Rep Gimenez warns China is ‘greatest threat’ to US, Trump admin will ‘project strength’ to CCP
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said China is the “greatest threat” to the United States and that President-elect Donald Trump will bring “peace through strength, not peace through appeasement.” Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital the CCP is the “adversary we have to watch, both militarily and economically.” “China is making great strides around the world,” Gimenez said, pointing to its capacity in production, specifically with defense materials and weapons. “It surpasses that of the United States’ and we have seen that we are lacking.” NATO CHIEF URGES MEMBERS TO ‘TURBOCHARGE’ DEFENSE PRODUCTION AS HE PAINTS PICTURE OF A WORLD BOUND FOR WAR Gimenez said the Russian-Ukraine war has “demonstrated to us that our defense capacity has been degraded over the decades.” “It shows we could run out of munitions fairly quickly if we had a prolonged fight with China,” he said, warning that China also “has the ability to produce many more ships than we do.” Gimenez said the U.S. is “trying to do catch-up.” “We have to update how we do things at the Pentagon, we have to be more nimble, we have to get the private sector involved, and we have to eliminate bureaucracy that has hampered our ability to protect ourselves,” he said. ‘BE AWARE’: HOUSE LAWMAKERS DESCRIBE WHAT IT’S LIKE LIVING UNDER THREAT BY CHINA, IRAN But as for the approach to the China threat, Gimenez blasted the Biden administration, specifically President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “I think China, with Biden and Blinken, thought they could do just about anything they wanted or thought they could fool them,” he said. “The Biden administration was always exhibiting weakness and trying to appease our enemies, whereas Trump knows exactly who our friends are, who our enemies are and is going to put the security of America first.” Gimenez added, “He understands that the security of America lies in peace through strength, not peace through appeasement.” As for confronting the threat in the coming months, Gimenez pointed to the importance of the U.S. being energy independent. Gimenez said he wants to “make America the energy spigot of the world, where the world goes to get energy is America.” TRUMP TAPS FORMER ACTING AG MATTHEW WHITAKER AS NATO AMBASSADOR “It would help our financial situation, our balance sheet, and give us the ability to help our friends and weaken our enemies,” he said. “We could use our energy dominance as an economic weapon against our enemies, helping our friends and hurting our enemies,” he continued. “We can substitute Iranian and Venezuelan oil with American oil, Russian oil with American oil, and then starve those countries which are allied with China of their greatest source of revenue and then impede their ability to help China.” “If China finds itself isolated in the world, I think that’s the best way we can contain this threat,” he said. “But we have to project strength and the willingness to confront aggression by the CCP.” As for the House Select Committee on the CCP, he said they have “much more work to do.” “The China threat is increasing,” he said, noting that the committee is bipartisan in its nature and that members on both sides of the aisle have “bought into that China is the threat and that China will be the threat.” “It’s not climate change, it’s China,” he said. “And we have to confront that threat or live in a world that is dominated by the Chinese Communist Party.” “And Trump is going to project strength and back those words with action.”
Trump leaves China guessing what his next move is with unusual inauguration invitation
President-elect Trump took China by surprise when he invited President Xi Jinping to his upcoming inauguration, a friendly gesture ahead of a widely expected trade war. The move left everyone wondering what Trump was up to — a Chinese head of state has not attended a U.S. inauguration in all of history. Xi is not expected to accept the invitation, sources told CBS News. “We have a good relationship with China. I have a good relationship,” Trump told CNBC on Friday. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi some things.” But the invitation comes as the U.S. intelligence community disclosed a massive hack of eight U.S. telecom companies, finding that Chinese hackers had accessed the data of millions of Americans, including Vice President-elect JD Vance. The hack, nicknamed Salt Typhoon and one of the most far-reaching in history, affected mostly people in the Washington, D.C., area, and was targeted at government-linked people. Information about their phone calls and texts was intercepted. CHINESE HACKERS TARGET US TELECOMS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PROTECT YOUR DATA Meanwhile, a Chinese national was arrested on suspicion of flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force base in Northern California, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. “Many people were disappointed by this invitation,” said China expert Gordon Chang. “A man who is responsible for spreading COVID beyond China borders, for being behind the fentanyl program, which kills 70,000 Americans a year, that was not a good look for the United States,” he went on. “And it betrayed weakness.” “The Chinese president looks at that and believes that Trump is not serious,” said Chang. “Xi Jinping has made it clear that the United States is China’s enemy. He’s done that in many ways. And for an American president to show friendship is not a gesture in Xi’s mind, it’s a display of weakness, and Chinese leaders always take advantage of weakness.” It’s not clear if the invitation means that Trump is looking to take a more diplomatic approach to the relationship with China after a campaign marked by threats of hiking tariffs. CHINA DENIES NEW REPORT LINKING CCP TO FOUR SITES IN CUBA ALLEGEDLY USED TO SPY ON THE US Trump has floated the idea of a 60% across-the-board levy on all goods imported from China, which would cover some $400 billion worth of products. Free trade supporters have worried this would break a top campaign promise for Trump: to rein in and prevent the record inflation figures seen under the Biden administration. And the threat of a trade war comes as military tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific. China has been putting on displays of force in the waters off the shores of U.S. allies like the Philippines and Japan, and increasingly threatening Taiwan, an island democracy it views as its rightful territory. Defense experts have begun to muse whether the U.S. could find itself at war with China. Lyle Goldstein, Director of Asia Engagement at Defense Priorities think tank, welcomed the news of the invitation, reading it as a sign of being willing to engage. “Nothing like that has happened under the Biden administration,” he said. “Trump is a dealmaker, and I think China is eager to make deals. “The Biden approach was very ideological, you know, the world is black and white.” “If we go into a new Cold War, the results, I think, will be devastating for both the United States and China,” Goldstein added. “I think there is some understanding in the Trump team that the stakes are enormous here.” China, meanwhile, is considering devaluing its currency further in anticipation of Trump’s tariffs, according to a Reuters report. “People have got to realize that trading with China generally is a good thing. But yeah, we have to. There are some key readjustments that need to take place,” said Goldstein. “I would like to see that take place from readjusting China’s currency.”
Trump taps Richard Grenell as presidential envoy for special missions, Edward S. Walsh as Ireland ambassador
President-elect Trump named a couple of key first-term allies to roles in his second administration, including Richard Grenell. Grenell was the incoming president’s pick as presidential envoy for special missions, a post that will likely drive the administration’s policies in some of the most contentious regions of the world. “Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said in the announcement Saturday evening. TRUMP ANNOUNCES MORE NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING DEVIN NUNES, TROY EDGAR AND BILL WHITE Grenell was Trump’s intelligence chief during the president’s first administration. “In my First Term, Ric was the United States Ambassador to Germany, Acting Director of National Intelligence, and Presidential Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia Negotiations,” Trump said. “Previously, he spent eight years inside the United Nations Security Council, working with North Korea, and developments in numerous other Countries.” Trump also announced Edward Sharp Walsh as his pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Ireland. NEW POLL REVEALS WHAT AMERICANS THINK OF TRUMP’S TRANSITION DECISIONS “Edward is the President of the Walsh Company, a very successful nationwide construction and real estate firm. He is a great philanthropist in his local community, and previously served as the Chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Board,” Trump announced. The picks are the latest in a string of nominations the president-elect hopes the Senate will approve.
Trump seizes on drone controversy to mock Chris Christie
President-elect Trump on Saturday seized on the mysterious drone controversy in New Jersey to mock one-time ally turned nemesis Chris Christie. The president-elect, who will take office in just over a month, shared an AI-generated meme of the former New Jersey governor eating McDonald’s with more McDonald’s meals being delivered by drones, mocking his weight on Truth Social and X. Christie endorsed Trump in 2016 but was later axed as the head of his transition team. Last year, Christie had a short-lived presidential campaign for the 2024 election during which he called Trump a “coward” and a “puppet of Putin,” but he dropped out in January. TRUMP BRINGS POLITICAL DRAMA TO ARMY-NAVY GAME SIDELINES “I want to promise you this, I’m going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again. And that’s more important than my own personal ambition,” he said when he dropped out. Christie’s weight has been a frequent target for Trump since their falling-out. Last year, Trump jokingly told a supporter to not call the former governor a “fat pig.” Since mid-November, New Jersey residents have been baffled by unexplained sightings of what appear to be drones. NEW JERSEY LAWMAKER CALLS FOR LIMITED STATE OF EMERGENCY TO COMBAT MYSTERIOUS DRONES The sightings have also been reported in other areas of the country, including military installations, prompting lawmakers to demand answers. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement have said the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety. On Friday, Trump called for the drones to be shot down if there’s no reasonable explanation for them. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge,” he wrote on Truth Social. “I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump announces more nominations, including Devin Nunes, Troy Edgar and Bill White
President-elect Trump nominated a few more candidates Saturday to serve in various positions during his second term. Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes was picked as the chairperson of Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board (IAB). IBM executive Troy Edgar was tapped as deputy secretary of Homeland Security. And Bill White was chosen as the ambassador to Belgium. Nunes, if confirmed, will lead the IAB, which advises the president on the legality of foreign intelligence activities. “While continuing his leadership of Trump Media & Technology Group, Devin will draw on his experience as former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his key role in exposing the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, to provide me with independent assessments of the effectiveness and propriety of the U.S. Intelligence Community’s activities,” Trump said in the announcement. TRUMP ANNOUNCES MORE PICKS, NOMINATES KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE TO SERVE AS AMBASSADOR TO GREECE Trump also named Edgar as his pick for deputy secretary of Homeland Security. “Troy served for me previously as the Chief Financial Officer and Associate Deputy Under Secretary of Management for Homeland Security, where he did an outstanding job managing their $90 Billion Dollar budget, resourcing critical immigration policy, and funding Wall construction,” Trump said. “Troy is currently an executive at IBM. He holds an M.B.A. and B.S. of Business Administration from the University of Southern California,” Trump said. “He was previously the Mayor of Los Alamitos, California, where he helped me lead the City and County revolt against Sanctuary Cities in 2018.” If the two are confirmed, Edgar will serve alongside South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who was tapped as Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Secretary. Also on Saturday afternoon, Trump announced that businessperson and major political donor White would serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium. White is the founder and CEO of Constellations Group, a Manhattan-based consulting firm, and previously served as president of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York. “Bill is a highly respected businessman, philanthropist, author, and advocate for our Nation’s Military, Veterans, and First Responders. He is the CEO of Constellations Group, and former President of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum,” Trump said. “Bill has worked tirelessly to support Great American Patriots who have given everything for our Country by raising over $1.5 Billion Dollars for our fallen heroes, catastrophically wounded, and severely burned Service Members. He is a twice recipient of the Meritorious Public Service Award for extraordinary service from the U.S. Coast Guard, and for outstanding support from the U.S. Navy.” NEW POLL REVEALS WHAT AMERICANS THINK OF TRUMP’S TRANSITION DECISIONS White was a major Trump donor and surrogate for his 2024 campaign, though the millionaire investor backed former President Obama and Hillary Clinton in past races. The picks are the latest in a long string of nominations the president-elect hopes the Senate will approve.
NJ lawmaker calls for limited state of emergency to combat mysterious drones
A New Jersey state Senator is calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency to ground all drones as a way of getting to the bottom of ongoing reports of unmanned craft swarming the Garden State in recent weeks. State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican, told “Cavuto Live” on Saturday that he also wants the FAA to join in the state of emergency as the public becomes increasingly frustrated with a lack of answers as to what is going on in the skies. Bramnick says he has contacted Murphy about enacting a state of emergency but has not gotten a response. DRONE MYSTERY BEFUDDLES NEW JERSEY OFFICIALS, FRUSTRATES RESIDENTS “I’ve gotten silence and we met with the state police [who] have no information. Can you imagine? The Department of Defense must have some serious secret if we can’t get any information on car-sized drones flying over our military bases.” A series of unidentified drone sightings near U.S. military installations and over residences have been spotted in New Jersey since mid-November, including President-elect Trump’s Bedminster golf course, which is causing alarm. Apparent drones have also been spotted in New York City, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, among other states, as well as over three US airbases in the UK. White House national security communications adviser John Kirby has said many of the purported drone sightings are actually lawfully operated manned aircraft and that there is no evidence of a national security or public safety threat. FORMER GOVERNOR SPOTS MYSTERY DRONES IN MARYLAND, BLASTS FEDS FOR LACK OF TRANSPARENCY Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday said the government doesn’t have the authority to shoot down drones and believes reports of some sightings are cases of mistaken identity. The apparent lack of transparency about the situation has fueled conspiracy theories and raised national security concerns that a foreign entity may be behind the mysterious sightings. The government’s dismissal of witness reports is also irking residents who believe the government’s answers are insufficient. Some have threatened to take matters into their own hands and shoot them down. “Every time someone comes out of the top secret briefing, we get the same answer,” Bramnick said. “’Well, we need more information,’ but apparently it’s not a threat. Now, I don’t know how they’re determining that. The Defense Department must be speaking to someone because they’re surely not speaking to any of the residents in New Jersey.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The Department of Defense has to explain why they don’t know what a car-sized drone is doing, where it came from, where it’s going. Is it sinister? Is there some sort of threat? Don’t you think the Department of Defense should have that information? The technology is there.” Bramnick says that the state does not have the proper equipment or resources to deal with drones. He notes that the Garden State only has two state helicopters, and when one of those choppers was sent up to investigate a drone, its lights turned off and it fled. “Now, that’s an indication that the drone is not here for a good purpose, otherwise I assume somebody operating the drone would tell the state police what they’re doing. That’s why we have to ground all drones at this time,” Bramnick added.
Nancy Pelosi announces major surgery after fall in Luxembourg
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., underwent surgery for a hip replacement overseas Saturday after she fell earlier this week in Luxembourg, a spokesperson said. “Earlier this morning, Speaker Emerita Pelosi underwent a successful hip replacement and is well on the mend,” Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager said in a statement. “Speaker Pelosi is grateful to U.S. military staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base and medical staff at Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for their excellent care and kindness. FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI INJURED, HOSPITALIZED WHILE TRAVELING TO LUXEMBOURG “Speaker Pelosi is enjoying the overwhelming outpouring of prayers and well wishes and is ever determined to ensure access to quality health care for all Americans.” Pelosi, 84, tripped and fell following a group photo with other lawmakers and officials during a visit to Luxembourg for the Battle of the Bulge remembrances, the Wall Street Journal reported. DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY GRIPE ABOUT PELOSI’S ‘DAMAGING’ POST-ELECTION COMMENTS “While traveling with a bipartisan Congressional delegation in Luxembourg to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sustained an injury during an official engagement and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation,” Ian Krager, her spokesperson, said in a statement Friday. The U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg posted an image of Pelosi on its X account on Friday. “We welcome NASA [Administrator] Bill Nelson and Members of Congress to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg and Belgium,” it said. “The sacrifices of brave WWII soldiers echo from the past, reminding us that each generation must continue the fight for freedom and democracy.” Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
McConnell warns RFK Jr. to steer clear of the polio vaccine
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave a stern warning to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after a report highlighted how one of Kennedy’s associates had sought to rescind approval for a polio vaccine. McConnell, a polio survivor, said in a statement that “efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed – they’re dangerous.” “Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming Administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts,” he added, without naming Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic who is President-elect Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. NOBEL LAUREATES CRITICIZE RFK JR. HHS NOMINATION OVER ‘LACK OF CREDENTIALS,’ VACCINE STANCE McConnell’s statement follows a New York Times report on Friday that highlighted how Kennedy’s personal attorney, Aaron Siri, had represented clients in cases that sought to rescind approval for a version of the polio vaccine and others. “Like millions of families before them, my parents knew the pain and fear of watching their child struggle with the life-altering diagnosis of polio. From the age of two, normal life without paralysis was only possible for me because of the miraculous combination of modern medicine and a mother’s love. But for millions who came after me, the real miracle was the saving power of the polio vaccine,” McConnell said. RFK JR. WANTS TO CLEAR OUT ‘ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS’ IN THE FDA: ‘THEY HAVE TO GO’ “For decades, I have been proud to work with devoted advocates – from Rotary International to the Gates Foundation – and use my platform in public life to champion the pursuit of cures for further generations. I have never flinched from confronting specious disinformation that threatens the advance of lifesaving medical progress, and I will not today. The GOP leader was joined by his Democratic counterpart, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who demanded that RFK Jr. make his position on the polio vaccine clear. TRUMP TAPS RFK JR. TO LEAD DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES “This would undoubtedly make America sick again,” Schumer said, sharing the Times report on X. “It’s outrageous and dangerous for people in the Trump Transition to try and get rid of the polio vaccine that has virtually eradicated polio in America and saved millions of lives. RFK Jr. must state his position on this.” The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump-backed candidate aiming to replace Matt Gaetz wants Florida to adopt gold and silver as legal tender
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis — who was urged by President-elect Donald Trump to run in the special election to replace former Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District — hopes to win so he can support the incoming commander-in-chief’s agenda. Patronis told Fox News Digital during an interview on Thursday that he is eager to run and “support President Trump’s agenda about” eliminating “wokeness” which has “infiltrated” government and society. “We need common sense,” he said, asserting that it is not currently “very common” in the U.S. WITH TRUMP PLEDGING ENDORSEMENT, FLORIDA CFO WILL RUN FOR MATT GAETZ’S FORMER HOUSE SEAT Asked whether he would be interested in joining the House Freedom Caucus if he wins the House seat, Patronis indicated that he would “love to know what they’re all about,” and said that many of the things he is familiar with the group participating in “make sense to” him. He said, “the citizens of the United States, or in this case District 1, spend their money better than Washington D.C. does.” Patronis wants the Sunshine State to adopt gold and silver as legal tender and has called for a study on the issue. HOUSE GOP LEADERS ENDORSE TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATE JIMMY PATRONIS FOR MATT GAETZ’S OLD SEAT “Gold and silver have been trusted assets for thousands of years, and it makes perfect sense to use them as legal tender. I’m launching this study to determine the best way to get it done,” Patronis said in a statement included in a press release earlier this week. He indicated to Fox News Digital that he hopes the study will pave the way for the state legislature to approve legislation “to allow this type of economic freedom right here in the state of Florida.” In addition to Trump’s backing, Patronis also has scored endorsements from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn. FLORIDA CFO REQUESTS REPORT ON POTENTIAL FOR INVESTING SOME STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FUNDS INTO DIGITAL ASSETS Election Day for the special election is set for April 1, but Patronis will first face the special Republican primary contest next month.
Trump brings political drama to Army-Navy game sidelines
President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will attend the annual Army-Navy game in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday, and they are bringing some guests who are sure to stir debate. In what will be the 125th meeting of the Black Knights and Midshipmen, a source tells Fox that Trump is taking Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth to the highly anticipated football clash, while Vance confirmed on social media that he will have Marine veteran Daniel Penny by his side. Penny was found not guilty in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely in New York City earlier this week, a decision which was criticized by some commentators on the left and underscored a divide between crime and mental health. DANIEL PENNY FOUND NOT GUILTY IN SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD TRIAL Hegseth is still battling it out to secure his nomination for the top defense role and the dynamics of his appearance will be interesting given Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will also be in attendance. DeSantis at one point was touted as a possible replacement for Hegseth, although it is unclear if he will be seated with Trump in a suite. Hegseth’s appearance will mark a very public declaration of support from Trump, as some senators are still holding out on committing to his confirmation. Hegseth, an Army National Guard and former longtime Fox News host, deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and has been the focus of misconduct reports. Trump’s defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won’t drink “a drop of alcohol” if confirmed as defense secretary. JD VANCE CONFIRMS DANIEL PENNY WILL ATTEND ARMY-NAVY GAME AFTER ACQUITTAL IN SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD TRIAL Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who President-elect Trump has tapped to serve as director of national intelligence, is also understood to be going to the game along with Speaker Mike Johnson, per reports. Gabbard, like Hegseth, is facing an uphill battle for confirmation. Meanwhile, Vance took a swipe at New York City prosecutors for taking on the case in a post on X confirming Penny’s attendance. “Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance wrote. “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.” Penny, 26, was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide for the May 2023 subway chokehold death of Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia who had barged onto the train shouting death threats while high on a type of synthetic marijuana known as K2. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump attended the game as president in 2018, 2019 and 2020, while he also appeared as president-elect in 2016. President Biden has never attended the annual clash as president, although he did appear as vice president. This season has been a banner year for both football programs, adding buzz to the annual rivalry match. The teams have a combined 19 wins this year and with victories over Air Force, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy will be awarded to the winner of Saturday’s game. Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie, Paulina Dedaj and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.