Kremlin warns it ‘could end badly for everyone’ if US supplies Ukraine long-range missiles
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that if the U.S. supplies Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, that “could end badly for everyone … most of all, for Trump himself,” according to a Google translation of his Russian-language Telegram post. “It’s been said a hundred times, in a manner understandable even to the star-spangled man, that it’s impossible to distinguish a nuclear Tomahawk missile from a conventional one in flight,” Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Medvedev noted. KIM JONG UN SHOWS OFF ‘MOST POWERFUL’ BALLISTIC MISSILE AS FOREIGN LEADERS WATCH NORTH KOREA MILITARY PARADE While speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Donald Trump raised the prospect of supplying Ukraine with the long-range weapons if the Russia-Ukraine war is not going to be settled. The U.S. commander in chief described Tomahawks as a “very offensive weapon,” noting, “honestly, Russia does not need that.” TRUMP MULLS TOMAHAWK DELIVERIES TO UKRAINE IF RUSSIA KEEPS WAR GOING Trump has been seeking to help broker peace between the two warring foreign nations. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. ZELENSKYY TOUTS ‘PRODUCTIVE’ TALKS WITH TRUMP ON STRENGTHENING UKRAINIAN AIR DEFENSE, LONG-RANGE CAPABILITIES CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP During an appearance on the Fox News Channel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that Tomahawks would be utilized for “only military goals,” asserting that Ukraine never attacks Russian civilians.
GOP lawmaker pushes bill to punish cities that ditched Columbus Day after Trump proclamation
A new House GOP proposal would withhold funding from U.S. jurisdictions that celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day. It comes after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation last week declaring Oct. 13 Columbus Day in honor of the famed explorer as well as the heritage of Italian Americans across the U.S. “This is about every son and daughter of Italy, every Knights of Columbus, every pasta dinner on Sunday, and every communion — everything that makes our culture who we are, from Philadelphia to San Francisco,” Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Every Little Italy neighborhood of this country celebrates Christopher Columbus. It’s so much more than the man. It’s the people.” CABINET SPONTANEOUSLY APPLAUDS AS TRUMP SIGNS COLUMBUS DAY PROCLAMATION: ‘WE’RE BACK, ITALIANS’ Rulli’s new bill would both reaffirm Columbus Day as a federal holiday and punish cities and states that replaced the celebration of it with Indigenous Peoples Day. “We are not going to allow any American municipality to think that they have power over the federal government,” he said. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally recognized the second Monday in October as both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. The move was lauded by progressive activists and historians who saw Christopher Columbus as the harbinger of a genocide against the land’s indigenous people, millions of whom were killed amid American colonization. But Rulli argued that Columbus Day was about honoring Italian Americans’ heritage, pointing out that part of the motivation for its founding in 1892 was the extrajudicial lynching of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans after the death of a local police chief. He added his legislation was not meant to undercut the significance of Native Americans — whom he said deserve their own day of significance. “I mean, the Native Americans are some of the most amazing, dynamic cultural people that make up the fabric of America. But they need their own special day,” Rulli said. “And I would be willing to do that. I’m saying right now, I would be willing to get the indigenous people their own day, but not this day.” MAMDANI TAKES AIM AT TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN FIERY STATEN ISLAND SPEECH: ‘WE ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP NYC A SANCTUARY CITY’ He further accused the Biden administration of undercutting the legacy of both peoples by declaring both holidays on the same day, while praising Trump for restoring Columbus Day’s original meaning. “I don’t care what party you’re in … if you come from Italian American descent, you love what President Trump did. It was a wonderful olive branch to all Italian Americans,” Rulli said. “By no means, no way, shape or form, is this bill meant to offend any of the indigenous people. They deserve their own day. We will get them their own day, but not Columbus Day. This has already been embedded in our fabric for 130 years,” he said.
Netanyahu to skip Trump’s Middle East peace summit in Egypt as new regional dynamics take shape
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend Monday’s peace conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will host more than 20 world leaders in a bid to cement an end to the war in Gaza. Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister was “unable to attend due to time constraints ahead of the start of the holiday.” October 13–15 marks Shemini Atzeret, followed by Simchat Torah on October 15. Leader of Israel’s left-wing Democrats, Yair Golan, condemned the decision. “I am appalled by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to skip this historic event orchestrated by President Trump. Let it be clear: Netanyahu’s refusal to attend the peace summit in Egypt is driven purely by narrow political interests,” he said in a statement to Fox News. “After two years of Israel’s most difficult war, we can not afford a leader guided by his personal interest.” WHITE HOUSE TURNS TO EXPANDING ABRAHAM ACCORDS AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE The summit, set in the Red Sea resort town, is expected to draw leaders from Turkey, Jordan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and top representatives from the United Nations and the European Union. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is also slated to attend as regional powers press for a role in stabilizing postwar Gaza. The conference comes amid a renewed push by the Trump administration to expand the Abraham Accords framework once the conflict in Gaza is resolved. Four nations joined the normalization agreements with Israel during Trump’s first term, and senior White House officials have signaled optimism that additional Arab and Muslim-majority countries could follow. NETANYAHU CALLS TRUMP ISRAEL’S ‘GREATEST FRIEND’ AS FINAL LIVING HOSTAGES RELEASED Adding to that momentum, Israeli media reported Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto—the leader of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation—was expected to visit Israel on Tuesday, raising speculation that Indonesia could be next to pursue an Abraham Accords-style peace and normalization agreement with Jerusalem. But Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono told Indonesian media “no such plan” is in place for a visit. Subianto surprised observers with unusually warm remarks toward Israel during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month, closing his speech with the Hebrew word “Shalom.” “We must also recognize, we must also respect, and we must also guarantee the safety and security of Israel,” Subianto said. “Only then can we have real peace.” Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
Chip Roy and other Republicans push bill to block and deport Sharia law-adherent aliens: ‘Existential threat’
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and several other House Republicans are pushing a bill to prohibit Sharia-law-adherent aliens from entering the U.S. and remove any such individuals who are present within the country. “America is facing an existential threat – the spread of Sharia Law. From Texas to every state in the union, instances of Sharia Law adherents have threatened the American way of life, seeking to replace our legal system and Constitution with an incompatible ideology that diminishes the rights of women, children, and individuals of different faiths,” Roy said, according to a press release. “Europe should be a wakeup call to America, showing what the spread of Sharia law looks like – the erosion of the West. America’s immigration system must be fortified to counter the importation of Sharia adherents – the preservation of our constitutional republic and its people depend on it,” he asserted. TRUMP ACCUSES LONDON OF WANTING ‘SHARIA LAW’ IN UN SPEECH, MAYOR HITS BACK Roy is currently running for Lone Star State attorney general. “The Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Attorney General, as applicable, shall deny any immigration benefit, visa, immigration relief, or admission to the United States to any alien who adheres to Sharia law,” the text of the measure declares. “Any alien in the United States found to be an adherent of Sharia law by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, or Attorney General shall have any immigration benefit, immigration relief, or visa revoked, be considered inadmissible or deportable, and shall be removed from the United States.” REPUBLICAN LABELS MAMDANI AS ‘LITTLE MORE THAN A MUSLIM TERRORIST,’ ADVOCATES YANKING CITIZENSHIP, DEPORTATION “Any alien who provides false statements under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 to the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, Attorney General, or any Federal agency, or in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, about the alien’s adherence to Sharia Law shall have the alien’s immigration benefit, immigration relief, or visa revoked, be considered inadmissible or deportable, and shall be removed from the United States,” the proposal declares. Original cosponsors of the legislation include Republican Reps. Randy Fine of Florida, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Keith Self of Texas. PATRICIA HEATON WARNS AMERICA COULD FACE ‘ANOTHER 9/11’ IF NATION IGNORES RISING ANTISEMITISM, RADICAL ISLAM CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP GOP Reps. Barry Moore of Alabama, Mary Miller of Illinois, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Sheri Biggs of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Andrew Clyde of Georgia have joined as cosponsors, according to congress.gov.
Instead of impeachment, Dems are using Article II challenges to impede Trump this time
Democrats tenaciously working to thwart the second Trump administration seemingly have thrown out their playbook from the president’s first administration — abandoning repeated attempts to impeach President Donald Trump in favor of broadening their focus on leveraging Article II of the Constitution to impede MAGA policies. Democrats, since the early days of Trump’s second presidency, have accused him of taking steps that amount to a “gross overreach of presidential authority” or launching “illegal power grabs,” most notably in response to some of the more than 200 executive orders the president has signed this term. Lawsuits challenging the administration also have focused language on claims Trump is exceeding his executive authority, sparking some policies to get tied up in the courts. Article II of the Constitution lays out the foundation for the balance of power between the office of the president and other branches of the government, including establishing the executive branch. Section II of Article II details the duties and powers of a president. WHITE HOUSE REBUKES ‘EGREGIOUS’ COURT ORDER BLOCKING TROOP DEPLOYMENTS AMID PORTLAND UNREST Political foes have turned to Article II in their legal battles against Trump, repeatedly claiming he has exceeded his authority. But the White House says that’s not true. “Trump Derangement Syndrome takes on many forms — despite the Democrats’ failure to stop President Trump’s incredibly popular agenda in his first term, they’re trying a new strategy this time and failing again,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital Thursday when asked about the increase in claims and cases claiming Trump is overstepping his presidential bounds. “The Trump Administration’s policies have been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court as lawful despite an unprecedented number of legal challenges and unlawful lower court rulings from far-left liberal activist judges,” she continued. “The president will continue implementing the policy agenda that the American people voted for in November and will continue to be vindicated by higher courts when liberal activist judges attempt to intervene.” Trump’s first administration was underscored by two impeachment efforts, which landed Trump as the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. Trump was acquitted by the Senate both times. The first impeachment effort in 2019 accused Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to allegedly seeking foreign interference from Ukraine to boost his re-election efforts in 2020. The focus of that impeachment focused on a July 2019 phone call in which Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch investigations into the Biden family’s business dealings in Ukraine, including Hunter Biden’s business dealings with Burisma holdings company. Biden was under federal investigation at the time. NEWSOM WARNS AMERICANS ‘YOU WILL LOSE YOUR COUNTRY’ UNDER TRUMP AT CALIFORNIA SUMMIT The House impeached Trump on both articles of impeachment in December 2019, with the Senate voting to acquit Trump on both articles of impeachment in February 2020. Months later, Democrats teed up another Trump impeachment after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump notched another first, when the Senate tried a former president after the House voted to impeach him just a week before Joe Biden was inaugurated as the nation’s 46th president. The Senate ultimately acquitted Trump in the case. The second impeachment focused on the breach of the U.S. Capitol by throngs of Trump supporters when the Senate and House convened to certify Biden’s 2020 election win. Trump was accused of working to overturn the results of the election and that he incited an insurrection with rhetoric regarding the election ahead of the Capitol breach. “I will never forgive the people who stormed the Capitol for the trauma that they caused in our young people, our members of the press who were covering that day, our staffers, the maintenance crew, the people who keep the Capitol neat and clean,” then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC in 2022. “This was a disgrace. And the president instigated an insurrection, refused to stop it and as those films show, would not, in a timely fashion, allow the National Guard to come in and stop it. And that is sinful,” she continued. The Senate acquitted Trump of the impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection in February 2021. The impeachment efforts followed Democrats threatening and vowing to impeach Trump at various points throughout his first administration. “I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the impeachment of the President of the United States of America for obstruction of justice. I do not do this for political purposes, Mr. Speaker. I do this because I believe in the great ideals that this country stands for — liberty and justice for all, the notion that we should have government of the people, by the people, for the people,” Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green declared in May 2017 in regard to former FBI Director James Comey’s investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. TRUMP HAS NOW BEEN IN OFFICE FOR SIX MONTHS, FOR THE SECOND TIME. HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS “The time has come to make clear to the American people and to this president that his train of injuries to our Constitution must be brought to an end through impeachment,” Tennessee Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen said in November 2017 over claims Trump obstructed justice when he fired Comey in May 2017. Trump’s four years after his first administration were riddled with a handful of civil and criminal cases, including standing trial in New York when he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in May 2024. District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office worked to prove that Trump falsified the business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged 2006 affair with Trump. Trump has maintained his innocence in the case, and was sentenced after his election win to an unconditional discharge, meaning he faced no prison time or fines. Trump also was indicted
Squad 2.0: Meet America’s next wave of radical Democrats shaping the party’s future
Galvanized by President Donald Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda, a new generation of progressive Democrats is working to redefine the party’s future. The original “Squad,” a group of young, left-wing lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 as a referendum on Trump’s first term. Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, a new wave of progressive candidates is emerging across the country. ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY Zohran Mamdani’s Democratic primary win shocked the political establishment in June when the self-identified democratic socialist handily defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral primary. The New York assemblyman has centered his campaign around affordability, successfully using social media to build a broad coalition of support among New Yorkers. Mamdani’s platform includes ambitious campaign promises like freezing the rent, free childcare, fast and free buses, city-run grocery stores, raising the minimum wage and “Trump-proofing” New York City. He plans to pay for his ambitious campaign promises by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers. YOUNG PROGRESSIVES LOOK TO ZOHRAN MAMDANI, AOC AS FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY – UNDER ONE CONDITION Mamdani has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Trump has labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and “My Little Communist,” but Mamdani has maintained that he is a democratic socialist. Dubbed the “Mamdani of Minneapolis,” Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh is running for Minneapolis mayor this year. Like Mamdani, Fateh is a self-identified democratic socialist and has been endorsed by the DSA. Fateh, the son of immigrant parents from Somalia, has committed to raising the city’s minimum wage, increasing the supply of affordable housing and combating what he calls police violence. Similar to Mamdani, Fateh has called for replacing some of the police department’s duties with community-led alternatives. He also wants to issue legal IDs to illegal immigrants. Kat Abughazaleh, 26, is the progressive Gen Z candidate running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District next year. A viral video of an ICE agent shoving Abughazaleh to the ground outside the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on Sept. 19 has become a flash point in the divisive debate over Trump’s deportation rollout. Abughazaleh is a former journalist and activist who frequents protests outside the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. She recently accused Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of perpetrating “crimes against humanity.” Abughazaleh garnered national attention earlier this year for questioning why it’s controversial that illegal immigrants should have access to taxpayer-funded healthcare. “I don’t have health insurance, and I’m running for Congress,” the young progressive’s campaign website reads. Aftyn Behn, a former healthcare community organizer and current Democrat state representative, on Tuesday secured the Democratic nomination to represent Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. The Dickson County Democratic Party described Behn as “our very own AOC of TN,” referring to “Squad” member Ocasio-Cortez, according to The Tennessee Star. On her campaign website, Behn describes herself as a “pissed-off social worker,” who was inspired to run for the House of Representatives after Congress passed Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year. Behn is running in the special election to replace Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., who retired from Congress earlier this year. Mallory McMorrow has long been considered a rising star in the Democratic Party. She announced her bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan earlier this year, framing herself as an outsider and calling for a new generation of leaders in Washington ahead of next year’s midterm elections. McMorrow has said she would not vote for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to continue as the party leader, adding that it is time for him to step back. The 38-year-old Michigan state senator garnered national attention for her viral speech to the Michigan state Senate in 2022, where she pushed back on allegations from a Republican lawmaker that she was “grooming” and “sexualizing” children. “I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme,” McMorrow said, calling out Republican state Sen. Lana Theis for invoking her name in a fundraising email. “We will not let hate win.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic National Committee, Mamdani, Fateh, Abughazaleh, Behn and McMorrow but did not receive responses. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Trump heralds ‘golden age of the Middle East’ in address to Israeli Knesset hours after hostages come home
President Donald Trump thanked Israeli lawmakers for their enthusiastic welcome in the Knesset on Monday as the nation celebrated the release of all 20 living hostages from Hamas captivity. “After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families,” Trump said. “Twenty-eight more precious loved ones are coming home at last to rest in this sacred soil for all of time. And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.” The president’s comments came as reports emerged that only four of the 28 bodies held in Gaza are expected to be returned on Monday, which could risk the stability of the ceasefire and its ability to progress to the second phase, which would see the disarmament of Hamas and the further withdrawal of Israeli forces. “This is not only the end of a war. This is the end of an age of terror and death, the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God,” Trump said. HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES TRUMP UNVEILS 20-POINT PLAN TO SECURE PEACE IN GAZA, INCLUDING GRANTING SOME HAMAS MEMBERS ‘AMNESTY’ Trump used his speech at the Knesset to tell Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Hey, I have an idea, Mr. President – why don’t you give him a pardon?” Trump said, prompting a standing ovation from many in the forum. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges that included bribery, fraud and a breach of trust, though he has denied the accusations. It is unclear if the president would agree to such a move, or if the majority of the Israeli parliament would support the decision given the prime minister’s previously waning support as the war continued and hostages remained in captivity for more than two years. Trump, during his speech, emphasized his support for Israel as the hostages continue to be returned and said, “Please know that America joins you in those two everlasting vows. Never forget and never again,” Trump said. “As we celebrate today, let us remember how this nightmare of depravity and death all began two years ago, on the eve of the Simchat Torah holiday, thousands of innocent Israeli civilians were attacked by terrorists in one of the most evil and heinous desecration of innocent life the world has ever seen,” he added. Trump described the ceasefire with Hamas “as a very exciting time for Israel and for the entire Middle East” and said “the forces of chaos, terror and ruin that have plagued the region for decades now stand weakened, isolated, and totally defeated.” Trump, who is also set to depart for Egypt on Monday, suggested a peace deal with Iran could be next as he looks to enfold more Middle Eastern nations into the Abraham Accords, which saw the normalization of relations with several Arab nations during his first term. The president thanked Netanyahu for “having the courage” to end the war with Hamas, and in turn seize the opportunity to make Israel stronger and stabilize relations in the Middle East. Trump received a warm welcome from the Israeli Knesset, with the body declaring him “the greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House.” Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana vowed to rally with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other legislative leaders across the globe to submit Trump’s candidacy for Nobel Peace Prize in 2026. “You, President Trump, are a colossus who will be enshrined in the pantheon of history. Thousands of years from now the Jewish people will remember you. We are a nation that remembers,” Ohana said, comparing Trump to Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and allowed the Jewish people to return to their homeland. Ohana hailed Trump’s efforts to rescue hostages held by Hamas as well as combat Iran’s nuclear program and influence across the Middle East. He also praised Trump for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018. “Donald Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House. No American president has ever done more for Israel than this one, and as I said in Washington, it ain’t even close,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Netanyahu also nominated Trump to receive the Israel Prize, Israel’s highest honor. Trump would be the first non-Israeli citizen to receive the award.
Trump mulls Tomahawk deliveries to Ukraine if Russia keeps war going
President Donald Trump said he may send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not settle the war, calling the weapon “incredible” and “very offensive.” Trump, while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, was asked about his recent conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and military aid. Trump said he spoke with Zelenskyy on Sunday morning, and Zelenskyy asked about Ukraine’s need for additional weapons in its fight against Russia. Trump said the U.S. sells and sends weapons to NATO, unlike the Biden administration, which, he said, gave Ukraine $350 billion. TRUMP FINDS NEW LEVERAGE IN UKRAINE FIGHT WITH TOMAHAWK THREAT AND LONG-RANGE STRIKE AUTHORIZATION “We gave him nothing, but we gave them respect and some other things,” Trump said. He said he hopes the U.S. can provide more arms, but added that the country must also keep enough to defend itself. “They need Patriots very badly. They’d like to have Tomahawks. That’s a step up,” Trump said. “We talked about that, so we’ll see.” TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN ‘TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY’ Before agreeing to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, Trump said he may first speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to see if Moscow wants missiles headed its way. “I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness. I told that to President Zelenskyy because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.” As for a potential conversation about Putin, Trump said he might have to tell him, “if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks.” TRUMP AND PUTIN’S RELATIONSHIP TURNS SOUR AS PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR RESOLUTION WITH UKRAINE “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, a very offensive weapon, and honestly, Russia does not need that,” Trump said. “I may tell him that if the war is not settled, we may very well. We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up.” “I want to see the war settled,” Trump added. Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Sunday that his talks with Trump “covered all the aspects of the situation,” including Ukraine’s defense of life and efforts to strengthen its air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities. TRUMP’S NATO DEAL TO ARM UKRAINE WINS OVER GOP SKEPTICS Zelenskyy added that they also discussed “many details” involving the energy sector, though he did not elaborate. “President Trump is well informed about everything that is happening,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We agreed to continue our dialogue, and our teams are doing their preparations.” Trump’s talks with Zelenskyy come as Moscow continues to strike Ukraine with drones and missiles, wounding at least 20 people in Kyiv and causing widespread blackouts Friday. A child was also killed in a separate Russian attack in the southeast. Late Saturday and early Sunday, Russia attacked Ukraine’s power grid in an effort to degrade the country’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter. The latest grid attack, similar to Russia’s annual pre-winter strikes, came as Moscow expressed “extreme concern” over the U.S. potentially providing Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Trump starts week in Middle East, overseeing historic peace agreement
President Donald Trump will spend the first part of the week in the Middle East to oversee a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas, a landmark agreement expected to end the two-year war in Gaza and bring home the remaining hostages. Before boarding Air Force One, Trump told reporters that the hostages could be released earlier and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did a “very good job” helping secure the deal. HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES “The war is over,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before boarding a nearly 12-hour flight to Israel. After landing in Tel Aviv, Trump is expected to meet with families of hostages and then give an address at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem. Trump will then travel to Egypt to attend an international summit in the seaside city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. More than 20 world leaders, including Trump, are expected to attend, an Egyptian presidential spokesperson said, according to Reuters. After a handful of hours in Israel and Egypt, Trump will board Air Force One and return to the White House in the early morning hours on Tuesday in order to honor the late Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. TRUMP PLANS WHIRLWIND TRIP TO ISRAEL AND EGYPT BEFORE RUSHING BACK TO WHITE HOUSE FOR CHARLIE KIRK HONOR “It’s a very quick trip, but I’ll be making two major stops, and then I’ll be on the plane trying to get back in time for Charlie,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday. “They’re going to have a great celebration at the White House in the East Room,” he added. The award ceremony coincides with what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday on Oct. 14. Kirk, the charismatic founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), gained recognition for his signature political debates on college campuses. He was assassinated on Sept. 10, during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The gathering was the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour.” Kirk’s memorial service drew one of the largest public turnouts for a private citizen, with about 90,000 people in attendance at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and nearby overflow venues. Trump previously announced last month that he would award Kirk the award posthumously.
Trump says Hamas may release 20 hostages ‘a little bit early’ as he heads to Middle East
President Donald Trump said Sunday that Hamas may release the 20 hostages it is holding “a little bit early.” Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to the Middle East, where he was asked about the latest on the hostages and when they might be released. “So, they have the hostages — I understand all 20 — and we may get them out a little bit early,” Trump said. “Getting them was amazing, actually, because we were involved, and they were in places you don’t want to know about.” The president’s comments come as Hamas faces a deadline to return all remaining hostages to Israel, following a peace deal that ended the two-year-long Israel-Hamas war. VANCE SAYS SOME DECEASED HOSTAGES MAY NEVER BE RECOVERED DESPITE TRUMP PEACE DEAL The peace agreement, brokered by President Trump, sparked celebrations across a region plagued by violence since the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Trump described the peace agreement as historic, saying it was the first time in 3,000 years that Jews, Muslims, and Arab nations were “dancing in the streets.” He said the deal had unified countries that were once bitter enemies and that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other regional powers were “all into this deal.” When asked about the fighting, Trump declared that the conflict had come to an end. “The war is over,” the president said. TRUMP’S WEEK IN REVIEW: PRESIDENT SECURES HISTORIC PEACE DEAL TO BRING HOSTAGES HOME AS SHUTDOWN CONTINUES He expressed confidence that the ceasefire would hold, saying people were “tired” of centuries of conflict. “Everybody knows their place,” Trump said, adding that peace “is going to be great for everybody.” The president said rebuilding Gaza would begin quickly, though he cautioned that the region resembled a “demolition site.” He said reconstruction would start with clearing unstable structures and restoring basic services before long-term redevelopment begins. Trump also said a new governing body known as the “Board of Peace” would be formed soon, with international leaders seeking to take part. He mentioned Tony Blair as a potential participant but said he wanted to ensure the former British prime minister would be an “acceptable choice.” Trump acknowledged that Hamas has begun forming a local police force and said the U.S. granted temporary approval for that effort to help maintain order. He estimated that Hamas had lost “probably 60,000 people” in the conflict and said ensuring safety as civilians return was now a priority. TRUMP PEACE DEAL TRIGGERS 72-HOUR COUNTDOWN FOR HAMAS TO RELEASE 48 HOSTAGES FROM GAZA He praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “the right person at this time,” revealing that Netanyahu had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump said Netanyahu “did a very good job” during the conflict and that their relationship remained strong. Trump also told reporters the peace deal between Israel and Hamas is the eighth war he has solved, adding that he heard there is a war going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan, now. “I said I’ll have to wait til I get back. I’m doing another one because I’m good at solving wars. I’m good at making peace. And, it’s an honor to do it,” he said. “I saved millions of lives – millions of lives.” Earlier on Sunday, Vice President JD Vance warned that some of the hostages who were killed while in captivity by Hamas may never be returned to their families. “The reality is that some of the hostages may never get back, but I do think, with some effort, we’ll be able to give them to their families so they at least have some closure,” Vance said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” He continued, noting that while rescuing living hostages remains the Trump administration’s top priority, returning the remains of those killed is also an important effort to give families closure. “We do want to give these people the ability to have a proper burial with their loved ones who were murdered by brutal terrorists, and that matters to us,” Vance said. “It matters to the families, and it will remain a focus, but it’s going to take some time.” The vice president stopped short of certainly, though, saying he believes most of the victims’ remains – but not all – will eventually be recovered. Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this report.