Reporter’s Notebook : A ‘letter’ to Zelenskyy about the peace plan
Having covered Ukraine and Russia for over three decades, especially the war between the two countries for the last several years, I’ve naturally been fascinated by the latest Trump administration effort to broker peace. The reaction I’ve been getting from contacts in Ukraine to the 28-point plan to end the war is not all that positive. “It’s not worth the paper it’s written on,” said one observer. “Any deal would have to include Ukraine … and Europe,” noted another. The overall consensus of analysts is that the document is slanted heavily toward Moscow. The man at the center of things, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been diplomatic in various statements, basically saying he’s “reviewing the points” aiming at arriving at a “dignified peace.” US AND RUSSIA DRAFT PEACE PLAN FOR UKRAINE REQUIRING MAJOR CONCESSIONS FROM KYIV There are all sorts of talks happening now between the U.S. and Ukraine and among European leaders. We’re even hearing from Russian President Vladimir Putin. It’s no wonder. The stakes in this war for Europe and the world are enormous. If I were to send a quick note to Zelenskyy, it would go something like this: Dear Volodymyr, So far so good. You haven’t freaked out, and you’re promising to engage. Rejection of this plan out of hand would have been a non-starter. TRUMP, ZELENSKYY AGREE ON CRUCIAL ASPECT TO END UKRAINE WAR: ‘GOOD COMPROMISE’ You’re staying cool (though a bit grim and determined), and you’re talking to people. My overall advice is … pick your fights, don’t sweat the small stuff and keep the big picture in mind. I know what your country is going through. Every time I’m in Kyiv, I go to the same military cemetery outside the city, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger and sadder. TRUMP’S FIRE FADES ON RUSSIA AS HE PULLS TROOPS, AVOIDS PRESSING XI ON OIL So, as to the points of the plan: There are a lot of easy “gimmes” to Russia. Re-joining the G8. Gradual dropping of sanctions. Granting of amnesty for everything Russian troops have done. I know this stuff is going to stick in your craw, but little of it affects your country’s future. I mentioned that you shouldn’t “sweat the small stuff.” Some of the points might sound like a big deal. Like prohibiting “Nazi ideology” in Ukraine. And adopting “EU rules on religious tolerance and linguistic minorities.” That’s pretty much window dressing for Moscow. Having the Russian language and Russian church regain official status is not horrendous. In fact, the plan’s glass is at least one-third full for you guys. Confirming your sovereignty. Russia expected not to invade you again. You will receive reliable security guarantees. Rebuilding pledges and humanitarian promises. They are all good. Just nail down the specifics. Get all sides to commit for sure. COULD TRUMP’S GAZA CEASEFIRE PLAN OFFER A BLUEPRINT FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE? Now to three of the points which cross your red line, according to analysts. Like handing over the rest of the eastern Donetsk region to Russia even though Moscow’s troops haven’t even taken it. The region is referred to as a demilitarized zone in the plan. A “DMZ” a la the divider between North and South Korea. Well, hold them to that. No troops from either side. Tough security on both sides. A neutral body running things. And see if you can get them to not call it Russian! Then there’s the reduction by a third of your military. Troop strength limited to 600,000. That’s a huge cut, but it’s still not a bad-sized force. That is if … it was properly trained, well-armed and finely-positioned. Guarantees are needed for all of this to happen. ZELENSKYY WARNS UKRAINE FACES ‘DIFFICULT CHOICE’ AS US PEACE PLAN HITS MAJOR HURDLE And then there’s the other red line: No NATO troops in Ukraine. That would seem to scupper the plan to have foreign peacekeepers on the ground, which has been in the works, to monitor the peace. A possible compromise? They’re stationed around Ukraine’s borders, surveillance keeps a close eye on things and rapid-response forces are at the ready. There are also a few “gimmes” for the U.S. in all this, like sharing in the profits of reconstruction. But that’s the price of doing business with President Trump. As for that Thanksgiving deadline to sign the deal? The president has already signaled he’s willing to let that slide if there’s talking. And that other deadline? One hundred days until a new election? I know it’s a tough time for you politically with those corruption charges getting near. It might be something you have to live with. Anyway, for what it’s worth, that’s my take. Negotiations will probably sink on any hard discussion of any of these main points. But you know what the old adage is: “Jaw-jaw” is better than “war-war.” For the proud people of Ukraine who have suffered so much during this time, it’s worth your best shot. Sincerely, Greg
California gubernatorial hopeful Eric Swalwell embraces role as Trump’s loudest critic amid new DOJ probe
As he launches a bid to become the next governor of California, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has embraced his most recent conflict with the Trump administration, touting himself as the president’s “most vocal critic.” Throughout his congressional career, highly visible clashes with President Donald Trump have given Swalwell a national profile. He looks poised to continue that streak, repeatedly highlighting his tensions with the president as the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a new investigation against him this month. “Nancy Pelosi selected me to lead the impeachment of a corrupt president. Californians will never bow the knee,” Swalwell said in a video posted on his website. California’s current governor, Gavin Newsom, is term-limited in 2026. TRUMP DOJ OPENS MORTGAGE FRAUD PROBE INTO ERIC SWALWELL AS CONGRESSMAN VOWS TO KEEP FIGHTING BACK The DOJ opened a probe into Swalwell over alleged mortgage fraud and, according to reporting by NBC, he may also be under investigation for tax fraud and insurance fraud. Swalwell denies any wrongdoing. “The only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,” Swalwell said in a statement following news of the investigation. Swalwell first entered Congress in 2013 after serving as a county deputy district attorney in California from 2006 to 2012. He briefly ran for president in 2020 but dropped out just three months after launching his bid. In media interviews since the DOJ announced its probe, Swalwell has embraced his role as a target of the administration. “This is really about Donald Trump going after his political enemies. No one has been a more vocal critic than me. I have one of the only remaining lawsuits against Donald Trump for his role in Jan. 6,” Swalwell said in an interview with MSNBC, referring to pending litigation over whether Trump encouraged protesters to storm the U.S. Capitol building in 2021. “I’m not going to change a single thing about what I do to stand up against Donald Trump when he gets in the way of me fighting for Californians,” Swalwell said. “I am not going to shrink one bit because of Donald Trump trying to intimidate me, and it’s not working with the other colleagues he’s gone after.” UNEARTHED RECORDS EXPOSE SWALWELL CAMPAIGN’S ‘BIZARRE INCONSISTENCY’ IN PAYMENTS TO CALIFORNIA MAN In a post to X, Swalwell listed himself alongside other Democrats facing similar charges from the DOJ. “Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come — I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world,” Swalwell said. His opposition to Trump stands out even as his record in the 119th Congress doesn’t jump off the page. Notably, Swalwell has missed 16% of his votes since the beginning of the year, making him the 10th-most-absent member of the House of Representatives. He rarely breaks with the party, having voted against a majority of Democrats on just eight occasions since the outset of the session. He also hasn’t made much noise in fundraising this year, reporting a respectable yet unexceptional $1.4 million in the first three quarters of 2025. SWALWELL THREATENS ‘ACCOUNTABILITY’ TO PRIVATE ACTORS WHO DEAL WITH TRUMP, HOPE IT ‘DETERS PEOPLE’ But Swalwell’s yearslong record against Trump stands out. As referenced in his video, Swalwell was a House impeachment manager against Trump in 2021 and, in addition to his lawsuit, has used his position on the House Oversight Committee to criticize the president’s policies and behavior. “Next week, when we hear about someone else who is an opponent of Donald Trump being investigated, it will also be nonsense,” Swalwell said in an interview with CNN. “Of course, I am one of the most vocal critics against Donald Trump. I have the only lawsuit that survived him becoming president — me and the other Jan. 6 officers.” The investigation into Swalwell is in its early stages. The DOJ has not announced if or when it would pursue a grand jury trial. Swalwell’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Sen. Slotkin’s home targeted with bomb threat days after she told troops to defy ‘illegal’ orders
The Michigan home of Sen. Elissa Slotkin was targeted with a bomb threat just days after she appeared in a video telling troops to defy “illegal” orders. A spokesperson for the Michigan Democrat released a statement on X Friday night saying, “this evening, Michigan State Police responded to Senator Slotkin’s home in response to a bomb threat.” “The Senator wasn’t home at the time. MSP searched the property and confirmed no one was in danger,” the statement continued. “Senator Slotkin is deeply grateful for the swift and professional response by Oakland County and Michigan State Police,” it also said. “U.S. Capitol Police will continue to investigate and hopefully hold accountable those responsible.” SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘DANGEROUS RHETORIC’ The video, which was posted on Tuesday by Slotkin, has drawn the ire of Republicans as well as the Trump administration. The Democrats in the video include Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo. All the lawmakers in the video highlighted their former service in the military and intelligence community. Slotkin and her colleagues have spent recent weeks introducing legislation to limit Trump’s ability to deploy National Guard members domestically or launch military action against suspected narco-terrorists without congressional approval. 6 DEMOCRATS URGE MILITARY MEMBERS TO ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’ IN VIRAL VIDEO; HEGSETH RESPONDS None of that context appears in the video, titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” which instead frames the appeal as a warning to military members to “stand up for our laws” and “refuse unlawful orders.” “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday. “Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” Trump added later Thursday that the actions were “punishable by death.” Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Wave of car attacks on ICE agents follows incendiary rhetoric from target-city leaders
A surge in car-rammings and other assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during targeted operations in California, Illinois and North Carolina has coincided with sharp criticism from local and state leaders against federal officers. Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security reported a 1,300% increase in vehicular attacks on ICE since President Donald Trump took office, and a 58% spike against CBP officers in that same time period. There were only two vehicular rammings of ICE agents – in particular – during former President Joe Biden’s final year in office. His administration also did not conduct fervent, targeted immigration raids at the same scale or frequency, according to reports. DEMS URGED TO ‘STOP SIDING WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS’ AFTER ACTIVIST RAMS AGENTS IN SANCTUARY CITY In comments to Fox News Digital on Friday, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “Since January 20, there have been 99 vehicle attacks against DHS law enforcement, a 1,000% increase in assaults against them, and an 8,000% increase in death threats to ICE officers. Make no mistake: The uptick in these kinds of attacks is being fueled by the constant demonization of ICE and CBP officers by Democrat politicians. They need to knock it off before they get one of our officers killed.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose city was targeted second after Los Angeles, has repeatedly labeled Trump a racist and characterized ICE agents as terrorists. As recently as this week, Johnson told a podcast – in a report aired by Sky News – that “attacks” on illegal immigrants and targets of the Trump administration have the same characteristics as the priorities of antebellum freedmen. “We know that the intentional attacks that are coming from the Trump administration and the extreme right in this country has very much been what I call an attempt to relitigate the Civil War,” Johnson said. “They have not accepted the results that the North actually won.” FROM WORDS TO BLOODSHED: DEMOCRATS BLASTED FOR RHETORIC AFTER DEADLY ICE SHOOTING Johnson said that Trump is also politically targeting education, housing, transportation, jobs and health care – which he said were “literally the five demands of descendants of slaves.” During the Civil War, however, the Confederacy was led largely by Democrats of that era, including President Jefferson Davis, Vice President Alexander Stephens and officers like Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, who later became the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. During the heat of immigration enforcement operations in Chicago, Johnson railed against the missions, describing scenes from the streets as “what terrorism looks like.” Johnson also set up what he called “ICE-free zones” and in one instance, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was denied the use of a restroom at the Broadview, Ill., city hall just outside Chicago proper. BLUE STATE ICE AGENTS DODGE BULLETS, SPEEDING CARS AS LEFT RAMPS UP TRACKING CAMPAIGNS Noem blamed Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for the conditions that led to the incident, saying it is an example of how the Democrat “and his cronies treat our law enforcement — Absolutely shameful.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also spoke out during ICE operations in her city, saying, “These tactics sow terror in our communities.” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was caught on video shouting questions at Noem during a press conference. DHS WARNS OF ‘UNPRECEDENTED VIOLENCE’ AS DEATH THREATS AGAINST ICE OFFICERS SOAR 8,000% Noem later claimed Padilla “lunged” at her, which resulted in various analyses of video of the confrontation. Padilla was quickly tackled by Noem’s security detail, and later commented on the incident, saying that if his treatment is how the Trump administration deals with a “senator with a question… you can only imagine what they’re doing to farmworkers” on the immigration enforcement front. California Attorney General Robert Bonta publicly called the actions of ICE and CBP during its Los Angeles operations “part of a cruel and familiar patter of attacks on our immigrant communities by an administration that thrives on fear and division.” “We won’t be silent. We won’t back down. We will continue to hold the federal government accountable when it violates the Constitution and federal law,” Bonta said in a July 7 statement. MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS TAKE GUNFIRE AS RIOTERS RAM VEHICLES, HURL DEBRIS IN CHICAGO On Friday, DHS announced another arrest of a car-ramming suspect, with officials alleging Mexican national Roberto Galeana-Guatemala struck and seriously injured an officer with his vehicle when ICE was attempting to arrest him in National City, California. Galeana-Guatemala was charged Friday with the assault as well as one count of being a removed alien who again entered the U.S. illegally. McLaughlin said the incident marked roughly the 100th vehicle attack on ICE personnel since Trump took office. After a recent case in which critics claimed DHS “kidnapped” a teenager, McLaughlin said the boy had been part of a group throwing rocks at officers who themselves were targets of another vehicle ramming attack. She suggested rhetoric from critics over the incident was yet another accelerant on the political fire causing such attacks: “A U.S. teenager was arrested for assaulting law enforcement in Chicago—any claims that CBP ‘kidnapped’ a U.S. citizen and held him in a warehouse are bizarre and categorically false,” she said. “These are more disgusting smears peddled by the media and billboard law firms. This attack is not an isolated incident, and it reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest, and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers.”
GOP Senate hopeful reveals how Dems are making America ‘weaker’ in viral video ahead of Thanksgiving
A Kentucky businessman attempting to replace former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is ripping the left’s woke trend of offering up “land acknowledgments,” arguing the narrative behind it is misleading and “anti-American.” Nate Morris, a multimillionaire and former CEO of one of the largest software companies in Kentucky, argued in a video posted to X that America was “negotiated for” and “fought over,” not stolen as the left often claims. Meanwhile, Morris referred to the trend as “one more left-wing attempt to weaken America from within.” “We bought Alaska from Russia and the Lousiana Purchase was purchased from France,” Morris pointed out. “We negotiated, traded and signed treaties covering millions of acres. Compare that to how Europe, Asia, or the Middle East shifted borders for thousands of years … the left wants to judge America by standards no other nation in history could meet.” DNC OPENS SUMMER MEETING WITH LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, CLAIMS THAT US SUPPRESSES INDIGENOUS HISTORY Meanwhile, Morris blasted those on the left engaging in these land acknowledgments for not even knowing the history of the American-Indians they claim to want to defend. “The Apache and the Sioux – they weren’t into Disney movies – they were warrior nations. Heck, even the Comanche were cave dwellers in Wyoming until they got horses and conquered half of the United States,” Morris pointed out, adding that it is peculiar how “all the people trying to acknowledge this land” aren’t leaving it. Morris continued that anyone who tells you America was “stolen,” not “conquered,” is either trying to “rewrite history” or “make America weaker.” “It was fought over, and it was settled by ancestors who believed in private industry and law and order – manifest destiny,” the Senate candidate argued. ‘AMERICA FIRST’ ATTORNEY GENERAL DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM MCCONNELL — HIS FORMER BOSS — AS KENTUCKY RACE DEFINES GOP FUTURE As a Republican, Morris likely has many supporters that agree with his take on the left’s “land acknowledgments,” but even some Democrats have called out the trend. Several months after Republicans ushered in a red wave during the 2024 elections, veteran Democratic Party strategist James Carville blasted his own party when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) opened a high-profile meeting in Minneapolis with a “land acknowledgment,” calling it the kind of gesture that has cost Democrats elections. “Please stop this, in the name of a just, merciful God,” Carville pleaded. “Don’t you see what’s happening? Don’t you see where this has brought us to? For God’s sake, lady. And what is [DNC chairman] Ken Martin doing, doing that? You don’t have but one job, kid! It’s to win!” Meanwhile, liberal talk show host Bill Maher also weighed in on the fad ahead of this year’s elections in November, which ultimately saw more Democrat victories than Republican, but not long after the Republicans achived their red wave during the 2024 elections. He agreed with Carville that the gesture could be hurting Democrats electorally. “Democrats, if you ever want to win an election again, the absolute most important first step is to stop doing this,” Maher said during a monologue in March on his show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” “Either give the land back or shut the f—k up,” Maher continued. “Look, I understand the desire to right the wrongs of the past, especially when you get to take the moral high ground and then build an 8,000 square foot mansion on it.”
NY Democrat warns extremism on left, right is ‘road to ruin’
EXCLUSIVE: A moderate House Democrat representing a district that President Donald Trump won in 2024 is warning fellow elected officials, both within his party and the GOP, from pandering to the extremes of their base. “It’s a road to ruin, because too many extremists, too many elected officials, are busy pandering to their base instead of listening to the general public and instead of trying to find common ground,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. Suozzi said people on the far-left and far-right make up a relatively small — but active — section of both sides. He suggested that it’s a group that’s had an outsized influence in Congress as well. “We have not seen much compromise these days. And everything has been, you know, one party or the other trying to do a my-way-or-the-highway partisan effort,” he said. “I’m sure both sides are inspired by good intention, but it’s not long-lasting, and it’s not going to help move our country forward.” THE FAR LEFT HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM, AND IT’S TURNING VOTERS OFF Suozzi’s district encompasses part of the New York City suburbs of Long Island and includes part of the Big Apple itself as well. But his district is not as progressive as other parts of New York that have shown support for socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani — whose candidacy Suozzi spoke out against on multiple occasions. Suozzi did not answer directly when asked if Mamdani’s leadership in the city will affect him in the coming 2026 midterms, but he pointed out significant Republican gains in the district in the 2025 election cycle where he won. “In Queens, in my portion of the district, Mamdani lost to Cuomo by 27%. And also, a Republican city councilwoman from the City of New York won in my district, and she won big. And then in my Long Island portion of it, which is not the city, but it’s right next to the city, Mamdani was weaponized by the Republicans in their races, and they won everything,” Suozzi said. “I was always in a vulnerable district, because Trump won by 19,000 votes and I won by 11,000 votes, and I had to get 20,000 people who voted for Donald Trump to also vote for me,” he said. “But that’s still the case for me. So while there were a lot of Democratic victories throughout the country on Election Day, in my district, it still performed pretty Republican.” He credited his success with “listening” to voters on both sides and reflecting those views in Washington. “The reason I was successful in 2024 is because I was endorsed by the police, is because I was clear on my position on immigration, that we do need to secure the border, because I’m fighting for affordability. I mean, I feel like I’ve got to do what the people are asking to do,” he said. Suozzi conceded that he believed both Trump and Mamdani were correct in their focus on the high cost of living. “Mamdani was right, much like Trump is right, that people are economically insecure. They’re worried about their financial security. They properly diagnose the problem,” he said. NY DEMOCRAT SNUBS PARTY LINE, BACKS CUOMO OVER SOCIALIST RIVAL IN HEATED RACE FOR NYC MAYOR “The challenge is, you know, what’s the solution? I believe that socialism is a terrible solution. It will not work. It’s never worked in the history of the world. And it will not work now.” But he urged Democrats nationwide to continue the focus on affordability, both trying to find solutions that are unique to their districts and on the federal level. One example he cited was the minimum wage, which has been $7.25 on the federal level since July 2009. “That’s absurd, 20 states have a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. We should be fighting to increase the minimum wage,” he said. In the end, however, he called for a Democratic Party that errs away from socialism on the national level. “We’ve got to be capitalist, not socialist. We’ve got to be mainstream, not extreme. We’ve got to be about safety, not lawlessness. We’ve got to be for reform, not the status quo,” Suozzi said. “We have to be proud of our country, not ashamed of our country.”
EXCLUSIVE: Bondi DOJ transfers death row inmates commuted by Biden ‘supermax’ prison
FIRST ON FOX — Two federal inmates previously on death row, one a crooked New Orleans cop and the other the man behind a multi-state killing spree, have been transferred to a notorious “supermax” prison in Colorado, the Justice Department told Fox News Digital. News of their transfers comes as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi looks to crack down on the previous administration’s sweeping clemency actions, especially those against violent crime. The former death row inmates were transferred Thursday to the U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, also known as “ADX,” Justice Department officials confirmed. They are among the 37 death row inmates whose sentences Biden commuted shortly before leaving office last December. The news prompted criticism and complaints that the record clemency and commutation actions were done as a political “Hail Mary,” and without proper vetting. Eight death row inmates have already been transferred to ADX, the Justice Department told Fox News Digital, bringing to 10 the number of death row inmates that have been transferred to the facility since mid-September. TONY HAWK, TAIWAN AND A FLASHLIGHT: TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT’S BIZARRE DEFENSE More are expected soon, as all 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden are expected to be moved to the facility by “early next year,” the Justice Department told Fox News Digital. The effort comes as Bondi and the Trump administration have sought to reverse some of the Biden administration’s efforts on criminal justice reform, with an emphasis on cracking down on violent crime. Though sentence commutations cannot be fully reversed, Justice Department officials told Fox News Digital, Bondi has prioritized ways to penalize these individuals, in coordination with directives from Trump, and to ensure that the “conditions of confinement” are “consistent with the security risks those inmates present because of their egregious crimes, criminal histories, and all other relevant considerations,” according to an earlier DOJ memo. “Two more monsters who plotted and violently murdered innocent people will spend the rest of their lives in our country’s most severe federal prison,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Digital in a statement. “This Department of Justice will continue to seek accountability for the families blindsided by President Biden’s reckless commutations of 37 vicious predators,” she added. Like the eight former death row inmates that were sent to Colorado’s supermax prison, the two criminals processed in ADX on Thursday have been convicted of particularly heinous crimes. One individual chased down his ex-girlfriend from Roanoke, Virginia, to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he cut the phone lines to the apartment she was living in before using cans of gasoline to set the building on fire. BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: ‘WHERE’S THE BAR?’ Though she escaped via a second-story window and was hospitalized for second-and third-degree burns, he followed her back to her family’s home in Virginia two months later, where he gunned her down on the streets of her neighborhood and just steps from her mother. Another inmate, a former New Orleans police officer dubbed “Robocop” for his large physical demeanor and aggressive law enforcement style, was caught on tape by the FBI as he ordered and orchestrated the killing of a mother of three who had come to the precinct hours earlier to submit a supposedly confidential brutality complaint about his behavior that she witnessed on her way home the night before. The FBI had stumbled upon the conversation as part of a broader probe they had started to investigate a so-called “protection racket” between cocaine dealers in New Orleans and the city’s police force, which had been guarding a warehouse stocked with the drug. The same officer was later revealed as one of the chief conspirators in the protection racket. BIDEN STIRS OUTRAGE IN SCRANTON BY COMMUTING ‘KIDS FOR CASH’ JUDGE’S SENTENCE He was also found to have falsely testified in two murder cases, including one murder he has since been linked to. The statements were used to exonerate four men from prison, including three teenagers who had been wrongfully convicted of a murder 28 years prior. ADX is the only true federal “supermax” prison in the U.S., and its inmates are as notorious as the prison’s reputation. Among them are Ramzi Yousef, convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers; former Sinola Cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán, or “El Chapo”; and Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, the co-founder of al-Qaeda. Shortly after her confirmation as attorney general, Bondi issued a memo aimed at “restoring a measure of justice” to the victims’ families. The measures granted by Biden earned more criticism than former President Barack Obama: As Fox News reported at the time, the vast majority of Obama’s clemency actions focused on commuting the sentences of federal inmates who met certain criteria outlined under his administration’s Clemency Initiative. Bondi hosted victims’ families earlier this year to hear their concerns about the commutations, DOJ said. Some said they had been stunned by the eleventh-hour commutations, and that they not been given a heads-up by the Biden administration. In February, Bondi issued a memo to the Bureau of Prisons ordering an evaluation of where these prisoners should be detained.
Trump reacts to Marjorie Taylor Greene resignation, says he ‘refused to return’ her ‘barrage of phone calls’
President Donald Trump once again called Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a “traitor” on Saturday as he reacted to her resignation announcement, adding that she “went BAD” after he “refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls.” In a Saturday morning post on Truth Social, Trump said, “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, because of PLUMMETING Poll Numbers, and not wanting to face a Primary Challenger with a strong Trump Endorsement (where she would have no chance of winning!), has decided to call it ‘quits.’” “Her relationship with the WORST Republican Congressman in decades, Tom Massie of Kentucky, also known as Rand Paul Jr. because he votes against the Republican Party (and really good legislation!), did not help her,” the president continued. “For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD. Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country!” Greene, R-Ga., announced late Friday she will resign her seat in Congress, one week after Trump publicly pulled his endorsement of the outspoken Georgia lawmaker. TRUMP DROPS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ENDORSEMENT, CALLS HER A ‘RANTING LUNATIC,’ HINTS AT BACKING PRIMARY RIVAL In a lengthy statement posted to X, Greene cited her growing disillusionment with Washington politics, blasting what she called a corrupt “Political Industrial Complex” that she said uses Americans as “pawns in an endless game of division.” “Americans are used by the Political Industrial Complex of both political parties, election cycle after election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more,” Greene wrote. “And the results are always the same — nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman.” Greene, once one of President Trump’s fiercest defenders, acknowledged that his recent public break was “hurtful” but said her faith and convictions remain intact. Trump has called Greene “Wacky” and “a ranting lunatic.” TRUMP CONTINUES HAMMERING MTG AFTER SHE LABELS HIS ATTACKS ‘A DOG WHISTLE TO DANGEROUS RADICALS’ “My heart remains filled with joy, my life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged because my self worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God who created everything in existence,” she wrote. “I will be resigning from office with my last day being January 5, 2026,” she wrote. “I’m going back to the people I love.” With Greene’s resignation, a special election will be triggered in Georgia’s 14th district, which the Cook Political Report rates as “Solid R.”
Trump’s ‘America First’ collides with Macron’s ‘Europe First’ in face-off over Western dominance
From the start, Emmanuel Macron believed he could manage Donald Trump. In private conversations with European counterparts early in Trump’s first term, Macron reportedly boasted that he could “handle” the American president — flatter him, reason with him and keep him inside the Western fold. For a time, it worked: Trump was treated to a red-carpet Bastille Day parade in Paris and called the young French leader a “great friend.” But the relationship soon turned into a running spectacle. The two leaders’ chemistry has always mixed cooperation with rivalry. TRUMP’S SWIPE AT ‘WEAK’ LEADERS HIGHLIGHTS THE SHIFTING GLOBAL INFLUENCE OF WESTERN NATIONS Macron’s sparring with Trump is more than personality — it’s projection. Each clash, phone call or quip feeds a larger mission: to show that Europe can act like a power again. As Trump reasserts “America First,” Macron is trying to define what “Europe First” might look like — an alliance that can stand up to Washington, Moscow or Beijing without flinching. While the U.S. plans to boycott the 2025 G-20 leaders’ summit because South Africa is hosting, Macron is visiting Johannesburg — a sign of his willingness to go where Washington won’t. Earlier in the week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron signed a deal for Kyiv to buy 100 French Rafale jets instead of U.S.-made fighters, a move that underscored France’s push for European defense autonomy and sidelined American manufacturers at a politically sensitive moment. “Zelenskyy slaps the face of a nation that saved him,” said former Rep. Mike Garcia, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot. “After receiving nearly $180 billion in American aid, including free aircraft, Zelenskyy turns to others when it’s time for Ukraine to actually pay for weapons systems.” Before that, Macron recognized a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly over U.S. objections, prompting Trump to accuse him of “honoring Hamas.” “As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” Trump said during his U.N. General Assembly address. And in June, Macron visited Greenland in a show of European unity — a symbolic warning to Trump to step back from his long-voiced ambitions to control the island. Trump repeatedly has floated the prospect of purchasing Greenland from Denmark, drawn by its wealth of oil and minerals locked deep below ice and Arctic defense positioning. “Macron has always seen himself in the European context as the leader of European defense efforts,” said Liana Fix, senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations. Each move, she said, asserts Europe’s autonomy and “at times seems designed to remind Trump that America no longer dictates every script.” Still, the two leaders agree on one key point: Europe must shoulder more of its own defense. “Years ago, Macron proposed the idea that Europe should become more independent from the United States,” Fix said. “Now, with the election of Donald Trump, the reaction of many Europeans was — perhaps Macron was right.” Their rapport swings between camaraderie and confrontation. “I want to be able to get along with the world — not the French, though,” Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Nov. 10. “The Chinese, they spy on us, they steal our intellectual property,” Ingraham replied. “Do you think the French are better?” “Yeah,” she said. “I’m not so sure,” Trump shot back, citing French tariffs. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the Trump–Macron relationship Thursday. “The relationship remains very strong,” she said at a White House press briefing. “President Trump speaks quite frequently with Emmanuel Macron. I think they have a good working relationship. But the president is not shy to point out when he has disagreements with world leaders as well. And he’s done that with respect to Mr. Macron.” At September’s U.N. General Assembly, Macron phoned Trump from the sidewalk to complain that the president’s motorcade was causing a traffic jam. “Guess what, I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you,” Macron said in a moment caught on video. France’s embassy in Washington joined the fun on X, posting: “It’s a good thing our presidents have each other on speed dial… If you’ve ever had to walk through NYC during UNGA, this is 110% relatable content.” FRANCE SAYS UN RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN STATE IS A BLOW TO HAMAS NOT A GIFT With Germany distracted by domestic politics and Britain outside the European Union, Macron has seized the space to lead. He casts France not just as a nation but as Europe’s voice of resolve, urging the continent to “think for itself” and invest in its own defense. “Macron sees himself as the leader of Europe’s defense efforts,” Fix said. “He’s been consistent about wanting Europeans to buy less off the shelf from the United States and invest more in their own defense industry.” But that vision runs into Europe’s limits. Fix noted that Germany is on track to surpass France in defense spending, projected to reach 162 billion euros by 2029 — levels France “simply doesn’t have the financial flexibility to match.” Even within the EU, she said, leadership is more collective than Macron sometimes portrays. “It’s a shared effort. Macron sees himself as one among many — but the most important among many.” At home, his authority is under strain. Fix said Macron’s “leadership ambition in Europe and with the United States is undermined by domestic instability,” pointing to his struggles to form a government and his party’s poor outlook in upcoming elections. That political weakness “inevitably weakens his hand abroad.” Still, Macron remains one of the few European leaders willing to trade punches — and pleasantries — with Trump in full view of the world. “It’s a difficult line for all European leaders,” Fix said. “They have to charm Trump to fulfill Europe’s security needs, even though the Trump administration is hugely unpopular at home. They have to swallow some bitter pills.” For Macron, that line between charm and challenge has become the essence of
Sanctuary state under fire for granting license to illegal alien who killed young girl with car
FIRST ON FOX: An illegal alien released into the country by the Obama administration, provided a driver’s license by a sanctuary state, and eventually ordered to be deported was arrested earlier this month for killing an 8-year-old girl during a fatal car crash in Boise, Idaho. Elvin Elgardo Ramos-Caballero was driving a pickup truck legally via a driver’s license granted to him by the state of Oregon, attempting to make a right-hand turn at an intersection in Boise on Tuesday, Nov. 11. As he was attempting to make the turn, 8-year-old Mora Gerety was also attempting to crossing the street. The pair ultimately collided, killing Gerety, an 8-year-old girl. At the time of the incident, Ramos-Caballero had an outstanding federal warrant with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his failure to appear for an immigration hearing, which ultimately resulted in a judge ordering him to be removed from the country in absentia in May 2019. TRUMP ADMIN THREATENS TO SLASH $75M FROM PENNSYLVANIA AMID TERROR SUSPECT CDL SCANDAL “8-year-old Mora Gerety’s precious life was taken by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country, let alone issued a driver’s license by the sanctuary state of Oregon,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Mora Gerety’s classmates, teachers, friends, and our nation will carry this loss forever. We ask every American to lift this family up in prayer and we ask God to grant them the courage as they face the hardest days a family can endure. Decades of open border policies have turned every community into a border town. These policies have deadly consequences.” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., called for a federal crackdown on sanctuary-state policies that allow illegal immigrants to obtain commercial drivers licenses this week during an interview with Fox News Digital. Donalds’ call came after a joint ICE and Oklahoma Highway Patrol operation arrested 70 illegal immigrants, including 34 accused of driving big rigs while in the U.S. unlawfully. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAUGHT DRIVING COMMERCIAL TRUCK WITH VALID NEW YORK CDL AT CALIFORNIA CHECKPOINT A tragic incident earlier this summer led to three deaths after an illegal immigrant who received his commercial driver’s license (CDL) from the state of Washington, which was granted after failing his CDL 10 times in just two months, made an illegal U-turn on the highway in Florida. Bodycam footage of the scene after the incident showed the driver had limited English proficiency, even though the company in Washington state that trained the illegal immigrant driver for his CDL attested that he could speak English. Donalds said the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigation and incidents like what happened in Florida underscore a growing national safety risk. “You have the American people, they’re doing the right thing, and now they’re subject to losing their lives or being in an auto accident with a CDL driver who cannot read our signs, who doesn’t know our laws,” he said. “This is one of the reasons why I sponsored the WEIGH Act here in D.C.,” Donalds explained. “It would actually give broader authority for the Department of Transportation to not just hold other states accountable that are letting these CDL licenses be issued, but would also give the Department of Treasury the ability to withhold federal funds in the process.”