Maryland to study slavery reparations after lawmakers override Dem governor’s veto
The Maryland General Assembly on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Wes Moore’s veto of a bill creating a reparations commission, clearing the way for the state to begin formally studying how to address the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination. The Senate voted 31-14 to override the veto, while the House approved the override 93–35, exceeding the three-fifths majorities required in both chambers. Moore initially vetoed Senate Bill (SB) 587 in May, arguing that Maryland had already conducted extensive studies on the legacy of slavery and should focus instead on policies that directly narrow racial disparities. In his veto letter to Senate President Bill Ferguson, Moore noted that Maryland has already launched numerous commissions and study groups over the past 25 years, including one examining lynching and the state’s history of slavery. DEMOCRATS SILENT ON ILLEGAL ALIEN REGISTERED TO VOTE IN BLUE STATE Del. Matthew Morgan, R–St. Mary’s County, spoke on the House floor Tuesday ahead of the vote, calling out his Democratic colleagues for talking about affordability while preparing to set up a commission for “race-bait handouts.” “This bill betrays the original intention, the unifying event of the civil rights movement. It’s immoral and it’s fiscally ruinous to this state and it sends a message to the generations out there now in Maryland that if you’re concerned about fairness, dignity, opportunity in this state — to flee Maryland,” said Morgan. HOUSE DEMOCRAT TO INTRODUCE REPARATIONS PUSH, DECLARES ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ TO SEND TRILLIONS TO BLACK AMERICANS Del. Terri Hill, D–Howard County, urged colleagues to override the veto, calling the creation of the commission a decision “we still feel is the right one.” With the veto override, SB 587 will now establish a commission to weigh possible forms of reparations, including official statements of apology, monetary compensation, property tax rebates, child-care support, debt forgiveness and higher education tuition waivers and reimbursements. A preliminary report is due Jan. 1, 2027, with a final report required Nov. 1, 2027. The commission is set to expire in the summer of 2028. EVANSTON, ILLINOIS FIRST IN US TO PAY REPARATIONS TO BLACK RESIDENTS The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland hailed the override in a statement posted to social media. “This landmark action establishes a rigorous and comprehensive plan for reparations and marks Maryland’s first-ever step toward reparations,” the statement read in part. “At a time of growing attacks on diversity and equity, today’s action reaffirms our shared commitment to truth-telling, accountability, and meaningful progress for Black Marylanders.”
Trump stays on sidelines as GOP falters in push to unite on healthcare plan
President Donald Trump has largely stayed out of the picture as lawmakers on Capitol Hill scramble to find a healthcare proposal that Republicans can get behind. It’s a notable contrast from past direction-setting stances from the White House — one that Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., jokingly noted seems out of character for a president known for weighing in on just about any picture. “I mean, he’s a pretty quiet guy. He just doesn’t get engaged in things much, does he?” Scott quipped. MODERATE REPUBLICAN ERUPTS ON HOUSE GOP LEADERS, SAYS NOT HOLDING OBAMACARE VOTE IS ‘ABSOLUTE BULLS—‘ Trump’s silence on legislative affairs doesn’t just extend to healthcare. Lawmakers have received little word from the White House in recent months on issues like codifying cuts to government spending, the potential for a second reconciliation package and legislation on affordability. To Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., the chair of the once hyperactive House DOGE Caucus, that doesn’t mean Trump is absent. “That’s not my perception,” Bean said when asked if Trump had pulled off a disappearing act. “He’s been there. His people are here; they’re in the room — they were here tonight.” Although Trump’s direction may ultimately prove necessary to bring the party together on any of those topics, Republicans across both chambers of Congress believe the president is giving legislators latitude to work on key issues while staying plugged in behind the scenes. Trump’s hands-off approach comes as lawmakers wrestle with whether to extend COVID-19-era federal subsidies used by the vast majority of Obamacare policyholders, let them expire at the end of the year and let health insurance costs jump overnight, or attempt broader reforms to bring the costs of the program down. HOUSE GOP TENSIONS ERUPT AS REPUBLICANS TURN ON EACH OTHER HEADING INTO YEAR’S END Republicans have just two weeks to come up with a solution before the subsidies expire. “My sense is I think he’s trying to give some room for negotiators to come to something that could get consensus and seize that as a way to be helpful,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, a group that’s known for its breaks with party leadership, said he expected Trump to get involved eventually to help build consensus when it’s needed. “I think that if we get to comprehensive reform in the beginning of the year, then I suspect the White House will get granular,” Harris said. That’s also the view of Matthew Dickinson, a professor of political science at Middlebury College. Dickinson studies the American presidency and its relationship with Congress. He observed that while it’s unusual for Trump to remain quiet, it’s not outside the norm for other presidents facing legislative forks in the road. “Typically, presidents like to do so when it is clear their involvement may prove decisive. It may be a bit too early in the process for that to be the case. At this point, Republicans can’t even agree on the outlines of a healthcare proposal,” Dickinson said. Others view Trump’s relative silence as a more cautious stance brought about by past blunders — especially when it comes to healthcare. Jon Rogowski, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, said it’s a legislative area that’s left Trump wounded before. “Trump was not particularly successful in uniting the Republican conference behind major legislative initiatives when his party controlled Congress in his first term. Taking an aggressive posture on a particular bill risks splintering the Republican conference and will make it difficult for Democrats to support the bill,” Rogowski said. That’s also the view of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. “You know, in his first term, that’s the first thing he took up — healthcare,” Massie said. “And that bill was junk. Maybe he learned something from that, you know, to not get on board too quickly.” HOUSE GOP UNVEILS HEALTHCARE PLAN AHEAD OF VOTE NEXT WEEK AS COST HIKE LOOMS FOR MILLIONS Massie posited the White House may also just not have direction to give for now. When it comes to something as politically charged as extending the enhanced premium tax credits being utilized by 90% of Obamacare’s 24 million enrollees, does the president know what he wants? “Probably not. I don’t know,” Massie said. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s push to ‘knock out’ filibuster gains new GOP traction as funding deadline nears
Gutting the filibuster was once a taboo notion among Senate Republicans, but the idea is gaining traction thanks to President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to throw out the longstanding procedure. The Senate filibuster is the 60-vote threshold that applies to most bills in the upper chamber, and given the nature of the thin majorities that either party has commanded in recent years, that means legislation typically has to be bipartisan to advance. It proved a key barrier to reopening the government and advancing several other Republican priorities in recent weeks, like the GOP’s Obamacare fix that was torpedoed by Senate Democrats. TWO KEY SENATE REPUBLICANS JOIN PUSH TO OVERTURN TRUMP’S FEDERAL UNION ORDER For years, it’s been viewed as a tool of the minority party in the Senate meant to prevent majorities from ramming through partisan legislation that both Republicans and Democrats have taken advantage of. But near-monthly prodding from Trump and recent frustration with the 43-day government shutdown has some Republicans rethinking their position on the filibuster. “It’s something I’m giving serious consideration to now,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. Marshall previously told Fox News Digital, “Never, never, ever, never, none,” when asked if he would consider changing the rules after Trump called on Republicans to nuke the filibuster in October. Just a few months later, Marshall is reconsidering his position. KENNEDY URGES GOP TO RESTART SPENDING BATTLE AMID SOARING COST OF LIVING, WARNS AGAINST WASTING MAJORITY “I think between the last government shutdown and the threat of this one, it makes me pause,” he said. “It seems like the appropriations process is being slowed down. It feels like, with healthcare, that the Democrats, really the Democratic Party, doesn’t want to get anything done. So eliminating the filibuster ends all that.” He echoed Trump, who on Monday told reporters that he wanted Senate Republicans to “knock out” the filibuster. “You wouldn’t have January 30th looming, because you have the 30th of January looming, you know that, right? And if we knocked out the filibuster it would be just a simple approval,” he said. “But you have some Republicans — they’re unable to explain why, you know if you ask them why they’re unable to explain, they cannot win the debate, but they should knock out the filibuster.” The likelihood that such a change crosses the floor in the Senate is low, given that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has routinely remained rooted in his position that the filibuster shouldn’t be touched. Still, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., a member of Thune’s leadership team, said that his position had also changed on the filibuster. TRUMP’S ‘NUCLEAR’ DEMAND NOT LANDING FOR SENATE REPUBLICANS AMID SHUTDOWN Mullin told Fox News’ Will Cain that during a recent meeting with Senate GOP leadership, he asked the room if they truly believed that Senate Democrats wouldn’t try to get rid of the procedural safeguard when they regained a majority again. “If we believe that they’re going to do it, then why don’t we just go ahead and get it done,” he said. Other Republicans are more skeptical about the odds of the filibuster getting axed. Some, like Mullin, think it could be narrowly tailored to only apply to spending bills, while others see the move as fantasy. “That’s not gonna happen,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital. And Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said that lawmakers weren’t even “using the tools we have right now” to pass Republicans’ agenda. Kennedy has pushed for another round of budget reconciliation, given that Republicans have two more attempts at the grueling process, to tackle the growing affordability issues in the country. He argued that’s how Republicans passed Trump’s signature legislation, the “one, big beautiful bill,” earlier this year. “Yes, you can’t do everything, but you can do a lot, and that’s what I would be concentrating my energies on,” Kennedy said. “And I’ve said respectfully to the president that I don’t think the United States Senate is going to give up the filibuster or the blue slip. He obviously disagrees, and I respect that reasonable people disagree sometimes, but I’m a pragmatist. I deal with the world as it is, not as I want it to be.”
EXCLUSIVE: First look at ‘MELANIA’ film
EXCLUSIVE: First lady Melania Trump is giving Fox News an exclusive first look at her upcoming film, “MELANIA,” set to hit theaters worldwide next month. The 104-minute film is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30, 2026, appearing in theaters across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and more. Amazon will also launch a documentary series in the coming months. “History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration,” the first lady told Fox News. “For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.” Fox News exclusively obtained the trailer, which opens with the first lady walking into the U.S. Capitol rotunda ahead of her husband’s second inauguration. She looks to the camera in her now-iconic inauguration outfit, and says: “Here we go again.” MELANIA TRUMP, AMAZON PARTNER TO RELEASE NEW FILM ABOUT HER LIFE IN THEATERS WORLDWIDE The trailer jumps from the first lady and president at the inauguration; to standing together outside of Mar-a-Lago; behind-the-scenes of the inauguration showing Baron Trump and Mrs. Trump’s father; to a series of images of the first lady; Air Force One; the presidential seal and more. The infamous Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) lion roars and takes over the screen. The trailer then shows Mrs. Trump entering a room where President Trump stands at a podium during a meeting and is rehearsing a speech. “My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker,” Trump said. The first lady breaks in and says: “Peacemaker and unifier.” The trailer shows the first lady getting out of a vehicle, sporting a pair of black stiletto boots, and jumping to the East Wing residence, where she stands in her stunning white and black inaugural ball gown, and smiles at the camera. The trailer invites the audience to “witness history in the making.” The trailer also shows the first lady reviewing materials with staff and more. It cuts to a scene of Mrs. Trump asking a security detail “is it safe?” and the agent confirming “it is safe,” before the film cuts to sirens and the motorcade driving through a city. “20 days to become first lady of the United States,” the trailer says. “Everyone wants to know,” Melania Trump says. “So here it is.” The trailer ends with Mrs. Trump calling “Mr. President” to say “congratulations.” “Did you watch it?” President Trump says through the phone. “I did not. Yeah, I will see it on the news,” Mrs. Trump says. The film is set to hit theaters around the globe on January 30. The first lady said that the story “has never been told, and because the subject matter is historically consequential, it was imperative for me to produce a film of the highest cinematic standard, suitable exclusively in theaters worldwide.” “The 20 days of my life, preceding the U.S. Presidential inauguration, constitutes a rare and defining moment—one that warrants meticulous care, integrity, and uncompromising craftsmanship,” she said. “I am proud to share this very specific moment of my life—20 days of intense transition and planning—with moviegoers and fans across the globe.” Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady was involved “in every aspect” of the film — from her “creative vision,” to working as a producer on the film and to ensuring the post-production marketing is executed properly. Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady has been very “hands on” from start to finish. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP ROLLS OUT AI AUDIOBOOK OF FIRST MEMOIR IN SPANISH “She is giving the audience unprecedented access to her life — and to any first lady’s life — during this 20-day period,” a source familiar with the planning of the film told Fox News Digital. The film takes the audience through the first lady’s life leading up to the inauguration — from her home in Trump Tower in New York City, to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, and behind-the-scenes access in Washington D.C. Mrs. Trump first had the idea for the film in November 2024, after President Trump won the election. Marc Beckman, Mrs. Trump’s agent and exclusive senior advisor, led negotiations on her behalf with Amazon, specifically with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, beginning on Nov. 18, 2024. Fox News Digital has learned that Disney sought to obtain the exclusive rights to the film, as well as Netflix and Paramount. Amazon and MGM had the highest bid, purchasing the license for the film for $40 million — the largest documentary deal in history. AI MELANIA: FIRST LADY EMBARKS ON ‘NEW FRONTIER’ IN PUBLISHING WITH AUDIOBOOK OF MEMOIR “I’m honored to be working with Amazon — they’ve been great partners from the minute we started to negotiate the deal, through production and now as we gear up for the film’s release,” Beckman told Fox News Digital. “Speaking of the deal, there has been so much speculation in the press on the bidding and how we ended up with Amazon, that we’re at a point where it’s worth clarifying a few things,” Beckman said. First, Beckman told Fox News Digital that some bidders were “interested only in a film, and others only in a series.” “Amazon ended up bidding on both, and checked all the boxes we were looking for, as they could also deliver a theatrical film release,” Beckman explained. Beckman stressed that he negotiated the deal on behalf of the first lady while dealing with “all the studios directly.” MELANIA TRUMP TO RELEASE ‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ OF MEMOIR FEATURING IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY FORMER FIRST LADY “I’ve seen reporting that Amazon paid nearly three times the nearest other bid, and that’s just false,” Beckman said. “It was an incredibly competitive bidding process with multiple rounds of bids.” Beckman added: “Yes, Amazon had the highest bid, but they also bid on the most
Trump to tout accomplishments since taking office in primetime address
President Donald Trump will highlight his administration’s accomplishments over his first year back in office in his address from the White House on Wednesday night. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gave a preview of his speech during a Tuesday press briefing, telling reporters that Trump will seek to highlight his wins over the past 11 months. “As you all saw on Truth Social, President Trump is going to be giving an address to the nation tomorrow night, live from the White House here at 9:00 Eastern. I know you guys will all be tuning in,” Leavitt said. “I was just in the Oval Office with the president discussing it. He’s going to talk a lot about the accomplishments over the past 11 months, all that he’s done to bring our country back to greatness and all he continues to plan to do, to continue delivering for the American people over the next three years,” she continued. TRUMP SAYS THOSE AGAINST TARIFFS ‘SERVING HOSTILE FOREIGN INTERESTS,’ ‘FULL BENEFIT’ YET TO BE SEEN Leavitt later added in an appearance on Fox News’ “American Reports” that Trump may also “tease some policy that will be coming in the new year, as well.” Trump first announced the speech publicly on his Truth Social account, telling his followers that “the best is yet to come!” “My Fellow Americans: I will be giving an ADDRESS TO THE NATION tomorrow night, LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, at 9 P.M. EST. I look forward to ‘seeing’ you then. It has been a great year for our Country, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” Trump wrote. US–VENEZUELA SHOWDOWN THREATENS TO JOLT GAS PRICES — WHAT COULD SPARK A SURGE The Trump administration has touted its economic agenda throughout the closing months of the year, including the Big, Beautiful Bill Act, his tariff agenda and policies that prioritize American workers. Trump began to sell his economic accomplishments in a speech in Pennsylvania last week and will do the same this week in North Carolina. The speech also comes amid high tensions with Venezuela, as the Trump administration targets the leadership there.
Air traffic control towers will ‘never’ reach full staffing levels under current system, FAA chief says
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) chief told lawmakers Tuesday that U.S. air traffic control towers are unlikely to ever reach full staffing levels if the agency continues operating as it does now, acknowledging persistent shortages during a House Aviation Subcommittee hearing. “The honest answer, sir, is, if we continue with business as usual, never,” Bryan Bedford said when Rep. Hank Johnson Jr., D-Ga., asked when air traffic control towers would be fully staffed. “We’ll never catch up. The system is designed to be chronically understaffed,” the FAA chief added. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS MISS FULL PAYCHECK BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, DUFFY SAYS Bedford explained that the FAA has been facing significant challenges in staffing air traffic control towers due to controller retirements, burnout and the agency’s retention problems. He said the FAA must expand its training pipelines and invest more in developing new controllers to help alleviate the shortages. Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., questioned Washington’s habit of treating more funding as the default solution, pointing to outdated FAA technology, including some systems that still rely on floppy disks. “We built up the envy of the world without a centralized bureaucracy. And it seems from where I sit, sir, that sort of the bureaucratic systems that were written and implemented to prevent failure have all but enshrined failure,” said Knott. “When you’re still using floppy disks, that makes everybody less safe, that makes the agency less effective.” NEWARK AIRPORT PASSENGERS FACE LENGTHY DELAYS DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., said she saw floppy disks still in use during a recent visit to the FAA’s terminal radar approach control facility on Long Island, which manages traffic into New York’s major airports. Bedford told lawmakers the FAA has committed by year-end more than $6 billion of the $12.5 billion it received under the “big, beautiful bill,” including investments in telecommunications infrastructure and new radar surveillance systems that will be deployed over the next two and a half years.
Border Patrol commander returns to Chicago as agents deploy pepper balls in immigrant neighborhood
A senior Border Patrol commander who became the face of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown returned to Chicago Tuesday, prompting protests as agents fired pepper balls and detained several people. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino’s appearance in Chicago marks the most visible escalation in Operation Midway Blitz since early fall, drawing backlash from immigrant advocates and state leaders who said the Trump administration failed to warn them that the commander or additional agents were being redeployed to the area. Border agents were captured on video Tuesday in the predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood of Little Village deploying pepper balls and detaining a man, according to The Associated Press. Bovino’s emergence in Chicago came a month after he was reassigned to enforcement missions in New Orleans and North Carolina. HOMAN CONFIRMS TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD ‘ON THE GROUND’ IN ILLINOIS, WARNS ANTI-ICE RHETORIC FUELING ‘BLOODSHED’ Operation Midway Blitz was launched in September in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.” “As we said a month ago, we aren’t leaving Chicago, and operations are ongoing,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, according to The Associated Press. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters Tuesday he was not notified that Bovino and additional Border Patrol agents were returning to Chicago, adding he doesn’t know how long the agents will stay. DHS BLASTS CHICAGO MAYOR FOR COMPARING RAID LEADER TO SEGREGATIONISTS, ACCUSING HIM OF ‘TERROR’ “I’m so proud of the people of Illinois for doing as they have, which is to protect their neighborhoods and their neighbors, to do the right thing,” Pritzker said. “And, so, I think we’re in a much better position.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was aware that Bovino had returned to Chicago. “We have learned that federal agents are once again indiscriminately targeting individuals — without warrants — and intentionally showing up in public spaces to intimidate and instill fear, including at a Teamster picket line and a Little Village community organization,” Johnson wrote on X, adding that “these tactics are destabilizing, wrong, and must be condemned.” Last week, Pritzker signed a bill aimed at protecting illegal immigrants in the state from deportation by creating new safeguards at several locations, including courthouses, hospitals, college campuses and other public buildings. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
HHS probes Minnesota’s use of billions in federal social service funds amid fraud concerns: report
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a review into how Minnesota used billions of dollars in federal social service funding, requesting detailed records from Gov. Tim Walz’s administration and other state entities after reports raised questions about whether portions of the money were misused, according to letters first obtained by the New York Post. The letters were sent Monday by Alex Adams, assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, to Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and a nonprofit involved in administering Head Start programs, the Post reported. According to the Post, Adams said HHS is attempting to determine whether federal safety-net funds were diverted or mismanaged and whether such misuse might have “been used to fuel illegal and mass migration” into Minnesota. Adams told the outlet the review is focused on “accountability for American taxpayers” and on ensuring federal benefit programs were not compromised. LABOR SECRETARY ANNOUNCES ‘STRIKE TEAM’ GOING TO MINNESOTA TO INVESTIGATE RAMPANT FRAUD The Post reported that Minnesota received more than $8.6 billion in ACF funding between fiscal years 2019 and 2025 through more than 1,000 federal grants. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the state received over $690 million for safety-net programs under President Biden, according to federal spending records reviewed by the Post. In the letters, Adams requested what the Post described as a “comprehensive list” of all state entities that received ACF funding during that period, along with detailed administrative data. The information sought includes recipient names, addresses, dates of birth and, where applicable, Social Security numbers and immigration A-numbers, the Post reported. Adams told the Post that HHS has “legitimate reason to think that they’ve been using taxpayer dollars incorrectly,” citing recent fraud investigations and allegations involving Minnesota’s Department of Human Services. According to the Post, the letters referenced public statements from hundreds of DHS employees alleging warnings of fraud were disregarded and whistleblowers faced retaliation. TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU’ The review comes amid heightened scrutiny of Minnesota’s handling of federal funds following multiple high-profile fraud cases. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme, in which more than $250 million intended for child nutrition programs was diverted for luxury purchases and real estate. Many of those charged had ties to nonprofits serving Minnesota’s Somali community. The Post also cited Pew Research Center data showing Minnesota’s unauthorized migrant population increased by roughly 40,000 people between 2019 and 2023, reaching an estimated 130,000 residents, or about 2% of the state’s population. According to the Post, the ACF review includes several major federal programs, including the Community Services Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Title IV-E Foster Care, Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance, the Child Care and Development Fund, and Parents in Community Action, a Head Start grantee. “The Trump Administration has made clear its commitment to rooting out fraud, protecting taxpayer dollars, and ensuring program integrity across all federal benefit programs,” Adams wrote in the letters, according to the Post. “This information is necessary for ACF to conduct a thorough review of program operations and to assess the extent of any irregularities that may have occurred.” Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey and HHS for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Trump declares ‘Venezuelan regime’ a foreign terrorist organization, orders oil tanker blockade
President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, declaring the Nicolás Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, trafficking and other criminal activity. “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump said on Truth Social. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us. “The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,” he continued. “For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. US–VENEZUELA SHOWDOWN THREATENS TO JOLT GAS PRICES — WHAT COULD SPARK A SURGE “Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump added. “The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.” Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker called the “Skipper” off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating U.S. tensions with the nation. The tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. US SET TO SEIZE TENS OF MILLIONS IN VENEZUELAN OIL AFTER TANKER INTERCEPTION, WHITE HOUSE SAYS The “Skipper” is a vessel that secretly ferries oil in defiance of sanctions, while also being part of an armada of roughly 1,000 tankers that quietly navigate global sea routes to move oil from sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the administration. The so-called “ghost ships” sail under foreign flags to obscure their origins, repeatedly change names, shift ownership through shell companies, disable transponders to evade tracking and conduct mid-sea transfers to mask their cargo. The “Skipper” was loaded with an estimated 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December before transferring an estimated 200,000 barrels just before its seizure, Reuters reported. ‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS The oil on the tanker is likely worth $60 million to more than $100 million, based on current average oil prices. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for any additional comment on the estimated price tag of the oil but did not immediately receive a reply. The U.S. military has carried out strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats near Venezuela since September as part of Trump’s mission to end the flow of drugs into the nation. There have been at least 22 strikes on suspected narcotraffickers near Venezuela, killing 87, since September. The boat strikes are viewed as part of a U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela likely aimed to not only curb the flow of drugs, but also to oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation. Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
GOP poised to overtake Democrats on voter rolls in key swing state after years of Dem dominance
Democrats have been dealing with declining voter rolls in a number of states, but one key battleground state in particular appears to be on the verge of flipping from a state that, for decades, has had more registered Democrat voters to one with more registered Republicans. There were almost three-quarters of a million more registered Democrats in North Carolina than Republicans 10 years ago. As of today, that difference is just over 1,000, according to the latest count by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. “Voters across North Carolina are rejecting the Democrats’ failed agenda and choosing Republican leadership,” Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said. “This shift didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of years of good common sense Republican governance and our focus on offering serious solutions on the issues that matter to the people.” CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS Earlier this year, ahead of the slate of elections that took place in November that saw Democratic Party wins virtually across the board, including multiple candidates who ran under the ‘socialist’ banner, a New York Times analysis found that between 2020 and 2024 Democrats lost about 2.1 million registered voters across 30 different states that keep track of voter registration data. Meanwhile, the analysis found that Republicans gained about 2.4 million. In total, this amounted to a deficit for the Democratic Party of 4.5 million registered voters just over the last four years. In North Carolina, specifically, between 2005 and 2015, the difference in the number of registered Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina remained mostly steady, with a difference of about 670,000 give or take in 2005 and 2015, respectively. But, beginning in 2015, that deficit started to shrink. Five years later, in 2020, the difference was a little under 380,000 in favor of Democrats, before their lead shrunk to just 1,216, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections’ latest voter roll records. “The reality is that bad Democrat policies coming out of Washington are driving voters away from the party here at home,” former Republican National Committee chairman and North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley said. DESANTIS WARNS GOP FACES ‘ISSUE’ KEEPING TRUMP VOTERS ENGAGED IN FUTURE ELECTIONS “Insane policies supported by Roy Cooper and pushed by DC Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris are completely out of step with North Carolinians,” he said. “Democrats couldn’t win Senate races here even when they had a cash advantage and a huge voter-registration edge. Now they’ve lost that registration advantage too, and voters are making it clear they’re done with failed Democrat leadership.” In response to North Carolina’s trend of growing Republican voters, versus its decline in Democrat voters, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) pointed to the GOP’s overall share of registered voters, which has statistically declined, while the number of unaffiliated voters has increased. However, the increase in unaffiliated voters has impacted both Republicans and Democrats’ overall vote share, with Democrats witnessing a much sharper drop in overall registered voters across the last decade, compared to Republicans, the data shows. “Despite their repeated attempts at gerrymandering the state to subvert the will of the voters, Republicans have not managed to increase their share of registered voters in nearly four decades,” Madison Andrus, the DCCC’s regional spokesperson covering North Carolina, told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on North Carolina’s changing voter rolls. “Now, with this latest scheme top of mind, voters across the state are souring on Republicans’ failing agenda that has led to higher grocery prices, more expensive health care, and greater difficulty making ends meet. Republicans have abandoned North Carolina’s working families and people are taking notice.” But according to Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, North Carolina “is undergoing a historic shift” and Democrats’ advantage has “crumbled.” “Voters rejected Kamala Harris last year, and they’re continuing that trend as they turn away from the failed policies of Roy Cooper and Josh Stein,” Gruters said.