Fox News Politics Newsletter: Off the Rails at the White House
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… -Here’s who Biden blames for his 2024 election loss, Trump divulges after private convo -‘Fired me illegally’: Emotional ex-USAID employees leave building with belongings after mass layoffs -‘Great job’ or ‘no idea what he’s doing’? Elon Musk email sets Capitol Hill ablaze Conversations about a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia came to a screeching halt Friday after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led to a canceled press conference, a minerals deal off the table and Trump asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official confirmed. Trump accused Zelenskyy of “disrespecting” the U.S. during their meeting Friday and said the Ukrainian leader was not ready to secure peace for his country. “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”…Read more ‘YOU’VE TALKED TOO MUCH’: Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy spar over Russian war in tense exchange: ‘very disrespectful’ ‘SIDING WITH DICTATORS’: Furious Dems attack Trump, Vance after explosive Oval Office meeting: ‘Siding with dictators’ MANY ‘THANKS’: Zelenskyy breaks silence on social media after fiery Oval Office exchange with Trump: ‘Thank you America’ ‘DISGRACE’: GOP Ukraine supporters alarmed after explosive Trump, Zelenskyy meeting ‘TERRORISTS’: White House touts extradition of cartel figures amid Trump admin crackdown FINANCING TERROR: Illegal immigrant ISIS operative charged with financing terror, firearms violations and immigration fraud ‘DETERRENCE’: Top House Republican threatens to expose CCP officials if China invades Taiwan ‘MASTER DEALMAKER’: Inside Trump’s budget bill victory amid House GOP rebellion ‘CHAOTIC’: Democratic lawmaker demands Musk, OPM stop sending mass emails to staffers TICK TOCK: Pam Bondi sends fiery note to Kash Patel accusing FBI of withholding docs ‘SUPERCHARGE’: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to ‘streamline’ FAA hiring process amid air traffic control shortage LOOKING THE OTHER WAY: Gabbard says Biden admin ignored ‘highly inappropriate’ chats happening at national security agencies ‘INSUFFICIENT FUNDING’: Biden-era Coast Guard failed to ‘consistently’ stop drug smugglers: watchdog ‘FULL COOPERATION’: Virginia gov promises ‘full cooperation’ with ICE to deport illegal immigrants Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Europe needs to ‘step up’ or Zelenskyy needs to ‘step down’: What’s next after explosive Oval Office meeting
Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations came to a screeching halt Friday after an Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy erupted in anger. The world is now left wondering where negotiations go from here and whether the two world leaders can repair their relationship enough for the U.S. to broker peace. Some say Europe may need to step up and get involved to help end the hostilities, while others think Zelenskyy either needs to do major damage control or step down. “It is hard to foresee what happens next,” one European official told Fox News Digital. “The optics of it were simply terrible. … This is another sign for Europe to get its act together and support Ukraine. Mobilize Russia’s foreign assets. Purchase arms for Ukraine. Increase defense spending this year. Move forward with EU membership. There are things Europe can do to help Ukraine build leverage.” Trump said he did not believe Zelenskyy was “ready” for U.S. involvement in the peace process, and Republicans who once supported aiding Ukraine’s fight against Russia seem to have grown tired of the Ukrainian leader. TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a one-time staunch supporter of Ukraine, said after the meeting that the war-torn nation may need to seek a new leader who can work with Trump. “The question for me, for the Ukrainian people … I don’t know if Zelensky can ever get you where you want to go with the United States. Either he dramatically changes or you gotta get someone new,” said Graham. Another former State Department official said Europe needs to have an “emergency meeting” to figure out how to move forward. “I think we’re gonna have to see an emergency meeting of the Europeans with the United States, and I think there’s gonna have to be a little bit of a cooling down right now between Zelenskyy and the U.S.,” said Joel Rubin, a deputy assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration. TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “That Oval meeting was either the bane of Zelenskyy’s political career or the bane of Ukraine,” said former Rep. Mike Garcia, a Republican who served as an informal liaison between Speaker Mike Johnson and rank-and-file House members on Ukraine. “One of those two will cease to exist in the next few months.” He added that Friday’s spat was a natural result of Zelenskyy operating under a “blank check mentality.” “The pill that Zelenskyy seems to not have swallowed yet is that he’s not going to get everything that he wants,” Garcia told Fox News Digital. “He was humiliated on the global stage in a time when his people needed him to be a little more gracious and grateful for this stuff that he’s gotten. “He needs to come back and say he is very grateful for what he has gotten, say ‘I am alive because of the United States. I’m willing to sit down and negotiate in good faith for a peace agreement that may not yield everything that I want and may not, you know, certainly won’t get us to the borders that we had in 2012-2013 before the Crimea invasion.’” The White House was taken by surprise at Zelenskyy’s “combativeness” after President Donald Trump accused him of being a “dictator” last week and invited him to the White House to sign a mineral deal this week. SCOOP: GOP UKRAINE SUPPORTERS ALARMED AFTER EXPLOSIVE TRUMP, ZELENSKYY MEETING “The president and vice president did not expect Zelenskyy to engage in such disrespectful behavior,” a source close to Vance said. The testy White House meeting was cut short as aides escorted Zelenskyy off the premises before closed-door negotiations had even begun. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” Trump told Zelenskyy. Vance accused Zelenskyy of trying to litigate their issues in front of the U.S. media. “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country, please,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you seen the problems we have? Come once,” the Ukrainian president replied. Trump announced after the meeting that Zelenskyy may return to the Oval Office “when he is ready for peace.” “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure,” Trump wrote. “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Conservatives explode at botched Epstein document rollout: ‘Complete disappointment’
The Justice Department’s rollout of the Epstein files on Thursday and Friday drew heated criticism from many on social media from those expressing dismay at the level of detail of the files and the time it took to release them. The highly anticipated release of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday did not include a “client list” or any new startling information, and speculation continued into Friday with the Justice Department saying that some of the documents were still being tracked down. Many conservatives took to social media to express frustration and disappointment with the rollout over the past couple of days. “I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today… A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein’s phonebook,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., posted on X. “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!” PEDO ACT: LAWMAKER MOVES TO PROTECT EPSTEIN FILES, ACCUSES ‘CERTAIN FBI AGENTS’ OF TRYING TO DESTROY DOCS “The fact that the Epstein files haven’t yet been released demonstrates that the President doesn’t yet have operational control of the DOJ and FBI,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., posted on X on Friday morning. “It could take a while to establish, or as with his first term, it might never be established.” Many on social media also took issue with the presence of several conservative influencers at the White House who were pictured outside holding binders that said “The Epstein Files Phase 1,” suggesting that new information had been released. “Pam Bondi: ‘We’re releasing the first of the Epstein files tomorrow.’ Americans: ‘Cool! Then we’ll get to read them?’ Bondi: ‘Well actually you’ll get to see fun little photo shoots of conservative personalities & influencers holding a binder!’” Daily Signal investigative columnist Tony Kinnett posted on X. “Not interested in some big theatrical rollout of the Epstein files, if they even exist anymore,” conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. “Put them online for everyone to see. Hold a press conference to walk us through it. There’s a time for showmanship and a time to be direct and boring. This is definitely the latter.” “The most likely outcome of the ‘Epstein Files’ has always been that it’s mostly stuff we already knew and nothing truly game-changing,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “That’s even more true for the JFK files. If that’s the case, just admit it and move on. Stop hyping this crap up and then not delivering.” BONDI SAYS EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST ‘SITTING ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW,’ AND IS REVIEWING JFK, MLK FILES Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel which explained the delay in the release of the documents and placed blame on an FBI field office in New York. Bondi said she had requested the full Epstein case file before Patel was confirmed as the head of the FBI and received about 200 pages of files — far fewer than the number of pages released last year in a civil lawsuit connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, the trafficker’s former lover and convicted accomplice. “I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” Bondi wrote. “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.” “By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained,” Bondi added. “There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access.” As of Friday afternoon, no new files had been released. Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment. “What you’re going to see, hopefully tomorrow, is a lot of flight logs, a lot of names, a lot of information,” Bondi said on Fox News on Wednesday night when asked about the type of information that would be released Thursday. “But, it’s pretty sick what that man did, along with his co-defendant.” Many defended Bondi against accusations of a botched document rollout, including DOGE chief Elon Musk. “People don’t understand that you don’t get instant power here,” Musk posted on X in response to a post defending Bondi for being in a position of “fighting against a leftist culture.” Patel addressed the situation late Thursday in a post on X. “The FBI is entering a new era—one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice,” Patel wrote. “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DOJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.” Fox News Digital’s Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.
VP Vance shares special message to ailing Pope Francis amid breathing crisis
Vice President JD Vance shared that although he was “surprised” by Pope Francis’ criticism on the Trump administration’s immigration policy, he believes the pontiff is “fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians.” While speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Vance – a convert to Catholicism – said that although he disagrees with Francis and some Catholic bishops on certain stances, he and his children pray for the pope daily. Francis, 88, is currently suffering from pneumonia and an infection in both lungs and is being treated in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Earlier this month, Francis issued a major rebuke of the Trump administration’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.” US CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS SUES TRUMP OVER IMMIGRATION, REFUGEE FUNDING FREEZE Francis wrote a letter to the U.S. bishops, in which he appeared to criticize Vance’s religious argument in defense of the deportation policies. Despite this, Vance shared a message of unity between Catholics and Christians, saying, “I don’t think it’s good for us as Christians to constantly fight with one another over every single controversy in the church.” “Sometimes we should let this stuff play out a little bit and try to live our faith as best we can, under the dictates of our faith and under the dictates of our spiritual leaders but not hold them to the standards of social media influencers because they’re not,” he added. “My goal is not to litigate when I’m right and when they’re wrong or vice versa. My goal is to maybe articulate the way that I think about being a Christian in public life when you also have religious leaders in public life who have a spiritual duty to speak on the issues of the day.” The vice president even led attendees in a prayer for the pope. POPE FRANCIS’ CONDITION IMPROVING BUT WILL REMAIN ‘GUARDED’ UNTIL HE IS STABLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS: VATICAN “I believe that the pope is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership, and he’s a man who cares about the spiritual direction of the faith,” said Vance. “Every day me and my children have said a prayer for the Holy Father, and we pray for his health, and we pray for his comfort as he deals with what appears to be a pretty serious health crisis.” He shared a significant memory of his of the pope’s message of courage and hope in the earliest days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which began just weeks after his daughter’s birth. VANCE VOWS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ‘BIGGEST DEFENDERS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES,’ CATHOLICS “I will always remember the Holy Father, whether he makes his way through this illness – and I certainly hope that he does – I will always remember the Holy Father in March of 2020, at a time of incredible stress for really the entire world … the Holy Father standing in an empty Saint Peter’s Square, holding the Eucharist above his head and giving a sermon that I return to consistently, because it was incredibly meaningful to me at the time, [and] it remains meaningful today.” Concluding, Vance said, “If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room and millions of faithful Catholics in this country who are praying for him as he weathers his particular storm.”
GOP lawmakers demand info on Biden-era spending used to declare student-athletes as employees
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans are demanding records showing the extent to which the Biden administration used taxpayer money to defend its position that student-athletes are employees of the universities for which they play. Representatives Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Rick Allen, R-Ga., made the request in a letter to Marvin Kaplan, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) newly appointed chairman, and acting General Counsel William Cowen. They demanded a full accounting of the expenditures incurred during the Biden administration’s years-long case against the University of Southern California, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA. President Joe Biden’s NLRB argued the entities intentionally obscured the rights of college athletes by labeling them “student-athletes” and not “employees.” The request for expenditure reports from Walberg, who chairs the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Allen, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, comes as there is a growing appetite on Capitol Hill to enact reforms for the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules. COLLEGE FOOTBALL COUNTRY SEEKS KEY TAX EXEMPTION FOR ATHLETES TO ENHANCE RECRUITMENT, BOOST TEAM CONTINUITY The rule change allowed student-athletes to profit from their NIL, which was previously prohibited by the NCAA. Walberg and Allen’s letter said the expenditure records will “provide important assistance to Congress in determining whether legislative changes are warranted.” “The Committee is concerned that the Biden-Harris NLRB spent significant taxpayer resources pursuing a case meant to curry favor with union interests for nearly three years,” the letter states. “The outcome could have upended intercollegiate athletics and stripped numerous scholarship opportunities from American students.” The NLRB’s general counsel during the Biden administration, Jennifer Abruzzo, issued a September 2021 memo explaining that the National Labor Relations Act, the nation’s primary federal law protecting union organizing, “fully support[s] the conclusion that certain Players at Academic Institutions are statutory employees.” The announcement came just a few months after the NCAA began letting students profit from NIL after public pressure and state court cases. While the change in how college athletes are treated has been welcomed by many, others have been concerned about the move’s potential implications. Earlier this month, the Trump administration rescinded the Biden administration NLRB’s September 2021 memo insisting college athletes be recognized as employees under federal labor laws. The Trump administration this month also revoked guidance issued by President Joe Biden on his way out of the White House that required schools to distribute direct NIL payments equally to female and male athletes. HOW NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS LAWS HAVE CHANGED COLLEGE SPORTS Aaron Withe, an expert in government unionization and a former college athlete, said he fears continued momentum toward viewing college athletes as strictly employees will destroy college sports. “Are unions going to step in between a coach and their athletes for yelling at the players, or because practice went long or because they’re making them run an exceptional amount of lines?” Withe wondered. “If you’re represented by a union, they’re now your bargaining agent. You have no ability to go represent yourself in anything with the university if it is deemed they are your employer. You’ve got no ability to go negotiate with them anymore.” Withe pointed out that the move could also lead schools to cut sports programs if they are not generating enough revenue, will affect the long-held tradition that meritocracy is the root of athletic competition and increase the financial burden on schools hoping to keep their athletic programs competitive. “Public institutions, they’re already forking over a cost for the NIL deals. Providing college athletes the same protections as typical employees is just going to increase their tax burden because it’s going to be paying players that ordinarily wouldn’t be getting paid. Schools are going to be forced to pay those guys, so there’s going to be a bigger tax bill associated with it,” Withe said. FORMER MIAMI BASKETBALL COACH JIM LARRANAGA LEFT ‘EXHAUSTED’ BY NIL’S IMPACT ON COLLEGE SPORTS “Attracting top-tier talent is going to be the hardest thing,” he added. “Because you’ve got a contract among all of your athletes — let’s say, for football or basketball or whatever — you can’t then go and bring in a superstar, a stud quarterback, because you can’t pay them the same level that you could without the union. … Basically, money would sort of have to go over to the bigger revenue-generating sports to compensate everyone equally.” The letter from Walberg and Allen added that, under an employee-employer relationship, student-athletes could be forced to start paying federal taxes on any scholarship funds they receive. Proponents of the move to classify college athletes as employees say it is high time student-athletes begin getting their piece of the financial pie. “Colleges and universities have profited off student athletes for decades. It’s the government’s job — not its burden — to make sure student athletes’ rights are respected and they get their fair share,” Karla Walter, senior fellow for Inclusive Economy at the Center for American Progress, told Fox News Digital. “The Senate and House labor committees should be more worried about the fact that the Trump administration has effectively shuttered the agency charged with enforcing most Americans’ labor rights.” EX-NFL COACH JON GRUDEN RIPS STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS Walter added that unionization is viewed favorably among those who don’t have the option to be in one. “Half of non-union workers say they would join a union if they could, but unionization rates hover around 6% in the private sector,” she said. “Student-athletes generate tens of millions of dollars for their universities,” said Andrew Stettner, director of economy and jobs at The Century Foundation. “Just like anyone else whose labor enriches a broader entity, they have a right under the National Labor Relations Act to collectively bargain for things like revenue sharing, workplace conditions and protections from injury,” Last year, the GOP-controlled Committee on Education and Workforce passed legislation to prevent college athletes from being considered employees, but it went no further. Texas GOP Sen. Ted
‘Utter disaster’: Lindsey Graham calls for Zelenskyy resignation after White House throwdown
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Friday called for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resign after a disastrous Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, after which the president asked him to leave. “He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,” Graham, a longtime advocate for Ukraine and foreign policy hawk, told reporters at the White House. The South Carolina Republican called the Friday meeting a “complete utter disaster.” TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country,” Graham said. He slammed the “disrespectful” Oval Office display from Zelenskyy, going as far as saying, “I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again.” According to the senator, he doesn’t think Americans saw the Ukrainian president as someone they feel comfortable going “into business with,” following the televised dispute. TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top,” said Graham. The senator stressed that the Ukrainian-American relationship is “vitally important.” However, he cast doubt on whether Zelenskyy could ever “do a deal with the United States.” “After what I saw, I don’t know,” said Graham. FURIOUS DEMS ATTACK TRUMP, VANCE AFTER EXPLOSIVE OVAL OFFICE MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY: ‘SIDING WITH DICTATORS’ Following the public fallout between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance, the Ukrainian president’s speaking event at the Hudson Institute set for Friday afternoon was abruptly canceled. He is still slated to appear on Fox News’ “Special Report” at 6 p.m. ET for an exclusive interview with Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ After the Friday meeting, Zelenskyy wrote on X, “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS. Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.” Zelenskyy has yet to react to Graham’s call for his resignation. A representative for Zelenskyy did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Where Zelenskyy is headed following tense White House exchange with Trump, Vance
Ukraine President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy departed the White House ahead of schedule on Friday, following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance that culminated in the U.S. leader showing Zelenskyy the door. Zelenskyy was seen hopping into his SUV outside the White House on Friday afternoon after he got into a heated exchange with the president and vice president in a meeting that was intended to bring Ukraine closer to ending a yearslong war with Russia. The Ukraine president traveled to the U.S. on Friday to meet with Trump at the White House, just hours after Trump celebrated that a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia was in its final stages. The Trump administration, as part of the peace deal, was working to ink an agreement with Ukraine that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support the U.S. has offered the nation since war broke out in 2022. Instead, the deal was not signed and a planned press conference was canceled after Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House, a White House official told Fox News. TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS Zelenskyy was scheduled to speak before the Hudson Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, late Friday afternoon, but event coordinators reportedly announced the speech was canceled. He is still slated to join Fox News’ Bret Baier for an exclusive interview on “Special Report” at 6 p.m. ET. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ The White House meeting grew tense in its final approximate 10 minutes, after Vance said that peace would be reached between Russia and Ukraine through U.S. diplomacy efforts. “Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country.” “Have you’ve ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?” Zelenskyy shot back. “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour,” Vance continued. “Mr. President, do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to, trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Zelenskyy continued that under war, “everybody has problems, even you,” and that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump shot back at Zelenskyy. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” Trump added at another point during the exchange. “You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.” Vance interjected, asking Zelenskyy if he had “said thank you once this entire meeting.” “You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October — offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country,” Vance said. TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY WAR OF WORDS HEATS UP EVEN AS US LOOKS TO WIND DOWN WAR IN UKRAINE “The problem is I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States,” Trump said before the meeting concluded. “And your people are very brave. But you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.” Trump posted to his Truth Social account shortly after the meeting that Zelenskyy was “not ready for Peace.” “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump wrote. “Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure.” “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” he wrote. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.” Zelenskyy posted his own social media post Friday afternoon, profusely thanking U.S. officials for their support. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit,” he posted to X. “Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.” Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
See the star-studded list of Trump allies descending on DC to chart further 100-day wins
FIRST ON FOX: A group of top Republican lawmakers, MAGA world personalities and key allies of President Donald Trump are descending on Washington D.C., to gather and chart even more accomplishments under his leadership in his first 100 days. Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee will be guests at an event next week, hosted by Rescuing the American Dream (RAD), a group run by Scott allies. “The First 100 Days: How Conservatives Can Help President Trump Accomplish His Agenda” will also feature Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and businessman and star of Shark Tank Kevin O’Leary, among others. GABBARD SAYS BIDEN ADMIN IGNORED ‘HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE’ CHATS HAPPENING AT NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCIES “Rescuing the American Dream is looking forward to hosting this event next week to highlight the accomplishments of the Trump Administration and Republicans in Washington and plan for more successes to come. We’re looking forward to hearing from leaders from across Washington and the conservative movement for in depth and insightful conversations,” RAD spokesperson Chris Hartline said in a statement. The guests will come together in the U.S. capital over March 5 and 6 to discuss how they can best work with the Trump administration to deliver more wins in the president’s first 100 days, which he will hit on April 30. Representatives for Ramaswamy and O’Leary did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. BIPARTISAN DUO LOOKS TO FEND OFF FOOD SUPPLY CYBER THREATS AS GLOBAL TENSIONS PERSIST The event will specifically explore how allies can best assist Trump in the crucial budget reconciliation process on Capitol Hill, in American business and manufacturing and through shutting down lawfare in and out of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Fox News Digital has learned. SCOOP: INSIDE ELON MUSK’S MEETING WITH THE SENATE DOGE CAUCUS Other speakers include Trump-world familiar faces regulars such as Alex Bruesewitz, campaign advisor to the president and CEO of X Strategies LLC and Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) Executive Director Alex Latcham, as well as Tiffany Smiley, Founder of Endeavor Pac and Political Commentator, Founder and CEO of American Majority Ned Ryun and Sentinel Action Fund President and Founder Jessica Anderson. TOP INTEL REPUBLICAN TOM COTTON SEEKING RE-ELECTION TO SENATE IN 2026 After an action-packed first month of his second administration, Trump shows no signs of slowing down. He will mark 50 days in office on March 11, followed by 100 on April 30. With Republican control of both houses of Congress, the president has more ability to usher through his policies than ever before, and many GOP lawmakers are working to do their part and help rack up swift wins for Trump.
SCOOP: GOP Ukraine supporters alarmed after explosive Trump, Zelenskyy meeting
House Republicans who support Ukraine were left alarmed after an explosive Oval Office meeting ended with Kyiv’s leader being booted from the White House. “The U.S. is now on the wrong side of this war, against freedom,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-NE, told Fox News Digital. Bacon compared President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to Democrats during the Cold War, a time when Republicans were the significantly more hawkish party on Russia. “Trump and Vance sound like the Democrats from the 1970s and 1980s. Role reversals. I’m still with Reagan,” Bacon said. BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS Another GOP lawmaker granted anonymity to speak freely placed blame on both sides, calling the meeting “a missed opportunity for both Ukraine and the United States and a big win for Vladimir Putin.” Zelenskyy was expected to sign a deal with Trump on Friday to give the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine’s supply of critical minerals. But that appears to have skewed off course after the exceptionally testy meeting for both sides, where Trump told Zelenskyy he was acting “ungrateful” for the U.S.’s aid against Russia’s invasion. “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” Trump told him. “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country.” Vance accused Zelenskyy of trying to litigate their issues in front of the U.S. media, adding, “Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country, please.” Zelenskyy shot back, “Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you seen the problems we have? Come once.” Sources who spoke with Fox News Digital said the meeting left them stunned and concerned for Ukraine’s future. “Sane Republicans are pissed,” a Republican foreign policy source told Fox News Digital. “[The Russian government] will break every agreement, cheat, lie, and come right back for everything the minute we look away. If Trump thinks his rapport with Putin will change a thousand years of Russian mindset, he’ll find out the hard way.” A senior House GOP aide said, “What happened in the White House today was a disgrace. We are actively emboldening Putin and ceding U.S. strength and global leadership by turning our backs on Ukraine.” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., wrote on X without implicating either side more than the other, “As someone who fundamentally believes that Russia, China, and Iran are not our friends or allies and continues to believe it is important to support Ukraine, it was extremely short-sighted to engage in that type of exchange in front of the US and international press as you work towards an agreement.” The vast majority of GOP lawmakers who spoke out publicly, however, praised Trump and Vance. KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN “Gone are the days of foreign leaders walking all over us and snubbing their noses at America’s generosity. There’s a new President and Vice President in town. World leaders would be wise to humble themselves,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-AZ, wrote on X. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-FL, said in a statement, “America won’t be taken advantage of and America won’t be taken for granted. Thank you, President Trump and Vice President Vance for standing up for America.” A source close to Vance told Fox News Digital after the meeting that the combativeness during the meeting came from Zelenskyy, and that it was “unexpected” by Trump and Vance. “The vice president and president did not expect Zelenskyy to engage in such disrespectful behavior,” the source close to Vance said. When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, the White House pointed to Trump’s statement on the meeting posted to Truth Social. “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure,” Trump wrote. “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.” But former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., a top Trump critic who recently said he’s beginning to identify more with Democrats, wrote on X, “Zelenskyy made Trump look like a little b—-.”
Epstein files debacle spurs new interest in contents of promised JFK, MLK assassination files
The planned release of the MLK and RFK assassination files has garnered renewed interest amid fallout from the widely panned release of Epstein files by the Department of Justice on Thursday evening. In accordance with President Donald Trump‘s executive order in January to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the attorney general were expected to release their proposed plan for the declassification of the JFK files on Feb. 7. Likewise, in line with the order, the plan to release the RFK and MLK files is expected on March 9. EPSTEIN FILES: AG PAM BONDI SENDS LETTER TO KASH PATEL ACCUSING FBI OF WITHHOLDING DOCS The RFK and MLK files’ release plan deadline comes just weeks after the Department of Justice revealed a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files Thursday, with many of the documents already having been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former lover and convicted accomplice. The lack of new material provoked criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files – and questions about what the RFK and MLK documents could hold. Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” told Fox News Digital he expects “there will be news in there, but it’s not going to be something that turns upside down our understanding of what really happened with those cases.” After committing earlier this week to release Epstein-related documents sometime Thursday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent FBI Director Kash Patel a fiery letter accusing federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents. “I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” Bondi wrote. “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.” JEFFREY EPSTEIN CONTACT LIST: AG PAM BONDI RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DOJ DOCUMENTS Bondi said she had previously requested the full Epstein file prior to Patel’s confirmation to head the FBI last week, and had received approximately 200 pages of files – fewer than the number of pages released last year as part of a civil lawsuit connected to Maxwell. “People’s expectations sort of got too high, based upon the executive order that the president signed,” Posner said on the Epstein file release. Bondi said the FBI had never disclosed that those files existed and gave the agency a Friday-morning deadline for the documents to be turned over. “By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained,” Bondi wrote. “There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access.” Patel posted on X on Thursday evening, saying, “The FBI is entering a new era – one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice.” DEADLINE LOOMS FOR RELEASE OF JFK ASSASSINATION FILES Patel stated, “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned – and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them.” The FBI director also stated that the agency would be bringing “everything we find” to the DOJ to share the information with the American public, “as it should be.” Trump’s declassification executive order came after he promised to declassify the documents upon entering his second term while on the campaign trail, saying at the time, “When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth.” Trump had initially promised to release the last batch of documents during his first term, but such efforts ultimately dissipated. Trump then blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination, following several CIA and FBI appeals. Fox News’ David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.