Sen. Thune suggests staying through weekend to confirm Trump picks after Dems delay votes: ‘Shouldn’t be hard’
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., showed frustration with Democrats on Tuesday after a confirmation vote for President Trump’s pick for CIA director in John Ratcliffe, who has bipartisan support, was blocked. Speaking on the Senate floor after the vote was blocked by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Thune said the Senate can remain in session all weekend to confirm Trump’s picks if progress continues to be delayed. “Do we want a vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because that’s what we’re going to do. This can be easy or this can be hard,” Thune said. “This is about America’s national security interests, and we’re stalling, so that’s not going to happen.” NEW GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO DEMS ‘SEEKING TO DELAY’ PETE HEGSETH DOD CONFIRMATION Ratcliffe was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee by a bipartisan vote of 14 to 3. Because of that, Thune said the vote to confirm him “shouldn’t be hard.” “Democrats and Republicans, in a very big bipartisan fashion, agree that he is very qualified for this job,” Thune said, adding that he isn’t sure what stalling accomplishes. When blocking the vote, Murphy said many Democrats have “serious concerns” about Ratcliffe’s ability to work as CIA director because he “repeatedly politicized intelligence” during his eight months as National Intelligence director in 2020. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask to make sure that we have a full, real debate that lasts two days on the Senate floor,” Murphy said on Tuesday. CONFIRMATION DELAYS STACK UP FOR TRUMP NOMINEES AS PAPERWORK LAGS IN FEDERAL OFFICES Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the delay is for “no good reason” and is simply an attempt “to drag out all of these nominations to play procedural games.” Cotton noted that while the Democrats acted in similar fashion in 2017 with Trump’s first administration and the Republicans in 2021 with Biden’s picks, that this didn’t happen during confirmation votes prior to the past two elections. “We should especially get back to that practice when it is a highly accomplished, well-qualified nominee of integrity, like John Ratcliffe,” Cotton said. “Now we’re going to spin our wheels for two days. But, as I said, don’t make plans for the weekend. Don’t have any dinner dates scheduled starting on Thursday night because we’re going to get these nominees done the easy, collegial way. Or apparently the hard way.” Only one of Trump’s Cabinet nominees has been confirmed thus far, and that was former Florida senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. He was confirmed on Monday by a unanimous vote. Several nominees have advanced out of committee votes while others still await confirmation hearings.
Nearly all of DC shut down for Trump’s inauguration. So why was there no designated survivor?
President Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony Monday featured the largest, most complex security footprint of any inauguration in U.S. history. The nation’s capital was transformed seemingly overnight from a pedestrian-friendly city into a daunting and impenetrable fortress – the result of a multi-agency task force that erected 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, coordinated aerial surveillance and drones, and saw the deployment of tens of thousands of law enforcement, military personnel, undercover agents, and national guard trucks across D.C. The impressive, whole-of-government security effort on Inauguration Day was unprecedented, and not without reason: Trump was the victim of two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign — including a shooter who came so close to him as to nick his ear — and a domestic threat landscape that was heightened further by the terrorist-inspired attack in New Orleans and the execution-style killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan late last year. It’s notable, then, that this year’s sprawling security footprint did not expressly include one key component considered fundamental to U.S. tradition: The naming of a designated survivor. In D.C., the tightly coordinated federal protection efforts were carefully planned long ahead of Trump’s inauguration ceremony by the Secret Service and many other federal agencies. It’s both a nod to recent security concerns, and more largely an effort to protect the U.S. body politic, foreign dignitaries, donors, and thousands of attendees from any mass catastrophe or threat. The designated survivor, who in a catastrophic event would bear the responsibility of leading the U.S. in the aftermath of a crisis, is typically a Cabinet officer when major security events put elected officials all in one spot, such as inaugurations and State of the Union addresses. WORLD LEADERS REACT AS TRUMP RE-ENTERS WHITE HOUSE Previous designated survivors have included former DHS secretary Jeh Johnson, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was tapped for the role during President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Gates, a George W. Bush appointee, was kept on by Obama and served in his Pentagon role until July 2011, according to his official Defense Department biography. The survivor’s location, and sometimes identity, remains confidential until after the event disperses and its attendees have safely returned home. In high-profile events, a broader contingency plan is in place. As Garrett Graff reported in 2016, Gates’s role as designated survivor during Obama’s inauguration also included the support of another government heavyweight — James Clapper, then the undersecretary of intelligence — who stowed away during the ceremony deep in an underground government bunker in Pennsylvania, a backup to the backup, if you will, and a nod at the detailed succession plan carefully crafted by a group defense, intelligence, and other federal agencies over the span of some 40-plus years. So it was notable that no designated survivor was named during the 47th presidential inauguration. TRUMP INAUGURATION GUEST LIST INCLUDES TECH TITANS MARK ZUCKERBERG, JEFF BEZOS, ELON MUSK No reason was given for the absence of the designated survivor, which was first reported by NBC News. It’s possible that the sprawling security presence coordinated in the run-up to Jan. 20 was deemed sufficient to protect against any threats. DEMS PROMISE TO ‘STAND UP TO’ TRUMP BUT LAUD ‘PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER’ AFTER SPEECH It’s also possible the event, which was held indoors and thus restricted to the public and to members of the news media, was limited enough as not to warrant the designated survivor. Ahead of the event, FBI and Secret Service personnel stressed the stringent security measures in place and the tight vetting of any ticketed attendees. David Sundberg of the FBI’s Washington Field Office told Fox News earlier this week that the bureau was not tracking “any specific or credible threats” for Inauguration Day. “All attendees will undergo screening,” said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. These individuals told Fox News that the fencing alone is more than any other designated National Special Security Event in the past. “Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public interested in attending the inauguration,” McCool said ahead of the inauguration — a protocol also applied to attendees of the modified Capital One festivities, which were moved inside due to frigid temperatures. Neither the White House, DHS nor the FBI immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the absence of a designated survivor. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump order puts thousands of Afghan allies waiting for US resettlement in limbo
A day-one order from President Donald Trump puts on pause the plans of Afghan allies who have been approved for resettlement in the U.S., a delay that advocates say could be the difference between life and death at the hands of the Taliban. A pause on refugee resettlement in the U.S. will include Afghans who are in hiding after the Taliban takeover and the family members of U.S. troops. “There are lawyers, doctors, journalists stuck in Pakistan who have been waiting for three and a half years to relocate to the U.S. We finally got the program moving, and we got the U.S. government to agree to allow them to relocate,” Shawn VanDriver, president of resettlement group AfghanEvac, told Fox News Digital. “Now, they’re f***ing panicking.” 2 AMERICANS RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR TALIBAN PRISONER The executive order, entitled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program, will take effect on Monday and will immediately pause the resettlement of those who have worked their way through a system to get approval to move to the U.S. It will go on “until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States.” A report will be submitted to Trump every 90 days until he determines that refugees should be allowed in. “They’re getting it wrong here,” said VanDriver, worried the pause will be “indefinite.” “It could be any day that the Taliban or ISIS-K shows up at your door,” he said. “Can you imagine being a U.S. service member coming to work yesterday thinking that your mom is going to get out of Kabul and then they’re like ‘nope’?” The family members of roughly 200 U.S. service members will be immediately impacted, according to VanDriver. Some of those service members worked as combat interpreters for the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan, only to relocate to and join the service in the U.S. “The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees,” the order says. Since the end of the war in 2021, some 180,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S. “How can the US government leave me behind in Afghanistan after I approved thousands of airstrike packages against the Taliban?” one Afghan who was in the final stages of case processing wrote in a text message shared with Fox News Digital. “Members of Trump’s cabinet are U.S. military veterans and they fully understand what someone in my situation must feel like right now,” the Afghan wrote. “This was the only hope for me and my family.” Prior to the executive order AfghanEvac sent a letter to the Trump team and other lawmakers urging them to continue resettling Afghan allies in the U.S. VanDriver said his letter has received no response from the new White House team. Trump campaigned on the chaos that ensued when the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021. President Joe Biden pointed his finger at Trump, who had agreed to a 2021 deadline with the Taliban, but Trump claimed the Taliban had not held up their end of the deal so he would not have stuck to the agreement. If the refugee program is paused for 90 days, it would affect some 2,000 people. If it is paused in definitely, it could affect between 25 and 30,000 people, according to Van Driver. Many of those who are waiting for approval to come to the U.S. are hiding out in Pakistan fearful of deportation back to Afghanistan where their lives are at risk before they get approval to come to the U.S. Advocates say the decision walks back on a promise the U.S. made to Afghans who aided U.S. troops and non-governmental organizations when the U.S. pulled out and the government collapsed to the Taliban. The order drew mixed reaction from Republicans. GOLD STAR FAMILIES DEVASTATED BY BIDEN’S BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL ENDORSE HEGSETH FOR SECDEF “It doesn’t have to include the Afghans,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a Navy SEAL veteran, told Fox News Digital. “I learned a long time ago there’s waivers for everything. If you’re a man, woman or child and you assisted us in Afghanistan – I’m alive because of our Afghan allies.They’ve earned the right to come here. “I think the move itself is correct,” said Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, another former SEAL, said, adding that Afghan allies should be exempt from the order. “Those Afghan refugees fought alongside us. They have every single right, in my opinion, to be able to navigate these challenging waters to be in our country.” “When you were bringing everybody out of Afghanistan, we were supposed to be targeting the civilians that helped us,” said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a former Army ranger said. “[Biden] flooded everybody that had any proximity to Afghanistan through that program.” “There are people who were inside those C-17s [that evacuated Afghans in 2021] who should not have been there, who had been locked up in prison the day before,” said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. “So we’re going to look carefully and review that. Are we going to pause it for five years and not keep our promise? No.” The Trump administration “will be abandoning thousands of individuals who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with American service members, and who now, due to their loyal service and commitment to our shared values, remain at great risk in Afghanistan,” VanDriver said in a statement. “Even a temporary pause puts our allies in further danger, compromises our global standing with any current and future allies, and breaks the promises we made as a country,” the AfghanEvac letter circulated among lawmakers reads.
Dem rising star eyeing elected office has social media littered with vulgar posts: ‘Open your Asian eyes’
A reported rising star in the Democratic Party, who is being recruited to run for office in Texas, has a social media footprint littered with racially charged posts as well as numerous crude comments about President Trump. Accomplished singer and songwriter Bobby Pulido is being “heavily recruited,” according to a recent Politico report, to run as a Democrat in Texas’ 15th Congressional District and Pulido himself has said that he intends to put his singing career on hold to run for political office in 2026. Pulido’s social media presence is littered with examples of racially charged posts along with vulgar posts about President-elect Trump which are likely to be used against him if he decides to run for Congress. “How convenient that Wikileaks only hacked the democrat party,” Pulido said in a reply to the GOP Asian American account on X, then known as Twitter, in 2016. “Open your Asian eyes. That’s more rigged than anything.” TEXAS A&M CANCELS CONFERENCE TRIP EXCLUDING WHITE AND ASIAN STUDENTS AFTER GOVERNOR BACKLASH “You are f—ing blind if you think she is worse than he is,” Pulido said in another post regarding Trump’s 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton. “Chinga a tu madre,” Pulido said in a tweet to then President-elect Donald Trump in December 2016, which translates in English to “F— your mother.” “I’d like to give you the biggest ‘f— you” you piece of s—, a–hole, d— head, son of a bit–,” Pulido said to Trump in another post. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER SUGGESTS ‘SLAVE MENTALITY’ BEHIND HISPANIC TRUMP VOTERS Numerous examples of Pulido using crude language to attack Trump can be found on his page, which would presumably be unpopular with Republican voters in Texas, a state he won by 14 points in November while making historically significant strides with Hispanic voters in the Lone Star State. In 2015, a Twitter user asked Pulido in Spanish, “What would you say to people who bully me because I listen to your music?” “Tell them I said f— their race,” Pulido posted in response. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP It is unclear what specific political race Pulido is planning on entering, but he has made it clear he intends to launch his candidacy in the near future and Politico reported he would likely be considered to run in Texas’ 15th Congressional District against Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz. “Growing up I was always intrigued by the idea of public service,” Pulido said in a recent livestream discussing retiring from music. “In 2026 I’ll be running for public office in the attempt to fulfill my lifelong dream to serve my people.” Fox News Digital reached out to Pulido, but he did not respond to a request for comment.
White House OPM orders all DEI offices to begin closing by end of day Wednesday
WASHINGTON — The federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) notified heads of agencies and departments that they must begin taking steps to close all diversity, equity and inclusion offices by the end of the day Wednesday and place government workers in those offices on paid leave, Fox News Digital has learned. TRUMP VOWS ‘NEW ERA OF NATIONAL SUCCESS,’ SAYS AMERICA’S ‘DECLINE IS OVER’ IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management Charles Ezell sent a memo to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies on Tuesday evening directing them that by no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, they are to: INFLUENCERS PRAISE TRUMP FOR DECLARING ‘ONLY 2 GENDERS’ WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY US: ‘TRUTH IS WINNING!’ The memo also directed the heads of agencies and departments that by noon Thursday, Jan. 23, they must share with OPM: By Friday at 5 p.m., agency heads must submit to OPM: TRUMP TO TAKE MORE THAN 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY 1 CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The memo comes after President Trump signed an executive order to eliminate all DEI programs from the federal government. The president also signed an order making it “the official policy of the U.S. government to only recognize two genders: male and female.”
Career Justice Department officials reassigned to different positions: reports
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reportedly reassigned multiple senior officials across various divisions ahead of the anticipated confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nomination for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi. Fox News is told that multiple career staffers in the criminal and national security divisions at the DOJ were removed from their current posts and reassigned. While it is difficult to fire a career person “just because,” reassigning is possible, and that appears to have happened. Of those who were moved to other positions within the DOJ was Bruce Schwartz, head of the office of internal affairs, which handles extradition matters, a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press. The same person reportedly told the wire service that about 20 officials had been reassigned. DONALD TRUMP SWORN IN AS 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Also, reportedly moved was George Toscas, a veteran deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division who not only helped oversee major terrorism and espionage investigations but also was a key figure in politically motivated probes over the last 10 years. Toscas was involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information as well as the investigation into Trump’s possession of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Toscas’ reassignment was confirmed to The Associated Press by another person familiar with the matter. TRUMP TO TAKE MORE THAN 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY ONE “He has seen everything in both counterterrorism and counterintelligence,” a former colleague of Toscas’ who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post. “There is no one in the department who knows as much about prosecuting and investigating terrorists and spies as George Toscas.” The Washington Post also learned from sources familiar with the matter that Eun Young Choi, another deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division, was reassigned within the department, and was notified of the change by way of email on Monday afternoon. The DOJ declined to comment on the changes. PRESIDENT TRUMP DISCOVERS LETTER FROM FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN IN RESOLUTE DESK Hours after Trump took the oath of office, the DOJ removed at least four senior officials from the division that operates the nation’s immigration courts, which are currently backlogged. The Washington Post reported that there is a 120-day moratorium on some staff reassignments after newly confirmed leaders begin their appointments, under federal guidelines. Bondi has not yet been confirmed; therefore, the moratorium is not yet in effect in the DOJ. Currently, James McHenry is running the DOJ as acting U.S. attorney general after Merrick Garland left the department on Friday. The reasons for the moves were not immediately known, though it is common for a new administration to appoint its own hires to lead the DOJ. The moves could also foreshadow additional changes, given Trump’s interest in the department, which investigated him during his first term and indicted him twice last year in separate cases that never reached trial and were withdrawn after Trump’s election win in November.
Coast Guard surging assets to Gulf of America, other waterways to support Trump’s executive orders
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday announced the deployment of personnel and equipment to various maritime borders in the United States, a day after President Donald Trump dismissed the military branch’s leader. In a statement, Coast Guard Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday said coast guardsmen would work to detect and deter illegal migration in support of Trump’s executive orders issued this week. “The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Lunday said. “Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets—cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces—to increase Coast Guard presence and focus…” RETIRED COAST GUARD HELICOPTER COMMANDER DETAILS RISKS TO AIR CREWS FIGHTING LA FIRES Key areas where authorities will focus their efforts include the waters off Florida to deter and prevent migrants from Haiti and Cuba from entering the U.S., and maritime borders around Alaska, Hawaii, as well as the U.S. territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Somoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lunday also wrote in the release that the agency would target the “maritime border between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America.” On Monday, Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico. In the federal executive order: “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” Section 4 rebrands the “area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico… an integral asset to our once burgeoning nation …and an indelible part of America” – as the “Gulf of America.” The reference appears to be the first time a federal agency has acknowledged the name change. The Coast Guard said it would also target the Bahamas and South Florida, and between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the Coast Guard will support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities on maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border. “Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border,” a news release states. 6 SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN DEADLY HUMAN SMUGGLING INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST WEEK, COAST GUARD SAYS On Monday, Trump also issued a flurry of executive orders cracking down on illegal immigration. Among the many charges was the termination of Adm. Linda Lee Fagan, 61, who was fired by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman. Huffman didn’t cite a reason for the dismissal, but a senior DHS official told Fox News that Fagan was removed for failure to address border security threats, insufficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in acquiring key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and an “erosion of trust” over the mishandling and cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor, which was the Coast Guard’s internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Republican senators issue warning to historic museums ahead of pro-life march: ‘Respect’ free speech
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Todd Young, R-Indiana are urging historical museums in Washington, D.C., to “respect” the First Amendment rights of pro-life protesters who are expected to descend upon the city on Friday. “This peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights has historically provided participants with a positive, welcoming experience in our nation’s capital,” the senators wrote in a letter to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Two years ago, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum booted several Catholic students and their chaperones for wearing pro-life attire. Students and chaperones from Our Lady of the Rosary School in Greenville, South Carolina, traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National March for Life. The group stood out in matching blue beanies emblazoned with the words “Rosary PRO-LIFE.” LEADERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD REACT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE RETURN At the time, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), representing some students’ parents, claimed museum staff mocked the group, used expletives, and argued the museum was a “neutral zone” prohibiting political or religious messages. In a settlement reached on March 18, 2024, the Smithsonian Institution resolved a lawsuit with students removed from the National Air and Space Museum for wearing pro-life beanies. As part of the agreement, the Smithsonian committed to providing the students a tour and an apology, updating its policy on clothing with religious and political speech for public-facing security staff, sharing video footage and investigative details of the incident, and paying $50,000. TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY EVERY JAN 6 DEFENDANT BUT SAYS HE’S JUST GETTING STARTED “While we are pleased that the victims of this harassment received justice, it clearly never should have happened in the first place. No sum of money could truly undue the atrocious acts: officers bearing the badge and force of the federal government openly intimidated and violated the First Amendment rights of peaceful students,” the senators wrote to the museums last week. “Moreover, American taxpayers footed the bill for the Smithsonian Institution employees’ egregious behavior and apparent lack of adequate training. This cannot happen again,” they said. TRUMP TO DEPLOY MILITARY TO BORDER, END BIDEN PAROLE POLICIES IN FLURRY OF DAY ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS That same year, NARA settled a lawsuit in December 2023 after staff reportedly asked visitors to remove pro-life clothing during the March for Life protest earlier that year. The visitors, represented also by the ACLJ, claimed their First Amendment rights were violated. NARA apologized, admitted the incident breached its policies, and agreed to pay $10,000 in legal fees while implementing staff training to prevent future violations. The senators are urging the institutions to answer questions about whether they have honored prior settlements regarding the treatment of visitors displaying religious or political messages and whether staff have been reminded of policies protecting free speech. NARA is also being asked to commit to maintaining these protections after a key injunction expires in January 2025. Both agencies have been asked to provide detailed explanations of their actions and preparations. In an email to Fox News Digital, Smithsonian Institution spokesperson Pamela Baker-Masson said, “We will correspond with the Senators.” NARA did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline.
Trump signs ‘full and unconditional’ pardon of Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a full and unconditional pardon of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the anonymous marketplace website Silk Road, which the president promised to do “on Day 1” while on the campaign trail. “I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbri[c]ht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross,” Trump wrote in a social media post Tuesday. “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!” Ulbricht was convicted because his website, which was founded in 2011 and used cryptocurrency for payments, was used to sell illegal drugs, even though he did not sell any of the illicit substances himself. In May, Trump delivered a speech at the Libertarian National Convention to a hostile crowd of boos in an attempt to win over Libertarian voters. Libertarians believe government investigators overreached in their case against Silk Road and generally oppose the war on drugs. TRUMP FAILED TO DELIVER ‘DAY 1’ PROMISE TO GRANT CLEMENCY TO ROSS ULBRICHT, FOUNDER OF SILK ROAD While the attendees were not favorable to Trump for most of the event, they did give a big cheer when he said he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence to time served, as the crowd chanted “Free Ross” in hopes the presidential candidate would take action if elected to allow the Silk Road founder to return home to his family after more than a decade behind bars. “If you vote for me, on Day 1 I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served. He’s already served 11 years. We’re going to get him home,” Trump told the crowd of Libertarians, many of whom were holding signs that said “Free Ross.” Ulbricht reacted to Trump’s comments the following day on the social media platform X. TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL 1/6 DEFENDANTS “Last night, Donald Trump pledged to commute my sentence on day 1, if reelected,” he wrote. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment. It is thanks to your undying support that I may get a second chance.” Last month, Ulbricht wrote, “For my last monthly resolution of 2024, I intend to study every day and to get up to speed as much as I can as I prepare for freedom.” Trump later reiterated his promise to commute Ulbricht’s life sentence at a bitcoin conference, which he received loud cheers for. While Trump failed to deliver his promise to free Ulbricht on his first day back in office, he followed through on the second day. Ulbricht, now 40, operated the website from 2011 until his arrest in 2013. He was sentenced two years later to life in prison. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Rep. Andy Biggs eyes run for Arizona governor, says he understands ‘what the state needs to thrive’
Republican Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs announced his interest Tuesday in running for governor in 2026 as the GOP looks to defeat incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Biggs, an ally of President Donald Trump and former chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus, filed a statement of interest, which is required before he can start collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, filing a statement doesn’t mean a candidate will follow through. In a statement posted on X, Biggs said he “will bring my experience home to my native state to help it fulfill its tremendous capacity. I have a firm understanding of what the state needs to thrive.” INFLUENCERS PRAISE TRUMP FOR DECLARING ‘ONLY TWO GENDERS’ WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY US: ‘TRUTH IS WINNING!’ Biggs chaired the Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2021 and was one of eight Republicans who helped oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in 2023. If Biggs does run, it could result in a fight between him and Karrin Taylor Robson, also a Trump ally. JOE ROGAN SAYS HARRIS SITDOWN WAS SCRAPPED AFTER CAMPAIGN TOLD HIM SHE ‘ONLY WANTED TO DO AN HOUR’ “Are you running for governor? I think so Karrin, because, if you do, you’re going to have my support, OK?” Trump told a crowd last month at Turning Point USA’s Americafest event in Phoenix. Robson ran for governor in 2022 but lost to Kari Lake, who Trump endorsed. Lake lost that year’s election to Hobbs and recently lost a bid for the U.S. Senate. In his statement, Biggs said he looks “forward to conversing with my fellow Arizonans as I consider this weighty decision.” State Sen. Jake Hoffman, a Republican and founding chair of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, endorsed Biggs on X. “Andy will make an INCREDIBLE Governor and ensure Arizona is safe & prosperous for everyone,” he wrote.