Vance warns US will use sanctions, military action if Putin doesn’t agree to Ukraine peace deal: report
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday reportedly warned that the U.S. wouldn’t rule out tough sanctions or even potential military action against Russia if President Vladimir Putin didn’t come to the negotiating table on a deal that would guarantee peace for Ukraine. In speaking with The Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on Vance’s comments, the vice president said sending U.S. troops to Ukraine was “on the table” if Russia failed to negotiate in good faith. Vance said there are “economic tools of leverage [and] there are, of course, military tools of leverage” that the U.S. could use against Putin. “I think there is a deal that is going to come out of this that’s going to shock a lot of people,” Vance told The Journal. ‘NO REASON’ FOR NEW NUKES: TRUMP FLOATS DISARMAMENT TALKS WITH CHINA, RUSSIA Vance’s comments came a day before the vice president is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich. The discussions will be closely watched by European leaders to gauge where President Trump stands on negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which is nearing three years. President Trump had what he described as a “lengthy” phone call with Putin on Wednesday, which included the Russian leader agreeing to “immediately” begin negotiations over the war in Ukraine. RUSSIA CLAIMS TRUMP, PUTIN TALK BROUGHT WORLD FROM ‘BRINK OF APOCALYPSE,’ EU WARNS OF ‘DIRTY TRICKS’ Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the two leaders “agreed to work together, very closely.” “We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.” Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to the Munich Security Conference where the future of Ukraine will be the top item on the agenda. Trump has been vague about his specific intentions — other than suggesting that a deal will likely result in Ukraine being forced to cede territory that Russia has seized since it annexed Crimea in 2014. RUSSIA LAUNCHES FRESH DRONE ATTACK AGAINST UKRAINE SHORTLY AFTER TRUMP-PUTIN PHONE CALL “The Ukraine war has to end,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “Young people are being killed at levels that nobody’s seen since World War II. And it’s a ridiculous war.” Both Trump and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dashed Ukraine’s hopes this week of becoming part of NATO, which the alliance said less than a year ago was “irreversible,” or getting back its territory captured by Russia, which currently occupies close to 20%, including Crimea. “I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow … them to join NATO,” Trump said Thursday. “I don’t see that happening.” When asked what he thought Russia should give up to reach a deal, he noted that talks have not yet begun and that “maybe Russia will give up a lot, maybe they won’t.” At NATO headquarters, Hegseth reiterated Thursday that “simply pointing out realism like the borders won’t be rolled back to what everybody would like them to be in 2014 is not a concession to Vladimir Putin.” He said it’s a recognition of realities on the ground. He added, though, that neither Russia nor Ukraine will “get everything that they want” and stressed that “any negotiation that’s had will be had with both.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for a response to Vance’s comments. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Vance says Trump wants productive Russia-Ukraine negotiations but notes ‘range’ of options
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said President Donald Trump wanted productive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, but noted that the U.S. had a “range of options” if President Vladimir Putin didn’t come to the negotiating table on a deal that would guarantee peace for Ukraine. In speaking with The Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on Vance’s comments, the vice president said President Trump was willing to employ a broad range of options to negotiate a peace deal. “If you look at President Trump’s approach to this, the range of options is extremely broad, and there are economic tools of leverage,” Vance told The Journal. “There are, of course, military tools of leverage. There’s a whole host of things that we could do. But fundamentally, I think the President wants to have a productive negotiation, both with Putin and with Zelenskyy.” He added: “I think there is a deal that is going to come out of this that’s going to shock a lot of people.” ‘NO REASON’ FOR NEW NUKES: TRUMP FLOATS DISARMAMENT TALKS WITH CHINA, RUSSIA Vance’s comments came a day before the vice president is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich. The discussions will be closely watched by European leaders to gauge where President Trump stands on negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which is nearing three years. President Trump had what he described as a “lengthy” phone call with Putin on Wednesday, which included the Russian leader agreeing to “immediately” begin negotiations over the war in Ukraine. RUSSIA CLAIMS TRUMP, PUTIN TALK BROUGHT WORLD FROM ‘BRINK OF APOCALYPSE,’ EU WARNS OF ‘DIRTY TRICKS’ Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the two leaders “agreed to work together, very closely.” “We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.” Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to lead the U.S. delegation to the Munich Security Conference where the future of Ukraine will be the top item on the agenda. Trump has been vague about his specific intentions — other than suggesting that a deal will likely result in Ukraine being forced to cede territory that Russia has seized since it annexed Crimea in 2014. RUSSIA LAUNCHES FRESH DRONE ATTACK AGAINST UKRAINE SHORTLY AFTER TRUMP-PUTIN PHONE CALL “The Ukraine war has to end,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “Young people are being killed at levels that nobody’s seen since World War II. And it’s a ridiculous war.” Both Trump and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dashed Ukraine’s hopes this week of becoming part of NATO, which the alliance said less than a year ago was “irreversible,” or getting back its territory captured by Russia, which currently occupies close to 20%, including Crimea. “I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow … them to join NATO,” Trump said Thursday. “I don’t see that happening.” When asked what he thought Russia should give up to reach a deal, he noted that talks have not yet begun and that “maybe Russia will give up a lot, maybe they won’t.” At NATO headquarters, Hegseth reiterated Thursday that “simply pointing out realism like the borders won’t be rolled back to what everybody would like them to be in 2014 is not a concession to Vladimir Putin.” He said it’s a recognition of realities on the ground. He added, though, that neither Russia nor Ukraine will “get everything that they want” and stressed that “any negotiation that’s had will be had with both.” Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Judge orders temporary reversal of Trump admin’s freeze on foreign aid
A federal judge late Thursday issued an order compelling the Trump administration to lift its three-week funding freeze on U.S. foreign aid. Judge Amir Ali issued the order Thursday in U.S. district court in Washington in a lawsuit brought by two health organizations that receive U.S. funding for programs abroad. In his order, Ali noted that the Trump administration argued it had to shut down funding for the thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development aid programs abroad to conduct a thorough review of each program and whether it should be eliminated. TRUMP TEMPORARILY THWARTED IN DOGE MISSION TO END USAID But the judge said that Trump officials failed to explain why a “blanket suspension” of foreign aid programs was necessary before the programs were more thoroughly reviewed. USAID was established in 1961 under the Kennedy administration, operating as an independent agency that works closely with the State Department to allocate civilian foreign aid. Under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the agency could be abolished after its reorganization over the coming days, he said in a letter to bipartisan lawmakers on Feb. 3. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump’s Justice Department order to drop charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams sparks resignations
Several senior Justice Department officials resigned in protest Thursday rather than comply with an order to drop a bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The acts of resistance came amid President Donald Trump’s effort to overhaul the agency, which he said has been weaponized against political opponents. The six resignations include Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, Trump’s pick to temporarily lead the office prosecuting Adams, who resigned her post on Thursday, according to the memorandum by Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a Trump appointee. SENATE CONFIRMS PAM BONDI AS US ATTORNEY GENERAL “I remain baffled by the rushed and superficial process by which this decision was reached,” Sassoon wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Adams, a Democrat who said he was targeted by the Biden administration, has been willing to work with the Trump administration crackdown to curb illegal immigration. Adams pleaded not guilty to charges that he accepted bribes from Turkish officials. “Rather than be rewarded, Adams’s advocacy should be called out for what it is: an improper offer of immigration enforcement assistance in exchange for a dismissal of his case,” Sassoon wrote to Bondi. Adams’ lawyer Alex Spiro said in an email to Reuters that the charges against his client are a “sham.” “If SDNY had any proof whatsoever that the mayor destroyed evidence, they would have brought those charges—as they continually threatened to do, but didn’t, over months and months,” Spiro wrote. “This newest false claim is just the parting shot of a misguided prosecution exposed as a sham.” In his Thursday memo, Bove wrote that Sassoon had refused to comply with what he called his office’s finding that the case against Adams amounted to weaponization of the justice system. “Your resignation is accepted…you lost sight of the oath that you took when you started at the DOJ,” he wrote. “Your office has no authority to contest the weaponization finding,” wrote Bove, Trump’s former personal criminal defense lawyer. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination.” DOJ DIRECTS FBI TO FIRE 8 TOP OFFICIALS, IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN JAN. 6, HAMAS CASES FOR REVIEW After Sassoon refused to dismiss the case, the Trump administration directed John Keller, the acting head of the Justice Department’s public corruption unit, to do so, according to people familiar with the matter. Keller also resigned on Thursday, two people familiar with the matter said, as well as Kevin Driscoll, a senior official in the department’s criminal division. Three other deputies in the Justice Department’s public corruption unit – Rob Heberle, Jenn Clarke, and Marco Palmieri – also resigned on Thursday over the Adams case, a person familiar with the matter said. A Justice Department official confirmed Keller’s and Driscoll’s resignations, and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the other three. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. Since taking office in January, Trump has fired more than a dozen federal prosecutors who pursued cases against him. In a statement to Fox News, Bove said he concluded that the prosecution against Adams had to be dismissed in order to “prioritize national security and public safety over continuing with a case that has been tainted from the start by troubling tactics.” “There is no room at the Justice Department for attorneys who refuse to execute on the priorities of the Executive Branch – priorities determined by the American people,” he said. “I look forward to working with new leadership at SDNY on the important priorities President Trump has laid out for us to make America safe again.” Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.
Plane carrying Sec. of State Rubio turns around after experiencing mechanical issue
A plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio was diverted back to Joint Base Andrews on Thursday night due to a mechanical issue. Rubio was on his way to Munich, Germany from Washington, D.C. on Thursday night when the plane experienced a mechanical issue, according to spokesperson Tammy Bruce. RUBIO SAYS AMERICAN MARC FOGEL FREED FROM RUSSIA DUE TO ‘STRENGTH’ OF TRUMP The plane has since turned around and was returning to Joint Base Andrews. Bruce said Rubio intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft. Rubio is expected to travel to the Middle East for a few days, visiting Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. His impending visit to the Middle East comes at a pivotal time in foreign policy, as Israel and Hamas are implementing a three-stage ceasefire agreement after 16 months of war in Gaza. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump Setting Records
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Trump’s nominee for Commerce secretary passes key vote in the Senate –USAID workers ask federal judge to uphold restraining order blocking Trump freeze -Dems spar over DOGE cuts with Trump education nominee Linda McMahon President Donald Trump took to social media on Thursday morning to showcase his frenetic pace since reentering the White House on Jan. 20. “THREE GREAT WEEKS, PERHAPS THE BEST EVER,” the president touted. Trump has signed 64 executive orders since his inauguration, according to a count from Fox News, which far surpasses the rate of any presidential predecessors during their first weeks in office…Read more ‘TOO MANY PEOPLE’: Roughly 75,000 federal employees agree to Trump’s buyout offer…Read more SICK AND TIRED: Trump’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ commission to target autism, chronic diseases…Read more FROZEN FUNDS: Pennsylvania’s Shapiro latest Democrat suing ‘unconstitutional’ Trump admin…Read more ‘FLEXING HIS EXECUTIVE POWER’: Judicial pushback against Trump’s agenda will likely lead to one final face-off, experts say…Read more ‘PARTISAN ACTIVIST’: Impeachment threat hits judge who blocked Trump federal funding freeze…Read more BACK TO BACK: Trump Agriculture pick confirmed as president racks up Cabinet wins…Read more POISONED APPLE: Bipartisan intelligence letter warns Gabbard new UK order for backdoor Apple data could jeopardize Americans…Read more ‘SURRENDERING LEVERAGE’: Obama officials, Trump critics target Hegseth’s Ukraine ‘concessions’ as ‘biggest gift’ to Russia…Read more UKRAINE DEAL: ‘No betrayal’ in Trump move toward Ukraine war negotiations, Hegseth says…Read more SENATE SEAT SHAKE-UP: Senate Democrats forced to defend another open seat in 2026 midterms…Raed more DEATH TAX: Inheritance tax hits chopping block as more than 200 Republicans push for repeal…Read more INTERNAL AFFAIRS: Ways and Means chair calls for de-weaponization, overhaul of IRS after ‘lawless’ behavior…Read more CIVICS LESSON: Trump Education nominee Linda McMahon says shutting down DOE would ‘require congressional action’…Read more ‘DON’T WATCH THE NEWS’: GOP chairman responds after protesters are tossed from USAID spending hearing…Read more FAST-TRACK: Comer, Lee roll out bicameral bill to fast-track Trump’s government reorganization plans through Congress…Read more WON’T TOE THE LINE: Fetterman says there ‘isn’t a constitutional crisis’ with the Trump administration: report…Read more CHANGE COMING: Kash Patel’s nomination to lead FBI faces first major Senate hurdle…Read more MATH TEST: Trump budget bill hits the rocks with GOP rebels, tax hawks ahead of key vote…Read more ‘WAR ON WASTE’: DOGE subcommittee holds first hearing slamming $36T national debt, as House Republicans declare ‘war on waste’…Read more STEPPING DOWN: NIH principal deputy director, who led agency during COVID, resigns abruptly…Read more ‘GIRL,’ DEFINED: Alabama’s What is a Woman Act, to ‘codify common sense,’ primed for gov’s signature…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Indian Prime Minister Modi takes page from Trump, says ‘make India great again,’ or ‘MIGA’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a page from President Donald Trump’s playbook during a joint press conference Thursday, saying he wants to make India great again, or “MIGA.” Modi met with Trump at the White House, where the world leaders discussed a range of issues, including trade, the economic relationship between India and the United States and military sales. During a press conference, Modi said Indian people were focusing on their heritage and ways to ensure his nation is developed by 2047. INDIA’S MODI SPEAKS WITH ‘DEAR FRIEND’ PRESIDENT TRUMP AMID HOPES OF FURTHERING TIES “Borrowing an expression from America, our vision for a developed India is to make India great again, or MIGA,” he said through a translator. “When America and India work together, that is, when it’s MAGA plus MIGA, it becomes a mega partnership for prosperity. “And it is this mega spirit that gives new scale and scope to our objectives.” TRUMP’S TARIFF THREATS GO BEYOND ‘TRADE AGREEMENT’ TO ADVANCE AMERICAN INTERESTS: EXPERT At the beginning of the press conference, Trump announced the United States would be providing India F-35 fighter jets and increasing military sales to the country by billions of dollars. Trump also said his administration approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, one of the plotters of a deadly 2008 terrorist attack that killed 160 people. “I’m pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India,” Trump said. In addition, Modi said India would accept illegal Indian immigrants in the United States who are deported back home. “Anybody who enters another country illegally,” Modi said, “they have absolutely no right to be in that country. “And as far as India and the U.S. is concerned, we have always been of the same opinion. And that is that any verified Indian who is in the U.S. illegally, we are fully prepared to take them back to India.”
Trump team digs in, finds millions of wasted dollars at EPA, HUD with DOGE help
The new administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lee Zeldin, said he has canceled a Biden-era $50 million environmental justice grant to an organization that believes “climate justice travels through a Free Palestine.” Zeldin, who was sworn in as the EPA administrator at the end of January, was a guest on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” on Thursday, where he spoke about canceling the grant. “Just earlier today, I canceled a $50 million grant to an organization called the Climate Justice Alliance,” he said. “They say that climate justice runs through a free Palestine. I think that the American taxpayer wouldn’t want $50 million going to this left-wing advocacy group. It’s canceled.” Zeldin also noted that Congress has advocated against the grant. EPA ADMINISTRATOR ZELDIN DEMANDS RETURN OF $20B IN TAXPAYER MONEY WASTED BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION The EPA also sent $160 million to a Canadian electric bus manufacturer under the Biden administration. Zeldin said the Biden administration sent the full amount to the manufacturer, rather than making payments along the way as school buses were being produced. Since receiving the money, he added, the company has declared bankruptcy. “They still haven’t provided $95 million worth of school buses to the 55 school districts,” Zeldin said. “It’s the American taxpayer that gets screwed.” TRUMP TAPS FORMER NEW YORK REP LEE ZELDIN TO LEAD EPA On Wednesday, Zeldin announced his team had located $20 billion in taxpayer funds that the Biden administration purposely wasted. Two months ago, a video featuring a Biden EPA political appointee circulated, with that individual talking about how they were “tossing gold bars off the Titanic,” and rushing to get billions of tax dollars out the door before President Trump took office. Zeldin spoke about the video on X, and said the gold bars were tax dollars, and “tossing them off the Titanic” meant the Biden administration knew they were wasting the money. The new EPA administrator said his team has plans to recover the “gold bars” that were found “parked at an outside financial institution,” which he did not mention by name. THROUGH THE EPA, WE CAN PURSUE ENERGY DOMINANCE, LEE ZELDIN SAYS | FOX NEWS VIDEO As the EPA continues to find ways funds are being wasted, President Donald Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is being led by billionaire Elon Musk, also continues to go agency to agency in search of blown tax dollars. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner announced the creation of the DOGE Task Force at HUD on Thursday. “We will identify and eliminate any waste, fraud and abuse,” Turner wrote on X. “Under President Trump’s leadership, business as usual is over.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He announced his team had identified $260 million in savings, just two days prior. Fox News Digital’s Christina Shaw contributed to this report.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams promises to reopen ICE office on Rikers Island after meeting with Trump border czar
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said a plan was being worked on to allow federal immigration authorities to operate on Rikers Island following a meeting with border czar Tom Homan, a significant step given the city’s sanctuary policies. Adams met with Homan during a closed-door meeting. In a statement, he said an executive order was being worked on to “reestablish the ability for ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island — as was the case for 20 years.” “But now, instead, ICE agents would specifically be focused on assisting the correctional intelligence bureau in their criminal investigations, in particular those focused on violent criminals and gangs,” he added. TOM HOMAN BELIEVES ICE RAID LEAKS ARE ‘COMING FROM INSIDE’ AS AURORA LEAKER CLOSER TO BEING IDENTIFIED Adams said the pair discussed how to combat violent migrant gangs and embedding more New York Police Department officers into federal task forces. Unlike many blue city mayors, Adams has expressed interest in working with the Trump administration to crack down on illegal immigration in an effort to combat crime. He noted that New York shouldered a larger number of migrants transported to blue cities from the southern border. “New York City has been forced to shoulder the burden of a national humanitarian crisis where more than 230,000 migrants have come to our city seeking support, at a cost of approximately $7 billion, with little help from the previous administration,” Adams said. AG PAM BONDI VOWS TO ‘FIGHT BACK’ AGAINST JUDGES BLOCKING TRUMP’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA “That is why I have been clear that I want to work with the new federal administration, not war with them, to find common ground and make better the lives of New Yorkers,” he added. The meeting came days after the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop a bribery case against Adams. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove sent a letter to the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) on Monday, instructing the SDNY to drop the federal case against Adams and dismiss it without prejudice. In response, Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned on Thursday in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has taken a hard stance against sanctuary cities. On Wednesday, Bondi put New York and other cities on notice. “This is a new DOJ,” she told reporters while announcing a lawsuit against New York state and government officials. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today.”
RFK Jr. sworn in as Health and Human Services secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as the new secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), hours after being confirmed in the Republican-controlled Senate Thursday by a close vote of 52-48 that was almost entirely along party lines. Kennedy stood in the Oval Office alongside his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, and accompanied by his children, while he placed his hand on a Bible and swore the oath of office. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch swore in Kennedy. After the ceremony, Kennedy told attendees about his first visit to the Oval Office. “My first time in this Oval Office was in … 1962. I came here, and I had a meeting with my uncle who was president then, where we talked about the environment. He was involved very deeply, as we all know, in restoring physical fitness in this country. MCCONNELL WARNS RFK JR. TO STEER CLEAR OF THE POLIO VACCINE “For 20 years, I got on my knees every morning and prayed that God would put me in a position where I could end the childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country,” Kennedy said. “On Aug. 23 of last year, God sent me President Trump. He’s kept every promise he’s made to me. He’s kept his word in every account and gone way beyond it. … I’m so grateful to you, Mr. President.” Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote against Kennedy’s nomination. McConnell, the former longtime GOP Senate leader, had polio as a child and is a major proponent of vaccines. Kennedy, the well-known vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump, needed a simple majority to be confirmed by the Senate. SENATE DEMOCRATS RAIL AGAINST RFK JR. IN LATE-NIGHT SESSION AHEAD OF VOTE “I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles,” McConnell said after the Kennedy vote. Kennedy, whose outspoken views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, has said he aims to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases. The push is part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign. SENATE CONFIRMS ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. TO SERVE AS TRUMP’S HEALTH SECRETARY Trump regularly criticized Kennedy during his independent presidential bid, accusing him of being a “radical left liberal” and a “Democrat plant.” Kennedy fired back, claiming in a social media post that Trump’s jabs against him were “a barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims.” However, Kennedy made major headlines again in August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, who were both assassinated in the 1960s. Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report