EXCLUSIVE: First look at ‘MELANIA’ film
EXCLUSIVE: First lady Melania Trump is giving Fox News an exclusive first look at her upcoming film, “MELANIA,” set to hit theaters worldwide next month. The 104-minute film is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30, 2026, appearing in theaters across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and more. Amazon will also launch a documentary series in the coming months. “History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration,” the first lady told Fox News. “For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.” Fox News exclusively obtained the trailer, which opens with the first lady walking into the U.S. Capitol rotunda ahead of her husband’s second inauguration. She looks to the camera in her now-iconic inauguration outfit, and says: “Here we go again.” MELANIA TRUMP, AMAZON PARTNER TO RELEASE NEW FILM ABOUT HER LIFE IN THEATERS WORLDWIDE The trailer jumps from the first lady and president at the inauguration; to standing together outside of Mar-a-Lago; behind-the-scenes of the inauguration showing Baron Trump and Mrs. Trump’s father; to a series of images of the first lady; Air Force One; the presidential seal and more. The infamous Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) lion roars and takes over the screen. The trailer then shows Mrs. Trump entering a room where President Trump stands at a podium during a meeting and is rehearsing a speech. “My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker,” Trump said. The first lady breaks in and says: “Peacemaker and unifier.” The trailer shows the first lady getting out of a vehicle, sporting a pair of black stiletto boots, and jumping to the East Wing residence, where she stands in her stunning white and black inaugural ball gown, and smiles at the camera. The trailer invites the audience to “witness history in the making.” The trailer also shows the first lady reviewing materials with staff and more. It cuts to a scene of Mrs. Trump asking a security detail “is it safe?” and the agent confirming “it is safe,” before the film cuts to sirens and the motorcade driving through a city. “20 days to become first lady of the United States,” the trailer says. “Everyone wants to know,” Melania Trump says. “So here it is.” The trailer ends with Mrs. Trump calling “Mr. President” to say “congratulations.” “Did you watch it?” President Trump says through the phone. “I did not. Yeah, I will see it on the news,” Mrs. Trump says. The film is set to hit theaters around the globe on January 30. The first lady said that the story “has never been told, and because the subject matter is historically consequential, it was imperative for me to produce a film of the highest cinematic standard, suitable exclusively in theaters worldwide.” “The 20 days of my life, preceding the U.S. Presidential inauguration, constitutes a rare and defining moment—one that warrants meticulous care, integrity, and uncompromising craftsmanship,” she said. “I am proud to share this very specific moment of my life—20 days of intense transition and planning—with moviegoers and fans across the globe.” Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady was involved “in every aspect” of the film — from her “creative vision,” to working as a producer on the film and to ensuring the post-production marketing is executed properly. Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady has been very “hands on” from start to finish. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP ROLLS OUT AI AUDIOBOOK OF FIRST MEMOIR IN SPANISH “She is giving the audience unprecedented access to her life — and to any first lady’s life — during this 20-day period,” a source familiar with the planning of the film told Fox News Digital. The film takes the audience through the first lady’s life leading up to the inauguration — from her home in Trump Tower in New York City, to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, and behind-the-scenes access in Washington D.C. Mrs. Trump first had the idea for the film in November 2024, after President Trump won the election. Marc Beckman, Mrs. Trump’s agent and exclusive senior advisor, led negotiations on her behalf with Amazon, specifically with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, beginning on Nov. 18, 2024. Fox News Digital has learned that Disney sought to obtain the exclusive rights to the film, as well as Netflix and Paramount. Amazon and MGM had the highest bid, purchasing the license for the film for $40 million — the largest documentary deal in history. AI MELANIA: FIRST LADY EMBARKS ON ‘NEW FRONTIER’ IN PUBLISHING WITH AUDIOBOOK OF MEMOIR “I’m honored to be working with Amazon — they’ve been great partners from the minute we started to negotiate the deal, through production and now as we gear up for the film’s release,” Beckman told Fox News Digital. “Speaking of the deal, there has been so much speculation in the press on the bidding and how we ended up with Amazon, that we’re at a point where it’s worth clarifying a few things,” Beckman said. First, Beckman told Fox News Digital that some bidders were “interested only in a film, and others only in a series.” “Amazon ended up bidding on both, and checked all the boxes we were looking for, as they could also deliver a theatrical film release,” Beckman explained. Beckman stressed that he negotiated the deal on behalf of the first lady while dealing with “all the studios directly.” MELANIA TRUMP TO RELEASE ‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ OF MEMOIR FEATURING IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY FORMER FIRST LADY “I’ve seen reporting that Amazon paid nearly three times the nearest other bid, and that’s just false,” Beckman said. “It was an incredibly competitive bidding process with multiple rounds of bids.” Beckman added: “Yes, Amazon had the highest bid, but they also bid on the most
Trump to tout accomplishments since taking office in primetime address
President Donald Trump will highlight his administration’s accomplishments over his first year back in office in his address from the White House on Wednesday night. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gave a preview of his speech during a Tuesday press briefing, telling reporters that Trump will seek to highlight his wins over the past 11 months. “As you all saw on Truth Social, President Trump is going to be giving an address to the nation tomorrow night, live from the White House here at 9:00 Eastern. I know you guys will all be tuning in,” Leavitt said. “I was just in the Oval Office with the president discussing it. He’s going to talk a lot about the accomplishments over the past 11 months, all that he’s done to bring our country back to greatness and all he continues to plan to do, to continue delivering for the American people over the next three years,” she continued. TRUMP SAYS THOSE AGAINST TARIFFS ‘SERVING HOSTILE FOREIGN INTERESTS,’ ‘FULL BENEFIT’ YET TO BE SEEN Leavitt later added in an appearance on Fox News’ “American Reports” that Trump may also “tease some policy that will be coming in the new year, as well.” Trump first announced the speech publicly on his Truth Social account, telling his followers that “the best is yet to come!” “My Fellow Americans: I will be giving an ADDRESS TO THE NATION tomorrow night, LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, at 9 P.M. EST. I look forward to ‘seeing’ you then. It has been a great year for our Country, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” Trump wrote. US–VENEZUELA SHOWDOWN THREATENS TO JOLT GAS PRICES — WHAT COULD SPARK A SURGE The Trump administration has touted its economic agenda throughout the closing months of the year, including the Big, Beautiful Bill Act, his tariff agenda and policies that prioritize American workers. Trump began to sell his economic accomplishments in a speech in Pennsylvania last week and will do the same this week in North Carolina. The speech also comes amid high tensions with Venezuela, as the Trump administration targets the leadership there.
Air traffic control towers will ‘never’ reach full staffing levels under current system, FAA chief says
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) chief told lawmakers Tuesday that U.S. air traffic control towers are unlikely to ever reach full staffing levels if the agency continues operating as it does now, acknowledging persistent shortages during a House Aviation Subcommittee hearing. “The honest answer, sir, is, if we continue with business as usual, never,” Bryan Bedford said when Rep. Hank Johnson Jr., D-Ga., asked when air traffic control towers would be fully staffed. “We’ll never catch up. The system is designed to be chronically understaffed,” the FAA chief added. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS MISS FULL PAYCHECK BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, DUFFY SAYS Bedford explained that the FAA has been facing significant challenges in staffing air traffic control towers due to controller retirements, burnout and the agency’s retention problems. He said the FAA must expand its training pipelines and invest more in developing new controllers to help alleviate the shortages. Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., questioned Washington’s habit of treating more funding as the default solution, pointing to outdated FAA technology, including some systems that still rely on floppy disks. “We built up the envy of the world without a centralized bureaucracy. And it seems from where I sit, sir, that sort of the bureaucratic systems that were written and implemented to prevent failure have all but enshrined failure,” said Knott. “When you’re still using floppy disks, that makes everybody less safe, that makes the agency less effective.” NEWARK AIRPORT PASSENGERS FACE LENGTHY DELAYS DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., said she saw floppy disks still in use during a recent visit to the FAA’s terminal radar approach control facility on Long Island, which manages traffic into New York’s major airports. Bedford told lawmakers the FAA has committed by year-end more than $6 billion of the $12.5 billion it received under the “big, beautiful bill,” including investments in telecommunications infrastructure and new radar surveillance systems that will be deployed over the next two and a half years.
Border Patrol commander returns to Chicago as agents deploy pepper balls in immigrant neighborhood
A senior Border Patrol commander who became the face of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown returned to Chicago Tuesday, prompting protests as agents fired pepper balls and detained several people. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino’s appearance in Chicago marks the most visible escalation in Operation Midway Blitz since early fall, drawing backlash from immigrant advocates and state leaders who said the Trump administration failed to warn them that the commander or additional agents were being redeployed to the area. Border agents were captured on video Tuesday in the predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood of Little Village deploying pepper balls and detaining a man, according to The Associated Press. Bovino’s emergence in Chicago came a month after he was reassigned to enforcement missions in New Orleans and North Carolina. HOMAN CONFIRMS TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD ‘ON THE GROUND’ IN ILLINOIS, WARNS ANTI-ICE RHETORIC FUELING ‘BLOODSHED’ Operation Midway Blitz was launched in September in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.” “As we said a month ago, we aren’t leaving Chicago, and operations are ongoing,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, according to The Associated Press. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters Tuesday he was not notified that Bovino and additional Border Patrol agents were returning to Chicago, adding he doesn’t know how long the agents will stay. DHS BLASTS CHICAGO MAYOR FOR COMPARING RAID LEADER TO SEGREGATIONISTS, ACCUSING HIM OF ‘TERROR’ “I’m so proud of the people of Illinois for doing as they have, which is to protect their neighborhoods and their neighbors, to do the right thing,” Pritzker said. “And, so, I think we’re in a much better position.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was aware that Bovino had returned to Chicago. “We have learned that federal agents are once again indiscriminately targeting individuals — without warrants — and intentionally showing up in public spaces to intimidate and instill fear, including at a Teamster picket line and a Little Village community organization,” Johnson wrote on X, adding that “these tactics are destabilizing, wrong, and must be condemned.” Last week, Pritzker signed a bill aimed at protecting illegal immigrants in the state from deportation by creating new safeguards at several locations, including courthouses, hospitals, college campuses and other public buildings. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
HHS probes Minnesota’s use of billions in federal social service funds amid fraud concerns: report
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a review into how Minnesota used billions of dollars in federal social service funding, requesting detailed records from Gov. Tim Walz’s administration and other state entities after reports raised questions about whether portions of the money were misused, according to letters first obtained by the New York Post. The letters were sent Monday by Alex Adams, assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, to Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and a nonprofit involved in administering Head Start programs, the Post reported. According to the Post, Adams said HHS is attempting to determine whether federal safety-net funds were diverted or mismanaged and whether such misuse might have “been used to fuel illegal and mass migration” into Minnesota. Adams told the outlet the review is focused on “accountability for American taxpayers” and on ensuring federal benefit programs were not compromised. LABOR SECRETARY ANNOUNCES ‘STRIKE TEAM’ GOING TO MINNESOTA TO INVESTIGATE RAMPANT FRAUD The Post reported that Minnesota received more than $8.6 billion in ACF funding between fiscal years 2019 and 2025 through more than 1,000 federal grants. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the state received over $690 million for safety-net programs under President Biden, according to federal spending records reviewed by the Post. In the letters, Adams requested what the Post described as a “comprehensive list” of all state entities that received ACF funding during that period, along with detailed administrative data. The information sought includes recipient names, addresses, dates of birth and, where applicable, Social Security numbers and immigration A-numbers, the Post reported. Adams told the Post that HHS has “legitimate reason to think that they’ve been using taxpayer dollars incorrectly,” citing recent fraud investigations and allegations involving Minnesota’s Department of Human Services. According to the Post, the letters referenced public statements from hundreds of DHS employees alleging warnings of fraud were disregarded and whistleblowers faced retaliation. TRUMP CABINET OFFICIAL CALLS ON WALZ TO RESIGN OVER MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL IN SCATHING LETTER: ‘SHAME ON YOU’ The review comes amid heightened scrutiny of Minnesota’s handling of federal funds following multiple high-profile fraud cases. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme, in which more than $250 million intended for child nutrition programs was diverted for luxury purchases and real estate. Many of those charged had ties to nonprofits serving Minnesota’s Somali community. The Post also cited Pew Research Center data showing Minnesota’s unauthorized migrant population increased by roughly 40,000 people between 2019 and 2023, reaching an estimated 130,000 residents, or about 2% of the state’s population. According to the Post, the ACF review includes several major federal programs, including the Community Services Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Title IV-E Foster Care, Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance, the Child Care and Development Fund, and Parents in Community Action, a Head Start grantee. “The Trump Administration has made clear its commitment to rooting out fraud, protecting taxpayer dollars, and ensuring program integrity across all federal benefit programs,” Adams wrote in the letters, according to the Post. “This information is necessary for ACF to conduct a thorough review of program operations and to assess the extent of any irregularities that may have occurred.” Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey and HHS for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Trump declares ‘Venezuelan regime’ a foreign terrorist organization, orders oil tanker blockade
President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, declaring the Nicolás Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, trafficking and other criminal activity. “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump said on Truth Social. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us. “The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,” he continued. “For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. US–VENEZUELA SHOWDOWN THREATENS TO JOLT GAS PRICES — WHAT COULD SPARK A SURGE “Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump added. “The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.” Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker called the “Skipper” off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating U.S. tensions with the nation. The tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. US SET TO SEIZE TENS OF MILLIONS IN VENEZUELAN OIL AFTER TANKER INTERCEPTION, WHITE HOUSE SAYS The “Skipper” is a vessel that secretly ferries oil in defiance of sanctions, while also being part of an armada of roughly 1,000 tankers that quietly navigate global sea routes to move oil from sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the administration. The so-called “ghost ships” sail under foreign flags to obscure their origins, repeatedly change names, shift ownership through shell companies, disable transponders to evade tracking and conduct mid-sea transfers to mask their cargo. The “Skipper” was loaded with an estimated 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December before transferring an estimated 200,000 barrels just before its seizure, Reuters reported. ‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS The oil on the tanker is likely worth $60 million to more than $100 million, based on current average oil prices. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for any additional comment on the estimated price tag of the oil but did not immediately receive a reply. The U.S. military has carried out strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats near Venezuela since September as part of Trump’s mission to end the flow of drugs into the nation. There have been at least 22 strikes on suspected narcotraffickers near Venezuela, killing 87, since September. The boat strikes are viewed as part of a U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela likely aimed to not only curb the flow of drugs, but also to oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation. Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
GOP poised to overtake Democrats on voter rolls in key swing state after years of Dem dominance
Democrats have been dealing with declining voter rolls in a number of states, but one key battleground state in particular appears to be on the verge of flipping from a state that, for decades, has had more registered Democrat voters to one with more registered Republicans. There were almost three-quarters of a million more registered Democrats in North Carolina than Republicans 10 years ago. As of today, that difference is just over 1,000, according to the latest count by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. “Voters across North Carolina are rejecting the Democrats’ failed agenda and choosing Republican leadership,” Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said. “This shift didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of years of good common sense Republican governance and our focus on offering serious solutions on the issues that matter to the people.” CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS Earlier this year, ahead of the slate of elections that took place in November that saw Democratic Party wins virtually across the board, including multiple candidates who ran under the ‘socialist’ banner, a New York Times analysis found that between 2020 and 2024 Democrats lost about 2.1 million registered voters across 30 different states that keep track of voter registration data. Meanwhile, the analysis found that Republicans gained about 2.4 million. In total, this amounted to a deficit for the Democratic Party of 4.5 million registered voters just over the last four years. In North Carolina, specifically, between 2005 and 2015, the difference in the number of registered Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina remained mostly steady, with a difference of about 670,000 give or take in 2005 and 2015, respectively. But, beginning in 2015, that deficit started to shrink. Five years later, in 2020, the difference was a little under 380,000 in favor of Democrats, before their lead shrunk to just 1,216, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections’ latest voter roll records. “The reality is that bad Democrat policies coming out of Washington are driving voters away from the party here at home,” former Republican National Committee chairman and North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley said. DESANTIS WARNS GOP FACES ‘ISSUE’ KEEPING TRUMP VOTERS ENGAGED IN FUTURE ELECTIONS “Insane policies supported by Roy Cooper and pushed by DC Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris are completely out of step with North Carolinians,” he said. “Democrats couldn’t win Senate races here even when they had a cash advantage and a huge voter-registration edge. Now they’ve lost that registration advantage too, and voters are making it clear they’re done with failed Democrat leadership.” In response to North Carolina’s trend of growing Republican voters, versus its decline in Democrat voters, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) pointed to the GOP’s overall share of registered voters, which has statistically declined, while the number of unaffiliated voters has increased. However, the increase in unaffiliated voters has impacted both Republicans and Democrats’ overall vote share, with Democrats witnessing a much sharper drop in overall registered voters across the last decade, compared to Republicans, the data shows. “Despite their repeated attempts at gerrymandering the state to subvert the will of the voters, Republicans have not managed to increase their share of registered voters in nearly four decades,” Madison Andrus, the DCCC’s regional spokesperson covering North Carolina, told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on North Carolina’s changing voter rolls. “Now, with this latest scheme top of mind, voters across the state are souring on Republicans’ failing agenda that has led to higher grocery prices, more expensive health care, and greater difficulty making ends meet. Republicans have abandoned North Carolina’s working families and people are taking notice.” But according to Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, North Carolina “is undergoing a historic shift” and Democrats’ advantage has “crumbled.” “Voters rejected Kamala Harris last year, and they’re continuing that trend as they turn away from the failed policies of Roy Cooper and Josh Stein,” Gruters said.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Dems push DOJ to reveal hidden Jack Smith report as GOP readies deposition
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -ICE rejects Omar claim son was pulled over by feds, pressed for citizenship proof: ‘Absolutely zero record’ -EXCLUSIVE: Trump White House torpedoes Biden attempt to shield ‘autopen presidency’ files -FBI doubted probable cause for Mar-a-Lago raid but pushed forward amid pressure from Biden DOJ, emails reveal As Capitol Hill braces for a tense, off-camera deposition with special counsel Jack Smith, Democrats in the House of Representatives are pushing the DOJ to publish the unreleased half of his report detailing President Donald Trump’s handling of classified material. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the committee, said Smith should have the chance to have his complete work speak for itself ahead of what’s likely to be a contentious closed-door meeting with lawmakers on Wednesday. “They are afraid of the embarrassment of what is contained within the report,” Raskin told Fox News Digital on Monday evening…READ MORE. HIRE AMERICAN: Vance tells blue state they ‘might try hiring Americans’ before suing over Trump’s visa fee explosion NO HARD FEELINGS: JD Vance brushes off Susie Wiles calling him conspiracy theorist in new Vanity Fair report ECONOMIC SAFEGUARDS: CBP announces record-breaking $200 billion in tariff revenue amid Trump administration enforcement push HOUSE DIVIDED: Trump admin in court over WH ballroom construction ‘THE BEST IS YET TO COME’: Trump announces primetime address to the nation STILL CLASSIFIED: Pentagon won’t release ‘top secret, full, unedited’ video of September drug boat strike, Hegseth says BREAKING RANKS: Two key Senate Republicans join push to overturn Trump’s federal union order SCAM PROBE: House GOP probes alleged Obamacare broker fraud as Jordan presses major insurers for answers PARTY TENSIONS: Kennedy urges GOP to restart spending battle amid soaring cost of living, warns against wasting majority POOR HEALTH: Moderate Republican erupts on House GOP leaders, says not holding Obamacare vote is ‘absolute bulls—‘ ‘SHAME ON YOU’: Trump Cabinet official calls on Walz to resign over massive fraud scandal in scathing letter: ‘Shame on you’ SPORTS TO POLITICS: Former NFL sideline star poised to shake up crowded GOP field in high-stakes Minnesota race ‘NOT DERANGED’: Obamas planned to meet Reiners on night they were killed, former first lady reveals SHE SAID YES: Donald Trump Jr announces engagement to Bettina Anderson Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump expands travel ban to hit 5 countries with sweeping new restrictions, citing security concerns
President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a travel ban by adding five more countries and imposing limits on others. The move came as the Trump administration continues to tighten U.S. entry requirements and immigration standards. “The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose, garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the proclamation states. Through his actions on Tuesday, citizens from five countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents – will face a ban on travel to the United States, the White House said. In addition, existing partial bans on Laos and Sierra Leone were expanded into full suspensions of entry. TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES IMMIGRATION FROM 19 COUNTRIES Another 15 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe – will face partial restrictions. The proclamation also “narrows broad family-based immigrant visa carve-outs that carry demonstrated fraud risks, while preserving case-by-case waivers,” the White House said. DHS LAUNCHES ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE In its announcement, the Trump administration said many of the countries on the travel ban suffer from “widespread corruption, fraudulent or unreliable civil documents and criminal records, and nonexistent birth-registration systems,” which makes it difficult to perform accurate vetting. Others refuse to share law-enforcement data, while others permit “Citizenship-by-Investment schemes that conceal identity and bypass vetting requirements and travel restrictions.” In June, Trump announced a U.S. entry ban on citizens of 12 countries – Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – while also tightening restrictions on others: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Tuesday’s decision follows the arrest of an Afghan national suspected of shooting two National Guard soldiers in Washington D.C. over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. At the time of the killing, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Rahmanullah Lakanwal was one of the many unvetted Afghans who were mass paroled into the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome under the Biden administration. Lakanwal is accused of shooting U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who later died, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who is recovering.
Judge warns Trump administration against ‘irreversible’ White House ballroom construction work
A federal judge on Tuesday said he was “inclined to deny” a bid to force the Trump administration to halt construction of the White House ballroom but warned officials not to undertake any irreversible work before a January hearing that could still stop the project. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said he will hold another hearing during the second week in January and hinted he may still order a pause. “Any below ground construction” in the coming weeks that dictates above-ground work should be avoided, Leon said, adding, “be prepared to take that down.” Lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the U.S. argued the case is not about the need for a ballroom but about the need to follow the law. WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM ‘TOP PRIORITY’ They said any construction on federal land requires congressional approval. Lawyers representing the National Park Service countered that President Trump has authority to direct construction at the White House, saying “work must continue for national security issues.” “See you in January,” Leon said as he warned the government not to pursue anything irreversible. WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO REPORTS TRUMP NAMED NEW BALLROOM AFTER HIMSELF Attorney General Pam Bondi weighed in Tuesday evening. “Today @TheJusticeDept attorneys defeated an attempt to stop President Trump’s totally lawful East Wing Modernization and State Ballroom Project,” she wrote on X. “President Trump has faced countless bad-faith left-wing legal attacks – this was no different. We will continue defending the President’s project in court in the coming weeks.” On Monday, the Trump administration argued in a court filing that pausing construction would undermine national security, citing a Secret Service declaration warning that halting work would leave the site unable to meet “safety and security requirements” necessary to protect President Donald Trump. TRUMP TAPS NEW ARCHITECT TO RESHAPE WHITE HOUSE AS $300M BALLROOM BUILD ACCELERATES The declaration said the East Wing, demolished in October and now undergoing below-grade work, could not be left unfinished without compromising essential security measures. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued last week to stop the project, arguing the government had to follow federal review procedures before any irreversible work began. The group said the proposed 90,000-square-foot addition, now estimated at more than $300 million, would overwhelm the Executive Residence and permanently alter the White House’s historic design. The administration countered that the lawsuit was premature, noting regulatory reviews were still coming and above-grade construction was not scheduled to begin until April 2026. The National Trust said early intervention was necessary, citing warnings from architectural historians who said the ballroom would mark the most significant exterior change to the White House in more than 80 years. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.