Trump expresses ‘absolute confidence’ as Steve Witkoff is sworn in as special Middle East envoy
President Donald Trump’s new special envoy to the Middle East was sworn in by Secretary of State Marco Rubio Tuesday in an Oval Office ceremony. Speaking before the swearing-in, Trump praised Witkoff, who was instrumental in securing an extended ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the return of 33 hostages, including two Americans, who were being held by Hamas. Trump said Witkoff has “been with me, more or less, one way or the other, every step of the way,” adding that he has “absolute confidence and support and trust” in his Middle East envoy’s ability to secure key deals in the realm of foreign diplomacy, such as ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas and between Ukraine and Russia. Though Witkoff is a real estate businessman by trade, Trump said he “quickly established himself as one of the toughest, smartest and best negotiators in the business,” which is why he chose him for the important role of special envoy to the Middle East. TRUMP’S GOODWILL TESTED AS PUTIN IGNORES PEACE EFFORTS DURING WITKOFF’S VISIT “As a businessman, he’s admired and respected by all, and now Steve is putting his talents to work for America’s special envoy to the United States and making a lot of progress. Our country is blessed to have a negotiator of such skill and experience who really selflessly steps up to the plate, puts himself forward all the time,” the president said. Trump did note there was somewhat of a learning curve for Witkoff when it came to foreign government relations but said he has been “figuring it out” at a lightning pace. “It takes him about an hour to figure it out,” Trump said. “After that, he’s brutal. He does a great job.” NEXT US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? HERE’S WHO TRUMP MIGHT PICK TO REPLACE WALTZ Trump noted Witkoff has already been active over the last several months, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders from Iran. “He’s working tirelessly to end the bloody and destructive conflicts,” said Trump, touting Witkoff’s success so far in negotiations with various world leaders. After the ceremony, Trump took questions from reporters, addressing a range of topics, including the just-announced ceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis. When asked about conflicting reports indicating the Houthis do not plan to stop attacking Israel, Trump said that the terror group’s surrogates have indicated “very strongly” that “they want nothing to do with [the United States].” Trump was also asked questions about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and, in particular, about the release of the remaining 21 living hostages. “This is a terrible situation. We’re trying to get the hostages out. We’ve gotten a lot of them out,” Trump told reporters, noting it is also just important to find and return the bodies of those already killed by Hamas. TRUMP’S SPECIAL ENVOY ON PUTIN’S CONTINENTAL ASPIRATIONS: ‘I JUST DON’T SEE THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE ALL OF EUROPE’ He shared that two weeks ago a couple whose son died as a hostage came to him and said, “Please, sir, my son is dead. Please get us back his body.” “They wanted his body. He’s dead,” Trump said from the Oval Office after Witkoff’s confirmation. “They know. He said they wanted his body as much as you would want the boy if he was alive. It’s a very sad thing.” Trump also commented on Iran and its potential development of nuclear weaponry. The president said definitively that “they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.” “This is really crunch time. I would tell you, for Iran and for their country, this is a very important time for Iran. This is the most important time in the history of Iran, for Iran, and I hope they do what’s right,” Trump told reporters. “I’d love to see a peace deal, a strong peace deal. … We want it to be a successful country,” he added. “We don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that. But they can’t have a nuclear weapon. And if they choose to go a different route, it’s going to be a very sad thing. And it’s something we don’t want to have to do, but we have no choice.”
US officials to meet with Chinese counterparts in Switzerland amid trade war
Top officials with the Trump administration are expected to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this week in Switzerland, marking the first major talks between the two countries since President Donald Trump ignited a trade war based on tariffs on imports. TRUMP SAYS HE WILL NOT DROP TARIFFS TO GET CHINA TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Jamieson Greer, a trade representative, are expected to represent the U.S. as they meet with their Chinese counterparts in Geneva. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The meeting comes as the U.S. market worries over the effects of Trump’s tariffs on prices and supply continue to increase. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump admin reinstates 9/11 survivors program staff following HHS reorganization
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) sent out reinstatement notices to staff members who were part of a federal healthcare program for 9/11 survivors, following a reduction in force at HHS and its subagencies as part of Trump’s efforts to optimize the federal government. The administration announced in mid-February that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would face cuts that would reduce the agency’s workforce by roughly one-tenth. As part of that reduction in force, 16 workers at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) were let go, an HHS official confirmed. The move spurred concern from both Democrats and Republicans. TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES LEADING CHARGE ON NEW MULTISTATE LAWSUIT OVER HHS CUTS New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district in the Hudson Valley is home to many 9/11 first responders, reportedly indicated after the cuts that he was actively communicating with the Trump administration about them. “This political chaos is jeopardizing the healthcare of heroes,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., added in a Sunday statement about the 16 fired WTCHP workers. After political pressure in early April, the Trump administration eventually restored WTCHP Administrator Dr. John Howard to his role as head operator of the program, according to Lawler, and today all the staff members at WTCHP who were let go as part of the administration’s DOGE efforts have been reinstated. One of the 16 total staffers who were swept up in the cuts had already accepted a resignation buyout offered by the Trump administration. “We appreciate the department’s swift action to address these notices and return critical program staff to work to help assist and provide ongoing services,” Howard said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We’re ready to serve the more than 133,000 responders and survivors of the 9/11 attacks who are served by this program along with other critical programs in NIOSH.” NEW HHS REPORT SHEDS ADDITIONAL LIGHT ON RISKS OF GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS The federal program, which is housed within the (CDC), was established by Congress in 2010 as part of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. It is operated by the CDC’s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. The program was developed to provide healthcare services to 9/11 victims, first responders and others involved in support services during the attacks who were exposed to harmful contaminants that day, as many were forced to inhale toxic dust and debris as they attempted to save lives. The program, which was extended in 2015, is slated to run until 2090 and aims to ensure that patients directly affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, have zero out-of-pocket costs for any health complications that came as a result of the 9/11 attacks. “The chaos we see throughout the administration we’re seeing 10 times over at the World Trade Center program,” Schumer said over the weekend ahead of the reinstatements, according to New York’s Spectrum News NY1. “We hear people are being fired, then we hear they’re being restored; then we hear they’re being fired, then they’re being restored.”
Red-state governor shoots down bill banning this common hospitality industry item
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed legislation that would largely ban Styrofoam containers, dubbing it “textbook government overreach.” House Bill 477 would phase out the use of the containers by 2030, but starting in 2028 for restaurants and the hospitality industry. Introduced by Democrat state Rep. Marilyn Marler, the legislation garnered some bipartisan support in the Republican-majority legislature. WATCH: RED STATE GOV URGES FIREARMS MAKERS TO DITCH COLORADO AMID ITS ANTI-GUN PUSH “Our state should remain a sanctuary for freedom and free enterprise, and let high taxes, high spending, and hyper-regulation remain a feature of deep blue, progressive states,” the Republican wrote in his veto letter, citing how various blue states like California and Washington have imposed similar regulations. “Frankly, I was surprised to receive House Bill 477 which dictates to restaurants, food establishments, bakeries, resorts, hotels, and others what they can and can’t use to package food and drinks,” he continued. Proponents of the legislation argued that the material poses a health and environmental risk, and many places have already stopped using Styrofoam, according to KTVQ. CUTTING THE ‘GREEN TAPE’: CONSERVATION GROUP OFFERS TOP 10 WAYS FOR DEPT OF INTERIOR TO STREAMLINE The bill stated that polystyrene foam “is a material that causes environmental harm and poses a threat to fish and wildlife; and whereas, styrofoam takes up space in landfills and contributes to the need for costly expansions borne by taxpayers; and whereas, styrofoam threatens the right of each Montanan to a clean and healthful environment.” The proposal included a few exceptions but would require an application for using the foam as it relates to “transportation; construction; health; or safety.” “Finally, if policymakers are trying to get rid of Styrofoam, which I’m not, why only target restaurants and food-service establishments? Why not packaging supplies? Though I’m not advocating such an approach, targeting one industry that uses Styrofoam and not another seems inconsistent with the purported purpose of House Bill 477,” the governor wrote. GOP GOVERNOR RALLIES AROUND HISTORIC PROPOSAL TO SLASH STATE’S INCOME TAX: ‘I AM OPTIMISTIC’ “The state banning Styrofoam is costly government overreach,” Gianforte said, saying it would cost taxpayers an estimated $300,000 through a new Montana Department of Environmental Quality program and could create additional costs for consumers if businesses are forced to make the switch. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I enjoy hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup because it keeps it hot. And this bill is a hot mess,” he said in a video posted to X on Monday.
State Department to merge Palestinian Affairs Office with US Embassy in Jerusalem
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is planning to merge the responsibilities of the Palestinian Affairs Office into the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in an effort to continue a diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that was put in place by President Donald Trump during his first term in office. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced Rubio’s decision during a press briefing Tuesday. “Secretary Rubio has decided to merge the responsibilities of the office of the Palestinian Affairs Office fully into other sections of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem,” Bruce said. “This decision will restore the first Trump-term framework of a unified U.S. diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that reports to the U.S. ambassador to Israel.” She added that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will begin to make the necessary changes to implement the merger over the coming weeks. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVERRULES TRUMP POLICY ON PALESTINIANS “The United States remains committed to its historic relationship with Israel, bolstering Israel’s security and securing peace to create a better life for the entire region,” Bruce said. The Biden administration established the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs in 2022 after reversing Trump’s closure of the consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem during his first administration. TRUMP OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL’S CAPITAL CITY, ORDERS EMBASSY MOVE FOR US Biden’s move was viewed by some as rewarding the Palestinian leadership after a wave of terrorism during which two Palestinians wielding an ax and knife murdered three Israelis in the town of Elad in May 2022. The first Trump administration helped to negotiate groundbreaking agreements, called the Abraham Accords, in 2020 to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. US SERVICE MEMBER SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE OUTSIDE ISRAELI EMBASSY IN DC The Israeli government vehemently opposed a reopening of the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem because it would undercut the holy city as the undivided capital of Israel. The U.S. Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and calls for it to remain an undivided city. Trump, in 2017, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 and moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the following year. Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
Lawmakers react to Newark airport chaos: ‘Your family deserves to know you’ll be safe’
Lawmakers spoke out to Fox News Digital on Tuesday as chaos ensued at one of the nation’s busiest airports. “Our team has reached out to the FAA to get answers on what steps they’re taking to resolve this situation,” said Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee — who also represents the Garden State where the airport is located. “Your family deserves to know that when you fly, you’ll be safe and you’ll get there on time. We’ll keep pressing to make sure it happens,” Kim said. Across the aisle, West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito lamented the “very outdated” air traffic control system and spoke of the shortage of controllers writ large. DUFFY CONFIRMATION HEARING MARKED BY BIPARTISANSHIP, PLEDGE TO VISIT HELENE-DEVASTATED STATES “[That] makes for the turmoil we’re seeing at Newark,” Capito told Fox News Digital. “I would like to see more accountability at FAA, which is why I have proposed to Commerce Committee Chairman Cruz’s team a public facing dashboard to show FAA’s progress in updating their systems as well as hiring more controllers.” While Democrats like DNC Chairman Ken Martin mocked USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy over the latest air-travel-related crisis, Capito countered that the Wisconsin Republican recognizes the challenges America’s skies face. “I support his efforts to finalize a plan that I hope to review soon,” she said. NEW JERSEY DEMS SEEK TO BAR IMPRISONED BOB MENENDEZ FROM PUBLIC FUTURE OFFICE, AS GOP TARGETS HIS PENSION Martin tweeted that “in case you missed it, Sean Duffy, there were near misses at DCA [Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Va.], air traffic control screens are going dark at Newark, and America’s air travel system is falling apart under your and Donald Trump’s watch.” “Anyway, hope the tacos were good,” he said, apparently referring to a photo Duffy posted on X posing with steak tacos his wife prepared for dinner by his “#LatinaWife.” Late Tuesday, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a former Newark mayor himself wrote a lengthy letter to Duffy saying that given, “the serious consequences for our nation’s aviation system, it is critical that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) take all necessary steps to identify and address the underlying causes of the ongoing flight disruptions.” “I appreciate that the USDOT has already responded to this ongoing situation by identifying the importance of technology upgrades across the entire air traffic control system, and I am committed to supporting these efforts in Congress.” “However, I ask that you also immediately direct additional staff and resources in order to restore regular operations at EWR in the days ahead. This is of particular importance as the busy summer travel season approaches, which will put further pressure on EWR and the region’s airspace. Specifically, I request that you take additional steps to address the staffing shortages at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which have contributed significantly to the repeated suspension and interruption of flight operations at EWR.” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., another committee member, told Fox News Digital that maintaining America’s “busiest and most advanced airspace in the world” requires a skilled workforce and dependable tech. “The radar outages at Newark put Air Traffic Controllers in an impossible situation, endangered incoming flights and demonstrate the urgent need for modernization of our systems,” said Moran, who along with Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also introduced the Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act to bolster that workforce sector. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital later Tuesday that as a “member of the Senate Transportation Committee this is deeply concerning to me. The Biden administration spent years funding anything other than important upgrades and updates to outdated FAA technology.” “I think many of us will be asking questions about how this occurred and how we can work with Secretary Duffy and Chairman Cruz to fix it. The flying public deserves to know that they are safe and secure when flying in American airspace,” Lummis said. On the Democratic side, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said: “The ongoing situation at Newark Airport is yet another example of the tremendous strain our aviation system is under—something I’ve been raising the alarm on for years—and it further underscores the urgent need to invest in updated air traffic control systems and equipment, not cut FAA’s funding and workforce.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I have questions about both Newark and the recent incident near the Pentagon. Congress needs answers. The safety of the flying public depends on it.” In a lengthy statement obtained by Fox News and Fox Business, the FAA acknowledged that “several major airlines are facing ongoing flight disruptions at New Jersey’s Newark-Liberty International Airport as the facility contends with ongoing staffing and technology issues.” “Last week, air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility in Philadelphia lost radar and radio signals while directing planes to Newark for nearly 90 seconds, causing significant delays and flight cancellations that remain ongoing,” the statement continued, going on to reference the longstanding issues cited by Capito. “We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency,” the agency said.
Duffy blasts Biden, Buttigieg for ignoring report about failing air traffic control system: ‘DID NOTHING!’
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called out the Biden administration for allegedly neglecting a government agency’s report about the poor state of the air traffic control system. In an X post on Tuesday, Duffy shared an excerpt from a report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled “Air Traffic Control: FAA Actions Are Urgently Needed to Modernize Aging Systems.” The report was published on Sept. 24, 2024. “A government watchdog warned Biden & Buttigieg about the failing air traffic control system,” Duffy wrote. “Look at this report. They knew the air traffic control system was strained AND STILL DID NOTHING!” NEWARK AIRPORT HIT WITH NEW DELAYS, OUTAGE HEARD ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AUDIO Duffy went on to say that he was working with President Donald Trump to modernize the system. “Working with @POTUS, we are going to do what no administration has done: deliver an all-new, envy of the world ATC system,” he concluded. In the passage that Duffy highlighted, the report noted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) “has been slow to modernize some of the most critical and at-risk systems.” “Specifically, when considering age, sustainability ratings, operational impact level, and expected date of modernization or replacement for each system, as of May 2024, FAA had 17 systems that were especially concerning,” the report said. HAKEEM JEFFRIES BLAMES TRUMP FOR NEWARK AIRPORT CHAOS, ACCUSES WHITE HOUSE OF ‘BREAKING THE FAA’ “The 17 systems range from as few as 2 years old to as many as 50 years old, are unsustainable, and are critical to the safety and efficiency of the national airspace.” Duffy’s comments came amid several chaotic events concerning U.S. air space in recent days. Newark Liberty International Airport, a major travel hub in the New York City metropolitan area, has suffered hundreds of delays and cancellations since last week. On Monday, a damning report found that FAA air traffic controllers in Philadelphia briefly lost radar and radio signals while guiding planes to Newark Airport last week. Duffy appeared on Fox News Channel’s “The Story” on Tuesday to discuss the developments, telling host Martha MacCallum that the last presidential administration was aware of the issues. “It wasn’t shocking to Joe Biden and it wasn’t shocking to Pete Buttigieg,” Duffy said. “They knew we had an old system. They saw the GAO report saying it was about to fail.” The government official went on to say that he plans to introduce legislation to Congress about the issue shortly. “[In January] I started digging into the FAA and realized it wasn’t just one small part of the infrastructure. It was the whole infrastructure that had to be built brand new,” Duffy explained. “And so I’ve developed a plan. I’ve talked to the president. He has signed off on the plan.”
Tillis puts onus on Trump to avoid Boasberg picking US attorney after Martin’s nomination appears sunk
Sen. Thom Tillis’ office brushed off concern that a left-wing court could select an interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia after the North Carolina Republican bucked President Donald Trump’s pick for the role, putting the onus on the Trump administration to select a successor and avoid involvement from federal judges. Tillis, R-N.C., sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is overseeing the confirmation process of Ed Martin, Trump’s pick to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Martin has served as interim U.S. attorney since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration but is facing a May 20 deadline to be confirmed. Martin met with Senate lawmakers Monday, and Tillis told reporters Tuesday he wouldn’t support the nomination. The committee, composed of 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, has not yet scheduled a vote on Martin’s nomination. “I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination,” Tillis told reporters Tuesday. DEADLINE LOOMS ALLOWING LEFT-WING COURT TO SELECT US ATTORNEY AS STATE AGS URGE CONFIRMATION OF TRUMP PICK If an interim U.S. attorney is not confirmed by the Senate within 120 days, however, judges on the federal district court for that district could name a new interim U.S. attorney until the role is filled. Trump antagonist Judge James Boasberg, an Obama-appointed judge at the center of legal efforts targeting Trump’s deportation efforts, is the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. When asked if Tillis is comfortable with the left-wing court picking an interim U.S. attorney, his office told Fox New Digital it is the office’s understanding that Attorney General Pam Bondi can pick an acting replacement, bypassing involvement from federal judges. TRUMP NOMINATES JAN. 6 DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR TOP PROSECUTOR ROLE IN DC “Our understanding is that if the Senate does not confirm a U.S. attorney before an acting U.S. attorney’s term expires, the attorney general can still pick the next acting replacement as long as it is done before the original appointment expires under 28 USC 546,” a spokesman for Tillis’ office told Fox News Digital Tuesday. Tillis’ office referred Fox News Digital to 28 U.S. Code § 546, which says, “If an appointment expires under subsection (c)(2), the district court for such district may appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled. The order of appointment by the court shall be filed with the clerk of the court.” Martin previously worked as a defense attorney and represented Americans charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, which Tillis took issue with when speaking with reporters Tuesday. “Mr. Martin did a good job of explaining the one area that I think he’s probably right, that there were some people that were over-prosecuted, but there were some, 200 or 300 of them that should have never gotten a pardon,” Tillis said. “If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, I’d probably support him, but not in this district.” TRUMP NOMINATES JUDGE TO SERVE AS NEXT US ATTORNEY FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA Tillis previously has railed against the Jan. 6 protests, when Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol after the 2020 election. Tillis criticized Trump in January when the president granted clemency to more than 1,500 Jan. 6 criminal defendants upon taking office. “Anybody who committed violence, like the violence in Kenosha and the violence in Portland before them, should be in prison — period, full stop,” Tillis said after the pardons. “That segment of pardons — I’m as disappointed as I am with all the pardons that Biden did.” Trump and his administration have rallied support for Martin as his confirmation process comes down to the wire. “His approval is IMPERATIVE in terms of doing all that has to be done to SAVE LIVES and to, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. FEDERAL PROSECUTOR VOWS TO PROTECT DOGE STAFFERS FROM ANY ‘THREATS, CONFRONTATIONS’ TARGETING MUSK TEAM “Ed Martin will be a big player in doing so and, I hope, that the Republican Senators will make a commitment to his approval, which is now before them.” Fox News Digital exclusively reported Monday that 23 state attorneys general additionally sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, calling on lawmakers to swiftly confirm Martin as U.S. attorney. “To put it bluntly, the District of Columbia is broken,” the letter, sent Monday, states. “And four years of alleged corruption, mismanagement, and derelictions of duty in the U.S. Attorney’s Office under President Biden’s appointees are in many ways to blame. The District should be made safe again. The District should have a U.S. Attorney who replaces the rule of lawfare with the rule of law. Ed Martin is the man to achieve those goals. We strongly encourage the Senate to confirm him at the earliest possible date.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I am proud to lead this effort to support Ed Martin because he’s a proven leader who is already devoting all of his time to restoring the rule of law in our nation’s capital,” Indiana Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, who spearheaded the letter, told Fox Digital of his support for Martin. “His bold actions have had an immediate impact, which sent the disreputable D.C. news media into a full-blown meltdown. The Senate must act swiftly to confirm him and ensure his critical work continues uninterrupted.”
White House calls Yemen ceasefire a ‘WIN’ – experts warn Houthis may not hold the line
President Donald Trump’s sudden halt to U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi militants is drawing praise as a potential breakthrough – and doubts over whether it will last. Trump on Tuesday at the Oval Office marked the formal end of “Operation Rough Rider,” a 50-day bombing campaign that targeted more than 1,000 sites across Yemen. “The Houthis have announced that they don’t want to fight anymore,” Trump said during remarks at the White House. “They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore. And that’s what the purpose of what we were doing. So… we will stop the bombings.” Bard Al-busaidi, the foreign minister of Oman, who has been involved in peace negotiations, confirmed that talks had led to a ceasefire agreement. “In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping.” US STRIKES ON YEMEN CONTINUE AFTER HOUTHI MISSILE HITS BY ISRAELI AIRPORT; TERROR GROUP VOWS ‘AERIAL BLOCKADE’ While Trump portrayed the ceasefire as a straightforward military win, experts say the path to this moment was built on deliberate diplomatic escalation – namely, a dual-pronged threat against both the Houthis and their Iranian backers. “This was about linking Houthi aggression directly to Iran,” said Can Kasapoglu, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. “The Trump administration signaled clearly: any further attacks would bring consequences for Tehran as well. That was the actual key to success.” The campaign’s origin in March followed a surge in Houthi attacks on international shipping and the dramatic escalation last weekend, when a missile from Houthi-controlled territory landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. That prompted a retaliatory Israeli airstrike on Yemen’s main airport in Sana’a, which military officials say crippled Houthi air capabilities. Lt. Col. Eric Navarro, director of the Red Sea security initiative at the Middle East Forum, called the ceasefire “a product of overwhelming pressure,” pointing to precision U.S. strikes on Houthi command-and-control infrastructure and weapons depots, paired with Israeli air assaults. “They saw the writing on the wall,” Navarro said. “I would argue that this is the kind of pressure that needs to be applied over time – not just to the Houthis, but also to the Iranian regime.” From a military standpoint, Trump’s campaign leveraged significant assets, including bombers flying from Diego Garcia and two U.S. aircraft carriers operating in the region. That show of force, combined with clear diplomatic signaling, appears to have catalyzed the ceasefire – at least for now. TRUMP CLAIMS HOUTHIS ‘DON’T WANT TO FIGHT’ AND SAYS US WILL STOP BOMBING CAMPAIGN Still, not all analysts see the Houthis as a grave threat or the campaign as a necessary use of force. “Trump’s surprise announcement that the U.S. will stop airstrikes against the Houthis is the right decision, regardless of whether the group stops targeting U.S. vessels,” said Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities. “The Houthi threat was always more hype than substance.” Kelanic argued the group’s attacks on shipping “neither damaged the U.S. economy nor contributed to inflation, which actually went down during the militant group’s assaults throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.” In her view, “the Houthis’ biggest achievement was tricking the U.S. into wasting some $7 billion of its own resources by bombing them.” “Trump’s bold choice shows there are offramps from endless escalation in the Middle East,” she added. ISRAEL APPROVES PLAN TO CAPTURE ALL OF GAZA, CALLS UP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESERVE TROOPS: REPORT Jon Hoffman, a research fellow in defense and foreign policy at the Cato Institute, said, “Washington’s open-ended and congressionally unauthorized strikes against the Houthis for targeting shipping in the Red Sea was the epitome of strategic malpractice, neglecting the origins of the conflict (the war in Gaza) and failing to deter the group while squandering billions in taxpayer dollars.” Military analysts remain skeptical about the Houthis’ long-term reliability. “I am always worried about groups like the Houthis sticking to anything they say,” said Navarro, warning that the ceasefire could simply be a pause to rebuild their capabilities. “We need to remain vigilant… and adopt a broader strategy that includes not just military tools, but economic and informational pressure, and support for local alternatives to Houthi control in Yemen.” Still, the Trump administration is framing the halt as a strategic victory that demonstrates how military power, when wielded with diplomatic clarity, can yield tangible political results. “Massive WIN. President Trump promised to restore the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, and he used great American strength to swiftly deliver on that promise. The world is safer with President Trump in charge,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “If they can deliver this,” said Kasapoglu, “it would be a major, major victory for the Trump administration.” Whether the ceasefire holds – or proves to be merely a lull in a longer conflict – remains to be seen. But for now, the bombs have stopped, and Washington is claiming a win.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Another Trump Win at SCOTUS
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… -Identity of second wrongfully deported Maryland man revealed as Trump admin fights his return to US –Trump admin removes Biden-era transportation safety board vice chair –Supreme Court flare-ups grab headlines as justices feel the heat The Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration in lifting a lower court’s order that paused the Pentagon’s transgender military ban. In a short order on Tuesday, the high court handed the White House win as Trump seeks to unmake the Biden-era diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) agenda. The court stayed a lower court order, allowing the Pentagon policy to take effect. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have denied the administration’s appeal and kept the lower court injunction in place. At issue in the suit, Shilling v. United States, is President Donald Trump’s January executive order banning transgender military members. The order required the Department of Defense to update its guidance regarding “trans-identifying medical standards for military service” and to “rescind guidance inconsistent with military readiness.”…READ MORE ‘SPRING-LOADED’: Loeffler flips script on media’s Trump tariffs narrative by revealing what small businesses are saying COLD FRONT: Canadian PM Carney to meet Trump at White House after election influenced by annexation threats TRUMP REPORT CARD: Where Donald Trump stands with Americans 15 weeks into his second presidency ‘LOVE’ TO SEE IT: Trump says he’d ‘love’ a Gavin Newsom 2028 POTUS run — but predicts it would go up in flames SICKO GYNECOLOGIST: Columbia settles for $750M with victims of convicted sex criminal Dr. Robert Hadden CAMPUS UNREST: Anti-Israel protesters occupy University of Washington building, 30 arrested ‘DEEPLY CHALLENGING TIME’: Columbia lays off around 180 staff after Trump administration revokes grants SILENT TREATMENT: US has yet to launch trade negotiations with China, Treasury secretary says 51ST STATE: 6 US governors to open talks with Canadian provincial leaders on tariffs MISPLACED BLAME?: US intel agencies say Venezuelan regime doesn’t direct Tren de Aragua gang, undercutting Trump admin: report CCP’S CLUTCHES: China and Egypt wrap first joint military exercise as Beijing looks to cozy up to American allies ACTIVE THREAT: Israel calls to evacuate Yemen airport amid fight with Houthis ‘ENTIRELY DESTROYED’: Israeli minister says Gaza will be ‘entirely destroyed,’ Palestinians forced into other countries DOWN, BUT NOT OUT: German conservative’s bid for chancellor falls short, a first in more than 75 years ‘FALSE BILL OF GOODS’: Dems pushing AOC, Sanders fall flat with young voters as Gen Z sees through it: RNC youth chair ‘CORRUPTION’: House Democrats storm out of cryptocurrency hearing, alleging Trump ‘corruption’ SKIPPING THE LINE: Jasmine Crockett accused of ‘abusing her power’ at airport boarding gate ‘SICK’: Vance, conservatives blast Omar over resurfaced ‘fearful of white men’ clip: ‘Genocidal language’ PAY TO STAY: Democrat floats work visa suggestion in response to Trump admin’s $1,000 self-deportation offer ‘FAILED LEADERSHIP’: Blue state Republican calls on county sheriffs to defy sanctuary law, Dem governor rumored for 2028 run ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’: Experts sound the alarm over ‘shocking’ study showing significant risk to women who take abortion pills OPTIONS: Will other forms of transportation require passengers to have REAL ID after May 7 deadline? 2024’S LAST RACE: Federal judge orders NC to certify Supreme Court election results with Democrat leading KAMALA’S CASH: Kamala Harris takes next step in return to political stage Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.