Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are both calling for the destruction of Iran's nuclear program.
"I don't think diplomacy works," Graham declared during an interview on "Face the Nation," calling Iran a "religious Nazi regime," that wants "to destroy the Jewish State."
"I am hoping there will be an effort by Israel to decimate the Iran nuclear program, supported by the United States. And if we don't do that it will be a historical mistake," Graham said.
The Justice Department has recommended that a Pennsylvania barber convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot face 20 years behind bars.
Ryan Samsel was found guilty in February 2024 on several charges, including assaulting federal officers, carrying out an act of physical violence on the Capitol grounds and obstruction of an official proceeding.
The DOJ proposed a sentence of 240 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $2,000 restitution and a fine, according to court documents.
"A sentence of 240 months of incarceration reflects the gravity of Samsel’s conduct and provides sufficient deterrence given Samsel’s continued lack of remorse, active and public rehashing of false narratives, violent criminal history, and interest in assaulting the Capitol again," the DOJ wrote in a memorandum.
Samsel was the first rioter to breach the restricted perimeter of the Capitol with other supporters of now-President-elect Donald Trump in an effort to delay the certification of President Biden's 2020 election victory, according to the DOJ.
He was found guilty of verbally abusing officers, forcibly pushing and pulling on metal barricades, and assaulting an officer by lifting a metal barricade and striking him in the face with it.
Police subsequently became overwhelmed as "the floodgates opened" and "thousands of rioters poured onto the West Front of the U.S. Capitol grounds," the DOJ said in the document.
"Samsel spent the next hour and a half terrorizing the police on the West Front," the document said. "He assaulted the police with his flag, grabbed another officer’s shield, tore at scaffolding, flashed officers, grabbed a 2x4 plank and hurled it at the police line, and threw a pole at a different police line."
"Samsel was proud of his actions on that day, taking the time to record a selfie video during the riot and announce with a smile that he had breached the Capitol," the DOJ wrote. "Samsel was still proud of his actions years later when he told an interviewer that his actions on January 6th were justified, because 'sometimes civil disorder is needed.'"
Educational institutions and college-affiliated groups are preparing for President-elect Trump's inauguration by offering mental health advice, delivering travel notices to international students, and organizing anti-Israel rallies.
Most schools will be closed on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, due to it falling on a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Similar to Trump's first inauguration and the weeks following his victory in the 2024 election, universities and education groups are offering different outlets for students on Monday.
Several anti-Israel college groups in Chicago are planning demonstrations. The University of Illinois Chicago's Students for Justice in Palestine (SJPUIC) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters intend to hold an anti-Israel protest, according to social media posts.
The groups will reportedly meet to "fight back against Trump’s racist and reactionary program," wrote SJPUIC in a post on Instagram.
Other schools are offering mental health advice ahead of the Republican's swearing-in.
Emory University's Rollin School of Public Health conducted an interview with clinical psychologist Rachel Waford, published in December, about how to deal with "anxiety" during presidential transitions.
"Americans are experiencing a mix of emotions as Trump prepares to start his second term as President of the United States. For some, a second Trump administration is stirring up fear and anxiety," the article reads.
Waford suggested those who have anxiety should stay off social media or unsubscribe from news outlets. "I would encourage anybody who is in that state right now to think about the ways that you can plug into your life tangibly. Plug into your community, social supports, and the things that bring a sense of security, safety, and control," the psychologist said.
The Close Up Foundation, a nonprofit civic education organization, offered middle school students the opportunity to take a seven-day trip to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural celebration in an effort to help "young people see how our national ideals impact us today."
Meanwhile, in recent weeks, international students have been urged by their universities to return to the U.S. before the inauguration, claiming that Trump's plans to crack down on illegal immigration could impact them. Several of the schools giving such notices include Cornell University, the University of Southern California (USC), Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Penn State.
"A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration," said Cornell University's Office of Global Learning in a message to students. "The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India."
A statement from USC said that "this is especially important given that a new presidential administration will take office on January 20 and – as is common – may issue one or more executive orders impacting travel to the US and visa processing."
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has also directed teachers to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they show up to schools.
"We will not allow any law enforcement entity to take any type of immigration action against our students or their families within our care," LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during a press conference in January.
After Trump won the presidential election in November, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy offered a "Self-Care Suite" at school, while Northwestern University offered a "post-election wellness space" that provided puzzles, snacks, and "brain break activities" for students.
Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
At noon on Monday inside the U.S. Capitol, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
Two and a half months after his convincing election victory over Vice President Harris, the president-elect returns to office in what will symbolize his reinvention and redemption four years after being ushered out of the White House by the American electorate.
"We put America first, and it all starts tomorrow," Trump told thousands of supporters jam-packed into Washington, D.C.'s, Capitol One Arena at his inauguration eve rally. "We begin a brand-new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride."
President Biden, Harris, former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Republican and Democrat members of Congress, foreign dignitaries, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos – three of the wealthiest men in the world – other tech and business executives and some high-profile celebrities will crowd into the U.S. Capitol's Rotunda for Trump's inauguration, which will be held indoors for the first time in four decades due to an arctic blast that's sweeping much of the nation.
After Trump's inaugural address, there will be a rapid-fire series of events, including a formal farewell for Biden and Harris as they leave the Capitol. Minutes later, members of Congress will watch as Trump and JD Vance, the nation's new vice president, take part in a signing ceremony followed by an inaugural lunch and then a review of the troops.
Trump then returns to Washington, D.C.'s, downtown arena for an abbreviated parade, which was moved indoors because of the frigid weather, in front of thousands of supporters. After that, the new president heads to the White House for an Oval Office ceremony before making his way to the traditional inaugural balls in the evening.
Trump is also expected to get to work immediately, signing more than 200 executive actions on his first day in office, as Fox News Digital first reported Sunday.
"I will act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country," Trump vowed at his inauguration eve rally. "You're going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them, lots. We have to set our country on the proper course."
Trump's first wave of policy priorities will focus on issues he highlighted during his presidential campaign, including border security, energy, curbing inflation and ending DEI programs across the federal government.
A senior administration official familiar with the executive actions and authorized to brief Fox News Digital said Trump on day one will end the "catch and release" of illegal immigrants; pause all offshore wind leases; terminate the electric vehicle mandate; abolish the so-called Green New Deal; withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord; and take several major steps to assert presidential control over the federal bureaucracy.
"By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our borders will have come to a halt and all the illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home," Trump pledged.
And "we're going to end the Biden war on American energy and unleash our energy resources to quickly defeat inflation and achieve the lowest cost of energy and electricity on Earth."
Monday's inauguration stands in stark contrast with President Biden's inauguration four years ago, which was held two weeks after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 presidential election victory.
Trump, who disputed the results, refused to attend the inauguration or acknowledge Biden's White House victory.
Four years ago, Trump left Washington in an extremely weakened position with much of the nation, including many Republicans, angry over the Capitol riot that forced members of Congress to flee for safety.
But four years later, after a two-year presidential campaign and a convincing popular-vote victory and sweep of all the key battleground states, Trump returns as a conquering hero.
"On this day, the U.S. will witness the return of President Trump at the zenith of his political power," veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance noted.
As Trump retakes control of the presidency, the latest Fox News national poll indicates he receives his highest favorable rating – 50% compared to just 42% when he entered the White House the first time in 2017 – with half of registered voters approving of his handling of the presidential transition.
"Trump’s journey since the election loss in 2020 is nothing short of remarkable. His refusal to accept the election results, support for the Jan. 6 insurrection and subsequent legal challenges, including indictments and convictions, would have historically ended any future political ambitions," Lesperance said.
But Lesperance, president of New England College, noted that "voters in 2024 went another way. Trump’s path to redemption and his return to the Oval Office comes as a result of the unwavering commitment of his supporters and broad dissatisfaction of Americans over the direction the country had taken under Democrats. For Trump, Inauguration Day is a day of redemption."
Pointing to his White House victory, as well as Republicans winning back control of the Senate and defending their razor-thin majority in the House, Trump touted that "we not only won a mandate, but we built a new American majority that will lead our country to unparalleled success for generations to come."
Federal, state and local law enforcement officials are on high alert in Washington, D.C., ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
Thousands of officers and agents from the Department of Homeland Security, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and the National Guard will be on duty.
White House inaugurations already typically see among the highest level of security, but this year’s event is guaranteed to see added scrutiny after multiple recent security incidents.
Just this month, a U.S. military veteran used fireworks and other items to explode a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. U.S. Capitol police also arrested a man who attempted to set fire to a car near where mourners were paying respects to former President Jimmy Carter.
That comes after two foiled attempts on the president-elect’s life while he was campaigning for a second term.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser touted confidence in law enforcement and told local residents during a press conference exactly a week before the event to brace for road closures.
Matt McCool, special agent in charge for the Secret Service's Washington Field Office, said of security preparations, "The Federal Aviation Administration will announce temporary flight restrictions in and around Washington, D.C."
The U.S. Coast Guard will communicate any maritime restrictions, which will also be linked to the inauguration website. Additional fencing and concrete barriers will supplement the fencing already around the Capitol for the election certification and President Carter's funeral.
He added that the amount of fencing that will be used for the event is more than any other designated National Special Security Event in the past.
David Sundberg of the FBI's Washington Field Office said the bureau was not tracking "any specific or credible threats" for Inauguration Day but urged people to remain vigilant.
Earlier this month, the National Guard said it would be sending 7,800 troops to the inauguration.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said city police officers will be joined by nearly 4,000 officers from across the country who volunteered to provide support on Inauguration Day.
Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be taking their oaths of office on the west front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday.
Thousands of Americans are expected to be in attendance, all of whom will be screened by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement officials.
"All attendees will undergo screening. Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public interested in attending the inauguration," McCool said.
Officials said last week they were bracing for nearly 250,000 ticketed attendees alone.
U.S. Capitol police asked people who will be present on Capitol grounds on Monday to refrain from bringing items like alcohol, bicycles, tripods, large bags, balloons and other things.
A visibly agitated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (AOC) had a busy day on social media on Sunday, taking to Instagram to make a series of rants related to President-elect Donald Trump.
She started out early scolding TikTok for sending a notification thanking "President Trump" for restoring the app.
"A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned," the notification stated.
In her Instagram stories, she says that Trump is not yet the president and is still currently a private citizen, suggesting that referring to him as such raises concerns about TikTok’s word.
"First of all, Donald Trump is not president right now. He is a private citizen. He does not have access to presidential powers, he does not have the ability to do any of that," AOC said.
She claims that the app is "signaling that they have agreed to privately collaborate with Donald Trump and the Trump administration" by mentioning him in the notification.
"And for all of those concerns that people were saying that TikTok is going to be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese, understand they’re using it as a propaganda tool for the right," she added.
She warned her followers, "We are on the eve of an authoritarian administration. This is what 21st century fascism is starting to look like."
Later on in the evening, she once again ranted on Instagram about her frustration with being asked if she would be attending Trump's inauguration on Monday.
"All these journalists were like congresswoman, are you going to the inauguration? Congresswoman are you going to the inauguration? Are you going to the inauguration? Let me make myself clear. I don't celebrate rapists, so no, I'm not going to the inauguration room," she expressed in what appeared to be an agitated tone.
She also clapped back on X after the Libs of TikTok account reposted her remarks and said that Trump should sue her after she called him a rapist.
"Oh, are you triggered? Cry more," the congresswoman wrote.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has ordered flags in the state to fly at full-staff on Monday for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the nation remains in a mourning period to honor former President Jimmy Carter.
"Tomorrow, we are all Americans as we observe the centuries-old traditions of Inauguration Day," Hochul said in a statement to the New York Post on Sunday.
"For that reason, I am directing flags to fly at full staff throughout the State of New York on January 20 and return to half staff to honor the late President Carter on January 21," she added. "Regardless of your political views, the American tradition of the peaceful transition of power is something to celebrate."
The governor's directive comes during President Biden's order that flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period following Carter's death on Dec. 29, 2024, which happens to include Inauguration Day.
Biden said the U.S. flag "should be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions."
It is a tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and for flags to be displayed at half-staff.
Hochul joins a trio of Democratic governors — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson — in ordering flags to fly at full-staff for Trump's inauguration before the mourning period ends on Jan. 28.
Several Republican governors have also directed flags to be raised on Monday, including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Nearly 30 states will raise their flags on Monday for Trump's inauguration, as will flags at the U.S. Capitol following an order from House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Trump had publicly taken issue with the idea that flags could be displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter's death.
"The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my Inauguration," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. "They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don't love our Country, they only think about themselves."
"Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast," he continued. "Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.
On Friday, Tennessee Republican State Rep. Todd Warner filed House Bill 217, which would rename Nashville International Airport to honor Trump.
The bill would require the metropolitan airport authority to take actions to execute the name change.
Those actions would include setting up new signage, changing registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), revising all existing contracts and legal documents to reflect the new name, and updating references with local, state and federal agencies.
During the transition period, the bill states that the airport may operate business using its current name with the designation of "doing business as Trump International Airport" or "d/b/a Trump International Airport."
If passed, the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
This is not the first time a lawmaker has pushed to rename an airport after Trump.
Back in April 2024, a group of House Republicans also pushed to rename Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia after Trump.
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., the House GOP's chief deputy whip, introduced the bill, along with six cosponsors.
"In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump," Reschenthaler previously told Fox News Digital. "As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil."
If passed, it would be the second D.C.-area airport named for a Republican commander in chief after Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., previously told Fox News Digital that "it is only fitting that we would do the same for another one of our greatest presidents."
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., also echoed Moore and said "I can see no more fitting recognition than naming both airports in our nation’s capital after America’s two best presidents: DCA after President Reagan and Dulles after President Trump."
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Millions of people across the country are expected to tune in to President-elect Trump's second inauguration ceremony. Television networks, online publications and social media outlets are preparing for the big event. The way inaugurations have been presented to the public has changed drastically over the years.
"We must think big and dream even bigger," Trump said during his first inaugural address in 2017.
Tens of millions of people watched his first address in real time – both on television and through online streaming. But inaugural addresses and analysis of the speeches were not always available immediately. In 1789, when George Washington was sworn in for the first time, his speech was not available to the public until several days later.
Thomas Jefferson became the first president to have his inauguration speech printed in a newspaper the same day he gave his address in 1801. The National Intelligencer printed the speech on the morning of Jefferson’s inauguration.
James Polk was the first president to have his address reported by telegraph. It was also the first time a speech was shown in a newspaper illustration, by the Illustrated London News.
Drawings were the main visual for inaugurations for another 12 years, until photography became more frequently used. James Buchanan was the first president to have a photograph taken at his swearing-in. Another 40 years later, video was used to record inaugurations for the public.
William McKinley was the first president to appear on a movie camera during his inaugural address in 1901. Only silent films were available then, but that would change over the years as inaugural addresses began to incorporate audio.
In 1921, Warren Harding was the first to use loudspeakers to address the crowd attending his inauguration in person. Four years later, Calvin Coolidge was the first to have his inaugural broadcast nationally by radio. The White House Historical Association estimates his 1925 address reached more than 23 million radio listeners. Herbert Hoover gave the first multimedia inaugural. His 1929 address was the first recorded on a talking newsreel.
"It is a dedication and consecration under God to the highest office in service of our people," Hoover said during his address.
After World War II, an increasing number of Americans bought television sets for their homes. By 1949, almost all major cities had at least one local television station, and 4.2 million American homes had TV sets. Harry Truman became the first president to have his inauguration broadcast live that year. More than a decade later, John F. Kennedy had his address broadcast in color for the estimated 500,000 Americans who had color television sets.
"Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country," Kennedy famously said during his inauguration speech.
Ronald Reagan sought to bring the pageantry of inauguration events to Americans across the country. His inaugural committee hosted around 100 satellite inaugural balls that were broadcast in 32 cities.
"Almost 200 years ago, at the first inaugural, people came by stagecoach. This time, people all over America, millions of people, are attending this one by satellite," Reagan said during a ball at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
More than a decade later, Bill Clinton’s second inauguration in 1997 was available on the internet via livestream. Clinton had signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 just a year before at the Library of Congress.
"Ten years ago, the internet was the mystical province of physicists; today, it is a commonplace encyclopedia for millions of schoolchildren," Clinton said during his inaugural address. "As we look back at this remarkable century, we may ask, ‘Can we hope not just to follow, but even to surpass the achievements of the 20th century in America?'"
With the growth of the internet, social media use also expanded.
"We have always understood that when times change, so must we," Barack Obama said at his second inaugural address in 2013.
Obama was the first president to join Twitter. His 2013 address generated more than 1 million tweets. According to Pew Research, around 51% of Americans owned a smartphone at the time. When Trump was sworn into office in 2017, that percentage rose to 77%. Cellphone carriers installed extracellular antennas ahead of the address for the massive crowd that would be sharing photos and videos from the day’s events on social media.
When Joe Biden gave his address in 2021, his inaugural committee relied on technology for nearly every aspect of the event. The coronavirus pandemic forced much of Biden’s festivities to move online.
"The world is watching all of us today. So, here is my message to those beyond our borders: America has been tested, and we have come out stronger for it," Biden said during his address.
President-elect Donald Trump outlined his plans for the opening days of his administration during his Victory Rally in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, vowing an onslaught of executive orders that will make voters "extremely happy."
"You're going to see something tomorrow. You're going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy. Lots of them, lots of them. We have to set our country on a proper course. By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our borders will have come to a halt and all the illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home," Trump said during his rally on Sunday.
Fox News Digital exclusively reported earlier Sunday that Trump will sign more than 200 executive actions on his first day in office.
"Every radical and foolish executive order of the Biden administration will be repealed within hours of when I take the oath of office," Trump said. "You're going to have a lot of fun watching television tomorrow."
Trump vowed that he will make "remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Doctor Martin Luther King Jr" publicly available. He also vowed to start constructing the "Great Iron Dome missile defense shield," as well as to get North Carolina back on its feet after hurricanes ripped through the state last year. As for January 6 protesters who were charged or convicted, Trump hinted they will be "very, very happy."
"The American people have given us their trust, and in return, we're going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history. To implement this historic agenda, I have assembled an all-star cabinet of patriots and visionary reformers for America, and together we will win, win, win for America," he said before giving a shout out to his cabinet picks.
Trump's speech also focused on the immigration crisis that throttled the nation, vowing again that his administration will carry out a massive deportation operation.
"Very soon we'll begin the largest deportation operation in American history. Larger, even larger than President, Dwight Eisenhower, who has the record right now," he said.
"And we're going to end the Biden war and American energy and unleash our energy resources to quickly defeat inflation and achieve the lowest cost of energy and electricity on Earth. And we're going to be using our emergency powers to allow countries and entrepreneurs and people with a lot of money to build big plants," he said.
Trump's speech is his last as president-elect ahead of taking the oath of office for the second time and returning to the Oval Office on Monday. A bevy of longtime high-profile Trump supporters joined Trump at the rally to deliver remarks or perform, including musicians Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood, as well as UFC CEO Dana White, tech billionaire Elon Musk and actor Jon Voight.
"What an honor. What an honor it is for me to be up here in front of you. Great men and women who've all come here to celebrate the greatest win of all time. The greatest of all time. The victory we were all fighting for," Voight said from the Capital One Arena on Sunday afternoon ahead of Trump.
"To save our country, our democracy. And I'm so grateful that I'm able to say that Donald J. Trump is the 47th president of the United States of America. And now he will make America thrive again. He will make America great again, safer again. And we the people will honor our flag again," he continued. Trump recently announced Voight will serve as a special ambassador "to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California."
Trump also brushed off President Biden taking victory for securing the hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas last week. Hamas began releasing hostages on Sunday ahead of Trump's rally.
"I'm glad to report that the first hostages have just been released. And who knows what's going to happen. I know that Biden thinks that they made the deal," Trump said while supporters booed Biden's name.
Biden took credit for inking the cease fire deal in his opening remarks of his final address to the nation last week. Credit for reaching the agreement, however, was bolstered by the incoming Trump administration, according to sources who told Fox Digital that a recent meeting between Trump's incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly played a pivotal role in the deal.
Trump thanked Witkoff for his efforts to help secure the deal during the rally, while arguing war would not have broken out in the Middle East if he had been president.
Trump wrapped up his speech vowing to Make America Great Again – noting "it all starts tomorrow" after his inaugration.
"We put America first, and it all starts tomorrow. When I raise my hand or they vote to be sworn as your. We'll be sworn in tomorrow. We're all going to be sworn in together. That's the way I look at it," he said.
Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, on Sunday, doubled down on his vow to oppose President-elect Trump's sweeping reform aimed at removing dangerous illegal immigrants accused of crimes from the U.S. once he returns to the Oval Office on Monday.
In preparation for a change in federal administration, the mayor’s office has assured the city would continue to comply with the 2017 Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement.
On Sunday, his opposition continued to ring loud and clear.
"Chicago stands strong: regardless of the circumstances, our commitment to protecting and supporting this city remains unwavering," Johnson wrote in a social media post. "We will continue to fight for the justice and safety of all who call this place home."
The mayor also shared comments he made back in November, after Trump won the election.
In a nearly minute and ten second clip, Johnson said he and other city officials were going to defend the people of Chicago, telling those in attendance Trump’s threats are not just toward new arrivals and undocumented families, but also Black families.
He also accused Trump of wanting to destroy public education and "leveling opportunities for families who are descendants of slaves."
"We’re going to stand up, and we’re going to protect undocumented individuals," Johnson said. "We’re going to protect Black folks, brown folks, Asian folks… Listen, the anti-sentiment that exists in this political space is unconscionable and it’s dangerous.
"Whether it’s anti-Black or antisemitic, we’re going to protect people, and we’re going to invest in people," Johnson continued. "The city of Chicago will be better, stronger and safer despite who’s in the White House."
Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.
Earlier this month, Johnson released guidelines for how to handle visits from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), should officials from the agency enter city property.
Johnson’s guidelines advise, "Contact your agency or department’s designated attorney or general counsel for further guidance. Contact the highest ranking official or designated supervisor onsite and do not take any action until that person arrives."
The guidance says to demand copies of warrants, not to consent to ICE entering "any private or ‘sensitive’ locations," but not to interfere with any search, even if refused. There are further recommendations, including taking notes and keeping contemporaneous written records.
Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants are residing in Chicago, despite residents pleading with city officials about how there are not enough resources to provide for them. More than 20,000 migrants have arrived in the city since August 2022, according to previous reports from Fox 32 Chicago, and thousands are in shelters.
Sheltering migrants has drawn ire from residents after it has reportedly cost the city $574.5 million since August 2022. At a previous city council meeting on December 3rd, residents objected to an approximately $60 million property tax increase that was proposed to help officials overcome a $1 billion budget shortfall by the end of last year.
Fox News Digital’s Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Trump will sign more than 200 executive actions on his first day in office—a massive, record-setting first wave of policy priorities focused on border security, energy, reducing the cost of living for American families, ending DEI programs across the federal government, and more, Fox News Digital has learned.
A senior administration official who is familiar with the executive actions and authorized to brief Fox News Digital said the president will sign multiple "omnibus" executive orders that each contain dozens of major executive actions.
"The president is issuing a historic series of executive orders and actions that will fundamentally reform the American government, including the complete and total restoration of American sovereignty," the official told Fox News Digital.
On day one, the president will declare a national border emergency; direct the U.S. military to work with the Department of Homeland Security to fully secure the southern border; and establish a national priority to eliminate all criminal cartels operating on U.S. soil.
Trump will close the border to all illegal aliens via proclamation and declare a national emergency at the border, Fox News Digital has learned.
Trump will also create task forces for the protection of homeland security with officers from the FBI, ICE, CEA, and more to "fully eradicate the presence of criminal cartels."
Trump will also direct designations of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, which the official said will unlock new authorities to achieve the Trump homeland security mission.
Fox News Digital has learned that Trump will re-institute "Remain in Mexico," "Catch and Release," and direct the military to construct a new phase of the border wall, as well as grant emergency authorities to suspend the entry of illegal aliens across the southwest border, allowing for individuals apprehended to be "swiftly returned to their countries of origin."
As for energy, Trump will "fully unleash" Alaskan energy, which the official said is pivotal and essential to U.S. national security.
The senior official told Fox News Digital that the energy executive order deals with "every single energy policy," and addresses liquid, natural gas, ports, fracking, pipelines, permitting and more, while also terminating President Biden's policies which "have constrained U.S. energy supply."
The official also said Trump will fully reform the federal bureaucracy by reestablishing presidential control over the career, federal workforce and make clear to federal workers that they can be removed from posts for failing to comply with executive directives.
The official said Trump will sign an executive order to strengthen control over senior government officials and implement a new merit-based hiring review. Trump will also take action to return federal workers to in-person work.
The official also said Trump will end the "weaponization of the federal government" and restore freedom of speech and "end federal censorship."
Trump, on his first day, will also suspend the security clearances for the 51 national security officials who "lied" about Hunter BIden's laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Trump is also expected to establish biological sex definitions; rename historical places like the "Gulf of America," and more.
Trump, on day one, will also end all Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs across the federal government.
Trump will also establish a new Department of Government Efficiency hiring freeze; gain control over foreign aid and NGO funding; and more.
"He is reasserting muscular control of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government," the official told Fox News Digital.
As for reducing the cost for American families, Trump will sign a specific presidential memorandum directing all agencies and departments to remove all federal actions that increase costs for families and consumers, which the official told Fox News Digital will be the beginning of Trump’s "historic de-regulatory effort" of his second term.
Trump, on his first day, will also declare a national energy emergency and pause all offshore wind leases.
Meanwhile, Trump will end the electric vehicle mandate; end the Green New Deal; withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord; and roll back more of President Biden's actions and orders.
"This is a massive, record-setting, unmatched first wave," the official told Fox News Digital. "Even after this, there is a whole host in the cue to continue the restoration of America."
The official added: "This is the most extensive list of executive actions in American history all guided by a relentless commitment to deliver on the campaign promise."
The official told Fox News Digital that "everything" voters voted for "is being translated into executive policy."
"There is a massive federal workforce that has been moving its objectives at expense of the American people--and President Trump is taking command, saying you will serve the American people and only American people," the official said. "This is about stopping corrupt, abusive behavior and re-focusing the government on its fundamental duties to the American people."
Incoming Trump administration officials told Fox News Digital that the overarching theme to his day one actions is "promises made, promises kept."
"As soon as President Trump places his hand on the Bible and swears the Oath to the United States Constitution, the Golden Age of America will begin," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "The American people will have a leader who will deliver on the promises he made to restore our country’s greatness."
The president, on Sunday, previewed one of his day one executive orders related to the popular video-sharing app TikTok, which was forced to go dark in the United States following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump said he will sign an order on Monday that will "extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security." Trump also said the order would confirm that there "will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."
Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to announce a run for governor in his home state of Ohio by the last week of January, a source close to the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur told Fox News Digital.
The development on his timetable comes two days after multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk is co-leader of President-elect Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, was likely to launch a gubernatorial campaign "shortly."
"Vivek’s base plan remains [the] same: to get accomplishments at DOGE and then announce a run for governor shortly," an Ohio operative familiar with Ramaswamy’s thinking told Fox News on Friday.
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.
DeWine on Friday announced that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by former Sen. JD Vance until earlier this month, when the vice president-elect stepped down ahead of Monday's inauguration.
Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate.
DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.
Ramaswamy, 39, who launched his presidential campaign in February 2023, saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.
Ramaswamy campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."
He dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.
Ramaswamy was named along with Musk, the world's richest person, to lead DOGE, in an announcement in November by Trump.
Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.
