Obama wanted shutdown pain to be felt by Americans, while Trump kept focus on Washington, experts argue
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama are polar opposites in many ways, but, as with anyone who has sat behind the Resolute Desk, they do share some similarities. One thing both have in common is overseeing government shutdowns — one under Obama and two under Trump. And even in that sparse similarity, both men operated differently, particularly in the most recent, 43-day closure. While both congressional battles were centered on Obamacare, Obama put his shutdown at the center of attention, while Trump kept it at more of an arm’s length. HOW CLOSED-DOOR NEGOTIATIONS AND A GUARANTEE ENDED LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ON RECORD Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital that a major difference in the Obama and Trump administrations’ approaches to their respective shutdowns was that in 2013, Obama wanted the pain of shutdown to be felt by Americans, while Trump kept the focus centered on Washington, D.C. “During the Obama shutdown, it was more to make it extremely visible, shut down beloved functions — even if you didn’t have to — that affect average Americans,” she said. Boccia at the time worked for the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation and recalled the barricades that were swiftly erected around Washington, D.C.’s many national parks. Those barricades, both concrete and human, spilled out beyond the nation’s capital and were placed around the hundreds of national parks across America as a stark reminder that the government was closed. Boccia noted that a direct comparison of the two shutdowns would be difficult given the differing lengths, but that the Trump administration, at least early on, sought to inflict direct pain on congressional Democrats and the federal government. GOP UNITY SHATTERED BY CONTROVERSIAL MEASURE IN GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BILL That was carried out largely by the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, who ordered mass firings of furloughed workers and withheld or canceled billions in federal funding to blue cities and states. “It’s not that this wasn’t a shutdown, it’s just that the choices the administration made were an attempt to focus the impacts of the shutdown this round on the government itself,” Brittany Madni, executive vice president of the Economic Policy Innovation Center, told Fox News Digital. “This was showmanship from President Obama,” Madni continued. “And if you look at what happened over the last 40 something days, it was the exact same playbook by congressional Democrats.” Madni argued that discussions and debate during the 2013 shutdown were centered largely in Washington, D.C. The latest closure saw some of that, but it also saw Trump continuing to work on trade deals, particularly during his high-profile visit to Asia, which was a point of contention for Democrats on the Hill. “He was doing his job,” Madni said. “He was doing his job. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats, quite simply, were not.” Still, there was a shared thread in both shutdowns: Obamacare. In 2013, congressional Republicans wanted to dismantle Obama’s signature piece of legislation. Fast-forward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led his caucus to push extensions to enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Boccia said that played a large part in why Obama was at the vanguard during his shutdown. “He was front and center in the media talking about the shutdown, and because it was over his legacy achievement,” she said. SENATE REACHES TEMPORARY TRUCE TO END RECORD SHUTDOWN, BUT JANUARY BATTLE LOOMS It was because his key legislative achievement was under fire that Obama took such a central role in the shutdown, Boccia argued, but for Trump, who tried during his first administration to gut and replace Obamacare, it wasn’t a priority. “The fact that it was over the Obamacare COVID credits, I think, made the president less necessary and perhaps interested in being the face of the shutdown,” she said. “It was really a congressional battle.” Madni disagreed that the latest shutdown wasn’t a direct bid by congressional Democrats to go after one of his legislative achievements. Before the climactic failed vote in the Senate in late September that ushered in the longest shutdown in history, Democrats offered a counter-proposal that would have stripped several provisions from Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which has so far been the crowning legislative achievement of his second term. “It’s really important that everyone remembers the subsidy request was one request in a laundry list of radical, incredibly expensive ideas that added up to $1.5 trillion,” Madni said. “Another item in that list was dismantling key portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” “If this was really about the subsidies, then the Democrats would have been willing at any point during the last 43 days to adjust their asks and just make it about subsidies,” she continued. “Not once did they.”
Trump admin disputes claim that Ukraine peace plan was Russia ‘wish list’
President Donald Trump‘s administration is rejecting claims that its most recent plan for a peace deal in Ukraine was really a Russian “wish list.” Confusion arose regarding the deal after lawmakers on Capitol Hill claimed they were told by White House officials that the deal was a proposal from the Russian side. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since pushed back on that claim, however. “[Rubio] made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said at a press conference. “It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received, and as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it — and we did not release it. It was leaked.” According to The Associated Press, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said that Rubio told him and his colleagues that it “was not the administration’s plan” but a “wish list of the Russians.” Rubio responded to this narrative with a post on social media, writing that the peace proposal “was authored by the U.S.” US AND RUSSIA DRAFT PEACE PLAN FOR UKRAINE REQUIRING MAJOR CONCESSIONS FROM KYIV “It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine,” he added. Rounds released another statement through his press office after Rubio’s response. “I appreciate Secretary Rubio briefing us earlier today on their efforts to bring about peace by relying on input from both Russia and Ukraine to arrive at a final deal,” Rounds wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. WITKOFF MEETS UKRAINE OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK AHEAD OF EMERGENCY UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING: ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’ Rubio traveled to Geneva on Sunday to meet with Ukrainian officials alongside Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, where they are expected to hash out Kyiv’s misgivings regarding the deal. Trump himself lashed out at Ukraine over the peace talks in a Sunday statement. “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. While the current agreement has not been made public, a leaked draft has been reported to include terms that would halt the fighting in Ukraine while giving Russia concessions like control over Ukrainian territory that the Russian military does not yet control, as well as barring Ukraine from membership in NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not reject the plan outright in an address last week, but he insisted on fair treatment while pledging to “work calmly” with Washington and other partners in what he called “truly one of the most difficult moments in our history.” Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump caps week of surprises — signing release of Epstein files, embracing unlikely allies at White House
President Donald Trump kicked off the week meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and closed the week meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. He also signed legislation ordering the Justice Department to release files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Here’s a look at what happened this week. Trump announced Wednesday evening that he put his stamp of approval on a bill instructing the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein — after Congress passed the measure Tuesday. TRUMP SAYS WHETHER HE WOULD SIGN EPSTEIN FILES BILL “I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” Trump wrote in a lengthy message on the Truth Social platform. “As everyone knows, I asked Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, to pass this Bill in the House and Senate, respectively. Because of this request, the votes were almost unanimous in favor of passage. “At my direction, the Department of Justice has already turned over close to fifty thousand pages of documents to Congress. Do not forget — The Biden Administration did not turn over a SINGLE file or page related to Democrat Epstein, nor did they ever even speak about him.” Trump’s ties to Epstein had faced increased attention after Trump’s Justice Department and FBI announced in July it would not unseal investigation materials related to Epstein, and that the agencies’ investigation into the case had closed. TRUMP CALLS ON HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO VOTE TO RELEASE EPSTEIN FILES: ‘WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’ However, Trump announced Nov. 16 that he backed releasing the documents, claiming that he had “nothing to hide.” Ultimately, the House voted Tuesday to release the files by a 421–1 margin, following pressure for months from the measure’s ringleaders, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and other Democrats. The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent later Tuesday. BIDEN’S SAUDI FIST BUMP DREW HEAT IN 2022 — TRUMP JUST ROLLED OUT THE RED CARPET Mamdani visited Trump at the White House Friday, and the two appeared chummy and ready to launch a fresh start in their relationship. The two said they discussed addressing affordability issues and improving conditions in New York. Trump said the two had more in common than he anticipated, and that he would be “cheering” for Mamdani as he leads the city. “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him — a big help,” Trump said. EPSTEIN REFERENCED TRUMP IN PRIVATE EMAILS TO GHISLAINE MAXWELL AND OTHERS, NEW RECORDS SHOW Trump also brushed off Mamdani’s comment labeling him a despot in his victory speech following the Nov. 4 election, with the president claiming Friday he’s encountered worse and that he believes Mamdani will change his tune as the two work together. “I’ve been called much worse than a ‘despot,’ so it’s not, it’s not that insulting,” Trump said. “I think he’ll change his mind after we get to working together.” Trump also met with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House Tuesday, an occasion that included a red carpet rolled across the South Lawn, military honor guard, and an Air Force flyover to elevate the formal state-level welcome. During bin Salman’s visit, the U.S. announced that it would sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, and that it would now be a “major non-NATO ally” to facilitate military cooperation between the two countries. “President Trump approved a major defense sale package, including future F-35 deliveries, which strengthens the U.S. defense industrial base and ensures Saudi Arabia continues to buy American,” the White House said in a statement. Trump’s reception of bin Salman is a departure from the Biden administration, who said in 2019 during his presidential campaign that he would make Saudi Arabia “the pariah that they are” because of the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in 2021 that bin Salman gave the green light on the operation that took Khashoggi’s life. Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, was brutally murdered in Istanbul at the Saudi consulate in 2018. But Trump defended bin Salman Tuesday, and accused a reporter who asked about U.S. intelligence reports linking the prince to Khashoggi’s death of embarrassing bin Salman. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump said Tuesday. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it. And would you leave it at that? You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question.” Even so, bin Salman has dismissed the reports as false. When asked Tuesday about Khashoggi, bin Salman said it’s “painful” to hear of the death of anyone for “no real purpose,” and “we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.”
Trump administration expands efforts to stop Christian violence in Nigeria with aid threat
President Donald Trump’s administration is picking up steam in addressing violence against Christians in Nigeria this week, after Trump lashed out at the nation’s government for having “done nothing” to stop the killings. “I’m really angry about it,” the president told Fox News Radio on Friday. “What’s happening in Nigeria is a disgrace.” War Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu last week amid threats from Trump to cut off aid to Nigeria if it “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” Nigerian officials have pushed back on the accusation. “Hegseth emphasized the need for Nigeria to demonstrate commitment and take both urgent and enduring action to stop violence against Christians and conveyed the Department’s desire to work by, with, and through Nigeria to deter and degrade terrorists that threaten the United States,” the Pentagon said in a statement. TRUMP THREATENS TO HALT ALL US AID, CONDUCT ‘VICIOUS’ MILITARY ATTACK IN NIGERIA OVER CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION Jonathan Pratt, who leads the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, also testified before Congress on Thursday and said any Pentagon involvement would be part of a broader strategy. “This would span from security to policing to economic,” he said. “We want to look at all of these tools and have a comprehensive strategy to get the best result possible.” GUNMEN ATTACK CHURCH IN NIGERIA, KILLING TWO AND KIDNAPPING OTHERS Recent incidents in Nigeria have included the mass abduction of over 300 children and 12 teachers from a Catholic school on Friday, as well as a shooting at another church that left two people dead. The gunmen also abducted several congregants from the church. The primary threat comes from the Islamist radical group Boko Haram, as well as its splinter Islamic State of West Africa Province. The groups target primarily Christians, though Muslims of other sects also face attacks. On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz held an event highlighting the ongoing violence in Nigeria. During the event, Waltz called the killings of Christians in Nigeria a “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” He was joined by rap superstar Nicki Minaj, who called for religious freedom for all. Fox News’ Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says Dems who told military to defy illegal orders committed ‘sedition at the highest level’
President Donald Trump on Saturday purported that Democrats who urged the military to defy illegal orders engaged in “sedition at the highest level” and “should be in jail right now.” This comes after one of the lawmakers who appeared in the video calling on troops to ignore unlawful orders, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, was targeted with a bomb threat just days after the clip and Trump’s subsequent statements suggesting the Democrats be executed. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump argued that the “traitors” who appeared in the video “should be in jail right now, not roaming the fake news networks trying to explain what they said was OK.” “It wasn’t, and never will be!” he claimed. “It was sedition at the highest level, and sedition is a major crime. There can be no other interpretation of what they said!” SEN. SLOTKIN’S HOME TARGETED WITH BOMB THREAT DAYS AFTER SHE TOLD TROOPS TO DEFY ‘ILLEGAL’ ORDERS Trump initially responded to the video message by saying, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also shared a post from another account that said, “Hang them George Washington would.” The White House and the president himself later attempted to walk back his comments, saying he did not wish to execute the Democrat lawmakers. In another post on Saturday, Trump alleged that “many great legal scholars” agree with his position that “the Democrat traitors that told the military to disobey my orders, as president, have committed a crime of serious proportion!” Slotkin, who previously worked at the CIA and Defense Department, shared the video on Tuesday of herself and other Democrat lawmakers who formerly served in the military and intelligence community encouraging troops and members of the intelligence community to ignore illegal orders from officials. “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the lawmakers said. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘DANGEROUS RHETORIC’ Other lawmakers in the video included Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, as well as Reps. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Jason Crow of Colorado. Trump administration officials and other Republicans criticized the video, which affirms that refusing unlawful orders is a standard part of military protocol. Slotkin’s office said on Friday that police responded to her Michigan home following a bomb threat, but that she was not home at the time. U.S. Capitol Police told her that she would have security at all hours of the day. “We’ve got law enforcement out in front of my house,” she told MS Now. “It changes things immediately. And leadership climate is set from the top. And if the president is saying you should be hanged, then we shouldn’t be surprised when folks on the ground are going to follow suit and say even worse.” The lawmakers in the video have vowed not to back down despite the threats. “What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty,” they said in a joint statement on Thursday. “In these moments, fear is contagious, but so is courage. We will continue to lead and will not be intimidated,” the statement added.
Texas National Guard to return from Illinois ahead of Thanksgiving, Gov Abbott says
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday that Texas National Guard troops will return home before Thanksgiving after they were deployed to Illinois last month to support federal immigration agents. “They’ve already been ordered to return before Thanksgiving,” Abbott told Nexstar. Hundreds of Texas National Guard troops were sent to Illinois on Oct. 7 after Abbott authorized their deployment to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and buildings amid protests against federal raids targeting illegal immigrants in Chicago and other Illinois cities. PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP ORDERING 400 MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TO ILLINOIS, OREGON AND OTHER LOCATIONS Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blasted Abbott’s deployment, calling it an “invasion” and urging the Texas governor to withdraw the troops. It is unusual for a governor to deploy the National Guard to another state without an invitation from that state’s governor. Democrat officials have argued that such a deployment is unconstitutional and violates state sovereignty. A legal battle over the deployment of the troops to Chicago prompted a federal court to rule that the troops could not be activated, but could remain in the state. The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has not yet issued its ruling. TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS REMOVED FROM 60-DAY ILLINOIS DEPLOYMENT FOR FAILING ‘MISSION REQUIREMENTS’ Due to the court ruling, the Texas National Guard never performed active duties beyond securing their base at a U.S. Army Reserve training center.
President says Chicagoans are ‘chanting bring in Trump’ after violent downtown riot leaves 8 shot, 1 dead
President Donald Trump on Saturday said Chicagoans are asking to “bring in Trump” amid a recent crime wave in the Democrat-run city. At least eight teens were shot, one fatally, and multiple police officers were attacked Friday after a riot broke out in the Chicago Loop, the city’s downtown central business district. “Massive crime and rioting in the Chicago Loop area. Multiple Police Officers attacked and badly injured. 300 people rioting, 6 victims shot, one critical and one DEAD,” Trump wrote Saturday in a Truth Social post. “In the meantime, Governor Pritzker and the Low IQ Mayor of Chicago are refusing Federal Government help for a situation that could be quickly remedied,” he added. “The people are chanting, BRING IN TRUMP!!!” CHICAGO RESTAURANT OWNER SLAMS CITY LEADERSHIP OVER CRIME: ‘WE WANT LAW AND ORDER’ The riot, which followed a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, broke out near State and Randolph streets at about 10 p.m. Friday, FOX 32 Chicago reported. City Alderman Brian Hopkins of Chicago’s 2nd Ward said 300 juveniles were rioting and attacking officers with mace and stun guns. At least one officer was hospitalized with injuries, he confirmed. At least six children were shot, including a 13-year-old, two 14-year-olds, a 15-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old. Less than an hour later, a 14-year-old boy was shot and later died at a hospital. An 18-year-old man was also wounded. TRUMP SAYS ‘INCOMPETENT’ ILLINOIS GOVERNOR, ‘NO BETTER’ CHICAGO MAYOR SHOULD CALL HIM FOR HELP WITH CRIME The violent weekend came days after a man with a lengthy criminal history was accused of ruthlessly setting a woman on fire while riding on a Chicago train. Lawrence Reed, 50, who officials said “had no business being on the streets,” is charged with committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation system. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson later called the train attack an “isolated incident.” Records show Reed has been arrested at least a dozen times since 2017, with charges including felony aggravated arson and multiple instances of battery. Despite prosecutors’ request to keep him detained, a blue city judge released him back into the community with an ankle monitor.
Minneapolis police chief issues apology for linking Somali youth to local crime
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara apologized to the Somali community for a comment he made connecting “East African kids” to crime. “The Somali community here in Minneapolis has been welcoming and has shown love towards me, and I appreciate it,” O’Hara said at a news conference on Thursday. “Over the last three years we have been working together to try and address some of the real serious problems that we have in our community.” “We have to be honest at times with the problems that we’re having in our community, and we need our community to help us fix those problems together because it’s real and it’s serious. At the same time, if people have taken anything that I have said out of context in a way that’s caused harm, I apologize, and I’m sorry for that because that’s not my intention at all,” O’Hara added. In an interview with WCCO earlier this month, O’Hara was speaking about a deadly Halloween shooting as well as juvenile crime plaguing the city when he made the comment. Alpha News reported that the Dinkytown area, where the shooting took place, has seen a series of crimes including assaults, robberies, shootings and auto thefts. TRUMP TERMINATES DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR SOMALI NATIONALS LIVING IN MINNESOTA ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’ During the interview, he stated that the young people committing the crimes were not “poor kids from Minneapolis,” but rather kids that come from out of town who take “mommy’s Mercedes-Benz to Dinkytown, and they don’t know where they are.” “Groups of kids, groups of East African kids that are coming from surrounding communities and not just one community, kind of all over the place,” O’Hara told WCCO. After the interview, a petition on Change.org demanded an apology from O’Hara, saying that the East African community of Minneapolis “has already been carrying the weight of unfair scrutiny for years” and that the chief’s comment would “deepen that burden.” The Minneapolis Somali community has faced scrutiny on a national level in recent days after a bombshell report revealed a series of alleged financial schemes that ended with terrorists getting taxpayer dollars. Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo of the Manhattan Institute found that Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked terrorist organization in Somalia, was receiving funds that could be traced back to Minnesota. “Every scrap of economic activity, in the Twin Cities, in America, throughout Western Europe, anywhere Somalis are concentrated, every cent that is sent back to Somalia benefits Al-Shabaab in some way,” a former official who worked on the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force told Thorpe and Rufo. Following the report, President Donald Trump announced he was ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis in Minnesota. The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a country for TPS if nationals cannot return safely or if the country “is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.” Countries currently under TPS are Burma, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen. “Minnesota, under Governor Waltz, is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity. I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately the Temporary Protected Status (TPS program) for Somalis in Minnesota. Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Rufo, one of the authors of the bombshell report, said Trump’s announcement was a “great start” but that there is still more work to do. “Canceling TPS for Minnesota Somalis is a great start. Next: review all asylum, refugee, and citizenship applications for any hint of fraud or technical error; then initiate denaturalizations and mass deportations up to the furthest limits of the law. They have to go home,” Rufo wrote on X. MINNESOTA TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED TO AL-SHABAAB TERROR GROUP, REPORT ALLEGES House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn, who praised Trump’s decision, wrote a letter on Friday to U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel Rosen demanding an investigation. The letter was also signed by Emmer’s fellow Minnesota Republicans, Rep. Pete Stauber, Rep. Michelle Fischbach, and Rep. Brad Finstad. “It is alleged that Minnesota’s Somali community, the largest in the nation, has been sending millions back to Somalia via the hawala network, an informal money trafficking network which is notorious for funds ending up in terrorist networks, and in this instance, Al-Shabaab,” the letter reads. The lawmakers cited the various cases involving members of the Somali community, including the Feeding our Future fraud scheme, fraud in the Housing Stabilization Services program, Child Care Assistance program and Minnesota’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention program. “It is bad enough that these individuals are defrauding our state, taking services and funds away from children and the most vulnerable, but now there is a good reason to believe that Minnesota taxpayer dollars are going straight into terrorists’ hands. These new allegations present not only a serious betrayal of taxpayer trust, but also a grave threat to our national security,” the letter states. Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office for comment.
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.