Trump warns US may launch land operations inside Venezuela ‘very soon,’ says regime sent ‘killers’ to America
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. is preparing to take its campaign against narco-terrorism directly “on land” inside Venezuela, warning that the Nicolás Maduro regime has already sent “killers, murderers … gang members” and other violent offenders into the U.S. during past years of mass migration. Speaking in the Oval Office during a Q&A session with reporters, Trump said U.S. forces are escalating operations against the trafficking networks behind the synthetic opioids and narcotics he blames for hundreds of thousands of American deaths. “We’re knocking out drug boats right now at a level that we haven’t seen,” Trump said. “Very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too.” The president said American intelligence agencies have mapped the routes, safe houses and production sites used by narcotics manufacturers operating inside Venezuela. TRUMP SAYS US WILL BEGIN STOPPING VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS BY LAND: ‘GOING TO START VERY SOON’ “We know every route. We know every house. We know where they manufacture this crap, the poison … they’ve been feeding us,” he said. Trump has repeatedly accused the Maduro government of weaponizing migration. On Wednesday, he repeated his claim that Venezuela “sent us killers, murderers … drug dealers at the highest level … gang members and people from their mental institutions,” alleging the country had “emptied their prisons into our country.” He argued that this occurred because the U.S. had previously been run by “stupid people … really stupid people.” TRUMP ENDS VENEZUELA TALKS, MILITARY OPTIONS LOOM, NEW REPORT Trump tied the potential escalation to the fentanyl and synthetic opioid crisis, saying traffickers have “been killing our people by the millions. I think last year we lost close to 300,000 people.” He said American families devastated by overdoses were demanding a more aggressive response after years of “poison” entering the country through transnational networks. Trump also confirmed he had spoken only “briefly” with President Maduro and told him “a couple of things. “We’ll see what happens with that,” Trump said, emphasizing that the pressure campaign underway extends beyond diplomacy. Trump also defended the decision to strike drug-smuggling vessels and suggested the same standard applied to operators of land-based narcotics hubs. “I support the decision to knock out the boats,” he said. “Whoever is piloting those boats, they’re guilty of trying to kill people in our country.” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Americans want US to lead globally but doubt military can win major wars overseas, survey finds
A new national defense survey shows Americans are increasingly alarmed by global threats and more willing to see the United States assert leadership on the world stage even as doubts grow about the military’s readiness to deter adversaries and win wars overseas. The 2025 Reagan National Defense Survey, released Wednesday by the Ronald Reagan Institute, found 64% of Americans want the U.S. to be more engaged and take the lead internationally, a clear majority that cuts across political lines. But that desire for greater U.S. leadership comes alongside a darker view of the Pentagon’s capabilities. Just 49% believe the U.S. military can win a war overseas, and only 45% say it can effectively deter foreign aggression. TAIWAN FM HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS ‘CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY’ In an interview, Rachel Hoff, policy director at the Reagan Institute and one of the survey’s authors, said the public’s desire for U.S. global involvement has held steady over the years, but its expectations shift as questions become more specific. “The American people really do support an engaged American presence on the international stage,” Hoff said. At the same time, she noted, the public believes the U.S. “[has] the most powerful military in the world” and that American superiority “ultimately leads to a more peaceful and secure world.” The survey’s findings underscore an ongoing tension in public opinion. Americans want the U.S. to lead, but they also see a military struggling to maintain an edge over rising authoritarian adversaries. One of the most notable long-term trends in the survey is the decline in trust in the armed forces. Only 49% of Americans now say they have “a great deal” of confidence in the military, down 21 points since 2018. SENATE MOVES TO REIN IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FLUCTUATING UKRAINE POLICY Hoff said the downturn is broad-based. “It’s happened among Americans of all political stripes, both men and women, people of different age demographics,” she said. Though the numbers appear to have stabilized in the last two years, the shift marks one of the most significant drops in confidence for any major public institution. When asked what Americans attribute this erosion to, Hoff said the survey consistently highlights one theme. “It all has to do with something around kind of the politicization of the military,” she said. “The American people really want to keep politics out of the military and keep the military focused on its core warfighting mission.” Another major finding was support for sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine has risen to 64%, up nine points since last year. Roughly two-thirds of Americans also say they want Ukraine to win the war. And 45% support backing Kyiv until it regains all Russian-occupied territory. Hoff said the shift reflects a renewed focus on Ukraine’s fate and a notable change among Republican voters. “There’s been a real increase in support for sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine,” she said, adding that it has been “particularly notable among Republicans.” She pointed to the political environment under President Donald Trump. “With Donald Trump back in the White House with his administration leading on peace talks between the Russians and the Ukrainians, we’re seeing not just a desire for America to be in a peace-building role, but, in fact, for Ukraine to emerge as victorious,” she said. While fewer Americans support fighting until full territorial sovereignty is restored at 45%, Hoff said that nuance doesn’t alter the core view that the public sees Ukraine as a friend and Russia as an adversary. “They want to see peace in the region. … They perceive Ukraine as an ally, they perceive Russia as an adversary,” she said. The survey shows a dramatic surge in public backing for defending Taiwan. Sixty percent of Americans now say they would support committing U.S. forces to Taiwan’s defense if China invaded, up from 48% last year. Nearly every potential U.S. response the survey tested — including sanctions, moving military assets, sending equipment and establishing a no-fly zone — rose by around ten points. Hoff said the reason is clear: Americans increasingly view China as the United States’ primary strategic threat. “Almost every response to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan that we poll test … has gone up around 10 points just in the last year,” she said. “The American people are really clear-eyed about who our friends are and who our adversaries are.” This year’s survey again shows China as the top perceived threat to the U.S., far ahead of Russia, Iran or North Korea. Rising concern about Beijing’s military power, cyber capabilities and global influence appears to be driving the growing support for defending Taiwan. The survey comes as the Pentagon reevaluates its defense strategy and the resources required to counter China and Russia. Hoff said the data provide a straightforward message that the public expects leadership and credible strength. “The American people see the threats around the world. They understand who our friends and adversaries are. They want the U.S. to lead globally and to stand up in defense of freedom,” she said. “They want an American military that’s resourced and postured to do so.” Asked what the Pentagon should take from the findings, Hoff said defense leaders can be confident that the public supports a robust American presence worldwide. “Americans really want the U.S. to be engaged, to be supporting our allies and partners,” she said. And they want a military “poised to balance American interests and advance American interests across each of these regions … to restore deterrence and restore peace.”
The Tennessee ‘waltz’: Republicans and Democrats dance around meaning of special election results
Democrats waltzed into Tennessee and tried to swipe the seat held by Former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., this week. Winning special elections for House seats is a delicate dance. But Rep.-elect Matt Van Epps, R-Tenn., defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn by nine points. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., noted that the Cook Political Report rates that district to favor the GOP by about 10 points. TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN TOUTS ‘GREAT TURNOUT FOR US’ IN MUST-WIN SPECIAL ELECTION FOR GOP “It’s not an R-plus-25. The President won it by 22 points. It’s actually rated to be a slightly Republican district. So, winning it by nine points is almost exactly on the nose of what we might expect,” said Johnson. In other words, Republicans won the special election by the precise margin expected. That’s even though Republicans fretted that a Democratic surge could serve as a weather vane as to how popular the party is, if there are dents in the Trump coalition and what the path looks like in the 2026 midterms. “Democrats put millions of dollars in. They were really trying to set the scenario that there’s some sort of wave going on. There’s not. We just proved that there’s not,” said Johnson. Maybe. Maybe not. Special elections are special. A snapshot of where a given district stands at a point in time — often without the benefit of the regular electorate, which shows up in November every two years. That’s why House special elections are sometimes closer than what can be expected in the general. And the party out of power often dumps truckloads of cash into these contests to win. If nothing else, it forces the other party to burn lots of money too. But trying to make a race seem important gins up the base and concocts an illusion that things aren’t going well for the other side. Maybe people believe that voters are fed up and are demanding a change. A special election is kind of like checking the score of a football game partway through the second quarter. Maybe one team’s passing game is really clicking. That may dictate the outcome. But we haven’t yet seen the two fumbles in the second half. That’s to say nothing of the botched snap on the field goal and blocked punt. A lot can happen. MUSIC CITY MIRACLE: A LOOK AT AN UNUSUALLY CONTENTIOUS ELECTION IN THE VOLUNTEER STATE Frankly, flipping seats in House special elections is arduous. The party out of power in the House or opposite of who occupies the White House often makes a race of it. That can signal a weakness in the party in power or even the president as you approach the next election. One of the best examples of this came in 2017. House Democrats came close to flipping four special elections in solid Republican seats ranging from Montana to Kansas to South Carolina to Georgia. But Democrats didn’t capture any of those seats. However, Democrats did make a few of them closer than you might think. In fact, one of the best examples involved Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan. President Donald Trump tapped former Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., to serve as CIA director and, later, secretary of state. Estes ran to succeed Pompeo. Pompeo won his district with 61% of the vote in 2016. Estes held off a challenge from Democrat James Thompson, vanquishing his opponent by six points and scoring 52% of the vote. Despite the defeat, Democrats and political observers noted the relative strength of Thompson in the special election. Many wondered if this was an omen about a 2018 Democratic wave. But the Kansas district is a Republican stronghold. Democrats gained control of the House in the 2018 midterms. However, Estes won re-election the next year by nearly 19 points. And despite the clamor surrounding special elections, there have truly only been four major “flips” in House special elections in the past 18 years. And one of those in a Hawaii special election was an anomaly where the Republican won in a three-way contest while two Democrats siphoned votes from one another. But back to Tennessee. Could Democrats have scored more success with a moderate candidate? Behn was progressive. A centrist may have had a better shot at winning a district like this, especially when one considers the success of Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., last month. DEMOCRATS’ SURGE IN TENNESSEE THROWS NEW UNCERTAINTY ONTO GOP’S 2026 HOUSE MAP Could a Van Epps win encourage other Republicans to quit? The House majority will be 220-214 once Johnson swears him in on Thursday. But some in the GOP are itching to leave. They may think there’s enough of a cushion, even though Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., departs in January. Fox is told there are several House Republicans who want to head for the exits. Some are upset at the White House controlling the entire agenda and Johnson keeping the House at bay for weeks during the government shutdown. Another factor: President Trump’s approach to the war in Ukraine. Moderate Republicans may look at the Tennessee result and insist on the party addressing healthcare in the coming weeks. That’s a looming factor considering that Democrats withheld their votes to fund the government over healthcare this fall. It’s also possible that moderate Republicans in California and New York might see the relative Democratic strength in this contest as a signpost that they face a tough re-election next year. As we said, Democrats flipped the House seven years ago after coming close in several special elections. Then there is redistricting and gerrymandering. The Van Epps win underscores the concept that drawing favorable lines for your party works. But this redistricting took place several years ago. Tennessee Republicans drew former Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., a Blue Dog, and any other Democrat out of a Nashville-area district. The GOP trifurcated Nashville and the suburbs, diluting the Democratic vote among several GOP districts. That served as a safety valve to assure a GOP win Tuesday.
Comer accuses Oversight Dems of ‘cherry-picking’ Epstein Island files: ‘Chasing headlines’
EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is accusing Democrats on his panel of selectively releasing information related to Jeffrey Epstein. It came hours after committee Democrats released photos and videos capturing what they called “never-before-seen” views of Epstein’s private compound in the U.S. Virgin Islands. But Comer told Fox News Digital that many of those images published by Democrats were already released by Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe, now the head of O’Keefe Media Group. EPSTEIN ISLAND COMPOUND SEEN IN PHOTOS RELEASED BY HOUSE DEMS “Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Democrats on the Oversight Committee continue to embarrass themselves,” Comer said on Wednesday. “Throughout the course of our investigation, Democrats have cherry-picked documents and doctored some of them, and now they are chasing headlines by slapping ‘never-before-seen’ on images and video that were reported by O’Keefe Media Group months ago. The only thing ‘never-before-seen’ is such a reckless Ranking Member.” It came after Oversight Democrats publicized images from Epstein’s island, Little Saint James, including images that appear to show a room with a dentist’s chair and a chalkboard that has words like “power,” “deception,” and “appear” written on it. JEFFREY EPSTEIN SAGA CONTINUES AS CONGRESS RETURNS FROM RECESS O’Keefe himself accused committee Democrats on X of publishing the images with redactions while claiming he himself posted similar photos without information blotted out. Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said in a press release when that first crop came out, “These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island. We are releasing these photos and videos to ensure public transparency in our investigation and to help piece together the full picture of Epstein’s horrific crimes…It’s time for President Trump to release all the files, now.” Roughly 18 minutes after Fox News Digital reached out for a response to Comer’s statement, House Oversight Committee Democrats posted on X that they were releasing “an additional 150+ photos and videos sent to our committee from Epstein Island.” The tranche includes images of a framed photo of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell meeting the pope. Another image of a framed photo appears to show two different people’s hands latched together, while others show works of art — including a lamp whose base resembles a naked woman’s torso. One photo shows a Samsung computer that appears to reflect several different security camera angles, only three of which look functional and which show the outdoors. Another image appears to show a nightstand that holds a sleeping mask and a box of tissues, among others. A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee majority pledged the panel will release more files soon while criticizing Democrats for what they called a selective release. ‘STONE-COLD LIAR’: TOP HOUSE DEM LASHES OUT AT COMER FOR ACCUSING HIM OF SOLICITING EPSTEIN DONATIONS “The House Oversight Committee has received approximately 5,000 documents in response to Chairman Comer’s subpoenas to J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank, as well as his request to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Majority is reviewing these materials and will make them public soon, just as the Committee has already done with the more than 65,000 pages produced during this investigation,” the spokesperson said. “It is odd that Democrats are once again releasing selective information, as they have done before. The last time Democrats cherry-picked and doctored documents, their attempt to construct yet another hoax against President Trump completely collapsed.” Comer has already released thousands of pages’ worth of documents related to his committee’s Epstein investigation. Democrats have accused him of running cover for President Donald Trump, who was previously friends with Epstein but has denied and never been implicated in any wrongdoing related to the late pedophile. Republicans in turn have accused Democrats of sabotaging a bipartisan probe in order to create a false narrative about Trump.
Pro-reparations progressive Democrat who wants ICE abolished mounts long shot Senate bid to succeed McConnell
Former Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker — a progressive Democrat who has advocated far-left policies, including “Medicare for All” and the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — has launched a U.S. Senate bid to succeed outgoing Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, who announced earlier this year his current term will be his last. “Now more than ever, we need leadership that is committed to the work of ending generational poverty and uprooting structural racism, delivering on system-changing policies like Medicare for All, Universal Basic Income, Reparations, and Universal Childcare,” Booker asserted in part of a lengthy statement on his campaign website. “We need leadership that will drive the charge for bold policies like 40 for 40, so that anyone working a 40-hour work week will make a guaranteed minimum of $40,000 a year,” he declared. ‘AMERICA FIRST’ ATTORNEY GENERAL DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM MCCONNELL — HIS FORMER BOSS — AS KENTUCKY RACE DEFINES GOP FUTURE Booker declared in an X post last month that “ICE really does need to be abolished.” In another post, he wrote, “It really is a damn shame that we still don’t have universal healthcare in the U.S. of America. We need Medicare for All.” His latest bid may be a long shot. Kentuckians have not had a Democrat representing them in the Senate so far during the 21st century. It is Booker’s third run for Senate. DEM SHELLACKED BY MCCONNELL IN 2020 MOUNTS NEW SENATE BID: ‘COWARDS IN WASHINGTON ARE BOWING TO DONALD TRUMP’ In 2022, Booker was decisively defeated by incumbent Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Booker lost the 2020 Democratic U.S. Senate primary in the Bluegrass State to Amy McGrath, who lost to incumbent Republican Sen. McConnell in the general election later that year. McConnell, 83, has served in the Senate since 1985. FINAL SENATE CANDIDATE CHARLIE KIRK ENDORSED BEFORE HIS ASSASSINATION: ‘WE HAVE TO WIN’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In September, Booker announced, “For over two years, I have had the distinct honor of serving the people of Kentucky in the office of Governor Andy Beshear. “I am humbled and excited to announce that today was officially my last day.” The Booker campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Federal probe targets alleged Minnesota Somali fraud ‘network’ as COVID-aid crime rings persist
The Small Business Administration is investigating a network of Somali groups in Minnesota that it says is tied to a massive COVID fraud scandal highlighting alleged systemic failures by Gov. Tim Walz’s team to properly audit public funds. Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee, has become embroiled in a scandal that has already led to charges against dozens of people – mostly Somali – and prompted allegations from civil servants in his administration who have spoken of retaliation against whistleblowers and institutional negligence. “Numerous individuals and nonprofits indicted in the $1 billion Minnesota COVID fraud scandal, including Feeding Our Future, received SBA PPP loans in addition to other state and federal funding,” Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced on X. “I have ordered an investigation into the network of Somali organizations and executives implicated in these schemes.” ‘DOGE’ SENATOR SEEKS TO ENSURE FEDS CAN CONTINUE PURSUING COVID FRAUDSTERS, DEBTORS, AS IG SOUNDS ALARM She added: “Despite Governor Walz’s best efforts to obstruct, SBA continues to work to expose abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, full stop.” An SBA spokesperson confirmed the probe to Fox News Digital, saying the agency is “investigating all individuals and organizations indicted as part of the $1 billion Minnesota COVID fraud scheme to identify any that may have also fraudulently obtained PPP loans – evaluating their citizenship status, the legitimacy of their nonprofit work, and other requirements for eligibility.” “The agency will provide additional details as the scope of fraud across these Somali networks are uncovered – and remains committed to clawing back all funding that was illegally obtained on behalf of American taxpayers,” SBA spokesperson Maggie Clemmons said. GOP LEADERSHIP UNLEASHES FURY ON DEM GOVERNOR AHEAD OF BLOCKBUSTER CONGRESSIONAL HEARING President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Somali community in Minnesota was “garbage,” eliciting sharp responses from local officials including Minneapolis Councilman Jamal Osman – who claimed that “everyone knows that our president is racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic.” Walz did not reply to a Fox News Digital request for comment about Loeffler’s announcement. Previously, the governor said he would “welcome” a Treasury Department probe into whether his administration enabled millions of taxpayer dollars to reach Somali terror group Al Shabaab. “If they want to help us, I welcome that,” Walz said. “Do an investigation, find out. But I don’t think anybody really believes their motive or timing is about actually doing something about this.” SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER FAR-LEFT MAYOR GIVES VICTORY SPEECH IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE: ‘HUMILIATING’ A separate report from City Journal, which also broke the Walz story, noted a 2015 study by a House Homeland Security Committee task force found more foreign-fighter terrorism-related travelers came from the Land of 10,000 Lakes than any other state. Of those charged with seeking to join ISIS at the time, the outlet reported that they were “sophisticated users of social-welfare benefits.” Two suspects had allegedly used federal financial aid to pay for their travel as they were preparing to depart Howard Beach, N.Y., for Syria. HOUSE GOP DEMANDS ANSWERS ON BILLIONS IN MEDICAID COSTS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Minnesota, however, is far from the only state with PPP troubles. Federal authorities in 2020 arrested a group of New York nail salon owners near JFK Airport in a scheme that allegedly combined smuggling Vietnamese immigrants for low-wage labor with misappropriating COVID-19 relief funds, according to the New York Post. Dat Ho, Peter Nguyen and Victoria Ho were charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud after allegedly inflating payroll to secure $13 million in PPP loans, according to the New York Post. BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO RECOUP $200B IN FRAUDULENT COVID LOANS, HOUSE COMMITTEE SAYS In May, an Iowa man – who was alleged to be a former Cuban military officer who entered the U.S. 20 years ago by crossing the border after a denied visa application – was arrested as a figurehead of an Iowa COVID-benefit fraud ring, according to an indictment statement from the Justice Department. Yovany Ciero of Mason City was convicted on dozens of counts, including wire fraud, money laundering and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from a specified unlawful activity. Prosecutors said Ciero and co-schemers stole an estimated $2.4 million, which entailed more than 100 Cuban immigrants who obtained PPP loans under false pretenses as “self-employed businesspeople” while they worked at the same meatpacking plant. Authorities say Ciero recruited people for the scheme, and then passed that information to others who submitted the fraudulent loan applications to the feds. He faces up to life imprisonment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.
Major county sheriff rejects ICE detainer on illegal immigrant who allegedly killed young boy in hit-and-run
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office rejected an immigration detainer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a criminal illegal immigrant allegedly responsible for a felony hit-and-run that resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy Thanksgiving morning. In a statement Dec. 2, the Department of Homeland Security said it had filed a detainer request for Mexican illegal Hector Balderas-Aheelor, after his arrest for a felony hit-and-run that killed 11-year-old Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz. A spokesperson for the San Diego Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital it received the detainer request for Balderas-Aheelor, also known as Hector Amador Balderas, on Nov. 29. The spokesperson said, in accordance with California law, “a review of the criminal history was conducted, and the Immigration Detainer was rejected.” It added that the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office “complies with the California Values Act” and directed Fox News Digital to an information page on the law that said, “The Sheriff’s Office does not hold individuals based on federal detainer warrants.” NEWSOM’S OFFICE REVEALS BLUE STATE WILL COMPLY WITH ICE AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT’S EARLY RELEASE PLANS EXPOSED ABC San Diego reported that Balderas-Aheelor was arrested Saturday in the death of Torres De Paz in Escondido. The outlet said the child had run into the street to retrieve a soccer ball when he was hit, and the driver sped off. Torres De Paz died in the hospital from his injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Balderas-Aheelor was previously removed from the United States four times, according to DHS. Commenting on the case, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “Thanksgiving should be a day of celebrating family and giving gratitude, but instead the family of Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz mourned this beautiful child’s death because a criminal illegal alien stole his life. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED IN FATAL CALIFORNIA CRASH RELEASED BY BIDEN ADMIN AFTER 2022 BORDER CROSSING “Hector Balderas-Aheelor was previously removed FOUR times before he chose to commit a felony and illegally reenter the country a fifth time,” she continued. “Now, sanctuary laws threaten to put this killer back onto California’s streets.” McLaughlin called on California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom “to do the right thing and honor ICE’s arrest detainer.” In response, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, told Fox News Digital “nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case,” and “this driver needs to be held responsible for the tragic hit-and-run.” CHICAGO SUBURB SLAMMED FOR REHIRING POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED BY ICE: ‘CRAZY AS HELL’ “Unlawfully returning to the United States after deportation is a federal criminal offense and California honors federal criminal warrants,” Crofts-Pelayo added. “The federal government admits a failure to apprehend the suspect when he unlawfully entered the U.S. California law does not prevent them from acting now.”
House Republicans split over whether Trump should pursue regime change in Venezuela
Republicans diverged on Tuesday when asked if the Trump administration should push for regime change in Venezuela. Despite hopes of a new direction for Venezuela, lawmakers who spoke to Fox News Digital on Tuesday were split on whether the United States should support a regime change in Caracas. Many expressed fears about repeating mistakes of the past, like toppling regimes in the Middle East, while others emphasized a need to remove a security threat in the United States’ backyard. “Yes. Maduro is an illegitimate ruler and extremely dangerous for the Western Hemisphere,” Rep. Michael Baumgardner, R-Wash., said, referring to Venezuelan President Nicholás Maduro. “Having a government we could partner with there would be in America’s national security interests.” TRUMP PUSHES PEACE IN EUROPE, PRESSURE IN THE AMERICAS — INSIDE THE TWO-FRONT GAMBLE Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., who agrees with Baumgardner, also framed his stance as a matter of national security. “If you look at who Maduro is tied to, he’s tied to Iran, China and Russia. Those are not our friends. We know they’re not going to do anything to help us. I think President Trump understands there’s an opportunity here,” Moore said. But not all Republicans agree with Moore and Baumgardner. “Looking back at our history, it isn’t something that hasn’t played out,” Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, said. “Peace through strength and strong deterrents against a horrific regime is the best approach, but going in and making it happen on our own? We’re still dealing with the effects of Iran, right?” Moore, who serves as the House GOP Conference vice chair, said he hopes Venezuela manages to enact political change but expressed pessimism in the current environment. FORMER MISS VENEZUELA BLAMES ‘SOCIALISM AND OPEN BORDERS’ FOR HER COUNTRY’S DEVASTATING COLLAPSE “I am very hopeful that the Maduro regime will be changed. Problem is, they don’t have the ability for free [and] fair elections to be able to make that happen. And that’s a big concern for me,” Moore said. Maduro, the former vice president of Venezuela, first assumed power when the country’s last president, Hugo Chavez, died in 2013. He has held onto power despite widespread criticisms of his leadership, public unrest and disputed election results. Most recently, María Corina Machado, the clear public favorite for office, fled the country in 2025 after receiving international recognition for having won the Venezuelan presidential election. She received this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for her resistance to Maduro. Despite the country’s political tensions, other lawmakers like Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., agreed with Moore’s hesitations about direct intervention. “My view is that we should not have regime change as a defined goal,” Burlison said. “We’ve seen that story — how it plays out. We don’t want to be spending a lot of money, time and lives in Venezuela.” TOP DEMOCRAT BACKS US INTEL ON NARCO-TRAFFICKING STRIKES, FAULTS BIDEN FOR ‘NOT GOING FAR ENOUGH’ ON MADURO Burlison hopes that the country could self-correct and said that the U.S. does have a role in destroying the influence of bad actors in the country, like drug smugglers. “We need to cut off the power from these drug cartels, seize the drugs, do what we can to reduce their power and then [Venezuela] will probably have a natural regime change because you will remove a lot of the corrupt actors that are propping up a politically corrupt system,” he said.
Jack Smith subpoenaed for deposition with House Judiciary Committee
FIRST ON FOX: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith on Wednesday for a deposition, escalating Republicans’ investigation into one of President Donald Trump’s top political foes. Jordan directed Smith to appear before the committee on Dec. 17, according to a copy of the subpoena reviewed by Fox News Digital. “Due to your service as Special Counsel, the Committee believes that you possess information that is vital to its oversight of this matter,” Jordan wrote in a letter accompanying his request. The forthcoming deposition, which is set to take place behind closed doors, comes as House and Senate Republicans have zeroed in on Smith’s election-related investigation of Trump, describing it as a scandal that unnecessarily swept up hundreds of Republican lawmakers, GOP entities, Trump allies and media outlets as part of the probe. Smith has repeatedly stood by his work as special counsel, which eventually involved bringing two sets of criminal charges against Trump over the 2020 election and over alleged retention of classified documents. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Department of Justice policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents. Smith has already offered to publicly testify before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, but a source familiar with Jordan’s request said a deposition is the chairman’s preferred format because each party on the committee can question Smith for an hour at a time and build a better record. In a public hearing, lawmakers typically question a witness in five-minute intervals. Jordan’s subpoena also included a sweeping demand for all documents and communications related to Smith’s time as special counsel, a request that comes after the DOJ told Smith’s lawyers in a letter on Nov. 12, reviewed by Fox News Digital, that it would make a “unique” accommodation to Congress by authorizing Smith to “provide unrestricted testimony to the Committee, irrespective of potential privilege.” Fox News Digital reached out to a Smith representative and committee Democrats for comment. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Democrats’ surge in Tennessee throws new uncertainty onto GOP’s 2026 House map
The results from the hotly contested special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District are in, handing a decisive victory to Republicans. But both Republicans and Democrats are drawing political ammunition from the outcome. President Donald Trump proclaimed it was a “great night for the Republican Party!!!” after GOP nominee Matt Van Epps defeated Democratic rival Aftyn Behn in the high-stakes race to succeed former GOP Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job. But Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin, pointing to Van Epps’ roughly 9-point margin in a solidly-red district Trump carried by 22 points a year ago, argued that “Democrats are on offense and Republicans are on the ropes.” With the GOP clinging to a razor-thin majority in the House, the special election was seen as a must-win for Republicans. And now, both parties are drawing conclusions on what the results mean for next year’s midterm elections, when the House majority is up for grabs. TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN KEEPS CRUCIAL CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IN GOP HANDS And there’s a divide among Democrats, with moderates questioning whether Behn, who was dubbed the “AOC of Tennessee” in a comparison to progressive champion Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was too far to the left for the district — which is located in central and western Tennessee, stretching from Kentucky to Alabama, and including parts of Nashville. With so much on the line, outside groups aligned with both parties shelled out millions of dollars to run ads in the race. And the DNC and the rival Republican National Committee (RNC) each poured resources into the showdown, which included dispatching staffers onto the campaign trail. DECISION DAY: TRUMP, SPEAKER JOHNSON, AOC BLITZ CAMPAIGN TRAIL ON EVE OF KEY SHOWDOWN House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., spent the entire day on election eve with Van Epps, joining the GOP nominee at a slew of rallies and stops across the district. He was joined by RNC Chair Joe Gruters. Van Epps, a military combat veteran who piloted helicopters and former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, said in his victory speech that his win “represented a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country.” And Van Epps told Fox News Digital that his win was “a resounding victory.” Trump, whose endorsement of Van Epps helped the candidate win the GOP nomination in a competitive primary last month, described Tuesday’s victory as a “BIG Congressional WIN.” Van Epps told supporters at his Election Night watch party that “we are grateful to the President for his unwavering support that charted this movement and catapulted us to victory. President Trump was all-in with us. That made the difference.” While falling short of flipping the seat, which would have been catastrophic for the GOP, Democrats see a silver lining. WATCH: WHAT AFTYN BEHN TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL ON ELECTION EVE “Aftyn Behn’s overperformance in this Trump +22 district is historic and a flashing warning sign for Republicans heading into the midterms,” Martin argued. “The fact that Republicans spent millions to protect this Trump +22 district and still lost so much ground should have the GOP shaking in their boots. Democrats are all gas and no brakes as we head into next year, organizing everywhere and competing in elections across the country.” And Behn, a state representative and former healthcare community organizer, told Fox News Digital on Election Day that “what starts here changes this country.” Asked if she would be a winner even without winning the election, she said, “For me, we’ve already won over the hearts and minds of so many Tennesseans and across the country.” But Republicans dispute the Democrats’ narrative. “Special elections are strange because a lot of people take for granted in a deep red district like this that the Republican is just going to win automatically. Nothing’s automatic,” Johnson told Fox News Digital at a Van Epps rally on the eve of the election. Johnson pointed to Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas, who narrowly won a special election in 2017, just five months after Trump carried the district by nearly 30 points in his 2016 White House victory. Estes went on to win re-election in the 2018 midterms by 19 points. A few months after Estes’ victory, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina won a 2017 special election by 3 points in a district Trump carried by 17 points the previous November. But Norman went on to win re-election in the ensuing midterms by 16 points. Johnson, aiming to motivate low-propensity Trump supporters, who often don’t vote when the president’s not on the ballot, emphasized that “we need everybody to turn out.” Turnout in special elections is often low, but that wasn’t the case on Tuesday. According to unofficial results, roughly 180,000 votes were cast, close to the turnout in the district in the 2022 midterms, when Green won re-election by over 20 points. DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, GO ALL IN ON FINAL 2025 CONGRESSIONAL BALLOT BOX SHOWDOWN While Democrats are confident that the results in Tennessee, along with their decisive victories last month in the 2025 elections, are a sign of things to come in the 2026 midterms, Johnson told Fox News’ Chad Pergram on Wednesday that “we have a great record to run on in ’26. And I’m very bullish about the midterms. I’m convinced we’re going to defy history and grow this majority.” While Behn was laser focused on the issues of affordability and healthcare during her campaign, Republicans blasted her as a “radical” and highlighted past controversial comments she made. “She does not represent the values of Tennessee or of America. She is as far left as you can get. She’s a radical,” Van Epps claimed in a Fox News Digital interview. Johnson argued on Monday that Behn was a “radical” and “a dangerous far leftist. And she will be a rubber stamp for Hakeem Jeffries and AOC and all the radicals in Congress.” Simon Bazelon of the Welcome PAC, a Democrat-aligned