Ugly sweaters, chicken soup, treasure hunts: Lawmakers share their favorite Christmas traditions
Christmas Day is a time for Americans and others across the world who celebrate the holiday to spend time with loved ones while participating in time-honored traditions – and members of Congress are no exception. Far away from the bustle and drama of Capitol Hill, lawmakers opened up to Fox News Digital about their favorite ways to spend the Christmas holiday, both past and present. “Jacquie and I are excited to have the whole crew under one roof for an ice cold Minnesota Christmas, complete with four grandkids who’re getting a crash course in the joy (and noise!) of an Emmer family holiday,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital. “The Christmas Village is all set up, and ugly sweaters are a must.” 49ERS’ BROCK PURDY IMPRESSES AFTER GIFTING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BRAND-NEW CARS FOR CHRISTMAS In South Dakota, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds has more than 100 members of his family in attendance each year for Christmas Eve to eat homemade chicken noodle soup, his office told Fox News Digital. “Senator Rounds’ late wife Jean was also very talented at making cross stitch and needlework art, and Senator Rounds and his children decorate the whole house with all of her handmade Christmas art,” his office said. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., recalled a Christmas scavenger hunt that her parents orchestrated. REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE’S MUSK, RAMASWAMY “My parents always set up a treasure hunt on Christmas Eve. My four siblings and I had to de-code a series of clues that led us to various parts of the house to find the next clue, that eventually led us to the final clue, which was where the presents we opened were found,” Tenney said. She said locations included “the trunk of the car, the dryer, or a storage closet.” “It was really fun, and my parents made the clues more and more clever and challenging each year,” Tenney said. “Then we went to our neighbor’s across the street for their annual Christmas Eve party. The entire neighborhood was invited. Afterward, many of us, including our Jewish neighbors, went to midnight mass at the Presbyterian Church.” Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., meanwhile, said her favorite Christmas tradition was skiing with her grandchildren in Star Valley in western Wyoming. And for Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Christmas means family dinners and board games. “We go to Christmas Eve Mass at the parish I grew up in and go to dinner at my parents’ house,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital. “Larger family gets together after Christmas for [an] epic game of RISK.”
How presidents have spent their Christmases in office: From Hawaii to Mar-a-Lago
Presidents have historically developed their own Christmas traditions as they make their unique marks on the White House during their terms. In recent years, Christmases have been spent in an array of places by commanders in chief, from Hawaii, to Texas to Mar-a-Lago. President Joe Biden opted in 2021 to move his family’s Christmas celebration to the White House, rather than its usual location in his home state of Delaware. The extended Biden family reportedly attended Mass on Christmas Eve and then returned to the White House where they enjoyed a pasta dinner and had a sleepover, which are traditions in the family. SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK Before him, former President Donald Trump — who will soon take office again — spent Christmases in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago estate, per reports. During their holidays in Florida, Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended Christmas services at a local Episcopal church in Palm Beach, where the two married in 2005. Former President Barack Obama established a tradition as president of spending the Christmas holiday with his family in Hawaii. As reported, the president’s Christmases in the state were relatively quiet, spent with friends and family. However, they established a tradition of visiting a local Marine base to thank soldiers for their service on Christmas Day. BRIEF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN USHERED IN BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS SENATE WORKS TO ADVANCE HOUSE BILL Prior to Obama, President George Bush chose to spend his Christmases near to the nation’s capital at the Camp David presidential retreat. This was something first established by his father, former President George H. W. Bush. In 2008, the Bush family reportedly celebrated what was their 12th Christmas at Camp David. SENATE DEMS RAIL AGAINST ‘SHADOW SPEAKER’ BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK: ‘NOT ELECTED TO ANYTHING’ Further back, U.S. presidents have held a variety of events to mark the Christmas season at the White House, some more elaborate than others. In 1835, President Andrew Jackson famously hosted an indoor “snowball” fight for children at his “frolic” party. The party included games, dancing and a festive dinner and ended with a snowball fight, during which the participants used specially made cotton balls. President Franklin Roosevelt had his own tradition of reading Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” aloud after a Christmas Eve meal. SENATE REPUBLICANS TRY TO FAST-TRACK EMERGENCY MILITARY PAY AS THEY BRACE FOR SHUTDOWN According to the White House Historical Association, there is a popular myth suggesting that President Theodore Roosevelt banned trees from being cut down and placed in the White House as decoration. This was prompted in part by the fact that the Roosevelts did not mark the holiday with a tree. The WHHA noted that Christmas trees in every home is a relatively modern tradition. Per the association, Roosevelt’s son Archie started his own tradition by sneaking a small tree into the White House and placing it in a closet. He decorated it before revealing the tree to his family and starting a new holiday tradition.
It’s official: Biden signs new law, designates bald eagle as ‘national bird’
The White House announced on Christmas Eve President Joe Biden signed a bill officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird. The bill, signed Monday after being passed unanimously by Congress, amends Title 36 of the United States Code, officially appointing the predator one of the country’s national symbols. Congress passed the bill unanimously. SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK The bald eagle, which has been featured on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782 and has its own holiday and protection act, was never technically assigned the title of “national bird.” BIDEN ADMIN OFFICIALS NOTICED STAMINA ISSUES IN PRESIDENT’S FIRST FEW MONTHS IN OFFICE: REPORT It was, however, designated as the national emblem by the U.S. Congress in 1782, according to USA.gov. In addition to its appearance on the Great Seal, it is featured on official documents, the presidential flag, military insignia, and currency. A document previously published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to VA.gov improperly noted the bird as the national bird. “Thank you to Senators Klobuchar, Lummis, Mullin and Smith, and Representatives Finstad, Craig and Emmer for their leadership,” the White House wrote in a statement Tuesday announcing the signing of the bill.
Trump announces model and philanthropist Somers Farkas, auto giant John Arrigo for ambassadorships
President-elect Trump has nominated Somers Farkas and John Arrigo for ambassadorships. If confirmed, Arrigo, Arrigo, who is the vice president of the Arrigo Auto Group in West Palm Beach, Florida, would serve as ambassador to Portugal. VANCE TO LIKELY BE 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, BUT RNC CHAIR ALSO LIKES PARTY’S ‘BENCH’ “John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry, and a champion golfer. For over thirty years, he has been an incredible leader in business in West Palm Beach, and is respected by all,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “I have known John for a long time. He will do an incredible job for our Country, and always put America FIRST.” Arrigo has been a longtime associate of Trump’s, a Business Insider report said in 2021. HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES 2026 PREDICTION Farkas, a model and philanthropist, would serve America’s interests in the island nation of Malta. Farkas previously served on Trump’s Commission on White House Fellowships. In his announcement, Trump said she “has raised Millions of Dollars for charity, including for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Alzheimer’s Associate, Lighthouse Guild, the New York Women’s Foundation and, as a Trustee of the New York City Police Foundation where she has always BACKED THE BLUE.”
California Gov. Newsom’s team considering ways to help illegal immigrants ahead of second Trump admin: report
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is reportedly considering a plan to help illegal immigrants and their families threatened by president-elect Trump’s mass deportation plan. A draft of the plan obtained by POLITICO, titled “Immigrant Support Network Concept,” proposes the creation of an Immigrant Support Network comprised of regional hubs to “connect at-risk individuals, their families, and communities with community systems — such as legal services, schools, labor unions, local governments, etc.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump’s representatives. Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital that the draft was prepared by the California Department of Social Services and has not yet been reviewed in Sacramento. CHILD RAPE AND VIOLENT INCIDENTS REPORTED AT MASSACHUSETTS MIGRANT SHELTERS, FORMER FACILITY DIRECTOR SAYS “This document is an internal and deliberative draft document meant for internal discussions as part of a number of possible considerations given the incoming federal administration’s public remarks,” Scott Murray, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs and Outreach Programs for the Department of Social Services, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It is not a final proposal.” The draft is part of an effort by California leaders to prepare for a second Trump administration. After Trump was elected, Newsom called a special legislative session and talked of a $25 million “Trump-proof” legal defense fund. In addition, state lawmakers were lobbying for additional funds. Senate Budget Chair Scott Wiener proposed legislation seeking $60 million, including funds to create an immigrant detention representation and coordination program, Politico reported. DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS Under the draft, the state Social Services Department would give state funds to eligible nonprofits and take on administrative duties for the hubs. The draft does not indicate how much funding the plan requires. However, it said the funds would go toward “community outreach, partnership, legal services staffing positions, and approved administrative costs associated with hub operations,” the Politico report said. California currently faces a $68 billion budget deficit, according to the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office. “The administration continues to collaborate with the Legislature to finalize a thoughtful special session funding proposal, which is on track to be signed into law before January 20, 2025,” department spokesperson Theresa Mier told the publication.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Biden Vetoes Bill to Beef Up the Bench
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. **Please note the newsletter is going on a Christmas break through the rest of this week. It will return on Monday, Dec. 30.** Here’s what’s happening… – Biden signs defense bill despite ban on transgender treatment – Trump plans to rename Denali ruffles feathers – Former President Clinton discharged from hospital after being treated for flu President Biden on Monday vetoed a bill that would have added 66 federal district judgeships over a span of more than a decade, a once-bipartisan effort designed so that neither political party would have an advantage in molding the federal judiciary. Three presidential administrations, beginning with the incoming Trump administration, and six Congresses would have had the opportunity to appoint the new trial court judgeships, according to the legislation, which had support from organizations representing judges and attorneys. Despite arguments from the organizations that additional judgeships would help with cases that have seen serious delays in resolution and ease concerns over access to justice, the White House said that Biden would veto the bill. In a statement, Biden said he made his decision because the “hurried action” by the House of Representatives left open questions about “life-tenured” positions …Read More LAST MINUTE Biden signs defense bill despite ban on transgender treatment for military kids …Read more PEAK TENSION Trump plan to undo Obama’s ‘Denali’ rename ruffles feathers …Read more ‘WAR’ POSTURE NY Republican compares sanctuary states to the Confederacy …Read more ‘IMMINENT THREATS’ House lawmakers rally around funding Afghan visa program as Trump vows major spending cuts …Read more HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE Top Dem committee chair reveals how party aims to win back majority during midterms …Read more TRUMP ON TRAIL Trump will be ‘very active on the campaign trail’ in 2026 midterms, Republican Party chair predicts …Read more BACK ON THE HORSE Governor Jim Pillen recovering from multiple injuries after being bucked from horse …Read more BOARDING CALL CA Dems urge feds to fund high-speed rail before DOGE …Read more HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Bill Clinton discharged from hospital after being treated for flu …Read more BRING HIM HOME Rescue mission operator believes Marine veteran Austin Tice is alive, will be found soon …Read more ‘WARM HOSPITALITY’ University president has repeatedly cozied up to top CCP officials …Read more VOTER FRAUD ARREST PA woman allegedly registered dead father, others …Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump pledges to bring back federal executions after Biden commutes death sentences for 37 inmates
President-elect Trump on Monday pledged to seek the death penalty for certain federal criminal defendants, days after President Biden controversially commuted the death sentences for 37 inmates. Biden’s move to reclassify the death sentences to life without the possibility of parole was heavily criticized by Republicans and many Democrats. ‘SQUAD’ DEM APPLAUDS BIDEN FOR SPARING MURDERERS FROM ‘RACIST’ DEATH PENALTY IN 11TH-HOUR CLEMENCY MOVE “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!” In his message announcing the move, the White House said Biden’s actions would prevent the incoming Trump administration from “carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice.” BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE’S HOW OTHER PRESIDENTS RANK Only three men on federal death row failed to meet Biden’s requirements for having their sentences commuted. They are: Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter who killed 11 people in 2018; Dylann Roof, a White supremacist who killed nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his now-dead brother to carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds. Trump spokesman Steven Chueng on Monday said Biden’s action was a “a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and their loved ones.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP During Trump’s first term, 13 federal prisoners were put to death, the most under any president in a century. Upon taking office in 2021, Biden declared a moratorium on federal executions.
PA woman charged with trying to register dead people, including own father, to vote
A Pennsylvania woman was arrested on felony forgery, public records tampering and voter registration-related charges based on allegations she tried to fraudulently register dead people, including her own father, to vote in the 2024 election. Jennifer Hill, from the Chester area, was arrested Thursday and accused of attempting to add four ineligible individuals to the voter rolls, including her late father. Delaware County’s Democratic district attorney, Jack Stollsteimer, said in public remarks that Hill used an app to register 324 people as a staffer for a group called the New Pennsylvania Project. Stollsteimer said the Pennsylvania Department of State makes the app available for legal voter registration drives. He said Hill successfully registered 181 people, but 129 other names – which he called a “big number” – were not successful. LIBERTY BELLWETHERS: FIVE COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA TO WATCH ON ELECTION DAY “Literally what this woman did was to pad the numbers for her employment. She started registering people that were dead. One of them was her father.” Hill allegedly tried to register a second deceased individual, whom Stollsteimer said Hill knew was dead because they passed away in 2011 in the house she is currently living in. “She knows that because she was the person who called the police to come when he died in her house.” “She did register a fraudulent person,” Stollsteimer said, adding that particular registrant did not vote this year. The fake person’s identity was a portmanteau of her grandmother’s name and a different birthday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. In addition, prosecutors charged an 84-year-old man named Philip Moss with voting both in Florida and by mail in Delaware County. PENNSYLVANIA’S AMISH: A KEY BUT HESITANT VOTING BLOC In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, an executive at the New Pennsylvania Project called the allegations “heartbreaking” and said the group does not provide financial incentives or bonuses for additional voter registrations. “Our employees have no quota to meet, and hourly wages paid to part-time canvassing employees remain the same no matter the number of voter registration applications collected,” Kadida Kenner said. Kenner added that the Pennsylvania Department of State notified the group about potential issues with a canvasser and the person – believed to be Hill – was immediately suspended. “Due to the hard work of many individuals to prevent disruptive actions by bad actors, our voting rolls and elections are secure, and no fraudulent ballots were cast,” she said. “As a nonpartisan organization, our year-round voter registration efforts are not directed, in coordination, or aligned with any political party or candidate. Our registration efforts are not and will never be dictated by an election cycle,” Kenner went on. Of the nearly 10,000 applicants the group successfully canvassed for, 48% registered as Democrats, 34% as unaffiliated or third-party and 18% as Republicans. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Hill reportedly faces up to 10 counts for each of the four registrations that led to the indictment by prosecutors in Media. The Democratic-majority Philadelphia suburb was once more a “swing” county – often voting Democratic on the presidential level while electing state legislative Republicans like then-Senate leader Dominic Pileggi in the 2000s. But, “Delco,” as it is often called, along with neighboring Chester and Montgomery Counties, has swung heavily leftward in the age of Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris won the county with 61% of the vote.
Syria rescue-mission operator believes Austin Tice is alive and will be found soon
A hostage rescue operator in Syria offered a glimmer of holiday hope in the case of a missing U.S. journalist, telling Fox News Digital he believes Austin Tice is alive and is hopeful that he will be found soon. While refusing to divulge sensitive details, Grey Bull Rescue’s Bryan Stern asserted that he has intelligence that leads him to believe the 43-year-old Marine veteran and reporter who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 is alive, or at least was up until recently. “I would say 100%, I would bet that he is alive, or at least was as of two weeks ago,” Stern told Fox News Digital from his hotel room in Syria. “I would bet that he’s being cared for and tended to,” he went on. “I further submit that, he’s findable,” he went on. “We don’t recover dead bodies. Not to say that we wouldn’t, but we’re a nonprofit, we wouldn’t be putting resources toward that, freezing to death, missing my fourth Christmas with my family, if I didn’t believe he was alive and findable.” TRUMP COULD FACE RENEWED ISIS THREAT IN SYRIA AS TURKEY GOES AFTER US ALLY Stern has led high-level rescue missions in some of the most dangerous corners of the world, including Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Israel, Haiti, Lebanon and the U.S. during natural disasters. “We have done 12 jailbreaks from Russia,” said Stern. “That is 12 more than the CIA.” The ousting of Bashar al-Assad and subsequent takeover of Syria by HTS has offered the Biden administration and Tice’s family a renewed sense of hope that the journalist could be found. “He could have died of a stomach bug three years ago. And we just don’t know. I don’t think that that’s the case,” said Stern. “I have no reason to believe that that’s the case. There’s not a single piece of information, circumstantial or otherwise, that indicate anything near that. In fact, everything I have is counter to that.” The Syrian government for more than a decade refused to negotiate the release of Tice, who was abducted while reporting on the uprising against the Assad regime during the early stages of the Syrian civil war, which ultimately ended earlier this month after the Syrian president was ousted and fled to Moscow. TRUMP SAYS TURKEY ‘DID AN UNFRIENDLY TAKEOVER’ IN SYRIA AS US-BROKERED CEASE-FIRE APPEARS TO FAIL The mood in Syria is “cautiously happy” after decades of brutal oppression, according to Stern, and while the new governing force HTS is “not standing in the way” of finding Tice, they’re more preoccupied with learning how to govern than assisting in the search efforts. The most likely scenario, according to Stern, is that Tice is being detained in a home in a neighborhood, looked after by Assad-friendly Alawites, the same branch of Islam as the former leader. Many of the country’s prisons have now been searched or emptied and he doesn’t believe President Vladimir Putin would hold Tice in Russia. “The relationship between Assad and Putin is significantly overblown. [Assad] has been there over two weeks and they haven’t even seen each other,” said Stern. “The Russians are like we don’t need this problem, that is a great way to p— off soon-to-be-President Trump, I mean who was obsessed with the Austin Tice case years ago.” Investigators believe Tice escaped years ago but was found in just such a neighborhood in Damascus and thrown back in detainment. The State Department’s Rewards for Justice office is offering a $10 million reward for any information leading to the finding of Tice, but Stern said he believes anyone with information is more driven by tribal loyalty than monetary reward. “Assad is living the good life in the tower in Moscow. But make no mistake, he still has reach inside of Syria,” said Stern. “Half of the new government were Assad guys last week.” “That tribal nexus plus the fear of Bashar Assad being able to reach out and touch people still in Syria, why would they come forward?” Another group working with Grey Bull asserted this week that they believe Tice is alive. “We have data that Austin is alive till January 2024, but the president of the U.S. said in August that he is alive, and we are sure that he is alive today,” Nizar Zakka, president of Hostage Aid Worldwide, said Tuesday, according to multiple reports. “We are trying to be as transparent as possible and to share as much information as possible.” Zakka offered little evidence to back up its statements made from a press conference in Damascus, though he reportedly used an image to demonstrate the locations where Tice was held from November 2017 to February 2024. U.S. Hostage Aid Worldwide has engaged with Tice’s family and U.S. authorities in the hunt for Tice, and the Biden administration has echoed a message of hope that Tice is alive, despite months of little word about his whereabouts.
‘Warm hospitality’: University president has repeatedly cozied up to top CCP officials
FIRST ON FOX: A top diplomat of the Chinese Communist Party, who recently replaced a controversial official with deep ties to top New York Democrats, recently touted his relationship with an American university president and former top education official in New Jersey. Chen Li, who assumed the role of consul general of the People’s Republic of China in New York last month, took to social media last week to praise the “warm hospitality” he received from Kean University President Lamont Repollet. “Absolutely overwhelmed by the warm hospitality from President Repollet. I truly felt at home on this campus,” Li wrote on X. “The commitment to bilateral educational exchange and people to people connections is key to the success of Wenzhou-Kean University, a Chinese-American joint institution.” Repollet, who served as New Jersey’s commissioner of education under Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy for more than two years, was seen smiling in two of the photos that Li posted. According to Repollet’s Kean University biography, he was in charge of “overseeing the shift to remote education amid the COVID-19 pandemic and playing a key role in planning for the 2020-2021 school year.” DEM GOVERNOR REVEALS CCP OFFICIAL WITH DEEP TIES TO HER OFFICE ‘NO LONGER’ IN ROLE AMID FORMER AIDE’S ARREST Despite Biden and Trump administration officials warning about the influence of the CCP, Repollet has developed deep ties to China dating back several years, a Fox News Digital review found. He most recently visited Beijing in October of this year to give a keynote speech at the Triennial Conference of the International Association of University Presidents, which was held in Beijing. Press releases from the conference emphasized how Repollet was passionate about equity in education and that his keynote speech highlighted how “AI is a revolutionary tool that can foster equity and transform how we engage with students and support their success.” “AI has the power to help close achievement gaps and ensure that every student, no matter their challenges, has access to high-quality educational resources,” he continued. “By offering personalized learning experiences, AI empowers historically marginalized students with the tools they need to succeed.” Months earlier, Chinese state media amplified China President Xi Jinping’s letter to Repollet, which was in response to a letter he sent to Xi, according to state media. CHINESE OFFICIAL WHO PRAISED CCP MAKES ANOTHER APPEARANCE AT TOP IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL: ‘HISTORIC CONNECTIONS’ “Recently, President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from Lamont Repollet, president of Kean University of the United States, encouraging Chinese and American universities to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and contribute to China-U.S. friendship,” the Chinese government said in a press release. “Recalling witnessing the signing ceremony of the China-U.S. cooperation agreement on jointly establishing Wenzhou-Kean University in 2006 at Kean University, Xi Jinping said he is pleased to see that with the joint efforts of both sides, Wenzhou-Kean University has achieved remarkable results and become a landmark project in China-U.S. educational cooperation.” “Xi expressed appreciation for what Repollet said in his letter about deepening cooperation with Wenzhou-Kean University and encouraging American students to come to China for exchange and study, and called on universities of the two countries to step up exchanges and cooperation through different modalities to cultivate young envoys who know both countries well, and build more bridges to promote China-U.S. friendship,” the statement continued. Additionally, a press release from Wenzhou-Kean University touted Repollet’s “momentous” visit to China in April 2023. “Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet and his delegation embarked on a momentous visit to Wenzhou, marking the first visit in three years,” the press release said. “This visit presented a unique opportunity to strengthen the interactions between the two universities, foster people-to-people exchanges between Zhejiang province and New Jersey in the United States, and enhance the long-standing friendship between the two countries.” The press release said Repollet arrived in China on March 20, 2023, and he “wasted no time” meeting with Wenzhou Party Secretary Shuji Liu Xiaotao. “Mr. Liu Xiaotao expressed his hope that the two sides would continue to build a model of Sino-US cooperation in education and foster a bridge of friendly exchanges, with a bright future ahead for the university,” the press release states. “President Repollet extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Wenzhou government for its unwavering support toward the construction and development of WKU.” Xiaotao has been a member of the Chinese Communist Party since 1991 and has served in various roles over the last few decades. Additionally, a Chinese state media company held an event in New York City in September of this year that listed Repollet as a speaker where, according to a press release, he “emphasized the importance of cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy in fostering mutual understanding between nations.” The slate of speakers included several Chinese officials, including Xie Feng, Chinese ambassador to the U.S., and Shen Haixiong, the deputy minister of the publicity department of the CPC Central Committee. Haixiong also serves as the head of the China Media Group, which is a crucial media conglomerate that plays a major role in the country’s state media apparatus. While Repollet’s ties to China have become stronger since he became the president of Kean University, his Facebook profile shows that he made multiple visits to China before he became the top administrator at Kean. For example, a 2016 Facebook post shows Repollet attending Wenzhou-Kean University’s inaugural commencement in China as a member of the university’s board of trustees. He attended the 2017 commencement in China also, according to another Facebook post. Prior to Chen Li taking over the top position in China’s New York consulate, that position was held by Huang Ping, who has a long history of promoting CCP propaganda and calling the CCP a “great party,” denying the alleged Uyghur genocide, and meeting with officials across the United States at universities, media companies and in elected office. Ping repeatedly met with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, all Democrats. Earlier this