President Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony Monday featured the largest, most complex security footprint of any inauguration in U.S. history.
The nation's capital was transformed seemingly overnight from a pedestrian-friendly city into a daunting and impenetrable fortress – the result of a multi-agency task force that erected 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, coordinated aerial surveillance and drones, and saw the deployment of tens of thousands of law enforcement, military personnel, undercover agents, and national guard trucks across D.C.
The impressive, whole-of-government security effort on Inauguration Day was unprecedented, and not without reason: Trump was the victim of two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign — including a shooter who came so close to him as to nick his ear — and a domestic threat landscape that was heightened further by the terrorist-inspired attack in New Orleans and the execution-style killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan late last year.
It's notable, then, that this year’s sprawling security footprint did not expressly include one key component considered fundamental to U.S. tradition: The naming of a designated survivor.
In D.C., the tightly coordinated federal protection efforts were carefully planned long ahead of Trump's inauguration ceremony by the Secret Service and many other federal agencies.
It's both a nod to recent security concerns, and more largely an effort to protect the U.S. body politic, foreign dignitaries, donors, and thousands of attendees from any mass catastrophe or threat.
The designated survivor, who in a catastrophic event would bear the responsibility of leading the U.S. in the aftermath of a crisis, is typically a Cabinet officer when major security events put elected officials all in one spot, such as inaugurations and State of the Union addresses.
Previous designated survivors have included former DHS secretary Jeh Johnson, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was tapped for the role during President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009.
Gates, a George W. Bush appointee, was kept on by Obama and served in his Pentagon role until July 2011, according to his official Defense Department biography.
The survivor's location, and sometimes identity, remains confidential until after the event disperses and its attendees have safely returned home. In high-profile events, a broader contingency plan is in place.
As Garrett Graff reported in 2016, Gates's role as designated survivor during Obama's inauguration also included the support of another government heavyweight — James Clapper, then the undersecretary of intelligence — who stowed away during the ceremony deep in an underground government bunker in Pennsylvania, a backup to the backup, if you will, and a nod at the detailed succession plan carefully crafted by a group defense, intelligence, and other federal agencies over the span of some 40-plus years.
So it was notable that no designated survivor was named during the 47th presidential inauguration.
It's also possible the event, which was held indoors and thus restricted to the public and to members of the news media, was limited enough as not to warrant the designated survivor.
Ahead of the event, FBI and Secret Service personnel stressed the stringent security measures in place and the tight vetting of any ticketed attendees.
David Sundberg of the FBI's Washington Field Office told Fox News earlier this week that the bureau was not tracking "any specific or credible threats" for Inauguration Day.
"All attendees will undergo screening," said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington Field Office.
These individuals told Fox News that the fencing alone is more than any other designated National Special Security Event in the past.
"Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public interested in attending the inauguration," McCool said ahead of the inauguration — a protocol also applied to attendees of the modified Capital One festivities, which were moved inside due to frigid temperatures.
Neither the White House, DHS nor the FBI immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the absence of a designated survivor.
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
A reported rising star in the Democratic Party, who is being recruited to run for office in Texas, has a social media footprint littered with racially charged posts as well as numerous crude comments about President Trump.
Accomplished singer and songwriter Bobby Pulido is being "heavily recruited," according to a recent Politico report, to run as a Democrat in Texas’ 15th Congressional District and Pulido himself has said that he intends to put his singing career on hold to run for political office in 2026.
Pulido’s social media presence is littered with examples of racially charged posts along with vulgar posts about President-elect Trump which are likely to be used against him if he decides to run for Congress.
"How convenient that Wikileaks only hacked the democrat party," Pulido said in a reply to the GOP Asian American account on X, then known as Twitter, in 2016. "Open your Asian eyes. That's more rigged than anything."
Numerous examples of Pulido using crude language to attack Trump can be found on his page, which would presumably be unpopular with Republican voters in Texas, a state he won by 14 points in November while making historically significant strides with Hispanic voters in the Lone Star State.
In 2015, a Twitter user asked Pulido in Spanish, "What would you say to people who bully me because I listen to your music?"
It is unclear what specific political race Pulido is planning on entering, but he has made it clear he intends to launch his candidacy in the near future and Politico reported he would likely be considered to run in Texas' 15th Congressional District against Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz.
"Growing up I was always intrigued by the idea of public service," Pulido said in a recent livestream discussing retiring from music. "In 2026 I’ll be running for public office in the attempt to fulfill my lifelong dream to serve my people."
Fox News Digital reached out to Pulido, but he did not respond to a request for comment.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The White House’s Office of Personnel Management notified heads of agencies and departments that they must begin taking steps to close all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices by the end of the day Wednesday and place government workers in those offices on paid leave, Fox News Digital has learned.
Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management Charles Ezell sent a memo to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies Tuesday evening directing them to, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22 to:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reportedly reassigned multiple senior officials across various divisions ahead of the anticipated confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nomination for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
Fox News is told that multiple career staffers in the criminal and national security divisions at the DOJ were removed from their current posts and reassigned.
While it is difficult to fire a career person "just because," reassigning is possible, and that appears to have happened.
Of those who were moved to other positions within the DOJ was Bruce Schwartz, head of the office of internal affairs, which handles extradition matters, a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press. The same person reportedly told the wire service that about 20 officials had been reassigned.
Also, reportedly moved was George Toscas, a veteran deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division who not only helped oversee major terrorism and espionage investigations but also was a key figure in politically motivated probes over the last 10 years.
Toscas was involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information as well as the investigation into Trump’s possession of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Toscas’ reassignment was confirmed to The Associated Press by another person familiar with the matter.
"He has seen everything in both counterterrorism and counterintelligence," a former colleague of Toscas’ who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post. "There is no one in the department who knows as much about prosecuting and investigating terrorists and spies as George Toscas."
The Washington Post also learned from sources familiar with the matter that Eun Young Choi, another deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division, was reassigned within the department, and was notified of the change by way of email on Monday afternoon.
Hours after Trump took the oath of office, the DOJ removed at least four senior officials from the division that operates the nation’s immigration courts, which are currently backlogged.
The Washington Post reported that there is a 120-day moratorium on some staff reassignments after newly confirmed leaders begin their appointments, under federal guidelines. Bondi has not yet been confirmed; therefore, the moratorium is not yet in effect in the DOJ.
Currently, James McHenry is running the DOJ as acting U.S. attorney general after Merrick Garland left the department on Friday.
The reasons for the moves were not immediately known, though it is common for a new administration to appoint its own hires to lead the DOJ.
The moves could also foreshadow additional changes, given Trump’s interest in the department, which investigated him during his first term and indicted him twice last year in separate cases that never reached trial and were withdrawn after Trump’s election win in November.
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday announced the deployment of personnel and equipment to various maritime borders in the United States, a day after President Donald Trump dismissed the military branch's leader.
In a statement, Coast Guard Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday said coast guardsmenwould work to detect and deter illegal migration in support of Trump's executive orders issued this week.
"The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty," Lunday said. "Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets—cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces—to increase Coast Guard presence and focus…"
Key areas where authorities will focus their efforts include the waters off Florida to deter and prevent migrants from Haiti and Cuba from entering the U.S., and maritime borders around Alaska, Hawaii, as well as the U.S. territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Somoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Lunday also wrote in the release that the agency would target the "maritime border between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America."
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico. In the federal executive order: "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," Section 4 rebrands the "area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico… an integral asset to our once burgeoning nation …and an indelible part of America" – as the "Gulf of America."
The reference appears to be the first time a federal agency has acknowledged the name change.
The Coast Guard said it would also target the Bahamas and South Florida, and between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition, the Coast Guard will support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities on maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border.
"Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border," a news release states.
On Monday, Trump also issued a flurry of executive orders cracking down on illegal immigration.
Among the many charges was the termination of Adm. Linda Lee Fagan, 61, who was fired by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman.
Huffman didn't cite a reason for the dismissal, but a senior DHS official told Fox News that Fagan was removed for failure to address border security threats, insufficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in acquiring key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and an "erosion of trust" over the mishandling and cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor, which was the Coast Guard's internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.
Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Todd Young, R-Indiana are urging historical museums in Washington, D.C., to "respect" the First Amendment rights of pro-life protesters who are expected to descend upon the city on Friday.
"This peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights has historically provided participants with a positive, welcoming experience in our nation’s capital," the senators wrote in a letter to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Two years ago, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum booted several Catholic students and their chaperones for wearing pro-life attire. Students and chaperones from Our Lady of the Rosary School in Greenville, South Carolina, traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National March for Life. The group stood out in matching blue beanies emblazoned with the words "Rosary PRO-LIFE."
At the time, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), representing some students' parents, claimed museum staff mocked the group, used expletives, and argued the museum was a "neutral zone" prohibiting political or religious messages.
In a settlement reached on March 18, 2024, the Smithsonian Institution resolved a lawsuit with students removed from the National Air and Space Museum for wearing pro-life beanies. As part of the agreement, the Smithsonian committed to providing the students a tour and an apology, updating its policy on clothing with religious and political speech for public-facing security staff, sharing video footage and investigative details of the incident, and paying $50,000.
"While we are pleased that the victims of this harassment received justice, it clearly never should have happened in the first place. No sum of money could truly undue the atrocious acts: officers bearing the badge and force of the federal government openly intimidated and violated the First Amendment rights of peaceful students," the senators wrote to the museums last week.
"Moreover, American taxpayers footed the bill for the Smithsonian Institution employees’ egregious behavior and apparent lack of adequate training. This cannot happen again," they said.
That same year, NARA settled a lawsuit in December 2023 after staff reportedly asked visitors to remove pro-life clothing during the March for Life protest earlier that year. The visitors, represented also by the ACLJ, claimed their First Amendment rights were violated. NARA apologized, admitted the incident breached its policies, and agreed to pay $10,000 in legal fees while implementing staff training to prevent future violations.
The senators are urging the institutions to answer questions about whether they have honored prior settlements regarding the treatment of visitors displaying religious or political messages and whether staff have been reminded of policies protecting free speech. NARA is also being asked to commit to maintaining these protections after a key injunction expires in January 2025. Both agencies have been asked to provide detailed explanations of their actions and preparations.
In an email to Fox News Digital, Smithsonian Institution spokesperson Pamela Baker-Masson said, "We will correspond with the Senators."
NARA did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a full and unconditional pardon of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the anonymous marketplace website Silk Road, which the president promised to do on the campaign trail "on day one."
"I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbright to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross," Trump wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!"
Ulbricht was convicted because his website, which was founded in 2011 and used cryptocurrency for payments, was used to sell illegal drugs, even though he did not sell any of the illicit substances himself.
Republican Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs announced his interest Tuesday in running for governor in 2026 as the GOP looks to defeat incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Biggs, an ally of President Donald Trump and former chair of the conservative Freedom Caucus, filed a statement of interest, which is required before he can start collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot.
However, filing a statement doesn't mean a candidate will follow through.
In a statement posted on X, Biggs said he "will bring my experience home to my native state to help it fulfill its tremendous capacity. I have a firm understanding of what the state needs to thrive."
Biggs chaired the Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2021 and was one of eight Republicans who helped oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in 2023.
If Biggs does run, it could result in a fight between him and Karrin Taylor Robson, also a Trump ally.
"Are you running for governor? I think so Karrin, because, if you do, you’re going to have my support, OK?" Trump told a crowd last month at Turning Point USA’s Americafest event in Phoenix.
Robson ran for governor in 2022 but lost to Kari Lake, who Trump endorsed. Lake lost that year's election to Hobbs and recently lost a bid for the U.S. Senate.
In his statement, Biggs said he looks "forward to conversing with my fellow Arizonans as I consider this weighty decision."
State Sen. Jake Hoffman, a Republican and founding chair of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, endorsed Biggs on X.
"Andy will make an INCREDIBLE Governor and ensure Arizona is safe & prosperous for everyone," he wrote.
President Donald Trump revoked former National Security Advisor John Bolton's Secret Service protection after his inauguration as the 47th president on Monday, Bolton told Fox News Digital.
"I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service," Bolton said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. "Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021. "
Bolton has faced threats from Iran going back years, including an alleged plot to assassinate him in 2021 and the Department of Justice subsequently charging a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the plot in 2022. Trump had ousted Bolton from his first administration in 2019, and Biden had granted him a security detail in 2021.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House regarding Bolton's claim, but did not immediately receive a reply.
"The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hit man to target me. That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump's own assassination," Bolton continued in his statement. "The American people can judge for themselves which President made the right call."
The Iranian threats against Bolton were likely sparked by the January 2020 U.S. strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, the Department of Justice reported in 2022.
"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House," Trump tweeted in 2019. "I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week."
In the following years, Trump repeatedly has slammed Bolton, including claiming he would have sparked "World War Six," and calling him "one of the dumbest people in Government" back in 2023.
Bolton also has taken his shots at Trump, claiming in a 2020 interview that Trump lacks "the competency to carry out the job."
"I don’t think he’s fit for office," Bolton said in 2020. "I don’t think he has the competency to carry out the job. There isn’t really any guiding principle that I was able to discern, other than what’s good for Donald Trump’s reelection."
