Incoming Missouri state lawmaker introduces bill to give $1K to anyone who turns in illegal migrants
An incoming Missouri state lawmaker introduced a bill to provide $1,000 to people who report illegal migrants to authorities. Republican state Sen.-elect David Gregory proposed a measure that would offer $1,000 to any person who turned in an illegal migrant who is subsequently arrested. SB 72 would allow the state’s Department of Public Safety to “develop an information system for people to report violations of this act which shall include a toll-free telephone hotline, e-mail and online reporting portal.” BLUE STATE COUNTY TEES UP VOTE ON ‘KNEE-JERK’ RESOLUTION TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATIONS The bill would also create the “Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program” which would allow local citizens to serve as bounty hunters “for the purpose of finding and detaining illegal aliens” in the state. Only bail bond agents and surety recovery agents may apply to the program to serve as bounty hunters. The proposal would also make it a felony for anyone to be in the state as an illegal migrant. ANOTHER MAJOR BLUE CITY DOUBLES DOWN ON VOW TO OBSTRUCT TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN “As I ran for State Senate, I promised to make Missouri a national leader in combating illegal immigration,” Gregory said in a post on the social media platform X. “Now, I’m following through with my promise. SB 72 makes it a felony to be here illegally and the bill will finally allow Missouri law enforcement to find and arrest illegal immigrants,” he continued. “We need all hands on deck to ensure we catch illegal immigrants BEFORE they commit violent crimes.” President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations in his second administration.
Nearly all Fortune 500 companies still maintain corporate DEI commitments: report
FIRST ON FOX: A new report looked at company statements, annual reports and other publicly available documents from every Fortune 500 company and found that virtually all of them have maintained their commitments to “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) despite a trend of private companies relinquishing these commitments amid growing criticism. Walmart, last week, became the latest major company to roll back its DEI commitments. The private sector’s move away from such commitments, which include race-based hiring practices or other preferential treatment provided based on someone’s immutable characteristics, has been strong enough that it spurred a cohort of 49 Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives to pen a letter several weeks ago to the country’s Fortune 1000 companies, urging them not to give in to pressure to dismantle their DEI commitments. The lawmakers argued that such commitments help provide for a fairer shot at the American Dream for “everyone.” The effort to ensure that “everyone” is given a fair shot is a main reason why Walmart decided to begin rolling back some of its commitments. “Our purpose, to help people save money and live better, has been at our core since our founding 62 years ago and continues to guide us today,” Joe Pennington, the director of Walmart’s global press office, told Fox News Digital. “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers and suppliers and to be a Walmart for everyone.” While pressure on private companies to relinquish their DEI commitments has yielded some change, 485 of the country’s 500 largest companies continue to maintain some form of DEI commitment, according to a new report from the right-leaning Heritage Foundation. ‘THIS S— HAS TO STOP’: FORMER JILL BIDEN SPOX RIPS DEMS FOR ‘VILIFYING’ DEI CRITICS AS ‘WHITE SUPREMACISTS’ Researchers spent weeks combing through various documents and communications belonging to all of these companies, and developed a user-friendly database so that readers can see the commitments for themselves. Jonthan Butcher, the report’s lead author, told Fox News Digital that he thinks public pressure is very influential when it comes to getting private companies to relinquish what he described as discriminatory DEI commitments. Sources familiar with Walmart’s decision to roll back their DEI policies indicated that public pressure, in addition to feedback from customers and associates, was an aspect that spurred some of the company’s changes. “I think that when the pressure has been applied one by one … businesses recognize that when they’re called out, they don’t have any way to defend themselves and say, ‘Well, what we’re really doing is wholesome.’ No one has tried to say that,” Butcher said. “Instead, they’ve simply backed away. And appropriately so.” TRUMP’S CHOICE FOR FCC CHAIRMAN SAYS AGENCY ‘WILL END ITS PROMOTION OF DEI’ NEXT YEAR Some of the major companies highlighted in Butcher’s report include Nike and UnitedHealth Group. Nike, for example, was found to have a page on its website about “representation and pay” that asserts, “NIKE is focused on its workforce representation, starting with women globally and racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.” Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group states on its “People & Culture” webpage that the company strives to provide patients with “culturally relevant care” and seeks to “advance a diverse health care workforce.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to both Nike and UnithedHealth Group for comment but did not receive a response. Butcher ultimately said he believes Americans are waking up to the racially discriminatory elements of DEI practices, noting that the point of his research is to continue leveraging that momentum.
Five ways Trump could dismantle Biden’s climate agenda
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to roll back several of President Joe Biden’s green energy policies and initiatives when he assumes office in 2024. While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to lift the Biden administration’s “war on energy” and “disastrous” energy policies. “They annihilated your steel mills, decimated your coal jobs, assaulted your oil and gas jobs and sold off your manufacturing jobs to China and other foreign nations all over the world,” Trump said of the current administration. Trump appointed North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head his newly formed National Energy Council, and former Rep. Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – two pro-energy appointees who are expected to take aim at several of Biden’s policies. Here are five ways Trump could overturn several of those in short order: The Paris Agreement, established at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in 2015, is a legally binding treaty among nearly 195 parties who are committed to international cooperation on climate change. BIDEN BLOCKS NEW MINING IN REGION THAT PRODUCES ABOUT 40% OF NATION’S COAL: ‘IT’S A DISASTER’ Trump officially withdrew from the treaty in 2020, but Biden reinstated the U.S. to the climate agreement after taking office in 2021. The Trump campaign told Politico in June that the president-elect would be in favor of withdrawing the U.S. from the treaty for a second time if re-elected. The EPA announced a final rule in March under the Clean Air Act to set new emissions standards that would require up to two-thirds of new cars sold to be electric vehicles by 2032. The new standards would affect “light-duty vehicle manufacturers, independent commercial importers, alternative fuel converters, and manufacturers and converters of medium-duty vehicles,” according to the EPA’s final rule. House Republicans have taken steps to block the mandate, passing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in September to block the “out-of-touch regulation” from being enacted. Biden is currently offering a tax credit of up to $7,500 to incentivize the purchase of greener vehicles. However, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Trump plans to ax the tax credit as part of his sweep of Biden’s climate agenda. One of Trump’s strongest allies, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, revealed in July that he supports getting rid of the credit. “Take away the subsidies,” Musk posted to X, saying that “it will only help Tesla.” Companies that are financially sound, such as Tesla, could benefit if the playing field for electric vehicles is narrowed, while the smaller companies that rely on the tax credit for consumer affordability could face setbacks, analysts suggest. TRUMP’S ENERGY AGENDA CAN MAKE AMERICA AFFORDABLE AGAIN Biden’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently approved an amendment to the Resource Management Plan (RMP) to ban new federal coal leases, essentially blocking any new federal mining leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, the country’s largest coal-producing region, by 2041. This region produces about 40% of the nation’s coal. BLM, however, will allow for existing coal leases to continue to be developed. Following the decision, Trump’s transition team reinforced the idea of the president-elect’s campaign promise to bolster American-made energy. “Families have suffered under the past four years’ war on American energy, which prompted the worst inflation crisis in a generation. Voters re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, including lowering energy costs for consumers,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition spokeswoman, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Biden’s EPA recently announced that it will try to “incentivize” the oil and gas industry to reduce methane emissions by imposing a Waste Emissions Charge, allowed under the Inflation Reduction Act. EXPERT TOUTS TRUMP’S ENERGY SECTOR NOMINATIONS, OUTLINES HOPES FOR ADMINISTRATION AGENDA TO SPARK ENERGY BOOM Under the Biden administration’s new rule, certain oil and gas facilities would be charged $900 per metric ton of “wasteful” emissions in CY 2024, $1,200 for CY 2025 and $1,500 for CY 2026. Trump-supporting oil-advocacy groups and House lawmakers slammed the fee, with the American Petroleum Institute releasing a policy road map for the incoming Trump administration to hit back against the EPA’s final rule. “Energy was on the ballot” in the 2024 elections, American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers told Fox News Digital in a statement following Trump’s victory in November. In electing Trump, Sommers said that voters had “sent a clear signal that they want choices, not mandates, and an all-of-the-above approach that harnesses our nation’s resources and builds on the successes of his first term.”
Trump responds after rebels overtake Syria, ousting longtime dictator: ‘Assad is gone’
President-elect Trump reacted Sunday morning to the news that Syrian dictator Bashar Assad had fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus. “Assad is gone,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.” “Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success,” his post continued. “Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.” SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY Trump added: “Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” Assad, who used chemical weapons multiple times on his population, and his British-born wife, Asma al-Assad, fled with their three children, according to Syrian television reports, although it was not known where they were headed. A video statement from a group of men on Syrian state TV said that Assad had been overthrown and that all prisoners had been released. The man who read a statement said the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus is calling on all opposition fighters and citizens to preserve state institutions of “the free Syrian state.” “Long live the free Syrian state that is to all Syrians and all” their sects and ethnic groups, the statement said. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said early Sunday he did not know where Assad was. ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE Crowds of Syrians gathered in the central squares of Damascus to celebrate Assad’s departure. Syria has been embroiled in a bloody, nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels sought to overthrow Assad and end more than 50 years of Assad family rule over the Syrian Arabian Republic. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Biden administration announces $988M in aid to Ukraine on same day Trump meets with Zelenskyy in Paris
The Biden administration on Saturday announced a $988 million aid package to Ukraine to ensure it “has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression.” “This administration has made its choice. And so has a bipartisan coalition in Congress. The next administration must make its own choice,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. “But, from this library, from this podium, I am confident that President Reagan would have stood on the side of Ukraine, American security and human freedom.” The aid package is provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and “will provide Ukraine with munitions for rocket systems and unmanned aerial systems,” a release from the administration said. “This package also includes support for maintenance and repair programs to help Ukraine reconstitute its forces and build and sustain combat power.” The announcement came as President-elect Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while at a ceremony commemorating the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday after a devastating fire there in 2019. ZELENSKYY FEARS DANGER IF UKRAINE LOSES UNITY, DEFEAT IF US CUTS FUNDS, 1,000 DAYS AFTER WAR BEGAN During the campaign, Trump and running mate JD Vance heavily criticized the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion, and Trump said he would end the war before even entering office without offering further details. Vance also suggested earlier this year that the best way to end the war was for Ukraine to cede the land Russia has seized and for a demilitarized zone to be established, a proposal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flatly rejected. FLORIDA REP CALLS OUT DEMOCRATS FOR ‘ESCALATING’ CONFLICT IN UKRAINE Recently, Zelenskyy has said he is more open to negotiations in the war and has called for Ukraine to be allowed to join NATO. The Biden administration has committed to giving Ukraine as much aid as possible before Trump takes office in January. “In September, the president announced a surge in security assistance for Ukraine to put Ukrainian forces in the strongest possible position before he leaves office,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement Monday while announcing $725 million in aid to Ukraine. “Between now and mid-January, we will deliver hundreds of thousands of additional artillery rounds, thousands of additional rockets and other critical capabilities to help Ukraine defend its freedom and independence.” Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “President Biden has committed to making sure that every dollar we have at our disposal will be pushed out the door between now and Jan. 20.” Saturday’s announcement marks the administration’s 22nd aid package through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This week, House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a request by the administration for Congress to authorize $24 billion in additional funding. “It is not the place of Joe Biden to make that decision now,” Johnson said. “We have a newly elected president, and we’re going to wait and take the new commander in chief’s direction on all that. So, I don’t expect any Ukraine funding to come up now.”
Congress eyes 14.5% pay hike for junior troops, limits on transgender treatment in $895B defense bill
Congressional leaders have agreed to terms for this year’s defense policy bill, with nearly $900 billion in spending, new limits on transgender-related medical care and a significant raise for young U.S. service members. Roughly 1,800 pages detailing the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that outlines U.S. defense and national security priorities each fiscal year, were released Saturday evening. The bill details policy for $895.2 billion in federal spending. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the bill “refocuses our military on its core mission of defending America and its interests around the globe by supporting law enforcement operations and the deployment of the National Guard to the southwest border, expediting innovation and reducing the acquisition timeline for new weaponry, supporting our allies and strengthening our nuclear posture and missile defense programs.” DOZENS OF PROMINENT VETERANS SIGN ONTO LETTER SUPPORTING ‘OUTSTANDING’ HEGSETH NOMINATION AMID CONTROVERSIES It includes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, according to the Republican leader’s office. Another provision says “medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18,” referring to the transgender children of U.S. service members. The measure sparked backlash from the Human Rights Council, which called it an “attack” on military families. “This cruel and hateful bill suddenly strips away access to medical care for families that members of our armed forces are counting on, and it could force service members to choose between staying in the military or providing health care for their children,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. TRUMP FLOATS DESANTIS AS POTENTIAL DEFENSE SECRETARY REPLACEMENT IF HEGSETH FALTERS The bill also includes border security elements Republicans had previously pushed for, including a bipartisan initiative to create a Northern Border Mission Center under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to Johnson’s office, it would also “fully support the deployment of National Guard at the southwest border to intercept illegal aliens and drugs.” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., touted the significant pay raise for junior troops. He also said the NDAA “puts our service members first by boosting compensation, improving housing, supporting the spouses of service members, increasing access to child care and ensuring access to medical care.” Other provisions also place limits on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-based recruitment and the teaching of critical race theory in military-run schools. GOP TENNESSEE AG REACTS TO ORAL ARGUMENTS IN SUPREME COURT TRANSGENDER RIGHTS CASE: ‘FEEL REALLY GOOD’ The House is expected to vote on the NDAA next week. The policy bill traditionally has passed with wide bipartisan support, save for some progressives and conservatives who are normally critical of the U.S. defense industrial complex. However, it’s not immediately clear how many Democrats will be put off enough by its anti-DEI and anti-transgender medical care provisions to vote against the must-pass legislation.
Trump, Prince William sit down for meeting in Paris after Notre Dame ceremony
President-elect Trump and Prince William shook hands at the re-opening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, and afterward held a sit-down meeting at the British Embassy ahead of Trump’s inauguration. Trump and William also separately met with world leaders at Notre Dame, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. William was seen shaking hands and speaking with first lady Jill Biden, who represented the United States at the ceremony in place of President Biden. Prince William was asked to represent Britain at the event and after the ceremony, he and Trump reconvened at the British Embassy in Paris to discuss the “special relationship” between the U.K. and the U.S. SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO TRUMP ‘DOMINATING WORLD LEADERS’ WITH MACRON HANDSHAKE DURING MEETING IN FRANCE Fox News Digital has reached out to Kensington Palace and the Trump transition team for comment. The meeting was the pair’s first since Trump won the election. They last met during his first term in 2019 when Trump made a state visit to the U.K. William also met with President Biden in 2022, while he was there for his Earthshot Prize. Trump also met with then-Prince Charles in 2019 and Clarence House said at the time that the two have a “good working relationship.” TRUMP MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF THE NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS Trump told ITV in 2019 that he was supposed to meet with Charles for 15 minutes during his state visit, but they ended up talking for over an hour about the environment. “He is really into climate change, and I think that’s great. I mean, I want that. I like that,” Trump told ITV in 2019. “What he really wants, and what he really feels warmly about, is the future. He wants to make sure future generations have climate that is good climate, as opposed to a disaster. And I agree.” King Charles also contacted Trump last summer via a letter after his assassination attempt. The president-elect also met with the late Queen Elizabeth during the 2019 visit. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Notre Dame has been under renovation since a devastating fire damaged the nearly 900-year-old cathedral, probably the most famous in Paris, in 2019.
Trump, Jill Biden attend Notre Dame reopening in France with world leaders
President-elect Trump attended the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral alongside First Lady Jill Biden and several other prominent world leaders. Notre Dame was reopened on Saturday, five years after a fire caused serious damage to the landmark Gothic cathedral. Trump was seated between French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, during the ceremony, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William. Also in the same row as Trump was First Lady Jill Biden, who attended the event with her daughter, Ashley. President Joe Biden was not present. TRUMP MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS Trump and the first lady greeted one another ahead of the ceremony. Tesla CEO and close Trump ally Elon Musk also attended the ceremony. The president-elect met privately with Macron and Zelenskyy ahead of the ceremony and was expected to meet with Prince William following the event. The $740 million restoration project was funded by donations from 150 countries and involved the application of carpentry methods dating back to the 13th century. NOTRE DAME RISES FROM THE ASHES AS A SYMBOL OF HOPE Sources familiar with the president-elect’s plans told Fox News that Trump’s attendance was at the invitation of Macron, who was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump after his election win over Vice President Kamala Harris in November, CNN reported. About 50 heads of state were expected to be in attendance, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez said in an interview published by French media outlet Le Parisien, but he did not specify who or from which countries.
Social media reacts to Trump ‘dominating world leaders’ with Macron handshake during meeting in France
Social media users erupted over President-elect Trump’s “dominating” handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron at their meeting in Paris Saturday. Trump traveled to France to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, his first international trip since winning the 2024 presidential election. Ahead of the event, Trump met Macron, and the two shook hands in a gesture that quickly went viral online. “President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake,” one user, George, wrote in a post on X. “Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him.” TRUMP MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF THE NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS “President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I’ve ever seen,” said commentator Drew Hernandez. “We are so back.” DAVID MARCUS: TRIUMPHANT TRUMP AT NOTRE DAME SIGNALS AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE BACK Colin Rugg wrote, “7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.” During a meeting in 2017, during Trump’s first term in office, the two world leaders had a 29-second handshake and appeared to be tugging back and forth as they walked with their wives. “The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious,” author John Lefevre said in a post on X. “Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practiced and then still got dominated.” Trump’s handshakes with world leaders have gone viral over the years, including when he pulled in Russian President Putin’s arm during a handshake at the G-20 Summit in 2019. Trump attended the reopening ceremony alongside political figures, including first lady Jill Biden and Prince William.
Conservative group compiles list of ‘woke’ senior officers they want Pete Hegseth to fire
As Pete Hegseth continues to rally support for his nomination to lead the Department of Defense, a conservative research group has compiled a list of “woke” senior officers they want him to sack should he be confirmed to lead the Pentagon. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) sent a letter to Hegseth with a list of 20 general officers or senior admirals whom it says are excessively focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and other similar left-wing initiatives. Eight of those 20 are women. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. AAF says that focusing on such policies is an impediment to national security, while some miliary leaders have expressed concern about the list. DOZENS OF PROMINENT VETERANS SIGN ONTO LETTER SUPPORTING ‘OUTSTANDING’ HEGSETH NOMINATION AMID CONTROVERSIES “The woke takeover of the military is a major threat to our national security,” AAF President Thomas Jones wrote in the letter to Hegseth dated Tuesday and first published by the New York Post. “As global tensions rise, with Iran on the march, Russia at war, and China in the midst of a massive military buildup, we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology,” he added. “Those who were responsible for these policies being instituted in the first place must be dismissed.” The term “woke” is often used in reference to progressive, politically correct stances on race, gender ideology and other hot-button topics. The group posted on X that the woke leaders need to be fired on day one. “Wokeness has no place in the military,” the group wrote. On Friday, the AAF doubled down on its position. “Many don’t want to hear this, but it’s the truth: DEI in the military is going to get people killed. STOP IT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE,” AAF posted on X. Hegseth, a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. He has long railed against the military embracing DEI policies instead of meritocracy, complaining it also diverts focus away from war preparedness. TRUMP FLOATS DESANTIS AS POTENTIAL DEFENSE SECRETARY REPLACEMENT IF HEGSETH FALTERS If confirmed to the role, Hegseth would be in charge of 1.3 million active-duty service members and the nearly 1 million civilians who work for the military. Some of those on the list include Air Force Col. Ben Jonsson, who penned an op-ed in July 2020 demanding his white colleagues “to give a damn” and “address our blind spots around race,” according to the letter. Also in the AAF crosshairs is Navy vice admiral Jeffery Hughes, who spoke at DEI summit in 2022 and underscored the importance of DEI recruiting “exceptional talent.” Air Force Maj. Gen. Elizabeth Arledge also made the list and was noted by AAF for making “woke posts” on her social media. In one post, Arledge shared articles that featured “discussions of whiteness in org[anization] theory and the ways in which whiteness (verb) has become naturalized as the ideal in orgs.” Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield was also listed and panned for a 2015 speech where she bemoaned that lawmakers in the House of Representatives at the time were 80% males, proclaiming that “our diversity is our strength.” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which reports it is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. Multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Trump is reportedly considering nominating Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as defense secretary in place of Hegseth amid allegations against him. But Hegseth brushed off the potential replacement, telling reporters that he was prepared to fight. “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here in this fight, fighting to bring our Pentagon back to what it needs to be,” he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. READ THE LETTER BELOW. APP USERS CLICK HERE.