Mike Lee floats allowing private parties to target drug cartels for profit
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has floated the idea of the U.S. green-lighting private parties to target drug cartels for profit. The senator laid out the proposal in posts on X. “Letters of marque and reprisal are government-issued commissions that authorize private citizens (privateers) to perform acts that would otherwise be considered piracy, like attacking enemy ships during wartime,” Lee explained. “Privateers are rewarded with a cut of the loot they ‘bring home.’” MIKE LEE CONTINUES CALLING FOR ABOLITION OF TSA The lawmaker pointed out that the U.S. Constitution authorizes Congress to “grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal,” and suggested that this power could be leveraged against drug cartels. “Congress could issue letters of marque and reprisal authorizing private security firms or specially trained civilians to intercept cartel operations, particularly those involving drug shipments or human trafficking across borders,” Lee wrote, adding, “Focus on disrupting supply lines, capturing high-value targets, or seizing assets like boats, vehicles, cash, gold, or equipment used in criminal activities.” Lee suggested that this method of contending with cartels would lower costs to American taxpayers, since privateers would be paid a portion of what they capture and bring back to the U.S. SEN MIKE LEE: REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS MUST IMMEDIATELY ADVANCE TRUMP’S MAGA AGENDA “Dismissing the possible use of letters of marque to combat Mexican drug cartels—either on the basis of ‘international law’ or otherwise—overlooks the clear and present threat posed by those cartels to the U.S.,” he wrote. “This could prove to be an effective alternative to war.” Lee noted that in such a scenario, privateers would only profit from “non-contraband,” and that cartel drugs would be destroyed, not sold. “One pitfall as a practical matter might be that a lot of the property belonging to these cartels isn’t … easy to monetize — because the products they sell are illegal,” he wrote. “That could make it difficult to incentivize and reward them, as ‘prize courts’ (historically the government’s tool used for selling the seized assets and assessing how much money each privateer is able to receive) obviously wouldn’t be able to sell drugs,” Lee indicated. “But these cartels have a lot of non-contraband assets, including many things (gold, cash, etc.) that could be seized by privateers, returned to the U.S., liquidated, and used to reward the seizures.” SENATE CONFIRMS KRISTI NOEM AS TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY Rep. Chip Roy responded to Lee’s proposal by describing it in a tweet as “worthy of consideration.” “This would work very fast,” Elon Musk said of the idea in a post.
‘Just like Trump’: ISIS murder victim Kayla Mueller’s parents endorse Patel for FBI following military op role
FIRST ON FOX: Carl and Marsha Mueller, the parents of ISIS murder victim Kayla Mueller, offered their full endorsement of Kash Patel for FBI director, after years of building a personal relationship with the Trump administration nominee. “He loves his country. He loves the people of this country,” Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview via Zoom on Monday morning. “To us, you know, he is a person that we would go to for help. And he is so action oriented.” “Just like Trump,” Carl Mueller added to his wife’s comments on Patel’s action-motivated personality. The Muellers wrote a letter this week to Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., of the Senate Judiciary Committee, offering their full endorsement of Patel to serve as director of the FBI under the second Trump administration. Their daughter Kayla was abducted by terrorists while leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria, in 2013, when she was assisting with humanitarian efforts amid the country’s bloody civil war. She was held hostage for 18 months, when she was believed to be repeatedly tortured and raped by ISIS militants, including then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. ‘WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE’: TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR She was killed in 2015 — with her parents speaking to Fox Digital just days ahead of the 10-year anniversary of her death, on Feb. 6. Patel served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, which put him in the Mueller’s orbit when he assisted in overseeing the military operation to eliminate ISIS chief al-Baghdadi in 2019. “We would like to add our voices to those in support of Kash Patel’s nomination to be the director of the FBI,” the Mueller’s letter to Senate lawmakers and obtained by Fox News Digital reads. “Any family who has lived through such an experience will know the value of dedicated, compassionate law enforcement officials.” “Because we have watched him at his work over time, and because we have personal experience of his dedication, we know that Kash Patel is such a person,” the letter continues. “We continue to see in him a genuinely kind, thoughtful, action-oriented man who focuses on what is true and right and just. He loves our country and our citizens and wants the best for us all. He wants our country to be the best it can be.” Patel personally has been at the Muellers side over the past five years, they told Fox News Digital. He has stood out from the crowd as a federal government employee who sincerely cares for Americans who are suffering and will pick up the phone “night or day” to speak with them following the tragic loss of their daughter. “I’m confident if I texted him right now, he would get back to me before this interview is over,” Carl Mueller said. ‘BEACON OF SELFLESSNESS’: ISIS VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER HONORED AT CONGRESSMAN’S SWEARING-IN 10 YEARS AFTER DEATH NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION SLAMS STATE OF POLICING UNDER BIDEN, THROWS FULL SUPPORT BEHIND PATEL FOR FBI Patel previously served as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade area, as well as a Department of Justice official during the Obama administration, when he won awards for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010. Patel hit the national radar during Trump’s first administration, including when he worked as a national security advisor and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under the leadership of then-Committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. The Muellers reflected on the first time they met with Patel at the White House nearly five years ago when he served on the National Security Council, and how he told them to contact him at any time with questions about their daughter or to just talk. “We actually met Kash — we were back in D.C. at the White House, and he actually came to us and found us. That’s the first time we met him and wanted us to go meet with him and National Security Advisor, [Robert O’Brien]. So that’s how we first came to meet him. So it’s been almost five years ago. And they wanted to sit down and talk with us about Kayla. And we told them that we were working, and we’re still working with, [former FBI agent] Ali Soufan. And they told us to continue to work with him and they would help in any way they could. And so that was our first meeting,” Marsha Mueller said. In their letter endorsing Patel, the Muellers reflected on the nominee’s note to them encouraging them to reach out, which came as a departure from their treatment under the Obama administration, they said. “It was actually after that first meeting when we met him, and he wrote us the note, and he said, ‘Please contact me at any time, day or night, with whatever questions you may have, or simply if you just need someone to speak with. I’ll always answer your call.’ And, you know, he’s kept every promise he’s ever made to us, as we knew we would from meeting him that first time,” Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital. PARENTS OF ISIS VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER REFLECT ON THEIR LOSS The Muellers previously spoke out against the Obama administration’s handling of their daughter’s captivity in Syria, repeatedly saying she would not have been murdered if Trump was in office when she was taken hostage. Carl Mueller underscored the conviction in his interview on Monday, adding that the second Trump administration not only reopens lines of communication for his family, but extends hope to families around the country who have loved ones in the hands of terrorists. “We didn’t want to forget to mention to the families of current American hostages that their chances of getting their loved ones home have exponentially increased with the Trump
Gary Peters, Democratic senator from Trump state, won’t seek re-election
Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters will not seek re-election when his term ends in Jan. 2027, Fox News has confirmed. Peters, a two-term senator and former congressman, told the Detroit News in an interview published Tuesday that he will start a “new chapter,” spending more time with family after nearly two decades of public service. “I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told the outlet. “And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life.” DEMOCRATS’ NEW SENATE CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS KEYS TO WINNING BACK MAJORITY IN 2026 His decision to retire leaves open a senate seat in a key battleground state President Donald Trump won in 2024. But Democrats held a similarly open seat when Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., narrowly defeated Republican Mike Rogers in the 2024 race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Peters was one of three Democratic senators up for re-election in the 2026 midterms that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) was planning to heavily target as they aim to expand their current 53-47 majority in the Senate. The other two Democrats are Sens. Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP’S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026 “Gary Peters is reading the room. After spending years ignoring illegal immigration and destroying his state’s auto industry, Michigan is better off without him,” NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina argued in a statement. Scott emphasized that “we’re committed to giving them a fighter that will stand with President Trump to restore the economic prosperity and security of our country.” The rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee noted that “no Republican has won a Michigan Senate race in 30 years – including last cycle when Democrats won an open Senate seat even as Trump won the state.” And DSCC spokesman David Berstein also pledged that “Democrats will continue to hold this seat in 2026.” Peters chaired the DSCC during the 2022 cycle, when the Democrats retained their slim majority, and during the 2024 cycle, when the GOP won back control of the chamber. Senate Democrats faced an extremely difficult map in the 2024 cycle as they lost control of the majority. An early read of the 2026 map indicates they’ll play defense in Michigan, Georgia, and New Hampshire, but may have a couple of opportunities to go on offense. GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is up for re-election in a reliably blue state. And Sen. Thom Tills of North Carolina is also up in 2026, in a battleground state Trump narrowly won this past November.
Rubio’s State Dept caps migration-heavy 1st week with Colombia deportation win: ‘America will not back down’
A diplomatic victory over Colombia capped a busy week for the U.S. State Deptment under new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who oversaw an agency that quickly made border security and immigration a top priority — racking up a flurry of actions in the space of a week. After Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to take U.S. deportation flights carrying Colombian nationals on Sunday, Rubio announced the immediate suspension of the issuing of visas in the country, as well as travel sanctions on government officials. “Measures will continue until Colombia meets its obligations to accept the return of its own citizens,” Rubio said. “America will not back down when it comes to defending its national security interests.” RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ Within hours, Colombia had backed down and agreed to what the White House said were the terms provided by President Donald Trump. However, the administration said that visa sanctions would remain in effect until the deportations were received. The diplomatic clash was a strong finish to what has been an immigration-focused week for not only the administration as a whole, but also the State Department. The agency was involved in multiple instructions and moves on visa issuance, migration and funding to foreign organizations. On Rubio’s first day in office, the department instructed consular officers to put national security first when reviewing visas and ordered the department to implement enhanced vetting for visa applications from countries where there are concerns about a heightened national security risk. NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING He would later go on to declare the administration’s priorities, which focused on ending mass migration and ramping up border security as top priorities. “First, we must curb mass migration and secure our borders. The State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration,” Rubio said. “Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America’s borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants.” Separately, a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital that a worldwide cable clarified that officials must resist pressures to speed up visa or passport processing at the expense of security concerns. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The State Department then also paused all new obligations of funding for foreign aid programs through either the State Dept. or U.S. Agency for International Development. There are longstanding concerns by conservatives that those programs can exacerbate mass migration. On refugee admissions, the department suspended the Refugee Admissions Program — in response to an executive order by President Trump. It also issued a worldwide alert announcing the upcoming changes to birthright citizenship in response to another Trump order. Since then, the department has worked with other agencies on border security and the implementation of the birthright citizenship order, including working to cancel a green card for a Moroccan terrorist, the official said. That cooperation was on display on Sunday when multiple agencies worked together to deal with the disagreement with Colombia. “As demonstrated by today’s actions, we are unwavering in our commitment to end illegal immigration and bolster America’s border security,” Rubio said. Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
Trump administration to hold first White House press conference with Karoline Leavitt
The Trump administration will hold its first White House press conference with newly minted press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday afternoon, White House officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. President Donald Trump has been on a media blitz since his inauguration on Jan. 20, including sitting down for his first White House interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity and speaking with the media as he traveled to states rocked by natural disasters, including North Carolina and California. Trump’s press secretary also has frequently joined media outlets for interviews since Trump was sworn in, but has not yet held a White House press briefing. Leavitt, 27, is the youngest press secretary in the nation’s history — unseating President Richard Nixon’s press secretary Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the same position in 1969. Leavitt was a fierce defender of Trump throughout his hard-fought campaign against former Vice President Kamala Harris, and also made her own political mark with a congressional run in 2022. Leavitt served in Trump’s first administration as assistant press secretary before working as New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s communications director following the 2020 election. She launched a congressional campaign in her home state of New Hampshire during the 2022 cycle, winning her primary but losing the election to a Democrat. WHO IS KAROLINE LEAVITT?: A LOOK AT THE YOUNGEST WOMAN EVER NAMED TO SERVE AS WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY Leavitt picked up the torch of press secretary from the Biden administration’s chief spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre. TRUMP’S ‘SHOCK AND AWE’: FORGET FIRST 100 DAYS, NEW PRESIDENT SHOWS OFF FRENETIC PACE IN FIRST 100 HOURS Trump’s first week in office was a whirlwind of executive orders and actions as part of his mission to follow through on campaign promises, such as securing the border and removing diversity, equity and inclusion practices from federal offices. “I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success,” Trump said during his inaugural speech on Jan. 20. “A tide of change is sweeping the country. Sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.” ‘TIP OF THE SPEAR’: TRUMP RAMPS UP UNSCRIPTED MEDIA BLITZ AFTER YEARS OF RECLUSIVE BIDEN DUCKING QUESTIONS Trump repeatedly has made himself available to the media since his inauguration — a departure from former President Joe Biden’s infrequent availability to the media — speaking to reporters for about 45 minutes on the evening of his inauguration and again speaking with reporters on Tuesday for another 30 minutes. Trump also sat down with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday, where the pair discussed issues ranging from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to hurricanes and wildfires under the Biden administration and declaring that his return to the White House serves as evidence that policies from the “radical left” do not work and were rejected by voters. “I think it’s bigger. It’s bigger than if it were more traditional,” he said on “Hannity,” referring to serving two nonconsecutive terms. “I think we got there just in the nick of time.”
DC Councilmember Trayon White faces expulsion hearing over federal bribery charge
The Washington D.C. councilmember accused by federal authorities of accepting $156,000 in bribes is facing an expulsion hearing Tuesday. The legislative body “will hold a Public Hearing on the following Matter: Expulsion of Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. for Code of Conduct Violations” starting at noon local time, it says on its website. Last month, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said an investigative report found “substantial evidence” that White’s alleged conduct connected to the bribery claims violated several provisions of the D.C. Council’s Code of Official Conduct, FOX 5 DC reported. The Justice Department, citing a criminal complaint charging White with bribery, alleges that “beginning in June 2024, White corruptly agreed to accept $156,000 in cash payments in exchange for using his position as a D.C. Councilmember to pressure government employees at [the] Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and [the] D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to extend several D.C. contracts.” DC COUNCILMAN A STEP CLOSER TO FACING EXPULSION AFTER LAW FIRM FINDS HE VIOLATED CODE OF CONDUCT White, who has pleaded not guilty to those allegations, reportedly faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. A jury trial in that case is set for January 2026. In November, he easily won re-election to his seat. “I feel confident that the people of Ward 8 have spoken. I feel like I’m going to win by a landslide but I’m still humbled and prayerful. I hope [it] sends a loud message to the DC Council about keeping the decisions in the hands of the people.” White told WJLA on Election Day. DC COUNCILMEMBER FACING FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGES WINS LANDSLIDE RE-ELECTION At today’s hearing, White will hear evidence against him and have an opportunity to defend himself, according to WTOP. “White may be represented by a person of his choice, whether or not the person is an attorney, and may have that representative speak or question witnesses on his behalf,” the station cited D.C. Council documents as saying. For White to be expelled, 11 of the council’s 13 members would need to vote in favor of doing so, WTOP added. The station said that the vote is set for Tuesday, Feb. 4.
USAID workers put on leave as Trump officials investigate resistance to aid pause
Dozens of senior officials in the U.S. agency that administers foreign aid were reportedly placed on leave Monday amid an investigation into alleged resistance to President Donald Trump’s orders. At least 56 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials were placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits, Politico first reported. Several hundred contractors based in Washington and elsewhere were also laid off, a current and a former official told the Associated Press. These actions come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting on Trump’s executive order, paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID. The 90-day pause has halted thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide and forced aid organizations to lay off hundreds of employees because they can’t make payroll. RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ According to the Associated Press, an internal USAID notice sent late Monday said new acting administrator Jason Gray had identified “several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people.” “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions,” Gray wrote. AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS The notice did not say which of the dozens of executive orders Trump has signed since taking office the USAID officials were accused of violating, according to the AP. The White House and USAID did not immediately respond to requests for comment. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS MORE PLANES TO CARRY OUT DEPORTATIONS: REPORT Those placed on leave were career officials who had served in multiple administrations, including Trump’s, the former USAID official told the AP. Before those officials were removed from the job Monday, they were scrambling to help U.S.-funded aid organizations cope with the new funding freeze and seek waivers to continue life-saving activities, from getting clean water to war-displaced people in Sudan to continuing to monitor for bird flu globally, the former official said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specifically exempted only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze on foreign assistance. Trump has criticized foreign aid and called for a review of U.S. aid programs to determine which put American interests first and which should be eliminated. The U.S. is the largest donor of aid globally. During fiscal year 2023, the U.S. dispersed $72 billion in assistance. It also provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024.
Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff lands private sector job days after leaving Washington
Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, landed a private sector job just days after leaving Washington, D.C. After his wife’s unsuccessful Democratic presidential campaign against President Donald Trump, the former second gentleman is joining the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as a partner. The firm made the announcement on Monday – a week after Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. The New York-based firm, which employs about 1,200 lawyers around the world, said Emhoff “brings more than three decades serving as a litigator, trial lawyer, and trusted counsel to clients and global business leaders, as well as extensive experience representing the United States around the world, to Willkie’s broad corporate and litigation platforms.” FORMER VP HARRIS REPORTEDLY ASKING HILLARY CLINTON FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO AFTER LOSING TO TRUMP His practice “will focus on advising corporations, boards of directors, and individuals on their most consequential business challenges, sensitive investigations, and complex litigation, including matters with significant reputational concerns that are international in scope, and emerging legal issues across industries and sectors,” the firm said. “Doug’s leadership and his service as a trusted counselor to many global business leaders across a broad range of industries, as well as his extensive legal expertise and business acumen, make him a tremendous asset,” Willkie Farr & Gallagher Chairman Thomas Cerabino said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be adding Doug to the Willkie partnership during this period of transformational firm growth.” “I am delighted to be joining Willkie, where I am looking forward to working alongside trusted and innovative legal counselors,” Emhoff said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join this talented and collaborative team.” HOLLYWOOD FINDS FAILURE TO ELECT KAMALA HARRIS ‘UNSETTLING’: ‘NOT THE DRIVER ANYMORE’ Emhoff will split his time between Los Angeles and New York. The firm said the former second gentleman will also continue to serve as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., teaching a course on entertainment law. Days before leaving office, former President Joe Biden appointed Emhoff to serve on the board of trustees to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. When Harris was selected as Biden’s running mate in August 2020, Emhoff took a leave of absence from one of the country’s largest law firms, DLA Piper. He formally parted ways with the firm before his wife took office. Emhoff played an influential role in fundraising for his wife’s Democratic bid for the White House against Trump after Biden exited the race. The former second gentleman hosted fundraisers with big law firm donors, as well as his connections in the entertainment industry in California, Reuters reported. In its announcement, Willkie Farr & Gallagher stressed how Emhoff has practiced law for more than 30 years and “served as a trusted advisor to companies and leaders in business and technology hubs around the world, managing high-profile disputes and solving complex problems across entertainment, media, sports, technology, and business.” The firm also championed Emhoff’s experience as second gentleman, saying “his broad portfolio included traveling around the world representing the United States, including at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, and numerous other diplomatic events, and leading the administration’s work combatting antisemitism.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Citing court records, Reuters reported that Emhoff has represented clients including the creators of the movie “American Made,” National Football League wide receiver Willie Gault, as well as the corporations Merck and Walmart.
FBI director nominee Kash Patel broke hostage rescue protocol: whistleblower
Senate Democrats have obtained a whistleblower report claiming that President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, violated protocol during a hostage rescue mission in October 2020. The whistleblower letter, obtained by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., claimed that Patel leaked news that two Americans and the remains of a third were being transferred to U.S. custody from Yemen, where they had been held hostage by Houthi rebels. The whistleblower claims Patel leaked news of the trade to the Wall Street Journal hours before the hostages were actually in U.S. custody, potentially endangering the deal. The protocol of the multi-agency group in charge of the mission was to withhold information about hostage deals until the subjects were both in U.S. custody and their families had been notified, according to the whistleblower. A transition official pushed back on the report in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, saying Patel has a “track record of success.” “Mr. Patel was a public defender, decorated prosecutor, and accomplished national security official that kept Americans safe,” the official said. “He has a track record of success in every branch of government, from the court room to congressional hearing room to the situation room. There is no veracity to this anonymous source’s complaints about protocol.” TRUMP TO REINSTATE SERVICE MEMBERS DISCHARGED FOR NOT GETTING COVID-19 VACCINE In the October 2020 case, the deal went forward without any issues, with the two Americans and the remains of the third being transferred to U.S. custody. In exchange, the U.S. arranged for the release of some 200 Houthi fighters being held prisoner in Saudi Arabia. Alexander Gray, who served as Chief of Staff for the White House National Security Council under Trump’s first administration, also called the allegations “simply absurd.” Robert C. Obrien, who served as National Security Advisor from 2019 to 2021, argued that the whistleblower was jeopardizing decades of bipartisan work on hostage deals by coming forward. Senate Democrats delivered the whistleblower letter on Monday morning to Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Acting Treasury Secretary David Lebryk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CBS News reported. The report comes just days before Patel is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an extensive confirmation hearing. TULSI GABBARD CHANGES TUNE ON CONTROVERSIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOLLOWING GOP LOBBYING The Senate’s “advice and consent” role allows the body to review the president’s appointments and provide oversight on key positions. The picks require a majority vote in the Senate with Republicans holding a 53-47 vote advantage over Democrats. Patel has called for radical changes at the FBI and was a fierce and vocal critic of the bureau’s work as it investigated ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. He held numerous national security roles during the first Trump administration and was the chief investigator in the congressional probe into alleged Trump-Russia collusion, uncovering government surveillance abuse that led to the appointment of two special counsels: one who determined that there had been no such collusion and another who determined the entire premise of the FBI’s original investigation was bogus. Patel was an integral part of the creation of a memo released by then-Chair Devin Nunes in February 2018, which detailed the DOJ’s and FBI’s surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He’s been a loyal ally to Trump for years, finding common cause over their shared skepticism of government surveillance and the “deep state” — a catchall used by Trump to refer to unelected members of government bureaucracy. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report
Trump admin to pause financial assistance programs: report
The White House has reportedly issued a memo that broadly suspends federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs for executive departments pending an assessment of the funding. The Wall Street Journal first reported the memo, saying it was sent out by the Office of Management and Budget around 5 p.m. on Monday. The memo, which takes effect Tuesday at 5 p.m., said agencies “must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal,” according to the Journal. The memo reportedly said the federal government spent more than $3 trillion on federal assistance, including grants and loans, in the 2024 fiscal year and that the pause allows “time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities.” JD VANCE CONDEMNS FEMA’S RESPONSE TO HELENE DEVASTATION IN 1ST TRIP AS VICE PRESIDENT Each agency must “complete a comprehensive analysis of all their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders,” the memo continued, according to the Journal, adding that the pause must be applied “to the extent permissible under applicable law.” AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned the memo, telling the Journal that pausing the funding puts “billions upon billions of community grants and financial support that help millions of people across the country” at risk. “It will mean missed payrolls and rent payments and everything in between: chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities, state disaster assistance, local law enforcement, aid to the elderly, and food for those in need,” Schumer said, adding that Congress approved the funding for the federal assistance programs. The memo included a footnote that said Medicare, Social Security benefits and assistance provided directly to individuals were exempt from the pause, but its otherwise broad language caused confusion Monday night among some federal employees, as administrators requested advice from their internal counsel regarding which programs the pause applied to and how the departments should respond, one source told the Journal. The memo included a Feb. 10 deadline for agencies to submit a thorough summary of all paused programs, projects and activities to the Office of Management and Budget.