Epstein files debacle spurs new interest in contents of promised RFK, 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.
Zelenskyy breaks silence on social media after fiery Oval Office exchange with Trump: ‘Thank you America’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted publicly for the first time since his Oval Office blowup with President Donald Trump on Friday with a social media post thanking the United States. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “Thank you @POTUS. Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.” The post was Zelenskyy’s first comment since a meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance turned into a shouting match at the White House with the three leaders arguing over what “cards” Ukraine holds and whether Zelenskyy has shown enough gratitude to the United States. A scheduled press conference on Friday was canceled after the heated exchange and Zelenskyy was seen briskly exiting the White House into an awaiting car and driving away. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS A scheduled press conference on Friday was canceled after the heated exchange and Zelenskyy was seen briskly exiting the White House into an awaiting car and driving away. “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.” Zelenskyy later said that under war, “everybody has problems, even you” and that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “You don’t know that,” Trump responded as Zelenskyy said “God bless you” to Trump. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump continued. At one point, Trump pointed at Zelenskyy and told him that what he’s doing is “very disrespectful” to the United States. After the exchange, it was announced that a scheduled press conference had been canceled, and Zelenskyy was seen briskly leaving the White House with no word on the mineral rights deal that had been expected to be signed on Friday. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting. “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. 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 rally around Trump after meeting with Zelenskyy goes off the rails: ‘Absolute dumba–‘
Reactions on social media came pouring in Friday afternoon after President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were involved in a fiery exchange in the Oval Office that turned into a shouting match at points. “Finally we have a President who will speak the TRUTH and stand up against Washington’s endless wars. American taxpayers have been funding this war, it’s time to stop the killing and stop risking World War 3!” GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X after the tense exchange that ultimately resulted in a canceled press conference on Friday. “Wow!” Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X. “President Trump and JD Vance just told Zelenskyy exactly what millions of Americans have wanted to tell him, right to his face. Someone needed to say it.” “Zelensky owes America and the President an apology,” former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita posted on X. “What an absolute dumba–.” TRUMP SAYS ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE I SAID THAT’ WHEN ASKED IF HE STILL THINKS ZELENSKYY IS A DICTATOR “Zelensky is doing a serious disservice to the Ukrainian people insulting the American President and the American people – just to appease Europeans and increase his low polling in Ukraine after he failed miserably to defend his country,” GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz, who was born in Ukraine, posted on X. “This is not a theater act but a real war!” “America First in action,” GOP Congressman Brandon Gill posted on X. “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump and @JDVance for prioritizing our people first and for promoting peace!” “This full Zelensky interaction is INSANE: He is an emotionally incontinent idiot who dares to lecture and belittle the elected leaders of his total benefactor on OUR SOIL Trump and JD should send him packing with NOTHING,” Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti posted on X. “Ukrainians should be ashamed to have a leader like this.” “Thank you President Trump and VP Vance for standing up for America,” GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn posted on X. “I am so proud of our Commander-in-Chief,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X. “Thank you President @RealDonaldTrump and @VP for standing up for America. We will not tolerate the political games and disrespect of America. America is back.” Democrats on social media took a different tone and strongly criticized Trump over the exchange, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who posted on X that Trump and Vance “are doing Putin’s dirty work.” The heated exchange in the Oval Office involved the three political leaders going back and forth about the “cards” Ukraine is holding in the negotiations with Russia and whether Zelenskyy has been grateful to the United States during the process. RUBIO DENIES TRUMP IS EXCLUDING UKRAINE FROM RUSSIA TALKS, PUSHES BACK ON NATO CRITICISM “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.” Zelenskyy later said that under war, “everybody has problems, even you” and that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future.” “You don’t know that,” Trump responded as Zelenskyy said “God bless you” to Trump. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump continued. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP At one point, Trump pointed at Zelenskyy and told him that what he’s doing is “very disrespectful” to the United States. After the exchange, it was announced that a scheduled press conference had been canceled, and Zelenskyy was seen briskly leaving the White House with no word on the mineral rights deal that had been expected to be signed on Friday. “We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting. “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. 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.”
Furious Dems attack Trump, Vance after explosive Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy: ‘Siding with dictators’
Congressional Democrats expressed immediate outrage at President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s explosive White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday that ended with Trump asking Zelenskyy to leave. “Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X in response to Vance telling Zelenskyy his behavior was disrespectful and Trump saying he was “gambling with World War III.” House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said it “would’ve been a show of strength” if Trump engaged with Zelenskyy “in a dignified way.” TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “But you would never know that after President Trump’s shameful display. Putin must be overjoyed with today’s theatrics,” she said on X. TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON ‘SPECIAL REPORT,’ 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., claimed the Ukrainian president is owed an apology, noting, “Ukrainians have fought tooth-and-nail on the frontlines of democracy against Russian aggression.” “Pres. Trump and VP Vance’s words to Pres. Zelenskyy are rude and utterly shameful,” Durbin wrote. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ “Trump berates Zelensky, the leader of a democratic country courageously fighting Russian imperialism, while he allies himself with Putin, a dictator who started the bloodiest European war in 80 years,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. “Sorry, President Trump. We believe in democracy, not authoritarianism.” TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., posted on X, “A hero and a coward are meeting in the Oval Office today. And when the meeting is over, the hero will return home to Ukraine.” Zelenskyy joined Trump and Vance in the Oval Office to discuss a path for peace between Russia and Ukraine, which remain at war after Russia invaded its neighbor in 2022. However, the discussion quickly devolved into chaos as the Ukrainian president challenged his U.S. counterparts in front of the press. “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 replied to Zelenskyy after he pushed back on the notion of engaging in diplomacy to end the war. The Ukrainian president then departed the White House at the request of Trump without signing an agreement that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals in exchange for the financial support the U.S. has given Ukraine since 2022 as part of a negotiated peace deal. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., said she was “horrified” by the exchange, adding, “It is stunning that the US is now siding with dictators and not standing up for freedom, democracy, and global stability. I’m deeply concerned for the people in Ukraine and our country’s long-term national security.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn, told Vance in an X post, “Shame on you” for asking whether Zelenskyy had thanked the U.S. “Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe,” she wrote on X. “Watching Trump and Vance serve as Putin’s mouthpieces in the Oval Office was one of the most shameful moments in American diplomacy,” remarked Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who called for every Republican to “publicly condemn it.”
Bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang put on notice as new bill curbs blue state sanctuary policies
Law enforcement in Colorado and other states could soon have an easier time coordinating with federal authorities on immigration issues, especially when it comes to busting gangs and drug traffickers. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., introduced the “Unhandcuffing Police to Locate and Interdict Foreign Transgressors (UPLIFT) Act” in Congress earlier this week to prompt public officials in Colorado and nationwide to communicate with feds about illegal immigrants who are believed to have committed other crimes, even though certain state laws limit their ability to do so. “State laws have a national impact, because if federal law enforcement uses information from a criminal justice database, and Colorado provided that information, the state and local cops in Colorado who provided that information can get in trouble,” Evans said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “And so the feds don’t want to get their state and local partners in trouble.” POLICE LEAD TREN DE ARAGUA CRACKDOWNS AS EXCLUSIVE FOX NATION RIDE-ALONG EXPOSES VENEZUELA’S DEADLIEST GANG The Republican noted that his suburban Denver district has made national headlines related to the border and illegal immigration crisis, despite being hundreds of miles away from the border itself. In January, the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested roughly 50 illegal immigrants, many of whom had ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration now classifies as a foreign terrorist organization, Fox News Digital reported. “I mean, look at the Tren de Aragua nightclub takedown that happened in my district, by the way,” he said. HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS TARGET ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS IN COLORADO “State and local law enforcement knew who those guys were. They just weren’t allowed to do anything. And we had to wait until a new administration came into power to go send federal law enforcement out to get these guys,” he said, adding that some of these challenges are “directly impacting community safety.” Evans also responded to any possible criticism that the bill would interfere with state’s rights if passed. “Under the Supremacy Clause and under the fact that this is expressly delegated to the federal government, this is not trampling on states’ rights, and this is not overstepping the 10th Amendment,” he argued. TREN DE ARAGUA CRACKDOWN: 8 VENEZUELAN GANG MEMBERS INDICTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING As the congressman was sworn in this January, this is his first bill introduced in the chamber. The legislation is sponsored by fellow Colorado Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank and Jeff Hurd. “Proud to be an original co-sponsor of the UPLIFT Act. [CO-3] will be safer if Colorado cooperates with federal law enforcement—particularly when it comes to dangerous criminals here illegally,” Hurd tweeted. House Resolution 1680 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for next steps.
Karine Jean-Pierre ripped over ‘firing squad’ recap of Biden’s exit from race: ‘Still doesn’t understand’
Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was blasted on social media this week after she sat down for an interview giving a recap on her thoughts about the Biden debate performance and the fallout from Democrats. “I … look, personally, I think what was the toughest thing to see in the three weeks was there was a disconnect for me [in] what was happening with leadership in the Democratic Party and how it was truly, as my former colleague, communications director Ben Labolt said, it was a firing squad,” Jean-Pierre said at an event for the Institute of Politics at Harvard University on Wednesday. “I had never seen anything like it before. I had never seen a party do that in the way that they did, and it was hurtful and sad to see that happening,” Jean-Pierre added. “A firing squad around a person who I believe was a true patriot, a person who I believe did everything that he can for this country. A person who I believe, as I mentioned before, has done more in one term than most presidents had done in two terms, historical things, and I was shocked by what I was seeing.” Jean-Pierre’s analysis, the first in-depth comments she has made on Biden’s exit from the race since she left the White House, drew immediate pushback from conservatives on social media. KARINE JEAN-PIERRE COMPARES DEMOCRATS CALLING FOR BIDEN TO BE KICKED OFF THE TICKET TO A ‘FIRING SQUAD’ “She openly lied about Biden’s mental decline,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. “She blamed cheap fake videos, which many in media echoed. Worst press secretary of our lifetimes. And now she’s shocked, shocked. . . .” “The most important takeaway from this is Karine still doesn’t understand that they did anything wrong,” Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “She either genuinely believes that Joe Biden was the most cognitively aware person to ever be President, or she knows he wasn’t fit to serve four more years and is once again lying to you,” Greg Price of the White House Rapid Response team posted on X. “Either way, she’s the worst Press Secretary in American history.” GRASSLEY, JOHNSON DEMAND NARA TURN OVER BIDEN RECORDS RELATING TO EMAIL ALIASES, FAMILY BUSINESS DEALINGS “She’s complicit,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X. “She really thought she could just lie her way past Father Time,” Substack writer Jim Treacher posted on X. Jean-Pierre said during her Harvard appearance that she has not been focused on watching the news since she left the White House. “I have not watched the news,” she said. “I have really tried to focus on self-care. I’ve really tried to focus on my daughter. I have a 10-year-old. And I have done . . . it’s, I think the best way to say this is, I have deprogrammed myself so that I could be a civilian again. I used to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. Like, that was my schedule every day for four years. And I thought that when I stepped away from the lectern and the podium that I would have this, like, adrenaline, like, I would need to feed my, like, ‘Aaah, I need to be doing something!’” Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report
White House touts extradition of cartel figures amid Trump admin crackdown
The Trump administration touted the extraditions of more than two dozen defendants from Mexico after the Department of Justice announced that the U.S. had taken 29 into custody. “Today, the United States secured custody of 29 defendants from Mexico who are facing charges in districts around the country relating to racketeering, drug-trafficking, murder, illegal use of firearms, money laundering, and other crimes,” the DOJ noted in a Thursday press release. The announcement came as the president seeks to crack down on drug cartels and secure the nation’s southern border. MEXICO EXTRADITES DOZENS OF CARTEL LEADERS AND MEMBERS TO US, INCLUDING DRUG LORD RAFAEL CARO QUINTERO “President Trump directed the Department of Justice and the Department of State to make this happen, and Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of State Rubio did a tremendous job in getting this done,” the White House press secretary said in a statement on Friday. The statement noted that the group “includes one of the most evil cartel bosses in the world, Rafael Caro Quintero, who tortured and murdered DEA Agent Kiki Camerena in 1985.” “The previous Administration allowed these criminals to run free and commit crimes all over the world. The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people,” the statement adds. After President Donald Trump issued an executive order on the topic in January, the State Department announced the designation of eight groups as foreign terrorist organizations last week. Notorious entities including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua were among those designated. TRUMP STATE DEPARTMENT DECLARES TREN DE ARAGUA, MS-13, MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS “The defendants taken into U.S. custody today include leaders and managers of drug cartels recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas), La Nueva Familia Michoacana, and Cártel de Golfo (Gulf Cartel),” the Department of Justice noted in its Thursday press release. FBI Director Kash Patel, who was just sworn in last week, declared that the federal law enforcement agency and its “partners will scour the ends of the earth to bring terrorists and cartel members to justice,” the release noted. MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL LEADER EXTRADITED TO THE US TO FACE FEDERAL DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The era of harming Americans and walking free is over,” he said. Fox News’ Kaitlin Sprague contributed to this report
US-Zelenskyy meeting shows cracks over Europe’s importance to Ukraine and whether Trump is ‘on our side’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dodged directly answering whether he believed President Donald Trump backed Ukraine while visiting the White House on Friday. Zelenskyy is visiting Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and is expected to sign a minerals agreement on Friday that will allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals — in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia’s invasion in 2022. When asked if Zelenskyy believed Trump was on Ukraine’s side, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Oval Office that he believed the U.S. is on Ukraine’s side and reiterated the importance of stopping aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of Europe’s assistance during the conflict with Russia — prompting Trump to interject and claim U.S. contributions were more significant than Europe’s. But Zelenskyy pushed back and said that wasn’t true. TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE Exact numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Meanwhile, all European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals roughly $138.7 billion, the German-based think tank the Kiel Institute estimates, with the U.S. contributing $119.7 billion in that same timeframe. Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. has worked with Ukraine and Russia to advance a peace negotiation. After U.S. officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Feb. 18 without Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters that “nobody decides anything behind our back.” Trump and Zelenskyy then traded barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian “disinformation” and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a “dictator” that has failed his country. TRUMP SAYS MINERALS DEAL HAS BEEN ‘PRETTY MUCH’ NEGOTIATED WITH ZELENSKYY, MEETING SLATED FOR FRIDAY On Thursday, Trump didn’t double down on that statement though. When asked if he stood by his statement, he told reporters: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.” Trump also told reporters while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday that a peace negotiation was in the final stages, but he exercised caution about sharing details concerning a peacekeeping force in the region until a deal was finalized. “I think we’re very well advanced on a deal,” Trump said. “But we have not made a deal yet. So I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done.” Trump also said he didn’t expect Putin to violate any agreement to create peace with Ukraine. “I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word,” Trump said Thursday. “I don’t think he’ll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now.”
Trump says Zelenskyy can ‘come back when he is ready for Peace’ after fiery White House exchange
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 and a minerals deal off the table, a White House official confirmed. Trump accused Zelenskyy of “disrespecting” the U.S. during their Friday meeting, 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.” Zelenskyy visited Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and was expected to sign a minerals agreement that will allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals — in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia’s invasion in 2022. But things took a turn south, and Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said that the Ukrainian leader was in a “bad position” at the negotiating table. “You’re playing cards,” Trump said. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. 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.” Additionally, when asked if Zelenskyy believed Trump was on Ukraine’s side, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Oval Office that he believed the U.S. is on Ukraine’s side and reiterated the importance of stopping aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of Europe’s assistance during the conflict with Russia — prompting Trump to interject and claim U.S. contributions were more significant than Europe’s. But Zelenskyy pushed back and said that wasn’t true. TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE Exact numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Meanwhile, all European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals roughly $138.7 billion, the German-based think tank the Kiel Institute estimates, with the U.S. contributing $119.7 billion in that same time frame. Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. has worked with Ukraine and Russia to advance a peace negotiation. After U.S. officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Feb. 18 without Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters that “nobody decides anything behind our back.” Trump and Zelenskyy then traded barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian “disinformation” and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a “dictator” that has failed his country. TRUMP SAYS MINERALS DEAL HAS BEEN ‘PRETTY MUCH’ NEGOTIATED WITH ZELENSKYY, MEETING SLATED FOR FRIDAY On Thursday, Trump didn’t double down on that statement though. When asked if he stood by his statement, he told reporters: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.” Trump also told reporters while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday that a peace negotiation was in the final stages, but he exercised caution about sharing details concerning a peacekeeping force in the region until a deal was finalized. “I think we’re very well advanced on a deal,” Trump said. “But we have not made a deal yet. So I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done.” Trump also said he didn’t expect Putin to violate any agreement to create peace with Ukraine. “I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word,” Trump said Thursday. “I don’t think he’ll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now.”
Here’s who Biden blames for his 2024 election loss, Trump divulges after private convo
Former President Joe Biden blamed “Barack” and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for his political ousting amid the election cycle in 2024, President Donald Trump shared in an interview reflecting on his conversations with the 46th president. “I went to the White House a few months before this all happened. … But I went there and he asked for a meeting, and I went and we talked for a little while, and at first I couldn’t… You couldn’t… He talked so low,” Trump said in an interview with The Spectator’s Ben Domenech Thursday afternoon at the White House. Trump’s comments came after Domenech asked about Biden’s apparent warm attitude toward Trump following the November 2024 election. He explained that Biden invited Trump to the White House following his electoral win over former Vice President Kamala Harris and asked him whom he “blamed” for the loss. “I asked him, I said, ‘So who do you blame?’ Because he was very angry, you know, he was a very angry guy, actually,” Trump said. “And he said, ‘I blame Barack.’ And I never think of him as ‘Barack.’ You know, you always hear ‘Obama.’ You say, you have to think about that for a second. And he said, ‘and I also blame Nancy Pelosi.’” DEM PARTY BLAME GAME: ACCUSATIONS FLY AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HARRIS’ MASSIVE LOSS TO TRUMP Biden noted in his conversation that he did not blame Harris for the disarray in the Democratic Party during the election year, Trump said. “I said, ‘What about the vice president?’ He said, “No, I don’t blame her,’ which was interesting,” Trump said. “He didn’t blame her. He blamed … he told me he blamed those two people.” 5 MISTAKES THAT DOOMED KAMALA HARRIS’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP The year 2024 kicked off with Biden in the driver’s seat of the Democratic Party as he keyed up a re-election effort in what was shaping up to be a second match-up against Trump. In February 2024, however, Biden’s 81 years of age and mental acuity fell under public scrutiny after years of conservatives questioning the commander in chief’s mental fitness. Special counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents as vice president, announced he would not recommend criminal charges against Biden for possessing classified materials after his vice presidency, calling Biden “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” NANCY PELOSI FIRES BACK AT BERNIE SANDERS FOR COMMENTS ON DEMS’ SWEEPING ELECTION LOSS: NO ‘RESPECT’ The report renewed scrutiny over Biden’s mental acuity, which rose to a fever pitch in June 2024 after the president’s first and only presidential debate against Trump. Biden faced backlash for a handful of gaffes and miscues in the days leading up to his ill-fated debate against Trump, including Obama taking Biden’s wrist and appearing to lead him off a stage during a swank fundraiser, and also abroad when Italian Prime Minister Giogia Meloni guided Biden back to a group of world leaders when he appeared to wander off to give a thumbs-up to a parachutist during the G-7 summit. THE ‘SQUAD,’ WARREN AND SANDERS AMONG PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES WHO CRUISED TO RE-ELECTION VICTORIES When the big debate day arrived, Biden missed his marks repeatedly, tripping over his responses and appearing to lose his train of thought as he squared up against Trump. The disastrous debate performance led to an outpouring from both conservatives and traditional Democrat allies calling on the president to bow out of the race in favor of a younger generation. On July 21, 2024, Biden issued a post announcing he would bow out of the race. He endorsed Harris to take the reins of the election in a follow-up post. Pelosi’s relationship with Biden hit the rocks amid the speculation and the ultimate decision to bow out of the race, with Pelosi revealing on MSNBC earlier in February that she still has not spoken to Biden or former first lady Jill Biden in months but hopes to patch up their yearslong friendship. ‘ABANDON HARRIS’ MOVEMENT FLIPPED DEARBORN TO TRUMP ON ELECTION DAY Some Democrats and insiders have pointed to Obama for the 2024 loss, after Obama reportedly worked in the background in summer 2024 to encourage Biden’s ouster from the race. A handful of Obama’s allies and former advisers helped lead the charge in calling on Biden to drop out of the race earlier in the summer of 2024, including former Obama adviser David Axelrod saying that Biden was “not winning this race;” longtime Obama friend George Clooney calling on the president to drop out of the race in a bombshell op-ed; and Jon Favreau, who served as former director of speech writing for Obama, also calling on Biden to drop out of the race ahead of his eventual departure. Fox News Digital reached out to the respective offices for Pelosi, Obama and Biden regarding Trump’s comments but did not immediately receive replies.