Vice President JD Vance shared that although he was "surprised" by Pope Francis’ criticism on the Trump administration’s immigration policy, he believes the pontiff is "fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians."
While speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Vance – a convert to Catholicism – said that although he disagrees with Francis and some Catholic bishops on certain stances, he and his children pray for the pope daily.
Francis, 88, is currently suffering from pneumonia and an infection in both lungs and is being treated in Rome's Gemelli Hospital.
Earlier this month, Francis issued a major rebuke of the Trump administration’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and "will end badly."
Francis wrote a letter to the U.S. bishops, in which he appeared to criticize Vance's religious argument in defense of the deportation policies.
Despite this, Vance shared a message of unity between Catholics and Christians, saying, "I don't think it's good for us as Christians to constantly fight with one another over every single controversy in the church."
"Sometimes we should let this stuff play out a little bit and try to live our faith as best we can, under the dictates of our faith and under the dictates of our spiritual leaders but not hold them to the standards of social media influencers because they're not," he added. "My goal is not to litigate when I'm right and when they're wrong or vice versa. My goal is to maybe articulate the way that I think about being a Christian in public life when you also have religious leaders in public life who have a spiritual duty to speak on the issues of the day."
The vice president even led attendees in a prayer for the pope.
"I believe that the pope is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership, and he's a man who cares about the spiritual direction of the faith," said Vance. "Every day me and my children have said a prayer for the Holy Father, and we pray for his health, and we pray for his comfort as he deals with what appears to be a pretty serious health crisis."
He shared a significant memory of his of the pope’s message of courage and hope in the earliest days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which began just weeks after his daughter’s birth.
"I will always remember the Holy Father, whether he makes his way through this illness - and I certainly hope that he does - I will always remember the Holy Father in March of 2020, at a time of incredible stress for really the entire world … the Holy Father standing in an empty Saint Peter's Square, holding the Eucharist above his head and giving a sermon that I return to consistently, because it was incredibly meaningful to me at the time, [and] it remains meaningful today."
Concluding, Vance said, "If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room and millions of faithful Catholics in this country who are praying for him as he weathers his particular storm."
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans are demanding records showing the extent to which the Biden administration used taxpayer money to defend its position that student-athletes are employees of the universities for which they play.
Representatives Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Rick Allen, R-Ga., made the request in a letter to Marvin Kaplan, the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) newly appointed chairman, and acting General Counsel William Cowen. They demanded a full accounting of the expenditures incurred during the Biden administration's years-long case against the University of Southern California, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA.
President Joe Biden's NLRB argued the entities intentionally obscured the rights of college athletes by labeling them "student-athletes" and not "employees."
The request for expenditure reports from Walberg, who chairs the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Allen, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, comes as there is a growing appetite on Capitol Hill to enact reforms for the NCAA's new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules.
The rule change allowed student-athletes to profit from their NIL, which was previously prohibited by the NCAA. Walberg and Allen's letter said the expenditure records will "provide important assistance to Congress in determining whether legislative changes are warranted."
"The Committee is concerned that the Biden-Harris NLRB spent significant taxpayer resources pursuing a case meant to curry favor with union interests for nearly three years," the letter states. "The outcome could have upended intercollegiate athletics and stripped numerous scholarship opportunities from American students."
The NLRB's general counsel during the Biden administration, Jennifer Abruzzo, issued a September 2021 memo explaining that the National Labor Relations Act, the nation's primary federal law protecting union organizing, "fully support[s] the conclusion that certain Players at Academic Institutions are statutory employees." The announcement came just a few months after the NCAA began letting students profit from NIL after public pressure and state court cases.
While the change in how college athletes are treated has been welcomed by many, others have been concerned about the move's potential implications. Earlier this month, the Trump administration rescinded the Biden administration NLRB's September 2021 memo insisting college athletes be recognized as employees under federal labor laws.
The Trump administration this month also revoked guidance issued by President Joe Biden on his way out of the White House that required schools to distribute direct NIL payments equally to female and male athletes.
Aaron Withe, an expert in government unionization and a former college athlete, said he fears continued momentum toward viewing college athletes as strictly employees will destroy college sports.
"Are unions going to step in between a coach and their athletes for yelling at the players, or because practice went long or because they're making them run an exceptional amount of lines?" Withe wondered. "If you're represented by a union, they're now your bargaining agent. You have no ability to go represent yourself in anything with the university if it is deemed they are your employer. You've got no ability to go negotiate with them anymore."
Withe pointed out that the move could also lead schools to cut sports programs if they are not generating enough revenue, will affect the long-held tradition that meritocracy is the root of athletic competition and increase the financial burden on schools hoping to keep their athletic programs competitive.
"Public institutions, they're already forking over a cost for the NIL deals. Providing college athletes the same protections as typical employees is just going to increase their tax burden because it's going to be paying players that ordinarily wouldn't be getting paid. Schools are going to be forced to pay those guys, so there's going to be a bigger tax bill associated with it," Withe said.
"Attracting top-tier talent is going to be the hardest thing," he added. "Because you've got a contract among all of your athletes — let's say, for football or basketball or whatever — you can't then go and bring in a superstar, a stud quarterback, because you can't pay them the same level that you could without the union. … Basically, money would sort of have to go over to the bigger revenue-generating sports to compensate everyone equally."
The letter from Walberg and Allen added that, under an employee-employer relationship, student-athletes could be forced to start paying federal taxes on any scholarship funds they receive.
Proponents of the move to classify college athletes as employees say it is high time student-athletes begin getting their piece of the financial pie.
"Colleges and universities have profited off student athletes for decades. It’s the government's job — not its burden — to make sure student athletes' rights are respected and they get their fair share," Karla Walter, senior fellow for Inclusive Economy at the Center for American Progress, told Fox News Digital.
"The Senate and House labor committees should be more worried about the fact that the Trump administration has effectively shuttered the agency charged with enforcing most Americans’ labor rights."
Walter added that unionization is viewed favorably among those who don't have the option to be in one.
"Half of non-union workers say they would join a union if they could, but unionization rates hover around 6% in the private sector," she said.
"Student-athletes generate tens of millions of dollars for their universities," said Andrew Stettner, director of economy and jobs at The Century Foundation. "Just like anyone else whose labor enriches a broader entity, they have a right under the National Labor Relations Act to collectively bargain for things like revenue sharing, workplace conditions and protections from injury,"
Last year, the GOP-controlled Committee on Education and Workforce passed legislation to prevent college athletes from being considered employees, but it went no further. Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, a proponent of NIL reform, has signaled plans to reform the system.
There is no current federal legislation on the books regulating the NIL framework. However, numerous states have enacted laws to permit NIL payments for recruiting, with the first coming in 2019, two years before the NCAA bowed to pressure and changed its rules.
"Right now, the current world of college sports is the wild West," Cruz said during a podcast in November. "Name image and likeness, open transfer portals. We are going to address it."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to resign on Friday after a disastrous Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, after which the president asked him to leave.
"He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change," Graham, a longtime advocate for Ukraine and foreign policy hawk, told reporters at the White House.
The South Carolina Republican called the Friday meeting a "complete utter disaster."
"I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country," Graham said.
He slammed the "disrespectful" Oval Office display from Zelenskyy, going as far as saying, "I don't know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again."
According to the senator, he doesn't think Americans saw the Ukrainian president as someone they feel comfortable going "into business with," following the televised dispute.
"The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top."
Graham stressed that the Ukrainian-American relationship is "vitally important." However, he cast doubt on whether Zelenskyy could ever "do a deal with the United States."
Following the public fallout between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance, the Ukrainian president's speaking event at the Hudson Institute for Friday afternoon was abruptly canceled.
He is still slated to appear on Fox News' Special Report at 6 p.m. for an exclusive interview with Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier.
After the Friday meeting, Zelenskyy wrote on X, "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS. Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."
He has yet to react to Graham's call for his resignation. A representative for Zelenskyy did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Ukraine President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy departed the White House ahead of schedule on Friday, following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance that culminated in the U.S. leader showing Zelenskyy the door.
Zelenskyy was seen hopping into his SUV outside the White House on Friday afternoon after he got into a heated exchange with the president and vice president in a meeting that was intended to bring Ukraine closer to ending a yearslong war with Russia.
The Ukraine president traveled to the U.S. on Friday to meet with Trump at the White House, just hours after Trump celebrated that a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia was in its final stages.
The Trump administration, as part of the peace deal, was working to ink an agreement with Ukraine that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support the U.S. has offered the nation since war broke out in 2022. Instead, the deal was not signed and a planned press conference was canceled after Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House, a White House official told Fox News.
TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON 'SPECIAL REPORT,' 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS
Zelenskyy was scheduled to speak before the Hudson Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, late Friday afternoon, but event coordinators reportedly announced the speech was canceled.
He is still slated to join Fox News' Bret Baier for an exclusive interview on "Special Report" at 6 p.m. ET.
The White House meeting grew tense in its final approximate 10 minutes, after Vance said that peace would be reached between Russia and Ukraine through U.S. diplomacy efforts.
"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance told Zelenskyy. "Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country."
"Have you've ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?" Zelenskyy shot back.
"I've actually watched and seen the stories and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour," Vance continued. "Mr. President, do you disagree that you've had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it's respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to, trying to prevent the destruction of your country?"
Zelenskyy continued that under war, "everybody has problems, even you," and that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."
"Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump shot back at Zelenskyy.
"You're gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump added at another point during the exchange. "You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."
Vance interjected, asking Zelenskyy if he had "said thank you once this entire meeting."
"You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October — offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country," Vance said.
"The problem is I've empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States," Trump said before the meeting concluded. "And your people are very brave. But you're either going to make a deal or we're out. And if we're out, you'll fight it out. I don't think it's going to be pretty, but you'll fight it out. But you don't have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position. But you're not acting at all thankful. And that's not a nice thing. I'll be honest. That's not a nice thing."
Trump posted to his Truth Social account shortly after the meeting that Zelenskyy was "not ready for Peace."
"We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today," Trump wrote. "Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure."
"It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," he wrote. "I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."
Zelenskyy posted his own social media post Friday afternoon, profusely thanking U.S. officials for their support.
"Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," he posted to X. "Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."
Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
The planned release of the MLK and RFK assassination files has garnered renewed interest amid fallout from the widely panned release of Epstein files by the Department of Justice on Thursday evening.
In accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order in January to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the attorney general were expected to release their proposed plan for the declassification of the JFK files on Feb. 7.
Likewise, in line with the order, the plan to release the RFK and MLK files is expected on March 9.
The RFK and MLK files' release plan deadline comes just weeks after the Department of Justice revealed a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files Thursday, with many of the documents already having been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former lover and convicted accomplice. The lack of new material provoked criticism of the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files – and questions about what the RFK and MLK documents could hold.
Gerald Posner, author of "Case Closed," told Fox News Digital he expects "there will be news in there, but it's not going to be something that turns upside down our understanding of what really happened with those cases."
After committing earlier this week to release Epstein-related documents sometime Thursday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent FBI Director Kash Patel a fiery letter accusing federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents.
"I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents," Bondi wrote. "Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein."
Bondi said she had previously requested the full Epstein file prior to Patel's confirmation to head the FBI last week, and had received approximately 200 pages of files – fewer than the number of pages released last year as part of a civil lawsuit connected to Maxwell.
"People's expectations sort of got too high, based upon the executive order that the president signed," Posner said on the Epstein file release.
Bondi said the FBI had never disclosed that those files existed and gave the agency a Friday-morning deadline for the documents to be turned over.
"By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained," Bondi wrote. "There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access."
Patel posted on X on Thursday evening, saying, "The FBI is entering a new era – one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice."
Patel stated, "There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned – and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them."
The FBI director also stated that the agency would be bringing "everything we find" to the DOJ to share the information with the American public, "as it should be."
Trump's declassification executive order came after he promised to declassify the documents upon entering his second term while on the campaign trail, saying at the time, "When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth."
Trump had initially promised to release the last batch of documents during his first term, but such efforts ultimately dissipated. Trump then blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination, following several CIA and FBI appeals.
Fox News' David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX: A group of top Republican lawmakers, MAGA world personalities and key allies of President Donald Trump are descending on Washington D.C., to gather and chart even more accomplishments under his leadership in his first 100 days.
Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee will be guests at an event next week, hosted by Rescuing the American Dream (RAD), a group run by Scott allies.
"The First 100 Days: How Conservatives Can Help President Trump Accomplish His Agenda" will also feature Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and businessman and star of Shark Tank Kevin O'Leary, among others.
"Rescuing the American Dream is looking forward to hosting this event next week to highlight the accomplishments of the Trump Administration and Republicans in Washington and plan for more successes to come. We’re looking forward to hearing from leaders from across Washington and the conservative movement for in depth and insightful conversations," RAD spokesperson Chris Hartline said in a statement.
The guests will come together in the U.S. capital over March 5 and 6 to discuss how they can best work with the Trump administration to deliver more wins in the president's first 100 days, which he will hit on April 30.
The event will specifically explore how allies can best assist Trump in the crucial budget reconciliation process on Capitol Hill, in American business and manufacturing and through shutting down lawfare in and out of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Fox News Digital has learned.
Other speakers include Trump-world familiar faces regulars such as Alex Bruesewitz, campaign advisor to the president and CEO of X Strategies LLC and Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) Executive Director Alex Latcham, as well as Tiffany Smiley, Founder of Endeavor Pac and Political Commentator, Founder and CEO of American Majority Ned Ryun and Sentinel Action Fund President and Founder Jessica Anderson.
After an action-packed first month of his second administration, Trump shows no signs of slowing down. He will mark 50 days in office on March 11, followed by 100 on April 30.
With Republican control of both houses of Congress, the president has more ability to usher through his policies than ever before, and many GOP lawmakers are working to do their part and help rack up swift wins for Trump.
House Republicans who support Ukraine were left alarmed after an explosive Oval Office meeting ended with Kyiv's leader being booted from the White House.
"The U.S. is now on the wrong side of this war, against freedom," Rep. Don Bacon, R-NE, told Fox News Digital.
Bacon compared President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to Democrats during the Cold War, a time when Republicans were the significantly more hawkish party on Russia.
"Trump and Vance sound like the Democrats from the 1970s and 1980s. Role reversals. I'm still with Reagan," Bacon said.
Another GOP lawmaker granted anonymity to speak freely placed blame on both sides, calling the meeting "a missed opportunity for both Ukraine and the United States and a big win for Vladimir Putin."
Zelenskyy was expected to sign a deal with Trump on Friday to give the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine's supply of critical minerals.
But that appears to have skewed off course after the exceptionally testy meeting for both sides, where Trump told Zelenskyy he was acting "ungrateful" for the U.S.'s aid against Russia's invasion.
"You don't have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards," Trump told him. "You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country."
Vance accused Zelenskyy of trying to litigate their issues in front of the U.S. media, adding, "Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country, please."
Zelenskyy shot back, "Have you ever been to Ukraine? Have you seen the problems we have? Come once."
Sources who spoke with Fox News Digital said the meeting left them stunned and concerned for Ukraine's future.
"Sane Republicans are pissed," a Republican foreign policy source told Fox News Digital. "[The Russian government] will break every agreement, cheat, lie, and come right back for everything the minute we look away. If Trump thinks his rapport with Putin will change a thousand years of Russian mindset, he’ll find out the hard way."
A senior House GOP aide said, "What happened in the White House today was a disgrace. We are actively emboldening Putin and ceding U.S. strength and global leadership by turning our backs on Ukraine."
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., wrote on X without implicating either side more than the other, "As someone who fundamentally believes that Russia, China, and Iran are not our friends or allies and continues to believe it is important to support Ukraine, it was extremely short-sighted to engage in that type of exchange in front of the US and international press as you work towards an agreement."
"Gone are the days of foreign leaders walking all over us and snubbing their noses at America's generosity. There's a new President and Vice President in town. World leaders would be wise to humble themselves," Rep. Andy Biggs, R-AZ, wrote on X.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-FL, said in a statement, "America won’t be taken advantage of and America won’t be taken for granted. Thank you, President Trump and Vice President Vance for standing up for America."
A source close to Vance told Fox News Digital after the meeting that the combativeness during the meeting came from Zelenskyy, and that it was "unexpected" by Trump and Vance.
"The vice president and president did not expect Zelenskyy to engage in such disrespectful behavior," the source close to Vance said.
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, the White House pointed to Trump's statement on the meeting posted to Truth Social.
"We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure," Trump wrote. "It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."
But former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., a top Trump critic who recently said he's beginning to identify more with Democrats, wrote on X, "Zelenskyy made Trump look like a little b----."
The planned release of the MLK and RFK assassination files has garnered renewed interest amid fallout from the widely panned release of Epstein files by the Department of Justice on Thursday evening.
In accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order in January to declassify files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the attorney general were expected to release their proposed plan for the declassification of the JFK files on Feb. 7.
Likewise, in line with the order, the plan to release the RFK and MLK files is expected on March 9.
The RFK and MLK files' release plan deadline comes just weeks after the Department of Justice revealed a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files Thursday, with many of the documents already having been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former lover and convicted accomplice. The lack of new material provoked criticism of the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files – and questions about what the RFK and MLK documents could hold.
Gerald Posner, author of "Case Closed," told Fox News Digital he expects "there will be news in there, but it's not going to be something that turns upside down our understanding of what really happened with those cases."
After committing earlier this week to release Epstein-related documents sometime Thursday afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent FBI Director Kash Patel a fiery letter accusing federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents.
"I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents," Bondi wrote. "Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein."
Bondi said she had previously requested the full Epstein file prior to Patel's confirmation to head the FBI last week, and had received approximately 200 pages of files – fewer than the number of pages released last year as part of a civil lawsuit connected to Maxwell.
"People's expectations sort of got too high, based upon the executive order that the president signed," Posner said on the Epstein file release.
Bondi said the FBI had never disclosed that those files existed and gave the agency a Friday-morning deadline for the documents to be turned over.
"By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, February 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office, including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained," Bondi wrote. "There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access."
Patel posted on X on Thursday evening, saying, "The FBI is entering a new era – one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice."
Patel stated, "There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned – and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them."
The FBI director also stated that the agency would be bringing "everything we find" to the DOJ to share the information with the American public, "as it should be."
Trump's declassification executive order came after he promised to declassify the documents upon entering his second term while on the campaign trail, saying at the time, "When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the truth."
Trump had initially promised to release the last batch of documents during his first term, but such efforts ultimately dissipated. Trump then blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination, following several CIA and FBI appeals.
Fox News' David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted publicly for the first time since his Oval Office blowup with President Donald Trump on Friday with a social media post thanking the United States.
"Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," Zelenskyy posted on X. "Thank you @POTUS. Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."
The post was Zelenskyy's first comment since a meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance turned into a shouting match at the White House with the three leaders arguing over what "cards" Ukraine holds and whether Zelenskyy has shown enough gratitude to the United States.
TUNE IN: BRET BAIER INTERVIEWS ZELENSKYY ON 'SPECIAL REPORT,' 6 PM ET ON FOX NEWS
A scheduled press conference on Friday was canceled after the heated exchange and Zelenskyy was seen briskly exiting the White House into an awaiting car and driving away.
Reactions on social media came pouring in Friday afternoon after President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were involved in a fiery exchange in the Oval Office that turned into a shouting match at points.
"Finally we have a President who will speak the TRUTH and stand up against Washington’s endless wars. American taxpayers have been funding this war, it’s time to stop the killing and stop risking World War 3!" GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X after the tense exchange that ultimately resulted in a canceled press conference on Friday.
"Wow!" Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X. "President Trump and JD Vance just told Zelenskyy exactly what millions of Americans have wanted to tell him, right to his face. Someone needed to say it."
"Zelensky owes America and the President an apology," former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita posted on X. "What an absolute dumba--."
"Zelensky is doing a serious disservice to the Ukrainian people insulting the American President and the American people - just to appease Europeans and increase his low polling in Ukraine after he failed miserably to defend his country," GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz, who was born in Ukraine, posted on X. "This is not a theater act but a real war!"
"America First in action," GOP Congressman Brandon Gill posted on X. "Thank you, @realDonaldTrump and @JDVance for prioritizing our people first and for promoting peace!"
"This full Zelensky interaction is INSANE: He is an emotionally incontinent idiot who dares to lecture and belittle the elected leaders of his total benefactor on OUR SOIL Trump and JD should send him packing with NOTHING," Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti posted on X. "Ukrainians should be ashamed to have a leader like this."
"Thank you President Trump and VP Vance for standing up for America," GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn posted on X.
"I am so proud of our Commander-in-Chief," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X. "Thank you President @RealDonaldTrump and @VP for standing up for America. We will not tolerate the political games and disrespect of America. America is back."
Democrats on social media took a different tone and strongly criticized Trump over the exchange, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who posted on X that Trump and Vance "are doing Putin’s dirty work."
The heated exchange in the Oval Office involved the three political leaders going back and forth about the "cards" Ukraine is holding in the negotiations with Russia and whether Zelenskyy has been grateful to the United States during the process.
"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance told Zelenskyy. "Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines, because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country."
Zelenskyy later said that under war, "everybody has problems, even you" and that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."
"You don't know that," Trump responded as Zelenskyy said "God bless you" to Trump.
"Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump continued.
At one point, Trump pointed at Zelenskyy and told him that what he's doing is "very disrespectful" to the United States.
After the exchange, it was announced that a scheduled press conference had been canceled, and Zelenskyy was seen briskly leaving the White House with no word on the mineral rights deal that had been expected to be signed on Friday.
"We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today," Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting.
"Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."
Congressional Democrats expressed immediate outrage at President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance's explosive White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, which ended with Trump asking him to leave.
"Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said on X in response to Vance telling Zelenskyy his behavior was disrespectful and Trump saying he was "gambling with World War III."
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-IL, claimed the Ukrainian president is owed an apology, noting, "Ukrainians have fought tooth-and-nail on the frontlines of democracy against Russian aggression."
"Pres. Trump and VP Vance’s words to Pres. Zelenskyy are rude and utterly shameful," he wrote.
"Trump berates Zelensky, the leader of a democratic country courageously fighting Russian imperialism, while he allies himself with Putin, a dictator who started the bloodiest European war in 80 years," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT.
"Sorry, President Trump. We believe in democracy, not authoritarianism."
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., posted on X, "A hero and a coward are meeting in the Oval Office today. And when the meeting is over, the hero will return home to Ukraine."
Zelenskyy joined Trump and Vance in the Oval Office to discuss a path for peace between Russia and Ukraine, which remain at war after the former invaded its neighbor in 2022. However, the discussion quickly devolved into chaos as the Ukrainian president challenged his U.S. counterparts in front of the press.
"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance replied to Zelenskyy after he pushed back on the notion of engaging in diplomacy to end the war.
The Ukrainian president then departed the White House at the request of Trump, without signing an agreement that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals in exchange for the financial support the U.S. has given Ukraine since 2022, as part of a negotiated peace deal.
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., said she was "horrified" by the exchange, adding, "It is stunning that the US is now siding with dictators and not standing up for freedom, democracy, and global stability. I’m deeply concerned for the people in Ukraine and our country’s long-term national security."
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, told Vance in an X post, "Shame on you," for asking whether Zelenskyy had thanked the U.S.
"Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe," she wrote on X.
"Watching Trump and Vance serve as Putin’s mouthpieces in the Oval Office was one of the most shameful moments in American diplomacy," remarked Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA, who called for every Republican to "publicly condemn it."
Congressional Democrats expressed immediate outrage at President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance's explosive White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, which ended with Trump asking him to leave.
"Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said on X in response to Vance telling Zelenskyy his behavior was disrespectful and Trump saying he was "gambling with World War III."
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-IL, claimed the Ukrainian president is owed an apology, noting, "Ukrainians have fought tooth-and-nail on the frontlines of democracy against Russian aggression."
"Pres. Trump and VP Vance’s words to Pres. Zelenskyy are rude and utterly shameful," he wrote.
"Trump berates Zelensky, the leader of a democratic country courageously fighting Russian imperialism, while he allies himself with Putin, a dictator who started the bloodiest European war in 80 years," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT.
"Sorry, President Trump. We believe in democracy, not authoritarianism."
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., posted on X, "A hero and a coward are meeting in the Oval Office today. And when the meeting is over, the hero will return home to Ukraine."
Zelenskyy joined Trump and Vance in the Oval Office to discuss a path for peace between Russia and Ukraine, which remain at war after the former invaded its neighbor in 2022. However, the discussion quickly devolved into chaos as the Ukrainian president challenged his U.S. counterparts in front of the press.
"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance replied to Zelenskyy after he pushed back on the notion of engaging in diplomacy to end the war.
The Ukrainian president then departed the White House at the request of Trump, without signing an agreement that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals in exchange for the financial support the U.S. has given Ukraine since 2022, as part of a negotiated peace deal.
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., said she was "horrified" by the exchange, adding, "It is stunning that the US is now siding with dictators and not standing up for freedom, democracy, and global stability. I’m deeply concerned for the people in Ukraine and our country’s long-term national security."
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, told Vance in an X post, "Shame on you," for asking whether Zelenskyy had thanked the U.S.
"Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe," she wrote on X.
"Watching Trump and Vance serve as Putin’s mouthpieces in the Oval Office was one of the most shameful moments in American diplomacy," remarked Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA, who called for every Republican to "publicly condemn it."
Law enforcement in Colorado and other states could soon have an easier time coordinating with federal authorities on immigration issues, especially when it comes to busting gangs and drug traffickers.
Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., introduced the "Unhandcuffing Police to Locate and Interdict Foreign Transgressors (UPLIFT) Act" in Congress earlier this week to prompt public officials in Colorado and nationwide to communicate with feds about illegal immigrants who are believed to have committed other crimes, even though certain state laws limit their ability to do so.
"State laws have a national impact, because if federal law enforcement uses information from a criminal justice database, and Colorado provided that information, the state and local cops in Colorado who provided that information can get in trouble," Evans said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "And so the feds don't want to get their state and local partners in trouble."
The Republican noted that his suburban Denver district has made national headlines related to the border and illegal immigration crisis, despite being hundreds of miles away from the border itself.
In January, the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested roughly 50 illegal immigrants, many of whom had ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration now classifies as a foreign terrorist organization, Fox News Digital reported.
"I mean, look at the Tren de Aragua nightclub takedown that happened in my district, by the way," he said.
"State and local law enforcement knew who those guys were. They just weren't allowed to do anything. And we had to wait until a new administration came into power to go send federal law enforcement out to get these guys," he said, adding that some of these challenges are "directly impacting community safety."
Evans also responded to any possible criticism that the bill would interfere with state's rights if passed.
"Under the Supremacy Clause and under the fact that this is expressly delegated to the federal government, this is not trampling on states' rights, and this is not overstepping the 10th Amendment," he argued.
As the congressman was sworn in this January, this is his first bill introduced in the chamber. The legislation is sponsored by fellow Colorado Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank and Jeff Hurd.
"Proud to be an original co-sponsor of the UPLIFT Act. [CO-3] will be safer if Colorado cooperates with federal law enforcement—particularly when it comes to dangerous criminals here illegally," Hurd tweeted.
House Resolution 1680 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for next steps.
Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was blasted on social media this week after she sat down for an interview giving a recap on her thoughts about the Biden debate performance and the fallout from Democrats.
"I … look, personally, I think what was the toughest thing to see in the three weeks was there was a disconnect for me [in] what was happening with leadership in the Democratic Party and how it was truly, as my former colleague, communications director Ben Labolt said, it was a firing squad," Jean-Pierre said at an event for the Institute of Politics at Harvard University on Wednesday.
"I had never seen anything like it before. I had never seen a party do that in the way that they did, and it was hurtful and sad to see that happening," Jean-Pierre added. "A firing squad around a person who I believe was a true patriot, a person who I believe did everything that he can for this country. A person who I believe, as I mentioned before, has done more in one term than most presidents had done in two terms, historical things, and I was shocked by what I was seeing."
Jean-Pierre’s analysis, the first in-depth comments she has made on Biden’s exit from the race since she left the White House, drew immediate pushback from conservatives on social media.
"She openly lied about Biden’s mental decline," Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. "She blamed cheap fake videos, which many in media echoed. Worst press secretary of our lifetimes. And now she’s shocked, shocked. . . ."
"The most important takeaway from this is Karine still doesn’t understand that they did anything wrong," Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X.
"She either genuinely believes that Joe Biden was the most cognitively aware person to ever be President, or she knows he wasn't fit to serve four more years and is once again lying to you," Greg Price of the White House Rapid Response team posted on X. "Either way, she's the worst Press Secretary in American history."
"She's complicit," Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X.
"She really thought she could just lie her way past Father Time," Substack writer Jim Treacher posted on X.
Jean-Pierre said during her Harvard appearance that she has not been focused on watching the news since she left the White House.
"I have not watched the news," she said. "I have really tried to focus on self-care. I’ve really tried to focus on my daughter. I have a 10-year-old. And I have done . . . it's, I think the best way to say this is, I have deprogrammed myself so that I could be a civilian again. I used to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. Like, that was my schedule every day for four years. And I thought that when I stepped away from the lectern and the podium that I would have this, like, adrenaline, like, I would need to feed my, like, ‘Aaah, I need to be doing something!’"
Fox News Digital's Alexander Hall contributed to this report
The Trump administration touted the extraditions of more than two dozen defendants from Mexico after the Department of Justice announced that the U.S. had taken 29 into custody.
"Today, the United States secured custody of 29 defendants from Mexico who are facing charges in districts around the country relating to racketeering, drug-trafficking, murder, illegal use of firearms, money laundering, and other crimes," the DOJ noted in a Thursday press release.
The announcement came as the president seeks to crack down on drug cartels and secure the nation's southern border.
"President Trump directed the Department of Justice and the Department of State to make this happen, and Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of State Rubio did a tremendous job in getting this done," the White House press secretary said in a statement on Friday.
The statement noted that the group "includes one of the most evil cartel bosses in the world, Rafael Caro Quintero, who tortured and murdered DEA Agent Kiki Camerena in 1985."
"The previous Administration allowed these criminals to run free and commit crimes all over the world. The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people," the statement adds.
After President Donald Trump issued an executive order on the topic in January, the State Department announced the designation of eight groups as foreign terrorist organizations last week.
Notorious entities including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua were among those designated.
"The defendants taken into U.S. custody today include leaders and managers of drug cartels recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas), La Nueva Familia Michoacana, and Cártel de Golfo (Gulf Cartel)," the Department of Justice noted in its Thursday press release.
FBI Director Kash Patel, who was just sworn in last week, declared that the federal law enforcement agency and its "partners will scour the ends of the earth to bring terrorists and cartel members to justice," the release noted.
Efforts to advance a peace deal between the Ukraine and Russia came to a halt on Friday after President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sparred in the Oval Office.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of "disrespecting" the U.S. and said the Ukrainian leader is not ready to secure peace for his country.
"I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. "I don't want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."
Zelenskyy visited Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and was expected to sign a minerals agreement on Friday that will allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals — in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia's invasion in 2022.
But things took a turn south, and Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful for the support the U.S. has provided over the years and said that the Ukrainian leader was in a "bad position" at the negotiating table.
"You're playing cards," Trump said. "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country."
Additionally, when asked if Zelenskyy believed Trump was on Ukraine’s side, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Oval Office that he believed the U.S. is on Ukraine’s side and reiterated the importance of stopping aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of Europe’s assistance during the conflict with Russia — prompting Trump to interject and claim U.S. contributions were more significant than Europe’s. But Zelenskyy pushed back and said that wasn’t true.
Exact numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Meanwhile, all European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals roughly $138.7 billion, the German-based think tank the Kiel Institute estimates, with the U.S. contributing $119.7 billion in that same timeframe.
Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. has worked with Ukraine and Russia to advance a peace negotiation. After U.S. officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Feb. 18 without Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters that "nobody decides anything behind our back."
Trump and Zelenskyy then traded barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian "disinformation" and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a "dictator" that has failed his country.
On Thursday, Trump didn't double down on that statement though.
When asked if he stood by his statement, he told reporters: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question."
Trump also told reporters while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday that a peace negotiation was in the final stages, but he exercised caution about sharing details concerning a peacekeeping force in the region until a deal was finalized.
"I think we're very well advanced on a deal," Trump said. "But we have not made a deal yet. So I don't like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done."
Trump also said he didn't expect Putin to violate any agreement to create peace with Ukraine.
"I don't believe he's going to violate his word," Trump said Thursday. "I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dodged directly answering whether he believed President Donald Trump backed Ukraine while visiting the White House on Friday.
Zelenskyy is visiting Washington amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and is expected to sign a minerals agreement on Friday that will allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals — in exchange for support the U.S. has provided the country since Russia's invasion in 2022.
When asked if Zelenskyy believed Trump was on Ukraine’s side, Zelenskyy told reporters at the Oval Office that he believed the U.S. is on Ukraine’s side and reiterated the importance of stopping aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of Europe’s assistance during the conflict with Russia — prompting Trump to interject and claim U.S. contributions were more significant than Europe’s. But Zelenskyy pushed back and said that wasn’t true.
Exact numbers on financial assistance to Ukraine vary slightly, depending on what is considered aid. However, Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Meanwhile, all European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals roughly $138.7 billion, the German-based think tank the Kiel Institute estimates, with the U.S. contributing $119.7 billion in that same timeframe.
Tensions between Zelenskyy and Trump have increased in recent weeks as the U.S. has worked with Ukraine and Russia to advance a peace negotiation. After U.S. officials met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Feb. 18 without Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters that "nobody decides anything behind our back."
Trump and Zelenskyy then traded barbs at one another, with Zelenskyy accusing Trump of advancing Russian "disinformation" and Trump labeling Zelenskyy a "dictator" that has failed his country.
On Thursday, Trump didn't double down on that statement though.
When asked if he stood by his statement, he told reporters: "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question."
Trump also told reporters while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday that a peace negotiation was in the final stages, but he exercised caution about sharing details concerning a peacekeeping force in the region until a deal was finalized.
"I think we're very well advanced on a deal," Trump said. "But we have not made a deal yet. So I don't like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done."
Trump also said he didn't expect Putin to violate any agreement to create peace with Ukraine.
"I don't believe he's going to violate his word," Trump said Thursday. "I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now."
Former President Joe Biden blamed "Barack" and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for his political ousting amid the election cycle in 2024, President Donald Trump shared in an interview reflecting on his conversations with the 46th president.
"I went to the White House a few months before this all happened. … But I went there and he asked for a meeting, and I went and we talked for a little while, and at first I couldn’t… You couldn’t… He talked so low," Trump said in an interview with The Spectator's Ben Domenech Thursday afternoon at the White House.
Trump's comments came after Domenech asked about Biden's apparent warm attitude toward Trump following the November 2024 election. He explained that Biden invited Trump to the White House following his electoral win over former Vice President Kamala Harris and asked him whom he "blamed" for the loss.
"I asked him, I said, ‘So who do you blame?’ Because he was very angry, you know, he was a very angry guy, actually," Trump said. "And he said, ‘I blame Barack.’ And I never think of him as ‘Barack.’ You know, you always hear 'Obama.' You say, you have to think about that for a second. And he said, ‘and I also blame Nancy Pelosi.’"
Biden noted in his conversation that he did not blame Harris for the disarray in the Democratic Party during the election year, Trump said.
"I said, ‘What about the vice president?' He said, "No, I don’t blame her,' which was interesting," Trump said. "He didn’t blame her. He blamed … he told me he blamed those two people."
The year 2024 kicked off with Biden in the driver’s seat of the Democratic Party as he keyed up a re-election effort in what was shaping up to be a second match-up against Trump.
In February 2024, however, Biden’s 81 years of age and mental acuity fell under public scrutiny after years of conservatives questioning the commander in chief’s mental fitness.
Special counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents as vice president, announced he would not recommend criminal charges against Biden for possessing classified materials after his vice presidency, calling Biden "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
The report renewed scrutiny over Biden’s mental acuity, which rose to a fever pitch in June 2024 after the president’s first and only presidential debate against Trump.
Biden faced backlash for a handful of gaffes and miscues in the days leading up to his ill-fated debate against Trump, including Obama taking Biden’s wrist and appearing to lead him off a stage during a swank fundraiser, and also abroad when Italian Prime Minister Giogia Meloni guided Biden back to a group of world leaders when he appeared to wander off to give a thumbs-up to a parachutist during the G-7 summit.
When the big debate day arrived, Biden missed his marks repeatedly, tripping over his responses and appearing to lose his train of thought as he squared up against Trump. The disastrous debate performance led to an outpouring from both conservatives and traditional Democrat allies calling on the president to bow out of the race in favor of a younger generation.
On July 21, 2024, Biden issued a post announcing he would bow out of the race. He endorsed Harris to take the reins of the election in a follow-up post.
Pelosi's relationship with Biden hit the rocks amid the speculation and the ultimate decision to bow out of the race, with Pelosi revealing on MSNBC earlier in February that she still has not spoken to Biden or former first lady Jill Biden in months but hopes to patch up their yearslong friendship.
Some Democrats and insiders have pointed to Obama for the 2024 loss, after Obama reportedly worked in the background in summer 2024 to encourage Biden’s ouster from the race.
A handful of Obama's allies and former advisers helped lead the charge in calling on Biden to drop out of the race earlier in the summer of 2024, including former Obama adviser David Axelrodsaying that Biden was "not winning this race;" longtime Obama friend George Clooney calling on the president to drop out of the race in a bombshell op-ed; and Jon Favreau, who served as former director of speech writing for Obama, also calling on Biden to drop out of the race ahead of his eventual departure.
Fox News Digital reached out to the respective offices for Pelosi, Obama and Biden regarding Trump's comments but did not immediately receive replies.
New York officials have reached an agreement to end a two-week unsanctioned strike by correctional officers over Democrat-backed prison reforms that they say have made conditions "unsafe," but a GOP lawmaker argued the deal fails to address "the basics of what people are angry about."
"The things that they're most upset about are things that are the subject of legislation," Republican state Sen. Daniel Stec told Fox News Digital in an interview Friday.
The mediated deal was reached late Thursday between the New York State Correctional Officers, the government-affiliated corrections officers union, Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) and the state's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).
However, since some 15,000 correction workers have been on a "wildcat strike," they were not present during negotiations, and a spokesperson for the striking workers told CBS the deal does not go far enough.
"The issues have always been there," Stec said. "Officer safety mandated overtime, some of these guys are working so much overtime that they're never home, and it's thrust upon them. On top of that, during the nature of their job, they're working, sometimes they are forced to work 24 or more hours consecutively."
At issue is a piece of prison reform legislation, the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT), that strikers want repealed. The law restricts solitary confinement and instead focuses on other rehabilitation methods, but since it went into effect in 2022, GOP lawmakers, citing department stats, say it has led to a 169% increase in inmate-on-inmate assaults, a 76% increase in inmate-on-staff assaults and a 32% jump in contraband cases.
Stec said "it's not safe for the officers, it's not safe inside for anybody" and said "this has been pointed out to the administration time and time again since before they put HALT into effect."
One mom of a corrections officer told Fox News Digital on Friday, "These are things that our governor doesn't care about."
"She doesn't care, she cares about the inmates and their rights," she said. "[The deal] is a slap in every officer's face."
Upon the released agreement, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in part, "My top priority is the safety of all New Yorkers, and for the past 11 days, I have deployed every possible State resource to protect the well-being of correction officers, the incarcerated population and local communities across New York."
"Working with a mediator, we have reached a consent award to address many of the concerns raised by correction officers, put DOCCS back on the path to safe operations, respect the rights of incarcerated individuals and prevent future unsanctioned work stoppages," she said.
In a letter alongside the agreement, Mediator Martin F. Scheinman proposed a binding "Consent Award" that would formalize agreements reached in mediation and be enforceable by court order. He noted the enforcement of such an agreement is complicated by a temporary restraining order, which renders judicial enforcement difficult while the strike continues. He said the Consent Award will only be signed once the court order is complied with.
"I will not issue a CONSENT AWARD I believe will be unenforceable judicially," Scheinman wrote.
The mediation agreement temporarily suspends key provisions of the HALT Act for 90 days, with a review by the DOCCS commissioner after 30 days to determine if the suspension should continue. Following the suspension, a "circuit breaker" staffing metric will be implemented to prevent mandatory 24-hour overtime shifts, requiring facility adjustments if staffing falls below 70%.
The agreement also says protesting officers will be shielded from disciplinary action if they return to work by March 1, but those involved in illegal activities will face penalties. Other provisions include pay increases, referral bonuses, mental health support and security screening to curtail drugs in the prison mail system.
Additionally, the National Guard – which Hochul requested after thousands of officers did not show up to work – will remain onsite.
Stec said corrections officers see the deal as something the state is seeking to "shovel money at."
"In reading the agreement, there's a lot of discussion in there about overtime and money, and people are always going to talk about money, but the impetus to this has always been about their safety," he said.
Beginning on Feb. 17, two officers from the New York Department of Corrections began striking over "unsafe" conditions in their facilities, and support quickly cascaded across 38 of the state's 42 prisons, leading to thousands of workers participating in the strike without union approval, which is prohibited under New York law.
Days before the strike, officials at the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County implemented a lockdown following an inmate uprising.
Hochul threatened legal action earlier this week against striking correctional officers, announcing during a press conference that proceedings have commenced against nearly 400 officers, with New York State Police serving restraining orders to 380 individuals. Hochul said officers remaining on strike are considered absent without leave (AWOL), resulting in the loss of state health benefits and legal representation previously provided by their union.
"They know they are in violation of the New York State Taylor law," Hochul said during the press conferece. "They are also in violation of a temporary restraining order to return to work. We offered an amnesty period where they could go back to work, no questions asked."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul's office and the NYSCOPBA for comment.
