raised ‘serious concerns,’ says Child Protective Services notified
A student group affiliated with Turning Point USA is facing criticism for hosting an event at a Maryland high school in December, with one woman saying that Child Protective Services had been notified. A local community member, who was identified as Nancy, expressed “serious concern” about the December TPUSA-affiliated event at a February 12 board meeting. The woman spoke after a student from the high school who serves as president of the Calvert County Club America. That student said his group placed restrictions on the event after receiving “hate” online, including restricting access for adults they did not know who were not volunteers or parents of attendees. He also stated that all students who attended had parental permission. “We have been accused of many things. We have been accused of grooming children… an allegation that a random unnamed man was president of our group and had certain felony charges. I’m the president of the group. I’m 17, I’m a minor. I can’t groom children because I am a child. I don’t have any felony charges or convictions,” the student said, adding an invitation to discuss any questions. ERIKA KIRK WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO FIRST AMERICAFEST SINCE HUSBAND’S DEATH, ENDORSES JD VANCE FOR PRESIDENT The student clarified that CCCA is affiliated with TPUSA but is its own 501(c)(3) organization and is not part of the state’s public school system. Nancy spoke next, raising her issues with the TPUSA event. “While community building opportunities for students are important, this event raises serious concerns related to student safety, parental rights and governance oversight,” the woman stated, claiming that parents and legal guardians were not permitted to attend the event. “Excluding parents and guardians from a student-focused event creates a lack of transparency and undermines established best practices for youth safety,” she continued, going on to say that such events should be subject to supervision and background checks. “Students are widely recognized as vulnerable population, they are in critical developmental stages, and especially susceptible to influence,” she added. DEFIANT TPUSA LEADER WON’T QUIT DESPITE CHAPTER FACING HARASSMENT, HOSTILITY AFTER KIRK ASSASSINATION “All Board of Education members in this room are mandated reporters under state law, as I am. Based on the circumstances surrounding this event, a report was made to Child Protective Services,” the woman added as she concluded her remarks. Controversy over the event comes as TPUSA continues to grow its influence on high school and college campuses across the country since the assassination of the group’s founder, Charlie Kirk. His wife, Erika Kirk, told Fox News’ Shannon Bream in December that the organization intends to resume its normal presence on college campuses in particular. TURNING POINT USA HOLDS AMERICAFEST CONFERENCE FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION “We are not afraid,” she said, adding that the TPUSA team will continue to host “Prove Me Wrong”–style debates as part of its campus outreach. Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an outdoor event on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The gathering marked the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour,” and at first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The charismatic TPUSA founder rose to prominence through his signature political debates on college campuses. Moments before the fatal shot, he sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” fielding open-mic questions from thousands in attendance. Fox News’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Democrats say Trump redistricting push backfiring as Virginia advances new House maps
Democratic lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s redistricting gambit is backfiring as Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Senate advanced new congressional maps that could chip away at the House GOP’s majority. The Virginia Senate voted 21-16 along party lines on Wednesday to pass a set of new congressional maps that would leave just one Republican district in play. Republicans currently hold five. To Republicans like Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., that’s too drastic a swing for a state that only has 11 districts to begin with. Even in light of similar redistricting pushes in Texas, California and other states, Wittman believes Virginia’s case is unique. DOJ URGES SUPREME COURT TO BLOCK CALIFORNIA MAP, CALLS NEWSOM-BACKED PLAN A RACIAL GERRYMANDER “This partisan power grab is not reflective of Virginia. Virginia is a 6-5 congressional delegation: six Democrats, five Republicans. And now they want to go to 10 Democrats, one Republican — 92%,” Wittman said. “They’re going to disenfranchise most Virginians, if not all of them, that are Republican or independent.” Despite the size of the change the maps would bring, Democrats believe it’s just the latest continuation of a fight that Trump started. “You have to fight fire with fire,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. “The voters that I’m talking to feel that we can’t just sit back and be victims of redistricting. I don’t think this would be happening unless [Trump] pushed for redistricting in Texas and other red states,” Subramanyam said. When asked if he thinks the changes would go too far, Subramanyam said he thinks Republicans will have a chance to press their case at the ballot box. “If Republicans can win over the hearts and minds of Virginians, they will have a good cycle. It’s a very volatile map in that sense, and so I know many have argued that this is actually fair. I would say that it’s certainly a map where, if Republicans campaign well and their message resonates, they can win too,” Subramanyam said. Since Trump urged lawmakers in Texas to push through a map change in July 2025, state legislatures across the country have explored ways to squeeze out a congressional advantage where control of the House hangs by a two-seat thread. TEXAS FILES EMERGENCY SUPREME COURT PETITION AFTER TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAP BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES Virginia’s map change, on its own, would give Democrats a path to flipping control of the chamber in November. But the maps aren’t a sure thing. Their implementation turns on pending legal battles about whether the shakeup complies with the state’s constitutional requirements, according to a complaint filed late last year. On Friday, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the redistricting consideration could continue while it deliberates over a final ruling on whether the maps are permissible. To become official, maps will also require a statewide constitutional referendum. Under current law, Virginia’s constitution outlaws gerrymandering, the practice of drawing congressional districts to purposefully benefit a political party. Subramanyam said the referendum gives voters a chance to express their will. “It will come down to the voters. One good thing in Virginia is that people will have a say and can vote on the referendum in April. Folks in Texas, like where my family still lives, didn’t have a choice,” Subramanyam said, noting that Texas’s redistricting push didn’t require a constitutional amendment and was decided purely by the legislature. Wittman believes the fact Virginia is looking to upend its own constitution should make the reshuffle a foregone conclusion. When asked whether he sees Virginia’s redistricting question as a consequence of the redistricting in Texas, Wittman said the two situations differ because of existing state law. JEFFRIES SAYS GOP ‘DONE EFF’D UP IN TEXAS,’ VOWS THEY WON’T WIN FIVE SEATS: ‘THEY CAN’T IGNORE IT’ “Each state has their own constitution as to how they put together their congressional districts. Virginia’s is very clear. A super majority of voters — 66% of the voters — said we want a bipartisan redistricting commission. That’s Virginia,” Wittman said, referring to the 2020 vote in Virginia that outlawed gerrymandering. “Texas is doing what Texas and its constitution allow,” he added. Upon teeing up that referendum, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger framed the action as a way to give Virginians a voice in a national debate over congressional redistricting. “Virginia voters deserve the opportunity to respond to nationwide attacks on our rights, freedoms and elections… I trust Virginia voters to respond,” Spanberger said in a statement. Voters in the state will consider whether to “temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections” on April 21.
Chicago-area teacher breaks silence after losing job over 2-word Facebook post supporting ICE: ‘Devastating’
FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago area teacher who was forced to resign from his position over his Facebook post saying “Go ICE” is speaking out about the emotional and financial toll he has suffered as a result. “This process has been professionally and personally devastating and surreal,” former West Chicago teacher James Heidorn told Fox News Digital in his first public comments about the situation. “I’ve spent 14 years building my career, pouring my heart into teaching kids, building relationships and being a positive role model. To see it all upended over two simple words, ‘Go ICE,’ where I expressed my personal support for law enforcement felt like a severe blow to my career.” In late January, Fox News Digital first reported that the longtime teacher at Gary Elementary School in a heavily Hispanic district was placed on leave after local activists in the community began sharing his Facebook post that said “GO ICE” in response to a news story about a local police department saying they would cooperate with ICE. GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE On Thursday, Jan. 22, Heidorn was first notified by school officials that they had seen the growing social media chatter about his post. He briefly quit after meeting with HR staff before rescinding his resignation the same day. Heidorn was set to return to school to teach on Monday while the school investigated. Around the same time, Illinois Democratic state Sen. Karina Villa, who was captured on video in September chasing down ICE agents in the street, publicly expressed outrage over the post and said she stands in “unwavering solidarity” with families upset about the “disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator.” On that Saturday, before an investigation had been concluded, West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey took to Facebook and posted a video explaining why Heidorn’s comments were “hurtful” and “offensive” to many in the community. “The issue is we have trusted adults who are the ones that care for those kids when they can’t be with their mom and their dad,” Bovey said. “So to have someone cavalierly rooting on — as if it’s a football game or something, yeah go — events which have traumatized these children… that is the issue.” Over the weekend, parents online were encouraging each other to keep their students home from school as a form of protest, and many in the community began criticizing Heidorn. The city of West Chicago held a “listening session” on Jan. 26 at the request of Bovey, that included a Spanish translator, where a variety of parents and locals expressed concerns about the post, including a woman who said “kids do not feel safe” as a result of the post and another woman who said the post was “cruel.” “This started with a two-word comment on my personal Facebook page supporting law enforcement—nothing more,” Heidorn said. “It wasn’t directed at any student, family or school community. Second, I was placed on leave and faced intense pressure before any full investigation or fair process could play out, with this it led to my resignation.” “Third, I lost my career, my income and the chance to close out my time with my students properly—no farewell, no goodbyes.” Ultimately, Heidorn resigned a second time rather than be terminated after a hearing with school officials. In a statement to Fox News Digital at the time that Heidorn was on leave in January, a West Chicago Elementary School District 33 spokesperson referred to the social media post as “disruptive” and said, “We understand that this situation has raised concerns and caused disruption for students, families and staff.” Teachers all across the United States have taken to the streets in recent weeks, causing disruptions in favor of far-left causes, including in Chicago, where teachers stormed a local Target and harassed employees, to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies without facing pushback or repercussions from local school districts. TOP TEACHERS UNION UNDER FIRE AS LAWMAKERS PUSH TO STRIP UNION OF UNIQUE FEDERAL CHARTER: ‘LOST THEIR WAY’ “Most importantly, this is bigger than me: it’s about whether personal opinions expressed outside of work can cost someone their livelihood without due process,” Heidorn said. “I hope to see free speech matters, even when it’s unpopular.” “It does feel like a double standard—due to my viewpoint being different from others within the community that I taught in. I feel that we should all be able to coexist with our personal political viewpoints. Fairness should apply equally, regardless of those viewpoints. If personal political speech is grounds for punishment, it should be consistent—not selective based on what side you’re on. I believe in free speech for all, and that’s what I hope comes out of all this.” Heidorn has received some support from the local community, including a GoFundMe page calling him a “beloved physical education teacher” who “showed up every day for his students.” “Emotionally, it’s been a roller coaster that has me feeling a great deal of shock, loss and deep sadness over losing daily contact with my students,” Heidorn said. “Feelings of anger and frustration at how quickly things escalated without real dialogue, and grief for not getting to say a proper goodbye to the kids I cared so much for. I’ve had sleepless nights, but I’m trying to stay focused on my family and the support I’ve received from people who know the real me.” Heidorn, who also lost his employment working as a soccer coach at a nearby private school, told Fox News Digital that one of the most difficult aspects of being forced from his job was losing the relationships he built with his students of all backgrounds over his long career. Asked what he would tell his students if given the opportunity to address the situation with them directly, Heidorn said the online outrage “isn’t the full story” and is “just noise from people who don’t know me.” “To my students: I want you to know that I care about you deeply and
Dem governor in deep-red state calls for ICE pullout, triggering clash over enforcement authority
EXCLUSIVE: Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman fired back at Gov. Andy Beshear’s comments on “The View” about pulling ICE out of “every city,” setting up what could become a high-stakes intergovernmental battle over cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “Every ICE agent should be withdrawn from every city and every community that they’re in. This organization has to be reformed from the top-down. Secretary Noem needs to be fired, and every agent needs to retrained,” Beshear told the ABC talk show, before adding the “body-count of American citizens” should lead to a “pause [to] pull everybody back.” Coleman, who spoke to Fox News Digital from the sheriff’s office in Daviess County — home of NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip and one of several Kentucky jurisdictions that work with ICE — said his take is “not a political one” and that ICE also has the backing of those lawmen he was meeting with after the interview. “My view as the chief law enforcement officer of this commonwealth, someone that’s carried a badge and a gun, someone that has been a federal prosecutor, [is] that statement that the governor made was absurd,” Coleman said. TOM HOMAN VOWS TO WORK AROUND NEW DEM VA GOV SPANBERGER’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ENDING ICE COOPERATION Coleman said the dispute centers on Beshear’s “commentary” versus the reality of which agencies he controls. The Kentucky State Police fall under Beshear’s authority, but they currently work with ICE. Meanwhile, Coleman’s office works with the state’s 120 county sheriffs’ offices, many of which cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security. “I don’t want to set up a straw-dog argument because the reality is the collaboration is never going to stop here because those of us who have taken an oath to protect families are going to work with our federal partners,” he said, pointing to recent successes across the Tug Fork River where such collaboration led to the arrests of 650 illegal immigrants in West Virginia. FROM OBAMA AWARD TO MINNESOTA OP: WHY TRUMP TAPPED TOM HOMAN FOR ON-THE-GROUND CRACKDOWN As for the legal ramifications of a potential clash between a DHS-aligned attorney general and a governor with opposing objectives, one legal expert said the situation presents an interesting case. Former Florida federal prosecutor Zack Smith said that while every state’s attorney generalship is slightly different, a governor is an elected constitutional officer, just as sheriffs are, and that neither can tell the other what to do “in most instances.” “The attorney general can issue opinions of law. He can issue certain advisory opinions about what state law means or requires. But there are very few instances, in Florida at least, where the attorney general can compel another constitutional officer, like sheriffs, to comply with state law.” “Now, if they violate state law or something like that, obviously, he could then prosecute them, but there’s really not a lot he could do as a practical matter,” he said, adding that Beshear is likely relying on his gubernatorial “bully pulpit” to effect change. “There are probably limits to what he can do — and keep in mind the 287(g) agreements” in the counties. “I think this from a practical and policy perspective, this is a very foolish and very dangerous statement by the governor of Kentucky,” he said, pointing to Minnesota chaos bred from similar opposition to ICE operations. PHILADELPHIA’S THREAT TO PROSECUTE ICE COULD TRIGGER LANDMARK COURT FIGHT OVER AUTHORITY, EXPERTS WARN Beshear’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Both Beshear and Coleman have served as attorney general — something the governor mentioned on “The View” — but Coleman said Beshear should therefore know that cooperation with federal authorities is preferable to going on offense. “I’d like to, on one hand, be respectful of my predecessor… [but] anyone who’s spent time in law enforcement… knows that we are more effective at protecting people,” he said, noting that the county he was sitting in has ICE to thank for removing a violent child-sex predator from the streets and that local Owensboro authorities cooperated with a DHS operation to arrest an illegal immigrant who had been financially extorting seniors. TRUMP DHS HAMMERS DEM GOVERNOR’S PORTAL TO TRACK ICE AGENTS: ‘ENCOURAGES VIOLENCE’ In neighboring Virginia, officials are moving to follow Beshear’s advice by ending state-federal cooperation forged under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin and advancing bills to restrict DHS collaboration. When asked, Coleman said he does not see Frankfort following Richmond’s lead anytime soon and lamented the loss of several cooperative colleagues in Virginia. “Fortunately, I don’t have to face that hypothetical here in this Commonwealth, but in our Mother Commonwealth (Virginia), it’s been very concerning. We [also] hated to lose a phenomenal colleague in Jason Miyares,” he added. DHS also pushed back on Beshear’s position. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said federal law enforcement “will continue arresting criminal illegal aliens across the state of Kentucky while sanctuary politicians like Governor Beshear continue to demonize our law enforcement and side with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.” “We need state and local law enforcement engagement and information so we don’t have to have such a presence on the streets,” she said. She listed several recent arrests in Kentucky, including Roman Sanchez, described as a criminal illegal immigrant convicted of homicide, willful killing of a family member with a gun, larceny, robbery, receiving stolen property and armed street robbery, as well as several individuals convicted of rape.
Hillary Clinton says migration ‘went too far’ and ‘needs to be fixed in a humane way’
While in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, Hillary Clinton participated in a panel titled, “The West-West Divide: What Remains of Common Values.” During the panel, Clinton appeared to take a stronger approach to her previous stance on border security. ICE RAMPS UP DEPORTATION PUSH BY BOOSTING CAPACITY TO 92,600 BEDS WITH $38.3B EXPANSION “There is a legitimate reason to have a debate about things like migration,” Clinton said. “It went too far, it’s been disruptive and destabilizing, and it needs to be fixed in a humane way with secure borders that don’t torture and kill people and how we’re going to have a strong family structure because it is at the base of civilization,” she added. Clinton acknowledged that there are places where a physical barrier is appropriate but opposed large-scale expansion of a border wall during her 2016 presidential campaign. NEW DEM PROPOSAL WOULD RESTRICT ICE’S KEY TOOL TO DETAIN CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS At the time, she supported then President Barack Obama’s executive actions that deferred immigration enforcement against millions of children and parents in the country illegally and wanted to end the practice of family detention. Clinton also planned on continuing Obama’s policy of deporting violent criminals, but wanted to scale back immigration raids, which she said at the time produced “unnecessary fear and disruption in communities,” Fox News Digital previously reported. In 2018, Clinton called out the Trump administration for its deportation policies. CONGRESS UNVEILS $1.2T SPENDING BILL AS PROGRESSIVE REVOLT BREWS OVER ICE FUNDING “It is now the official policy of the US government — a nation of immigrants — to separate children from their families. That is an absolute disgrace. #FamiliesBelongTogether,” she wrote on X. At the Newmark Civic Life Series in Manhattan last year, Clinton argued that immigrants, whether legal or illegal, have made the American economy exceptional by adding to the workforce. “One of the reasons why our economy did so much better than comparable advanced economies across the world is because we actually had a replenishment, because we had a lot of immigrants, legally and undocumented, who had a, you know, larger than normal — by American standards — families,” she said.
Rubio meets with Zelenskyy ahead of crucial Geneva talks, says Trump wants solution that ‘ends bloodshed’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Saturday at the Munich Security Conference, saying that President Donald Trump “wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all.” “Met with Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa on Ukraine’s security and deepening defense and economic partnerships,” Rubio wrote in an X post in which he shared a photo of him shaking hands with the Ukrainian leader. “President Trump wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all.” Earlier Saturday, Zelenskyy revealed he had spoken with Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of talks in Geneva, which he said his government expected to be “truly productive.” “I had a conversation with envoys of President Trump @stevewitkoff and @JaredKushner, ahead of the trilateral meetings in Geneva,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “We count on the meetings being truly productive.” US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Zelenskyy said they also discussed “some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi, which were held at the end of last month and the beginning of this month. “Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine’s position next week,” the Ukrainian president added. After the Abu Dhabi talks, Zelenskyy told reporters the U.S. had set a June deadline for Moscow and Kyiv to strike a peace agreement. “The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule,” Zelenskyy said at the time, according to The Associated Press. Zelenskyy added at the time that if the June deadline is not met, the Trump administration would likely put pressure on Moscow and Kyiv to meet. On Saturday, he also thanked the U.S. for its “constructive approach” to ending the war. “We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives,” Zelenskyy wrote. “I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support.” Rubio on Saturday also said he had discussed peace between Ukraine and Russia at the Munich Security Conference with his G7 counterparts. “Met with my @G7 counterparts in Munich to advance @POTUS’s vision of pursuing peace through strength,” Rubio wrote. “We discussed ongoing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, promote stability in Venezuela, and address global threats to achieve international peace and prosperity.” The talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine are expected to start Tuesday in Geneva.
Fetterman slams Democrats’ ‘Jim Crow 2.0’ voter ID rhetoric as party unity fractures
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is continuing his streak of breaking with his party — this time on voter ID legislation gaining momentum in the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats have near-unanimously rejected the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, election integrity legislation that made its way through the House earlier this week. Schumer has dubbed the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0,” arguing it would suppress voters rather than encourage more secure elections. COLLINS BOOSTS REPUBLICAN VOTER ID EFFORT, BUT WON’T SCRAP FILIBUSTER But Fetterman, who has repeatedly rejected his party’s messaging and positions, pushed back on Schumer’s framing of the bill. “I would never refer to the SAVE Act as like Jim Crow 2.0 or some kind of mass conspiracy,” Fetterman told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany on “Saturday in America.” “But that’s part of the debate that we were having here in the Senate right now,” he continued. “And I don’t call people names or imply that it’s something gross about the terrible history of Jim Crow.” The bill would require voters to present photo identification before casting ballots, require proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote and mandate states remove non-citizens from voter rolls. MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’ Momentum is building among Republicans. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, became the 50th member of the conference to back the legislation. But Senate Democrats have all but guaranteed its demise in the upper chamber, via the filibuster. Fetterman would not say whether he supports the bill outright. However, he noted that “84% of Americans have no problem with presenting IDs to vote.” “So it’s not like a radical idea,” Fetterman said. “It’s not something — and there already are many states that show basic IDs. So that’s where we are in the Senate.” HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT Even if Fetterman were to support the bill on the floor, it is unlikely to pass without more significant procedural changes. There are currently not enough votes to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold. Fetterman is also not keen on eliminating the filibuster — a position shared by most Senate Republicans. He noted that Senate Democrats once favored scrapping the filibuster but now want to preserve it while in the minority in a Republican-controlled government. “I campaigned on it, too,” Fetterman said. “I mean we were very wrong about that to nuke the filibuster. And we should really humble ourselves and remind people that we wanted to eliminate it — and now we love it.”
ICE officers face criminal probe for alleged ‘untruthful statements’ under oath about Minneapolis shooting
Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are under criminal investigation after federal prosecutors moved to dismiss felony assault charges against Venezuelan nationals from a January shooting in Minneapolis. ICE Director Todd Lyons said Friday that newly reviewed video evidence suggests the officers may have made “untruthful statements” under oath about the Jan. 14 confrontation, during which a Venezuelan national was shot, The Associated Press reported. The officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination and possible criminal prosecution, according to Lyons and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. MINNESOTA POLICE CHIEFS ALLEGE SOME ICE AGENTS RACIALLY PROFILED US CITIZENS, INCLUDING OFF-DUTY OFFICERS “A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,” McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in an email. “Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation. “Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is actively investigating these false statements,” McLaughlin added. “Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and ethical conduct. Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated.” The case centered on Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, two Venezuelan nationals initially accused of attacking an ICE officer during what authorities described as a targeted traffic stop. U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen moved to dismiss the charges, citing “newly discovered evidence” that was “materially inconsistent” with allegations outlined in the criminal complaint and earlier court testimony. A federal judge granted the motion on Friday. In court, video footage and witness testimony reportedly failed to support claims that the ICE agent had been assaulted with a shovel and broom, according to the AP. JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM ‘DESTROYING OR ALTERING’ EVIDENCE IN DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING According to a previous announcement from DHS, officers attempted to arrest Sosa-Celis Jan. 14 when he allegedly fled in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car and ran on foot. DHS said at the time that an agent caught up with him and that Sosa-Celis resisted and assaulted him. The agency alleged that two additional men — Aljorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma — then struck the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle before the agent fired a shot, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. All three men were taken into custody after retreating into an apartment, and both the officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalized, according to authorities. FEDERAL JUDGE BACKS AWAY FROM THREAT TO HOLD ICE LEADER IN CONTEMPT The officers’ names were not released. It remains unclear whether the Venezuelan nationals could face possible deportation. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.