Steve Bannon warns of world conflict that could be ‘Trump’s Vietnam’
President-elect Donald Trump‘s former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, reportedly is warning of an impending world conflict that could equate to “Trump’s Vietnam.” The “War Room” host has been using his daily radio show and podcast to advocate that Trump make an announcement on “Day One” that he will end the war in Ukraine quickly. In an interview with Politico, Bannon said he is aggressively urging that Trump do so in his Inauguration Day speech, warning that the soon-to-be 47th president could be entrapped by the U.S. defense industry, the Europeans and even some of Bannon’s own friends, who he says have teamed up to push the United States to continue sending military aid to Ukraine. That includes Keith Kellogg, a retired U.S. general who Trump tapped to become special envoy to Ukraine and Russia. Though friends, Bannon says Kellogg is misguided in pushing that the U.S. continue sending aid to Ukraine while an agreement is sorted that includes security guarantees that make certain Russia will not launch another invasion. A further delay in ending the three-year conflict, Bannon countered, risks the United States being pulled deeper into a war that cannot be won and runs counter to American national interests. RUSSIA, IRAN TO SEAL PARTNERSHIP TREATY DAYS BEFORE TRUMP TAKES OFFICE “If we aren’t careful, it will turn into Trump’s Vietnam,” Bannon said. “That’s what happened to Richard Nixon. He ended up owning the war, and it went down as his war, not Lyndon Johnson’s.” “I’m going nuts right now to make sure there’s something on Monday, an announcement,” he added. “Because you have Kellogg saying it will take 100 days, the old foreign policy establishment are saying six months.” Bannon reportedly said Trump must communicate to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “there’s a new sheriff in town, and we’re going to get a deal done, and we’re going to get it done quickly.” He added that Zelenskyy ought to pay attention to how Trump pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting the terms of a cease-fire and hostage release deal with Hamas before the president-elect takes office. Bannon lamented to Politico how he views NATO as having morphed into more of an American protectorate than an alliance. BIDEN THANKS TROOPS FOR ‘STRENGTH’ AND ‘INTEGRITY’ IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES AT FAREWELL ADDRESS TO MILITARY “If you look at NATO, I don’t think it can put together two combat divisions of Europeans that are ready to fight,” Bannon said. “Europe has gotten away with early retirement and full health care because they don’t pay for their own defense.” As for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Bannon continued, “Putin’s a bad guy. He’s a very bad guy. The KGB are bad guys. But I don’t stay up at night worrying about Russian influence on Europe.” “Number 1, their military hasn’t even got to Kyiv. In three years, they couldn’t get there,” Bannon said. “They haven’t taken Kharkiv even. You know why I don’t stay awake at night? Because the Europeans don’t stay awake at night. They don’t consider Russia a real threat. If they did, they would throw a lot more money and troops into the game.” Bannon, who said he supports Trump’s proposals for the U.S. to gain control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, both in his eyes crucial to U.S. national security, then turned back to Europe. He called former British Conservative leader Boris Johnson a “war criminal,” adding that he believes too many European leaders consider themselves the Winston Churchill of their day. “The Ukraine war is the central screw-up of Europe over the last couple of years,” Bannon told Politico. “You have a million dead or wounded Ukrainians. And we’re going to end up, best case, we’re going to end up exactly where this thing started, as I said three years ago. And it’s because you have Boris Johnson and [French President Emmanuel] Macron, all these fantasists that won’t pay for their own defense. They want to be big shots. They all want to be Winston Churchill with other people’s money and other people’s lives.”
Biden pardons Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, J6 committee members
President Biden pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and others who some speculated may have faced investigations under the incoming Trump administration on Monday. Biden’s pardons come just hours before he is set to depart the White House and President-elect Trump takes the oath of office once again. The pardon also applies to a litany of people involved in the January 6 select committee investigation. In addition to the named individuals, the pardon applies to, “Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee.” Notably, Special Counsel Jack Smith, former FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland are not included in the pardon, despite speculation that they may face backlash from the incoming administration. HUNTER BIDEN PARDON: MEDIA TAKES LATEST BLOW TO CREDIBILITY WITH BOTCHED COVERAGE OF BROKEN PROMISE Milley thanked Biden in a statement on Monday. “My family and I are deeply grateful for the President’s action today,” he wrote. “After forty-three years of faithful service in uniform to our Nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights. “I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety,” he added. Condemnation of the move began to pour in almost immediately on Monday. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., blasted Biden’s legacy minutes after the order dropped. “The guy who claimed he would ‘protect norms’ continues to bulldoze them and the Constitution until the bitter end. Biden truly is one of the worst Presidents in American history and will only be remembered as the guy between Trump’s two terms,” Schmitt wrote on X. HUNTER BIDEN SAYS HIS MISTAKES WERE ‘EXPLOITED’ FOR POLITICAL SPORT, SAYS HE WON’T TAKE PARDON FOR GRANTED Biden had teased the possibility of issuing pre-emptive pardons weeks ago in an interview with USA Today. Biden’s pardons at the end of his term have proven to be some of his most controversial actions as president, particularly the pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. Biden had repeatedly vowed that he would not intervene on his son’s behalf, but he issued a blanket pardon regardless. The president later claimed that he had broken the promise after finding out Hunter had paid his back taxes. Biden’s pardon of Hunter was defended in some corners as a natural move from someone protecting his own family, but many prominent figures derided it as a craven flip-flop that would damage the White House and the president’s legacy. “Everyone looks stupid,” Pod Save America co-host and ex-Obama aide Tommy Vietor said at the time. “Everyone looks like they are full of s—. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Trump’s corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy.” Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report
John Fetterman and Lindsey Graham advocate for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are both calling for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program. “I don’t think diplomacy works,” Graham declared during an interview on “Face the Nation,” calling Iran a “religious Nazi regime,” that wants “to destroy the Jewish State.” “I am hoping there will be an effort by Israel to decimate the Iran nuclear program, supported by the United States. And if we don’t do that it will be a historical mistake,” Graham said. LINDSEY GRAHAM DEFENDS KASH PATEL IN HEATED EXCHANGE WITH CBS HOST Fetterman agreed with Graham’s call for the decimation of Iran’s nuclear program. “One Hundred Percent,” the Democratic lawmaker declared in a post on X. Graham responded, “Spot on, @SenFettermanPA. You get it.” IRAN’S PRESIDENT DENIES CLAIM THAT IRAN TRIED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP Fetterman, an unwavering and outspoken supporter of Israel, has previously advocated for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program. “Whatever remains of Iran’s nuclear program needs to be destroyed and I fully support efforts to do so,” he declared in a tweet earlier this month. SEN. DAVE MCCORMICK ‘OPTIMISTIC’ ABOUT WORKING WITH SEN. FETTERMAN TO FIND ’COMMON GROUND’: ‘EMBRACING’ CHANGE Fetterman recently met with President-elect Donald Trump, later describing the meeting as a “positive experience.”
DOJ recommends 20-year sentence for Pennsylvania man convicted for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
The Justice Department has recommended that a Pennsylvania barber convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot face 20 years behind bars. Ryan Samsel was found guilty in February 2024 on several charges, including assaulting federal officers, carrying out an act of physical violence on the Capitol grounds and obstruction of an official proceeding. The DOJ proposed a sentence of 240 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $2,000 restitution and a fine, according to court documents. DOJ CONSIDERS CHARGING 200 MORE PEOPLE 4 YEARS AFTER JAN. 6 CAPITOL ATTACK “A sentence of 240 months of incarceration reflects the gravity of Samsel’s conduct and provides sufficient deterrence given Samsel’s continued lack of remorse, active and public rehashing of false narratives, violent criminal history, and interest in assaulting the Capitol again,” the DOJ wrote in a memorandum. Samsel was the first rioter to breach the restricted perimeter of the Capitol with other supporters of now-President-elect Donald Trump in an effort to delay the certification of President Biden’s 2020 election victory, according to the DOJ. He was found guilty of verbally abusing officers, forcibly pushing and pulling on metal barricades, and assaulting an officer by lifting a metal barricade and striking him in the face with it. Police subsequently became overwhelmed as “the floodgates opened” and “thousands of rioters poured onto the West Front of the U.S. Capitol grounds,” the DOJ said in the document. “Samsel spent the next hour and a half terrorizing the police on the West Front,” the document said. “He assaulted the police with his flag, grabbed another officer’s shield, tore at scaffolding, flashed officers, grabbed a 2×4 plank and hurled it at the police line, and threw a pole at a different police line.” DOJ SEEKS TO BLOCK JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS FROM ATTENDING TRUMP INAUGURATION “Samsel was proud of his actions on that day, taking the time to record a selfie video during the riot and announce with a smile that he had breached the Capitol,” the DOJ wrote. “Samsel was still proud of his actions years later when he told an interviewer that his actions on January 6th were justified, because ‘sometimes civil disorder is needed.’”
Colleges, educational groups offer advice for Inauguration Day ‘anxiety,’ trips to DC for Trump swearing-in
Educational institutions and college-affiliated groups are preparing for President-elect Trump’s inauguration by offering mental health advice, delivering travel notices to international students, and organizing anti-Israel rallies. Most schools will be closed on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, due to it falling on a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Similar to Trump’s first inauguration and the weeks following his victory in the 2024 election, universities and education groups are offering different outlets for students on Monday. Several anti-Israel college groups in Chicago are planning demonstrations. The University of Illinois Chicago’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJPUIC) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters intend to hold an anti-Israel protest, according to social media posts. The groups will reportedly meet to “fight back against Trump’s racist and reactionary program,” wrote SJPUIC in a post on Instagram. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS: A LOOK AT LONG-TERM TRENDS OF PITIFUL STUDENT PERFORMANCE Other schools are offering mental health advice ahead of the Republican’s swearing-in. Emory University’s Rollin School of Public Health conducted an interview with clinical psychologist Rachel Waford, published in December, about how to deal with “anxiety” during presidential transitions. CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS HOW TRUMP CAN CLEAN HOUSE AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LISTS TOP BUREAUCRATS TO FIRE “Americans are experiencing a mix of emotions as Trump prepares to start his second term as President of the United States. For some, a second Trump administration is stirring up fear and anxiety,” the article reads. Waford suggested those who have anxiety should stay off social media or unsubscribe from news outlets. “I would encourage anybody who is in that state right now to think about the ways that you can plug into your life tangibly. Plug into your community, social supports, and the things that bring a sense of security, safety, and control,” the psychologist said. The Close Up Foundation, a nonprofit civic education organization, offered middle school students the opportunity to take a seven-day trip to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural celebration in an effort to help “young people see how our national ideals impact us today.” Meanwhile, in recent weeks, international students have been urged by their universities to return to the U.S. before the inauguration, claiming that Trump’s plans to crack down on illegal immigration could impact them. Several of the schools giving such notices include Cornell University, the University of Southern California (USC), Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Penn State. “A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration,” said Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning in a message to students. “The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India.” A statement from USC said that “this is especially important given that a new presidential administration will take office on January 20 and – as is common – may issue one or more executive orders impacting travel to the US and visa processing.” TRUMP SWEARING-IN TO MOVE INDOORS DUE TO COLD WEATHER, SOURCE TELLS FOX NEWS The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has also directed teachers to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they show up to schools. “We will not allow any law enforcement entity to take any type of immigration action against our students or their families within our care,” LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a press conference in January. After Trump won the presidential election in November, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy offered a “Self-Care Suite” at school, while Northwestern University offered a “post-election wellness space” that provided puzzles, snacks, and “brain break activities” for students. Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Trump vows to ‘act with historic speed’ after presidential inauguration that brings redemption
At noon on Monday inside the U.S. Capitol, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. Two and a half months after his convincing election victory over Vice President Harris, the president-elect returns to office in what will symbolize his reinvention and redemption four years after being ushered out of the White House by the American electorate. “We put America first, and it all starts tomorrow,” Trump told thousands of supporters jam-packed into Washington, D.C.’s, Capitol One Arena at his inauguration eve rally. “We begin a brand-new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride.” FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP VOWS OVER 200 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON DAY 1 President Biden, Harris, former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Republican and Democrat members of Congress, foreign dignitaries, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos – three of the wealthiest men in the world – other tech and business executives and some high-profile celebrities will crowd into the U.S. Capitol’s Rotunda for Trump’s inauguration, which will be held indoors for the first time in four decades due to an arctic blast that’s sweeping much of the nation. After Trump’s inaugural address, there will be a rapid-fire series of events, including a formal farewell for Biden and Harris as they leave the Capitol. Minutes later, members of Congress will watch as Trump and JD Vance, the nation’s new vice president, take part in a signing ceremony followed by an inaugural lunch and then a review of the troops. TRUMP PLEDGES ‘BIGGEST FIRST WEEK’ IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY Trump then returns to Washington, D.C.’s, downtown arena for an abbreviated parade, which was moved indoors because of the frigid weather, in front of thousands of supporters. After that, the new president heads to the White House for an Oval Office ceremony before making his way to the traditional inaugural balls in the evening. Trump is also expected to get to work immediately, signing more than 200 executive actions on his first day in office, as Fox News Digital first reported Sunday. “I will act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country,” Trump vowed at his inauguration eve rally. “You’re going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them, lots. We have to set our country on the proper course.” WATCH FOX NEWS CHANNEL COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S 2ND INAUGURATION Trump’s first wave of policy priorities will focus on issues he highlighted during his presidential campaign, including border security, energy, curbing inflation and ending DEI programs across the federal government. A senior administration official familiar with the executive actions and authorized to brief Fox News Digital said Trump on day one will end the “catch and release” of illegal immigrants; pause all offshore wind leases; terminate the electric vehicle mandate; abolish the so-called Green New Deal; withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord; and take several major steps to assert presidential control over the federal bureaucracy. “By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our borders will have come to a halt and all the illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home,” Trump pledged. And “we’re going to end the Biden war on American energy and unleash our energy resources to quickly defeat inflation and achieve the lowest cost of energy and electricity on Earth.” HOW TRUMP WILL BE SWORN IN AT HIS INAUGURATION Monday’s inauguration stands in stark contrast with President Biden’s inauguration four years ago, which was held two weeks after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory. Trump, who disputed the results, refused to attend the inauguration or acknowledge Biden’s White House victory. Four years ago, Trump left Washington in an extremely weakened position with much of the nation, including many Republicans, angry over the Capitol riot that forced members of Congress to flee for safety. But four years later, after a two-year presidential campaign and a convincing popular-vote victory and sweep of all the key battleground states, Trump returns as a conquering hero. “On this day, the U.S. will witness the return of President Trump at the zenith of his political power,” veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance noted. As Trump retakes control of the presidency, the latest Fox News national poll indicates he receives his highest favorable rating – 50% compared to just 42% when he entered the White House the first time in 2017 – with half of registered voters approving of his handling of the presidential transition. BIDEN’S FAILURE TO TURN PAGE ON TRUMP WEIGHS ON HIS PRESIDENCY “Trump’s journey since the election loss in 2020 is nothing short of remarkable. His refusal to accept the election results, support for the Jan. 6 insurrection and subsequent legal challenges, including indictments and convictions, would have historically ended any future political ambitions,” Lesperance said. But Lesperance, president of New England College, noted that “voters in 2024 went another way. Trump’s path to redemption and his return to the Oval Office comes as a result of the unwavering commitment of his supporters and broad dissatisfaction of Americans over the direction the country had taken under Democrats. For Trump, Inauguration Day is a day of redemption.” Pointing to his White House victory, as well as Republicans winning back control of the Senate and defending their razor-thin majority in the House, Trump touted that “we not only won a mandate, but we built a new American majority that will lead our country to unparalleled success for generations to come.”
Law enforcement on high alert for Trump inauguration after 2024 assassination attempts
Federal, state and local law enforcement officials are on high alert in Washington, D.C., ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. Thousands of officers and agents from the Department of Homeland Security, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the National Guard will be on duty. White House inaugurations already typically see among the highest level of security, but this year’s event is guaranteed to see added scrutiny after multiple recent security incidents. Just this month, a U.S. military veteran used fireworks and other items to explode a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. U.S. Capitol police also arrested a man who attempted to set fire to a car near where mourners were paying respects to former President Jimmy Carter. A POTENTIAL SECOND WITHDRAWAL FROM PARIS CLIMATE TREATY COULD LOOK DIFFERENT THAN FIRST US EXIT That comes after two foiled attempts on the president-elect’s life while he was campaigning for a second term. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser touted confidence in law enforcement and told local residents during a press conference exactly a week before the event to brace for road closures. Matt McCool, special agent in charge for the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, said of security preparations, “The Federal Aviation Administration will announce temporary flight restrictions in and around Washington, D.C.” The U.S. Coast Guard will communicate any maritime restrictions, which will also be linked to the inauguration website. Additional fencing and concrete barriers will supplement the fencing already around the Capitol for the election certification and President Carter’s funeral. He added that the amount of fencing that will be used for the event is more than any other designated National Special Security Event in the past. David Sundberg of the FBI’s Washington Field Office said the bureau was not tracking “any specific or credible threats” for Inauguration Day but urged people to remain vigilant. Earlier this month, the National Guard said it would be sending 7,800 troops to the inauguration. Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said city police officers will be joined by nearly 4,000 officers from across the country who volunteered to provide support on Inauguration Day. DOGE REPS LAUNCH MEETINGS WITH FEDERAL STAFFERS IN EFFORT TO CUT GOVERNMENT WASTE: REPORT Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be taking their oaths of office on the west front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Thousands of Americans are expected to be in attendance, all of whom will be screened by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement officials. “All attendees will undergo screening. Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public interested in attending the inauguration,” McCool said. Officials said last week they were bracing for nearly 250,000 ticketed attendees alone. U.S. Capitol police asked people who will be present on Capitol grounds on Monday to refrain from bringing items like alcohol, bicycles, tripods, large bags, balloons and other things.
AOC launches series of explosive Instagram rants on eve of inauguration: ‘I don’t celebrate rapists’
A visibly agitated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (AOC) had a busy day on social media on Sunday, taking to Instagram to make a series of rants related to President-elect Donald Trump. She started out early scolding TikTok for sending a notification thanking “President Trump” for restoring the app. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned,” the notification stated. In her Instagram stories, she says that Trump is not yet the president and is still currently a private citizen, suggesting that referring to him as such raises concerns about TikTok’s word. AOC’S LOSS IN BID FOR HOUSE COMMITTEE CHAIR SIGNIFIES GENERATIONAL CHOICE FOR DEMOCRATS “First of all, Donald Trump is not president right now. He is a private citizen. He does not have access to presidential powers, he does not have the ability to do any of that,” AOC said. She claims that the app is “signaling that they have agreed to privately collaborate with Donald Trump and the Trump administration” by mentioning him in the notification. “And for all of those concerns that people were saying that TikTok is going to be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese, understand they’re using it as a propaganda tool for the right,” she added. She warned her followers, “We are on the eve of an authoritarian administration. This is what 21st century fascism is starting to look like.” AOC LAMENTS STATE OF HER PARTY AFTER DEMOCRATS VOTE FOR TRANS ATHLETE BAN BILL: ‘WE’RE NOT IN GOOD SHAPE’ Later on in the evening, she once again ranted on Instagram about her frustration with being asked if she would be attending Trump’s inauguration on Monday. “All these journalists were like congresswoman, are you going to the inauguration? Congresswoman are you going to the inauguration? Are you going to the inauguration? Let me make myself clear. I don’t celebrate rapists, so no, I’m not going to the inauguration room,” she expressed in what appeared to be an agitated tone. She also clapped back on X after the Libs of TikTok account reposted her remarks and said that Trump should sue her after she called him a rapist. “Oh, are you triggered? Cry more,” the congresswoman wrote.
New York Gov. Hochul orders flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration amid mourning period for Jimmy Carter
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has ordered flags in the state to fly at full-staff on Monday for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the nation remains in a mourning period to honor former President Jimmy Carter. “Tomorrow, we are all Americans as we observe the centuries-old traditions of Inauguration Day,” Hochul said in a statement to the New York Post on Sunday. “For that reason, I am directing flags to fly at full staff throughout the State of New York on January 20 and return to half staff to honor the late President Carter on January 21,” she added. “Regardless of your political views, the American tradition of the peaceful transition of power is something to celebrate.” The governor’s directive comes during President Biden’s order that flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period following Carter’s death on Dec. 29, 2024, which happens to include Inauguration Day. YOUNGKIN ORDERS FLAGS TO BE RAISED FOR TRUMP’S INAUGURATION AMID MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER’S DEATH Biden said the U.S. flag “should be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions.” It is a tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and for flags to be displayed at half-staff. Hochul joins a trio of Democratic governors — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson — in ordering flags to fly at full-staff for Trump’s inauguration before the mourning period ends on Jan. 28. WASHINGTON GOVERNOR ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP INAUGURATION DESPITE MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER Several Republican governors have also directed flags to be raised on Monday, including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Nearly 30 states will raise their flags on Monday for Trump’s inauguration, as will flags at the U.S. Capitol following an order from House Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump had publicly taken issue with the idea that flags could be displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter’s death. “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. “They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves.” “Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years – It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” he continued. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.
Lawmaker pushes bill to rename Nashville International Airport after Donald Trump
Travelers arriving in Music City may soon be greeted by Trump International Airport. On Friday, Tennessee Republican State Rep. Todd Warner filed House Bill 217, which would rename Nashville International Airport to honor Trump. The bill would require the metropolitan airport authority to take actions to execute the name change. Those actions would include setting up new signage, changing registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), revising all existing contracts and legal documents to reflect the new name, and updating references with local, state and federal agencies. HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUSH TO RENAME DC INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AFTER TRUMP During the transition period, the bill states that the airport may operate business using its current name with the designation of “doing business as Trump International Airport” or “d/b/a Trump International Airport.” If passed, the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. This is not the first time a lawmaker has pushed to rename an airport after Trump. TRUMP ‘EMBODIES WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN IS ALL ABOUT,’ UFC’S DANA WHITE SAYS Back in April 2024, a group of House Republicans also pushed to rename Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia after Trump. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., the House GOP’s chief deputy whip, introduced the bill, along with six cosponsors. “In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump,” Reschenthaler previously told Fox News Digital. “As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil.” If passed, it would be the second D.C.-area airport named for a Republican commander in chief after Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. TRUMP SET TO PROCLAIM AMERICA’S COMEBACK IN SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS: ‘ENTERING A GOLDEN AGE’ Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., previously told Fox News Digital that “it is only fitting that we would do the same for another one of our greatest presidents.” Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., also echoed Moore and said “I can see no more fitting recognition than naming both airports in our nation’s capital after America’s two best presidents: DCA after President Reagan and Dulles after President Trump.” Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.