Hegseth lawyer slams ‘flawed and questionable affidavit’ from ex-sister-in-law
President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is pushing back on a last-minute affidavit from his former sister-in-law with new allegations. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy C. Parlatore, wrote to Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Wednesday to dispel the claims made by Danielle Dietrich, formerly Hegseth, in her affidavit. “While it is difficult to respond to, or to credit anonymous allegations, the benefit of someone putting their name on the record is that we can examine their credibility and bias. In this case, the credibility and bias is easy to discern,” he said in the correspondence obtained by Fox News Digital. REPUBLICAN LEADERS STILL AT ODDS ON RECONCILIATION DEBATE AFTER TRUMP MEETING Dietrich’s affidavit was obtained by Fox News on Tuesday. Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, once married to his brother, alleged that Hegseth had an alcohol abuse problem and that at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. She provided a number of anecdotes in the affidavit, including an event where Samantha supposedly hid in a closet from her husband. However, Dietrich noted that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, from Pete against Samantha. NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING The affidavit also referred to anecdotes about Hegseth’s alleged heavy drinking, referring to several specific occasions, including one at a strip club. After the affidavit was reported, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the committee’s ranking member, said in a statement, “As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears. “The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the secretary of defense.” NEW OHIO AND FLORIDA SENATE-APPOINTEES SWORN IN AS VANCE AND RUBIO’S REPLACEMENTS In the document, Dietrich further suggested her former brother-in-law is not fit to be the secretary of defense. “She is openly admitting that her purpose is to sink the nomination and has been promised by Democrats that such a statement would have that effect,” Parlatore said in his letter to Wicker. He pointed out that the “vast majority” of what Dietrich referred to were events she admitted to not being a witness to. “She materially contradicts Sam’s sworn statements in the divorce proceedings where she acknowledges that there was no abuse,” Hegseth’s lawyer added. Parlatore also pointed out that her claims “inadvertently” accuse Samantha of lying during the FBI’s background check of Hegseth. “It is important to note that Ms. Dietrich told all of this to the FBI on December 30, 2024, but the FBI was unable to corroborate her claims, which were then flatly refuted by Sam, the actual participant,” he said. ‘DESPERATE ATTEMPT’: SENATORS RECEIVE AFFIDAVIT WITH ALLEGATIONS ABOUT HEGSETH’S PREVIOUS MARRIAGE “There is no basis to credit this deeply flawed and questionable affidavit, which was submitted at the 11th hour in a clear and admitted partisan attempt to derail Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation,” the letter concluded. Dietrich’s lawyer, Leita Walker, responded in a statement: “Danielle will not be commenting beyond her statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, which required much courage. She asks for respect for her privacy and the privacy of those she cares about, including Pete Hegseth’s former wives and children.” While Democrats were quick to claim the affidavit affirmed that Hegseth is not fit for the role, Republicans slammed them as looking to obstruct the confirmation process. “They’re just being the Democrats, being obstructionists,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters. “They’re just trying to make sure Trump doesn’t have his administration team put together. It’s not good for the American public. President Trump won the election. If he won the electoral vote by [a] significant margin, they should stop being obstructionists,” he continued.
Pentagon sending additional 1,500 troops to southern border: US official
The U.S. Pentagon is sending an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border by the end of the month, a U.S. official told Fox News on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear what specific units would be sent, though the Trump administration is expected to make a formal announcement later Wednesday. There are already 2,500 U.S. service members stationed at the southern border. The troops were ordered there in May 2023 during the Biden administration under title 10 authorities, were approved by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and are planned to be in place until the end of FY2025, according to a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson. The 1,500 additional service members will deploy to different locations along the southern border by the end of the month, the U.S. official said. BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SENDS MESSAGE TO FAR-LEFT OFFICIALS PUSHING BACK AGAINST MASS DEPORTATIONS: ‘GAME ON’ The added troops will act in the same roles as the service members already there, providing aerial reconnaissance, data entry, training, vehicle maintenance, detection and monitoring, and some other logistical support roles. The announcement will mark the third time that U.S. troops have been sent to the southern border in the last two years. VERMONT BORDER PATROL AGENT ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY GERMAN NATIONAL WORKED IN PENTAGON DURING 9/11: FAMILY In May 2023, former President Joe Biden and Austin approved a request from former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send an additional 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border for 90 days to assist with the influx of migrants after pandemic era health restrictions ended in May 2023. In March 2024, Austin approved another DHS request for 2,500 service members, including national guardsmen under Title 10 duty status.
Nearly 2 dozen states sue Trump admin over birthright citizenship order: ‘Unprecedented’
Nearly two dozen states are suing the Trump administration over President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants – claiming that it is unconstitutional and “unprecedented.” “The President has no authority to rewrite or nullify a constitutional amendment or duly enacted statute. Nor is he empowered by any other source of law to limit who receives United States citizenship at birth,” the lawsuit by 18 Democratic-led states said. “If this unprecedented executive action is allowed to stand, both Plaintiffs and their residents will suffer immediate and irreparable harm,” it argues. TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM’ Trump signed the order, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” which ends birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants. The order seeks to clarify the 14th Amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” It clarifies that those born to illegal immigrant parents, or those who were here legally but on temporary nonimmigrant visas, are not citizens by birthright. The Trump order argues: “Among the categories of individuals born in the United States and not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, the privilege of United States citizenship does not automatically extend to persons born in the United States: (1) when that person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth, or (2) when that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth.” The states argued that thousands of children are born to parents on temporary or illegal status. TRUMP DHS REPEALS KEY MAYORKAS MEMO LIMITING ICE AGENTS, ORDERS PAROLE REVIEW “Under the Order, such children born after February 19, 2025 – who would have been unquestionably deemed citizens had they been born two days ago – will lack any legal status in the eyes of the federal government,” the states argue. “They will all be deportable, and many will be stateless. They will lose the ability to access myriad federal services that are available to their fellow Americans. And despite the Constitution’s guarantee of their citizenship, they will lose their rights to participate in the economic and civic life of their own country – to work, vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices.” Signed onto the lawsuit are attorneys general of New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin. The city and county of San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., are also signed on. The lawsuit comes shortly after another one filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) “on behalf of organizations with members whose babies born on U.S. soil will be denied citizenship under the order…” and claimed the order is unconstitutional and against congressional intent and Supreme Court precedent. Four other states, Illinois, Arizona, Washington and Oregon, later filed a separate lawsuit. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The Trump administration pushed back, saying it was ready to tackle the lawsuit in court. “Radical Leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get on board and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda,” Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News Digital. “These lawsuits are nothing more than an extension of the Left’s resistance – and the Trump administration is ready to face them in court,” he said. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
‘Tip of the spear’: Trump ramps up unscripted media blitz after years of reclusive Biden ducking questions
President Donald Trump is quickly showcasing his accessibility to reporters days after returning to the White House, a stark contrast to his Democratic predecessor who frequently ducked questions and took scripted questions from reporters. “We’ll take a few questions,” the president said on Tuesday, after announcing what’s said to be a half-trillion dollar investment by top tech companies to vastly expand the nation’s artificial intelligence infrastructure. Trump then took questions for half an hour from reporters gathered at the White House. It was the second straight day the new president held an informal, off-the-cuff and freewheeling news conference with reporters. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS UPDATES ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE On Monday, hours after he was inaugurated at the U.S. Capitol, Trump took questions for 45 minutes as he sat in the Oval Office and simultaneously signed an avalanche of executive orders and actions. The back and forth with reporters was carried live by Fox News and CNN. Trump on Wednesday is taking questions from Fox News’ Sean Hannity, for his first Oval Office interview since returning to the White House. The sit-down will run at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News’ “Hannity.” FOX EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SHARES LETTER BIDEN LEFT FOR HIM “The president is the tip of the spear and he’s been active in wanting to go out and communicate both his successes and the challenges that we have, and he’s been active in wanting to solve those,” deputy White House chief of staff for communications Taylor Budowich told Fox News. The accessibility with reporters showcases Trump’s unscripted nature, and it stands in stark contrast with former President Joe Biden, whose interactions with reporters were more limited and at times tightly stage-managed. “Did Biden ever do news conferences like this?” Trump asked on Monday, as he appeared to take a jab at the former president. TRUMP’S AVALANCHE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS Julie Mason, the host of a national radio program, veteran White House reporter and former elected board member of the White House Correspondents Association, told Fox News “it is completely refreshing to have a president who is accessible, available.” “He’ll answer any question you throw at him. He’s not always happy with the questions he gets, but he engages with journalists. That’s the most important thing. Their job is to inform the public about what is going on at the White House and having direct access to the president is essential to that,” Mason emphasized. She added that “Biden was kept very much under wraps. Reporters rarely got a chance to ask him anything. It was a huge frustration in the press corps. This is completely different.” Trump is known for his extended interactions with reporters. He held two unconstrained news conferences at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, during his transition back to the presidency. And while for years he has accused reporters of being “fake news” and “the enemy of the people,” and while his answers to their questions keep fact-checkers busy, his exchanges with the media are often free-flowing, without any aides selecting reporters to ask questions. Budowich says Trump’s accessibility and off-the-cuff style are contributing factors to his political success. “The reason we won this election is because of Donald Trump. The reason why we are going to succeed in executing his agenda is because of Donald Trump,” he argued. And he touted that Trump “in the first two and a half days, has accomplished what most presidents fail to accomplish in their first two years.”
House Speaker Johnson captures VP JD Vance’s first visit to the Oval Office on video
House Speaker Mike Johnson channeled his inner dad energy as he excitedly recorded Vice President JD Vance’s first time in the Oval Office. The speaker not only celebrated the moment, but he noted Vance’s background, saying his story is one that could happen “only in America.” “As we gathered for our meeting at the White House yesterday, JD Vance mentioned to us that he had never before visited the Oval Office. I told him and President Trump that I HAD to capture the moment on video,” Johnson wrote in a post on X. “Only in America can a hardworking young man from Appalachia rise from his humble circumstances to enter the Oval for first time as VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. What a country!” REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, VP VANCE TO ADVANCE AGENDA Vance’s background took center stage in the campaign as then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, D-Min., made a joke about no one from his small town going to Yale, where Vance got his law degree. “Now, I grew up in Butte, Nebraska, a town of 400 people. I had 24 kids in my high school class, and none of them went to Yale,” Walz said during his remarks at the Democratic National Convention. The Trump campaign was quick to call out Walz’s remarks on social media, calling it a “weird flex.” WHO IS TRUMP’S RUNNING MATE JD VANCE? Before he was chosen as President Donald Trump’s running mate, Vance served as a senator from Ohio after winning the seat in 2022. However, the current vice president entered the public eye in 2016 when he published his book, “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” In the book, he details his challenging upbringing in Middletown, Ohio. Surrounded by poverty, and grappling with his mother’s drug addiction, Vance worked his way into a position to make change. In 2020, years after the memoir was published, it was turned into a Netflix movie, which was directed by Ron Howard and starred Glenn Close and Amy Adams. “Hillbilly Elegy” faced fierce criticism, which both Close and Adams rejected. Recently, while on “The View,” Close praised the vice president’s “very generous family.” GLENN CLOSE PRAISES ‘GENEROUS’ FAMILY OF JD VANCE DURING ‘HILLBILLY ELEGY’ FILMING, AS ‘VIEW’ HOSTS TAKE JABS Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, has been sober for a decade. Aikins briefly addressed the crowd at the Ohio inaugural ball, which was held in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night. She informed the crowd that she officially hit 10 years of sobriety that day and that the next day was her birthday, in addition to it being her son’s inauguration, Cincinnati.com reported. Vance returned to his hometown for a rally held at Middletown High School, from which he graduated in 2003. He told the crowd that the town was “so good to me,” and that he was “proud” to be from Middletown.
Newsom uses LA fires to criticize President Trump’s reversal of Biden-era climate emissions standards
In an apparent swipe at President Donald Trump, Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested the Los Angeles fires were the result of climate change, urging skeptics that, “If you don’t believe in science, believe your own damn eyes.” He wrote those words in a press release issued on Tuesday in response to Trump’s executive orders around the environment and paired them alongside horrifying images of the fires raging in California, which have so far killed 27 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes and structures. Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, signed several executive orders to reverse parts of former President Joe Biden’s climate agenda, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement – a legally binding treaty between nearly 195 parties who are committed to international cooperation on climate change. In response to Trump distancing from the climate pact, which sought to reduce emissions 61-66% by 2035, the California governor suggested that withdrawing from the global emissions agreement contributes to environmental incidents such as the West Coast fires. TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY Several other Democratic lawmakers across the country have also tried to pin the disastrous fires on climate change, despite residents fuming at local officials after some fire hydrants were not producing water in areas impacted by the fires. “The scale of damage and loss is unimaginable. Climate change is real, not ‘a hoax.’ Donald Trump must treat this like the existential crisis it is,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a social media post in January. PRESIDENT TRUMP FOLLOWS THROUGH ON DAY ONE WITH TRADE, ENERGY, DOGE EXECUTIVE ORDERS The claims come as California officials continue to receive backlash for funding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the city, while the fire department budget was slashed by $17.6 million this year. “When you just look at water not coming out of fire hydrants and then nobody seems to know why. And then the governor says, ‘Well, I’m going to investigate it,’ it’s just kind of a sideshow in a time when we need real definitive, strong leadership,” Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital of Newsom. Actor Michael Rapaport also blasted Newsom for talking about “Trump-proofing” California ahead of his inauguration instead of focusing on “fire-proofing” the state. “If you are going to run a city or run a state, you have to take care of the basics, and that’s to make sure that your fire and your police department are well-funded,” filmmaker and former “Family Ties” star Justine Bateman told Fox News’ Jessie Watters. Newsom extended an invitation to Trump to visit the areas in California that were impacted by the fires. Trump told attendees at a pre-inauguration rally that he plans to visit southern California later this week, marking his first trip to the state since being sworn-in as president. Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Working ‘in tandem’: Republicans prep to make Trump executive orders permanent
House Republicans have no plans to allow President Donald Trump’s key executive orders to expire at the end of his four-year term. Trump marked his first day in office Monday with dozens of new executive orders, and signaled that he is aiming to use the commander in chief’s unilateral power to enact policy when possible. Executive orders, however, can be easily rescinded when a new administration enters the White House. They can also be subject to legal challenges that argue they run afoul of existing U.S. law, as is the current case with Trump’s order limiting birthright citizenship. But several House GOP lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital are signaling they intend to stop that from happening for at least several of Trump’s key policies. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST DAY IN OFFICE “I see him doing things by executive action as a necessity to signal… but they’re not the best way to do things,” former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital. “The best way to do things is the legislative process with a signature on a bill.” Perry suggested starting with Trump’s orders on the border and energy. Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., confirmed at his weekly press conference that Trump’s orders will be a roadmap for the House. “This is an America First agenda that takes both of those branches of government to work in tandem,” Johnson said. “And so what he’s doing is kickstarting what will ultimately be our legislative agenda.” Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., a close ally of Trump, told Fox News Digital, “I think the executive orders are easy because it requires one person.” “Equally important in our discussions with him is the legislative piece, that we permanently enshrine some of these things or that we correct mistakes in the law that maybe have been abused in the past,” Fry said. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., suggested enshrining Trump’s rollback of Biden administration energy policies into law. The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s border subcommittee, Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., said he wanted Congress to back up Trump’s immigration executive orders. “We need to codify what President Trump has put in place by executive orders – Remain in Mexico, doing away with the CBP One app,” Guest said. “When President Trump leaves office in four years, those executive orders can be undone.” FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP VOWS OVER 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY 1 Some have already taken steps to do just that. House Science Committee Chair Brian Babin, R-Texas, introduced a bill this week to limit birthright citizenship the day after Trump’s order. Freshman Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, released a bill earlier this month to reinstate Trump’s Remain In Mexico policy. “I think the border crisis is so egregious and so harmful to American citizens that everybody can see it, whether you’re a Republican or Democrat,” Gill told Fox News Digital. Former President Joe Biden rolled back several of Trump’s key executive orders on his first day in office and ended enforcement of Remain In Mexico – though that was challenged in court.
Biden’s letter to Trump revealed: ‘May God bless you and guide you’
President Donald Trump revealed the contents of the letter that President Joe Biden left him upon leaving the Oval Office earlier this week exclusively to Fox News on Wednesday. The letter, which Trump found inside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office with a little help from Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy, is addressed “Dear President Trump” and reads as follows: “As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people – and people around the world – look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation. “May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.” BIDEN LEFT TRUMP ‘INSPIRATIONAL’ MESSAGE IN ‘VERY NICE’ LETTER, NEW PRESIDENT SAYS The letter was signed “Joe Biden” and dated Jan. 20, 2025. This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
House Speaker Johnson calls Biden’s last-minute pardons ‘shocking’ and ‘disgusting’
House Speaker Mike Johnson says former President Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons of his family members were “shocking” and “disgusting.” “It was shocking. I mean, it was shocking what President Biden did on the way out, pardoning his family for more than a decade of whatever activity, any nonviolent offenses. It was breathtaking to us,” Johnson said Wednesday during the House Republican leadership’s weekly press conference. “I don’t think that’s anything like that’s ever been anticipated. And by the way, go look at the tape. You know, four years ago when it was just implied that President Trump might do something similar, they were apoplectic. Joe Biden himself, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, roll the tape. They all said that would be crazy and unconscionable. And now they’re cheering it along,” Johnson continued. “To us, it is disgusting. To us, it probably proves the point. The suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family. If they weren’t the crime family, why do they need pardons? Right?” Johnson also said. “Look, there’s a lot of attention that’s going to be paid to this. And I think that is appropriate. And we will be looking at it as well.” 4 TRUMP RIVALS THAT BIDEN DIDN’T PARDON Biden pardoned his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday. The pardon applied to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden, the White House announced. The president argued that his family could be subject to “politically motivated investigations” after he leaves office. “I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families,” Biden said in a statement. “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances,” Biden added. The pardons have been widely criticized, with Trump-Vance transition senior adviser Jason Miller describing them to Fox News as “nonsense.” “I think for Joe Biden to do that, I thought that was nonsense,” he said. ‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOST SLAMS BIDEN’S LAST-SECOND PREEMPTIVE PARDONS, SAYS HIS LEGACY IS TARNISHED Former Biden White House communications director Kate Bedingfield also called them a “disappointing move.” Biden issued another wave of pre-emptive pardons earlier Monday morning, those going to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and people associated with the House select committee investigation on January 6. Since taking office, President Donald Trump signed off on releasing more than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol. “The President has made his decision,” Johnson said Wednesday when asked about those pardons. Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Anders Hagstrom, Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
Bureau of Prisons director out as Trump’s Justice Department reforms take shape
The director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has resigned from her position, while a Biden-era executive order that sought to phase out the use of private prisons has been repealed amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to implement drastic reforms to the Justice Department. Colette Peters, who has led the BOP since August 2022, is out as director of the beleaguered agency, and she has been replaced by William Lothrop, who had been serving as deputy director of the BOP. Peters was appointed by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 and touted as a reform-minded outsider tasked with rebuilding an agency plagued for years by staff shortages, widespread corruption, misconduct and abuse. DOJ TO INVESTIGATE STATE OR LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO OBSTRUCT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT: MEMO The agency has nearly 36,000 employees and is responsible for more than 155,000 federal inmates. Lothrop, who says he has more than 30 years’ experience working in the BOP, announced the change via a statement on Tuesday, the day after President Trump was sworn into office. The BOP director is not subject to confirmation by the Senate, per the legal news service Law 360. “On Jan. 20, 2025, Director Peters separated from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and I will be serving as the Acting Director,” Lothrop said. “As we face ongoing challenges, including staffing shortages and operational issues, I am committed to working alongside you to find real solutions that strengthen our facilities. We will continue collaborating with our law enforcement partners and stakeholders to maintain robust programming and support services for inmates.” “Our mission remains clear: to provide a safe, secure and humane environment, ensure public safety, and prepare those in our custody for successful reentry into society,” his statement added. CAREER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS REASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS: REPORTS Soon after Trump was elected, Peters announced the closure of six male federal prison camps and one female facility, including the scandal-hit Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, per Forbes. FCI Dublin had garnered the nickname “rape club” after the Justice Department in December was ordered to pay almost $116 million to 103 women who say they were abused there. The prison’s former warden, Ray Garcia, and at least seven other employees are now in prison themselves for sexually abusing inmates. During her Peters, she appeared before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and spoke about the challenges the BOP faced, but she had trouble getting results. In September 2023, Peters was scolded by Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, who said Peters forced them to wait more than a year for answers to written follow-up questions they sent her after she first appeared before the committee in September 2022, leaving them without information critical to fully understanding how the agency runs. Peters also irked senators by claiming she couldn’t answer even the most basic questions about agency operations — like how many correctional officers are on staff — and by referring to notes and talking points on a tablet computer in front of her. In 2024, then President Biden signed the Federal Prison Oversight Law, which allowed the Office of Inspector General to conduct more unannounced prison inspections, per Forbes. Of the inspections OIG has done over the years, it found significant shortages of staff, poor medical care for prisoners, rotten food and dirty living conditions. Peters said she welcomed the law, but that it had not yet been funded. Trump reversed Executive Order 14006, which had eliminated Justice Department contracts with private prisons. The reversal now allows for new contracts between private prison corporations and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Associated Press contributed to this report.