Biden could pardon these Trump adversaries amid Dem fears that ‘revengeful first year’ is looming
President Biden’s days in office are coming down to the wire, and amid President-elect Donald Trump’s transition into the Oval Office, the 46th president is reportedly considering pardoning high-profile allies and fellow Democrats who are viewed as Trump’s political foes. After Trump’s election win over Vice President Harris last month, Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Ed Markey said he expects Trump to act in a “fascistic way” as president and called on Biden to pardon Democrats and the party’s allies who could face prosecution under a second Trump administration. “I think that, without question, Trump is going to try to act in a dictatorial way, in a fascistic way, in a revengeful first year at least of his administration toward individuals who he believes harmed him,” Markey said during a local radio interview last month. “If it’s clear by Jan. 19 that that is his intention, then I would recommend to President Biden that he provide those preemptive pardons to people because that’s really what our country is going to need next year.” MOTHER OF HUNTER BIDEN’S DAUGHTER DEFENDS PARDON, SAYS HE’S ‘TARGETED BECAUSE OF WHO HIS DAD IS’ The comments were soon echoed by other Democrats and some legal experts in a bid for Biden to sink any prospect of Trump getting “revenge” against his political enemies. “Biden should keep going with his pardons: Trump, Jack Smith & team, Mueller & team, and a blanket pardon for all on Trump’s enemies list for any and all political statements before December 25, 2024! Merry Christmas,” John Dean, CNN contributor and former President Nixon’s White House counsel during the Watergate scandal, posted to social media this month. “Take the wind out of retribution/revenge!” HOW BIDEN – AND TRUMP – HELPED MAKE THE PARDON GO HAYWIRE As Biden wraps up his final days, Fox News Digital compiled a list of prominent Trump antagonists who have been rumored to be among those considered for pardons. Cheney, the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman, and Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Jan. 6 House Select Committee chair, were the targets of Trump’s ire during a recent interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press.” “Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps,” he said in the interview. “They deleted and destroyed all evidence.” “And Cheney was behind it, and so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee,” he continued. “For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail.” The Jan. 6 committee was founded in July 2021 to investigate the breach of the U.S. Capitol earlier that year by supporters of Trump ahead of President Biden officially taking office on Jan. 20. The Jan. 6 committee’s investigation was carried out when Democrats held control of the House. BIDEN’S PARDONING OF HUNTER INDICATES HE HAS ‘A LOT MORE TO HIDE’: LARA TRUMP Cheney slammed Trump’s remarks in a statement this week, saying they were a “continuation of his assault on the rule of law,” but she did not address a potential blanket pardon or whether she would accept such an offer. “There is no conceivably appropriate factual or constitutional basis for what Donald Trump is suggesting – a Justice Department investigation of the work of a congressional committee – and any lawyer who attempts to pursue that course would quickly find themselves engaged in sanctionable conduct,” Cheney said in her statement. Thompson’s office also slammed Trump’s comment in a statement provided to Fox Digital this week, arguing that “no election, no conspiracy theory, no pardon, and no threat of vengeful prosecution can rewrite history or wipe away his responsibility for the deadly violence on that horrific day.” “We stood up to him before, and we will continue to do so,” he added. The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was a keystone of the nation’s pandemic response, including advising then-President Trump in 2020 on how to handle COVID-19 as it swept across communities. Fauci’s tenure under the first Trump administration, however, devolved with Trump slamming him and fellow pandemic task force adviser Dr. Deborah Birx as “two self-promoters trying to reinvent history to cover for their bad instincts and faulty recommendations.” FAUCI RIPPED OVER NEW PAPER CRITICIZING TRUMP ON CORONAVIRUS, PROMOTING NATURAL ORIGIN THEORY: ‘EMBARRASSMENT’ Conservatives, including lawmakers such as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., slammed Fauci for his promotion of mask mandates, vaccine mandates and strict lockdown orders that upended the day-to-day lives of Americans. “Dr. Fauci should be voluntarily removed from TV because what he says is such a disservice, and such fearmongering and almost all of what he says isn’t even matched by the science of his own institute,” Paul, who is a doctor, said in 2021 during an appearance on Fox Business. “It doesn’t obey the science,” he said at the time. “There is no scientific evidence that the lockdowns in Michigan have done anything or in California. In fact, the daily incidents of the disease in the last two months has been about almost one and a half times greater in California than it has been in Florida. The death rate is lower in Florida. So there is no real correlation between economic lockdowns, mask mandates or any of this.” Trump allies, including tech billionaire Elon Musk and Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, have endorsed calls to prosecute Fauci if evidence is found of any crimes during the pandemic, including the Wuhan lab leak in China. BIDEN, TRUMP BOTH RIP DOJ AFTER PRESIDENT PARDONS HUNTER “If there were crimes that he committed, of course I would tell the attorney general to prosecute him, not hold off,” Kennedy said on Fox News last year. Fauci has denied any wrongdoing amid the pandemic, and he told CNN this year, “I don’t know what one would prosecute me for. … I played a major role in the development of the vaccine that was responsible for the saving of millions
Democrats in a bind over defense bill that bans transgender surgeries for minors but boosts enlisted pay
The House is set to vote Wednesday on its must-pass yearly defense bill that would give junior enlisted troops a significant pay bump and work to eliminate DEI programs at the Pentagon. The 1,800-page bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), details how $895.2 billion allocated toward defense and national security will be spent. It will be voted on more than two months after the start of the fiscal year. The $895.2 billion represents a 1% increase over last year’s budget, a smaller number than some defense hawks would have liked. A significant portion of the legislation focused on quality-of-life improvements for service members amid record recruitment issues, a focus of much bipartisan discussion over the last year. That includes a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops and increasing access to child care for service members while also providing job support to military spouses. The measure authorizes a 4.5% across-the-board pay raise for all service members starting Jan. 1. The NDAA typically enjoys wide bipartisan support, but this year’s focus on eliminating “woke” policies could be hard for Democrats to stomach. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES NEW COUNTER-DRONE STRATEGY AS UNMANNED ATTACKS ON US INTERESTS SKYROCKET The policy proposal to prohibit Tricare, the military’s health care provider, from covering transgender services for the minor dependents of service members has raised concerns, prompting the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, to reconsider his support for the bill. “Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong,” he said in a statement. “This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills.” The goal of that provision is to prevent any “medical interventions that could result in sterilization” of minors. Other provisions, like a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults, did not make their way into the bill, neither did a ban on requiring masks to prevent the spread of diseases. The bill also supports deploying the National Guard to the southern border to help with illegal immigrant apprehensions and drug flow. Another provision opens the door to allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair; it directs the secretary of the Air Force to brief lawmakers on “the feasibility and advisability” of establishing a pilot program to test out allowing beards. US SCRAMBLES AS DRONES SHAPE THE LANDSCAPE OF WAR: ‘THE FUTURE IS HERE’ Democrats are also upset the bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury. But the bill did not include an amendment to walk back a provision allowing the Pentagon to reimburse service members who have to travel out of state to get an abortion. The bill extends a hiring freeze on DEI-related roles and stops all such recruitment until “an investigation of the Pentagon’s DEI programs” can be completed. It also bans the Defense Department from contracting with advertising companies “that blacklist conservative news sources,” according to an internal GOP memo. The memo said the NDAA also guts funding for the Biden administration’s “Countering Extremist Activity Working Group” dedicated to rooting out extremism in the military’s ranks. The annual defense policy bill also does not authorize “any climate change programs” and prohibits the Pentagon from issuing climate impact-based guidance on weapons systems. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., touted $31 billion in savings in the legislation that would come from cutting “inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.” The compromise NDAA bill, negotiated between Republican and Democrat leadership, sets policy for the nation’s largest government agency, but a separate defense spending bill must be passed to allocate funds for such programs.
A kinder, gentler Trump? President-elect taking a more moderate stance
Donald Trump is making a deliberate effort to soften his tone. Or is he? I’ve given this a lot of thought, having interviewed Trump twice this year, including two weeks before the election. He was focused and substantive, trying to reach a more independent audience, and while he took some campaign-style shots, he was relatively restrained by Trumpian standards. Now that he’s the de facto president, I saw a similar Trump on display in the “Meet the Press” interview. Kristen Welker’s follow-ups must have annoyed him, because he told her she had asked “nasty” questions. HOW BIDEN – AND TRUMP – HELPED MAKE THE PARDON GO HAYWIRE During the campaign, such episodes were overshadowed by Trump’s rock-n-roll rallies, where he’d ramble on about the great Hannibal Lecter or Arnold Palmer’s genitalia. But his declaration on NBC that he also wants to represent those who didn’t vote for him is a long way from his 2017 “American carnage” inaugural address. And yet, the president-elect has also mastered the art of saying things that can be interpreted two ways, or sending not-so-coded messages. The Washington Post editorial board, not a big fan, says Trump “tried to sound a conciliatory tone” with Welker, backed by substance. Trump declared he wouldn’t oust Fed chief Jerome Powell, and wants to work with Democrats to protect the Dreamers. Trump said he “would not restrict the national availability of abortion medication, and that the United States will ‘absolutely’ remain in NATO, as long as other member states spend what they have pledged on defense.” And why shouldn’t he appear more reasonable? He’s got the job he believes was unfairly taken from him. He can’t run again. He knows his first term was savaged by the left-leaning media establishment. If he can have a more successful second term – after turning on some top aides in the last go-round – he could modify history’s verdict. And that brings us to the question of retribution. He said on NBC that the best retribution is success, the same line he used with me. On “Meet the Press” he even retracted a campaign declaration that he would name a special prosecutor to go after Joe Biden. BIDEN, TRUMP BOTH RIP DOJ AFTER PRESIDENT PARDONS HUNTER When Welker asked whether he’d order the Justice Department, which he sees as having persecuted him, to investigate Biden and his administration, Trump gave a response that I doubt he would have offered in the first term. No, he said, that would be up to his attorney general and FBI director, which will definitely be Pam Bondi and probably Kash Patel. Would he tell them to do it? Nope. It’s called distancing. Now one could argue that he was in effect suggesting they do it by announcing it on national television. But I’m sure they knew his views anyway. Trump’s one misstep on NBC was lashing out at members of the House Jan. 6 Committee. He said Liz Cheney “did something that’s inexcusable, along with [Bennie] Thompson and people on the Un-Select Committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker, arguing without proof that they “deleted and destroyed” testimony. “Honestly, they should go to jail.” So that was a gift to his critics, enabling most journalists to lead with him wanting the lawmakers behind bars. By the way, their investigation and hearings are protected by the Speech and Debate clause, which gives the members immunity. Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told CNN that his boss’ words had been taken “out of context,” that he “wants everyone who he puts into key positions of leadership … to apply the law equally to everybody,” mentioning Bondi and Patel. In a similar vein, Trump has mainly avoided attacks on individual journalists, this after saying he would reach out to even hostile outlets. But he made an exception and mocked Maggie Haberman of the New York Times when she co-authored a couple of stories he didn’t like. So will we be getting Trump 2.0, or Trump 1.0 with plenty of fancy packaging? SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES Veteran Trump watchers know that he can slip off the high road when he gets angry, that it’s not just about mass deportations, slashing inflation and drill, baby, drill. But I still believe we’re seeing a more disciplined, restrained and moderate Trump so far. He campaigned on shaking things up, so there are plenty of clashes to unfold. What’s fascinating is that he’s already essentially running the country while Biden has faded and, since the pardon fiasco, is refusing to talk to the press.
Trump names former El Salvador ambassador Ron Johnson as choice for Mexico envoy
Former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador Ronald Johnson has been tapped by President-elect Trump to serve as ambassador to Mexico in his upcoming administration. Like many of his picks, Trump announced the news on his Truth Social network. “Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies,” he wrote. TRUMP’S PROPOSED TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA, CHINA WILL INCREASE INFLATION, GOLDMAN SACHS WARNS “During my First Term, Ron served as the Ambassador to El Salvador, where he worked tirelessly with Salvadoran authorities and our team to reduce violent crime and illegal migration to the lowest levels in History,” he added. Johnson, a former official with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and U.S. Army Green Beret, would serve in one of the high-profile diplomatic posts in the Trump administration. TRUMP TARIFFS WILL BRING MEXICO TO THE TABLE, TEXAS DEMOCRAT SAYS Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Mexico if it doesn’t do more to prevent the flow of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs across the southern border. He’s also threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and China as well. In his announcement, Trump said Johnson would help put an end to “migrant crime, stop the illegal flow of Fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our Country and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”
Capitol Police arrest suspect after allegedly assaulting Rep Nancy Mace
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said she was physically accosted on Capitol grounds Tuesday night, and the suspect has since been arrested. The U.S. Capitol Police said that just before 6 p.m. the office of a member of Congress, later identified as Mace, reported an incident in the Rayburn House Office Building. House division officers and agents with the Threat Assessment Section of the police department tracked down the suspect, identified as 33-year-old James McIntyre of Illinois. NANCY MACE’S EFFORT TO BAN TRANSGENDER DELAWARE DEMOCRAT FROM CAPITOL WOMEN’S RESTROOMS GAINS SUPPORT Police interviewed McIntyre and ultimately arrested him on the grounds of assaulting a government official. “I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women. Capitol police have arrested him,” Mace said in a post on X. “All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!” Mace has been vocal about her opposition to transgender individuals using bathrooms not assigned to their biological gender. MACE FACES BACKLASH OVER EFFORT TO BAN TRANSGENDER MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM WOMEN’S BATHROOMS She led the charge against allowing Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware, to use the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill. McBride is a biological man who identifies and presents as a woman. Mace said last month she was receiving death threats, adding that she was being “unfairly targeted.” Mace also drafted resolution H.R. 1579, which would prohibit members, officers and employees of the House from using facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Mace’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Trump selects FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson to chair agency
President-elect Trump has tapped Andrew Ferguson to serve as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, the anti-trust agency of which he already serves as a commissioner. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump said in a Tuesday statement posted to his Truth Social network. “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History,” he added. LARA TRUMP ANNOUNCES SHE IS STEPPING DOWN AS RNC CO-CHAIR AMIDST TALK SHE MAY BE UP FOR FLORIDA SENATE SEAT Ferguson is one of two Republican commissioners on the five-member panel chaired by Lina Khan. Ferguson, who also served as the solicitor general of Virginia, was appointed to the commission by President Biden and joined the FTC on April 2. The FTC is charged with acting as an anti-trust and consumer protection agency. The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC’s antitrust and consumer protection divisions. Khan became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. Under Khan, the FTC blocked a proposed merger between Korger and Albertsons, two large supermarket chains which forged a $24.6 billion deal in 2022. TRUMP’S TARIFF THREATS GO BEYOND ‘TRADE AGREEMENT’ TO ADVANCE AMERICAN INTERESTS: EXPERT On Tuesday, a judge halted the merger after the FTC filed a lawsuit to block the move, alleging it would lead to high prices and lower wages for workers. Ferguson’s experience could signal continued scrutiny of large tech companies. In a statement earlier this month, he called for the prosecution of “unlawful collision” between online platforms that could limit “Americans’ ability to exchange ideas freely and openly.” “In particular, we must vigorously enforce the antitrust laws against any platforms found to be unlawfully limiting Americans’ ability to exchange ideas freely and openly,” he wrote. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump announces more picks, nominates Kimberly Guilfoyle to serve as ambassador to Greece
President-elect Trump on Tuesday announced several picks to join his incoming administration, including tapping Jacob Helberg to serve as his Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment and Kimberly Guilfoyle to serve as ambassador to Greece Trump announced the picks on his Truth Social platform. “In this role Jacob will be a champion of our America First Foreign Policy,” he wrote. “He will guide State Department policy on Economic statecraft, promoting America’s Economic security and growth, and American technological dominance abroad. Jacob is a successful technology executive, has the knowledge, expertise, and pragmatism to defend America’s Economic interests abroad, and always puts AMERICA FIRST!” TRUMP’S TARIFF THREATS GO BEYOND ‘TRADE AGREEMENT’ TO ADVANCE AMERICAN INTERESTS: EXPERT Guilfoyle was nominated to serve as ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle, 55, who dated Donald Trump Jr., appeared on stage with the Trump family on election night. “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad,” Trump said. In a post on X, Guilfoyle said she was “honored” to accept the nomination. “President Trump’s historic victory is bringing hope and optimism to the American people and to freedom-loving allies across the world,” she wrote. “It was the democratic values born in Greece that helped shape the founding of America.” The nomination would require Senate confirmation. MUSK, STALLONE AMONG STAR-STUDDED NAMES PARTYING AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO CLUB FOR THANKSGIVING Tom Barrack, a private equity real estate investor and founder of Colony Capital LLC, was tapped to serve as ambassador to Turkey. “He is a well respected and experienced voice of reason to a wide range of thought leaders in both political and business circles,” Trump wrote. Attorney Mark Meador was tapped to serve as a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission. Meador previously served as deputy chief counsel for antitrust and competition policy to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. Ed Martin will serve as the next Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget, Trump also announced. “Together with Phyllis Schlafly, they co-wrote ‘The Conservative Case for Trump,’” he said, referring to the deceased anti-feminist activist. U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, R- N.C., was named the deputy director for the Budget at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In that role, Bishop will implement Trump’s “cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda” and root out the “Weaponized Deep State.” “I’m so honored to be nominated by President Trump to serve in the stellar OMB team led by @russvought,” Bishop wrote on X. “Much work to do to fight for and implement President Trump’s agenda. I’m ready to get down to it. Let’s go!”
California county votes to ramp up sanctuary policies ahead of Trump deportation push: ‘Radical policy’
San Diego County has voted to further block county cooperation with federal immigration authorities ahead of an expected deportation push by the incoming Trump administration next year – a move quickly slammed by a top local Republican. The resolution goes further than California’s existing ‘sanctuary’ law, which generally limits law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE. The vote was approved in a 3-1 vote by San Diego County’s board of supervisors. The resolution says that the county will not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE “including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities.” BLUE STATE COUNTY TEES UP VOTE ON ‘KNEE-JERK’ RESOLUTION TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION When ICE is aware of a suspected illegal immigrant in local or state custody, it will lodge a detainer with law enforcement, typically requesting that the agency is notified ahead of their release and in some cases held until ICE can take custody of them. ICE says this helps detain illegal immigrants without having to go into communities and gets illegal immigrant offenders off the streets. Sanctuary proponents say that such policies chill cooperation between law enforcement and otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants. “When federal immigration authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Border Patrol, coerce local law enforcement to carry out deportations, family members are separated and community trust in law enforcement and local government is destroyed,” an overview of the resolution claims. “Witnesses and victims who are undocumented or who have loved ones who are undocumented are afraid to come to the County for help, which includes calling local law enforcement. This puts the public safety of all San Diegans at risk.” ANOTHER MAJOR BLUE CITY DOUBLES DOWN ON VOW TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN The vote comes just over a month before President-elect Trump will be sworn into office. He has pledged to launch a “historic” mass deportation operation once in office to remove millions of illegal immigrants from the country. San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas said that California’s current sanctuary laws restricting ICE deportations don’t go far enough. “While the California Values Act significantly expanded protection from deportation to California residents, it fell short of protecting all residents, because it allowed agencies to still notify ICE of release dates and transfers individuals to ICE without a warrant in some circumstances,” she said. The resolution echoes a similar policy enacted in 2019 by Santa Clara County. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican who provided the sole nay vote on the resolution, slammed the passage of the law. He previously told Fox News Digital that the move was part of an effort by some Democrats to “Trump-proof” the state. On Tuesday he said the vote is a “direct betrayal of the people we are sworn to protect.” “This reckless measure not only goes far beyond California’s already extreme Sanctuary State laws but actively endangers our communities by shielding illegal immigrant criminals from deportation. Consider this: under this policy, law enforcement is prohibited from notifying ICE about individuals, in custody, who have committed violent and heinous crimes, including: Rape and stalking, Assault and battery, Burglary, Child abuse and more,” he said. He said he has already been in touch with members of the incoming Trump administration and “will fight relentlessly to undo this disastrous policy and ensure that illegal immigrant criminals are removed from our neighborhoods.”
New Jersey leader calls for limited state of emergency as drone mystery deepens
A New Jersey state senator called for a limited state of emergency Tuesday as the mystery surrounding large drones flying over the Garden State continues to deepen. “The State of New Jersey should issue a limited state of emergency banning all drones until the public receives an explanation regarding these multiple sightings,” Republican New Jersey state Sen. Jon Bramnick said in a press release. Reports of large drones flying over President-elect Trump’s Bedminster golf course and near military research sites in New Jersey have been on the rise in recent weeks. On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced there were dozens of reports of drones on Sunday alone. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that drones flying over New Jersey were not foreign, adding that President Biden has been made aware of the situation, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FBI are investigating. FBI LEADER SAYS IT’S ‘CONCERNING’ HOW LITTLE HIS AGENCY KNOWS ABOUT MYSTERIOUS DRONES SEEN OVER NEW JERSEY “So, we are certainly aware. The president is aware, so we are closely tracking the activity and coordinating closely with relevant agencies, including DHS and FBI, to continue to investigate these incidents,” Jean-Pierre said before adding she did not have anything else to share. “Obviously, this is something the DHS and FBI are tracking very, very closely.” When pressed if the federal government had ruled out that the drones are being controlled by foreign entities, Jean-Pierre promptly responded, “Yeah.” The Federal Aviation Administration first received reports of drone activity Nov. 18 in Morris County, which is nearly 2 miles north of Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Somerset County. NEW JERSEY DRONE SIGHTINGS: MILITARY ANALYSTS BREAK DOWN NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS, DOUBT HOBBYISTS AT PLAY Since then, sightings have occurred a few miles north of Bedminster in Mendham and Parsippany and other places across the Garden State. On Monday, Murphy said there were 49 reports of drones Sunday, mostly in Hunterdon County. The Democratic governor said his numbers also included possible sightings and potentially the same drone being reported more than once. Federal lawmakers from the state have expressed a degree of concern about the drones, regardless of the side of the aisle they stand on. DRONE ACTIVITY NEAR TRUMP BEDMINSTER, ARMY ARSENAL SPURS NJ FLIGHT RESTRICTION: FAA “My office has been in communication with Governor Murphy’s office and our federal agency partners,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said in a post on X. “While the drones currently pose no known threat to the public, my team and I will continue to monitor the situation closely.” Booker also penned a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Tuesday, seeking better transparency and a comprehensive briefing on drone activity over New Jersey. “Over the past several weeks, there have been multiple confirmed sightings of unexplained drone activity over New Jersey communities and military installations,” Booker wrote. “I recognize the need to maintain operational security of ongoing investigations and that this situation requires complex Interagency coordination. “However, there is a growing sense of uncertainty and urgency across the state — from constituents and local officials alike — despite assurances that the drones pose no known threats to public safety. As such, I urge you to share any relevant information about these drone sightings with the public. Without transparency, I believe that rumors, fear, and misinformation will continue to spread.” NEW JERSEY GOV PHIL MURPHY CALLS FOR FEDERAL HELP AMID ‘VERY SOPHISTICATED’ DRONE SIGHTINGS: ‘WE NEED MORE’ Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the recent drone sightings in New Jersey are “not only scary for residents.” They point to the need for change in the state and in the U.S. “There has been no transparency with the public, and this lack of communication is unacceptable,” Van Drew said. “Constituents have been told the drones are not a threat, but no further information has been provided. People need, want and deserve answers now so they can stop worrying about their safety and privacy.” As concerns continue to mount, Robert Wheeler, the FBI’s assistant director of the Critical IIncident Response Group, told Congress the federal agency knows concerningly little about the mysterious drones that have been spotted hovering over New Jersey. When asked if Americans are at risk, Wheeler said, “There is nothing that is known that would lead me to say that, but we just don’t know. And that’s the concerning part.” While the FBI has been investigating the incidents, the agency has called on the public for additional information. The FAA confirmed earlier this month that it had issued two flight restrictions in response to the questionable drone activity reported near Trump’s Bedminster golf club. Upon request from “federal security partners,” the agency issued two temporary flight restrictions. One restriction covers an area near Solberg-Hunterdon County Airport that consists of airspace above Trump Bedminster. Flights are also banned over Picatinny Arsenal, a major U.S. Army hub in Dover, N.J., geared toward research and development via its CCDCAC armaments center. The ban remained in place over Trump Bedminster through last week, snd the ban over Picatinny Arsenal will remain in place until Dec. 26. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics: A New Trump in Town
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… –DNC fundraiser Lindy Li takes aim at ‘vindictive’ torrent of criticism over Hegseth comments -Republicans rip Hochul’s ‘inflation refunds’ as a bribe to ‘make NYers like her’ –Trump shooting task force says DHS, Secret Service haven’t produced docs on golf course incident President-elect Trump is pressing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to name his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat in the Sunshine State, Fox Digital has learned. President-elect Trump named Rubio as his pick for secretary of state last month, leaving DeSantis the decision to name a successor to the position. DeSantis said last month that he will likely name his pick for the seat by early January. Speculation has mounted in recent weeks that Lara Trump is a likely choice for the role, as Republican lawmakers such as Sens. Rick Scott, Lindsey Graham, Katie Britt and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida voiced support for her filling Rubio’s Senate shoes. Lara Trump is married to the 45th president’s son, Eric Trump, and co-chaired the RNC amid the 2024 presidential campaign…Read more ‘DEBANKED’: Biden admin’s cold-shoulder approach to crypto concerns industry leaders: ‘needs to be looked at’…Read more ‘LAST DITCH EFFORT’: Biden admin report could slow Trump’s efforts to unleash domestic natural gas, experts say…Read more LEAST THEY CAN DO: Biden administration approves project to limit Trump-era oil and gas lease mandate in Alaska…Read more ‘ENVY OF THE WORLD’: Biden says Trump inheriting ‘strongest economy in modern history,’ slams tariff plan as ‘major mistake’…Read more ‘EYES AND EARS’: Meet Natalie Harp, Trump’s ‘valuable resource’ who lawmakers say is ‘critical’ to his operation…Read more ‘GREAT STATE OF CANADA’: Trump taunts ‘Governor’ Trudeau of ‘Great State of Canada’ as he continues tariffs push…Read more HEGSETH HYPE: Trump transition rolls out Hegseth hype video amid Capitol Hill meetings…Read more ‘TOP PRIORITY’: GOP senator reveals ‘transformational’ bill Republicans want to pass in 2025…Read more ‘IT’S OFFENSIVE’: GOP senator wages war on airline industry’s ‘discriminatory pricing’ targets…Read more RAKING IT IN: McConnell’s Senate money machine makes transition to Thune as new era begins…Read more ‘HE IS FINE’: Sen. McConnell reportedly fine after falling during GOP lunch…Read more ‘UNIFIED GOVERNMENT’: Incoming House Republican reveals agenda for new Congress after ousting Dem incumbent…Read more ‘LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY’: House set to challenge Biden green energy standards for washing machines with ‘Liberty in Laundry’ bill vote…Read more UNDER REVIEW: SCOTUS hears arguments in case that could reshape environmental law…Read more ‘FULL FORCE OF THE LAW’: DOJ arrests five Guatemalan nationals in connection with deaths of over 50 migrants…Read more ‘PROBLEMATIC’: Wisconsin mom mulls lawsuit alleging school district is pushing ‘horrifying’ race-based policy…Read more ‘COWARD’: Pennsylvania Dem Gov. Shapiro condemns UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect: ‘Coward, not a hero’…Read more SANCTUARY SHUTDOWN: Blue city announces shuttering of migrant shelters as numbers drop…Read more SWITCHING SIDES: DeSantis welcomes Florida state lawmaker to Republican Party as she ditches Democrats…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.