House Oversight Chairman James Comer ripped Special Counsel David Weiss' final report on his years-long investigation into Hunter Biden as "incomplete" due to President Biden's sweeping pardon of his son.

"Special Counsel David Weiss just released an incomplete 27-page report because President Joe Biden issued his son an unprecedented pardon. This sweeping pardon prevents the Special Counsel from holding Hunter Biden accountable for the international influence peddling racket only made possible by Joe Biden," Rep. Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement Monday evening following the release of Weiss' final report. 

"Let’s be clear: the Biden DOJ was never going to prosecute the Biden Crime Family. The House Oversight Committee’s investigation of the Bidens’ influence peddling schemes revealed how Joe Biden knew about, participated in, and benefited from his family cashing in on the Biden name," Comer continued. 

The Department of Justice released Weiss' report to Congress on Monday evening, which detailed his roughly six-year investigation into first son Hunter Biden's taxes and purchase of a firearm in 2018 while he was addicted to controlled substances – namely, crack cocaine. 

WEISS REPORT: HUNTER’S DRUG USE CAN’T EXPLAIN AWAY NOT PAYING TAXES ON MONEY EARNED BY 'LAST NAME'

Hunter Biden was convicted in both cases last year, with a jury of his peers finding him guilty of three felony firearm offenses, and entering a surprise guilty plea regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes across a four-year period. 

DOJ RELEASES SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS' REPORT ON HUNTER BIDEN

Amid the legal saga, President Biden repeatedly vowed he would not pardon his son, but reversed course last month when he announced he would grant his son a blanket pardon that applies to any offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. 

Comer continued in his blistering response to the report by citing two IRS whistleblowers who sounded the alarm on Hunter Biden's tax issues and said they were handcuffed from "following evidence that could have led to Joe Biden."

HUNTER BIDEN: A LOOK AT HOW THE SAGA SPANNING OVER SIX YEARS UNFOLDED

"Two brave whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, blew the whistle on DOJ’s misconduct and politicization in the Hunter Biden criminal investigation and revealed they were prevented from following evidence that could have led to Joe Biden. Joe Biden will be remembered for using his last few weeks in office to shield his son from the law and protect himself. The president’s legacy is the same as his family’s business dealings: corrupt," Comer continued. 

The two whistleblowers, who previously slammed Biden for pardoning his son last month, also took issue with the Weiss report and again blasted Biden for the pardon.

BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE

"The Weiss report leaves too many questions unanswered, and the American people deserve answers. DOJ, FBI, and IRS leadership should have done the right thing from the beginning. We should not have had to risk our careers to end the preferential treatment being given to the President's son. Years later, we are still facing whistleblower retaliation," Shapley and Ziegler wrote in a message shared by Empower Oversight, the legal group representing the whistleblowers. 

"Why are we the only ones suffering any consequences? It's time for a serious investigation and it's time for accountability," they concluded. 

BIDEN WON'T PARDON HUNTER, WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS, BUT CRITICS AREN'T SO SURE

Weiss' report also took issue with the president's pardoning of Hunter Biden, specifically with how President Biden characterized prosecutions of Hunter Biden as "selective" and "unfair."

"This statement is gratuitous and wrong," Weiss wrote in his report. "Other presidents have pardoned family members, but in doing so, none have taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public servants at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations." 

HUNTER BIDEN FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN GUN TRIAL

"Politicians who attack the decisions of career prosecutors as politically motivated when they disagree with the outcome of a case undermine the public's confidence in our criminal justice system," Weiss wrote in another section of the report. "The President's statements unfairly impugn the integrity not only of Department of Justice personnel, but all of the public servants making these difficult decisions in good faith." 

Weiss' report also determined that the first son's previous and well-documented addiction to substances such as crack cocaine could not explain why he failed to pay taxes on millions of dollars of income earned off of his "last name and connections." 

"As a well-educated lawyer and businessman, Mr. Biden consciously and willfully chose not to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over a four-year period. From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Biden received more than $7 million in total gross income, including approximately $1.5 million in 2016, $2.3 million in 2017, $2.1 million in 2018, $1 million in 2019 and $188,000 from January through October 15, 2020," Weiss wrote in his final report, which was released Monday. 

DOJ RELEASEES FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S REPORT ON INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

"Mr. Biden made this money by using his last name and connections to secure lucrative business opportunities, such as a board seat at a Ukrainian industrial conglomerate, Burisma Holdings Limited, and a joint venture with individuals associated with a Chinese energy conglomerate. He negotiated and executed contracts and agreements that paid him millions of dollars for limited work," Weiss continued. 

Weiss continued in his report that Hunter Biden "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that he "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes." 

TRUMP CALLS JACK SMITH 'DESPERATE' AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT IS RELEASED AFTER MIDNIGHT

"These are not 'inconsequential' or ‘technical’ tax code violations," Weiss wrote. "Nor can Mr. Biden's conduct be explained away by his drug use – most glaringly, Mr. Biden filed his false 2018 return, in which he deliberately underreported his income to lower his tax liability, in February 2020, approximately eight months after he had regained his sobriety. Therefore, the prosecution of Mr. Biden was warranted given the nature and seriousness of his tax crimes."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the report and Comer's response, but did not immediately receive a response. 

Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, released a statement Monday evening following the report, "David Weiss’ 27-page report continues to ignore some of the major mysteries of his 7-year investigation."

"Mr. Weiss conveniently omits his proposal to resolve this investigation in 2023 with a pair of misdemeanors and a diverted gun charge recommended by career prosecutors.  Mr. Weiss also fails to explain why he reneged on his own agreement, a reversal that came at the 11th hour in court as he and his office faced blistering attacks from Republicans and his then filing unprecedented charges for someone with no aggravating gun factors who had paid his taxes in full years before the charges were filed," Lowell said in the statement. 

"Finally, and most curious, Mr. Weiss fails to clarify why he and his prosecutors pursued wild – and debunked – conspiracies about Mr. Biden by a Russian agent that prolonged this investigation and ultimately cost taxpayers millions of dollars.  What is clear from this report is that the investigation into Hunter Biden is a cautionary tale of the abuse of prosecutorial power."

The chancellor says she is "under no illusion" about the challenge facing UK public finances.

A nonprofit organization with the goal of "preserving freedom and bringing ideological balance back to public corporations" released a database outlining a list of Fortune 100 companies that are financially dependent on China and could lose large sums of money if sanctions were ever put in place.

"In this current political climate, there are discussions of the imposition of severe trade tariffs on Chinese goods," 1792 Exchange explained in a new report released this week. "In addition to tariffs, American sanctions may be placed on American companies doing business in China. For example, if China invades Taiwan, it may result in sanctions like the ones imposed on Russia after the Ukraine invasion. If imposed, our assessment is that American businesses, and investors, could lose a substantial amount of funds.

"This raises a number of serious questions that beg for clear answers. What would the financial impact to these companies be if the U.S. imposes sanctions or tariffs that put both assets and revenue streams at risk? What compromises are being exacted by the CCP in order for these companies to invest in China and do business there? How do those conditions influence their U.S. policies and operations? How do companies reconcile potential moral incongruence when their public policy stance in China is at odds with their U.S.-based behavior?"

The report highlights over 80 companies that currently operate in China and estimates the amount of sanctions they could potentially face in the future, which was calculated "based on balance sheet data, trade data, and sanctions calculation."

ONE STATE’S NATURAL RESOURCES CAN FINALLY PUT AN END TO AMERICA’S RELIANCE ON CHINA

Dozens of companies are included in the report, including Citigroup, Intel, Boeing, Disney, Nike and John Deere.

While many of the companies listed have not fully disclosed the full scope of their China business dealings, some have and in those cases, 1792 Exchange estimated the potential financial liability those companies face from potential sanctions in China during the upcoming Trump administration. 

OPENAI REVEALS AI POLICY PROPOSALS TO BEST CHINA, PROTECT KIDS: ‘THIS IS A RACE AMERICA CAN AND MUST WIN’

In Boeing’s case, the report states that the company earns just under $5 billion annually from China and could face $1 billion in sanctions over a three-year period on average.

Intel, according to the report, earns $18 billion per year from China, which represents 26.54% of its total annual revenue. Sanctions in China could mean $5 billion in penalties for Intel over a three-year period on average, the report concludes.

Citigroup is listed in the database as potentially facing $16 billion per year in sanctions on average from its almost $5 billion per year revenue in China. 

Fox News Digital spoke to Daniel Cameron, former Kentucky Republican attorney general and 1792 Exchange CEO, about the report, and he said he hopes people take away from the data the "staggering amount of money our Fortune 100 companies could lose in the event of sanctions imposed on China."

Cameron told Fox News Digital he is optimistic that the incoming Trump administration will implement policies that drive American independence from China. 

"My hope is that we're able to bring a lot of jobs back to this country and more businesses and then make a judgment, a decision to park their operations within the United States," Cameron said. "That's good for the American worker and I think particularly through some of the information that we've been able to share as it relates to this China risk database, I'm hopeful that again, yes, optimistic that President Trump is going to do right by the United States. He's going to do right by the American worker and consumer and I'm hopeful that the information that we've provided will help the administration, but it will also help CEOs and board leadership and investors be wise about their relationship with China."

Overall, the companies listed in the report generate over $600 billion in revenue from China on average and would face sanctions totaling over $150 billion on average. 

"Far too many of America’s largest corporations are shielding from the public their involvement with an oppressive communist regime. This failure to provide any corporate transparency is a glaring threat to America’s future," Cameron said about the data in the report. "Enough is enough. American workers, consumers, and investors should be aware of where these major liabilities lie."

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is rolling out several new bills to help forward the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) mission once President-elect Donald Trump enters office. 

The senator's six bills would target telework for federal employees, require agency guidances to clarify they are not laws and mandate early notice ahead of new major policy proposals from federal agencies, among other measures. 

MEET LEADER JOHN THUNE'S ALL-STAR CABINET AS REPUBLICANS TAKE OVER SENATE MAJORITY

"The American people gave Washington a mandate in November—waste less, save more. Today I’m introducing a first set of bills to follow through on their mandate by prioritizing streamlined regulations, rule-making, and record keeping. It’s time to put government waste in the doghouse and let DOGE get to work," Lankford said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

DOGE was previously announced by Trump, who tapped billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new advisory board looking to cut government waste. 

SCHUMER DIRECTS DEMS TO PUT PRESSURE ON TRUMP NOMINEES AHEAD OF CONFIRMATION HEARINGS

Several of Lankford's DOGE bills focus on federal agencies and their perceived shortcomings. The "Improving Federal Financial Management Act" would address agencies' performances and evaluate how they stack up when weighed against their financial metrics. 

The "TRUE Accountability Act" would charge agencies with coming up with plans to operate internally if there is ever a crisis. 

SENATE GOP TEES UP CONFIRMATION HEARING BLITZ IN EFFORT TO MEET AMBITIOUS TRUMP TARGETS

Additionally, Lankford is including the "ACCESS Act," which would prohibit minimum education requirements when it comes to government contractor personnel during certain federal contract discussions. 

The Oklahoma Republican's slew of bills are just the latest from senators in the GOP eager to get involved with DOGE. 

TULSI GABBARD CHANGES TUNE ON CONTROVERSIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOLLOWING GOP LOBBYING

The Senate DOGE caucus is being led by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who has been a vocal critic of federal agencies and their telework policies in particular. 

Republicans have sought to introduce many bills ahead of Trump's inauguration with the hope of getting the process started, so that certain policies can be put in motion shortly after he takes office. 

HSBC boss Michael Ellam was an adviser to Gordon Brown and now has rejoined government.

EXCLUSIVE: The Biden administration gave nearly 7,000 exemptions, mostly to refugees, for foreign nationals who otherwise could be ineligible for admission into the U.S. due to terrorism-related entry restrictions -- a significantly higher number than in recent years.

Fox News Digital reviewed a draft of the agency’s FY 2024 report to Congress on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary’s application of his power to exempt foreign nationals from terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds (TRIG). Foreign nationals who seek entry to the U.S. can be deemed inadmissible from entry and for immigration benefits if they have associated with, supported or worked with terrorist organizations. 

However, the DHS secretary can exempt certain foreign nationals from that inadmissibility, including if they have provided support under duress, if they have provided medical care, and they meet other standards for exemptions.

SENATORS SOUND ALARM ON TERROR-RELATED EXEMPTIONS TO US ENTRY FOR AFGHANS, WARN OF ‘OPEN-ENDED AUTHORITY 

According to the draft report, there were 6,848 TRIG exemptions in FY 2024. The majority (6,653) were for refugees, but the report does not break down the number by country. The Biden administration has significantly increased the refugee cap to 125,000, up substantially from the 18,000 set in the last year of the Trump administration.

The 6,848 number is significantly higher than the 2,085 waivers issued in FY 2023, which in turn was higher than previous years. There were 603 waivers distributed in FY 2022, 191 in FY 2021 and 361 in FY 2020, according to DHS reports.

In 2022, DHS announced an exemption for Afghan evacuees who worked as civil servants or individuals who provided "insignificant or certain limited material support" to a designated terror group. DHS said that could apply to many occupations, including teachers, doctors and engineers, and those who used their position to mitigate Taliban repression. That exemption came amid a mass evacuation effort of nationals from Afghanistan as the Taliban took control of the country in 2021.

The FY24 report said that 29 waivers were provided for Afghan allies who supported U.S. interests in Afghanistan, and 374 were for civil servants. Meanwhile, 3,134 were for those who provided certain limited support or insignificant material support to a Tier I or Tier II terror organization, under the 2022 exemption announced by DHS. Most of the remaining exemptions (2,946) were given under a 2007 exercise of authority for support given under duress.

DHS ANNOUNCES TERROR BAR EXEMPTIONS FOR AFGHAN EVACUAEES WHO WORKED FOR TALIBAN-ERA CIVIL SERVICE

Of those who received exemptions who are not refugees, 155 were for asylum applicants, 22 were for green card holders and four were applicants for Temporary Protected Status,

The increase in TRIG exemptions comes ahead of a Trump administration that is expected to significantly reduce refugee admissions, while also increasing deportations of illegal immigrants and increasing security at the southern border.

Republicans and former Trump administration officials have frequently criticized the Biden administration for its expansion of immigration pathways and release of migrants into the interior, in part over concerns about the potential risk of terrorism. 

"Joe Biden and his administration have viciously targeted parents at school board meetings, pro-life Americans, Catholics, and Trump supporters—designating some as 'domestic terrorists'—instead of catching actual terrorists and keeping them out of the country." Michael Bars, a former Trump DHS deputy assistant secretary and White House senior communications adviser, told Fox News Digital. "In fact they've been helping potential threats move in, waiving national security safeguards to admit individuals who've provided varying degrees of material support to Islamic terrorist organizations in extraordinary numbers.

"Islamic terrorism is not 'homegrown'—it's been imported to the U.S. through our broken immigration system and open border. The Biden administration has not only failed its duty to address this rising threat, but precipitated it," he said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

DHS did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital, but the report stresses that all applicants are subject to a thorough and "rigorous" security vetting process.

"All applicants considered for exemptions were subject to a thorough and rigorous security vetting process," the report says. "[U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] procedures require that the biographic and biometric data of all applicants be screened against a broad array of law enforcement and intelligence community databases that contain information about individuals known to be security threats, including the terrorist watchlist. In addition to rigorous background vetting, the Secretary’s discretionary authority is applied only on a case-by case basis after careful review of all factors and after all security checks have cleared."

"These exemptions will allow eligible individuals who pose no national security or public safety risk to receive asylum, refugee status, or other legal immigration status, demonstrating the United States’ continued commitment to our Afghan allies and their family members," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in 2022.

 The Biden administration has also previously noted prior usage of TRIG exemptions, including in 2019, to apply to those involved in the Lebanese civil war between 1975 and 1990. The USCIS website also says that the definition of terrorism-related activity "is relatively broad and may apply to individuals and activities not commonly thought to be associated with terrorism."

The use of TRIG exemptions has proven controversial with Republicans. In August 2022, a coalition of senators sounded the alarm on the 2022 exemptions, saying the exemption of those providing insignificant or limited support could permit was written in a way that isn’t limited to Afghans alone.

"Indeed, it is not limited to certain conflicts, terrorist organizations, geographic regions, or time periods at all," they said.

With less than a week left until President Biden's tenure in the White House sunsets, a new national poll indicates many Americans do not think history will be kind to him.

According to a USA Today/Suffolk University survey released on Tuesday, 44% of voters nationwide say history will assess Biden as a failed president, with another 27% saying he will be judged as a fair president.

Twenty-one percent of those questioned said history will view Biden as a good president, with only 5% saying he will be seen as a great president.

The president's single term in the White House ends next Monday, Jan. 20, as President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated as Biden's successor.

A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SAY THIS IS HOW THEY'LL VIEW BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY

However, according to the poll, 44% also say that Trump will be seen by history as a failed president. 

One in five say that Trump, who begins his second term next week, will be viewed as a great president, with 19% saying good and 27% saying he would be judged a fair president.

Trump ended his first term in office with approval ratings in negative territory, including 47% approval in Fox News polling from four years ago.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING RESULTS

However, opinions about Trump's first term have risen in polling conducted since his convincing victory in November's presidential election over Vice President Kamala Harris. The vice president succeeded Biden in July as the Democrats' 2024 standard-bearer after the president dropped out of the race following a disastrous debate performance against Trump.

According to the USA Today/Suffolk poll, 52% of those surveyed say they approve of the job Trump did during his first term in office, with 45% giving him a thumbs down.

Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos noted that the change over the past four years was particularly significant among independent voters.

"Donald Trump essentially wiped out his overwhelming negative personal popularity between December 2020 and today among independents," Paleologos said. "Trump went from a whopping minus 22 (35% favorable ‒ 57% unfavorable) to a negligible minus 5 (42% favorable ‒ 47% unfavorable)" among the group that typically swings elections.

WHERE BIDEN STANDS IN THE MOST RECENT FOX NEWS NATIONAL SURVEY

Looking ahead, 31% said they were excited Trump was returning to the White House, with 18% saying they were satisfied. However, 12% said they were depressed and 31% are afraid of a second Trump presidency.

According to the poll, 43% say they approve of the job Biden's done as president as he leaves office, with 54% disapproving.

Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House. However, the president’s numbers started sagging in August 2021 in the wake of Biden's much-criticized handling of the turbulent U.S. exit from Afghanistan and following a surge in COVID-19 cases that summer, mainly among unvaccinated people.

The plunge in the president’s approval was also fueled by soaring inflation – which started spiking in the summer of 2021 and remains to date a major pocketbook concern with Americans – and the surge of migrants trying to cross into the U.S. along the southern border with Mexico. 

Biden's approval ratings slipped underwater in the autumn of 2021 and never reemerged into positive territory.

According to the USA Today/Suffolk University poll, nearly a quarter of respondents were undecided when asked to name Biden's biggest achievement as president. Nineteen percent said investing in infrastructure. Ten percent said fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which was the top health and economic concern among Americans when Biden took office four years ago.

As for his biggest failure as president, just over three in ten pointed to Biden's handing of immigration, with 20% offering the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021.

The poll questioned 1,000 registered voters nationwide by phone. It was conducted Jan. 7-1, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

President-elect Trump took one more dig at Jack Smith after the Justice Department released the former special counsel's report early Tuesday. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland released the first volume, which focuses on the election case against Trump, of Smith’s report on Tuesday at midnight after back-and-forth in the federal court system. The report was released at midnight because that was when the original hold on Volume One expired. Nevertheless, the timing provoked a heated response from Trump.

"To show you how desperate Deranged Jack Smith is, he released his Fake findings at 1:00 A.M. in the morning. Did he say that the Unselect Committee illegally destroyed and deleted all of the evidence," Trump posted on Truth Social.

In another post, Trump dismissed Smith's report, claiming it was based on information gathered by the House Jan. 6 select committee, which was formed in July 2021 to investigate the breach of the U.S. Capitol earlier that year by Trump supporters who rioted ahead of President Biden taking office on Jan. 20. The Jan. 6 committee’s investigation was carried out when Democrats held control of the House and all of its members were appointed by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. 

DOJ RELEASEES FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S REPORT ON INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

Trump also repeated his claim that Smith, who resigned last week, acted on orders from President Biden to prosecute the president's political opponents. 

"Jack is a lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election, which I won in a landslide," Trump wrote.

In a letter to Garland last week, Smith called it "laughable" that Trump believes the Biden administration, or other political actors, influenced or directed his decisions as a prosecutor, stating that he was guided by the Principles of Federal Prosecution.

"Trump's cases represented ones ‘in which the offense [was] the most flagrant, the public harm the greatest, and the proof the most certain,’" Smith said, referencing the principles.

APPEALS COURT WILL NOT BLOCK PARTIAL RELEASE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S TRUMP REPORT

In the lengthy report, Smith said his office fully stands behind the decision to bring criminal charges against Trump because he "resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power" after he lost the 2020 election.

Smith said in his conclusion that the parties were determining whether any material in the "superseding indictment was subject to presidential immunity" when it became clear that Trump had won the 2024 election. The department then determined the case must be dismissed before he takes office because of how it interprets the Constitution.

"The Department's view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a President is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Office stands fully behind," the report stated.

Garland appointed former Justice Department official Jack Smith as special counsel in November 2022. 

SPECIAL COUNSEL WEISS BLASTS BIDEN IN FINAL HUNTER PROSECUTION REPORT

Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief to the DOJ's public integrity section, led the investigation into Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and whether the former president obstructed the federal government's investigation into the matter. 

Smith was also tasked with overseeing the investigation into whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.

Smith charged Trump in both cases, but Trump pleaded not guilty.

The classified records case was dismissed in July 2024 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel.

Smith charged Trump in the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C. in his 2020 election case, but after Trump was elected president, Smith sought to dismiss the case. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted that request. 

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., declared in a statement that he intends to vote to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as Secretary of State.

"Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world, the continued threat of China, and the recent sham election in Venezuela," Durbin said in the statement. 

"I believe Senator Rubio has a thorough understanding of the United States’ role on an international scale, has served with honor on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is a good choice to lead the State Department. I plan to vote yes on his nomination when it comes before the Senate," the Democrat lawmaker noted.

DURBIN FACES BACKLASH FOR REMARK ON TRANS INCLUSION IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

President-elect Donald Trump — who is slated to be inaugurated on Monday — announced Rubio as his pick for the cabinet post back in November.

Rubio is likely to sail through confirmation on a bipartisan basis. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., previously called Rubio "a strong choice," and indicated that he will support confirmation.

TRUMP NOMINATES MARCO RUBIO TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF STATE

Rubio's current Senate term runs through early 2029, so if he resigns to serve in the Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will tap a replacement to represent the Sunshine State in the U.S. Senate until voters select a replacement during a 2026 special election for the seat.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to hold a nomination hearing for Rubio on Wednesday.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS TO SEN. RUBIO'S SEAT IF HE BECOMES SECRETARY OF STATE AND WHO COULD REPLACE HIM

Rubio has served in the U.S. Senate since early 2011.

Pete Hegseth is set to take the hot seat before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday in a hearing that is sure to break out into fireworks. 

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to shake up the Pentagon as his defense secretary, but the former Fox News host has been entangled in controversies that Democrats on the committee can be expected to question him about. 

"Democrats certainly aren’t going to make this a walk in the park by any means," one Republican aide said. 

"You'll see Democrats are pretty organized, they're thinking strategically to make sure everything is covered, and it's not a hearing that gets overly repetitive," one senior Democrat aide told Fox News Digital. 

HOW THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION PROCESS WORKS

"I don't think it's going to be particularly hostile, but I do think it will be very tough. It's going to focus a lot just on what we should expect of a nominee for this job and where he falls short," the aide went on. "There are questions about the things he's done, his character and his leadership." 

Hegseth will be the first of Trump’s controversial change agent picks to face questioning from lawmakers.

Republicans can be expected to play defense, framing Hegseth as a decorated combat veteran who will hold the military accountable after years of failed audits and DEI initiatives. 

With little hope of winning any Democrat votes, Hegseth will have to woo moderate Republicans who have previously expressed skepticism about his nomination. 

Democrats are expected to hammer him over his past conduct and his qualifications to lead the government’s largest agency, which employs 3 million people.

HUNDREDS OF VETERANS TO DESCEND ON DC TO MARCH IN SUPPORT OF PETE HEGSETH'S CONFIRMATION

The 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran, who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is relatively young and inexperienced compared to defense secretaries past, having retired as a major. But Republicans say they don’t want someone who made it to the top brass, who’s become entrenched in the Pentagon establishment. 

Hegseth is sure to face questions about a sexual assault accusation from 2017. He’s acknowledged paying his accuser an undisclosed sum to keep quiet at the time for fear of losing his job, but he denies any non-consensual sex took place.

Former employees at veterans’ groups Hegseth used to run have accused him of financial mismanagement and excessive drinking, according to a New Yorker report, and NBC News reported that his drinking "concerned" colleagues at Fox News. 

Hegseth denies the accusations and said he would not drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed to lead the Defense Department. 

The hearing, which kicks off at 9:30 a.m., will be packed with veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C., to support Hegseth in the face of attacks.

For weeks, Hegseth has been visiting Capitol Hill to meet with senators, including those who are skeptical of him. Last Wednesday, he met with the top Armed Services Committee Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and the meeting apparently didn’t go well. 

"Today’s meeting did not relieve my concerns about Mr. Hegseth’s lack of qualifications and raised more questions than answers," Reed said in a statement.

Hegseth must first win a majority in a vote of the Armed Services Committee, made up of 14 Republicans and 13 Democrats, meaning one Republican defection could tank the vote.

He then needs to win a simple majority on the Senate floor, meaning he can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes. 

"I think he kind of knows that all he needs is Republican votes to get from now into the job," said a Democrat aide. "His job is to just keep his head down and not say something that would create an opening for these [Republicans], many of whom I really don't think want to vote for him, to have a reason to revisit that. So I expect that he's going to try to say very little and say it very calmly and politely."

In committee, all eyes will be on Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a veteran herself who at first seemed hesitant about Hegseth. After two meetings with the nominee, Ernst said she would support him through the confirmation process and looked forward to a fair hearing. She didn’t commit to voting for him. 

Senators will also take a fine-toothed comb to Hegseth’s lengthy record of public comments on TV and across the five books he’s written. 

One such belief is that women should not fight in combat roles. 

"Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes. We need moms. But not in the military, especially not in combat units," he wrote in his most recent book, "The War on Warriors," published in 2024.

"Men are, gasp, biologically stronger, faster and bigger. Dare I say, physically superior," Hegseth added.

PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN'T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE 'ERROR' DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE

On a Nov. 7 episode of the Shawn Ryan podcast, which aired mere days before Hegseth was tapped to serve as Defense Secretary, the nominee said, "I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles."

Hegseth later told Fox News in December that women are some of the U.S.’ "greatest warriors." 

"I also want an opportunity here to clarify comments that have been misconstrued, that I somehow don't support women in the military; some of our greatest warriors, our best warriors out there are women," he said.

Female service members "love our nation, want to defend that flag, and they do it every single day around the globe. I'm not presuming anything," he added.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is unveiling a new set of bills that could have child sexual predators facing the death penalty.

"If you are raping someone, if you're molesting someone, you are essentially murdering their soul. Those people never actually fully recover. I've actually sat on a committee with a very prominent [female House Democrat] who actually talked about the fact that she was molested as a child. And so you can see that it impacts and really hurts people," Luna said.

Two of her three bills, all of which are being introduced in the 119th Congress on Tuesday, would require sentences of death or at least life imprisonment for those charged with a wide range of crimes related to children. 

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

A third bill would require guilty verdicts of rape and sexual abuse against adults to carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years to life in prison.

Luna told Fox News Digital she broached the topic with President-elect Donald Trump over the weekend, who she suggested was enthusiastic about the idea.

"I got the impression that he absolutely is supportive of anything in this sector," Luna said.

The Florida congresswoman was among the members of the House Freedom Caucus who met with Trump over the weekend at Mar-a-Lago. 

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

She said they also discussed Trump potentially signing an executive order levying the death penalty for pedophilia-related crimes but that it would likely be impossible to accomplish that way.

"He would be willing to sign an [executive order]. But the fact is, is that it has to go through Congress first. So it would have to come to his desk that way," she said.

Luna first introduced the bills in the last Congress when Democrats controlled half of Congress as well as the White House. They failed to get much traction, however, and ultimately never saw a House-wide vote.

She suggested that the death penalty aspect could have put some people off of an issue that otherwise could get wide bipartisan support, but she argued that child predators "cannot be rehabilitated."

"If you are going to continue to push forward in a moral society, [then] you need to ensure that people like this, that are predators, are taken off the streets permanently," Luna said.

A Planned Parenthood chapter in Florida allegedly violated its tax-exempt status by providing workspace for the Harris-Walz presidential campaign, according to an IRS complaint filed by a pro-life organization.

40 Days for Life, one of the country's leading pro-life organizations, filed the IRS complaint in December. It claims to have information about "potentially prohibited political activities that may impact the tax-exempt status" of Planned Parenthood Florida. 

"This is one of the many violations we've seen Planned Parenthood do, because we're physically at these abortion facilities, holding peaceful vigils and offering medical alternatives to abortion. And so because we're out there, you know, at over 1700 locations, we see a lot of things that Planned Parenthood does," 40 Days for Life CEO Shawn Carney told Fox News Digital. 

Fox News Digital reached out several times to Planned Parenthood Florida, but did not hear back by the publication deadline.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS, VASECTOMIES AT DNC

"This was clearly noticeable. They were giving out flyers that said Tim Walz Tuesdays, which doesn't sound like the greatest time in the world, but nevertheless, they were promoting all these events of hosting Walt Harris campaign events and providing their space to do that, which, of course, they did not do for the Republicans. And you just can't do that as a 501c3. This is very, very basic."

Last summer, Carney's group filed a separate complaint about Planned Parenthood's mobile abortion bus that was operating a few miles from where the Democratic National Convention was taking place. On day one of the DNC, abortion took center stage. Several speakers spoke at length about it being one of the central issues of the Democratic Party's 2024 platform.

MASSACHUSETTS LAUNCHES $1 MILLION TAXPAYER-FUNDED CAMPAIGN WARNING OF 'DANGERS' OF PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTERS 

"The pro-abortion angle of running on celebrating abortion was a dismal failure for the Harris-Waltz campaign, but when we filed that, we did get a response that they had received it, and we are hoping and pushing the Trump administration to take up that investigation, because now we have two violations, both of which were obviously against the Trump administration and were heavily politically partisan towards the Democrats, which, of course, as nonprofits, you just can't do," Carney said.

The 42-page  IRS complaint also alleges "Planned Parenthood’s activities, in this case, are starkly different from permissible lobbying." 

MISSOURI LAW BANNING GENDER-CHANGING TREATMENTS FOR MINORS TAKES EFFECT

"The provision of office space juxtaposes its tax-exempt privilege against a politically charged environment, serving as a clear indicator of political endorsement or opposition of particular candidates and parties," the complaint reads.

Included in the complaint are photographs of campaign staffers walking inside what appears to be the Planned Parenthood office in Sarasota, Florida.

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are the duo that best personify the Labour project of the 2020s.

The Tory leader's call follows allegations about properties linked to her family in Bangladesh.

The Justice Department made public Volume I of former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his now-closed investigations into President-elect Donald Trump, days before he is set to be sworn into office. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland released the first volume, which focuses on the election case against Trump, of Smith’s report on Tuesday at midnight after back-and-forth in the federal court system.

An opening letter from Smith, who resigned last week, to Garland said that it is "laughable" that Trump believes the Biden administration, or other political actors, influenced or directed his decisions as a prosecutor, stating that he was guided by the Principles of Federal Prosecution.

"Trump's cases represented ones ‘in which the offense [was] the most flagrant, the public harm the greatest, and the proof the most certain,’" Smith said, referencing the principles.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH FROM RELEASING FINAL REPORT

In the lengthy report, Smith said his office fully stands behind the decision to bring criminal charges against Trump because he "resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power" after he lost the 2020 election.

Smith said in his conclusion that the parties were determining whether any material in the "superseding indictment was subject to presidential immunity" when it became clear that Trump had won the 2024 election. The department then determined the case must be dismissed before he takes office because of how it interprets the Constitution.

"The Department's view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a President is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Office stands fully behind," the report stated.

In an early Tuesday morning post on Truth Social, Trump called Smith "desperate" and "deranged" for releasing his "fake findings" in the middle of the night.

APPEALS COURT WILL NOT BLOCK PARTIAL RELEASE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S TRUMP REPORT

Garland appointed former Justice Department official Jack Smith as special counsel in November 2022. 

Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief to the DOJ's public integrity section, led the investigation into Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and whether the former president obstructed the federal government's investigation into the matter. 

Smith was also tasked with overseeing the investigation into whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Smith charged Trump in both cases, but Trump pleaded not guilty.

FLASHBACK: ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND NAMES SPECIAL COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE TRUMP ON MAR-A-LAGO DOCUMENTS, JAN. 6

The classified records case was dismissed in July 2024 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. 

Smith charged Trump in the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C. in his 2020 election case, but after Trump was elected president, Smith sought to dismiss the case. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted that request. 

FLASHBACK: TRUMP SAYS HE 'WON'T PARTAKE' IN SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION, SLAMS AS 'WORST POLITICIZATION OF JUSTICE'

This month, though, Cannon temporarily blocked the release of Smith’s final report. A federal appeals court reversed her ruling, allowing the Justice Department to make Smith’s report public. 

In the classified records probe, Smith charged Trump with 37 federal counts including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. Trump pleaded not guilty. 

FLASHBACK: FBI SAID IT HAD 'PROBABLE CAUSE' TO BELIEVE ADDITIONAL CLASSIFIED DOCS REMAINED AT MAR-A-LAGO, AFFIDAVIT SAYS

Trump was also charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment out of the investigation: an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts. 

In the 2020 election case, Smith charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; violation of an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Trump pleaded not guilty. 

The cases brought by Smith against Trump never made it to trial in either jurisdiction. 

Despite efforts by Trump attorneys to prevent the report’s release, Attorney General Merrick Garland had maintained that he would make at least one volume of Smith’s report public.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

The Tory leader has been calling for a fresh inquiry into grooming gangs.

The Labour MP says "nothing less than a full inquiry... will restore faith in our safeguarding systems".

Special Counsel David Weiss' final report on his years-long investigation into Hunter Biden determined the first son's drug abuse could not explain away not paying taxes on millions of dollars of income earned off of his "last name and connections." 

"As a well-educated lawyer and businessman, Mr. Biden consciously and willfully chose not to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over a four-year period. From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Biden received more than $7 million in total gross income, including approximately $1.5 million in 2016, $2.3 million in 2017, $2.1 million in 2018, $1 million in 2019 and $188,000 from January through October 15, 2020," Weiss wrote in his final report, which was released Monday. 

"Mr. Biden made this money by using his last name and connections to secure lucrative business opportunities, such as a board seat at a Ukrainian industrial conglomerate, Burisma Holdings Limited, and a joint venture with individuals associated with a Chinese energy conglomerate. He negotiated and executed contracts and agreements that paid him millions of dollars for limited work," Weiss continued. 

Hunter Biden, 54, had a busy year in court last year, when he was convicted of two separate federal cases prosecuted by Weiss. He kicked off his first trial in Delaware in June, when he faced three felony firearm offenses involving his drug use, before pleading guilty in a separate felony tax case in September. 

DOJ RELEASES SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS' REPORT ON HUNTER BIDEN

Hunter Biden's September trial revolved around charges of three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. As jury selection was about to kick off in Los Angeles federal court for the case, however, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea. 

Weiss continued in his report that Hunter Biden "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that he "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes." 

Weiss added that the first son's previous drug abuse could not explain his failure to pay the taxes. 

HUNTER BIDEN: A LOOK AT HOW THE SAGA SPANNING OVER SIX YEARS UNFOLDED

"These are not 'inconsequential' or ‘technical’ tax code violations," Weiss wrote. "Nor can Mr. Biden's conduct be explained away by his drug use-most glaringly, Mr. Biden filed his false 2018 return, in which he deliberately underreported his income to lower his tax liability, in February 2020, approximately eight months after he had regained his sobriety. Therefore, the prosecution of Mr. Biden was warranted given the nature and seriousness of his tax crimes."

Hunter has a well-documented history of drug abuse, which was most notably documented in his 2021 memoir, "Beautiful Things." The book walked readers through his previous addiction to crack cocaine, before getting sober in 2019. The memoir featured extensively in his separate firearms case in June, when a jury found him guilty of three felony charges related to his purchase of a gun while addicted to substances. 

BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE

"The evidence demonstrated that as Mr. Biden held high-paying positions earning him millions of dollars, he chose to keep funding his extravagant lifestyle instead of paying his taxes. He then chose to lie to his accountants in claiming false business deductions when, in fact, he knew they were personal expenses. He did this on his own, and his tax return preparers relied on him, because, among other reasons, only he understood the true nature of his deductions and he failed to give them records that might have revealed that the deductions were bogus," Weiss continued. 

The tax case charges carried up to 17 years behind bars, but the first son would likely have faced a much shorter sentence under federal sentencing guidelines. His sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 16, but he was pardoned by his father, President Biden, earlier that month. 

BIDEN WON'T PARDON HUNTER, WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS, BUT CRITICS AREN'T SO SURE

Hunter Biden's blanket pardon encompassed a decade-period applying to any offenses he "has committed or may have committed" on a federal level. 

Weiss' report also took issue with the president's pardoning of Hunter Biden, specifically with how President Biden characterized prosecutions of Hunter Biden as "selective" and "unfair."

HUNTER BIDEN FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS IN GUN TRIAL

"This statement is gratuitous and wrong," Weiss wrote in his report. "Other presidents have pardoned family members, but in doing so, none have taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public servants at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations." 

"Politicians who attack the decisions of career prosecutors as politically motivated when they disagree with the outcome of a case undermine the public's confidence in our criminal justice system," Weiss wrote in another section of the report. "The President's statements unfairly impugn the integrity not only of Department of Justice personnel, but all of the public servants making these difficult decisions in good faith." 

The DOJ sent Weiss' report to Congress Monday evening, officially bringing the years-long investigation into the first son to a close. 

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary, laying out a bevy of accusations and about 100 questions that she expects him to answer at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday.  

Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, penned the 33-page letter last week to Hegseth. It describes why she thinks he is "unfit" to serve, referring to him at one point in the letter as "an insider threat" due to a tattoo Hegseth has that Warren claims is tied to "right-wing extremism." 

"Your confirmation as Secretary of Defense would be detrimental to our national security and disrespect a diverse array of servicemembers who are willing to sacrifice for our country," Warren writes in the letter. "I am deeply concerned by the many ways in which your behavior and rhetoric indicates that you are unfit to lead the Department of Defense."

ARE PETE HEGSETH'S TATTOOS SYMBOLS OF ‘CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM?’

The letter starts off with accusations against Hegseth that include claims of financial mismanagement during his work operating two nonprofits, and accusations of heavy drinking and sexual assault. 

The Massachusetts Democrat accused Hegseth of "gross mismanagement" in running up debt and using business funds at the nonprofits he ran for personal expenses. She cited past colleagues of Hegseth's who claimed to be privy to what took place. Warren also claimed in her letter that some of Hegseth's past colleagues had shared he may potentially have a drinking problem, citing "at least 11 separate incidents in which [Hegseth has] been described as drinking excessively or inappropriately in public." Warren asks in the letter if Hegseth would resign if he were to be caught drinking again.  

NEW GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO DEMS ‘SEEKING TO DELAY’ PETE HEGSETH DOD CONFIRMATION  

Warren also went after Hegseth's policy positions in the letter, several of which were made during media appearances and in books. 

Warren slammed Hegseth for previous comments about women in the military, including remarks he made that only men should be allowed in combat roles. Warren questioned Hegseth about other aspects of women in the military as well, including whether he thinks single women in the military should have access to birth control.

Hegseth, an advocate for getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in the military, was slammed by Warren in her letter for calling for the firing of "any general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI woke s--t," during a podcast interview in November. 

Warren added that in addition to potentially firing Defense Department officials promoting DEI, she also detailed fears about Hegseth's willingness to help aid Trump in going after his political opponents. In one of Warren's questions, she requested that Hegseth share his thoughts on the 2020 election and whether he believes Trump won, or lost fairly. 

At one point in the letter, Warren highlighted that Hegseth had been removed from President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 because of concerns he was "an insider threat" following reports that his tattoo with the words "Deus Vult," was allegedly a "Christian expression associated with right-wing extremism."

AMERICAN HEROES MAKE POWERFUL MOVE AHEAD OF HEARING FOR TRUMP'S PENTAGON PICK

Other sections seek to harp on Hegseth's alleged unwillingness to work with allies, including those within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Warren suggested Hegseth will not adequately support considering his "skepticism" over aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Warren devoted an entire line of questioning to whether Hegseth will "undermine" veterans' benefits, and questioned what Hegseth might do to the Department of Defense Education Activity, the part of the agency that educates troops' children.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Trump Transition spokesperson Bran Hughes said that Hegseth "looks forward to answering Senators' questions and detailing his many qualifications at his hearing tomorrow."

"Senator Warren’s letter to Pete Hegseth is exactly what the American voters rejected on November 5," Hughes said. "Instead of focusing on ‘woke’ policies that have weakened our national defense, the voters gave a mandate to rebuild our military, and that’s exactly what a reform-minded Secretary of Defense like Pete Hegseth will do. Senator Warren’s letter proves why ideologically driven college professors have no place driving their social agenda at the Department of Defense."

Efforts to reach Warren for comment for purposes of this story were unsuccessful. 

"Lone actors" pose the greatest threat to safety during the upcoming presidential inauguration events, according to U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. 

He referenced two incidents last week on Capitol Hill where people sought to "disrupt" congressional proceedings with potentially violent tactics. 

An estimated 250,000 ticketed guests will attend the formal inauguration on Jan. 20, according to law enforcement.

That will be supplemented by another 25,000, who law enforcement expect will attend various demonstrations going on around the Capitol on Inauguration Day. The inauguration and its accompanying events have been designated a "National Special Security Event," the highest federal protective status an event can receive, authorities said. 

"The biggest threat, I think, for all of us remains the lone actor," Manger said Monday. "Just in the past week, while President Carter was lying in state, we had two lone actors show up at the Capitol: one trying to bring in knives and a machete; another one who was trying – what I believe – to disrupt the proceedings by setting their car on fire down in the peace circle area." 

"Capitol Police were able to interdict these folks before they had a chance to do any harm. But that threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us being at this heightened state of alert throughout the next week." 

TRAVEL TIPS FOR ATTENDING PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AS EXPERTS WEIGH IN

Manger's remarks came during a Monday press conference with federal and local law enforcement officials, including leaders from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police, during which they discussed their preparation for the inauguration. 

Representing the FBI was the assistant director in charge of the agency's Washington field office, David Sundberg, who said the FBI was "not currently tracking any specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or to the Capitol complex."

The upcoming week of events will be secured similarly to the two high-profile National Special Security Events from last week, the presidential election certification and the late President Jimmy Carter's funeral, authorities indicated. However, the inauguration will get a little extra support from roughly 4,000 local law enforcement officers who have volunteered to help and an estimated 7,800 National Guard soldiers who will deploy to the nation's capital. In total, according to the Secret Service's special agent in charge of the agency's Washington field office, Matt McCool, a total of about 25,000 law enforcement officers will be on duty.

ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER

The inauguration will get extra concrete barriers and more than 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, which is more than has been used for any National Special Security Event in the past. 

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said that the district is expecting to see 12 different First Amendment demonstrations during the inauguration. Smith said that while the "MPD will ensure your right to peacefully protest," they "will not tolerate any violence."  

"I want to reiterate – as I always have – that violence, destruction and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated," Smith said Monday. "Offenders will face swift and decisive consequences."

When asked by a reporter what the biggest difference was between this inauguration and the last in 2021, McCool said there is a "slightly more robust security plan."

"We've learned," McCool said. "This is our fifth NSSE this year in the Washington field office. We've done 83 NSSEs, each one we take a look at, and if there's areas where we need to improve, we do it. But what I can tell you is that we are 100% confident in the plan that we have put in place for this inauguration that the public and our protectees will be safe."