NationalWatch

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that President Biden does not insult voters, but he has made insulting remarks to them on several occasions.

“One thing that the president does not do is insult voters or American people,” Jean-Pierre said.

However, Biden has a long history of questionable remarks to voters and members of the media. 

In December 2019, as Biden was campaigning for president, he appeared at an Iowa town hall and derided a voter in a tense exchange.

BIDEN HAS BEEN SECRETLY MEETING WITH DONORS TO EASE CONCERNS, INCLUDING HIS AGE AND ENERGY: REPORT

“I’m not a Republican,” one man told Biden at the event. “I’ve got two problems with you. One is you’re damn near as old as I am. You’re too old. I’m 83, and I know damn well I don’t have the mental faculties I did [inaudible.]”

He went on to the topic of Ukraine — specifically the lucrative job Biden’s son Hunter held with natural gas firm Burisma Holdings during the Obama administration. 

“But on the other hand, you sent your son over there to get a job and work for a gas company where he had no experience… In order to get access for the president…you’re selling access to the president just like he was,” the questioner said.

Biden fired back: “You’re a damn liar, man. That’s not true, and no one has ever said that.” The claim that Biden “sent” his son to Ukraine for a job at Burisma is not accurate.

The man later told Biden he did not plan on voting for him. Biden said he knew that because he was “too old” to vote for him.

OBAMA INCREASINGLY WORRIED ABOUT TRUMP BEATING BIDEN, REPORT SAYS: ‘INCALCULABLE DAMAGE’

In May 2020, Biden appeared on Charlamagne tha God’s “The Breakfast Club” radio show and said anyone contemplating voting for him or Trump “ain’t Black” after the host said he should go to his New York studio for another interview.

“You’ve got more questions?” Biden said. “Well, I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”

Three months later, in August 2020, Biden snapped at a reporter and asked him if he was “a junkie” after fielding a question about if he’d ever taken a cognitive test amid attacks from then-President Trump over his mental stamina.

“No, I haven’t taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test?” Biden said. “Come on, man. That’s like saying you, before you got on this program, you take a test whether you’re taking cocaine or not. What do you think? Huh? Are you a junkie?” he said while turning the question back around on CBS News reporter Errol Barnett, who is Black. Biden chuckled as he finished his response.

Biden later confronted an autoworker while campaigning in September 2020 and told him he “doesn’t work for him” before calling him a “horse’s a–.”

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And in 2022, Biden was caught on a hot mic calling Fox News correspondent Peter Doochy a “stupid son of a bi—” after he had asked a question about inflation.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

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? 

– Sanders’ anti-Israel bill goes down in flames

– New poll shows Trump dominating New Hampshire primary

– Maine superior court stays decision to barring Trump from primary ballot

‘Alarming’ surveillance

FIRST ON FOX: Federal investigators asked banks to search and filter customer transactions by using terms like “MAGA” and “Trump” as part of an investigation into Jan. 6, warning that purchases of “religious texts” could indicate “extremism,” the House Judiciary Committee revealed in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital Wednesday.

Fox News Digital has learned the committee also obtained documents that indicate officials suggested that banks query transactions with keywords like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops and more.

“This kind of pervasive financial surveillance, carried out in coordination with and at the request of federal law enforcement, into Americans’ private transactions is alarming and raises serious doubts about FinCEN’s respect for fundamental liberties,” Rep. Jim Jordan, chair of the Judiciary Committee, wrote in a letter asking for a briefing from FinCEN, a Treasury Department investigating bureau that looks at financial crimes …Read more

White House

VIVEK VS VP: Ramaswamy challenges Harris to debate focused on AI, as speculation swirls over Trump’s running mate …Read more

ANTI-TRUMP PLOT: IRS leaker sought consultant role with express purpose of releasing former president’s tax returns, DOJ says …Read more

‘BORDER, BORDER, BORDER’: Johnson to prioritize border crisis in meeting with President Biden …Read more

KEEP IT ‘SUBTLE’: Aide to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asked EMS not to use lights or sirens, 911 call reveals …Read more

Capitoll Hill

PROTECTING CHURCHES: Rubio introduces bill to protect nonprofit institutions from federal regulations …Read more

GOV SPENDING: Senate clears 1st hurdle to pass short-term government funding …Read more

SWING AND A MISS: Sanders resolution that would freeze aid to Israel goes down in flames …Read more

Tale from the Campaign Trail

NO LABELS NO CHANCE: Judge says No Labels can block candidates from running for offices other than president in Arizona …Read more

WARNING TO BIDEN CAMPAIGN: Jamie Dimon says Trump ‘wasn’t wrong’ about critical issues …Read more

2-PERSON RACE: New poll shows where Trump, Haley stand in New Hampshire GOP primary …Read more

JOB FOR VIVEK? Trump teases future role for former GOP rival …Read more

Across America

CONTENTIOUS MOMENT: Judge threatens to throw Trump out of defamation trial …Read more

BORDER INSECURITY: California voters overwhelmingly say US-Mexico border is ‘not secure,’ poll finds …Read more

VOLUNTEER FUNDRAISER: Hollywood producer who introduced Hunter to art dealer raised major cash for Biden’s campaign …Read more

The Maine Superior Court issued a stay of the secretary of state’s decision to remove former President Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot pending a decision from the United States Supreme Court. 

Trump appealed Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ ruling earlier this month, but the court on Wednesday said it will not consider the matter until the high court issues its own decision in a related case out of Colorado, saying it would be “imprudent” for the court to rule on it before then. 

TRUMP APPEALS DECISION TO BAN HIM FROM MAINE BALLOT

The court denied Trump’s motion to “supplement the record,” denied his motion to “stay proceedings,” but also “stays the secretary of state’s ruling, pending the decision by the Supreme Court.”

The court remanded the matter to the secretary “for further proceedings as necessary in light of the United States Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision in Trump v. Anderson.”

“As part of this remand, the secretary is ordered to await the Supreme Court’s decision in Anderson, and no later than thirty days after Anderson’s issuance, to issue a new Ruling modifying, withdrawing, or confirming her prior Ruling dated December 28, 2023,” the court ruled.

A ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court in December removed Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Colorado is a Democratic-leaning state that is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in November.

Trump is expected to appeal the ruling of the Colorado Supreme Court directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation’s highest court has never issued a decision on Section 3 and the Colorado court’s 4-3 ruling that it applied to Trump was the first time in history the provision was used to block a presidential candidate from appearing on the ballot.

Similar battles are playing out in other states, where activists have asked election officials to remove the former president from their states’ primary ballots under Section 3 of the 14th amendment.

Fox News’ Andrew Fone, Greg Wehner and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Vivek Ramaswamy proposed that Vice President Harris debate him on the topic of artificial intelligence, as speculation over former President Trump’s choice of running mate swirls. 

“Kamala is in charge of AI policy right now. In a debate, I’d challenger [sic] her to see if she can spell ‘AI.’ I’d bet on the same blank stare I got from Nikki when I asked her to name 3 provinces in eastern Ukraine,” Ramaswamy wrote Tuesday night, referencing a moment from a GOP debate in December. 

Ramaswamy’s post challenging Harris came in response to Human Events senior editor Jack Posobiec writing, “Imagine what Vivek would do to Kamala in a debate.” 

In November, Harris notably gave a speech on the future of artifical intelligence in London, vowing that, the “United States will continue to work with the G7; the United Nations; and a diverse range of governments, from the Global North to the Global South, to promote AI safety and equity around the world.” 

VIVEK RAMASWAMY URGES DESANTIS AND HALEY TO DROP OUT OF RACE

Just days earlier, speaking from the East Room of the White House, Harris also warned, “AI can lead to discrimination, bias and other abuses,” vowing to work with civil rights leaders. 

Harris added that the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” an administration document that recommends “proactive equity assessments as part of the system design,” would establish “a minimum baseline of responsible AI practices” for private companies operating within the field.

KAMALA HARRIS: ADMIN HAS DUTY TO STOP AI ‘ALGORITHMIC DISCRIMINATION,’ ENSURE BENEFITS ‘SHARED EQUITABLY’

Her comments came after the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative watchdog group, had recently warned the Biden administration was actively seeking to use AI to promote woke, progressive ideology with left-wing activists leading the effort.

In another post on X on Wednesday, Ramaswamy reiterated his call for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Haley to join him in suspending their 2024 presidential campaigns following Trump’s commanding victory at the Iowa caucuses. 

“It’s time to move forward,” Ramaswamy wrote. “Running the race through Iowa was fair game. But the people have spoken loud & clear. The game is over. We have a country to save.” 

“Last night, I asked all my supporters across New Hampshire who’ve *run through walls* for me to do one LAST thing this week: volunteer all-out for the next 6 days to make sure Trump defeats Nikki by *as wide of a margin* as possible. End this primary & do what’s right for America,” he wrote in another post. 

Ramaswamy bowed out of the race after coming in fourth at the caucuses Monday night, and immediately endorsed Trump. 

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The next day, he went to New Hampshire to campaign for Trump. Ramaswamy re-shared a clip on X of him and Trump embracing on stage together as the crowd was heard shouting, “VP.”

Trump has yet to announce his choice of 2024 running mate but told Fox News during a town hall last week his mind was already made up. 

Fox News’ Brandon Gillepsie contributed to this report. 

The chief prosecutor in Georgia spearheading the racketeering case against former President Trump has been having an illicit affair with a lawyer she hired, according to Michael Roman, a Trump co-defendant. Legal experts say the arrangement jeopardizes her legal future.

According to court documents filed earlier this month by Roman, Fani Willis, who brought election interference-related charges against Trump, has been having an “improper” affair with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the 2024 GOP frontrunner.  

According to the court documents, Wade, who has no RICO and felony prosecution experience, billed taxpayers $654,000 since January 2022.  

Roman’s filing alleges that Wade billed Fulton County for 24 hours of work on a single day in November 2021, shortly after being appointed as a special prosecutor, and that Willis financially benefited from her alleged lover’s padded taxpayer-funded salary by taking lavish vacations together on his dime. 

TRUMP DELIVERS UNIFYING MESSAGE AFTER LANDSLIDE CAUCUS VICTORY, RECEIVES BIPARTISAN PRAISE

However, John Shu, a constitutional law expert who served in both the George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, says that while Willis’ and Wade’s apparent improprieties could give her some PR or re-election trouble, it does not automatically mean that Trump’s Peach State legal troubles disappear. 

 “Her alleged romantic relationship with Wade, which pre-existed her appointing him, is totally improper if it is true,” Shu said.  

“It raises the serious question as to why Willis needed to appoint Wade as another special prosecutor and supposed RICO expert when she already had hired Georgia’s most prominent RICO expert, John Floyd, in March of 2021,” he added.

However, Shu said that “unless the people of Fulton County clamor for their recusal” he does not see them “voluntarily recusing themselves from the case because it would look like they’re admitting wrongdoing.” 

Shu noted that according to U.S. Supreme Court precedent, a prosecutor’s failure to disclose a romantic relationship with one of her appointees is not considered honest services fraud in and of itself.  

TRUMP BLASTS FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR FANI WILLIS AFTER ROMANTIC PARTNER ALLEGATIONS: ‘TOTALLY COMPROMISED’

“Hiring one’s romantic partner and knowingly paying his alleged fake bills, however, likely would be considered cheating the county, especially because he is not a RICO expert. Also, Wade would be in hot water if, as alleged, he overbilled fake billable hours and got paid for them,” Shu added. 

The New York Post reported that Wade was billing the DA’s office nearly double what another prosecutor and RICO expert on the team, John Floyd, billed per hour.

Willis addressed the allegations for the first time at Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta on Sunday.

“They only attacked one,” she said. “First thing they say, ‘Oh, she’s gonna play the race card now.’

“But no God, isn’t it them that’s playing the race card when they only question one,” Willis asked.

“You cannot expect Black women to be perfect and save the world,” Willis said, adding that “we need to be allowed to stumble. We need grace.” 

She has not denied the allegations. 

Jonathan Turley, a practicing criminal defense attorney and law professor at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital that “these types of allegations are rarely resolved in the wholesale rejection of a criminal case.”

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

However, he said, there are various remedies that the court can order. 

“The most obvious is the substitution of the prosecutors. It can also include the removal of the case to a different district. It is rare for the court to treat the underlying criminal case as legally invalid due to the misconduct of the prosecutors,” Turley said. 

“I think it would be foolish to count on a dismissal of the case based on these allegations. I think it is more reasonable to expect a delay and a possible substitution of prosecutors on the case,” he added. 

An “interesting dynamic” Turley noted is whether a different prosecutor would pursue Willis’ “sweeping claims.” 

“Willis is viewed as a highly political district attorney who relished the opportunity to charged Donald Trump.”

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“I think many prosecutors would have balked at making this type of racketeering case. I think it is a case of overreach. That’s not to say that the case itself is without foundation. Many of these defendants are facing credible charges. It’s the attempt to link all of these parties into an overarching racketeering conspiracy that has left many of us skeptical,” said Turley. 

“So the question is, would another prosecutor in good faith move forward on the racketeering claim.”

Turley added that the ultimate standard in deciding how the case moves forward is “what is in the public interest.”

“I can’t imagine how the continued role of either Willis or wade in this case would advance the public interest,” he said.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

President Biden will redesignate Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis as a terrorist group — three years after removing them from the Foreign Terrorist Organizations list — in response to repeated attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. 

The Houthis will be placed on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list, which will trigger sanctions designed to prevent further attacks on global trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to senior administration officials. 

“These attacks are a clear example of terrorism and a violation of international law and a major threat to life, global commerce, and they jeopardize the delivery of humanitarian assistance,” a senior administration official told reporters on Tuesday.

The decision comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The group said the attacks are in response to Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, Houthi fighters launched anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Red Sea.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO RELIST YEMEN’S IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS AS DESIGNATED TERRORISTS AMID RED SEA ATTACKS

“We’ve taken this action to pressure the Houthis to cease their terrorist activities, including missile and drone attacks against international shipping. The ultimate goal of sanctions is to convince the Houthis to de-escalate and bring about a positive change in behavior,” the official said. 

The terrorist designation is set to take effect in 30 days. Officials emphasized that commercial shipments of food, medicine and fuel into Yemeni ports will be exempted so as not to deny humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people amid the civil war between the Houthis and the country’s internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government,

“The administration is prioritizing the mitigation of unintended adverse impacts from this designation that may otherwise arise for the people of Yemen,” a second official said. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delisted the Houthis as both a foreign terrorist organization and as specially designated global terrorists in February 2021 as the Biden administration sought to make it easier to get humanitarian aid into Yemen.

US CARRIES OUT ADDITIONAL STRIKE IN YEMEN, OFFICIAL SAYS

The move was a reversal of former President Trump‘s decision to place the Houthis on the FTO list over the strong objections of human rights and humanitarian aid groups in the waning days of his presidency.

The foreign terrorist designation barred Americans and people and organizations subject to U.S. jurisdiction from providing “material support” to the Houthis, which the groups said would result in an even greater humanitarian catastrophe than what was already happening in Yemen.

An SDGT designation will also freeze Houthi assets, but unlike the FTO designation, it will not impose immigration restrictions on members, according to the State Department. The SDGT sanctions also will not touch people and organizations who provide “material support” to the Houthis. 

“It was the correct step in 2021 to revoke the foreign terrorist organization and SDGT designations for the Houthis,” an administration official said, adding that Blinken made that decision “in recognition of a very dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.” 

CENTCOM RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER HOUTHI ATTACK IN YEMEN: ‘ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS ACTIONS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED’

According to officials, the SDGT designation is part of a “broader effort” to deter the Houthi attacks along with military action. 

The recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping. Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said last week that 2,000 ships since November have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea.

Houthi militants have threatened or taken hostage mariners from more than 20 countries.

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On Tuesday, U.S. forces struck and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles that were prepared to launch from Yemen, CENTCOM said.

“The recent attacks since November are really unacceptable,” the official said. “We cannot sit idly by and watch what the Houthis are doing in the Red Sea and not recognize their actions for what they are.” 

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano, Jacqui Heinrich and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Justice Department prosecutors say the man charged with leaking former President Trump’s tax returns sought his job as an IRS consultant specifically for the purpose of leaking the information.

Charles Littlejohn had done work for Booze Allen from 2008 to 2013, but he returned to the company as an IRS consultant in 2017. Prosecutors say the career move was meant to grant him access to private tax information that would allow him to leak Trump’s tax returns. The DOJ says Littlejohn considered Trump to be a threat to democracy, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“[Littlejohn] weaponized his access to unmasked taxpayer data to further his own personal political agenda, believing that he was above the law,” prosecutors alleged.

“A free press and public engagement with the media are critical to any healthy democracy, but stealing and leaking private, personal tax information strips individuals of the legal protection of their most sensitive data,” they added.

IRS CONSULTANT PLEADS GUILTY FOR LEAKING TAX RETURNS OF TRUMP AND NATION’S ‘WEALTHIEST INDIVIDUALS’ TO MEDIA

The DOJ went on to say that Littlejohn had a “sophisticated, detailed plan to secretly download” Trump’s returns and those of other wealthy individuals by 2018, according to WSJ.

IRS CONSULTANT CHARGED WITH DISCLOSING TAX RETURNS OF TRUMP AND NATION’S ‘WEALTHIEST INDIVIDUALS’ TO MEDIA

The DOJ says Littlejohn later uploaded the returns to a private website he owned, which allowed him to bypass IRS systems meant to detect large transfers of data.

Once in possession of the data, he allegedly made several copies of it and sat on the information for roughly six months before contacting the New York Times. The DOJ said one of the flash drives containing the information was hidden “inside the lining of a wooden leather box containing an ornamental camel,” according to the Journal.

The Times then published several articles about the content of Trump’s returns, and Littlejohn also shared the returns of thousands of wealthy Americans with the organization ProPublica. That led to a series of articles detailing the tax information of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and many others dating back 15 years.

Republicans on Capitol Hill were dismayed late last year when Littlejohn was only charged with one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax information, despite leaking the information of thousands of Americans.

“We write today to express concern abut the Department of Justice’s decision to charge Charles Edward Littlejohn with only one count of unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information despite his admissions that he made two distinct disclosures to two separate news organizations impacting potentially thousands of taxpayers,” wrote House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., along with other Republicans.

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Lawyers for Trump have requested that Littlejohn receive the maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report

MANCHESTER, N.H. – With six days to go until New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary, a new poll indicates former President Trump remains the clear frontrunner, with former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley firmly in second place and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a distant third.

Trump, who is running a third straight time for the White House, grabs 50% support among those likely to vote in next Tuesday’s New Hampshire GOP presidential primary, according to a survey released Wednesday by Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 in Boston.

Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, stands at 34% support, with DeSantis at 5%. Six percent said they were undecided and 3% were backing another candidate.

The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday evenings, during and after Trump scored a massive victory in Monday night’s Iowa caucuses, the first contest on the GOP presidential nominating calendar.

TRUMP, HALEY, TURN UP THE VOLUME ON EACH OTHER AS GOP PRESIDENTIAL SLUGFEST MOVES TO NEW HAMPSHIRE

Trump smashed the competition in Iowa, winning 51% of the vote, with DeSantis a distant second at 21% and Haley in third at 19%.

IOWA’S OVER – NOW THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY FIGHT TURNS TO NEW HAMPSHIRE

However, New Hampshire has a very different electorate than Iowa. Moderate voters in the Granite State are highly influential, and the state’s independents – who can vote in either major party primary – have long played a crucial role in New Hampshire’s storied presidential contest.

The new poll shows Trump with a massive 61%-34% lead over Haley among registered Republicans, with Haley topping Trump 44%-38% among independents.

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While the former president holds a commanding 6%-18% lead over his former U.N. ambassador among self-described conservatives, Haley leads 56%-27% among those who consider themselves moderate or liberal.

“Trump is pulling out Republicans and male independents,” Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos told Fox News.

However, he noted that Haley is “beating Trump two-to-one among moderates and female independents. That’s her strength.”

The survey, which questioned 500 likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire, had an overall sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

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

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former secretary general of NATO, urged Democrats that President Biden must make the border a “non-issue” for Republicans as he campaigns ahead of the 2024 election, warning that the immigration crisis left unchecked “will fuel extremists” on both sides of the aisle. 

“If I were asked by Democrats what to do, my advice would be to accommodate Republican views on the border issue and create a package with four elements: support for Ukraine, support for Israel, support for Taiwan and solve the border issue,” Rasmussen, who led NATO from 2009 to 2014, told Politico in an interview published Wednesday. 

“President Biden has an interest in solving that issue before the election campaign starts in earnest,” he added. 

Rasmussen, a former prime minister of Denmark who governed from the right of center, highlighted how European governments that have failed to mitigate migration felt the consequences at the polls, urging that Democrats opposing tougher border policy should “come to their senses.” 

NATO NEEDS A ‘WARFIGHTING TRANSFORMATION’ AS ‘ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME,’ TOP MILITARY OFFICIAL SAYS

Specifically, he pointed to November’s elections in the Netherlands, where the center-right government faltered to a far-right rise in political power largely due to the immigration issue. 

“If I were in the leadership of the Democratic campaign, I would not hesitate to close this issue — to accommodate Republicans to make it a non-issue in the coming election campaign,” he said, acknowledging how the border crisis brings political vulnerability for Democrats ahead of the election. 

“If you do not address the immigration issue and the border issue effectively, then you will fuel extremists … On both sides of the political spectrum,” said Rasmussen, who spoke to Politico during a recent visit to Washington, D.C., where he intended to meet with the House Freedom Caucus to convince them on further Ukraine aid. 

LEAKED GERMAN DOCUMENTS SHOW LEADERS ARE PREPARING SHOULD RUSSIA LAUNCH WORLD WAR 3: REPORTS 

As Republicans have resisted calls from Democrats for billions more in support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan without a deal on the border, Rasmussen argued that failing to provide further U.S. support for the Kyiv forces nearly two years after Russia’s full-scale February 2022 invasion “would be the withdrawal from Afghanistan on steroids.” He said he expected to counter Republicans’ argument that the U.S. is shouldering too much of the war effort by noting that Europeans spent $59 billion in Ukraine aid compared to the $48 billion supplied by the U.S. 

“It’s not true when they are arguing that Europeans do not step up to the plate and do not share a fair burden of support for Ukraine,” Rasmussen said. 

“I’m not a liberal in the American sense of the word,” he said, recommending House Freedom Caucus members read his 1993 book, “From Social State to Minimal State.” “I think I’m one of the most pro-American European politicians.”

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Speaking a day after former President Trump swept the Iowa caucuses, Rasmussen also expressed hope former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley would see a New Hampshire revival. 

Saying Haley is “very much in line with my thinking about world affairs,” he argued that the former South Carolina governor’s momentum in the 2024 race demonstrates how “in the Republican Party — despite Trumpism — there is a classical Republican sentiment that I think Trump should take into account.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hit on a variety of topics during a New Hampshire town hall on Tuesday night, which included his reasoning for staying in the race, his strategy to try to clinch the GOP nomination, border security, President Biden’s border policies, veterans issues, and why he believes former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley can’t win on the big stage.

“I think that he was the former president of the United States,” DeSantis said in response to former President Trump’s historic victory in Iowa on Monday night. “He’s one of the most famous people that’s ever been involved in American politics and there’s obviously a lot of Republicans that appreciated his policies, you know, but you still had roughly half of the Iowa caucus goers that made another choice and so that shows me that tells me that there is an appetite for a different leader.”

DeSantis also explained during the town hall, which was hosted by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, why he traveled to South Carolina on Tuesday morning after the caucuses instead of going directly to New Hampshire. 

“What it says is we had a town hall scheduled earlier today in the afternoon in New Hampshire and then this so I had the morning where usually candidates sleep in a little bit after a hard fought caucus,” DeSantis said. “But I said, you know, let’s make use of that. We weren’t sure how the weather was going to be here in New Hampshire. So we said, why don’t we dip into South Carolina, make an appearance, and then come up to New Hampshire?”

TRUMP NARROWLY DENIED CLEAN SWEEP OF IOWA’S 99 COUNTIES BY 1 VOTE

“So I think what it says is that we consider New Hampshire, South Carolina to both be important as well as Nevada, by the way. Nikki Haley, for example, she didn’t even get on the Nevada caucuses ballot. So she has zero delegates out in Nevada no matter what happens. I’m competing for delegates. And yes, the party went to a caucus to try to rig it for Trump. But, you know, as a Republican, it’s not always going to be fair for us. You got to be willing to fight in all these situations. So we’re doing that.”

DeSantis delivered strong criticism of Haley during his town hall appearance after she came in third place in Iowa despite many pundits predicting she would surge to second place. 

“Even though she spent 100% of her money attacking me and not one red cent attacking Donald Trump and I faced almost 50 million in total, I got second and she did not and that’s just the reality,” DeSantis said. “And here’s the thing, in Iowa, you can actually show up as a Democrat on the day of the caucus, change your registration, and then participate in the Republican caucus and in New Hampshire. You can’t do that. If you’re a declared Democrat, then you can’t vote in the primary. So she was relying on her support from these Democrats changing their registration on the day of the caucus.“

“You’ve got to be able to win core Republicans. You’ve got to be able to win conservatives and she cannot do that.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR GOV. DESANTIS AFTER SECOND PLACE FINISH IN IOWA?

DeSantis said that “none” of the people who come up to him saying they supported Trump’s policies and support his  campaign tell him that they support Haley.

“None of them like Nikki Haley because they don’t think she shares her values,” DeSantis said. “So she does not have the ability to build the type of coalition that you need to win a Republican primary period, much less take on Donald Trump.“

DeSantis also spoke about immigration, slamming the Biden administration’s border policies and promising to attempt to deport the millions of illegal immigrants who have crossed the border under his watch. Additionally, DeSantis addressed an audience member who suggested that his move to fly illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities and regions like Martha’s Vineyard was a political stunt. 

THIS 2024 GOP CANDIDATE WAS TARGETED BY WAY MORE ATTACK ADS THAN ANY OTHER HEADING INTO THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS

“Actually, if you think about it, you go back to September of 2022, how was the border being treated?” DeSantis said. “It was not a front burner issue. The problems were real. But it wasn’t getting the type of scrutiny that it needed. Doing to Martha’s Vineyard, and by the way, they said they were a sanctuary jurisdiction, they said all people are welcome, whether they’re legal or not. These border towns in Texas are getting thousands and thousands, Martha’s Vineyard couldn’t even handle 50 and so think that was an example of them wanting to impose a certain worldview of open borders on the rest of the country, but not willing to be able to do it. 

“But this was something that the media really glommed onto. So it ended up raising the temperature on this. And now you have this being discussed everywhere. So I don’t think it was cheap at all. I think it was designed by ,partially, I just believe that if you’re a sanctuary jurisdiction, you should be the ones to have to shoulder the burden. We’re not a sanctuary state in Florida.“

DeSantis was asked about Trump’s mounting legal issues and he explained that he believes Republicans will be negatively affected if the media and President Biden are able to use those issues as a main focus in the election.  

“We have a choice as Republicans, what do we want the 2024 election to be about?” DeSantis said. “And with me as your nominee, it’ll be about holding Biden  accountable on the economy, on the border, on crime, on the problems internationally, on the growth of government and the bureaucracy, bringing accountability for for COVID, ending weaponization of federal agencies, and then offering a way where we can restore the American dream and get the nation’s fiscal in order.”

“I think we win if that’s how the debate is. If Donald Trump is the nominee, the election will revolve around all these legal issues, his trials, perhaps convictions if he goes to trial and loses there and about things like January 6th, we’re going to lose. If that’s the decision that voters are making based on that, we don’t want it to be a referendum on those issues. We want it to be a referendum on the country going in the wrong direction.”

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DeSantis was asked several questions about the military and veterans issues and he said that 9/11 “really changed” how he viewed the world and that he  would put veterans issues “on the front burner” as president.

“I’m also going to be a commander in chief that if your son or daughter or your grandkids are in the military, you’re going to have a commander in chief that has their back,” DeSantis said. “I am not going to let a social agenda or all these distractions in the military.”

Conservatives in the upper chamber are rallying behind former President Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee after a landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses on Monday.

“Trump’s victory tonight showcases once again the changing GOP base,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This is a working class party now. The DC Republicans need to figure it out.”

Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former football coach, wrote on X: “Can we stop pretending this is an actual primary race and get to the business of defeating Joe Biden?”

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said, “It’s not going to be easy to defeat Joe Biden,” in a post on X, adding “we need all hands on deck.”

In another post, Lee congratulated Trump for his swift victory in Iowa.

TRUMP WINS MASSIVE VICTORY IN IOWA, DESANTIS EDGES HALEY FOR SECOND IN 1ST GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONTEST

“Beating Joe Biden won’t be easy. But it’s absolutely necessary. No other Republican has a shot at the nomination. It’s therefore imperative that Republicans start getting behind Trump. No time to lose,” he wrote.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., also celebrated Trump’s win in a post, saying: “We are going to make America great again, AGAIN,” and using the hashtag #TRUMP2024.

Meanwhile, the upper chamber’s GOP leader, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remained quiet on the results. 

Leading up to the Iowa caucuses, more GOP senators began throwing their support behind Trump. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., endorsed Trump just hours after North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum dropped out and endorsed the former president. They joined nearly two dozen GOP senators in endorsing Trump, including Sens. JD Vance of Ohio, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Rick Scott of Florida, Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

TRUMP PICKS UP MORE SENATE GOP ENDORSEMENTS

The Fox News Decision Desk made the race projection for Trump at 8:31 p.m. ET, a half an hour after the caucuses got underway across the Hawkeye State.

The former president’s lightning-fast win in Iowa gave him a crucial early victory in his bid to return to the White House. His rivals for the nomination still include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who came in a distant second in the Iowa caucuses, nearly 30 points behind Trump, and former Ambassador Nikki Haley, who came in third – close behind DeSantis.

“We want to thank the great people of Iowa,” Trump said in a caucus victory speech in Des Moines, the state’s capital and largest city.

Trump made history last year as the first former or current president to be indicted for a crime, but his four indictments, including charges he tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, have only fueled his support among Republican voters.

Trump’s victory on Monday night was the largest margin in the history of Iowa’s Republican presidential caucuses, easily surpassing the previous winning margin of 12.8 percent set in 1988 by the late Sen. Bob Dole.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed Donald Trump for president Tuesday night and called for the country to unify behind the Republican frontrunner.

“I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President of the United States,” Cruz said on “Hannity.” “I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically.”

Cruz, who fiercely battled Trump in the 2016 election primaries, argued that the results of the Iowa caucuses showed there is only one viable Republican nominee.

“[Iowa] was a dominating victory for Donald Trump: I’ve got to say, there’s no place like the Iowa caucuses. I know it intimately. The men and women of Iowa, they take their responsibility incredibly seriously. They scrutinize the candidates,” Cruz said.

TRUMP TEASES FUTURE ROLE FOR RAMASWAMY AT NH RALLY: ‘HE’LL BE WORKING WITH US FOR A LONG TIME’

“It’s an amazing process, and I’m a big believer in letting democracy play out. Well, last night it played out, and I got to say Trump’s victory was across the board… Congratulations to President Trump on that dominating victory,” Cruz said. “And at this point, I believe this race is over.”

Trump earned 51% of the votes in the Iowa caucuses on Monday, claiming a 30-point victory over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who slightly secured second place over Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The Texas senator said that Trump’s landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses showed that the former president’s candidacy is “compelling.”

“I’m a big believer we need to let the process play out: It did. And the results last night: 51% [of the vote, which included] 98 counties – that’s compelling. And at this point, I think the contrast needs to be on substance and policy and records [versus Biden],” Cruz said.

TRUMP ATTENDS DEFAMATION DAMAGES TRIAL STEMMING FROM E. JEAN CARROLL LAWSUIT AFTER WINNING IOWA CAUCUSES

Cruz noted he is also a top senatorial election target for Democrats as he seeks a third term in the November election.

“I wear that as a badge of honor,” he said of continuing to receive the ire and attention of Democrats as his re-election approaches.

“If you are a left-wing Democrat, after Donald Trump, there’s nobody in the country you want to beat more than me. And Chuck Schumer has made clear I am his number one target in the country,” Cruz continued. “The Democrats are going to spend $100 million this year trying to beat me and trying to flip Texas blue. Now, that ain’t going to happen.”

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Trump also picked up an endorsement from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., another former 2016 primary competitor, on Sunday.

Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

President Biden’s approval rating, the lowest for any U.S. president in the past 15 years, combined with former President Trump’s sweeping win in the Iowa caucuses, serves as a bellwether ahead of the November 2024 general election – but political observers question whether it’s too soon to assume a Biden-Trump rematch has been secured. 

Yet several politicos who spoke to Fox News Digital predict if a rematch doesn’t happen, it will be because of Biden getting out of the race – not Trump failing to secure the nomination.

“A unique aspect of this presidential year is that there really is no primary season for either party. Biden has managed to keep challengers off the ballots and Trump’s lead amongst GOP voters is astronomical. Trump’s landslide in Iowa is a statement. And while the debates and this process is important for people to get to know the GOP talent bench, the fact is we are in the midst of the general election between Biden and Trump,” Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce said. 

“Trump is going nowhere, but Biden still could be replaced, but the closer we get to Election Day the more unlikely it is to happen,” she added. 

BIDEN APPROVAL RATING PLUMMETS TO 15-YEAR LOW, POLL FINDS

Trump won all but one of Iowa’s 99 counties, with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley – who came in third place overall in the Hawkeye State – clinging onto Johnson County by one vote. After congratulating Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – the second-place winner in Iowa – during his Iowa victory speech for “having a good time together,” the leader of the “Make America Great Again” movement was back in New York on Tuesday. 

“Donald Trump’s crushing victory over his opponents in the Iowa caucuses isn’t quite enough to wrap up the Republican nomination before the first primary contest has even taken place. But it very nearly is,” Fox News contributor Gerry Baker said. “The results confirmed the grip the former president has on GOP primary voters.” 

Baker, who is in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum, further surmised of the Iowa caucuses that “the third-place finish for Nikki Haley, who seemed to have some momentum heading into Iowa but who now must score a victory in New Hampshire next week to keep the race alive at all, underscored how far behind she and Ron DeSantis have always been.” 

“So Trump is set to wrap things up quickly and will then be free of GOP opposition to concentrate his fire on Joe Biden,” Baker said. 

“This only adds to the escalating bad news for Biden, already struggling with some of the lowest approval ratings for any president in recent history. With an uncertain economic outlook, chaos at the border and rising insecurity in the world, Biden faces overwhelming headwinds,” he said. “Don’t be surprised if the calls within his own party for him to stand down and for a Democratic nominating contest to take place at this summer’s convention grow much louder.” 

Biden’s approval rating sits at just 33%, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released Sunday, a day before the Iowa caucuses, meaning the incumbent Democrat has the lowest approval rating of any U.S. president since George W. Bush from 2006-2008. Trump’s lowest as president was 36%. 

“If you’re a Democrat, this is near a worst case scenario in a presidential election year. Here you have an incumbent president that’s polling in the 20s as far as approval among Independents. He is hemorrhaging support from Black and Hispanic voters. No president has won re-election with approval below 40%, Biden is currently at 33% overall,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha assessed. “Meanwhile, Donald Trump just won Iowa by more than four touchdowns over a popular governor and formidable challenger in the form of Ron DeSantis. According to the RealClearPolitics betting averages, he is the odds on favorite to win back the presidency.” 

“And unless prices begin to go down, which they likely won’t, and the border somehow improves, which it won’t, and these wars overseas suddenly end, which they won’t, it’s hard to see how Biden turns us around as he continues to get older and less visible to American voters,” Concha added. 

Regarding the survey, Bruce argued that Biden’s “remarkably low poll ratings are even more shocking because he has had the general support of the legacy media.” 

“The Democrats don’t seem to realize that their success in 2020 using the basement strategy has given them the entirely wrong impression about the American people,” she said. “They believe they can do it again, but what they had in 2020 that they don’t have now is the trust of the American people.”

TRUMP TEASES EX-RIVAL DOUG BURGUM COULD HOLD ‘IMPORTANT’ ADMIN ROLE AFTER IOWA WIN

The poll found that just 31% of Americans approve of how Biden is handling the economy, while 56% disapprove. And Biden’s rating on immigration and the border crisis is especially low, according to the ABC-produced poll, which found just 18% approve of the job he’s done, while 63% now disapprove.

Biden is polling at 28% approval among Independents, while the survey found he’s 21 points below average among African Americans and 15 points below average among Hispanics.

“Biden’s numbers are nothing short of disastrous at this stage,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson said. “With an approval rating of 33%, and underwater by 25 points on the economy, he’s going to have to run an extremely negative campaign to try to compensate for this historic weakness. There’s a reason why Brit Hume recently said on my radio program that Biden is the weakest presidential incumbent he’s seen in his decades of political coverage.” 

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Trump was in New York on Tuesday as jury selection kicked off in the defamation trial stemming from columnist E. Jean Carroll’s claims that he sexually abused her in the 1990s. The former president was then expected to head to New Hampshire, where he’ll be joined at a rally by former rival Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Ramaswamy suspended his 2024 presidential campaign and endorsed Trump after coming in fourth place in Iowa. New Hampshire’s primaries are next week. 

The New York Court of Appeals dismissed former President Trump’s challenge of the gag order imposed on him in the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against him and his businesses.

The court said Trump’s move to appeal the order had no “substantial constitutional question,” despite Trump attorneys arguing that his First Amendment rights were restricted.

TRUMP SAYS LEGAL WOES ARE A BIDEN, DEMOCRATIC PARTY SETUP: ‘NEW FORM OF CHEATING’

The ruling comes after the court issued a stay on the gag order, imposed by New York Judge Arthur Engoron on the second day of the trial, back in October, blocking all parties from making derogatory statements about his court staff. The order was later reinstated.

Engoron said his order came after a defendant “posted to a social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff.”

Engoron added that “personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, not appropriate” and warned they would not be tolerated.

Without naming the former president, Engoron was a[pparently referring to a now-deleted Trump post on his Truth Social account about Engoron’s law clerk, Allison Greenfield.

Trump alleged in a Truth Social post that Greenfield had a relationship with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The post also contained a photo.

JUDGE IMPOSES PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN TRUMP ORG. TRIAL BLOCKING PARTIES FROM VERBAL ATTACKS AGAINST COURT STAFF

“Schumer’s girlfriend, Alison (sic) R. Greenfield, is running this case against me. How disgraceful!” Trump posted. “This case should be dismissed immediately!!”

Trump deleted the post shortly after posting.

Engoron fined Trump $5,000 in October for violating the order on social media, and threatened imprisonment if further violations occurred.

Days later, Engoron fined Trump another $10,000, claiming the former president was making negative comments about his clerk.

The ruling Tuesday comes days after closing arguments in the months-long non-jury civil trial wrapped. 

Last week, Trump defied another Engoron order, and delivered his own closing argument in court. Trump said his financial statements were “perfect,” and stressed that the bank loans were repaid and are “as happy as can be.”  

Trump acknowledged that there was an “error” made regarding one “triplex,” but said that mistake was “immediately corrected” and was an “honest mistake.” 

NEW YORK JUDGE FINES TRUMP $5K FOR VIOLATING PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

“When you say don’t go outside of these things, I’m an innocent man, persecuted,” Trump said to Engoron while blasting the case as “election interference” and saying if he is “not allowed to talk about it, it’s a disservice.” 

Engoron told Trump to wrap up his remarks within one minute, but Trump fired back, saying, “You can’t listen for more than one minute?” 

“Mr. Kise, please control your client,” Engoron said to Trump’s attorney.

However, the former president went on to say, “I did nothing wrong, they should pay me for what I’ve been put through.”

Trump defended his business empire and said he was sued to get publicity. 

Trump left court shortly after he spoke, and hosted a press conference at his 40 Wall St. property in Manhattan. 

“She’s a political hack. The attorney general, the judge is obviously extremely friendly with the group,” Trump said. “And we’ll see what happens.” 

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Trump said there is a chance “they surprise people on a positive side, we’ll have to see what happens exactly.” 

“But we’ve proven this case so conclusively and we’ve asked for directed verdict many times,” Trump said. “They don’t have any facts. They don’t have any evidence against us.” 

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump, his family and his business empire, claiming he inflated his financial statements and deceived banks. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. 

The former president has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.

Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report. 

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was receiving antibiotic infusions at an area hospital to treat an infection, his office said Tuesday. 

“He is in good spirits and will return to work as soon as possible following doctors’ orders,” a statement said. 

GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY BATTLE MOVES ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER TRUMP DOMINATES IN IOWA

No other details were released. 

Grassely, 90, was first elected to the Senate in 1980 and has been reelected seven times. 

He is the Senate’s oldest member following the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in September. 

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Feinstein faced criticism over her deteriorating health in her final years and her ability to serve.

Many aging congressional leaders, as well as President Biden, have also faced questions over their fitness to serve in recent years. 

Former President Trump is already teasing a potential role on his team for former GOP rival Vivek Ramaswamy at a New Hampshire rally on Tuesday following Monday’s Iowa caucuses.

Just one day after suspending his own presidential campaign, Ramaswamy appeared alongside Trump in Atkinson and expressed his full support for the GOP frontrunner. 

As Ramaswamy wrapped up his comments, several Trump supporters could be heard chanting “Veep!”

VIVEK RAMASWAMY ENDS PRESIDENTIAL BID FOLLOWING IOWA CAUCUSES

“Wow! How was that? Pretty good, right?” Trump reacted to Ramaswamy’s remarks. “He’s a fantastic guy. He’s got something that’s very special because he started off with a zippo and he ended up very strong. He did a great job. I was actually surprised when he called because he was doing well. And it’s an honor to have his endorsement.” 

“He’s going to be working with us and he’ll be working with us for a long time,” Trump added before the crowd broke out in cheers.

The biotech entrepreneur himself reacted to the comments on social media, writing “America-First. One movement. Indivisible.”

It is unclear whether Trump alluded to a possible position for Ramaswamy in his presidential campaign or a hypothetical Trump administration.

When asked by Fox News’ Jesse Watters after the rally if he would serve as vice president, Ramaswamy responded by saying “I want to serve this country any way I can.”

TRUMP WINS IOWA, FOX NEWS DECISION DESK PREDICTS DESANTIS WILL TAKE SECOND PLACE

Ramaswamy threw his support behind Trump after a disappointing turnout at the Iowa caucuses where he placed a distant fourth with roughly 8% of the vote while the former president shattered contested primary records with 51% support. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley finished second and third with 21% and 19% of the vote respectively, both are continuing to campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina. 

Ramaswamy is urging both of them to drop out of the race and help rally behind Trump ahead of the general election. 

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As Trump alluded to at the rally, Ramaswamy entered the race with virtually zero name recognition, outlasting several big-name Republicans, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence.  

While the Iowa caucuses didn’t go his way, it wasn’t because Ramaswamy didn’t put the effort in. His campaign touted that he had completed the “Full Grassley” twice, meaning he had visited all of Iowa’s 99 counties at least two times. And he held more campaign events than any other candidate running in the Hawkeye State. 

The Biden administration is expected to redesignate Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis as a terrorist group – after its removal from the Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) list in 2021 – after repeated recent attacks in the Red Sea, Fox News has learned.

Officials told Fox News that it wasn’t clear if the Houthis will be placed under the same designation, but that there are a number of sanction options that can be used in lieu of a formal FTO finding.

The decision comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The group said the attacks are in response to Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hours earlier, Houthi fighters launched anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Red Sea.

“M/V Zografia, a Maltese flagged bulk carrier reported they were struck but seaworthy and were continuing their Red Sea transit. No injuries were reported,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

US CARRIES OUT ADDITIONAL STRIKE IN YEMEN, OFFICIAL SAYS

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delisted the Houthis as both a foreign terrorist organization and as specially designated global terrorists in February 2021 as the Biden administration sought to make it easier to get humanitarian aid into Yemen.

The move was a reversal of former President Trump‘s decision to place the Houthis on the FTO list over the strong objections of human rights and humanitarian aid groups in the waning days of his presidency.

The foreign terrorist designation barred Americans and people and organizations subject to U.S. jurisdiction from providing “material support” to the Houthis, which the groups said would result in an even greater humanitarian catastrophe than what was already happening in Yemen.

CENTCOM RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER HOUTHI ATTACK IN YEMEN: ‘ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS ACTIONS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED’

The recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping. Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said last week that 2,000 ships since November have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea.

Houthi militants have threatened or taken hostage mariners from more than 20 countries.

On Tuesday, U.S. forces struck and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles that were prepared to launch from Yemen, CENTCOM said.

In addition to the Houthis, groups linked to Iran have launched attacks in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The Biden administration has raised concerns that the war between Israel and Hamas could escalate into a regional conflict. 

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“We have to guard against and be vigilant against the possibility that, in fact, rather than heading towards de-escalation, we are on a path of escalation that we have to manage,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said during an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Federal prosecutors claim a brown leather pouch used by Hunter Biden to store a gun had cocaine on it.

On Tuesday, prosecutors asked a judge to reject President Biden’s son Hunter’s efforts to dismiss gun charges because investigators found cocaine residue on the pouch used to hold his gun, last year.

HOUSE COMMITTEES APPROVE RESOLUTION TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS, MOVES TO FLOOR

Prosecutors told the judge, “the strength of the evidence against him is overwhelming,” rejecting Hunter Biden’s claims he was being singled out for political reasons.

Hunter Biden previously made incriminating statements about his drug use in a 2021 memoir, but now investigators are saying the cocaine was found on the gun pouch after it was pulled from a state police vault last year.

A chemist with the FBI, prosecutors claimed, determined the residue was cocaine.

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“To be clear, investigators literally found drugs on the pouch where the defendant had kept his gun,” prosecutors said.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of lying about using drugs in October 2018 on a gun purchase form.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.