‘Squad’ Dems demand end to US investigation into anti-Israel weapons embargo
A trio of House Democrats in the progressive “Squad” is demanding an end to the U.S.-led investigation into a key ally’s anti-Israel arms embargo. Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Summer Lee, D-Pa., wrote to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), an independent agency that oversees maritime trade affecting the U.S., regarding Spain’s “decision to deny port entry to ships carrying weapons bound for the Israeli government and its ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.” “This investigation is a reckless insult to our allies in Spain, which has only sought to enforce in good faith its sovereign national policies and uphold international law, including its treaty obligations to prevent genocide,” the hardline-left lawmakers wrote. “It is bad enough that the United States is violating these same obligations and its own domestic laws by sending these weapons. We urge you to immediately suspend this obstruction of justice and withdraw this misguided investigation.” NETANYAHU WARNS HOUTHIS AMID CALLS FOR ISRAEL TO WIPE OUT TERROR LEADERSHIP AS IT DID WITH NASRALLAH, SINWAR Spain, a longstanding U.S. ally and fellow member of NATO, said it would stop selling weapons to Israel when its war with Hamas broke out in October 2023. Since then, the Spanish government has been accused in three separate instances of refusing ships from docking in its ports over allegations those ships were carrying weapons meant for Israel. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told state TV channel RTVE of one of the incidents in May, according to the Associated Press. “The Middle East needs peace. That is why this first denial of authorization will start a policy for any boat carrying arms to Israel that wants to dock at a Spanish port.” The FMC opened its probe earlier this month after receiving information that “indicates Spain has refused entry to certain vessels on at least three separate occasions this year,” a press release read. “The two most recent instances involved U.S.-flagged vessels.” The agency will now “investigate whether regulations or practices of foreign governments result in conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States.” But the House Democrats wrote: “Spain’s decisions to bar the Maersk Denver and the Maersk Seletar from stopping in transit at its port in Algeciras in early November, as well as its decision to deny port of call to the Marianne Danica at the port of Cartegena in May of this year, are legitimate actions taken by a sovereign state to ensure that it is in compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law.” Tlaib, Bush and Lee have been three of Congress’ loudest critics of the Israeli government since it launched its invasion in Gaza. The campaign was launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack in southern Israel. Terrorists crossed the border and killed more than 1,200 Israelis who were in their homes, attending a music festival, and other areas. The responding operation to eradicate Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. HOUSE DEMOCRAT BLASTS IRELAND, SPAIN, NORWAY RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN STATE AS ‘GIFT TO HAMAS’ The trio of House Democrats has frequently accused the Biden administration of improperly acquiescing to Israel, the U.S.’s closest ally in the Middle East. They also argued the U.S. has no standing to investigate Spain’s decision, claiming “these actions do nothing to threaten the reliable international ocean transportation supply system that the FMC is tasked with safeguarding.” “No agency of the United States should be in the business of punishing or sanctioning our allies for enforcing the international law that our government has refused to uphold,” they wrote. Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, made the decision to formally recognize Palestinian statehood earlier this year. Fox News Digital reached out to the FMC for comment.
Ousted Rep Cori Bush thinks she’ll seek office again: ‘I will always be Squad’
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., a member of the progressive cadre of lawmakers known as the “Squad,” thinks she will eventually run for political office again. The outgoing congresswoman took office in 2021 and won re-election in 2022 but lost the Democratic primary in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District this year. “Running for office again is not off the table at all. I did not expect to only be in Congress for four years, and so I do believe at some point I will run again, whether it’s for Congress or something else, I don’t know. I don’t have any plans right now, but it’s not off the table,” she said, according to Politico. “The Squad will keep fighting,” she declared. “The numbers will be lower for the 119th Congress, but they will keep fighting for people who have the greatest need. They’re not going to change their priorities and what they believe. The number of people in Congress on the team will just be smaller. But they’ve never been silent. Anyone who underestimates our power is severely mistaken, because we aren’t going anywhere, and I will always be Squad. I’m not going far.” ‘SQUAD’ REP CORI BUSH’S LOSS CHEERED BY RIGHT, LEFT SOUNDS OFF ON AIPAC SPENDING Like Bush, outgoing Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., another Squad member who took office in 2021, is departing Congress after losing a Democratic primary this year. Bowman has indicated that he may seek office again. ‘SQUAD’ DEM APPLAUDS BIDEN FOR SPARING MURDERERS FROM ‘RACIST’ DEATH PENALTY IN 11TH-HOUR CLEMENCY MOVE “The liberating aspect of no longer being in Congress formally is now I have an opportunity to be helpful and support my community in a variety of ways. There’s many ways to teach and be an educator and lead as it relates to education. There’s many ways to impact electoral politics. I plan to be a part of that from a community organizing perspective and a fundraising perspective. And yes, there is a good chance I will run for office again, at some point, depending on the right situation and where that goes,” Bowman said, according to City & State. “I’m going to be hyperlocal initially in my engagement,” he noted. “It’s time to build that power in places like Yonkers in the Bronx, across the city and state and across the country.” OUTGOING REP. JAMAAL BOWMAN ISSUES ‘DEAR WHITE PEOPLE’ THREAD FOLLOWING DANIEL PENNY ACQUITTAL Fox News Digital reached out to the Bush and Bowman offices for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
Trump has Christmas message to ‘Radical Left Lunatics,’ tells inmates Biden granted clemency to ‘GO TO HELL!’
President-elect Trump dished out a fiery Christmas message on Wednesday in which he wished a “Merry Christmas” to “Radical Left Lunatics,” told the 37 prisoners whose death row sentences were recently commuted by President Biden to “GO TO HELL!,” and more. “Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics, who are constantly trying to obstruct our Court System and our Elections, and are always going after the Great Citizens and Patriots of the United States but, in particular, their Political Opponent, ME. They know that their only chance of survival is getting pardons from a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing,” Trump declared on Truth Social. “Also, to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky “souls” but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL! We had the Greatest Election in the History of our Country, a bright light is now shining over the U.S.A. and, in 26 days, we will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS!” he added. TRUMP AND BIDEN OFFER CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AS US APPROACHES TRANSFER OF POWER Biden recently announced that he commuted the sentences of 37 prisoners on federal death row to life sentences without the potential for parole. “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” the president said in a statement, but noted that he is “more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” TRUMP PLEDGES TO BRING BACK FEDERAL EXECUTIONS AFTER BIDEN COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES FOR 37 INMATES In a separate post, Trump declared, “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’ He also discussed Canada, referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “Governor” of America’s northern neighbor, while suggesting that Canadian businesses would boom if the nation became a U.S. state. TRUMP FLOATS NHL LEGEND WAYNE GRETZKY AS CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER AMID TRUDEAU TURMOIL “Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World. Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!” Trump declared.
Vance is the likely 2028 frontrunner, but these Republicans may also run for president
With former president and now President-elect Trump term-limited and constitutionally unable to run again for the White House in 2028, Vice President-elect JD Vance is on a glide path to be the heir apparent to the America First movement and the Republican Party’s powerful MAGA base. It was a point driven home by Donald Trump Jr., the former and future president’s eldest son and powerful ally of the vice president-elect. “We are getting four more years of Trump and then eight years of JD Vance!” Trump Jr. said on the campaign trail in Ohio a few weeks ahead of November’s election. Plenty of Republican politicians, strategists and pundits agree that Vance, who was elected to the Senate in Ohio just two years ago, will likely be the clear frontrunner in the next Republican presidential nomination race. HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 “The vice president will be in the catbird seat. No question about it,” longtime Republican consultant Dave Carney told Fox News Digital. Carney, a veteran of numerous Republican presidential campaigns over the past four decades, said Vance “is the guy to beat.” David Kochel, another longtime GOP strategist with plenty of presidential campaign experience, told Fox News that Vance is the frontrunner due to “the size and the scope of last week’s victory and the implied passing of the torch from Donald Trump.” “There will be no shortage of people looking at it. But most people looking at it are seeing the relative strength of the Trump victory and the movement,” Kochel said. And with Trump’s support in a party firmly in the president-elect’s grip, the 40-year-old Vance will be extremely hard to knock off. However, Kochel noted that “nobody will completely defer to JD Vance. There will be a contest. There always is.” Carney added that “there may be other people who challenge him [Vance]… there’s a lot of people who want to be president, but it will be a very hard lane other than the Trump lane.” He added that a possible rough four years for the Trump/Vance administration would give potential Vance challengers “opportunities.” However, he praised the vice president-elect’s messaging and accessibility on the campaign trail and that “he is the guy to beat, regardless of whether it’s a good four years or a rough four years.” Carney also touted that the Republican Party has a “deep bench.” Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, a top Trump ally, said in a recent Fox News Digital interview that he’s “very excited about the bench that we have in the Republican Party right now.” Pointing to Trump’s remaking of the GOP, Whatley added that “as we go into 2028, we are in a great position to be able to continue the momentum of this agenda and this movement.” But he also emphasized that regardless of Vance’s likely frontrunner status as 2028 nears, the RNC will hold to its traditional role of staying neutral in an open and contested presidential primary. Here’s a look at some of those on the bench that may have national aspirations and ambitions in 2028, or beyond. The conservative governor of Florida was flying high after a landslide re-election in 2022, but an unsuccessful 2024 presidential primary run and a bruising battle with Trump knocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis down in stature. However, the term-limited 46-year-old governor, who has two years left in office steering Florida, proved over the past few years his fundraising prowess and retains plenty of supporters across the country. DeSantis was also able, to a degree, to repair relations with Trump, helped raise money for the GOP ticket during the general election, and earned a prime time speaking slot at July’s convention. It’s likely that DeSantis, who sources say Trump has considered as a plan B for Defense secretary if his nominee Pete Hegseth runs into trouble, has his eyes on another White House run. The popular conservative governor is one of the few in the GOP who can claim he faced Trump’s wrath and not only survived, but thrived. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, has two years left in office and enjoys strong favorable ratings in a crucial battleground state. Expect to see the 61-year-old Kemp on the campaign trail across the country for fellow Republicans in 2026, as his national profile expands. With his 2021 gubernatorial victory – the first by a Republican in Virginia in a dozen years – Gov. Glenn Youngkin instantly became a GOP rising star. In Virginia, governors are limited to one four-year term, which means Youngkin has one year left in office. The 58-year-old governor, who hails from the Republican Party’s business wing but has been able to thrive in a MAGA-dominated party, likely harbors national ambitions. A first step could be a Cabinet post in the second Trump administration after his term as governor ends. Sen. Ted Cruz was the runner-up to Trump in the blockbuster 2016 Republican presidential battle. The controversial conservative firebrand passed on challenging Trump again in 2024, as he ran for what was thought to be another difficult re-election bid, after narrowly surviving his 2018 re-election. However, the 53-year-old senator ended up winning a third six-year term in the Senate by nearly nine points. The Army veteran, who served in combat in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars before becoming a rising star in Republican Party politics, was considered to be on the larger list of potential Trump running mates. The now-47-year-old Sen. Tom Cotton seriously mulled a 2024 White House run of his own before deciding against it in late 2022, putting his young family ahead of political ambitions. However, he did not rule out a future presidential bid. Cotton is currently bidding for the GOP conference chair, the number three leadership position in the incoming Senate Republican majority. The 44-year-old Sen. Josh Hawley, along with Cotton, is another rising conservative star in the Senate. Hawley is also a strong defender of Trump’s America First agenda
Oregon AG creates sanctuary ‘toolkit’ ahead of likely Trump-Homan illegal immigration crackdown
Oregon’s top law enforcement officer rolled out what she called bilingual “Sanctuary Promise Community Toolkit” to help residents refresh their knowledge of the Beaver State’s relevant laws. “Every person has the right to live, work, play, and learn safely in Oregon, period,” Oregon Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement announcing the toolkit. In 1987, Oregon lawmakers passed then-Rep. Rocky Barilla’s HB 2314 in response to several raids by INS – the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, which transformed into USCIS, DHS and ICE in 2003. The law is largely considered the first “sanctuary state” policy in the country. OREGON BALLOT MEASURE WOULD TAX BIG CORPORATION MORE, RETURN REVENUE AS REBATE TO RESIDENTS Rosenblum explicitly acknowledged Oregon’s place in that regard, noting the law prohibits state and local law enforcement resources from being used to apprehend suspects charged solely with being present in the U.S. without papers. A press release from the attorney general’s office noted Barilla’s bill passed “nearly unanimously” in 1987 but that by 2024, sanctuary laws have become an “intensely partisan issue.” “I asked my Civil Rights Unit here at the Oregon DOJ to do whatever we could to provide the people, businesses, and local governments of our state with easy-to-read materials to help them know their rights and educate others, and I’m so pleased with what they’ve put together,” Rosenblum said in her statement. In the toolkit, documents relating to the 1987 law’s passage are available for easy public consumption, along with a “conversation” with figures involved in getting the law passed. The toolkit includes several FAQs, including “how do I prepare myself and my family for encounters with ICE or other federal immigration authorities?” – “Is there a place I can call to report ICE or other federal immigration authorities active right now in my community?” and “After an encounter with ICE or other federal immigration authorities, what information should I write down?” Oregon also hosts a statewide “hotline” to report sanctuary law violations. There are also links to press coverage, as well as a separate “law enforcement bias response” toolkit. WATCHDOG SEEKS HALT TO 11TH-HOUR BIDEN DOJ EFFORT TO HANDCUFF KY POLICE OVER BREONNA TAYLOR INCIDENT Rosenblum said she also recommends Oregonians discuss the issue with family in the next few weeks to “know your rights… and make a plan for what to do if immigration officials come to your home or place of business.” “Knowing your rights in advance is essential,” she said. President-elect Trump tapped former ICE Director Thomas Homan as his “border czar” – succeeding Vice President Kamala Harris. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Homan has pledged a no-holds-barred crackdown on immigration law violators and illegal immigrants. Fox News Digital also reached out to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek for comment.
Trump picks Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera for Panama ambassador
President-elect Trump picked Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as ambassador to Panama. Calling the Miami-Dade County Commissioner a “fierce fighter,” Trump said that he would advance the “MAGA agenda” to the Central American country. “Kevin is a fierce fighter for America First principles. As a Miami-Dade County Commissioner, and Vice Chairman of the International Trade Consortium, he has been instrumental in driving Economic growth, and fostering International partnerships,” Trump wrote in the Wednesday announcement. “In 2020, Kevin did an incredible job as my Florida State Director and, this year, advanced our MAGA Agenda as a Member of the RNC Platform Committee.” “Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin – He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!” he said. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? The announcement came after Trump said that Panama was “a Country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams.” In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump also accused Chinese soldiers of illegally operating the canal and “always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’” In a statement on X, Cabrera thanked Trump for the nomination. HOW PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP COULD PULL OFF ‘THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ AS HE ENTERS OFFICE “I’m humbled and honored by your nomination to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama,” he wrote. “Let’s get to work!” Cabrera won his county election two years ago following an endorsement by Trump. He also served as the Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 campaign and was a member of the RNC Platform Committee.
Trump and Biden offer Christmas greetings as US approaches transfer of power
As a change in presidential administrations approaches, President-elect Trump and President Biden both marked the Christmas holiday, with Biden acknowledging that it would be his last time as president to wish the nation a merry Christmas. Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, exclaimed in a post on Truth Social, “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!” In another post he shared a photo of himself and his wife Melania — the photo bore the message “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” In a post on the @POTUS presidential X account, Biden said: “For the last time as your president, it’s my honor to wish all of America a very Merry Christmas. My hope for our nation, today and always, is that we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency. May God bless you all.” A post on the @JoeBiden X account that features a photo of the president and first lady Jill Biden reads, “Merry Christmas, everyone!” THE TOP FIVE ABSURD TIPS FROM LIBERAL PUNDITS FOR SURVIVING HOLIDAYS WITH TRUMP-VOTING FAMILY THE YEAR OF THE PODCAST: 5 TIMES TRUMP’S PODCAST INTERVIEWS SIDELINED LIBERAL LEGACY MEDIA Trump – who defeated Vice President Harris in the November election – made history this year by becoming the second president ever to win election to two non-consecutive terms. The first was Grover Cleveland in the 19th century. While the new year will mark a new chapter in Trump’s political career, it also marks the end of Biden’s decades-long stint at the top levels of Washington politics. TRUMP PLEDGES TO BRING BACK FEDERAL EXECUTIONS AFTER BIDEN COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES FOR 37 INMATES Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, bowed out of the 2024 presidential contest earlier this year in the face of tremendous pressure from within his party after a widely panned debate performance against Trump.
AOC’s loss in bid for House committee chair signifies generational choice for Democrats
President Biden’s age — and whether he should stay or go — nearly tore Democrats apart this summer. In fact, a decision for the president to bow out earlier — and give other candidates, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, the chance to run for the Oval Office — may have salvaged the election for the party. The divide between old and new and the direction of the party is threatening to drive a wedge through the Democratic coalition. In fact, the race between Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to serve as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee represented a microcosm of that skirmish. The 74-year-old Connolly, recovering from esophageal cancer, bested the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez for the high-profile spot in the Democratic Caucus recently. The ranking Democrat on that panel will duel daily with Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. Connolly is also expected to serve as the party’s lead attack dog for looming tangles with the incoming Trump administration. LIBERAL MEDIA HOSTS SLAM DEMOCRATIC PARTY AFTER AOC LOSES TOP SPOT ON HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE Comer was rooting for Ocasio-Cortez. He knew selecting her would amplify her positions as to the direction of the party. “I hope they put her on there because she symbolizes what the Democrats stand for. She’s a socialist. She’s the architect of the Green New Deal in the House,” said Comer. It was a generational choice for Democrats. Youth versus experience. But what about the future of the party? Ocasio-Cortez is an icon of the progressive movement. She’s one of the highest wattage stars in Congress — albeit sometimes a lightning rod. Does the party want to tout liberal pols like Ocasio-Cortez — which would resonate in the left-leaning, multicultural precincts of Jackson Heights and College Point in New York? Or figure out how to speak to swaths of swing voters and even moderate Democrats in Omaha, Nebraska, parts of Ohio and the Dakotas? It wasn’t that long ago that Democrats represented many of these places. The entire North and South Dakota delegations — House and Senate — were comprised of Democrats. Former Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., were political icons in the Cornhusker State. Ohio was a swing state at the presidential level. Connolly is by no stretch a “conservative” Democrat. He lacks the political allure of Ocasio-Cortez. That is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. Connolly is a workhorse. He’s a serious legislator with a nimble mind and can go toe-to-toe with the best of them verbally on the committee dais or on the House floor. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGISTS CONCEDE PARTY BRAND IS ‘IN THE TOILET’ — AND THAT’S BEING ‘GENEROUS’ The question is: Did House Democrats again stiff the progressives? Did they again shut out youth and vigor? Unclear. An Ocasio-Cortez victory would have signaled that Democrats veered left. That was one of the problems for the party in the election. But when it comes to “youth” and “turning the page” in the party, few have more currency on this subject than outgoing Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. Certain quarters of the Democratic establishment excoriated Phillips when he made a quixotic challenge to President Biden in the party. Now Phillips is retiring from Congress. “It is time to elevate the best and brightest. We have literally kept them from ascending to leadership positions, which means they go elsewhere,” lamented Phillips. “And when we lose that kind of talent of ambitious, competent, patriotic young Americans, we’re in trouble.” Democrats are trying to figure out where they will land after a brutal election loss. The path to rebuild a viable coalition is a challenge. Especially after President-elect Trump figured out a way to grow the GOP base and lure disaffected voters in his direction. “It’s quite apparent that the Democratic caucus has long valued people who have been here a long time,” said Phillips, criticizing how the party doesn’t recruit “young, talented Americans.” He said that Democrats “will continue losing” if they do not “open up” to younger voters. For his part, Connolly argued the old versus young debate was a “false narrative, frankly, propounded by the media.” But even as Connolly won, the party selected several younger lawmakers (and keep in mind that “younger” is a relative term when it comes to Congress) to serve as the ranking members on several committees. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who is 77, stepped aside as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee in favor of the practically spright 62-year-old Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. Raskin just recovered from lymphoma. DNC POWERHOUSE FUNDRAISER ANNOUNCES EXIT FROM DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOLLOWING ATTACKS: ‘IT’S LIKE LEAVING A CULT’ Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., a 78-year-old, was absent for much of the year suffering from cancer. Grijalva has served as the leading Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He stepped away from that role, while 60-year-old Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., defeated a newcomer to Congress — 45-year-old Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., — to serve as ranking member of that panel. “Only in Congress do I get to be young at 60 years old,” quipped Huffman. “So it’s like the fountain of youth.” Like Grijalva, 79-year-old Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., was absent for chunks of time over the past year due to health problems. He is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee. Scott declined to step down. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., who is 72, and 52-year-old Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., challenged Scott, as Democrats clashed over age and experience. “I don’t know that it’s a clash,” said Costa before the vote. “We’ve got a terrific group of members in our Democratic Caucus. Members that have been elected in recent classes. But certainly we’ve got on spectrum, tremendous experience and a solid bench.” The younger Craig defeated both Scott and Costa to claim the ranking position on Agriculture. After prevailing, Craig did not focus on age. She addressed political practicalities instead. “Democrats overall are not connecting with rural communities. That’s something we’ve been
Here’s how many US service members are spending the holidays away from home deployed overseas
As millions of Americans gather together with loved ones to celebrate the Christmas holiday and ring in the new year, hundreds of thousands of American men and women in uniform will mark the holidays away from family in decidedly less festive corners of the world. As of June, 165,830 U.S. service members were on deployment across the Middle East, Indo-Pacific region and Europe. That figure has likely ticked higher amid recent unrest across the Middle East, and it doesn’t include service members working at U.S. bases over the holidays and civilian personnel on overseas contracts. Here’s a look at where service members will spend the holidays on deployment across the world: Around 43,000 troops are stationed across the Middle East as of October, an increase from the usual 34,000 amid the recent unrest and outbreak of war between Israel and Iranian proxy forces Hamas and Hezbollah. The Pentagon announced in October it would be moving troops into Cyprus to prepare for escalating unrest in Lebanon. And last week the Pentagon divulged that some 2,100 troops were in Syria — not the 900 they had long claimed. Another 1,000 troops are in Iraq carrying out missions to thwart ISIS. U.S. forces are stationed across Europe to support NATO forces and deter any potential Russian aggression. Major areas of deployment include Germany (34,894), Italy (12,319) and the United Kingdom (10,180). SECOND US NAVY FIGHTER JET NARROWLY AVOIDED BEING SHOT DOWN IN ‘FRIENDLY FIRE’ INCIDENT: SOURCE U.S. forces partner with allies in Asia to conduct joint exercises and coordinate on countering the threat of China and Areas of deployment include South Korea (23,732), Japan (52,852) and Guam (6,453). TWO US NAVY PILOTS SHOT DOWN OVER RED SEA IN APPARENT ‘FRIENDLY FIRE’ INCIDENT: US MILITARY Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin thanked U.S. troops for serving over the holiday season in a Christmas message. “We know firsthand the holidays can be especially hard if you’re far away from your loved ones. So for our troops stationed around the globe, we deeply appreciate your sacrifice,” he said. “We know that your families serve too, and our military families are the foundation of America’s strength.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene wants death penalty for migrant who allegedly set woman on fire on subway: ‘Finish him’
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is calling for the swift trial, conviction, and execution of the man charged in connection with the gruesome murder of a woman burned alive on a New York City subway. The outspoken Republican took to social media on Tuesday to address the incident, in which Guatemalan national Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is accused of setting a woman on fire while on a train in Brooklyn. “Death penalty, don’t waste money on a lengthy trial. Convict him and finish him. What he did is so incredibly evil,” Greene declared in a post on X. “I can’t watch the video anymore. And how it seems like no one tried to save her is beyond me. Maybe they did but it doesn’t seem like it.” Zapeta faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, and first-degree arson, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with no parole. SANCTUARY CITY NEW YORK PRESSURED TO MAKE DRASTIC CHANGE AFTER ILLEGAL MIGRANT ALLEGEDLY BURNS WOMAN ALIVE Greene is not the only member of Congress to weigh in on the case. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., also called for capital punishment. “Death penalty,” she tweeted. SUSPECT ACCUSED OF BURNING WOMAN TO DEATH ON NYC SUBWAY IS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., declared in a post on X, “A woman was intentionally lit on fire on the subway today. Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies do not work.” CRITICS WARN OF ‘DANIEL PENNY EFFECT’ AFTER WOMAN BURNED ALIVE ON NYC SUBWAY CAR AS BYSTANDERS WATCHED New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted during remarks on Sunday that Zapeta allegedly “used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.” Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg alleged in court on Tuesday that the suspect fanned the fire with a shirt. Zapeta’s next court appearance is scheduled for December 27, according to online records. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said in a statement that Zapeta had been removed from the U.S. in 2018 and then re-entered the country illegally at some point “on an unknown date and location.” Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report