Hegseth backed by Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy to lead the Pentagon under Trump
Pete Hegseth has picked up another key vote for confirmation as President-elect Trump‘s secretary of defense. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Friday said he will vote to confirm Hegseth, an Army combat veteran whose nomination was under question because of his remarks questioning women’s roles in the military, sexual misconduct allegations, as well as allegations that he drank alcohol while working previous jobs. Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week relatively unscathed amid questions from lawmakers. DEM SENATOR’S ‘LIES AND STUPIDITY’ AT HEGSETH HEARING ROASTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘CLOWN SHOW’ “The President’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, has impressive academic qualifications, conducted himself very well in the Senate Armed Services hearing, and has a commendable record of service in uniform. He assured me he will surround himself with a strong support team,” Cassidy said in a statement. “I will vote for his confirmation.” Hegseth has seen a wave of support from Republicans, including Sen. Joni Ernst, of Iowa, who previously expressed concerns about his nomination. PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN’T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE ‘ERROR’ DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Hegseth passed his confirmation hearing with “flying colors.” “They tried to rattle him. They brought out all these anonymous allegations. He had an answer for every one of them,” Tuberville said at the time. During his proceedings, protesters were hauled out in zip ties after interrupting the hearing. Democratic lawmakers also grilled Hegseth about his stance on women in combat roles, prompting him to push back that his argument related to women serving in the military focuses on military standards not eroding. “I would point out I’ve never disparaged women serving in the military,” he told Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. “I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform, past and present. My critiques, senator, recently and in the past, and from personal experience, have been instances where I’ve seen standards lowered.”
Mayor Eric Adams, President-elect Trump meet in Florida; Adams says they didn’t discuss his legal case
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President-elect Trump met in Palm Beach, Florida, Friday, three days before Trump’s return to the White House. “President Trump and I had a productive conversation about New York’s needs and what’s best for our city and how the federal government can play a more helpful role in improving the lives of New Yorkers,” Adams said in a statement shared by his spokesperson, Fabien Levy. “While we briefly touched on a number of issues, we specifically focused on the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas and how it will have a positive impact on public safety in our country; how we can bring manufacturing jobs back to New York, particularly in the Bronx; and how we can continue to make federal investments in New York City, especially when it comes to infrastructure.” The Democratic mayor, who is awaiting trial on federal corruption charges in April, said the pair didn’t discuss his legal issues in the meeting. NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS BELIEVES FEDERAL CHARGES AGAINST HIM ARE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED: ‘DID NOT BREAK THE LAW’ As president, Trump would have the power to pardon Adams. Adams faces charges he accepted luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals in exchange for corrupt acts. Trump, who was convicted in a New York court last year for falsifying business records, has defended Adams in the past, claiming the charges against the mayor may have been brought because he criticized President Biden over the border. Trump said he would consider a pardon for Adams. “To be clear, we did not discuss my legal case, and those who suggest the mayor of the largest city in the nation shouldn’t meet with the incoming president to discuss our cities’ priorities because of inaccurate speculation or because we’re from different parties clearly care more about politics than people,” Adams said. “Like I’ve always done, I will take every opportunity possible to advocate for New Yorkers and our city. And, after our discussion, I strongly believe there is much our city and the federal government can partner on to make New York City safer, stronger and more affordable. I thank President Trump for his time and attention and look forward to working with him to benefit all New Yorkers.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump for comment. FBI RAIDS HOMES OF TOP AIDES FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS Adams had been criticized by other New York politicians for the meeting. “The Trump agenda is not going to help move our city or the country forward. This pilgrimage is clearly about something else,” state Sen. Zellnor Myrie wrote on X this week. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on X that “Eric Adams should state immediately that he will not seek or accept a pardon from Donald Trump. New Yorkers deserve to know that their Mayor is putting their interests ahead of his own — and whether our tax dollars, or Turkish Airlines, will be financing his trip to Florida.” “Who is this meeting for, New Yorkers or Eric Adams? Our city has too many problems right now for us to worry about if he’s fighting for New Yorkers or a hypothetical pardon for himself,” Scott Stringer, the former city comptroller, posted on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Lander and Stringer are running for mayor against Adams.
Former Space Force commander nominated to serve as Air Force undersecretary: President-elect Donald Trump
A former fighter pilot will serve as the next United States Undersecretary of the Air Force, President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday night. Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a former U.S. Space Force commander, appeared on Fox News to discuss military readiness in July, after claiming he was fired for criticizing the “Marxist” DEI complex. Lohmeier, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, was in the military for more than a decade before joining the Space Force in 2020, where he specialized in missile warning systems. SPACE FORCE COMMANDER WHO SAYS HE LOST PENSION FOR CRITICIZING DEI IN MILITARY OPENS UP ON BEING ‘BETRAYED’ He was fired less than a year later, after appearing on The Steve Gruber Show, and lost his pension. Trump commended Lohmeier in the nomination announcement, writing Lohmeier “devoted his life to serving our Great Nation.” “Matthew will work with the GREAT Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to end the devastating “woke” policies that have destroyed our Military, and make our Country STRONG AGAIN,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Congratulations Matthew!” Fox News Digital’s Hannah Grossman and Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi contributed to this story.
White House reveals Biden’s final list of clemency for nearly 2,5000 people, setting new presidential record
President Biden’s final list of commutations was released Friday afternoon, laying out the names and registration numbers of nearly 2,500 inmates whose sentences were reduced by the president’s action. This latest round of commutations cements Biden’s spot as the president with the largest number of pardons and commutations granted to individuals. The people on the list, according to a statement from President Biden, were determined to have received disproportionately harsh sentences for drug crimes, compared to sentences they would have received today. “Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said in a statement Friday. “As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities.” WV DEMOCRATS SAY BIDEN’S ‘EGREGIOUS’ PARDON CHOICES ARE ‘WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT FROM TRUMP’ The new list of commutations comes after Biden already set a record for the largest single-day act of presidential clemency last month, when he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic and were largely accused of committing non-violent drug offenses, according to the White House. BIDEN CLEMENCY FOR CONVICTED FRAUDSTERS MET WITH OUTRAGE: ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’ Following last month’s commutations, several Democrats urged Biden to issue even more pardons and commutations for people serving long sentences. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who was among those pressing Biden to take action, applauded the president Friday for his action. “Today, President Biden is taking another historic, transformative, and compassionate step toward healing and reuniting families by commuting the sentences of thousands of individuals serving unjustified lengthy sentences—a direct result of the failed policies of the War on Drugs,” Rep. Pressley said. “With this action, President Biden … is demonstrating the power of clemency to address the injustices of our criminal legal system. I thank President Biden for acting boldly and continuing to use clemency to change and save lives. This is what we’ve been calling for and this is the type of leadership the moment demands. This will be a defining part of President Biden’s legacy.”
Next Ohio senator, a ‘fiscal conservative,’ aims to ‘get government out of people’s lives’
FIRST ON FOX: Ohio’s new Senator-designate, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, wants to get the country “to a more fiscally responsible path” and is bringing his years of state government experience to the upper chamber. “Look, as a fiscal conservative, I always want to move America on to a more fiscally responsible path, and I want to get government out of people’s lives,” he told Fox News Digital in an exclusive first interview after being appointed by Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to be the next senator. Husted will take over Vice President-elect JD Vance’s vacated Senate seat and run in a special election in 2026 to determine who will serve the remainder of his term. DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE The lieutenant governor said he plans to run both in 2026 and again when Vance’s seat is up for re-election in 2028. As a “fiscal conservative,” one issue sure to test Husted upon arriving at the Senate is President-elect Trump’s desire to raise the debt ceiling. “Look, I’ll get into all of those issues once I take the oath,” he said. “In state government, we have to balance our budget,” Husted explained. OHIO GOV DEWINE PICKS LT GOV TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE’S VACANT SEAT “If you want to cut taxes, you got to cut spending. And that’s what I’m accustomed to. And that’s the attitude I’ll take into the process of being a U.S. senator.” He acknowledged that America’s debt and spending problem can’t be remedied with a “magic wand,” but added, “you’ve got to start somewhere.” Husted’s appointment comes as the Trump transition team is currently pressing forward with key nominees for his Cabinet. Many of them have been meeting with senators for months ahead of their confirmation hearings and committee votes. Asked about coming in right in the middle of this process, he told Fox News Digital, “I think it’s a good list of nominees.” DESANTIS ANNOUNCES CHOICE FOR SENATE APPOINTMENT AFTER RUBIO’S EXPECTED RESIGNATION “Remember, you know, I’m taking Vance’s seat. I’m an ally of the Trump administration, and I’m going to help support those nominees and get them confirmed as quickly as we can,” the senator-designate emphasized. The first confirmation votes for Trump nominees are expected to take place on Monday evening following the inauguration. It’s unclear who will run against Husted in the 2026 special election, but the seat is expected to be one of the Democrats’ top targets after losing former Sen. Sherrod Brown’s seat in November. CONFIRMATION DELAYS STACK UP FOR TRUMP NOMINEES AS PAPERWORK LAGS IN FEDERAL OFFICES Brown has been speculated as a candidate for Vance’s seat, and he previously dismissed questions from Fox News Digital about whether he’d launch a campaign for it. Following the news of Husted’s appointment on Friday, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesman David Bergstein said in a statement, “The start of the 2026 cycle has quickly been defined by new weak spots emerging in Senate Republicans’ already challenging map. Ohio’s special election adds another seat and another controversial candidate the GOP will have to protect — and it means Senate Republicans are starting the cycle having to play even more defense.”
Hawley slams Dem activist for downplaying migrant crime: ‘Not an actual issue?’
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., drilled into a migrant rights activist in a heated moment during a Senate hearing on the “Remain in Mexico” policy on Thursday for what he said amounted to downplaying the murder of Laken Riley and for saying migrant crime is “not an actual issue.” “In March of 2024, you wrote: ‘The murder of a nursing student in Georgia has a lot of people on the right talking about migrant crime like it’s an actual issue,’” said Hawley. Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University who was found dead on the University of Georgia’s campus in February. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant, was found guilty of 10 total counts, including felony murder. He initially pleaded not guilty but was ultimately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in November. “Here’s Laken Riley,” said Hawley as her picture was posted behind him. “Her murder, her horrific murder at the hands of this illegal migrant who was also unlawfully paroled in the United States. [Is] her death not an actual issue?” LAKEN RILEY ACT OVERCOMES FILIBUSTER IN SENATE AS DEMS GIVE GOP HELPING HAND The activist, Adam Isacson, who works as director of defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, responded by saying: “Of course it’s an issue, it’s a tragedy.” “I didn’t say that Laken Riley’s death was not an actual issue, I said that migrant crime is not an actual issue,” said Isacson. “Migrant crime is much less of an issue than U.S. citizen-committed crime.” To which Hawley answered, “[Riley] is dead because of migrant crime.” Hawley also pointed to the case of a St. Louis-area 12-year-old named Travis Wolfe who was killed in a car crash involving an illegal immigrant. “I happen to think that their violent murders are actual issues,” he said. “And the fact that you would say otherwise, sit here and advise the Senate that the Laken Riley Act is a bad idea, that the whole thing is not an actual issue, it’s all just, what, made up? I think [it] is outrageous. I think it’s absolutely outrageous.” SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY Isacson, who said he was invited to testify in the hearing by a Democratic member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said that the bipartisan Laken Riley Act, which has already passed in the House and would require ICE to arrest and detain illegal immigrants that have committed a crime, “could do a lot of harm” and “would allow me to say: ‘oh, this person shoplifted.’ And that would be enough probable cause to get somebody deported.” Hawley shot back: “I want the record to be clear on this, that migrant crime is a real issue.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “I think the Laken Riley Act is absolutely necessary,” he said. “In fact, I propose an amendment to the Laken Riley Act that will cover people like Travis Wolfe. I think that ICE ought to be detaining, ought to be required to detain, those illegal migrants who commit violent crimes against children like Travis Wolfe.” Speaking to Fox News Digital after the hearing, another one of the experts testifying, Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and law and policy expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, said that Hawley was “voicing the frustration that very many Americans feel about migrant crime in the United States.” FOX NEWS POLL: MAJORITIES SUPPORT MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY AS THE ISSUE INCREASES IN IMPORTANCE “We’ve seen many not only high profile but shocking crimes that have been carried out in the United States by migrants who were stopped at the border and then released into the United States,” he said. “It’s called the Department of Homeland Security for a reason; the purpose of this department is to ensure that citizens of the United States and aliens who are lawfully here are protected from criminal predation. Unfortunately, on this at the border, the Biden-Harris administration dropped the ball.” “Individuals who are criminals, who by law should not be allowed into the United States at all, were actually released into this country and now they are free to prey on both migrant and citizen communities in this country,” Arthur added. “So, job one for Tom Homan — Donald Trump’s border czar — and the president himself is going to be rounding up, detaining and removing all the criminal aliens, all the individuals who are preying upon both migrant and citizen communities in this country.” Despite the theatrics, Arthur said it was a “good hearing” because there was “a lot of bipartisan agreement on the need to secure the border.” ARIZONA RANCHER SUFFERING IN DEMS’ BORDER CRISIS SAYS TRUMP DHS PICK NOEM SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO 4 THINGS “Customs and Border Protection referred to Remain in Mexico as indispensable for border security the first time that it was used under the Trump administration,” he said. “I think that when you look at the amount of money that has flowed into the cartels’ pockets over the last four years, you know, as we’ve seen, 8 million, 10 million people come unlawfully into the United States and you contrast that to the number of people who were sent back to Mexico, I think that the balance is definitely in favor of enforcing the border and potentially re-implementing Remain in Mexico. “As long as the migrants continue to come to the United States in large numbers, the cartels are going to get rich, they’re just going to expand their capabilities and they’re just going to ship more drugs into the United States.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Time’s Up for TikTok
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… – Trump swearing-in to move indoors due to cold weather – Trump DHS pick Noem pledges to end controversial app used by migrants on ‘day one’ – FBI agent who said New Orleans attack was ‘not a terrorist event’ has been reassigned The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok just two days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect. “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. “For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.”…Read more READ IT AND WEEP: Biden’s official X account draws mockery with reference to constitutional amendment that doesn’t exist…Read more MORE TO COME?: Harris says she won’t go ‘quietly into the night’: ‘Our work is not done’…Read more BIDEN HIS TIME: Biden maintains he will not enforce TikTok ban, plans to punt to Trump administration…Read more HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Obama wishes wife Michelle happy birthday as she stays away from key public events…Read more FRIGID TEMPS: Trump inaugural moves indoors; last time that happened was Reagan’s second in 1985….Read more TRUMP’S CHAIR: RNC chair Whatley vows to be ‘tip of the spear’ to protect Trump after coasting to reelection victory…Read more ‘STAY TUNED!’: Trump needs ‘time to review’ SCOTUS decision, teases action in ‘not too distant future’…Read more HOMEGROWN BACKING: 400-plus farmers and growers groups urge Senate to confirm Trump USDA pick…Read more TECH ALLIES: Elon Musk to speak at Trump pre-inauguration rally: report…Read more BEIJING CALLING: Trump, China’s Xi speak on phone ahead of inauguration…Read more ‘WHO IS IN CHARGE?’: Dem senator quizzes Noem on how she will work with Homan…Read more FINISH THE JOB: Comer requests Trump DOJ prosecute James Biden for making ‘false statements’ during impeachment inquiry…Read more CLEANING HOUSE: Trump won’t wait for Senate confirmations to shake up State Department…Read more SIZE MATTERS: Trump likely to avoid inaugural crowd-size controversy with swearing-in moved indoors…Read more COUNTERING BELT AND ROAD: New set of bills would challenge CCP initiative: ‘We can mute China’s siren song’…Read more REPORTER DRAGGED OUT: Security drags journo out of Blinken’s final presser: ‘Why aren’t you in The Hague!’…Read more SLASH SPENDING: DOGE eyeing suggestions to slash federal DEI programs: report…Read more LAKEN RILEY: Bill in her honor overcomes filibuster in Senate as Dems give GOP helping hand…Read more VANCE VACANCY: Ohio Gov. DeWine chooses his Lt. Governor to fill JD Vance’s vacant seat…Read more EMOTIONALLY TAXING: House Dems threaten to block Trump’s big tariff plans: ‘Unacceptable’…Read more ‘TAKE THE GLOVES OFF’: Top border lawmaker pushes to declare bloodthirsty gang a terrorist organization…Read more DEI DIES: Midwest state’s DEI department nixed in new governor’s first major act…Read more BAD COMMUTE: City bus comes within inches of disaster on elevated overpass during rush hour…Read more ‘DISAPPOINTED’: Top NJ watchdog official abruptly resigns, is removed from state voter rolls following residency flap…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com
Sam Altman’s OpenAI backing initiative headed by several anti-Trump staff pushing liberal causes
OpenAI has partnered with a new AI initiative led by a group co-founded with outgoing Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry that has pushed left-wing causes and has several board members aligned with Democrats. OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, is backing an initiative known as AI 2030, which is aimed at shaping “public dialogue about U.S. competition against China on AI,” Politico reported in October. The initiative is led by the “non-partisan” think tank American Security Project (ASP), where Kerry was a founding member and served two stints on the board of directors. ASP has promoted the idea that climate change is a national security threat, and argued on its website that pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal was a bad idea that “harms national security.” The group previously received a $500,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation “for use by its World War Zero initiative, an effort to achieve action and mobilization through awareness and public education to halt the increase of global carbon emissions.” The Rockefeller Foundation has dished out tens of millions of dollars to left-wing causes. BIDEN ISSUES SECOND AI ACTION DURING FINAL WEEK IN OFFICE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER FAST-TRACKING US INFRASTRUCTURE Kerry’s former chief of staff David Wade, who gave Hunter Biden rapid response help as the Burisma scandal swirled, currently sits on the board of directors and recently authored an op-ed in The Hill explaining how AI in the U.S. has reached its “Sputnik moment,” outlining the need to compete with China on AI. Former Obama Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who called then-President Trump an “embarrassment” in 2018, also sits on the board of ASP. ELON MUSK, AI AND TECH TITANS, VENTURE CAPITALISTS INVITED TO PRE-INAUGURATION DINNER AT DAWN OF TRUMP ERA Rep, Don Beyer, D-Va., who is also on the board at ASP, has publicly opposed Trump’s tariff policies, calling them “idiotic” and “illegal” in a 2023 press release. In 2018, ASP promoted an op-ed by Board Member Matthew Wallin in which he criticized Trump’s diplomatic tactics against Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2017, Wallin amplified the debunked media narrative in a post on X, then Twitter, that Trump called White supremacists at the deadly Charlottesville rally “good people.” Chris Lehane, who serves as OpenAI’s Head of Global Policy, is the author of the infamous and controversial “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” memo promoted by then-first lady Hillary Clinton dismissing the Monica Lewinsky scandal as part of a right-wing media conspiracy. Along with being a longtime Democratic Party consultant, Lehane has recently contributed money to help former Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Altman recently followed other tech titans and made a substantial $1 million gift to Trump’s inauguration in his personal capacity, but has faced scrutiny for previous high-dollar donations to left-wing efforts, including a $250,000 donation to a Democratic super PAC and opposition research firm American Bridge during the 2020 election. OPENAI CEO SAM ALTMAN RINGS IN 2025 WITH CRYPTIC, CONCERNING TWEET ABOUT AI’S FUTURE Altman has donated to hundreds of Democrats in recent years compared to just one Republican, Newsweek reported this past summer. He was also recently tapped to be a co-chair for the incoming Democratic mayor of San Francisco’s transition team. In addition to hosting a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang at his San Francisco home in late 2019, Altman has donated over $1 million to Democrats and Democratic groups, including $600,000 to the Sen. Chuck Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC, $100,000 to the Biden Victory Fund and over $150,000 to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He also gave thousands to state Democratic parties and top Democrats in the House and Senate. In 2014, Altman co-hosted a fundraiser for the DNC at Y Combinator’s offices in Mountain View, California, which was headlined by then-President Obama. Following Trump’s victory in November, Altman posted on X, “congrats to President Trump. i wish for his huge success in the job.” “It is critically important that the US maintains its lead in developing AI with democratic values,” he added. During Altman’s tenure from 2014 to 2019 as the CEO of Y Combinator, an incubator startup that launched Airbnb, DoorDash and DropBox, he talked about China in multiple blog posts and interviews. In 2017, Altman said that he “felt more comfortable discussing controversial ideas in Beijing than in San Francisco” and that he felt like an expansion into China was “important” because “some of the most talented entrepreneurs” that he has met have been operating there. Altman’s résumé and AI efforts have drawn the ire of Trump ally Elon Musk in recent years. Musk said last year, “I don’t trust OpenAI. I don’t trust Sam Altman. And I don’t think we ought to have the most powerful AI in the world controlled by someone who is not trustworthy.” Musk, who has been involved with a highly publicized legal tussle with Altman, has also said that OpenAI’s ChatGPT function is infected with the “woke virus.” ChatGPT is an AI chatbot whose core function is to mimic a human in conversation. Users across the world have used ChatGPT to write emails, debug computer programs, answer homework questions, play games, write stories and song lyrics, and much more. “It is going to eliminate a lot of current jobs, that’s true. We can make much better ones. The reason to develop AI at all, in terms of impact on our lives and improving our lives and upside, this will be the greatest technology humanity has yet developed,” Altman said in a 2023 interview with ABC News. “The promise of this technology, one of the ones that I’m most excited about, is the ability to provide individual learning — great individual learning for each student.” WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? In recent months, OpenAI has reportedly been quietly pitching its products to the U.S. military and pursuing defense contracts, Forbes reported. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for OpenAI said, “America has to win the AI race, and that is why Americans from both sides of the
Border Patrol Chief Owens announces retirement, Texas border czar to take over
Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens is stepping down from his role as head of the agency – telling Fox News that his agents have given 100% in difficult conditions, including some of the worst conditions he’s seen in his entire career. Owens, who was promoted to Border Patrol Chief in 2023, is retiring in April. Texas Border Czar Mike Banks will be tapped to be the next chief. Owens spoke to Fox News about his time as chief during some of the most intense moments of the crisis at the southern border. He said it was “bittersweet” because it is the end of a chapter in his life. TOP BORDER LAWMAKER PUSHES TO DECLARE BLOODTHIRSTY GANG A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION: ‘TAKE THE GLOVES OFF’ “But at the same time, it’s a happy one because I feel like I made my difference, and it’s time to hand it off to the next generation.” Fox asked him about the surge in border crossings his men and women dealt with – including the surge in 2021 in Del Rio and overwhelming numbers at Eagle Pass, Texas. “I hadn’t seen anything like that. And it’s that was as bad as I had seen it in my entire career. And at every moment, the men and women are trying to find a way to take care of that so that they could get back out there on patrol and keep the bad actors from coming in,” he said. He described how Border Patrol agents would go from performing CPR on babies to going after a gang member or convicted felon. “That takes a toll on anybody. And what I saw was those men and women deal with that not just once in a while, but daily and every single day. No matter how frustrated they got, they get up the next morning, they put that uniform on and they went out there and they give 100%. I owed them 100% as well,” he said. As for Banks, Owens said he considers him a friend and said that he is “confident and optimistic about our future with him at the helm.” “He loves the Border Patrol just like I do. And he’s going to keep his focus on the mission of keeping this country safe from harm,” he said. Owens also said he has “never seen a situation where I would say the border is secure.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “Because for me, a secure border means if something bad tries to come into this country, I’m going to be able to detect it and stop it. There’s too many gaps and vulnerabilities today that still exist on our border,” he said. Outgoing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised Owens in a statement, saying he “embodies the ethos of the United States Border Patrol – ‘Honor First.’ “Chief Owens has dedicated his life to public service. Throughout his career in the Border Patrol – from his first assignment at Calexico Station to his command of the elite BORTAC unit in El Paso, from his leadership of the USBP Academy to the Laredo Sector, Del Rio Sector, Washington, D.C., and many duty stations in-between – he has always stepped up and stepped in whenever the challenges have been greatest, and wherever his talents have been most needed. He rose through the ranks of the Border Patrol by virtue of his extraordinary leadership and his bravery, integrity, and decency,” he said. “It is these qualities that made Chief Owens the best and right person to lead the Border Patrol during an intensely difficult time. I am grateful that he accepted the challenge, just as he has accepted so many others throughout his distinguished law enforcement career. The Border Patrol, and the Department of Homeland Security, are stronger today because of Chief Owens,” he said. The announcement comes days before President-elect Trump will take office, and is expected to launch a mass deportation operation as well as renewed efforts to ramp up border security. On Friday, Kristi Noem, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faced her confirmation hearing. During that hearing, she also pledged to secure the border, including promising to end the use of the CBP One app and related parole programs introduced by the Biden administration.
Biden’s last-minute constitutional change slammed by legal experts: ‘Cynical and irrelevant’
Legal experts slammed President Biden’s announcement declaring the 28th Amendment law as “cynical and irrelevant.” Biden on Friday released a statement saying the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) should be considered ratified and a new addition to the U.S. Constitution. “It is long past time to recognize the will of the American people. In keeping with my oath and duty to the Constitution and country, I affirm what I believe and what three-fourths of the states have ratified: the 28th Amendment is the law of the land, guaranteeing all Americans equal rights and protections under the law regardless of their sex,” he said. BIDEN’S OFFICIAL X ACCOUNT DRAWS MOCKERY WITH REFERENCE TO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT DOESN’T EXIST “Biden’s announcement is both cynical and irrelevant,” said former Assistant U.S. attorney and Fox News contributor Andrew McCarthy. “If he believed what he is saying, he would’ve said it when his administration started, not when he is on his way out the door as a failed, one-term president. “More importantly, the president has no constitutional role in the amendment process, so his view carries no weight.” “President Biden seems intent on moving his administration from the odious to the absurd,” Jonathan Turley, Fox News contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital. “This was an embarrassingly pandering moment to the most extreme elements in his party. It is a position based on a long-rejected and frankly ridiculous foundation.” When asked about the timing of the announcement by reporters, Biden said Friday, “Because I had to get all of the facts and I contacted every constitutional scholar in the world to make sure it was the right decision.” The ERA would prohibit discrimination based on gender. It was sent to the states for ratification in 1972, with Congress setting a 1979 deadline for three-quarters of state legislatures to ratify the amendment. The deadline was later extended to 1982. DANA PERINO KNOCKS BIDEN’S CONTROVERSIAL FAREWELL ADDRESS Virginia became the last state to pass the amendment in 2020, pushing the final number of states who had passed the amendment to a total of 38. McCarthy noted that the ERA “was not ratified by the states within the statutorily allotted timeframe.” “The only way to get it into the Constitution would be to start all over again,” McCarthy said. “Everybody knows this, including Biden. That is why the national archivist has not published it, nor has Biden had the temerity to try to order that that be done.” Turley also said: “Biden notably stopped short of giving the left what it wanted most: an actual executive order on the ratification. He simply made a declaration and presumably left the matter up to the archivist.” ERA: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT The national archivist is responsible for making constitutional amendments official. The archivist had previously declined to certify the amendment, citing a 2020 opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel of the DOJ (OLC) that “affirmed that the ratification deadline established by Congress for the ERA is valid and enforceable.” “The OLC concluded that extending or removing the deadline requires new action by Congress or the courts. Court decisions at both the District and Circuit levels have affirmed that the ratification deadlines established by Congress for the ERA are valid,” the National Archives said in a statement in December. “Therefore, the Archivist of the United States cannot legally publish the Equal Rights Amendment. As the leaders of the National Archives, we will abide by these legal precedents and support the constitutional framework in which we operate.” “This is just pandering,” McCarthy said. “It will have no lasting significance.”