Dem governor doubles down on transgender protections after Trump State of the Union
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed to veto any legislation targeting the LGBTQ community just one night after President Donald Trump talked about banning minors’ gender transition surgeries without parental consent. “I want you to know that you are welcome in Michigan,” Whitmer said in her State of the State Address on Wednesday night. “You belong, you matter, and no matter who comes after you, I’ll stand in the way.” The Democrat leader added: “In Michigan, we look out for each other. That’s why I’ll always fight for your freedom and safety. And I’ll veto any legislation that diminishes your humanity. I got your back.” NEWSOM STOP IN KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE SPARKS MORE 2028 SPECULATION Trump vowed to ban sex changes for minors without parental consent in his State of the Union, while Whitmer’s remarks spoke right past parents’ rights – flash points in both the 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential election cycle – with a presumptive vow to veto any sex change bans. “Surely we can all agree, no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will,” Trump said in his State of the Union on Tuesday night. “Who would believe that we’re even talking about it? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.” Trump’s effort to ban gender transitions for minors without parental consent puts the political onus on the parents’ rights to decide their children’s fate. Any Whitmer vow to veto legislation of such a ban would pit the state’s rights against the parent. MICHIGAN PARENT WANTS TRUMP TO ACT AFTER DAUGHTER SHARES LOCKER ROOM WITH TRANS-ATHLETE Whitmer is term-limited, opening up the key battleground state of Michigan as the top of the 2026 midterm election cycle, potentially setting her up to get an early start on a 2028 Democratic presidential primary campaign. “Gretchen Whitmer’s vow to veto protections for children facing irreversible sex-change procedures is beyond extreme — it’s outright deranged,” Republican National Committee national press secretary Kiersten Pels told Fox News in a statement. “While President Trump and Republicans are fighting to protect minors, including the young girl he recognized at the State of the Union who was saved from mutilation surgery, Whitmer is siding with radical activists pushing permanent medical procedures on children. Democrats would rather defend the sterilization and castration of minors than stand with parents and basic common sense, and Republicans will continue fighting to stop this dangerous agenda.” NEWSOM PUSHES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO BE ‘MORE CULTURALLY NORMAL’ IF THEY WANT TO WIN Fox News reached out to Whitmer’s office for a response, but they did not immediately answer. With Whitmer termed out, the 2026 Michigan gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a defining test for both parties. Democrats face the challenge of defending one of five governorships in states carried by Trump in 2024. The primary battle lines are already drawn, with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson currently leading the Democrat charge and Rep. John James, R-Mich., fronting the Republican ticket. While the last two cycles saw decisive Democrat victories, the 2026 gubernatorial contest introduces a new variable: former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. Running as an independent, his presence on the ballot could fracture traditional voting blocs and turn a once-predictable race into a three-way toss-up.
GOP pushes to hold sanctuary jurisdictions’ ‘feet to the fire’ in state where Laken Riley was killed
Georgia Republicans are introducing a bill to hold sanctuary jurisdictions financially accountable for damage and crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Nearly two years since nursing student Laken Riley was killed by an illegal immigrant at the University of Georgia, Republican state Rep. Houston Gaines said the bill would help hold local governments’ “feet to the fire” when they refuse to enforce the law. “You’ve seen these issues all across the country, in Minneapolis, certainly in Los Angeles … where you have really liberal local governments that just simply aren’t enforcing the law, and so we’re going to put an end to it here in Georgia,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Gaines, who is running for Congress represents the district where Riley was killed, is one of six Republicans co-sponsoring the bill. The state already bans sanctuary policies at the local level. If passed, the measure would allow citizens to help crack down on jurisdictions attempting to subvert Georgia’s ban by enabling property and business owners to seek financial compensation from local governments for damages caused by sanctuary-style immigration policies. GEORGIA REPUBLICANS HAMMER OSSOFF OVER SILENCE AFTER ICE DETAINER IN ALLEGED CHILD RAPE CASE Under the bill, property owners and leaseholders can claim compensation from jurisdictions that adopt a “policy, pattern, or practice” of failing to comply with state immigration enforcement laws, declining to enforce laws against activities such as illegal public camping or shoplifting, or allowing a public nuisance that harms the property. Gaines said that while Georgia does not come immediately to mind when thinking of sanctuary jurisdictions, cities such as Atlanta and Athens, where Riley was killed, have previously been lax in enforcement. “Georgia is a red state, but we do have blue jurisdictions,” he explained. “I get calls all the time in Athens of a business or a family who’s woken up to someone in their front yard or at a business where they’ve had someone break in overnight. There’s all sorts of issues where these liberal local governments frankly just aren’t doing their job and not enforcing the law.” “What we’re doing here is making sure that people across the state know that if your local government is not doing their job, it’s time for the state to step up and make sure they do it, and the way to do that is hit them in the pocketbook.” TRUMP MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CONTEST TO FILL HOUSE SEAT VACATED BY EX-ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE Georgia is not the first state to make such a move. In 2024, Arizona voters approved a proposition to let property owners apply for property tax refunds if their local city, town, or county fails to enforce certain public nuisance laws and the owner incurs documented expenses as a result. The Georgia bill, however, would allow citizens to file directly for reimbursement through lawsuits. Gaines said the intent of the bill is to serve as a deterrent for liberal jurisdictions considering not enforcing the law. “Our whole goal here is not for all these refunds to occur, it’s just for local governments to enforce the existing law on the books,” he said. “If a local jurisdiction is getting complaints, they simply clean it up and fix what they’re doing wrong so that you don’t see repeated complaints.” GRIEVING ILLINOIS FATHER CONDEMNS SANCTUARY ‘CHAOS,’ PLEADS FOR ‘COMMON SENSE’ AFTER DAUGHTER’S DEATH Gaines said that he believes his bill could serve as a model for other states. “I would encourage other states to do this because it is something that I believe will work and will hold local governments accountable if they’re failing to enforce their own laws and putting their own citizens in dangerous situations … that’s what we’re trying to avoid with this legislation.” Gaines is running to replace Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who is running for U.S. Senate.
FBI subpoena of phone records leaves Trump chief of staff ‘in shock’: report
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was reportedly in shock after hearing that the FBI under former President Joe Biden subpoenaed her and current FBI Director Kash Patel’s phone records in 2022 and 2023. Wiles — who ran President Donald Trump‘s 2024 campaign — reportedly told associates, “I am in shock,” Axios reported on Thursday. Reuters first disclosed the subpoenas, which were issued during the Biden administration, while special counsel Jack Smith was investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The subpoenaed toll records included phone numbers and the dates and times of calls, but not the content of the conversations, Fox News has learned. BIDEN’S FBI SUBPOENAED KASH PATEL’S AND SUSIE WILES’ PHONE RECORDS DURING FEDERAL TRUMP INVESTIGATION Smith eventually charged Trump in 2023 with multiple felony offenses related to alleged efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election and his handling of documents. The election interference case was later dismissed by a federal judge after Smith moved to drop it following Trump’s re-election. Smith also dropped the Justice Department’s appeal of a separate ruling that dismissed the classified documents case. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both matters. In 2023, the FBI recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney, two FBI officials told Fox News. Additionally, the officials said Wiles’ attorney was aware that the call was being recorded and consented, but the now-White House chief of staff did not. “It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,” Patel told Fox News on Wednesday. GOP LAWMAKER ACCUSES JACK SMITH OF ‘SPYING’ ON CONGRESS AT TENSE HOUSE HEARING OVER TRUMP PROBE Patel has said he recently ended the FBI’s ability to categorize files as “Prohibited.” At least 10 FBI employees were also fired Wednesday, Fox News was told. Names were not given due to privacy reasons. Eric Daugherty, assistant chief content officer for RightLine, an offshoot of Florida’s Voice, applauded the firings, telling Patel to “keep purging.” Additionally, conservative influencer Nick Sortor wrote on X, “The amount of ROT in the FBI is INSANE.” The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) later issued a scathing statement criticizing the firings. “The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI Special Agents, which — like other firings by Director Patel — violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country,” the organization said in a statement. “These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce, undermining trust in leadership and jeopardizing the Bureau’s ability to meet its recruitment goals — ultimately putting the nation at greater risk.”
Melania Trump to take the gavel at UN Security Council in historic first
FIRST ON FOX: Melania Trump is set to make history as the first first lady to preside over the United Nations Security Council, with a speech focused on peace through education, Fox News Digital has learned. The United States assumes the United Nations Security Council presidency Monday. GOOGLE CEO, MAJOR TECH LEADERS JOIN FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE AI MEETING The first lady’s speech will mark the first time a first lady from any country — and the first time a sitting U.S. first lady — will preside over the security council as its members consider education, technology, peace and security. The first lady is expected to stress the importance of education and knowledge in creating ongoing and everlasting peace, a source close to the first lady told Fox News Digital. “The first lady is reinventing her role and this marks just another groundbreaking achievement for her,” the source told Fox News Digital. “It is the first time in history a first lady will address the security council, keeping to her mission of empowering the next generation with education and technology.” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz told Fox News Digital that it is “fitting that the first lady, a passionate and tireless advocate for children, will preside over the first day of America’s presidency of the Security Council.” “Her message of helping the helpless through education and technology fits exactly with our mission at the U.N., to achieve meaningful and lasting peace,” Waltz told Fox News Digital. “As a green beret and now diplomat, I have seen firsthand that peace prevails where children are taught and not terrorized.” MELANIA TRUMP LAUNCHES PRESIDENTIAL AI CHALLENGE FOR STUDENTS The U.N. Security Council’s presidency rotates among its members on a monthly basis. The U.N. Security Council consists of 15 member states, with five permanent members: the United States, China, France, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom, and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms, including Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia. The speech comes as the first lady continues her push as a champion of online protection of children and youth through her “Be Best” initiative launched during the first Trump administration. In 2025, the first lady garnered support on Capitol Hill for the passage of the Take it Down Act, which was signed into law by the president in May 2025. The law punishes internet abuse involving nonconsensual, explicit imagery. The first lady also launched a nationwide Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge, which invited every student and educator across the nation to “unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation” by visiting AI.gov to sign up. The first lady also recently launched an audiobook of her memoir, using AI audio technology in multiple languages. “Today, the world is poised to have greater access to humanity’s knowledge base because of artificial intelligence,” a source close to the first lady told Fox News Digital.
DHS shutdown triggers TSA ‘emergency measures’ as lawmaker warns airports could feel economic pain
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is taking emergency measures amid a partial DHS shutdown that dragged on for another week, as a top lawmaker who oversees transportation warned of potential economic fallout at airports. While Democrats have held up funding for DHS, their intended target — ICE — remains resourced due to a $75 billion infusion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year. Over the weekend, several reports claimed DHS was prepared to pause TSA PreCheck — the program that allows qualified frequent fliers a speedier pass through security. But a TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that PreCheck remains “operational with no change for the traveling public.” HERE’S HOW THE DHS SHUTDOWN COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF EVERYDAY AMERICANS “As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,” the spokesperson said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also told CNN on Wednesday that one contingency could arise in which unpaid TSA officers may need to find alternative employment to provide for their families. At that point, “we’ll have to prioritize where the most travelers go through their security checkpoints,” she said. So far, there have been no noticeable flight delays due to the TSA shutdown. As of now, the main TSA program suspended is that of “courtesy escorts” for dignitaries, including members of Congress. Escorts have been paused to “allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies,” a TSA spokesperson said. WHY KEEPING LAWMAKERS IN DC DURING SHUTDOWN MAY HAVE CAUSED MORE HARM THAN GOOD “Until funding is restored, all travelers should expect a process that does not sacrifice security,” the agency said in a statement. However, the top lawmaker on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation told Fox News Digital that the program does not appear to be universally in place, noting he either goes through TSA security like other travelers or occasionally gets assistance from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office when flying to Washington. “I personally haven’t seen too much of a slowdown because they are essential personnel and they’re gonna be working,” Chairman Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday. “The problem is, those folks — they need their paychecks. And so, we’re making them work without a paycheck and that’s just not right,” he said, adding that he plans to ask DHS about long-term contingencies if the shutdown drags on. “If somehow this is going to be affecting service in any way, I would expect more people not to be showing up to work, but again, I haven’t had direct reports from TSA telling me that travel has been disrupted.” Gimenez said that for a district like his — South Dade and the Florida Keys — air travel is inextricably tied to its economy. It is served by two airports: the major international hub of MIA and the much smaller, tourism-powered EYW. NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ “Obviously, in Miami, a lot of people know who I am, and a lot of those agents know who I am, and they’ve acted very professionally,” he said when asked if he has heard directly from constituents or agents about the shutdown. A source familiar with the situation also said Miami International Airport is the city’s top employer and the region’s leading economic generator. Gimenez agreed, adding that when MIA faces any adversities, it ripples into the surrounding area. “The longer this goes on, I would think you’re going to see some travel disruptions due to TSA, due to, you know, those folks that aren’t getting paid – and [then onto] hotels, and it’ll affect everything. It affects everything.” Fox News Digital reached out to ranking member LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., for her take on the situation. McIver’s district notably encompasses another major international hub: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). In a statement to Fox News Digital, Noem said the current situation is the third time Democrats have forced a shutdown of her agency during the 119th Congress. “Shutdowns have real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but they endanger our national security,” she said. “The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians. TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.” Noem further warned that FEMA — another affected agency — must brace for yet another nor’easter and will halt all non-disaster-related response efforts while its resources are tied up. Global Entry, a Customs and Border Protection-facilitated program at airports receiving international flights, will be halted. The program, seen as the traveler’s version of TSA PreCheck for international arrivals, will have officers reassigned to assist other arriving passengers. “CBP will also be suspending requests for port courtesies for members of Congress at all ports of entry to include escorts and tours in order for personnel to be reassigned to essential border security operations,” the agency said.
Thune calls out ‘two Americas’ as Democrats refuse to stand for war heroes, law enforcement at SOTU
The top Senate Republican said the congressional Democrats’ actions during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union showed a jarring disconnect from reality. As Trump moved through his record-breaking speech, pointing out Olympians, war heroes and others, congressional Democrats largely sat still, refusing to stand. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., contended it was the manifestation of the political divide in Congress. “I was, like, watching two Americas,” Thune said. HOUSE GOP MOVES TO CENSURE DEM WHO DISRUPTED TRUMP ADDRESS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR Trump challenged congressional Democrats to get out of their seats during the speech, catching them flat-footed in a request that came roughly through the midway mark of his address. “I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle,” Trump said. “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” At that moment, like several others throughout the night, Democrats didn’t budge. DEMOCRATS’ BIG MISFIRE AT STATE OF THE UNION HAS GOP STRATEGISTS SALIVATING: ‘HUGE MOMENT’ “And clearly, I think you saw in the chamber us as Republicans expressing support,” Thune said. “That contrast, when he asked the question and asked people to stand up and every Democrat was seated, I don’t know how you explain that. We are living, literally, in two Americas.” Several congressional Democrats opted to skip the speech altogether, either attending counter-programming events in Washington, D.C., or watching from afar. Some who did attend opted to act disruptively during the State of the Union, like Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was escorted out of the chamber for the second year in a row — this time for flashing a sign that read “Black people aren’t apes” — or Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who shouted insults and rebuttals to Trump as he continued through the night. REBEL GOP SENATE CANDIDATE ENTERS LION’S DEN FOR TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., showed up and blasted Trump’s address the next morning. “Last night was not America’s State of the Union,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “It was Donald Trump’s state of delusion. For two long hours, the president stood in the House chamber congratulating himself, inflating his own ego, but offering no solutions to our country’s many problems. He’s in a bubble.” Thune contended that Democrats’ actions were indicative of their policy positions and charged that what Americans saw was “a party that is for open borders, a party that’s for sanctuary cities, a party that is basically the pro-defund law enforcement.” “The way the Democrats were reacting to what the president had to say — whoever the president is, Democrat or Republican — you ought to have people who want to do what’s in the best interest of the American people,” Thune said. “And I hope there are still some Democrats around who want to do that.”
Rubio calls Cuban shootout with stolen speedboat ‘highly unusual,’ withholds judgment
Secretary of State Marco Rubio held back his judgment when addressing the shootout between Cuba’s coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat. The secretary called the situation “highly unusual” and emphasized the need for the U.S. to evaluate the facts of the incident before giving its response. While speaking with reporters in Saint Kitt on Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. was “going to have our own information” on the incident, and it would be evaluated to determine what occurred. He also said, “There are a number of things that could have happened,” but refused to speculate on various scenarios. “Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in the open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time. But we’re going to find out,” Rubio said. “We’re not going to base our conclusions on what they’ve told us. And I’m very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here, and we will know it soon. And then, you know, we’ll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us.” CUBAN COAST GUARD KILLS 4 IN EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE WITH STOLEN SPEEDBOAT AS MINISTRY IDS ‘CRIMINAL’ SUSPECTS One reporter asked about the possible consequences for Cuba if those on the boat were Americans, but Rubio would not give an answer, saying there was more analysis of the facts that had to be done. Vice President JD Vance confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that Rubio had briefed him on the situation. Similarly to Rubio, Vance said several details remained unknown and the U.S was closely monitoring the situation. “Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be, but I can’t say more because I just don’t know more,” Vance said. On Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said the country’s coast guard shot four dead and left six others wounded in a shootout with a U.S.-registered speedboat. The ministry also said the speedboat was carrying 10 “armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements from the detainees, intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes.” AS TRUMP URGES DEAL, CUBAN PRESIDENT WARNS THAT THE COUNTRY WILL DEFEND ITSELF ‘TO THE LAST DROP OF BLOOD’ The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. said in a statement that the speedboat crew fired on the Cuban personnel who boarded the vessel. It added that the commander of the Cuban watercraft was injured in the shootout. “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the embassy’s statement on X read. The embassy added that “investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.” Cuba’s Interior Ministry said personnel found “assault rifles, handguns, handcrafted explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic lookers and camouflage uniforms” aboard the vessel. Seven of the men involved have been identified, the ministry said, including: Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Additionally, among the deceased was Michel Ortega Casanova. The ministry said it is working to confirm the identities of three others. It also claimed that those aboard the speedboat were Cubans living in the U.S. and that many had “a known history of criminal and violent activity.” According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel, registered in Florida with number FL7726SH, is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat. A source told Fox News that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement contacted the Miami-based owner, who confirmed the vessel had been docked at a marina in the Florida Keys. After being notified by authorities, the owner — who is not considered a suspect — reported the boat stolen. Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Trump envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva for closely watched Iran negotiations
Oman’s foreign minister met Thursday in Geneva with President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as efforts intensify to reach a new agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. The minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, said the talks focused on Tehran’s proposals and perspectives, as well as questions and responses from the U.S. negotiating team regarding key aspects of Iran’s nuclear program and the guarantees required for a potential agreement. “His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs clarified that the efforts are continuing intensively and in a constructive spirit, under the negotiators’ unprecedented openness to new and creative ideas and solutions, while preparing the supportive conditions for progress and reaching a fair agreement with sustainable guarantees,” the ministry said in a post on X. The closely watched meeting comes amid heightened regional tensions and a visible U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, including the repositioning of naval assets and additional air defense capabilities. TRUMP SAYS IRAN HAS 15 DAYS TO REACH A DEAL OR FACE ‘UNFORTUNATE’ OUTCOME The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and multiple guided-missile destroyers are operating in the Arabian Sea, as well as additional destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Several combat ships are also positioned in the Persian Gulf near Iran’s southern coastline. IRAN ANNOUNCES TEST OF NEW NAVAL AIR DEFENSE MISSILE IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS US MILITARY BUILDUP CONTINUES U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that while Trump prefers a diplomatic solution, Washington views Iran as a “grave threat” and remains deeply concerned about both its nuclear ambitions and expanding missile arsenal. He said the talks in Geneva would be “largely focused on the nuclear program” but warned that Tehran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missiles poses a major obstacle. POTENTIAL US MILITARY STRIKES ON IRAN COULD TARGET SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, PURSUE REGIME CHANGE: REPORT “Iran possesses a very large number of ballistic missiles, particularly short-range ballistic missiles that threaten the United States and our bases in the region and our partners in the region, and all of our bases in the UAE, in Qatar, in Bahrain,” he explained. “I want everybody to understand that, and beyond just the nuclear program, they possess these conventional weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans, if they so choose to do so. These things have to be addressed.”
Trump administration blocks Venezuela from paying Maduro’s legal bills amid federal charges
The Trump administration has moved to block the Venezuelan government from covering the legal expenses of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as he fights federal drug trafficking and weapons charges in New York, according to a court filing from his attorney. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York on Jan. 5 to drug trafficking and weapons charges, days after American forces captured them at the presidential palace in Venezuela. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case in the Southern District of New York, Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, said the U.S. was preventing the Venezuelan government from covering his client’s legal fees. “The government of Venezuela has an obligation to pay Mr. Maduro’s fees. Mr. Maduro has a legitimate expectation that the government of Venezuela would do so, and Mr. Maduro cannot otherwise afford counsel,” Pollack wrote. BONDI SAYS TRUMP ‘SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES’ IN VENEZUELAN DICTATOR MADURO CAPTURE OPERATION In the letter, dated Feb. 20, Pollack argued that under “Venezuelan law and custom, the government of Venezuela pays the expenses of the President and First Lady.” Pollack said that Maduro and the Venezuelan government were subjected to sanctions by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and his legal counsel would need to be granted a license to represent him and be paid. While Pollack said OFAC granted licenses for both Maduro and Flores on Jan. 9, Maduro’s license was amended “without explanation” to not allow the Venezuelan government to pay for his defense costs. MADURO ALLY ALEX SAAB ARRESTED IN JOINT US-VENEZUELAN OPERATION, OFFICIAL SAYS Flores’ license was not impacted, according to Pollack. Pollack said that OFAC is “interfering with Mr. Maduro’s ability to retain counsel” and violating his Sixth Amendment right to counsel of his choice. Maduro’s attorney said OFAC has not responded to his request to reinstate the original license and threatened to take legal action if it continued to do so. RUBIO DEFENDS US ASSAULT ON VENEZUELA, CALLS OUT REPORTER FOR TRYING TO START A FIGHT “If OFAC fails to act on the request to reinstate the original license, or denies that request, Mr. Maduro will file a formal motion in the coming days seeking relief from the Court,” he wrote. The U.S. military conducted an operation to capture Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3. He was flown to New York, where he is being held in a federal jail. Maduro was charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Flores faces three charges: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Treasury Department for comment.
Some of the most notable guests at Trump’s 2026 State of the Union: photos
Prominent figures from across the media, business and political landscapes showed up as guests to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. Notable attendees included Erika Kirk, the widowed wife of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, David Ellison, the media mogul and CEO of Paramount, and Kevin O’Leary, the Shark Tank media personality and businessman. Several of the more notable attendees were highlighted by Trump during his address. Kirk received a mention from the president as he condemned political violence of all kinds in his address. 5 TIMES DEMOCRATS DISRUPTED TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS “We must all come together to reaffirm that America is one nation under God, and we must totally reject political violence of any kind,” Trump said. Charlie Kirk, who was just 31-years-old at the time of his death, was killed by a gunman on Sept. 10, 2025, while conducting a political debate event at Utah Valley University. The U.S. men’s hockey team also made an appearance on Tuesday, receiving praise from Trump fresh off their gold medal victory in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. TRUMP SHAMES DEMOCRATS IN VIRAL STATE OF THE UNION CHALLENGE ON MIGRANT CRIME: ‘FIRST DUTY’ “Congratulations to team U.S.A.,” Trump said as the players streamed into the chamber during the address. Trump also highlighted guests brought by others, like First Lady Melania Trump. She invited 10-year-old Everest Nevraumont, a youth advocate for education through artificial intelligence. “I challenge keeping America’s next generation positioned to succeed and strongly succeed in the future,” Trump said. Trump also used guests like Enrique Márquez, a former political prisoner of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, to remind audiences of his international achievements under his second administration. In early 2026, the U.S. stormed Venezuela’s capitol city and captured Maduro, giving Trump newfound leverage in negotiations over the country’s future. “We’re working closely with the new president of Venezuela to unleash extraordinary economic gains for both of our countries,” Trump said. The White House reunited Márquez with his family at the State of the Union. Trump also awarded the Purple Heart to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and deceased Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, two National Guard members who were critically injured and fatally shot by a gunman who ambushed them while on duty last year in Washington, D.C. RO KHANNA’S STATE OF THE UNION GUEST RECRUITED OVER 20 UNDERAGE GIRLS FOR EPSTEIN: ‘LIKE HEIDI FLEISS’ “I’m going to ask a highly respected General James Seward to present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and the great family of Sarah Beckstrom, with the award created by our late, great president, George Washington himself,” Trump, who invited her parents as his State of the Union guests, said. “It’s called the Purple Heart. We love you all.” As Trump spoke, Major General James “Jim” D. Seward, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, presented Specialist Beckstrom’s medal to her parents and pinned the Purple Heart on Staff Sergeant Wolfe in the viewing gallery above. Guests like O’Leary and Ellison did not receive a shoutout from the president, but mingled with multiple lawmakers. O’Leary, primarily known for his television presence on ABC’s Shark Tank, owns companies like O’Leary Ventures and O’Leary Fine Wines. In recent years, O’Leary has surfaced as a political commentator, giving his thoughts on the effectiveness of political party messaging, voter sentiments and more. LIZ PEEK: AMERICA EXPECTED ONE THING FROM TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION. IT GOT ANOTHER Ellison is the current chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance Corporation keeps a relatively low political profile but, in the past, has made several high-dollar donations to many Democratic candidates despite now calling himself a friend of President Trump. Trump has boasted publicly about a personal relationship with Ellison. Most recently, Ellison has made headlines for his attempt to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery — a move that would solidify Ellison and Paramount as titans in the media world. He was seen walking into the House of Representatives on Tuesday alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who invited him. “Honored to have David Ellison as my guest to POTUS’ State of the Union address this evening,” Graham said in a post to X.