Pompeo says ‘no one’s held Xi Jinping accountable’ for COVID, blasts CCP as ‘truly evil’ influence in US


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Mike Pompeo, former secretary of state in the Trump administration, blasted the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as “truly evil” for its infiltration of American institutions during a House select committee hearing on Tuesday – and he went on to torch Chinese President Xi Jinping for never being held accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed on the world.

In a bipartisan show of support, Pompeo and Leon Panetta, former secretary of defense in the Obama administration, testified Tuesday before the House select committee hearing titled “Authoritarian Alignment: The CCP’s Support for America’s Adversaries.”

“We should never forget this information space on social media and how the Chinese Communist Party has communist-directed entities on every one of our children’s cellphones passing information that is deeply filtered, designed for our young people here to undermine their idea and their understanding of America and our foundational ideas,” Pompeo said. “This is the very Xi Jinping that unleashed a virus upon the world that killed millions of people, including over a million people in the United States. It gets seldom referenced.”

“It’s hard to imagine the staggering impact that COVID had on the world, and yet no one’s held Xi Jinping accountable, not for the leak from his lab, which happened,” Pompeo continued. “Not for the fact that once he was aware he had a leak from his lab, of a relatively lethal, relatively contagious virus, he foisted it upon the world. He made a decision to hide the data, hide the information, to off the researchers and to put thousands of people on airplanes and transit them across the world with the death and destruction and the economic harm that followed from that. This is the very same Xi Jinping that’s working here in the United States against us.”

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., noted how Pompeo warned America’s governors not to get too entwined with the CCP.

“As Washington becomes more aware of the China threat, the CCP has targeted many of our states’ governors. This morning, the Washington Post published a story about the CCP’s ‘united front’ efforts [in] amping up their engagement with our nation’s mayors, including the mayor of Carmel, Indiana, in my state,” Banks said to Pompeo. “The former mayor, he just left office, who went on lavish trips to China and engaged at a high level with Chinese officials in their country. Why should our nation’s mayors stray away from these types of entanglements with the sister cities projects and other CCP united front efforts?”

BIDEN’S PENTAGON NOMINEE GRILLED ON SELLING OF BORDER WALL PARTS, CHINESE SPY BALLOON: ‘CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED’

In Wisconsin, the home state of Chair Mike Gallagher, Pompeo said, “They have made a hard place for your state’s legislative body.”

Pompeo testifying before Congress

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies during a House hearing on the Chinese Communist Party on Jan. 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

“They are determined to propagate their efforts. They want to make friends so that when they are confronted, they can turn to their friends and say, ‘We’re not such bad guys after all,'” Pompeo said. “The Chinese Communist Party is truly evil, they will work at every level of government, they will work against our private sector as well. They’ll show up at PTA meetings, if that’s what it takes. This is an effort on every level of the Chinese Communist Party.”

“When the Chinese Communist Party shows up at your school and offers a free swing set, it is not because they care about the health of your children,” Pompeo added. “That’s maybe the simplest way to articulate sister cities programs and the Confucius Institutes. On all of these ‘united front’ efforts inside our country … they may show up and give you some temporary lift, but in the end, it is about them, not about us.”

Breaking with the bipartisan nature of the hearing, Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., said Jan. 6, 2021, was Xi’s “best day in office” and demanded that Pompeo state under oath “that Joe Biden was duly elected in a free and fair election.”

In response, Pompeo said, “Well, so much for bipartisanship of this committee. Well done, sir, you have destroyed that.”

Panetta and Pompeo

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, listens as former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testifies during a House hearing on Jan. 30, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

“Of course, President Biden is the duly elected president of the United States,” Pompeo said.

CHINA SEES POTENTIAL 2024 BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH AS HAVING TO CHOOSE FROM 2 ‘BOWLS OF POISON’: EXPERT

“I wish Secretary Clinton would be so clear about her election as well,” he added.

Pompeo went on to say, “We did have a peaceful transition of power from the Trump administration to the Biden administration. I was present for that.”

“We’ll have partisan disagreements on many things,” Pompeo said. “It is a factual matter that the world was in less conflict three years ago than it is today. Secretary [Antony] Blinken said just yesterday that not since 1973 has the Middle East been so dangerous. I agree with him on that. It was safer three years ago because we established a deterrence model that was successful in preventing the invasion of Europe, the debacle in Afghanistan, and the good work that we did – you’ll recall that the Trump administration was actually the first administration to provide defense weapons systems to Ukraine when the Obama administration had concluded it could not or would not do so. These were things that kept the American people safe. It wasn’t partisan, it wasn’t political. It was good policy.”

Pompeo and Panetta being sworn in

Leon Panetta, left, and Mike Pompeo are sworn in during the House select committee hearing on Jan. 30, 2024. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

Pompeo and Panetta, who both also served as CIA directors, describe themselves as good friends. They both also addressed the conflict in Ukraine.

“The only way to try to avoid war with China, the only way to deal with China, is from strength,” Panetta said. “Both China and Russia became more aggressive when they sensed weakness on the part of the U.S. And for that reason, we must take strong action to arm and train Taiwan to defend itself, to strengthen our force posture, to invest in the next generation of military technology, to bolster our alliances, and to maintain strong export controls on critical technologies.”

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“We lost deterrence in Ukraine,” Pompeo said later in the hearing. “We shouldn’t applaud ourselves for rallying NATO. That’s great, I’m glad the Europeans stood up. But we should remember, we did not conduct American foreign policy with the diplomatic excellence and the military power to actually convince Putin not to invade Ukraine. We have to win these things. It is insufficient to catch incoming missiles. You have to hold your adversary at risk.”

“My effort as secretary of state was to remind the world if we don’t hold the CCP at risk – if we simply play defense economically, diplomatically; we allow a spy balloon to travel over our country for five days and then hold a press conference announcing what brilliance it was to fire, shoot it down over South Carolina – Xi Jinping gets that he’s on offense, we’re on defense,” he added. “And that is not a good place for the United States to be.”



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Jean Carnahan, Missouri’s first female U.S. Senator, dies at 90


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Former U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan died on Tuesday at the age of 90, her family announced.

In a statement on Tuesday, Carnahan’s family said that she “passed peacefully after a long and rich life.”

“She was a fearless trailblazer,” the statement read. “She was brilliant, creative, compassionate and dedicated to her family and her fellow Missourians.”

Carnahan’s cause of death is unknown, but her family disclosed that she passed away after a brief illness.

MANCHIN HINTS AT POTENTIAL THIRD PARTY RUN AFTER SUPER TUESDAY

Jean Carnahan talking

The late U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan speaks as she expresses her support for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine at the Kingside Diner on August 01, 2022, in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Carnahan served as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate from Jan. 3, 2001 to Nov. 25, 2002. She ascended to the position after her husband Mel was elected posthumously in 2000.

Mel, who died in a plane crash along with his son in 2000, had served as the Governor of Missouri from 1992 until his death. He was running for U.S. Senate against incumbent John Ashcroft when he passed away.

MANCHIN ‘ABSOLUTELY’ CAN SEE HIMSELF AS PRESIDENT, THINKS BIDEN HEALTH OR TRUMP CONVICTION COULD GIVE OPENING

Close-up of Jean Carnahan's face

Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.) at an Armed Forces Committee hearing in 2000.

Jean and Mel were married on June 12, 1954, after previously meeting at a church event. Jean, who was born in D.C., graduated from George Washington University a year later.

Jean was succeeded by Republican Jim Talent, who won a special election against her in 2002.

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Jean Carnahan speaking at presser

Surrounded by family members on the deck of her home Jean Carnahan, widow of the late Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan, announces October 30, 2000 she will accept appointment to Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat if voters pick her late husband’s name over Republican incumbent John Ashcroft in Rolla, MO.

“My name has never been on a ballot. On election night, there was no victory celebration,” Carnahan said after she was appointed to the U.S. Senate. “You are here because of your win. I am here because of my loss. But we are all here to do the work of this great nation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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First on Fox: Republican National Committee January fundraising best monthly haul in 2024 cycle


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EXCLUSIVE – The Republican National Committee (RNC) appears to be coming quickly out of the gate when it comes to 2024 fundraising.

The RNC reports hauling in $12 million in January, which it highlights was over $2 million higher than any monthly fundraising total during 2023. 

The national party committee, which shared its figures first with Fox News on Tuesday, also noted that its digital grassroots and major donor fundraising hauls were higher in January than any other month over the past year.

The RNC also spotlighted that it is also on track to have a strong fundraising month in February, “dispelling mainstream media narratives and proving that we will have the necessary resources to strengthen our infrastructure and investments to win in the fall.”

RNC WINTER MEETING GETS UNDERWAY MINUS ANY FIREWORKS OVER TRUMP-HALEY PRIMARY SHOWDOWN

Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel speaks

The Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel is seen here speaking before a Republican presidential primary debate, on Nov. 8, 2023, in Miami.  (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The national party committee faced a slew of stories last autumn – after its cash on hand dropped to just over $9 million – that questioned the RNC’s fundraising and overall finances.

But longtime RNC chair Ronna McDaniel emphasized in a statement that “we’re 10 months out from Election Day, and the RNC is not only raising the necessary resources, but we’re continuing our strategic investments in battlegrounds across the country to take back the Senate and White House, and grow our majority in the House in the fall.”

NIKKI HALEY COURTS GOP DONORS FROM WALL STREET TO MAIN STREET 

“While Democrats have no ground game nor any issues to run on, Republicans are firing on all cylinders to get-out-the-vote and grow our Party to Beat Biden,” McDaniel argued.

RNC chair Ronna McDaniel re-elected

Re-elected Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel holds a gavel while speaking at the committee’s winter meeting in Dana Point, Calif., Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (AP)

The RNC didn’t share its latest cash on hand figures, as the filing of its fundraising report wasn’t due until the end of business on Wednesday.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC), which has yet to release its January fundraising, enjoys a joint fundraising agreement with President Biden’s re-election campaign. And the DNC outpaced the RNC for much of the past year. But Republicans note that even with an incumbent president in the White House, the DNC is barely outraising the RNC in direct fundraising cycle-to-date. 

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The RNC, touting its strategic investments, notes that it has hired political and election integrity directors and support staff in 15 battleground states, including important House and Senate states such as New York, California, and Montana. It also highlights that its invested in recent years in community centers in states including California, New York and Texas.

And the RNC also spotlights its Bank Your Vote Initiative – an early in-person voting and ballot harvesting push to improve the GOP’s vote totals heading into Election Day in November.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Georgia special counsel settles divorce case


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Fulton County, Georgia, special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who brought election interference charges against former President Trump, has reached a temporary divorce settlement with his estranged wife. 

The settlement prompted the cancelation of a public hearing Wednesday in which Wade was expected to be asked about his alleged “improper” relationship with his boss, District Attorney Fani Willis, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. 

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Henry Thompson on Tuesday signed an order approving the temporary settlement. He noted that both Nathan and Joycelyn Wade agreed that the terms and conditions would not be filed with the court.

FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR, FANI WILLIS ROMANTIC PARTNER, MET WITH BIDEN WHITE HOUSE TWICE BEFORE CHARGING TRUMP

Fani Willis and Nathan Wade

Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Wade. Wade has reportedly reached a temporary divorce settlement with his estranged wife. (Getty Images)

“All of the issues we pled for temporary support and attorneys fees have been resolved by this agreement,” said Andrea Hastings, one of Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys, the newspaper reported. “The case is not resolved on a final basis. We still have a lot of work to do to be able to resolve this case through either a final settlement or a trial.”

The couple were married 26 years, but have been involved in a contentious split. Last week, filings in Wade’s divorce case were unsealed, revealing that his wife’s attorneys sought to depose Willis to answer questions about their alleged affair. 

Wade is accused of having an improper romantic relationship with Willis in which he allegedly paid for lavish trips for the pair. 

The affair allegations were revealed this month, when the lawyer for Trump codefendant, Michael Roman, accused Willis and Wade of engaging in an improper relationship and mishandling public money in a separate court filing.

Fani Willis and Donald Trump

Fani Willis and Donald Trump (Getty Images)

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Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022, according to county records. 

Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys have argued Willis’ deposition is needed to determine whether her husband has spent the funds on Willis. 

Willis has argued that any alleged affair is irrelevant to the Trump case. 

Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report. 



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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee criticized for saying impeachment is not meant to be used for revenge


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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, was criticized after standing up for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, saying on social media that impeachment should not be used for revenge.

The House Homeland Security Committee met Tuesday to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of refusing to follow immigration law and of breaching the public’s trust. A vote is expected to take place later in the day, and will likely fall on party lines, moving the articles to a House vote at a future date.

While Republican committee members continued their assault against Mayorkas, Jackson Lee turned to social media to express her stance on the matter.

“Impeachment is not meant as a tool to be used for revenge. #RevengeImpeachment,” Jackson Lee posted to X.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE PREDICTS MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES WILL PASS HOUSE WITHOUT ANY DEM SUPPORT

The tweet was in response to a video of her during the impeachment hearing, where she said they were “being fooled” in regards to the accusations against Mayorkas.

“Today, we are being fooled that work is being done against an individual for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. The American people understand that that is not the actions that we are here for today,” Jackson Lee said. “Revenge, vengefulness is why we are here. Otherwise, they would understand that Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is an individual whose family fled the Nazis and then Cuba before arriving here in the U.S.

“He is the first immigrant to serve as head of the Department of Homeland Security, and yet, this committee seeks to suggest that he is violating the Constitution, when in essence, his freedom is based upon our Constitution,” she added.

WHITE HOUSE DEMANDS SPEAKER JOHNSON GIVE BIDEN ‘AUTHORITY AND FUNDING’ TO ‘SECURE THE BORDER’

Jackson Lee faced harsh criticism for her comments from some people, though, including Aaron Ray Hermes, a Texas Republican candidate gunning for the congresswoman’s seat.

“Oh so wanting to protect the country is just ‘revenge’ now?” Hermes tweeted. “Then why did you impeach Trump for making a perfectly valid phone call in 2019? Keep lying and we’ll keep showing up with receipts. Can’t wait to take your seat.”

Others attempted to remind Jackson Lee that the Democratic Party used impeachment as revenge against former President Trump.

MIGRANT CRISIS BROKE NEW RECORD IN DECEMBER WITH 302K ENCOUNTERS, OFFICIALS CONFIRM 

Sheila Jackson Lee at a hearing

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said on X that impeachment is not meant to be used as a tool for revenge, drawing harsh criticism from those who say Democrats used impeachment as revenge against former President Trump. (US Congress)

“Did you post this comment when you all did the revenge impeachment of Trump,” one user wrote, while another posted, “Haha! Says the Impeachment Democratic Party.”

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Still, House Democrats, including Jackson Lee, have backed Mayorkas on the matter of impeachment, and on Monday, they released a lengthy report that accused the Republican majority of abusing the impeachment process and running a “sham” process while sabotaging Mayorkas’ efforts to manage the border crisis.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.



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Haley expects to haul in $1.5 million at Wall Street fundraisers to fuel GOP presidential bid against Trump


It’s a lucrative day for Nikki Haley in New York City.

The former two-term South Carolina governor who later served as U.N. ambassador in former President Trump’s administration expects to raise $1.5 million at a trio of top-dollar New York City fundraisers on Tuesday, according to her campaign.

The fundraisers are the first of roughly 10 over the next two weeks that will take Haley to donor-rich environments of South Florida, California and Texas. The campaign told Fox News that the three finance events Wednesday in Palm Beach and Miami were expected to bring in over $1 million.

The fundraisers come amid a surge in small-dollar grassroots donations for Haley after she grabbed 43% of the vote in her 11-point loss last week in the New Hampshire primary to Trump, the commanding front-runner for the Republican nomination.

HALEY GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING SOARS, BUT MAJOR DONOR WANTS TO SEE ‘PATH TO VICTORY’

Nikki Haley in Charleston

Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event, Jan. 24, 2024, in North Charleston, South Carolina. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

Haley’s campaign said they raked in $4 million in the days after the New Hampshire primary, which turned into a two-candidate contest between Trump and Haley after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign days ahead of the primary.

Tuesday’s high-profile fundraiser is being co-hosted by Wall Street billionaires Leonard Stern, Cliff Asness, Stanley Druckenmiller, Ken Langone and Henry Kravis. Contributions – limited by federal law – were expected to range from $3,300 up to $16,600 per person.

HALEY RAKES IN CAMPAIGN CASH AFTER TRUMP WARNS TOP DOLLAR DONORS

Haley faces a steep uphill climb for the nomination, and internal polls suggest Trump enjoys a formidable double-digit lead over her in South Carolina, which holds the next GOP primary on Feb. 24.

But Haley remains optimistic she can close the gap in her home state.

“We had 1,500 people in Greenville, 1,000 people in Charleston, 800 in Conway,” Haley said in a “Fox and Friends” interview on Tuesday morning as she pointed to rallies in her home state over the past couple of days. “I’ve got a 76% approval rating there. They know I was a good governor. Now we’re going to show them I’m going to be a good president.”

Nikki Haley in SC

After her defeat to Trump in New Hampshire, Haley pledged to continue on to her home state of South Carolina, insisting she still has a path to the nomination. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Despite the tough odds she faces, major Republican donors continue to write checks to Haley.

“There’s definitely an appetite,” a Republican strategist with strong ties to the GOP donor class told Fox News. “It’s another example of the wealthy donors who invest with their heart and their emotions and not with their business sense and their head.”

REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS MEET AMID TRUMP-HALEY PRIMARY BATTLE

The strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said, “This is a manifestation of the broader issues with the Republican Party. This is about the elites versus the grassroots. Trump has never been a candidate of the elites. He’s been successful at getting major financial support from them, but he’s not their preferred candidate. He’s the preferred candidate of the working-class, grassroots Republicans, not the big-money elites.”

Former President Donald Trump campaigns in Las Vegas ahead of GOP caucus

Former President Trump is shown at a campaign event in Las Vegas on Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/John Loche)

Last week, a day after the New Hampshire primary, Trump warned GOP donors to stop contributing to Haley.

“Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!” Trump warned on his Truth Social platform.

“Birdbrain” is a derogatory nickname Trump repeatedly uses to refer to Haley.

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Haley quickly capitalized on Trump’s threat, and her campaign said it raised more than $1 million in the ensuing 24 hours.

The campaign told Fox News it sold more than 15,000 shirts that say “barred permanently” after adding them to a campaign store for $25 following Trump’s warning to donors.

“Despite Trump’s unhinged threat to permanently ban anyone who donates to Nikki’s campaign, we’ve seen a surge of support,” a campaign spokesperson said. “We’re energizing the 50% of Republican primary voters who don’t want Trump and are rallying behind Nikki.”

The strategist with ties to the donor class told Fox News, “I don’t think anybody’s intimidated by Trump’s bluster. I think everybody realizes that if they do support Nikki, Trump’s going to need all hands on deck and somehow, miraculously, they’ll be welcomed back with open arms with their checkbooks if they’re so inclined when this is all over.”

While Haley crisscrosses the country to meet with top contributors, her campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, is expected to make the case this week with a network of Republican mega-donors known as the American Opportunity Alliance.

Also invited to the gathering is Susie Wiles, a top adviser on the Trump campaign.

The former president, who has had a stormy relationship over the years with some in the GOP donor class, has been making a concerted effort this cycle to mend fences and court top-dollar contributors.

“I think they’re running a much more sophisticated campaign this year than ever before,” a major GOP bundler who asked to remain anonymous told Fox News. “And so, as part of that, they’re looking to consolidate Republican support, both politically and financially.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Fox News Politics: Biden’s border reckoning


Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail

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What’s Happening? 

– Biden family money man testifies at closed-door House hearing

– Speaker Johnson facing rebellion from moderate Republicans

– Supreme Court Justice speaks out on job frustrations

mayorkas eagle pass

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas holds a press conference at a U.S. Border Patrol station on January 08, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)

MAYORKAS MAD

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday took aim at what he called “baseless” and “false” allegations leveled against him by House Republicans who are preparing a vote to advance articles of impeachment against him.

“I assure you that your false accusations do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and to which I remain devoted,” Mayorkas said in a lengthy letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green.

The committee is meeting to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of refusing to follow immigration law and of breaching public trust. A vote is expected later in the day, likely along party lines, moving the articles to a House vote at a future date.

President Biden has expressed frustration at the turn of events. On the border, he said that he’s done all that he can do, but needs more authority. “… just give me the power,” Biden said.

Biden in Wisconsin

President Biden made another series of gaffes during his recent speech in Wisconsin. (Screenshot/Biden speech)

White House

BIDEN’S SHARP TURN: Admin sounds alarm on Middle East months after declaring it ‘quieter’ than it’s been in decades …Read more

GIVING UP?: Biden claims ‘I’ve done all I can do’ to secure border …Read more

Capitol Hill

‘LODGED BASELESS COMPLAINTS’: Cori Bush blames DOJ investigation on ‘right wing’ groups …Read more

‘HATRED OF JEWS’: GOP lawmaker calls out Biden for funneling money to pro-Hamas group, puts forward bill to stop it …Read more

‘ILL-ADVISED’: Thune slams Biden admin’s abortion policy, says SecDef should handle approvals …Read more

MANCHIN’S WIFE: Sen. Joe Manchin’s wife hospitalized after car crash in Alabama …Read more

SEEING RED: Speaker Johnson facing rebellion threat from new group of angry Republicans …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

‘NOT NORMAL’: James Carville doubles down on warning media, Biden campaign against normalizing Trump …Read more

HISTORIC AD BUY: Biden super PAC targeting battleground states with biggest advertising spending purchase in US history …Read more

MONEY MATTERS: Hispanic community leader raises big bucks in quest to flip Democrat-held border congressional seat …Read more

TRUMP IN ILLINOIS: Illinois Elections Board punts Trump eligibility question …Read more

FIREWORKS AVERTED: RNC preps major meeting after scuffle over naming Trump presumptive nominee …Read more

Across America

LOCKDOWN: Georgia DA Fani Willis’ alleged lover asks for protective order in divorce case …Read more

RULES FOR THEE: ‘Defund’ cheerleader accused of stealing taxpayers’ $$ to pay husband’s private security firm …Read more

GASSED: Ohio attorney general advocates for nitrogen gas executions …Read more

‘I LIVE IN FRUSTRATION’: Sotomayor speaks out about sitting on Supreme Court …Read more

‘THE RIGHT TIME’: Journalist ‘surprised’ Justice Sotomayor hasn’t ‘retired’ from Supreme Court …Read more

‘IT’S YOURS!’: E. Jean Carroll invites MSNBC host on luxury shopping spree with ‘Trump’s money’ …Read more

‘ANOTHER F—ING WAR’: WATCH: MSNBC host caught on hot mic uttering curse word about Biden …Read more

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.



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Nikki Haley’s inbox flooded with support post New Hampshire primary: ‘A normal political leader’


FIRST ON FOX – Nikki Haley’s campaign says they’ve received an over 200% increase in email traffic from supporters asking the candidate to stay in the race following former president Donald Trump’s primary victory in New Hampshire. 

A campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, prior to New Hampshire, they were getting an average of 300-350 emails per day to info@nikkihaley.com, a generic email address for the Haley campaign. 

Last Wednesday, that number increased to thousands daily, between a roughly 185% to 233% increase, depending on the day. 

In the last six days, the campaign has received more than 6,000 emails total with messages supporting the former South Carolina governor and saying things like, “You’re the real Republicans’ only chance to be a normal political leader!” and “please do not quit!” 

RNC AVERTS FIREWORKS AT MAJOR MEETING AFTER SCRAPPING RESOLUTION TO NAME TRUMP THE PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley speaks after results came in for the New Hampshire primaries during a watch party in Concord on Jan. 23, 2024. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

“Our campaign has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of grassroots support from across the country,” Haley campaign spokesperson AnnMarie Graham-Barnes told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“The political establishment is trying to coronate Donald Trump, but Nikki has never listened to the establishment. She listens to Americans, and their message is clear: Nikki is the last one standing between the Trump-Biden rematch that 70 percent of people don’t want to see,” she added. 

One person from Minnesota wrote, “I’m a center-right Republican, like 80% of my friends and although many of us like Trump’s policy, he’s too polarizing and will NOT garner very many, if any, center-left votes. I don’t want a few states selecting my presidential candidate.”

Another, identified as Elly B, who grew up in a “blue state” but is “presently living in a red one,” wrote, “On behalf of many, many members of my Jewish and non-Jewish community of family and friends, we hope that you will keep campaigning and running for President. You are the right person for the job due to your well-honed management skills, your youthful vigor and your ability to understand the needs of our country and the world as we end the first quarter of the 21st century.”

HALEY BLASTS RNC FOR RUSHING TO TRUMP AS NOMINEE, CALLS ON AMERICANS TO ‘REMEMBER WHAT NORMAL FELT LIKE’

Nikki Haley waving and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu walking with other men and women by supporters

Nikki Haley is joined by Gov. Chris Sununu as they visit a polling location at Winnacunnet High School to greet voters in Hampton, New Hampshire. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Monica L., who said she “stood all day in the cold on election day” in New Hampshire said, “I will never vote for a democrat, so please, please stay in the race if you can.” 

Cooper C. from California said he was a “longtime Independent” but re-registered as a Republican to cast his vote for Haley. 

NIKKI HALEY RAISES $4 MILLION OVER ‘UNHINGED’ TRUMP COMMENTS LEVELED AT HER: ‘WE HAD A LITTLE FUN’

Trump and Haley

Former President Trump and Nikki Haley in New Hampshire (AP)

Josh D., identified as a registered Independent in North Carolina who leans Republican, wrote, “Regular people do not want Trump or Biden. Please keep fighting!”

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The former U.N. ambassador and last remaining major rival to Trump won 43% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary. 

Haley’s vowing to continue her uphill fight at least until Super Tuesday in early March. The next major contest on the GOP calendar is Haley’s home state, which holds a primary on Feb. 24.



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State Department confirms US sent $121M to UNRWA since October


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Since October, the Biden administration has sent about $121 million in taxpayer funds to UNRWA, the U.N. agency under scrutiny for its alleged ties to Hamas, the State Department said Tuesday.

A remaining $300,000 in appropriated funds for this fiscal year was supposed to be delivered to the humanitarian relief organization in the next few weeks. But the U.S. froze those funds over allegations that some UNRWA members participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. 

“That funding has been suspended,” Miller told reporters at the State Department daily press briefing. He added that it’s “impossible” to say how much more the U.S. could provide to UNRWA this fiscal year if the funds are unfrozen because the government is operating under a continuing resolution. 

AUSTRIA SUSPENDS PAYMENTS TO UNRWA AMID ISRAELI ALLEGATIONS UN WORKERS HELPED, CELEBRATED HAMAS

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees logo on a wall adjacent to an aid truck delivering supplies

UNRWA workers pack medical aid and prepare it for distribution to hospitals at a warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, on Oct. 25, 2023. (Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“We don’t know how much overall funding will be available for this fiscal year, and that would impact how much that we would be able to provide UNRWA,” Miller said. “Historically, we have typically provided somewhere between $300 and $400 million a year in funding.” 

The Biden administration has sent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to UNRWA, reversing former President Donald Trump’s decision to cut funding to the group. Biden officials say the funds provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, while critics say the group is “effectively a branch of Hamas.”

TRUMP ADMIN CUT FUNDING TO UN AGENCY NOW ACCUSED OF PARTICIPATING IN HAMAS ATTACK ‘FOR REASON’: REP. MCCAUL

Lazzarini speaking

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, holds a press conference in Jerusalem on Oct. 27, 2023. (Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

UNRWA’s ties to Hamas have come into focus in recent weeks after Israel provided the Biden administration with a new dossier containing information about how some 13 agency staffers allegedly assisted or supported the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 7.

The Biden administration announced last week it has temporarily paused “additional” funding to UNRWA in response to the dossier. Germany, Italy, Australia, Finland, Netherlands and Switzerland have also joined the boycott following the accusations, which have already resulted in the termination of multiple staffers.

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS UNRWA AMID TERRORIST ALLEGATIONS: ‘DON’T IMPUGN THE WHOLE AGENCY’

Miller said the next expected payment to UNRWA would happen over the summer and that the amount would depend on how much money Congress approves for the agency in Biden’s $106 billion supplemental package request.

Despite the terrorism allegations, the White House has defended UNRWA, insisting that the entire agency should not be judged by the purported actions of 13 people.

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“We very much support the work that UNRWA does, we think it’s critical,” Miller said. “There is no other humanitarian player in Gaza who can provide food, medicine at the scale that UNRWA does. 

“We want to see that work continued, which is why it is so important that the United Nations take this matter seriously, that they investigate it, that there is accountability for anyone who is found to engage in wrongdoing, and that they take whatever other measures are appropriate to ensure that this sort of thing cannot happen again,” he said.

Fox News Digital’s Peter Aitken and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.



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RNC averts fireworks at major meeting after scrapping resolution to name Trump the presumptive GOP nominee


What could have ended up being an intra-party fist fight fizzled out.

It’s unlikely that Republican National Committee members huddling for their annual winter meeting this week in Las Vegas will see political fireworks over the party’s divisive presidential primary battle.

The RNC tells Fox News that they’re aiming for a “productive week” with the goal of “delivering a turn-key infrastructure for our eventual nominee.”

And as the RNC gathers for sessions that had long been advertised as closed to the press, a draft resolution that would have declared former President Donald Trump as the party’s presumptive 2024 nominee was quickly pulled late last week after it was introduced by Trump supporters on the committee.

CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP RESOLUTION WITHDRAWN AHEAD OF RNC MEETING

Former President Donald Trump campaigns in Las Vegas ahead of GOP caucus

Former President Donald Trump motions before speaking at a campaign event Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Loche)

Trump remains the commanding frontrunner for the GOP nomination as he makes his third straight White House run. The former president scored double-digit victories the past two weeks in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, the first two contests in the Republican nominating calendar.

But former U.N. ambassador and former two-term South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – the last remaining major rival to Trump – won 43% of the vote in last week’s New Hampshire primary. Haley’s vowing to continue her uphill fight at least until Super Tuesday in early March. The next major contest in the GOP calendar is Haley’s home state, which holds a primary on Feb. 24.

RNC CHAIR MCDANIEL SAYS IN FOX NEWS INTERVIEW ‘WE NEED TO UNITE’ AROUND TRUMP

The resolution was introduced by veteran RNC committee member from Maryland David Bossie, a longtime ally of the former president who served as a top official on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Even though Trump continues to hold immense sway over the GOP, there was both public and private opposition to the draft resolution among some of the RNC’s 168 committee members. Among those speaking out publicly was committee member Bill Palatucci from New Jersey.

“A silly resolution to say he is the presumptive nominee, insulting to millions of primary voters who wait for the opportunity to get involved in presidential politics every four years,” the Trump critic close to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told Fox News Digital last Thursday.

“Another example of Trump’s authoritarian streak. ‘We don’t need Super Tuesday or any other primaries, I’ll just have it handed to me,’” he added.

Nikki Haley in SC

Nikki Haley holds a rally on Jan. 24, 2024, in North Charleston, South Carolina. After her defeat to Trump in New Hampshire, Haley pledged to continue on to her home state of South Carolina, insisting she still has a path to the nomination. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Likely sensing the poor optics, Trump hours later knocked down the resolution.

“While they have far more votes than necessary to do it, I feel, for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan,” the former president posted on his social media platform Truth Social. 

While the scrapped resolution was never added to the winter meeting’s agenda, it’s clear there will be friction this week about the effort to bring the nomination battle to an early conclusion.

A committee member who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News on Tuesday, on the eve of the RNC meeting, that “a lot of people will be quiet on it. You’re not supposed to speak up. At this point, you know it’s going to be Trump. You are just supposed to take it.”

But the committee member added: “I’ve got no qualms with Bossie bringing up that resolution. He’s an RNC member. That’s his candidate. He’s trying to help his candidate. I get it.”

The RNC, in a statement, made it clear that longtime chair Ronna McDaniel was not behind the introduction of the resolution.

“Resolutions, such as this one, are brought forward by members of the RNC. Chairwoman McDaniel doesn’t offer resolutions,” spokesperson Keith Schipper told Fox News last week.

But a couple of days earlier, McDaniel made headlines during a Fox News Channel interview in New Hampshire hours after Trump’s primary victory.

“I’m looking at the math and the path going forward, and I don’t see it for Nikki Haley,” McDaniel told anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

“I think she’s run a great campaign, but I do think there is a message that’s coming out from the voters, which is very clear,” McDaniel added.

She urged that “we need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump, and we need to make sure we beat Joe Biden.”

When asked by MacCallum if she was suggesting that Haley needed to suspend her campaign, McDaniel would only say that Haley and her team needed to “reflect” about the upcoming contests in Nevada and South Carolina and to consider “what’s the most important thing going forward.”

McDaniel’s comments didn’t appear to be sitting well with some national party committee members.

“The RNC has to be neutral,” one committee member who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely told Fox News.

“We have a one-on-one competitive race. Is there a favorite? Well, sure there is. But it’s a competitive race. Two states have gone. We’re a long way from anybody having 1,215 delegates to wrap this thing up,” the RNC member said. “So for her to hint that Nikki needs to get of the race is beyond obnoxious and it’s certainly not neutral.”

And Palatucci argued on Tuesday that McDaniel’s “never been neutral.”

But another RNC member, who also asked for anonymity, told Fox News “I think Ronna has broad support on the committee and that was demonstrated when she was re-elected a year ago. It doesn’t mean that everybody agrees with everything that she does… but she’s the chair.”

Haley said in an NBC News interview on Sunday that the RNC was “clearly not” being an honest broker in the nomination race. 

“If you’re gonna go in and basically tell the American people that you’re gonna go and decide who the nominee is after only two states have voted?” she emphasized, as she noted that it takes 1,215 delegates to secure the nomination, the vast majority of which have yet to be allocated.

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The RNC says the national party committee, pointing to this week’s meeting, said it’s “focused on delivering a turn-key infrastructure for our eventual nominee, which is why we’ve posted field staff in 15 states and engaged in 77 lawsuits to protect commonsense election integrity laws.”

And RNC national press secretary Anna Kelly added that “we look forward to a productive week in Las Vegas as we prepare to beat Biden and win up and down the ballot in November.”

Nikki Haley and Donald Trump

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is running against former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, McDaniel, in a Fox News Digital interview last week, highlighted the benefits of the GOP nomination race coming to an early conclusion.

“Obviously, it’s helpful from an organizational standpoint, from a fundraising standpoint,” McDaniel said. “The Democrats have the White House. They’re using the power of Joe Biden having the White House to raise a huge amount of money and the sooner we can merge our operations and be focused on him and not on each other is always good for the party.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Biden says ‘I’ve done all I can do’ to secure US border


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President Biden claimed Tuesday “I’ve done all I can do” to secure the U.S. border, as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is facing an impeachment push by House Republicans over his perceived failure to handle the immigration crisis. 

Biden made the comment while speaking to reporters as he was leaving the White House, saying “I’ve done all I can do, just give me the power.” 

“I asked them the very day I got into office,” Biden continued. “Give me the Border Patrol. Give me the judges. Give me the people who can stop this.” 

The Biden administration has said it has been expanding “lawful pathways” for migrants while increasing consequences for illegal entry into the U.S. since the ending of Title 42 expulsions in May last year. It has pointed to more than 500,000 removals since May, as well as increased cooperation with Mexico to crack down on human smugglers and fentanyl trafficking. 

MAYORKAS LASHES OUT AT ‘BASELESS’ GOP ALLEGATIONS AHEAD OF KEY IMPEACHMENT VOTE 

Biden speaks outside White House

President Biden takes a question from a reporter before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 30. (AP/Andrew Harnik)

The administration also says it has been increasing removal flights — including directly to Venezuela. However, it has stressed that it needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform to fix what it says is a “broken” system. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson shared a video on X of Biden making the remark and said Biden’s comments were “simply untrue” and “He’s either lying or misinformed.” 

“Here are just a few of the authorities at his disposal – if only he would use them: Presidential Authority to Restrict Entry 212(f), Expedited Removal 235(b)(1), Discretionary Detention Authority 236(a), Mandatory Detention 236(c). No more excuses,” Johnson added. 

The White House requested $14 billion in funding for the border as part of its supplemental funding request to Congress, which also includes aid to Ukraine and Israel. The request is being negotiated in Congress after Republicans demanded more limits on asylum and migrant releases into the interior.

Biden has urged Congress to pass the deal, but House Republicans and some conservatives in the Senate have said the reported proposals do not go far enough.

TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT CLAIMS BIDEN IS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW AS BORDER SURGE CONTINUES 

Texas border, migrants

A U.S. Border Patrol agent watches over more than 2,000 migrants at a field processing center on Dec. 18, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd, when asked on “The Faulkner Focus” Tuesday if Biden was doing everything he could, argued “absolutely not.” 

“In fact, I’m very sick of hearing all of his rhetoric. He doesn’t give evidence,” Judd said. “The evidence is incontrovertible [about] what is going on right now. Secretary Mayorkas is complicit in allowing these individuals to violate our laws. Congress would be derelict if they did not hold him accountable.  

“When you look at the total number of people that cross our borders illegally and have been released into the United States, the story that doesn’t get told enough is what happens to those people that get released into the United States,” Judd added. “They are never leaving, ICE doesn’t go after them, ICE doesn’t deport them.” 

mayorkas eagle pass

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas holds a press conference at a U.S. Border Patrol station on Jan. 8 in Eagle Pass, Texas. He is facing an impeachment push from House Republicans. (John Moore/Getty Images)

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Migrant numbers officially hit 302,000 in December, a new record, after 2.4 million encounters in FY23. Republicans have said that large releases into the interior and a rolling back of Trump-era policies have fueled the crisis and have accused Mayorkas of a “dereliction of duty” in his handling of it.  



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Georgia special prosecutor Nathan Wade asks for protective order in divorce case


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Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade has asked for a protective order in his divorce case amid controversy over an alleged “improper” relationship with his boss, District Attorney Fani Willis.

Wade, who is leading the election interference case against former President Trump and 18 others, is involved in a contentious split with his estranged wife of 26 years, Joycelyn Wade. A Cobb County Superior Court judge unsealed filings in Wade’s divorce case last week, revealing that Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys sought to depose Willis to answer questions about their alleged affair. 

In a filing last Wednesday, Wade’s attorneys argued a protective order is needed “due to the sensitive nature of the parties’ financial information and documents.” 

Among the unsealed documents were bank statements showing that Wade had purchased plane tickets for himself and Willis. He also made payments for a Royal Caribbean cruise and luxury hotel stays, though the documents did not provide direct evidence of an affair. Other documents show Wade was questioned about his drug and alcohol use, though he is not accused of substance abuse. 

TRUMP PROSECUTOR FANI WILLIS’ WHITE HOUSE MEETINGS WARRANT ‘VERY DEEP INVESTIGATION,’ EX-PROSECUTOR SAYS

Prosecutor Nathan Wade

Adam Ney, Fulton County assistant district attorney, left, and Nathan Wade, Fulton County prosecutor, at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. (Getty)

Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys claimed that the bank statements show that “Ms. Willis was an intended travel partner for at least some of these trips as indicated by flights he purchased for her to accompany him.” 

They asserted that there “appears to be no reasonable explanation for their travels apart from a romantic relationship.” 

Willis has neither confirmed nor denied the alleged romantic relationship. 

The affair allegations surfaced earlier this month when Trump codefendant Michael Roman’s lawyer accused Willis and Nathan Wade of engaging in an improper relationship and mishandling public money in a separate court filing. Roman’s lawyer, Ashleigh Merchant, did not provide evidence of the alleged relationship between Willis and Wade but pointed to proof in Wade’s divorce case.

TOP TRUMP PROSECUTOR, GEORGIA DA ALLEGED TO BE IN ‘IMPROPER’ ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP: COURT FILING

Fani Willis and Nathan Wade

Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. (Getty Images)

Merchant alleges that Willis’ purported relationship with Wade created a conflict of interest and that she benefited financially from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations the two took using funds his law firm had received for working on the case.

County records show that Wade has been paid nearly $654,000 in legal fees since January 2022, an amount authorized by the district attorney, or Willis in this case.

Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys have argued Willis’ deposition is needed to determine whether Nathan Wade has spent their client’s money on another woman — Willis. 

Willis fought the subpoena, asserting she has nothing to do with the divorce and that any alleged affair is irrelevant in this case. Her attorney, Cinque Axam, argued in court filings that Joycelyn Wade has “conspired with interested parties in the criminal Election Interference Case to use the civil discovery process to annoy, embarrass, and oppress District Attorney Willis.”

FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR, FANI WILLIS ROMANTIC PARTNER, MET WITH BIDEN WHITE HOUSE TWICE BEFORE CHARGING TRUMP

Axam accused Joycelyn Wade of “obstructing and interfering” with the district attorney’s ongoing case against Trump.

Joycelyn Wade’s attorneys denied she was attempting to “harass” Willis and said the subpoena was “to seek pertinent information from her husband’s paramour regarding her relationship with Plaintiff and the extension to the Plaintiff’s financial involvement in the same.”

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A judge last week put the deposition on hold at least until he can hear from Nathan Wade, who has not been deposed. 

A hearing in the divorce case is set for Wednesday when Wade could be questioned about the alleged affair.

Fox News’ Samantha Daigle; Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion, Anders Hagstrom, Brian Flood, Brandon Gillespie and The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Mayorkas slams ‘baseless’ GOP allegations ahead of key impeachment vote


Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday took aim at what he called “baseless” and “false” allegations leveled against him by House Republicans ahead of a key vote on impeachment articles in the House Homeland Security Committee.

“I assure you that your false accusations do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and to which I remain devoted,” Mayorkas said in a lengthy letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green.

The committee is meeting to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of refusing to follow immigration law and of breaching public trust. A vote is expected later in the day, likely along party lines, moving the articles to a House vote at a future date.

Mayorkas’ letter comes after Republicans have traded barbs with Democrats and the administration over the impeachment push against the Biden cabinet secretary, who Republicans have accused of a “dereliction of duty” in his handling of the ongoing and historic crisis at the southern border. Migrant numbers officially hit 302,000 in December, a new record, after 2.4 million encounters in FY23. Republicans have said that large releases into the interior and a rolling back of Trump-era policies have fueled the crisis.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE PREDICTS MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES WILL PASS HOUSE WITHOUT ANY DEM SUPPORT

Representative Mark Green, a Republican from Tennessee and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.  (Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Green’s majority began investigating Mayorkas’ handling of the border crisis last year and this month have held hearings on the impeachment articles that were sent by the House last year. Those articles accuse Mayorkas of having “repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security” and of having “made false statements to Congress” that the border is secure, and closed and that DHS is in operational control of the border.

“These articles lay out a clear, compelling, and irrefutable case for Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ impeachment,” Green said this week. “He has willfully and systemically refused to comply with immigration laws enacted by Congress. He has breached the public trust by knowingly making false statements to Congress and the American people, and obstructing congressional oversight of his department. These facts are beyond dispute, and the results of his lawless behavior have been disastrous for our country.”

Green accused Mayorkas of having  “completely disregarded the separation of powers, a bedrock of our constitutional republic.”

“Congress has a duty to see that the executive branch implements and enforces the laws we have passed. Yet Secretary Mayorkas has repeatedly refused to do so. His lawless behavior was exactly what the Framers gave us the impeachment power to remedy. It is time we take this affront to a coequal branch of government, to the Constitution, and to the American people seriously,” he said in a statement this week.

The administration and House Democrats have instead blamed the crisis on a “broken” system in need of reform and funding from Congress, which they accuse Republicans of having failed to provide, amid a Hemisphere-wide crisis.

In his letter, Mayorkas declared that “problems with our broken and outdated immigration system are not new” 

“Our immigration laws last received an overhaul in 1996. Our immigration laws were simply not built for 21st century migration patterns,” Mayorkas said.

He pointed to stats including half a million removals since May, and daily removals nearly double what they were compared to from 2014-2019. He also says that the apprehension rate has been 78%, the same as the prior administration, and there have been a significant increase in removal flights within the Western Hemisphere.

He also points to increased Border Patrol hiring, an anti-smuggling campaign, and an intensified anti-fentanyl effort that has seen more seizures of the deadly drug which kills tens of thousands of Americans each year.

“Instead you claim that we have failed to enforce our immigration laws. That is false,” he said.

He also pushed back on the criticism his department has faced over an alleged lack of responsiveness to oversight queries from Congress, claiming instead that he has been responsive to Congress with testimony, witnesses and documents.

“The allegations are baseless and inaccurate,” he says.

MIGRANT CRISIS BROKE NEW RECORD IN DECEMBER WITH 302K ENCOUNTERS, OFFICIALS CONFIRM 

Texas border, migrants

Immigrants wait to be processed at a U.S. Border Patrol transit center after they crossed the border from Mexico on December 20, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. A late-year surge of migrants crossing the U.S.southern border has overwhelmed U.S. immigration officials. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (John Moore/Getty Images)

House Democrats have also backed Mayorkas on the matter. On Monday, they released a lengthy report accusing the Republican majority of abusing the impeachment process and running a “sham” process, while sabotaging Mayorkas’ efforts to handle the border crisis.

“What is glaringly missing from these articles is any real charge or even a shred of evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors – the Constitutional standard for impeachment. That should come as no surprise because Republicans’ so-called ‘investigation’ of Secretary Mayorkas has been a remarkably fact-free affair. They are abusing Congress’ impeachment power to appease their MAGA members, score political points, and deflect Americans’ attention from their do-nothing Congress,” Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said in a statement.

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“Republicans don’t actually want to work towards bipartisan solutions to fix the border – in fact, they have repeatedly sabotaged the Secretary’s efforts to secure the border and denied DHS’ funding requests. Secretary Mayorkas is upholding the law and honoring the public trust as he has throughout his more than 30 years of service to our Nation. The House must reject this sham resolution.”

Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Elizabeth Elkind and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
 





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Biden super PAC targets battleground states with largest ad purchase in US history


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The major super PAC supporting President Biden’s re-election effort is poised to make what it says is the single largest political ad purchase in American history on Tuesday.

The organization, Future Forward, is reserving $250 million across the country, with $140 million going to television and another $110 million to digital and streaming platforms, the New York Times reported. The massive expenditure targets major battleground states, and the ads will run from August through Election Day.

Specifically, the ads will run in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The purchase represents a huge increase over Future Forward’s spending in Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, when it spent just $151 million.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ‘GRASPING AT STRAWS’ BY ‘DEPLOYING KAMALA HARRIS’: CAROLINE DOWNEY

President Biden

The major super PAC supporting President Biden’s re-election effort is poised to make what it says is the single largest political ad purchase in American history on Tuesday. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The content of the ads has yet to be determined, but Biden and Democrats appear to be operating on the assumption that former President Trump will be the Republican nominee.

AS HALEY TRIES TO STOP TRUMP, MANY PUNDITS DOWNPLAY HIS IOWA LANDSLIDE

Ads from Future Forward in 2023 focused on Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act as well as Latino issues in Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania, according to Politico.

Former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire

Democrats are largely operating on the assumption that former President Trump will secure the Republican presidential nomination. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

News of the ad spending comes just as Biden’s campaign leaked its 2024 strategy to the New York Times. Unsurprisingly, the plan calls for targeting Trump above all else, using social media as the primary tool.

President Joe Biden

President Biden speaks during a press conference after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ week in Woodside, California, on Nov. 15, 2023. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Biden’s chances of re-election remain up in the air, with many swing state polls showing Trump in the lead. Biden had taken severe hits thanks to his age, inflation, the ongoing border crisis and growing instability abroad.



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GOP lawmaker introduces bill to ‘stop all’ taxpayer funds to UNRWA over Hamas ties: ‘Monstrous atrocities’


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FIRST ON FOX: A Republican congressman has introduced legislation that would permanently ban the United States from funding UNRWA, a United Nations agency that has funneled hundreds of millions in aid meant to help Palestinians in Gaza but has come under fire for its ties to Hamas.

New Jersey GOP Congressman Chris Smith has introduced a bill, known as the ‘‘Stop Support for 5 United Nations Relief and Works Agency Act of 2024’’, that would cut off U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

The United States may not make any voluntary or 9 involuntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East 2 (referred to in this Act as ‘‘UNRWA’’), to any successor or related entity, or to the regular budget of the United Nations for the support of UNRWA or a successor entity,”  the bill states.

The Biden administration has sent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to UNRWA, reversing a Trump decision to cut funding to the group, which it says is an effort to provide humanitarian aid while critics say the group is “effectively a branch of Hamas.”

UN CALLS ON COUNTRIES TO RESUME UNRWA FUNDING DESPITE REPORT EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATED IN OCT 7 MASSACRE

L- Hamas militants R – President Biden (Getty Images)

Those ties to Hamas have come into focus in recent weeks after Israel  provided the Biden administration with a new dossier containing information about how staffers for a United Nations agency assisted or supported the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 7.

The Biden administration announced last week it has temporarily paused “additional” funding to UNRWA in response to the dossier. Germany, Italy, Australia, Finland, Netherlands and Switzerland have also joined the boycott following the accusations, which have already resulted in the termination of multiple staffers.

On Monday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby urged the public not to write off UNRWA’s humanitarian efforts as a whole.

“But you’ve got 13,000 UNRWA employees,” Kirby said. “You have 13,000 of them in Gaza alone, and as I said last week, let’s not impugn the good work of a whole agency because of the potential bad actions here by a small number.”

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY CALLS FOR UNRWA COMMISSIONER TO RESIGN AMID ALLEGATIONS ITS WORKERS ASSISTED HAMAS

New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Rep. Chris Smith’s Office)

UNRWA has faced scrutiny in recent years even before the Hamas attack from critics who say the group has not done enough to prevent aid from reaching the hands of Hamas terrorists. UNRWA locations have reportedly housed Hamas activities and spread Hamas propaganda in schools. 

UN Watch reported earlier this year that UNRWA schools were complicit in teaching children to hate Jewish people and glorify terrorism. UN Watch reported that UNRWA has acknowledged that teachers “mistakenly” produced and distributed inciting material but promised in 2021 that it no longer circulates such material.

UNRWA acknowledged in 2014, and condemned, Hamas missiles that were found at one of its schools in Gaza twice in one week. 

“UNRWA strongly and unequivocally condemns the group or groups responsible for this flagrant violation of the inviolability of its premises under international law,” the group said at the time.

HOUSE COMMITTEE TO LAUNCH INVESTIGATION INTO UN AGENCY FOR ALLEGED ‘TROUBLING CONNECTION’ TO HAMAS

Workers distributing aid

UNRWA distributes flour to Palestinian refugees on November 22, 2023\ (Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)

The New York Post reported this week that roughly 10% of UNRWA staffers have links to Hamas.

“The United Nations—and UNRWA especially—is unquestionably the world’s foremost legitimizer of antisemitism, including in its most virulent and violent forms,” Rep. Smith, the Chair of the House Global Human Rights and International Organizations, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“UNRWA—which provides education in hatred of Jews through their textbooks, curricula, summer camps, and official media—has contributed to the perversity we saw performed by Hamas during its October 7 terror attack,” Smith added. 

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“We need a comprehensive, fact-based approach to UNRWA that stops all funding and conditions future funding on a complete head-to-toe reform and restructuring of UNRWA.”

Smith is set to host a joint subcommittee hearing on Tuesday at 2 p.m. with the goal of “examining the mission and failures” of UNRWA.

“The monstrous and genocidal atrocities we have seen pouring out of Gaza since October 7 are antisemitic hate crimes—the logical consequence of the unbridled antisemitism fomented and enabled by UNRWA,” Smith said.

Fox News Digital reached out to UNRWA and the White House for comment but did not receive a response.



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Pence’s AAF sends memo to lawmakers: ‘Biden doesn’t seem to want Israel to win’


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FIRST ON FOX: Former Vice President Mike Pence’s nonprofit political advocacy group sent a memo to Congress on Monday urging lawmakers to “hold the Biden administration” accountable for “slow-rolling” Israel’s war efforts.

The memo from Advancing American Freedom (AAF), titled “Biden Doesn’t Seem to Want Israel to Win” and obtained by Fox News Digital, outlines concerns that the Biden administration is undermining Israel’s efforts in the conflict with Hamas and criticizes Biden’s stance on calling for a cease-fire, pushing for a two-state solution and allegedly considering withholding military aid. 

“Israel is fighting to ensure its existence. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is actively undermining Israel,” the topline reads. 

A section of the memo labeled “Underminin’ Biden” accused the administration of “actively hindering Israel’s military strategy.”

The memo defines Israel’s mission to achieve “absolute victory” through first destroying Hamas and any other immediate existential threats; bringing the hostages home alive; and restoring regional stability and peace in the Middle East.

ISRAEL TO BAN REBUILDING OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN GAZA FOLLOWING CONCERNS FROM BIDEN ADMIN

Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence. (Fox News)

However, President Biden has hindered the nation’s goal and has empowered Iran, the memo alleges, driven by the rollback of the Trump-Pence “maximum pressure” strategy as seen by more than a dozen White House staffers anonymously calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. 

“The war should end when her military goals are achieved, and not a moment sooner,” Pence said in a statement included in the memo. 

The memo comes after three American soldiers were killed and dozens of others were injured in a drone strike in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border. Most, if not all, of those injured and killed were Army soldiers at a base known as Tower 22, which has been in support of the counter-ISIS mission for years, the official said.  

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY CALLS FOR UNRWA COMMISSIONER TO RESIGN AMID ALLEGATIONS ITS WORKERS ASSISTED HAMAS

Israel supporters

Protesters hold banners with hostages’ pictures and Israeli and U.S. flags during a demonstration in support of Israel on Sant Jaume square in Barcelona on Oct. 15, 2023. (LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

The president, as well as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, blamed Iran-backed militias for Sunday’s attack. A coalition of Iran-backed militant groups calling themselves the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” claimed responsibility. 

Later Sunday, Biden said the U.S. “had a tough day in the Middle East,” and vowed, “We shall respond.” 

The service members’ deaths marked a major escalation of tensions in the region after months of strikes by militia groups on American forces in the region in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. 

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The U.S. in recent months has struck targets in Iraq, Syria and Yemen to respond to attacks on American forces in the region and to deter Iran-backed Houthi rebels from continuing to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. 

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace, Liz Friden and The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Michigan man accused of threatening to hang Biden and Harris, bomb Washington, DC


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Federal prosecutors on Monday charged a Michigan man who threatened to execute President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, called for the killing of federal agents and judges, and suggested that a bomb would be dropped on Washington, D.C.

Russell Douglas Warren, 48, was charged in the Eastern District of Michigan after a series of posts last week on X, formerly Twitter, included threats to kill public officials and bomb government buildings, The Detroit News reported. The X account that made the posts has 22 followers and was still active as of Tuesday.

The account features dozens of nearly identical threats aimed at a variety of targets, including current and former politicians, current and former judges and magistrates, government buildings and the military.

One post from the account threatened to drop a bomb on the nation’s capital. He also threatened bombs against specific government agencies, including the National Security Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.

IRANIAN, 2 CANADIANS CHARGED IN MARYLAND MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT: ‘ERASE HIS HEAD FROM HIS TORSO’

Biden and Harris

Federal prosecutors on Monday charged a Michigan man who threatened to execute President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Left: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Right: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“A complete evacuation of Washington D.C. must begin immediately. We’re gonna drop a mother f–king bomb on it,” he wrote in one post.

“FBI Headquarters shall be BOMBED,” one post from Friday reads. “All Employees of the FBI have been CONDEMNED. Shoot to kill,” another post read.

Warren also said Biden and Harris had been condemned and should be taken to prison and executed by hanging.

“Take Him to the Prisons to await Execution. He shall be Hanged,” he wrote, targeting the president.

Similar posts were made targeting Harris, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other administration officials.

Threats of execution were also made against Republicans and Democrats who ran for president this election cycle, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, author Marianne Williamson and lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

SOUTH DAKOTA JURY FINDS 2 GUILTY OF KIDNAPPING, CARJACKING FBI EMPLOYEE

Ron DeSantis wearing navy suit, bright red tie, with arms out and hands open, talking (left), Nikki Haley wearing light pink dress, pearl necklace serious expression looking at DeSantis (right)

Threats of execution were also made against 2024 presidential candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

“Ron Desantis is CONDEMNED. Death by Milestone,” Warren wrote.

Warren also threatened the use of nuclear weapons against Mt. Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, all national parks and Disney theme parks.

The account’s bio reads, “Donald Trump is Not going to save us. Our last chance for a political solution died with John F Kennedy.”

Including this case, there have been 12 people charged with federal crimes involving threats to a public official this year and charges have been filed against 579 people since 2013, according to an investigation by National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center researchers Pete Simi of Chapman University and Seamus Hughes of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Warren is charged with one count of threats against the president and successors to the presidency, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. He was ordered to be temporarily held without bond until a detention hearing Friday in federal court in Bay City.

FBI logo and seal seen below the American flag

The account threatened bombs against government agencies, including the National Security Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

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An investigation was opened Saturday after the U.S. Secret Service and FBI learned about the threats posted to the X account.

Agents obtained subscriber information from X Corp. pinpointing the IP address being used by the account to connect to the internet since late last week. The IP address was found to be owned by cable company Charter Communications, which told investigators Warren was the subscriber using that IP address, according to the criminal complaint obtained by The Detroit News.

The first name matched a post from Thursday that said, “My name is Russ. After having a stroke, I was hospitalized in a nursing home. Unable to make my own medical decisions, I was forced to get vaccinated multiple times. I understand that I am dying. I understand that Donald Trump killed me.”

Warren has a criminal history, according to the court filing, and was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in 2022.



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FIRST ON FOX: McConnell-aligned GOP groups raised $95M in 2023 for Senate majority battle


EXCLUSIVE: Two outside groups aligned with longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell report that they hauled in nearly $95 million in fundraising last year as Republicans aim to win back the chamber’s majority in November’s elections.

Senate Leadership Fund, which is the top super PAC backing Senate Republican incumbents and candidates, and the affiliated non-profit public advocacy group One Nation, raised a combined $94,789,049 last year, according to figures shared first with FOX News on Tuesday.

Last year’s haul is roughly $400,000 more than One Nation and Senate Leadership raised in total in 2021 and the two groups say their combined 2023 fundraising is a record for an off-election year.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS 2024 POWER RANKINGS

McConnell at a news conference

Two outside groups aligned with longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell report raising over $95 million last year. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“There continues to be widespread enthusiasm for our mission to retake the Senate majority. Senate Republicans’ emphasis on candidate quality and raising the resources to compete with well-funded Democrats will pay off in November,” Senate Leadership Fund President and CEO Steven Law highlighted in a statement.

Law also predicted that “Senate Democrats’ days in the majority are numbered.”

One Nation ended 2023 with nearly $61 million cash on hand and the Senate Leadership Fund had over $35 million in its coffers at the end of last year.

THESE FIVE SENATE SEATS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FLIP IN NOVEMBER

Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority in the chamber, which includes three independent senators who caucus with the Democratic conference.

That means Republicans need a net gain of either one or two seats to win back the majority – depending on which party controls the White House after this year’s presidential election.

The math and the map favor the GOP in 2024. Democrats are defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. Three of those seats are in red states that former President Trump carried in 2020 – West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.

Democrats are defending an open seat in West Virginia after Sen. Joe Manchin announced late last year that he wouldn’t seek re-election.

Manchin speaking at New Hampshire event

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced last November that he would not seek re-election in 2024 and has teased a potential third-party run for the presidency. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Five other blue-held seats are in key swing states narrowly carried by President Biden in 2020 – Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Texas and Florida, where incumbent Sens. Ted Cruz and Rick Scott are seeking re-election, appear to be the only potentially competitive GOP-held seats up for grabs this November.

Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is one of two GOP senators seeking re-election in 2024 that could be involved in a potentially competitive race for the seat. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Senate Leadership Fund and the aligned American Crossroads this week reserved nearly $50 million to run ads this autumn in Montana. It’s the first major ad reservation this cycle by the two groups.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Rep Tenney nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize over ‘historic’ Abraham Accords


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FIRST ON FOX: Just days after three American soldiers were killed by Iranian proxies, Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., nominated former President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, citing his “historic” Abraham Accords treaty.

“Donald Trump was instrumental in facilitating the first new peace agreements in the Middle East in almost 30 years,” Tenney told Fox News Digital in a statement. “For decades, bureaucrats, foreign policy ‘professionals’, and international organizations insisted that additional Middle East peace agreements were impossible without a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President Trump proved that to be false.”

The Nobel Peace Prize acknowledged the peace accord between Israel and Egypt in 1978 as well as the Oslo Accords in 1994. However, there has been no recognition for Trump’s role in brokering an agreement between Israel and four of its Arab neighbors aimed at normalizing diplomatic and economic relations between the nations, Tenney noted.

E JEAN CARROLL’S CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMP, LIFESTYLE BACK UNDER SPOTLIGHT AFTER EYE-POPPING VERDICT

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., nominated former President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Getty Images)

“The valiant efforts by President Trump in creating the Abraham Accords were unprecedented and continue to go unrecognized by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, underscoring the need for his nomination today. Now more than ever, when Joe Biden’s weak leadership on the international stage is threatening our country’s safety and security, we must recognize Trump for his strong leadership and his efforts to achieve world peace. I am honored to nominate former President Donald Trump today and am eager for him to receive the recognition he deserves,” Tenney said.

Trump – the current front-runner to be the Republican presidential nominee – has been nominated for the Abraham Accords peace agreement several times but did not receive the award during his presidency.

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In 2020, Trump was first nominated by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, who applauded his efforts toward resolving protracted conflicts worldwide.

A few months later, Laura Huhtasaari, an MEP and a member of the right-wing Swedish Finns Party, wrote to the Nobel Committee to nominate Trump for the 2021 prize “in recognition of his endeavors to end the era of endless wars, construct peace by encouraging conflicting parties for dialogue and negotiations, as well as underpin internal cohesion and stability of his country.”

The Finns Party nomination came after Trump helped secure an agreement for economic relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

TRUMP CANNOT ASSERT PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY IN E JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION LAWSUIT, APPEALS COURT RULES

Donald Trump wearing a red make america great again hat

Former President Trump (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Trump then received a third nomination from a group of Australian lawmakers in September 2020. 

“What he has done with the Trump Doctrine is that he has decided he would no longer have America involved in endless wars, wars which achieve nothing but the killing of thousands of young Americans and enormous debts imposed on America,” Australian legal scholar David Flint told Sky News Australia at the time. “He’s reducing America’s tendency to get involved in any and every war.”

TRUMP, BIDEN AGREE ON ONE THING ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

President Trump signs the Abraham Accords with Israel, UAE and Bahrain.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in October.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.



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Biden’s leaked campaign plan: Target Trump (of course) and work social media


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As John Lennon sings of those who want a revolution, “We’d all love to see the plan.”

Well, we don’t have to wonder about Joe Biden’s plan to stop a revolution, or insurrection, depending on your point of view. His campaign has helpfully leaked it to the New York Times.

Most of it won’t surprise you; in fact it’s pretty well known. And why would the Biden camp want to give away its confidential strategy, so it could be read and countered by Donald Trump and his advisers?

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ‘GRASPING AT STRAWS’ BY ‘DEPLOYING KAMALA HARRIS’: CAROLINE DOWNEY

My take is that the leak is aimed at persuading the media that the president has a solid chance at keeping his job against the former president. Biden has abysmal poll numbers, he’s got the age issue, and Trump is edging him in a number of battleground state polls. 

In short, he has to counter the narrative that he’s likely to lose in November, which could create a self-reinforcing death spiral. 

It’s also a reminder that the president has sent two top White House officials, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon, to run the campaign from Wilmington – on Barack Obama’s advice. Maybe they are rejiggering what he plans to do.

There are obvious advantages to incumbency: You can fly around on Air Force One, take official actions that make big news and generally play the commander-in-chief card.

Biden reacts to pro-Palestinian protesters

U.S. President Joe Biden reacts to pro-Palestinian protesters, not pictured, at a reproductive freedom campaign rally at George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 23. (Julia Nikhinson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

But there are serious disadvantages as well. Everything that goes wrong can be blamed on you, especially when the country is in an angry mood, as it is now.

When an Iran-backed group launched a drone strike that killed three American soldiers in Jordan, Biden vowed to retaliate. He also has to balance that against the risks of a wider war, but as each day goes by – and this is also true of the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea – he looks weaker.

Biden has done a very good job managing the Mideast war, but even that is hurting him with the left-wing segment of his party that opposes Israel and supports Hamas.

Then there’s the out-of-control border with a record-shattering number of illegal migrant crossings last month – a huge albatross for the president.

AS HALEY TRIES TO STOP TRUMP, MANY PUNDITS DOWNPLAY HIS IOWA LANDSLIDE

Biden has been pushing a bipartisan border deal, in part to resume military aid to Israel and Ukraine, but Trump may have killed it by telling Republicans to hold off until he’s back in office, even boasting “blame me.”

Growing consumer confidence as inflation slows and the Dow zooms past 38,000 should also help the president, but most Americans are financially anxious and aren’t giving him credit.

Biden says if the measure passes he will use the authority to shut down the border when it is overwhelmed. But what’s to stop him from declaring a national emergency and doing that right now? Yes, he would give up his leverage on military aid, and yes, this has given the Democrats an argument that Trump would rather have the issue than a solution. But the president needs to do something dramatic.

Now for the leaked campaign plan:

The Biden camp wants to make Trump the issue – big surprise – by portraying him as “a mortal threat to American government and civil society.” There will be a “direct assault” on Trump (didn’t Biden already do that in a pair of speeches around the Jan. 6 anniversary?) and a “heavy emphasis on abortion rights” (which was launched last week with Kamala Harris making the TV rounds).

Donald Trump fist pumps for camera in New York City

Former President Donald Trump is seen on Jan. 25, 2024 in New York City, New York. (GWR/Star Max/GC Images)

Campaign aides, says the Times, want to make the Capitol riot a “touchstone” (check), and “believe that the more the public sees and hears Mr. Trump, the less people will be inclined to vote for him” (maybe).

But there is one new strategy: Biden made an hour-long visit in North Carolina “to the home of a supporter who had his student loans canceled through a federal program. The man’s son later posted a video of Mr. Biden’s visit on TikTok, which drew millions of views – a template for how the campaign hopes to reach voters in new ways.”

Campaign officials are talking to “celebrities and social media stars” about promotions on Instagram and TikTok, with the president sometimes making the pitch.

AS TRUMP EASILY BEATS HALEY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, SHE VOWS TO STAY IN THE RACE

And here’s the zinger: the chatter around Taylor Swift “and the potential of reaching her 279 million Instagram followers.” 

Biden wants her endorsement – she’s a Democrat, after all – but the idea that she would do it at the Super Bowl, since her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs will be there, is ludicrous. Maybe later on they could sing a duet with Travis Kelce looking on (yeah, right).

The only reason I can see Taylor not endorsing is that she doesn’t want to deal with all the vitriol that would come from Trump supporters.

Swift, Biden

President Biden’s aides reportedly considered sending the president to a stop on Taylor Swift’s “Era’s Tour.” (Left: James Devaney/GC Images, Right: Nicole Neri/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

And by the way, even though the Swifties make the singer the most popular person in the world – and she’s Time’s person of the year – does anyone really believe she could steer a significant number of votes to Biden?

I’ve got better advice, but the president won’t take it. He should use the bully pulpit. He should do more interviews, and not just with friendly podcasters – take some tough questions and make some news. So what if he stumbles or slurs his words?

But his advisers are largely shielding the 81-year-old president from the press, except for a few shouted questions near the helicopter.

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Biden seems to be under the impression that putting out statements is enough, but television and the web thrive on video. 

When the three American service members were killed, he should have gone before the cameras. When the economy grew at a 3.3% rate last quarter, he should have gone before the cameras.

I’m sure even Taylor Swift would approve.



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