Minnesota agitators arrested in wake of church invasion, Bondi says
Federal authorities have arrested two anti-ICE agitators after a mob stormed a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday. Bondi named Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen as the suspects. FBI Director Kash Patel says the pair are charged with violating the FACE Act, which prohibits interfering with the exercise of religion at a place of worship. “Minutes ago at my direction, HSI and FBI agents executed an arrest in Minnesota. So far, we have arrested Nekima Levy Armstrong, who allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi wrote on X. “A second arrest has been made at my direction. Chauntyll Louisa Allen has been taken into custody,” she announced minutes later. NYT SLAMMED OVER REPORT SAYING PROTEST AT MINNESOTA CHURCH SERVICE ‘ADDS TO TENSIONS OVER ICE TACTICS’ “We will share more updates as they become available. Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” she added. Armstrong, whose website identifies her as a civil rights lawyer and “scholar-activist,” helped to organize the storming of Cities Church in in St. Paul on Sunday. Allen is a member of the St. Paul School Board who also helped organize the protest. Armstrong continued to harass people connected with the church as recently as Wednesday, when she accused one of its pastors of having a “conflict of interest” due to working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ST PAUL PASTOR DENOUNCES ANTI-ICE AGITATORS WHO DISRUPTED CHURCH SERVICE, SAYS ‘WE’RE HERE TO WORSHIP JESUS’ Armstrong claimed in a Facebook post that one of the church’s pastors is a leader at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The demonstration is one of many throughout the Twin Cities in protest of the federal government’s surge of immigration enforcement officials to crack down on widespread fraud taking place in the state. The Sunday attack saw dozens of agitators storm Cities Church during its service. Video from the incident showed activists screaming at congregants, including children. ANTI-ICE AGITATOR DEFENDS INVADING CHURCH, CLAIMS ‘IT’S WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE’ Before the Sunday service disruption, Armstrong caused controversy through her far-left views and activism. She has also been a key organizer of the boycotts against Target over its decision to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. In a September 26 post, Armstrong had high praise for Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, who was convicted of the murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1977. Armstrong called her “a brave, wise, powerful, and revolutionary Black woman.” Fox News’ Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
DHS funding heads to House vote after Johnson quells GOP revolt over ethanol
Republicans set up a House-wide vote on a $1.2 trillion spending package on Thursday, including funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., worked overnight to quell a rebellion over Midwestern Republican energy demands. The House Rules Committee voted 9-4 to advance two spending bills needed to avoid a government shutdown that is set to begin on Jan. 30. While a compromise appears to have eased concerns for GOP lawmakers in the Midwest, the DHS funding portion is still causing ire among progressives and conservatives alike over its measures on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). One bill would fund the departments of War, Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, and the second is aimed at DHS — including ICE. According to comments from lawmakers made to Fox News Digital, as many as 20 Republicans had threatened to kill the spending package during a key procedural vote later on Wednesday. They demanded the inclusion of a provision to allow the year-round sale of E15 ethanol, a type of gasoline blend. Under the current Clean Air Act, E15’s sales are limited due to failing to overcome Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Johnson, emerging from the Rules Committee early on Thursday, said he had reached an agreement with the would-be rebels. “It’s a very positive development,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “We decided among a good representation of the conference late last night that we would create the E15 Domestic Energy Council. It will be composed not just of members from across the conference with different views but also stakeholders — refiners, people in the industry.” That council, Johnson also explained, would take a closer look at the demands made by Midwest Republicans and weigh them against the environmental protections the country has in place. He said he expected those talks to be a “worthwhile endeavor” but didn’t expand on what kind of resolution he expects to see. A source close to the matter told Fox News Digital that the agreement would mandate the working group meet regularly next month with the goal of recommending legislation by Feb. 25. SENATE ADVANCES $174B PACKAGE AS MINNESOTA ICE SHOOTING FUELS DHS FUNDING FIGHT The bill will next face a procedural vote known as a “rule vote,” when the entire House weighs whether to allow for debate and final consideration of a given measure or set of bills. Rule votes traditionally fall along party lines even if the underlying bills have bipartisan support, meaning Johnson can afford to lose no more than two GOP votes and still advance the legislation. If passed, the two separate spending packages will later be joined together for consideration in the Senate. ICE FUNDING BILL DRAWS FIRE FROM LEFT AND RIGHT AS SHUTDOWN DEADLINE NEARS Questions remain whether House GOP leadership will be able to unite Republicans around other aspects of the legislation, as concerns have emerged among conservatives about new requirements for ICE. Those provisions, demanded by Democrats, include requiring ICE agents to wear body cameras and undergo additional training on how to interact with the public. It also keeps funding levels largely flat over levels from FY2025 and even reduces some of the allocations for ICE’s removal activities. But that’s not enough for a significant number of Democrats. Many made it clear they won’t support the bill, claiming that the legislation doesn’t do enough to rein in ICE’s operations after Renee Nicole Good was killed in a fatal confrontation with ICE agents in Minnesota earlier this month. “All the guardrails in the world don’t make sense if the administration isn’t going to follow the law and the language that we pass. Members have to take that into account,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said. “Ultimately, members are going to vote [for] what’s in the best interest of their districts.” Democrats attempted to shoehorn left-wing priorities into the legislation during the House Rules Committee meeting, including measures targeting President Donald Trump’s agenda on Greenland, Venezuela and ICE. CONGRESS ROLLS OUT $80B SPENDING BILL AS DEMS THREATEN DHS FUNDING AMID SHUTDOWN FEARS Among them are amendments to prevent any of the funding in the bill from being used to invade a NATO-protected country and a measure to prohibit federal funds from being used in military actions against Venezuela after Trump executed a military operation to capture the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Amendments to the DHS bill also sought to reduce the salary of Secretary Kristi Noem to $1 or eliminate the funding of the agency altogether. Those amendments were largely symbolic protests, however, and were not included in the final bill.
SCOOP: White House backs impeaching ‘rogue’ judges accused of partisan rulings
FIRST ON FOX: The White House fully supports efforts on Capitol Hill to impeach federal judges who have gone “totally rogue” with partisan rulings, Fox News Digital learned. A White House official told Fox News Digital that the administration is closely tracking the Senate Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry involving U.S. District Judges James Boasberg, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Deborah Boardman, of the U.S. District Court in Maryland, as Republican lawmakers openly discuss impeaching what they describe as “activist” judges. “Left-wing, activist judges have gone totally rogue,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. “They’re undermining the rule of law in service of their own radical agenda. It needs to stop. And the White House fully embraces impeachment efforts.” The White House official continued that President Donald Trump must be able to “lawfully implement the agenda the American people elected him on,” arguing that judges who repeatedly issue partisan rulings have abused their offices and forfeited their claim to impartiality. TRUMP TEAM MOVES TO BLOCK DOJ TESTIMONY IN BOASBERG CONTEMPT PROBE, RAISING STAKES IN COURT SHOWDOWN Federal judges can be impeached when the House approves articles alleging misconduct or abuse of office, with removal certified after the Senate convicts by a two-thirds vote. Boasberg has become a prime target for Republicans over a string of rulings tied to Trump-era immigration policies — including cases involving the transfer of migrants to El Salvador and other countries rather than holding them in U.S. detention. More recently, he’s drawn fresh GOP backlash after reports surfaced that he approved warrants in former special counsel Jack Smith’s “Arctic Frost” probe that enabled investigators to seize phone records connected to some Republican lawmakers. He first faced articles of impeachment in March 2025 for preventing the administration from deporting some illegal migrants under the Alien Enemies Act, and again in November over the Arctic Frost decision. A White House official told Fox Digital that Boasberg has a history of issuing “plainly illegal” while pointing to the warrants and subpoenas he authorized in the Arctic Frost investigation. FRESH TRUMP-LINKED CASE PUTS BOASBERG BACK IN GOP CROSSHAIRS Boardman faces impeachment calls over her sentencing decision for a man found guilty of charges related to trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The man was sentenced to eight years when the recommended term was 30 years. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is among Republican lawmakers calling for Boasberg and Boardman to be impeached. He argued that they “meet the constitutional standard for impeachment” during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing earlier in January, calling both “rogue judges.” The White House argued that federal judges who develop a record of issuing rogue, plainly unlawful rulings to advance or undermine a political party forfeit their impartiality, abuse their authority and warrant impeachment. Both judges have avoided commenting publicly on impeachment talk, declining a Senate invitation to testify Jan. 7. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also threw his support behind impeaching “rogue” judges Wednesday. “I think some of these judges have gotten so far outside the bounds of where they’re supposed to operate,” Johnson said during a weekly press conference. “It would not be, in my view, a bad thing for Congress to lay down the law.” COURT SAYS BOASBERG DIDN’T KNOW ARCTIC FROST SUBPOENAS HIT LAWMAKERS, GRASSLEY CALLS THAT ‘DEEPLY TROUBLING’ The remarks are a departure from his comments in 2025, when he said impeachment was not a practical tool against judges seen as activists working against the Trump administration. “Look, impeachments are never off the table if it’s merited. But in our system — we’ve had 15 federal judges impeached in the entire history of the country — I mean, there may be some that I feel merit that, but you’ve got to get the votes for it. And it’s a very high burden,” Johnson said in May 2025. “Frankly, the bar is high crimes and misdemeanors. I mean, the last federal judge impeached, I think was caught … taking cash in an envelope. You know, it’s got to be a pretty brazen offense or a real open crime that everybody could agree to.” Democrats have pushed against Republican calls for impeachment, including Senate Judiciary Committee member Sheldon Whitehouse responding to Cruz’s comments on potentially impeaching the judges in a letter to Johnson Wednesday. “The pattern is clear: judges rule against the Administration; the President or his allies attack and spread misinformation; judges and their families receive threats, ‘swatting’ attempts, and threatening stunts like pizzas in the name of a federal judge’s murdered son. DOJ has repeatedly refused to assure us that they are investigating the pattern of threats for possible orchestration. Baseless calls for impeachment in this threat environment only add to the dangers facing these judges and their loved ones,” Whitehouse wrote in his letter to Johnson.
Newsom shows off Trump ‘kneepads,’ concedes White House feud is ‘deeply unbecoming’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ongoing feud with the White House was on full display Thursday in Davos when he cracked a joke about Trump “kneepads,” before acknowledging the increasingly crude exchanges between the two sides are “deeply unbecoming.” The moment began with Newsom brandishing what he described as “Trump signature series kneepads,” prompting laughter from the audience before he shifted to a more serious tone. Speaking at a special World Economic Forum session moderated by Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Semafor, the California governor framed his provocations as a deliberate strategy to “put a mirror up” to President Donald Trump and his allies. “It’s not what we should be doing. But you’ve got to point out the absurdity,” Newsom said. NEWSOM WARNS ‘PATHETIC’ FOREIGN LEADERS TO GROW A BACKBONE IN BIZARRE TAKEDOWN LIKENING TRUMP TO A T.REX He pointed to recent remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling him “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken” as an example of how senior Trump administration officials have increasingly leaned into personal attacks. “We’re deeply in their head. I think the affordability agenda appears to be I’m living rent-free in the Trump administration’s head,” he told Smith. Newsom admitted Trump’s “great strength,” however, is his ability to detect weakness. NEWSOM RETREATS AFTER SHAPIRO PUTS HIM ON THE SPOT OVER CHILLING ICE TERRORISM CLAIM “That’s his gift, but you punch back. You fight fire with fire. You display conviction and strength. It’s a different relationship. And so, my relationship to this moment is reflected in that. I’m not naive. These guys are going to try to take me down, not just my state,” he said. Newsom’s press office said Wednesday on X that the USA House at Davos denied the governor entry to speak with the media after Fortune, the event’s official media partner, invited him, citing pressure from the White House and State Department. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News in response to the claim: “No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California.” The exchange was part of a broader social media back-and-forth between Newsom’s press office and Trump administration allies in recent days, including the official White House “Rapid Response 47” account that mocked the governor while Trump was speaking in Davos.
‘Bond villain’: Newsom roasted as photo of him posing with ‘sugar daddy’ Alex Soros goes viral
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration have been at each other’s throats on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, during which Newsom was mocked for cozying up to “billionaire sugar daddy” Alex Soros after the California governor accused world leaders of kowtowing to President Donald Trump. Newsom attended the conference this week and slammed foreign world leaders for “rolling over” when confronted by President Donald Trump, but Newsom was criticized himself this week for cozying up to Alexander Soros, the son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, while in Davos. “Governor Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris. He’s here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros, and Davos is the perfect place for a man who, when everyone else was on lockdown, when he was having people arrested for going to church, he was having $1,000 a night meals at the French Laundry,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a press conference Wednesday at the USA House in Davos. “And I’m sure the California people won’t forget that.” Bessent’s comments came after Newsom lamented to a reporter earlier in the week that “people are rolling over” to Trump, adding he “should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders” at the conference. BESSENT MOCKS NEWSOM AT DAVOS AS ‘PATRICK BATEMAN MEETS SPARKLE BEACH KEN’ But, a subsequent photo posted online by the younger Soros with Newsom at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum this week, praising the California governor’s rebuke of those bending a knee to the Trump administration in Davos, went viral among critics who, like Bessent, accused Newsom of cozying up to Soros. “Great catching up with the real star of the 2026 World Economic Forum, my friend Gavin Newsom,” the young Soros captioned his photo with the California governor. “So glad he’s here calling out world leaders for believing appeasement works when it comes to Trump. It doesn’t. It only emboldens him to become more chaotic and destructive. World leaders could take a page out of Newsom’s book. It’s time to stand tall, stand firm, and stand united — before it’s too late.” In response, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted an AI-generated version of the same photo Soros posted to his social media, but juxtaposed Newsom into a NASCAR uniform with sponsorship logos reading “Soros” and “CCP” strewn across it. “Fixed it for you,” the Texas senator captioned his photo. NEWSOM RETREATS AFTER SHAPIRO PUTS HIM ON THE SPOT OVER CHILLING ICE TERRORISM CLAIM “Gavin Newscum auditioning to be Alex Soros’ next sugar baby is a waste of time – all the money in the world could not make Newscum’s pitiful presidential dreams come true,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. “Someone confiscate Alex Soros’ Instagram account,” Tim Miller, “Bulwark Podcast” host and MSNBC analyst wrote in response to Newsom and Soros showing off their friendship in Davos. “Tells you all you need to know about Gavin Newsom’s true allegiance” said London Center for Policy Research President and former Army intel official Lt. Col. (retired) Tony Shaffer. “Indeed – Newsom is the Soviet star in the Marxist globalists vision to return the world to Futile Mercantilism.” “Hey, you found a billionaire I want to tax,” quipped California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak, while advisor to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Nathan Brand, noted how Newsom “already looks like a Bond villain, and posing with Soros at the World Economic Forum in Davos doesn’t help.” On Wednesday, Newsom accused the Trump administration of blocking him from speaking at the USA House in Davos. When reached for comment, the White House neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. “No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly added when asked about the claims from Newsom. Soros, who has donated roughly $70,000 to Newsom’s political ambitions, has a history of posting and praising Newsom on social media. “Great to see the inspiring Gavin Newsom, a force who’s unafraid to push back against this Administration’s threats to our democracy and constitutional rights,” Soros wrote in September on social media along with a photo of himself and Newsom at an event for the Clinton Global Initiative. The pair also met there and took a photo together in 2023. GAVIN NEWSOM WALKS BACK CLAIM MINNESOTA ICE OPERATIONS WERE ‘STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM’ “Great to see CA Governor Gavin Newsom in New York for the #ClimateSummit,” Soros says in another post from 2019 including a photo with Newsom. “He is doing a phenomenal job reducing carbon emissions in California!” Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office, but did not receive a response.
Trump and world leaders sign Gaza Board of Peace charter
President Donald Trump unveiled his Board of Peace on Thursday, with world leaders signing on to pursue a lasting agreement for Gaza. Trump inaugurated the board during a speech and signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump said in a statement. “This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he added. “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.” BERNIE SANDERS IMPLIES CBS IS PART OF ‘OLIGARCHY’ CONTROLLING US WHILE ON NETWORK’S ‘LATE SHOW’ Trump noted that most of the 59 leaders signed onto the deal are “very popular,” but others were “not so popular.” “That’s the way it goes,” he said. CANCER-STRICKEN CHILDREN URGE BERNIE SANDERS TO BACK LIFE-SAVING PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE BILL Notably absent from the board was Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has said Moscow is discussing membership with Russia’s “strategic partners.” The U.K. also has yet to join the board because the legal treaty “brings up much broader issues,” the country’s foreign secretary said. “And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,” U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC. IRAN LOCKS NATION INTO ‘DARKER’ DIGITAL BLACKOUT, VIEWING INTERNET AS AN ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT’ Norway and Sweden have indicated that they also won’t participate after France also declined membership. French officials stressed that while they support the Gaza peace plan, they were concerned the board could seek to replace the U.N. as the main venue for resolving conflicts. Trump himself has spoken about the board potentially making the U.N. obsolete. The president was more conciliatory during his remarks in Davos, however, assuring attendees that “We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.” Canada and China also have not signed on to the board. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Judge rules NYC’s lone Republican congressional district unconstitutional, orders redraw
A judge ruled Wednesday that the configuration of New York City’s lone congressional district represented by a Republican is unconstitutional, ordering the state to redraw the district by next month. State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman ruled that the composition of New York’s 11th Congressional District — which covers all of Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn — unconstitutionally diluted the votes of Black and Hispanic residents. He ordered the Independent Redistricting Commission to complete a new map by Feb. 6. The district is held by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., who won her seat in 2020. She slammed the ruling in a statement Wednesday, calling it “a frivolous attempt by Washington Democrats to steal this congressional seat from the people and we are very confident that we will prevail at the end of the day.” The district has trended Republican in recent elections, voting for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024 and backing GOP Senate candidates in 2022 and 2024 after previously supporting Democratic incumbents. FEDERAL COURT CLEARS CALIFORNIA’S NEW HOUSE MAP BOOSTING DEMOCRATS AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS The lawsuit, filed by Democratic attorney Marc Elias’ law firm, argued that the existing district dilutes the voting power of Staten Island’s growing Black and Latino populations, violating minority protections under the New York Voting Rights Act. “We are pleased that the court correctly recognized that the current district lines have systematically diluted the votes of Black and Latino Staten Islanders, despite decades of demographic growth in those communities,” Elias Law Group Partner Aria Branch said. Branch added that the ruling reaffirms that New York’s Constitution “provides robust protections against racial vote dilution, and we are proud to have stood with our clients to vindicate those rights.” VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MOVE TO SEIZE REDISTRICTING POWER, OPENING DOOR TO 4 NEW LEFT-LEANING SEATS The judge said in the ruling that there was strong evidence of a “racially polarized voting bloc,” as well as “a history of discrimination that impacts current day political participation and representation,” and “that racial appeals are still made in political campaigns today.” Republicans are expected to appeal the ruling, escalating the national battle over congressional maps as both parties move to reshape districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Ed Cox, chairman of the New York State Republican Committee, criticized the ruling as partisan, arguing that Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Democrats had a chance to alter the district in 2024. “This entire exercise is a cynical attempt to enact an illegal partisan gerrymander under the guise of a voting rights case,” Cox said in a statement. “It is shocking that the Governor and Attorney General did not defend the law that the legislature passed and the Governor signed in 2024 – they are clearly colluding with the plaintiffs in this case.” REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS New York was forced to redraw its congressional districts after the 2020 census, sparking a legal battle over maps used in the 2022 midterms. Democrats’ initial map was struck down as unconstitutional gerrymandering, leading a court to order an independent redraw that dramatically reshaped districts. While those maps were used in 2022, they were later thrown out and redrawn again ahead of the 2024 election. Hochul welcomed the ruling, saying the state Constitution guarantees fair representation. “The court’s decision underscores the importance of these constitutional principles and directs the congressional map be redrawn by the New York Independent Redistricting Commission so impacted communities are fully represented and have a voice in our democracy,” she said in a statement. Staten Island Republican Party Chairman Michael Tannousis reacted to the ruling, calling the decision “a complete sham.” “They are trying to fracture our community because they don’t like how we vote,” he said in a statement. “It’s rigged. It’s transparently partisan, and it’s wrong.” Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rahm Emanuel calls for mandatory retirement age of 75 for people in public office
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a potential White House hopeful for 2028, said on Wednesday that he wants a mandatory retirement age of 75 for the president and people holding office in other branches of government. “You’re 75 years old: done,” Emanuel, a Democrat, said at a Center for American Progress event. “And that would be in the legislative branch, it’d be in the executive branch — including the Cabinet — and it’d also be in the Supreme Court, and all the federal courts.” Emanuel, 66, acknowledged that he would be affected by this proposal if he happens to be elected president in 2028 and seeks re-election, as he would be 73 at the start of a potential second term. WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028 “I know where I am in my age. Of course it would apply to me,” Emanuel told Politico. “You can’t say ‘here’s what I want to do to change Washington, one of the things I want to do’ — but I get an exemption because I bought it beforehand.” The proposal would make President Donald Trump, 79, ineligible to continue serving and would have prevented former President Joe Biden, now 83, from serving his term in the White House. In Congress, 17 senators and 45 House members are currently 75 or older and would be impacted by the standard. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas, 77, and Samuel Alito, 75, would also be barred from continuing to serve on the bench, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor, 71, and John Roberts, 70, are nearing Emanuel’s mandatory retirement age. “You can’t serve in the armed forces, you can’t serve in private sector jobs,” Emanuel told reporters on Wednesday. “Go work on your golf swing, it’s not that good to begin with.” Emanuel, who served as ambassador to Japan under Biden and chief of staff under former President Barack Obama, is reigniting a topic that was hot during the last presidential election. Biden, then 81, and Trump, then 78, were both campaigning for a second term ahead of the 2024 election while facing questions surrounding repeated gaffes. Biden ultimately dropped out of the race amid pressure to end his campaign over his mental and physical fitness. Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, who ran in the GOP primary in the last presidential election, proposed mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over the age of 75 during her campaign. AS CONGRESS GROWS OLDER, DEBATE HEATS UP OVER WHEN TO STEP ASIDE Emanuel, also a former House member, said he would push for legislation to set the limit instead of attempting a constitutional amendment. It is unclear whether that proposed legislation would be constitutional, and could be difficult to receive support in a Congress where the median age for senators is 64. He said the age limit would be part of a broader demand for “comprehensive ethics, lobbying [and] anti-corruption reform” across the federal government that he said would include a crackdown on lawmakers and judges accepting and stock trading. He wants the Democratic Party to push that proposal as part of a midterms message that also includes raising the minimum wage. “You have a president of the United States, in my view, that has expanded, deepened the swamp. Our job is to drain the swamp as Democrats,” Emanuel said. “There’s not a day that goes by that you don’t read a story about either his family, [Commerce Secretary Howard] Lutnick’s family or [Special Envoy Steve] Witkoff’s family making money.”
Top NATO official reveals details of stunning meeting with Trump that produced Greenland deal ‘framework’
After President Donald Trump announced a new Greenland “framework” had been agreed upon with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the NATO chief told Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” the U.S. forcibly taking control of Greenland from Denmark was not discussed during meetings between him and Trump in Switzerland during the World Economic Forum. “That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations with Mr. President. He’s very much focused on what we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region, where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and Russians are more and more active, how we can protect that,” Rutte said when pressed on the details of the reported “framework” that has been agreed upon. Trump said the agreement resulted in his decision not to impose tariffs scheduled to go into effect Feb. 1. “That was really the focus of our discussions,” Rutte insisted. TRUMP’S ‘SMALL ASK’ FOR GREENLAND WOULD BE THE REAL ESTATE DEAL OF A LIFETIME Trump announced the new “framework” for Greenland in a post on his social media site Truth Social Wednesday afternoon while at the World Economic Forum this week. “Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” the president wrote. “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland. Further information will be made available as discussions progress.” Trump noted that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will lead “the negotiations” and report directly to him. TRUMP TELLS DAVOS US ALONE CAN SECURE GREENLAND, INSISTS HE WON’T ‘USE FORCE’ “We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that,” Trump said earlier in the morning at the World Economic Forum. “Now everyone’s saying, ‘Oh, good.’ That’s probably the biggest statement I made because people thought I would use force. I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.” During the exclusive interview with Fox News, Rutte called Trump “totally right” about needing to shore up security in the Arctic region, noting that the chance of Russia or China becoming a threat in that region is increasing every day. The NATO Secretary General also praised Trump’s leadership in getting other NATO countries to pay more money for the alliance’s defenses. “I would argue tonight with you on this program he was the one who brought a whole of Europe and Canada up to this famous 5%,” Rutte insisted, “which is crucial for us to equalize our spending, but also protect ourselves. And this is the framework which you see in his post that we will work on.” Rutte also noted that increased volatility between NATO-aligned countries, Russia and China underscored the need to shore up security in the Arctic region. The NATO chief was asked whether he thought other countries were dealing with the Russians and the Chinese differently than they have in the past. “It’s not up to me to comment on what individual allies are doing in terms of their relationship with China,” Rutte responded. “I think collectively, as NATO, we have a position. The position is that we should not be naive. I can tell you’ll regret these huge investments the Chinese are making in the military. They are not there to organize parades in Beijing, and the military in Russia are not there to organize parades in Moscow. They are there to be used.”
Appeals court hands Trump administration ‘victory’ in Minnesota ICE force restrictions case
A federal appeals court on Wednesday temporarily lifted restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ use of force against protesters in Minnesota, handing a short-term win to President Donald Trump’s administration as it challenges a lower-court ruling. The 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued an unsigned order placing an administrative stay on limits imposed by a district judge after protesters filed suit. The move pauses those restrictions while the appeals court considers the government’s request to block the injunction during the appeal. The ruling comes as federal immigration enforcement tactics face growing legal scrutiny nationwide. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the court’s decision, calling it a “victory.” FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO WALZ, FREY OVER ALLEGED IMPEDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT “A liberal judge in Minnesota tried to handcuff ICE agents who are enforcing the Nation’s immigration laws and responding to obstructive and violent interference from agitators,” Bondi said on X. “The 8th Circuit just granted an administrative stay HALTING these restrictions, which were designed to undermine federal law enforcement. “This DOJ will protect federal law enforcement agents from criminals in the streets AND activist judges in the courtroom.” The Associated Press reported that ICE is operating under an internal memo asserting broader authority to use force during arrests, including entering homes with administrative warrants rather than warrants signed by a judge. DOJ LAUNCHES CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION AFTER MINNESOTA AGITATORS STORM CHURCH In a Jan. 16 ruling, U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued the preliminary injunction at the center of the appeal, siding with protesters and legal observers who sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE over their treatment during immigration enforcement operations. ACTING ICE DIRECTOR DEFENDS AGENCY’S FOCUS ON TARGETING CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, DETAILS THREAT TO AGENTS Menendez found the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on claims that federal agents violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights during protests and observation of ICE activity tied to Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities. The judge cited a pattern of confrontations in which ICE agents allegedly used pepper spray, pointed weapons, made arrests and conducted traffic stops against individuals who were peacefully observing or protesting immigration enforcement. Menendez’s ruling temporarily barred agents from using force or making arrests against peaceful protesters and observers absent probable cause, prompting the Trump administration to seek emergency relief from the 8th Circuit. The decision on Wednesday put a pause on those restrictions as the appeal moves forward. The Associated Press contributed to this report.