How to cut federal spending – and by how much – consumes Congressional Republicans right now.
Firestorms are scorching Southern California. But a political firestorm is about to singe Capitol Hill.
The natural disaster dynamic has morphed into a regular fiscal nightmare in Congress. And frankly, the way lawmakers address natural disasters creates a hyper obstacle to making a serious dent in the deficit and national debt.
"We know this is going to be billions," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
President Biden is vowing help.
"We’re going to pay for it. And we've got to be prepared to pay for it," said the president. "We're going to need the United States Congress to follow up with appropriations to help provide significant help for our fellow Americans who need this help."
Catastrophic natural disasters now pummel different quarters of the U.S. at an alarming rate. Devastating wildfires swept across Maui in 2023. Tornado outbreaks are the norm. Blackouts from the heat – or blizzards coupled with bone-chilling cold – dim the power grid. The dual hurricanes of Milton and Helene spun through the south last year, chewing through property just days apart in the fall. Water spilled out of rivers, creeks, steams, brooks and culverts, submerging entire communities.
Congress coughed up $100 billion just before Christmas to help victims recover from the hurricanes. Some of that money went to help people restart their businesses or cover costs to rebuild. $27 billion of it went to reload FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to prepare for future emergencies – like the one now incinerating the Golden State. Milton and Helene drained the DRF.
But Republicans now run Congress. President-elect Trump soon occupies the Oval Office. And when it comes to California – and what may have sparked the fires, Republicans could be reluctant to assist. That’s especially true as the mantra from Republicans is to slash $2 trillion in spending. In fact, there’s a fear among some Democrats that Congressional Republicans and President-elect Trump may try to penalize California – because it leans to the left.
Republicans now run the House and Senate. Mr. Trump takes office next week.
"When it comes to Congressional funding, the idea that we're going to have an open checkbook, no matter how bad your policies are, is crazy," said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, on FOX Business.
Democrats warned against partisan and region discord when natural disasters strike.
"California has voted to support supplemental packages for hurricanes in the American South. And now this is our time of need," said Whitesides.
Several Northern California Republicans told Fox that Democrats from Southern California were exceptionally helpful muscling through aid for their part of the state after wildfires.
So what happens when the bill comes due for the Los Angeles wildfires?
"We help all Americans," said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee which oversees FEMA.
Thompson was confident Congress would meet the needs of California.
"If we need to do more, we will," said Thompson.
Some Republicans blamed the wildfires - and the response - on liberal Democrats who run much of California.
"It is an epic disaster of mismanagement," said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., on FOX Business.
"What'shappened in California is the fault of (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom (D) and the legislature there."
"What we can see is the failure of policy there and the failure of leadership in California," piled on Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., on Fox. "We’re going to have to have real accountability. We need to have hearings to understand… to get to the bottom of what's taking place. What the failures have been."
California insurers nixed hundreds of thousands of policies for homeowners in areas prone to wildfires after state regulators banned higher premiums – despite the hazards. Some Republicans seized on this issue.
"California made some really bad policy decisions that caused those insurance companies to flee," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. "The people that made those policy decisions have to be held accountable, too."
Even some Democrats questioned the local response.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., worked on a bill to help guarantee water for all Californians when they turn on the spigot when he served in the state legislature.
"Why didn't they have water? Is it negligence or is it just the fact that so many fires were breaking out all over the city in so many different areas that the system was being pushed to capacity and got overwhelmed?" asked Gomez.
Other Democrats rebuked GOP criticism of California’s leaders.
"I think that's all just ridiculous," said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. "I think the governor is on the ground doing a great job managing the response. I don't think that we should be putting blame on anyone."
The cost of the fires likely means demands for another infusion of cash from Congress for FEMA – just as Republicans are starting to look to cut billions if not more than a trillion dollars. How can lawmakers pay for natural disasters – and yet slash all of this money?
"It's always going to be hard. I think we just got to prioritize. And, I think we need to couple any major spending with cuts on the other side," said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.
"So to be clear, when that bill comes due for California, some conservatives want to see some offsets?" asked yours truly of Burchett.
"Absolutely," replied Burchett.
The wildfires would have been a major issue had Congress not forked over more than $100 billion just to FEMA and various disasters in the bill before Christmas. Yet some Republicans are skeptical of the competence of FEMA to do the job.
"I doubt the people of California will get their $700 that will be promised to them. Because as it happened in North Carolina, in Tennessee, a lot of people were turned down because all their identification was burnt up or was washed away. And there it'll be all burnt up. It'll just be a cluster," predicted Burchett.
Florida’s former statewide emergency management director posed an ominous warning.
"I’ve got bad news for everybody. Disasters are coming everywhere," observed Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., on MSNBC.
More disasters means additional demand for relief. That’s the challenge as Republicans try to cut spending.
A few wise souls on Capitol Hill have tinkered with developing a new model to address natural disasters. The current budget model is fund appropriations under the premise that NOTHING will happen. Then it’s sometimes a challenge for lawmakers to pass a bill providing additional aid.
So there were two monster hurricanes in the fall. Wildfires now. What’s next? An earthquake? Blizzards? Ice storms? Tornadoes? Drought? Floods?
There has been debate about creating a "rainy day fund" - perhaps a "monsoon day fund" - that Congress can tap to dispatch major chunks of money without hassle when natural disasters hit.
Other natural disasters are inevitable.
But Congressional funding to cover the cost is far from it.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and President-elect Trump met on Saturday and discussed the "mutual importance" of a U.S.-Canadian energy relationship and the hundreds of thousands of American jobs supported through Albertan exports.
"Over the last 24 hours I had the opportunity to meet President [Trump] at Mar-a-Lago last night and at his golf club this morning," Smith wrote in a post on X. "We had a friendly and constructive conversation during which I emphasized the mutual importance of the U.S. - Canadian energy relationship, and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of American jobs are supported by energy exports from Alberta."
She continued, saying she had similar discussions with "several key allies" of Trump’s incoming administration in which she became encouraged to hear about their support for "a strong energy and security relationship with Canada."
"On behalf of Albertans, I will continue to engage in constructive dialogue and diplomacy with the incoming administration and elected federal and state officials from both parties, and will do all I can to further Alberta’s and Canada’s interests," Smith said. "The United States and Canada are both proud and independent nations with one of the most important security alliances on earth and the largest economic partnership in history. We need to preserve our independence while we grow this critical partnership for the benefit of Canadians and Americans for generations to come."
Smith posted about the meeting on X, nearly a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation amid growing pressure from within his own Liberal Party and heightened criticisms over his handling of the economy and threats levied by Trump.
However, as Trudeau announced on Monday his plan to resign as prime minister once the Liberal Party that he leads chooses his successor, the biggest pushback to Trump’s pitch to annex Canada – and his planned 25% tariffs on exports from the country – has come from the premier of Canada’s most populous province, Ontario.
Doug Ford, a former businessman and conservative who has served as Ontario’s 26th premier since 2018, told Fox News Digital in an interview that the president-elect’s targeting Canada is both "crazy" and "ridiculous."
He said the bilateral focus should be on "strengthening" what the Canadian government calls a nearly trillion-dollar two-way trade relationship to "make the U.S. and Canada the richest and most prosperous jurisdiction in the world."
The president-elect has been trolling Canada in recent weeks, floating the idea of it becoming the 51st state and posting a doctored photo of him standing beside a Canadian flag on top of a mountain.
Trump has also been pushing for Denmark to sell the North Atlantic island of Greenland to the U.S.
Fox News' Christopher Guly contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump is giving Republicans his blessing to negotiate on a key tax that could prove critical to the GOP’s negotiations for a massive conservative policy overhaul next year.
Trump met with several different groups of House Republicans at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, including blue state GOP lawmakers who make up the House SALT Caucus – a group opposed to the current $10,000 cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions that primarily affect urban and suburban residents in areas with high income and property taxes, such as New York, New Jersey, and California.
"I think it was productive and successful," Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said of the meeting. "The president supports our efforts to increase the SALT deduction. He understands that mayors and governors in blue states are crushing taxpayers and wants to provide relief from the federal level."
But Trump also signaled he was aware of the opposition from others in the House GOP conference, particularly rural district Republicans, who have viewed SALT deductions as tax breaks for the wealthy. Before the cap was imposed in 2017, there was no limit to how much state income and local property taxes people could deduct from their income when filing their federal returns.
"He gave us a little homework to work on, a number that could provide our middle class constituents with relief from the high taxes imposed by our governor and mayor, and at the same time, you know, something that can build consensus and get to [a 218-vote majority]," Malliotakis said.
"I think we pretty much know that it's not going to be a complete lifting of the SALT cap. There’s not an appetite within Congress or even among American taxpayers to lower taxes for the ultra-wealthy.
"Our efforts are really targeted to middle-class families, and that's what we're focused on in trying to achieve the right balance."
The current SALT deduction cap has been opposed by New York and California lawmakers for much of its existence, since being levied in Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
Trump suggested he would change course during his second administration as early as September last year, when he posted on Truth Social that he would "get SALT back, lower your taxes, and so much more."
The discussions are part of Republicans’ wider talks about passing a massive fiscal and conservative policy overhaul via a process known as "reconciliation."
By lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage to a simple majority instead of two-thirds, the process allows the party in control of both houses of Congress and the White House to pass certain legislation provided it deals with budgetary and other fiscal matters.
Some pro-SALT deduction Republicans, like Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., had signaled they could withhold support from the final bill if the cap was not increased.
"The only red line I have is that if there is a tax bill that does not lift the cap on SALT, I would not support that," Lawler told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.
Lawler also said Trump agreed that SALT deduction caps needed to be raised.
House Republicans have virtually no room for error with a razor-thin majority from Trump’s inauguration until likely sometime in April.
Meanwhile, Trump also told New York Republicans that he would help them fight their state’s controversial congestion pricing rule that levies an added cost to drive in parts of Manhattan.
"He understands how unfair this is and how it would impact the city's economy and the people we represent and so we're currently working with him on legal options to reverse the rubber stamp of the Biden administration," Malliotakis said. "If there's a legal option, if there's a legal option for him to halt congestion pricing, he will."
"You have, you know, cops, police, firefighters, nurses, the restaurant workers that have to go in at odd hours, and they drive because they don't feel that the transit system is clean or safe."
Congestion pricing took effect in New York City earlier this month.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump transition team for comment on this weekend’s meeting.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed in an interview Sunday that Russia, China and Iran are "weaker" and the United States is "safer" after four years under President Biden's leadership.
"Our alliances are stronger than where we found them four years ago," Sullivan said on CNN's State of the Union, referring to President-elect Trump's first term. "They're stronger than they've been in decades. NATO was more powerful, purposeful and bigger. Our alliances in the Asia Pacific are at all-time highs. And our adversaries and competitors are weaker across the board. Russia's weaker, Iran's weaker, China's weaker, and all the while we kept America out of wars."
"I think that the American people are safer, and the country is better off than we were four years ago, and we're handing off that to the next team, as well as having the engines of American power humming," Sullivan said. "Our economy, our technology, our defense industrial base, our supply chains. So the United States is in a stronger, more secure position, and our competitors and adversaries are weaker and under pressure."
Biden's presidency was mired by the botched 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks on Israel, as the Pentagon monitors the rising threat of Islamic extremism worldwide.
Much of Trump's promise to voters while campaigning for a second term in 2024 centered on justice for the families of the 13 U.S. service members killed at Abbey Gate and promising peace through strength on the world stage.
Sullivan defended Biden's handling of the withdrawal on Sunday.
"If we were still in Afghanistan today, Americans would be fighting and dying, Russia would have more leverage over us, we would be less able to respond to the major strategic challenges we face," Sullivan said.
"We have not seen, although the investigation continues, any connection between Afghanistan and the attacker in New Orleans," he added, referring to the New Year's Day truck-ramming attack on Bourbon Street. "Now the FBI will continue to look for foreign connections, maybe we'll find one, but what we've seen is proof of what President Biden said, is that the terrorist threat has gotten more diffuse and more metastasized elsewhere, including homegrown extremists here in the United States – not just under President Biden, but under President Trump in his first term, and that is part of why we had to move our focus from a hot war in Afghanistan to a larger counterterrorism effort across the world."
During the final weeks of his presidency, Biden has been rushing billions of dollars more in U.S. aid for Ukraine before Trump takes office.
Meanwhile, the Republican president-elect has claimed the war in Ukraine would never have started under his leadership and vowed to broker a deal to stop the fighting between Moscow and Kyiv.
At a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, last week, Trump warned Hamas terrorists that "all hell will break out" in the Middle East if the remaining hostages aren't released before he takes office on Jan. 20.
On the status of the negotiations, Sullivan said, "We are very, very close, and yet being very close still means we're far because until you actually get across the finish line, we're not there."
Sullivan stressed how President Biden's top Middle East adviser, Brett McGuirk, had been in Doja for a week "hammering out with the mediators the final details of a text to be presented to both sides."
"And we are still determined to use every day we have in office to get this done," Sullivan said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his handling of the raging fires in the Los Angeles area with a new website intended to combat "misinformation" that also links to Democratic Party fundraising giant ActBlue, Fox News Digital found.
Fires have been raging in the Los Angeles area since Tuesday, destroying thousands of acres and homes and leaving more than a dozen people dead in its wake. Newsom, amid criticisms of his handling of the fires, unveiled a new website this weekend to combat "misinformation" on California fire prevention and emergency efforts, linking to a website that raises donations through ActBlue.
"A lot of misinformation out there. Just launched a new site to ensure the public has access to fact-based data around the Southern CA wildfires," Newsom posted to X on Saturday.
"The TRUTH:- CA did NOT cut our firefighting budget. We have nearly doubled the size of our firefighting army and built the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet.
"- CA has INCREASED forest management ten-fold since we took office.
Californiafirefacts.com lists a handful of "lies" promoted on social media and by the media and Newsom’s "facts" responding to the claims, before touting a donation button at the bottom of the website, Fox News Digital found early Sunday morning.
"Contribute to the California Fire Foundation," the website says, identifying the fundraising effort as part of ActBlue, which will deliver donations to firefighters and devastated communities.
"Please make a contribution to the California Fire Foundation. It is a tax-deductible donation and the money will go directly to supporting firefighters and the communities they serve, including direct financial support to impacted residents," the fundraising section of the website adds.
When the donation button is clicked, the user is brought to an ActBlue URL where people can make donations from $25 to $1,000 – or a self-determined number. The donation page also boasts Newsom’s Campaign for Democracy political action committee, saying it will sign donors up for text updates from the PAC.
Newsom’s PAC was launched in 2023 and promoted as an effort to boost Democrats in "extremist" GOP-led states. ActBlue is a massive Democratic PAC focused on small dollar donations that has bolstered Democratic elections and efforts to the tune of more than $16 billion since its founding in 2004, according to its website.
The ActBlue URL promoting donations for the fires details again that any donations made will be delivered "directly" to "supporting firefighters and the communities they serve, including direct financial support to impacted residents."
Newsom's team told Fox News Digital that none of the donations made will be directed to the Democratic governor or his PAC.
"Not a cent of these donations go to Gavin Newsom or his PAC. Gov. Newsom is proud to have raised $450,000 for the Fire Foundation in small dollar contributions during these fires and is grateful for the people across the nation who have come together to help Californians in their time of need," Newsom spokesperson Nathan Clicktold Fox News Digital on Sunday.
The ActBlue website states that donations made via the platform include a 3.95% processing fee, which is passed on "to the groups using our platform." The New York Post reported that ActBlue waived the fees for fire donations, though the fundraising behemoth did not immediately respond to Fox Digital's request for comment on the reported waived fees.
Contributions made through ActBlue to charities are processed by AB Charities, and include a 3.95% fee that goes toward the cost of processing contributions, according to ActBlue. Processing fees from AB Charities do not go to political candidates, according to the group.
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also called on the public to make donations to those affected by the fires through an ActBlue link.
"To help support the communities around L.A. being devastated by wildfires, can you split a donation between the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles? 100% of your donation will go directly to these organizations," Warren posted to X on Saturday.
X community notes ripped the senator, saying, "This is not a link to charity. It is a link to a Democrat fundraising platform. They take 3.95% of all transactions. secure.actblue.com/pricing."
Fox Digital reached out to Warren's office on Sunday morning for comment, but did not receive a response.
Conservatives and critics of the governor sounded off on social media about the donation link through ActBlue, calling the move "disgraceful."
The wildfires have destroyed at least 12,300 homes around the Los Angeles area over five days, and left at least 16 people dead, while thousands of others were forced to evacuate. Residents, including Hollywood stars, have railed against Newsom for his handling of the devastation, including the fire hydrants that ran out of water amid the blaze.
"Why was there no water in the hydrants?" one resident who confronted Newsom last week asked, according to Fox 11. "What are you going to do and is it going to be different next time, and I will fill up the hydrants myself."
President-elect Trump, who has a years-long history of criticizing Newsom for the state’s repeated devastating fires, called on the governor to step down over the fires.
"One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!" the president-elect declared in a Truth Social post this week.
Earlier in the week, Trump pinned blame for the LA County fires on Newsom and his environmental policies.
"Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way," Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday.
"He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!"
Newsom sent a letter to Trump, who will be inaugurated the nation’s 47th president on Jan. 20, over the weekend inviting him to the scene of the fires.
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines. Hundreds of thousands of Americans – displaced from their homes and fearful for the future – deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild," Newsom wrote.
Dozens of American college students visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates over the winter break, where they witnessed first-hand the successes of the historic Abraham Accords amid ongoing campus tensions at home as the war in Israel continues.
Forty-three undergraduate students from across the country participated in a 10-day trip to Israel and the UAE over the winter semester break through the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Geller International Fellowship, Fox News Digital learned. The students met with business leaders, academics and political leaders to discuss and experience Middle East culture, as well as see first-hand the importance of the Abraham Accords, which were brokered under President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration in 2020.
"Witnessing the successes of the Abraham Accords first hand with a group of college students who are passionate about peace and coexistence, in an era where dialogue on American college campuses like my own is sparse, has been a poignant and critical reminder of what the future of the Middle East can hold," Columbia University senior studying the Middle East, Eden Yadegar said in comment to Fox News Digital.
"Peace, security, and coexistence are not distant ideals, but a reality on the ground thanks to the United States, Israel, and the UAE. The future of the Middle East is here and it’s bright, and I am incredibly grateful to the Israel on Campus Coalition for providing me with the opportunity to engage in these critical conversations and experiences."
The Abraham Accords are a historic peace agreement brokered by the U.S. in 2020 between Israel and the UAE. As part of the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations. It marked the first time Israel had established peace with an Arab country since 1994 with the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
"This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region," Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed said in a joint statement at the time. "All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement."
Students who participated in the fellowship met with experts such as Israeli politician and diplomat Ruth Wasserman Lande and Middle East expert and lecturer Dan Feferman to discuss entrepreneurship and coexistence in the Middle East following the peace deal, as well as experts such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ senior fellow Jonathan Conricus and Saudi YouTuber Loay Alsharef to discuss diplomacy and peacebuilding under the accords.
"The Geller International Fellowship highlights the promise of the next generation of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and advance the principles of the Abraham Accords," Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime told Fox News Digital. "Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lauren Geller, this program provides students with a deeper understanding of Israel's complexities and a foundation for informed advocacy. These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to sharing their experiences. This fellowship reflects ICC's ongoing work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and develop new leaders."
The Israel on Campus Coalition is a U.S.-based organization that works to inspire American college students and pro-Israel college groups to "see Israel as a source of pride and empower them to stand up for Israel on campus."
University of Southern California senior studying public policy, Aidan Bloomstine, said in a comment to Fox Digital that the trip was "the opportunity of a lifetime" that reignited his optimism "that one day this region will live in peace and prosperity."
"Those foundational principles were perfectly displayed on this trip. Hearing the successes of the diplomatic and economic cooperation firsthand from Emiratis and Israelis shows us a well-paved path for peace in other areas of the region," the ICC fellow continued.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business senior Sam Heller echoed Bloomstine that the fellowship and trip abroad was "one of the most transformative experiences," especially after war broke out in Israel in 2023, which soon led to anti-semitism on U.S. college campuses and repeated anti-Israel protests.
"Being surrounded by like-minded campus leaders, all deeply committed to ensuring that truth prevails in these challenging times since the 10/7 Hamas massacre, has been both inspiring and reassuring. It has given me confidence that the next generation of leaders in our country will continue to champion Western values and steadfastly support America's closest ally, Israel. I am incredibly grateful to ICC for the opportunity to engage experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict and professionals dedicated to advancing peace in the Middle East. I eagerly anticipate watching this remarkable cohort of young leaders evolve into the policy," Heller said.
Agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses nationwide last school year to protest the war in Israel, which also included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish students publicly speaking out that they did not feel safe on some campuses.
Protesters on Columbia University’s campus in New York City, for example, took over the school's Hamilton Hall building, while schools such as UCLA, Harvard and Yale worked to clear spiraling student encampments where protesters demanded their elite schools completely divest from Israel.
Terrorist organization Hamas launched a war in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which initially fanned the flames of antisemitism on campuses in the form of protests, menacing graffiti and students reporting that they felt as if it was "open season for Jews on our campuses." The protests heightened to the point Jewish students at some schools, including Columbia, were warned to leave campus for their own safety.
On Penn's campus, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in May that anti-Israel radicals were passing around multiple guides directing agitators on how to break into buildings, "escalate" protests, create weapons and even administer first aid.
The sponsors of the program, Martin and Lauren Geller, highlighted in comments to Fox Digital that the fellowship bolsters the next generation to strengthen the principles outlined in the Abraham Accords.
"The Geller International Fellowship is more than a program—it is an educational investment in the next generation of leaders committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and the principles of the Abraham Accords. We are honored to partner with Israel on Campus Coalition, whose exceptional leadership ensures that students gain a transformative understanding of Israel's heritage, innovation, and resilience and to prepare these talented individuals to be leaders in the pro-Israel movement on campus as well as in their communities. Supporting this fellowship is a privilege, and we are inspired by the impact these students will have as advocates for Israel on campuses and beyond," the couple said. Martin Geller is the founder and chairman of wealth management firm Geller & Company.
Ahead of Trump’s election win over Vice President Kamala Harris last year, the former and upcoming president said on the campaign trail to expand the Abraham Accords if re-elected. Trump is set to be inaugurated as the nation’s 47th president on Jan. 20.
"If I win, that will be an absolute priority: just getting everybody in. It’s peace in the Middle East. We need it, and it’s very important. It will happen," Trump said of the Abraham Accords during an interview with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya in October.
Dozens of American college students visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates over the winter break, where they witnessed firsthand the successes of the historic Abraham Accords amid ongoing campus tensions at home as the war in Israel continues.
Forty-three undergraduate students from across the country participated in a 10-day trip to Israel and the UAE over the winter semester break through the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Geller International Fellowship, Fox News Digital learned. The students met with business leaders, academics and political leaders to discuss and experience Middle East culture, as well as see firsthand the importance of the Abraham Accords, which were brokered under President-elect Trump’s first administration in 2020.
"Witnessing the successes of the Abraham Accords firsthand with a group of college students who are passionate about peace and coexistence, in an era where dialogue on American college campuses like my own is sparse, has been a poignant and critical reminder of what the future of the Middle East can hold," Eden Yadegar, a Columbia University senior studying the Middle East, said in comment to Fox News Digital.
"Peace, security, and coexistence are not distant ideals, but a reality on the ground thanks to the United States, Israel and the UAE. The future of the Middle East is here and it’s bright, and I am incredibly grateful to the Israel on Campus Coalition for providing me with the opportunity to engage in these critical conversations and experiences."
The Abraham Accords are a historic peace agreement brokered by the U.S. in 2020 between Israel and the UAE. As part of the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations. It marked the first time Israel had established peace with an Arab country since 1994 with the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
"This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region," Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE, said in a joint statement at the time. "All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement."
Students who participated in the fellowship met with experts such as Israeli politician and diplomat Ruth Wasserman Lande and Middle East expert and lecturer Dan Feferman to discuss entrepreneurship and coexistence in the Middle East following the peace deal, as well as experts such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ senior fellow Jonathan Conricus and Saudi YouTuber Loay Alsharef to discuss diplomacy and peacebuilding under the accords.
"The Geller International Fellowship highlights the promise of the next generation of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and advance the principles of the Abraham Accords," Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime told Fox News Digital. "Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lauren Geller, this program provides students with a deeper understanding of Israel's complexities and a foundation for informed advocacy. These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to sharing their experiences. This fellowship reflects ICC's ongoing work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and develop new leaders."
The Israel on Campus Coalition is a U.S.-based organization that works to inspire American college students and pro-Israel college groups to "see Israel as a source of pride and empower them to stand up for Israel on campus."
Aidan Bloomstine, a University of Southern California senior studying public policy, told Fox Digital that the trip was "the opportunity of a lifetime" that reignited his optimism "that one day this region will live in peace and prosperity."
"Those foundational principles were perfectly displayed on this trip. Hearing the successes of the diplomatic and economic cooperation firsthand from Emiratis and Israelis shows us a well-paved path for peace in other areas of the region," the ICC fellow continued.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business senior Sam Heller echoed Bloomstine that the fellowship and trip abroad was "one of the most transformative experiences," especially after war broke out in Israel in 2023, which soon led to antisemitism on U.S. college campuses and repeated anti-Israel protests.
"Being surrounded by like-minded campus leaders, all deeply committed to ensuring that truth prevails in these challenging times since the 10/7 Hamas massacre, has been both inspiring and reassuring. It has given me confidence that the next generation of leaders in our country will continue to champion Western values and steadfastly support America's closest ally, Israel. I am incredibly grateful to ICC for the opportunity to engage experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict and professionals dedicated to advancing peace in the Middle East. I eagerly anticipate watching this remarkable cohort of young leaders evolve into the policy," Heller said.
Agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses nationwide last school year to protest the war in Israel, which also included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish students publicly speaking out that they did not feel safe on some campuses.
Protesters on Columbia University’s campus in New York City, for example, took over the school's Hamilton Hall, while schools such as UCLA, Harvard and Yale worked to clear spiraling student encampments where protesters demanded their elite schools completely divest from Israel.
The terrorist organization Hamas launched a war in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which initially fanned the flames of antisemitism on campuses in the form of protests, menacing graffiti and students reporting that they felt as if it was "open season for Jews on our campuses." The protests heightened to the point that Jewish students at some schools, including Columbia, were warned to leave campus for their own safety.
On Penn's campus, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in May that anti-Israel radicals were passing around multiple guides directing agitators on how to break into buildings, "escalate" protests, create weapons and even administer first aid.
The sponsors of the fellowship, Martin and Lauren Geller, highlighted in comments to Fox Digital that the program bolsters the next generation to strengthen the principles outlined in the Abraham Accords.
"The Geller International Fellowship is more than a program – it is an educational investment in the next generation of leaders committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and the principles of the Abraham Accords. We are honored to partner with Israel on Campus Coalition, whose exceptional leadership ensures that students gain a transformative understanding of Israel's heritage, innovation, and resilience and to prepare these talented individuals to be leaders in the pro-Israel movement on campus as well as in their communities. Supporting this fellowship is a privilege, and we are inspired by the impact these students will have as advocates for Israel on campuses and beyond," the couple said. Martin Geller is the founder and chairman of wealth management firm Geller & Company.
Ahead of Trump’s election win over Vice President Kamala Harris last year, the former and upcoming president said on the campaign trail that he planned to expand the Abraham Accords if re-elected. Trump is set to be inaugurated as the nation’s 47th president on Jan. 20.
"If I win, that will be an absolute priority: just getting everybody in. It’s peace in the Middle East. We need it, and it’s very important. It will happen," Trump said of the Abraham Accords during an interview with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya in October.
President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the nation's highest civilian honor, to Pope Francis on Saturday.
The medal was scheduled to be presented to the pope in person in Rome during what was to be Biden's final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California.
Instead, Biden bestowed the award on the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.
"Pope Francis is unlike any who came before," a White House announcement reads. "Above all, he is the People’s Pope – a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world."
It was the first time during his four years in office that Biden awarded the medal "with distinction," it said.
Biden, 82, leaves office on Jan. 20. The lifelong Catholic is also a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obama's two terms when he awarded that version of the medal, according to the Associated Press.
Both Biden and Francis have been weakened by global events, said Massimo Faggioli, an Italian academic and professor at Villanova University who follows the papacy.
"That is really hard to underestimate how tragic this moment is for both men in different ways," he said. "Because what could go wrong did go wrong in these few years."
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
CONCORD, N.H. – After eight years steering swing state New Hampshire, Republican Chris Sununu left office a few days ago with some of the highest approval ratings among America's 50 governors.
Sununu, who won election and re-election four times [New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the only states in the nation where governors serve two-year terms], gave credit to his team.
"If you want to be good as an executive, you’ve got to surround yourself with great people," Sununu said in a national digital exclusive interview with Fox News on his last full day in office on Wednesday.
Asked about his tenure in office, Sununu said, "Like anything in life, you want to just make sure you leave it better than you found it. And I couldn't be more proud of where we've come in the last eight years."
"The key there is always finding a way to make it work for the citizens. That's it. That's the job. You have to be results-driven, regardless of the hand you're dealt, the politics you're given, the surrounding atmosphere," Sununu said.
"So I think in New Hampshire, we've done it pretty darn well," he touted.
His successor as governor, fellow Republican and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, agreed.
Ayotte, who campaigned on continuing the Sununu agenda, praised her predecessor.
"New Hampshire is moving in the right direction, and no one deserves more credit for that after four terms at the helm than Governor Chris Sununu. Thank you, Governor," Ayotte said.
Longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckely, a vocal Sununu critic, disagreed as he pointed to "years of failed Republican policies" under the retiring governor.
Sununu, who announced last year that he wouldn’t seek an unprecedented fifth two-year term as governor, reiterated what he's said for months, that he's "very much looking forward to getting back in the private sector, maybe private equity or boards."
The 50-year-old Sununu, who when he was first elected in 2016 was the nation's youngest governor, has also, for months, repeatedly ruled out running for the Senate in New Hampshire in 2026.
"I'm not planning on running for anything right now. I'm really not, at least for the next two, four, six years," he emphasized.
But Sununu, who in 2023 seriously mulled a Republican presidential nomination run in 2024 before deciding against it, didn't totally close the door to another run for office in the future.
"Who knows what happens down the road, but it would be way down the road and nothing, nothing I'm planning on, nothing my family would tolerate either short term," he said.
Sununu, who has been a regular on the cable news networks and Sunday talk shows in recent years, is considering a formalized media role.
"I'm definitely talking to a few different networks that have come and asked me to do certain things, and I'll continue doing stuff and helping them. Is there a long-term plan there to be a little more fixed with a network or a show or something like that? Definitely talking about it. I'm interested in it," he shared.
Sununu, who hails from a prominent political family (his father John H. Sununu served three terms as governor and later as President George H.W. Bush's chief of staff, and older brother John E. Sununu was a congressman and senator), emphasized, "I'm definitely going to want to keep scratching that political itch in some way, not necessarily running for office, but staying involved, having a voice, helping the party."
But whether the party, once again firmly under President-elect Trump's control, wants Sununu's help is questionable.
Sununu, a very vocal critic of Trump following the then-president's unsuccessful efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Biden, ended up endorsing Trump rival Nikki Haley in the 2024 GOP presidential nomination race. Sununu became a top surrogate for Haley, a former two-term South Carolina governor who served as U.N. ambassador in Trump's first administration.
But after Trump cruised to the Republican presidential nomination, Sununu said he would vote for him.
"Donald Trump is the head of the party, and he's the voice of the Republican Party, and I got to say, I think he's doing a pretty darn good job in the first couple months," Sununu told Fox News. "The folks he's been nominating to these positions. They're moving quickly. They're not slowing down. The efforts with DOGE (Trump's planned government efficiency department), I think, have been phenomenal."
And he praised the politician he had long criticized.
"Give the president credit. He earned it. He won the primaries. He got the votes," Sununu said. "He did the groundwork to be successful, not just in the primary, but really galvanized a whole new working class of voters for the Republican Party as the general election went on. So he did a phenomenal job there."
But he said the GOP is bigger than any one politician, even Trump.
"It's not just a Donald Trump Republican or a Chris Sununu Republican. The Republican Party is big. Man. It is really, really, big, whether you have fiscal conservatives like myself, social moderates, whatever it might be, even some of the more extremist side of things, everyone has a place here and a voice."
And Sununu's very optimistic about the GOP's future.
"It's a really big party, and it's growing. I mean, it really is growing, and Nov. 5 was a huge example of that. So I'm very optimistic on where the Republican Party is going with Donald Trump, with other leaders. JD Vance, everybody, kind of coming to the table, putting their two cents in and making sure that it's all about America."
President-elect Trump blasted special counsel Jack Smith as a "disgrace" to himself and the country following Smith's resignation from the Justice Department.
Smith's resignation was announced in a court filing Saturday.
"The Special Counsel completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7, 2025, and separated from the Department on January 10," a footnote in the filing said.
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday to criticize Smith for his investigations into the incoming president.
"Deranged Jack Smith was fired today by the DOJ. He is a disgrace to himself, his family, and his Country. After spending over $100,000,000 on the Witch Hunt against TRUMP, he left town empty handed!" Trump wrote.
Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 to investigate Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and his mishandling of classified documents.
Smith previously served as acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee in 2017 during Trump's first administration.
The resignation comes ahead of the release of Smith's report on the case related to Trump's role in the attack on the Capitol. A recent court filing revealed that Garland plans to release the report soon, possibly before Trump takes office next week.
"As I have made clear regarding every Special Counsel who has served since I took office, I am committed to making as much of the Special Counsel's report public as possible, consistent with legal requirements and Department policy," Garland wrote in a recent letter to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md.
A judge from a federal appeals court ruled on Friday against blocking the release of Smith's report.
After Trump's presidential election victory in November, Smith filed motions to bring his cases against the president-elect to a close.
Smith asked a judge in late November to drop the charges against Trump in the case related to the Capitol riot. Prior to that request, Smith filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in that case, which was anticipated after Trump's electoral win.
Trump said after the cases were dropped that they "should never have been brought."
"These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "It was a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country that such a thing could have happened, and yet, I persevered, against all odds, and WON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Fox News' Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
Top Foreign Affairs Republican Sen. Jim Risch predicted the U.S. would not abandon NATO under the Trump administration – and promised to work with the new president to strengthen it instead.
Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who leads the powerful Foreign Relations Committee under the new Republican majority, said his number one priority is "getting Trump’s team in place." He said he is "cautiously optimistic" that they can get Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, confirmed by Inauguration Day.
Speaking with Fox News Digital one day after meeting with Trump, the chairman said he believes that Trump’s national security apparatus is going to be less frenzied this time around.
"Anybody you talk to will tell you it’s really different this time," he said. "It’s gonna be a lot better."
He said Trump discussed foreign policy priorities while meeting with senators on Wednesday, but declined to share details.
"I think everyone's recognized now with what Russia's done, that the original founders of NATO were very right that we have to stand up and come together," he said. "I don't think anybody would have the idea that we should leave NATO."
"We had a vote here in the Congress on whether or not we should leave NATO," he went on. "Overwhelmingly, that vote passed."
In December 2023, Congress passed legislation as part of the NDAA that barred any president from removing the U.S. from NATO without approval from two-thirds of the Senate or an act of Congress. That provision was spearheaded by Rubio.
Risch said that after Trump’s first term and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nations "very slowly" began to boost their military budgets. Canada is not on track to hit the 2% target until 2032.
But now, 23 out of 32 NATO states meet the 2% target, which Republicans now say is not enough.
Risch said he’s long had plans to work to get allies to boost their spending.
"We're going to have to do more. So there's a lot of discussion about what that looks like, and President Trump and I think European countries are going to fall in line. They really need to."
Trump said in December that he would "absolutely" leave NATO if his terms weren’t being met. He’s long advocated for other members of the 32-member alliance to increase defense spending.
"If they’re paying their bills, and if I think they’re treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely I’d stay with NATO," he said.
But to some, the comments were seen as leverage – a way to force nations lagging in defense spending to step it up. While NATO has long had a goal for its member states to spend 2% on defense, and many are still negligent, Trump recently moved the goalpost to 5% – more than any nation currently spends.
"They can all afford it, but they should be at five percent, not two percent," Trump said during an appearance at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday.
He complained that Europe had far more to lose than the U.S., given its geographical closeness to adversaries.
"Europe is in for a tiny fraction of the money that we’re in [for]," Trump said during an appearance at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida late Tuesday. "We have a thing called the ocean in between us, right? Why are we in for billions and billions of dollars more money than Europe?"
Last year, the U.S. spent 3.4% of its GDP on defense. Poland spent the most, at 4.12%.
Risch, who last led the Foreign Relations Committee from 2019 to 2021, said he plans to work with Trump on returning to a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, tightening sanctions to squeeze the regime’s economic system.
"They are going to go back to the maximum pressure," he said. "I’m encouraging it."
"The Biden administration shoveled a bunch of cash at them, begged them to come to the table for an agreement."
"Iran is going to have to make some really tough decisions, because I just don’t see, with exterior pressure they’re getting, with the interior pressure they’re getting, that they can sustain what they’ve been doing."
Former Vice President Mike Pence revealed his brief exchange with President-elect Trump, which was caught on camera at former President Carter’s state funeral.
The pair have not been seen publicly together since leaving the White House in disagreement over the 2020 election results. At the service at the National Cathedral, Pence stood up to shake Trump's hand, and they appeared to exchange pleasantries.
Former second lady Karen Pence, who was seated next to her husband, did not stand up or acknowledge Trump.
In an interview with Christianity Today, Pence said he "welcomed" the opportunity to speak with Trump.
"He greeted me when he came down the aisle. I stood up, extended my hand. He shook my hand. I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President,’ and he said, ‘Thanks, Mike,’" Pence said.
Pence also recalled one of his final conversations with Trump in 2021, when he told Trump he would continue to pray for him. Trump responded, "Don't bother," the outlet reported.
"I said, ‘You know, there’s probably two things that we’re never going to agree on. … We’re probably never going to agree on what my duty was under the Constitution on Jan. 6.' And then I said, ‘And I’m never going to stop praying for you,'" Pence told Christianity Today. "And he said, 'That’s right, Mike, don’t ever change.'"
While the two appeared to remain cordial at the service for Carter, Pence told the outlet he doesn’t think Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is the right fit to manage Health and Human Services and was concerned about former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard serving as national intelligence director.
Fox News Digital reached out to Trump and Advancing American Freedom, a public policy advocacy organization founded by Pence, for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this article.
As fires wreak havoc in California, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., claimed in a post on X the catastrophe is "what a climate emergency looks like." In another tweet, he took aim at President-elect Trump, asserting the incoming president has been bought off by the oil industry.
"Trump has been bought for $1 billion by Big Oil. Just a payoff to kill the IRA and the Green New Deal. We know what will happen. More fires, more climate disasters, more death. The LA fires are preview of coming atrocities," Markey declared in a post on X.
Markey, who claims there is a "climate crisis," has also warned about the potential effects of artificial intelligence (AI).
He suggested rising use of AI could result in "doubling data center electricity demand by 2026," "increased carbon emissions," "water supply shortages" and "electronic waste."
"We are already facing a climate crisis. We can't let AI make it worse," Markey warned.
"In his first term, President Trump advanced conservation and environmental stewardship while promoting economic growth for families across the country," incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"America’s energy agenda under President Trump produced affordable, reliable energy for consumers along with stable, high-paying jobs for small businesses — all while dropping U.S. carbon emissions to their lowest level in 25 years. In his second term, President Trump will once again deliver clean air and water for American families while Making America Wealthy Again."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom invited President-elect Trump to visit the Golden State to witness the destruction wildfires have wrought, meet with victims and thank first responders.
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines. Hundreds of thousands of Americans — displaced from their homes and fearful for the future — deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild," Newsom wrote.
"With respect and an open hand."
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom's office to request comment Saturday, but no comment was provided. Trump's camp did not respond to a comment request.
Trump has been excoriating Newsom, even asserting that he should step down as governor.
"One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!" the president-elect declared in a Truth Social post this week.
