After meeting with President Biden at the White House on Monday, Edmundo Gonzalez, the man who won Venezuela's presidential election in July, traveled to Argentina and then Panama with the ballots to prove that he, not Nicolás Maduro, is Venezuela's democratically elected leader.

"We elected by a landslide, a good man and Edmundo Gonzalez. We have the proof of that victory, and the whole world knows it," María Corina Machado, a top leader in the Venezuelan opposition, told Fox News. "We won."

Maduro's inauguration is slated for Friday. The Venezuelan opposition has called for massive street protests to peacefully demand that Maduro, whose mafia-style autocratic leadership has nearly bankrupted the oil-rich nation, not be inaugurated.

2 AMERICANS ARRESTED IN VENEZUELA ON EVE OF MADURO INAUGURATION OVER ‘TERRORISM’ CLAIMS

"What we need is for all American institutions understand that Venezuela is the most important conflict in the Western Hemisphere for national security of the U.S.," Machado said via Zoom from her safe house in Venezuela.

"We can be the best ally the United States will have in the Americas, first of all, because we also are desperate to solve the migration problem in our region. We want those Venezuelans to come back in billions and voluntarily. And that will happen when they'll see there's a future in their country."

Machado had the following message for President-elect Donald Trump: "Venezuela has a huge energy potential that will never be taken advantage of… We're going to turn Venezuela from the criminal hub of the Americas into the energy hub of the Americas and have a strong partnership with the United States."

Gonzalez, who Venezuela elected president in July, also met with incoming National Security Advisor Cong Michael Waltz of Florida while in Washington. Maduro has warned Gonzalez will be arrested if he returns to Venezuela. 

VENEZUELA'S MADURO TO START THIRD TERM IN OFFICE AMID RIGGED ELECTION: ‘BLATANT VIOLATION’

"I want you to know how important it is also for the safety of the American people," Machado explained. "Solving this conflict in Venezuela, I believe that what happens in the next days in Venezuela depends not only the democracy, the future of our democracy, but the future of democracy in the region."

Machado said the fall of the Assad regime in Syria is a cautionary tale for those in the military and judiciary who still support Maduro. The regime has sent secret police units to encircle her family members’ homes, sent a drone over her mother’s house and kidnapped President-elect Gonzalez's brother-in-law on Tuesday.

"Maduro has lost everything but fear and repression. Maduro lost all popular support, all legitimacy, and even he's weakened or isolated internationally. What has he left? Russia, Iran, Hezbollah," Machado, a former member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, asked.

The Maduro regime also arrested two Americans one day after Gonzalez met with President Biden at the White House, accusing them of being mercenaries sent by the U.S. government. 

The State Department issued the following statement: "We are concerned about the reports of U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela. We are working to gather more information.  Due to privacy and other considerations, we have no further comment on these cases. Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela."

The State Department spokesman went on to warn U.S. citizens not to travel to Venezuela, because "Maduro and his associates have shown in the past, they may detain and jail, without justification or due process, U.S. citizens who enter Venezuela."

FIRST ON FOX: A group of more than 60 former Democratic and Republican attorneys general sent a new letter to Senate leaders Thursday urging the confirmation of Pam Bondi to head up the Department of Justice, praising what they described as Bondi’s wealth of prosecutorial experience— including during her eight years as Florida’s top prosecutor—that they said makes her especially qualified for the role. 

The letter was previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital and includes the signatures of more than 20 Democratic attorneys general or attorneys general appointed by Democratic governors. 

The group praised Bondi’s work across the party and state lines during her time as Florida’s attorney general and as a state prosecutor in Hillsborough County, where she worked for 18 years. 

"Many of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi and have firsthand knowledge of her fitness for the office," the former attorneys general said in the letter. "We believe that her wealth of prosecutorial experience and commitment to public service make General Bondi a highly qualified nominee for Attorney General of the United States." 

MORE THAN 100 FORMER JUSTICE DEPT OFFICIALS URGE SENATE TO CONFIRM PAM BONDI AS AG

The letter praised what signatories described as Bondi’s "unwavering" commitment to public safety and the rule of law in her time in the Sunshine State, where she sought to crack down on violent crime, protect consumers and combat the opioid crisis— which was at its height when she was elected as attorney general in 2010.

Bondi "was and remains a valued and respected member of the State Attorney General community," they wrote. "Thus, we are confident that she will serve with distinction as United States Attorney General."

The letter comes just hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee announced the official dates for Bondi's confirmation hearing later this month.

TRUMP'S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’

Bondi is expected to be confirmed in the Republican-majority chamber. Earlier this week, a group of more than 100 former Justice Department officials sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging her confirmation.

Still, the new letter of support from the state attorneys general comes just hours after the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., issued a statement Wednesday evening expressing fresh reservations about Bondi following their meeting — citing in particular Bondi’s work defending President-elect Donald Trump in his impeachment proceedings and following the 2020 election.

"The role of the Attorney General is to oversee an independent Justice Department that upholds the rule of law and is free of undue political influence," Durbin said in a statement. 

"Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an Attorney General who will put her oath to the Constitution ahead of her fealty to Donald Trump." 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is looking to expand its migrant detention facilities with the start of the new Trump administration just days away, according to a report. 

Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in the history of the U.S. and part of that program is expected to involve the use of ICE detention facilities, some of which the ACLU says raise concerns over migrant safety. 

ICE detains approximately 37,000 people each day via a network of more than 120 immigration detention facilities nationwide, per an ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, citing ICE documents. The ACLU says that the Trump administration plans to ramp up those numbers to 100,000 per day. 

NEW YORK VOTERS WANT STATE TO SUPPORT TRUMP DEPORTATIONS, POLL FINDS

Although ICE owns five detention facilities of its own, the ACLU says ICE relies on other entities such as non-profits and inter-governmental agreements with private prison companies to hold the majority of people in its custody.

In the ACLU FOIA lawsuit filed in September, the ACLU sued ICE for information on a possible expansion of migrant detention facilities around the country.

According to Border Report, citing documents received by the ACLU, facilities in six states responded to the ICE request, including facilities in and around Harlingen and El Paso, Texas, as well as in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The facilities that are being considered in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley include the Willacy County Jail in Raymondville, which is run by the GEO Group; the Brooks County Detention Facility in Falfurrias; the Coastal Bend Detention Center in Robstown; and the East Hidalgo Detention Center in La Villa.

RACHEL MORIN'S MOM PLEADS SENATORS ‘HEAR OUR CRIES FOR HELP’ IN MASS DEPORTATIONS HEARING TESTIMONY

ACLU senior attorney Eunice Cho told Border Report that it’s important for the American public to know exactly what ICE is planning to do, both in terms of enforcement and in terms of detention of people from our immigrant communities.

The GEO Group and CoreCivic operated the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, which was shut down last year, but Cho says CoreCivic says it would be willing to reopen the facility, a potential move that worries migrant advocates who have alleged mistreatment of immigrants at the facility.

"We have serious concerns about expanding immigration detention in South Texas. Many of these facilities… have very serious histories of conditions, violations and abusive conditions in those detention facilities," Cho told Border Report. 

She says the ACLU wants more information on exactly what ICE plans to do.

"We are concerned, of course, with the potential growth of the immigration detention system," Cho said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE and the ACLU for comment. 

The exact details of President-elect Trump’s deportation plan aren’t exactly clear, although both he and incoming "Border Czar" Tom Homan have said that criminal migrants will be targeted first. Trump has also appointed hardliner South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Homan, meanwhile, has said that family detention centers for migrants are also "on the table."

Family detention ended in 2021, soon after President Biden took office, and that included closing three ICE facilities with about 3,000 beds, according to Fox 5 DC.

MAGA Republicans are offering an outpouring of support for TikTok ahead of a ban looming over the social media platform that is set to take effect later this month. 

"Trump won the election because he listened to first-time voters like myself and joined TikTok to get his message to us directly," RNC Youth Advisory Council Chair Brilyn Hollyhand told Fox News Digital of the impending ban. "He didn’t need paid influencers or cringey trends like his failed opponent. All he had to do was go where Gen Z was, TikTok, and lay out his plan."

Representatives of TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, are set to deliver arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to request the nation’s highest court to delay a ban on the app that is set to take effect a day ahead of the inauguration. President Biden signed legislation into law in April that gave TikTok's parent company until Jan. 19 to sell it or face a U.S. ban.

If the Supreme Court does not halt the ban, U.S. TikTok users will no longer be able to download the app, and internet providers will be prohibited from allowing access to the site. 

WILL TRUMP WHITE HOUSE RESCUE TIKTOK FROM LOOMING BAN? PRESIDENT-ELECT HAS DONE A 180 ON THE APP

The looming ban originated out of concern that American users’ data is gathered by the Chinese government, but MAGA Republicans and content creators who spoke with Fox Digital balked at the reasoning as insincere. 

"I have done, if not, the deepest possible dive on all of the concerns associated with the platform, especially for my daily show when I share my opinions and commentary on what's going on in culture and politics," TikTok creator and TPUSA commentator Isabel Brown, who has more than 500,000 followers on TikTok, told Fox Digital in a phone interview. "And we've confronted this potential ban of the platform for at least nine months to a year now … the complaints that I'm hearing, from particularly politicians, largely center around national security."

TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

"But I have a very hard time believing that the true argument to censor TikTok is based in a national security concern when we still have documented evidence of virtually every single American social media company. Meta, Twitter, YouTube, etc, selling your data under the table to your own government and/or the Chinese Communist Party and even the Russian government as well." 

"Heck, we even have records of Airbnb selling American data to the Chinese Communist Party. So there doesn't seem to be a lot of willingness to truly protect the cyber and personal information security of American citizens from the government en masse, it seems to only be focused on TikTok as a platform itself," Brown continued. 

TIKTOK DIVESTMENT COULD BE ‘DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ FOR TRUMP, HOUSE CHINA COMMITTEE CHAIR SAYS

President-elect Donald Trump's supporters praising TikTok comes after the former and upcoming president made big inroads with Gen Z, especially young male voters, in the last cycle. A Fox News Voter Survey published after the election found that men aged 18-44 supported Trump at 53% compared to Vice President Kamala Harris at 45%. 

"​​We're talking about an app that nearly 200 million Americans, 75% of whom are Gen Z, use every single day as our primary source of news, and according to some studies, even as our primary web browser search tool, so more than Google … and I have found that the opportunity for virality – to have a conversation with as many people as possible – on Tiktok is unparalleled on any other social media platform," Brown said. 

A Republican strategist told Fox News Digital that TikTok is by all intents and purposes a "conservative platform." 

"By all means, TikTok is a conservative platform now - if you take a look at how Trump dominated his competition, there’s no argument against the value this platform has, and I don’t think there’s a world where Trump doesn’t fulfill his promise to save it," the strategist said. 

The GOP insider added that "the fact that [Sen. Mitch] McConnell and [former Vice President Mike] Pence want to ban this thing means it needs to be saved." 

Ahead of the new year, Sen. Mitch McConnell filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, urging justices to reject ByteDance’s request to delay the ban. 

"The topsy-turvy idea that TikTok has an expressive right to facilitate the CCP censorship regime is absurd," McConnell’s counsel Michael A. Fragoso wrote in the friend of the court brief. "Would Congress have needed to allow Nikita Khrushchev to buy CBS and replace The Bing Crosby Show with Alexander Nevsky?" 

While former Vice President Mike Pence’s nonprofit, Advancing American Freedom, filed a similar amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court last month. 

"The CCP does not respect free speech, either in China or in America. The First Amendment is not, and should not be read as, a means of granting the Chinese government the power to do what the American government could not: manipulate what Americans can say and hear," the group wrote.  

Advancing American Freedom President Tim Chapman told Fox News Digital that Trump's first administration "had this right the first time" when Trump initially worked to ban TikTok before the former and upcoming president reversed his opinion on the app. 

"The Trump administration had this right the first time when they planned to ban TikTok through executive authority for the very same concerns that exist today. Political strategists salivating over clicks and followers does not mean that the national security implications have changed," Chapman said. 

TRUMP JOINS TIKTOK, THE APP HE ONCE TRIED TO BAN AS PRESIDENT

Emily Wilson, political commentator and host of podcast "Emily Saves America," told Fox News Digital that she can see both sides of the argument surrounding the looming TikTok ban but that instituting a ban would be "hypocritical against free speech."

"The TikTok ban is controversial, I see two sides to it. I see it as an app that’s very left leaning and consumes way too much of people’s time but it is sometimes the only place I get info about stories that should be breaking world wide. At the same time it can be dangerous. It can radicalize young people. One day you wake up on TikTok and young Americans are saying they’re supportive of Osama bin Laden," Wilson told Fox Digital. 

"It seems to be an app leaning towards being anti-American and brainwashing young kids. At the end of the day, if I say to ban it it’s hypocritical against free speech. I just don’t want it harming young people," she added. 

TIKTOK DIVESTMENT COULD BE ‘DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ FOR TRUMP, HOUSE CHINA COMMITTEE CHAIR SAYS

Trump himself has made a 180-degree turn on TikTok. Under his first administration, in 2020, Trump tried to ban the app from the U.S. market over national security concerns. His executive order, however, was eventually blocked in federal court.

Fast-forward to 2024 amid the campaign cycle, and Trump joined the app in June during the campaign cycle and has since racked up nearly 15 million followers and 107 million likes as supporters flocked to his content on the platform. Trump also filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court last month, which supported neither party in the case, arguing the fate of the platform should be left up to his administration. 

"Today, President Donald J. Trump has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Court to extend the deadline that would cause TikTok’s imminent shutdown, and allow President Trump the opportunity to resolve the issue in a way that saves TikTok and preserves American national security once he resumes office as President of the United States on January 20, 2025," Trump spokesman and incoming White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital last month. 

"President Donald J. Trump (‘President Trump’) is the 45th and soon to be the 47th President of the United States of America," the brief states. "On January 20, 2025, President Trump will assume responsibility for the United States’ national security, foreign policy, and other vital executive functions." 

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman, Paul Steinhauser and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report. 

A former FBI informant who prosecutors say fabricated a phony story of President Biden and his son Hunter Biden accepting $10 million in bribes from the Ukrainian gas company Burisma was sentenced Wednesday to six years in federal prison. 

Alexander Smirnov, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, has been behind bars since he was arrested last February on charges of making false statements to the FBI. 

The indictment came in connection with special counsel David Weiss’ investigation into Hunter Biden. Weiss later indicted Hunter on tax and gun-related charges, but President Biden granted him a sweeping pardon in December before his son was to be sentenced. 

The Justice Department tacked on additional tax charges against Smirnov in November, alleging he concealed millions of dollars of income he earned between 2020 and 2022, and Smirnov pleaded guilty in December to sidestep his looming trial.  

BIDEN CLAIMS HE 'MEANT WHAT I SAID' WITH PROMISE NOT TO PARDON HUNTER, HOPES IT DOESN'T SET PRECEDENT

Smirnov was accused of falsely telling his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid then-Vice President Biden and his son $5 million each around 2015. Smirnov's explosive claim in 2020 came after he expressed "bias" about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, according to prosecutors. The indictment says investigators found Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017 — after Biden's term as vice president.

Prosecutors noted that Smirnov's claim "set off a firestorm in Congress" when it resurfaced years later as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden. The Biden administration dismissed the House impeachment effort as a "stunt."

SPECIAL COUNSEL WEISS TELLS LAWMAKERS POLITICS 'PLAYED NO PART' IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE

Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.

"In committing his crimes he betrayed the United States, a country that showed him nothing but generosity, including conferring on him the greatest honor it can bestow, citizenship," Weiss' team wrote in court papers. "He repaid the trust the United States placed in him to be a law-abiding naturalized citizen and, more specifically, that one of its premier law enforcement agencies placed in him to tell the truth as a confidential human source, by attempting to interfere in a Presidential election."

Prosecutors agreed to pursue no more than six years against Smirnov as part of his plea deal. In court papers, the Justice Department described Smirnov as a "liar and a tax cheat" who "betrayed the United States," adding that his bogus corruption claims against the Biden family were "among the most serious kinds of election interference one can imagine." 

In seeking a lighter sentence, Smirnov's lawyers wrote that both Hunter Biden and President-elect Trump, who was charged in two since-dropped federal cases by Special Counsel Jack Smith, "have walked free and clear of any meaningful punishment."

His lawyers had asked for a four-year prison term, arguing that their client "has learned a very grave lesson," had no prior criminal record and was suffering from severe glaucoma in both eyes. Smirnov's sentencing Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court concluded the final aspects of Weiss’s probe, and the special counsel is expected to submit a report to Attorney General Merrick Garland in accordance with federal regulations. Garland can decide whether to release it to the public. 

Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served behind bars since February. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canada's conservative movement could gain significant momentum in this election year as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation amid mounting pressure from domestic critics and tariff threats from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. 

Meanwhile, American conservative strategist Matt Shupe has been leading efforts in Calgary, training activists, consultants and volunteers on how to build winning campaigns, positioning the movement for potential gains in the post-Trudeau era.

"From my own experience in Canada, I would describe it as California on steroids," Shupe, 39, who most recently was the spokesperson for ex-MLB star Steve Garvey's mayoral campaign in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

TRUMP SAYS US SUBSIDIES TO CANADA MAKE ‘NO SENSE,’ SUGGESTS CANADIANS WANT ‘TO BECOME THE 51ST STATE’

Shupe, who began political consulting 10 years ago and founded Praetorian Services, said Trudeau's resignation is reminiscent of President Biden's exit from the 2024 presidential race. 

"They took a page out of the DNC playbook with what they did with Biden," Shupe said of Canada's liberal flank. "If American politics serves as any sort of analog, that didn't work for Kamala."

Shupe noted that his conversations with Canadians suggest progressive policies have pushed even many liberals toward the center. Working with the Leadership Institute, a conservative mentorship and training organization, Shupe said leaders plan to apply lessons and data from U.S. elections to strengthen the prospects of Canadian conservatives.

"The [conservative] movement has primarily attracted young people because they don't have the prospects," he said. "They're taxed so heavily there, the cost of living is so high compared to their income, and the cost of owning a home is so hard. Whenever I go there and talk to people my age or younger, even a little older, they all have the same complaints as people I talk to in San Francisco."

Meanwhile, Canada's firebrand conservative candidate Pierre Poilievre, who could become the nation's next leader, has been compared to the likes of President-Elect Donald Trump, vowing to crack down on immigration, inflation and the budget deficit.

"I think you're seeing that with the left in Canada and in the United States, is that they just took everything too far, and they hit a threshold with people that it's just gone too far," he said.

CANADA’S TRUDEAU ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION FOLLOWING PARTY PRESSURE AMID CRITICISMS OF TRUMP, BUDGET HANDLING

Poilievre, whose Conservative Party has nearly three times the support of committed voters (47% compared to 18% for the Liberals) in this year’s general election, was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004. The 45-year-old Calgary native became leader of the Canadian Conservatives in 2022 and has seen his party grow in popularity as Canadians have grown tired of 53-year-old Trudeau, whose Liberals formed the government in 2015.

The incoming Trump administration will likely soon deal with a Poilievre government as the Conservatives are poised to win the next Canadian election, which could come as early as this spring. When the House of Commons resumes sitting on March 24, the opposition parties are likely to defeat the minority Liberal government in a vote of no-confidence, which would trigger a national vote that presently favors the Conservatives.

In his Peterson interview, Poilievre acknowledged that Trump, who has proposed a 25% tariff against Canadian imports, "negotiates very aggressively, and he likes to win." But as prime minister, the Conservative leader said he would seek "a great deal that will make both countries safer, richer and stronger."

TRUMP REACTS TO TRUDEAU RESIGNATION: ‘MANY PEOPLE IN CANADA LOVE BEING THE 51ST STATE’

Trudeau, after nearly a decade in power, has faced months of declining approval ratings amid growing frustration over rising inflation and the soaring cost of living.

"I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process," Trudeau told reporters Monday. "Last night, I asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it is become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election."

"As you all know, I am a fighter, and I'm not someone who backs away from a fight. Particularly when the fight is as important as this one is. But I have always been driven by my love for Canada, by my desire to serve Canadians and by what is in the best interests of Canadians, and Canadians deserve a real choice in the next election," Trudeau added. "And it has become obvious to me with the internal battles that I cannot be the one to carry the liberal standard into the next election."

Fox News Digital's Christopher Guly contributed to this report.

The Biden administration on Thursday announced an additional $500 million of military aid to Ukraine in a security package rushed out the door before President-elect Trump takes office.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the final time at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he made the announcement. Both officials used the occasion to urge the incoming Trump administration to continue to support Kyiv's fight against Russia.

"If Putin swallows Ukraine, his appetite will only grow," Austin warned at the 25th meeting of about 50 member nations who have joined forces to support Ukraine with an estimated $122 billion in weapons and support.

"If autocrats conclude that democracies will lose their nerve, surrender their interests, and forget their principles, we will only see more land grabs. If tyrants learn that aggression pays, we will only invite even more aggression, chaos, and war."

INSIDE PUTIN'S MINDSET: WHAT TEAM TRUMP CAN EXPECT FROM MOSCOW WHEN NEGOTIATING OPTIONS ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The latest U.S. security assistance to Ukraine includes missiles for fighter jets, support equipment for F-16s, armored bridging systems, small arms and ammunition and other spare parts and communications equipment.

The weapons package is funded by the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), meaning the weapons will come from U.S. stockpiles, expediting their delivery to Ukraine. 

ZELENSKYY SAYS TRUMP COULD BE ‘DECISIVE’ IN BRINGING AN END TO THE WAR

Officials noted this is the Biden administration's seventy-fourth tranche of equipment to be provided from Defense Department inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. 

This latest package leaves about $3.85 billion in funding to provide future arms shipments to Ukraine; if the Biden administration makes no further announcements, that balance will be available to Trump to send if he chooses.

Zelensky pleaded for the next administration to continue U.S. support for his country's defensive war against Russian invaders. 

UKRAINE RECEIVES US NATURAL GAS SHIPMENT FOR THE 1ST TIME AMID FRESH SUPPLY FEARS

"We’ve come such a long way that it would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now and not keep building on the defense coalitions we’ve created," Zelenskyy said. "No matter what’s going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will not just be erased of the map."

Member nations of the coalition supporting Kyiv, including the U.S., have ramped up weapons production since the Ukraine war exposed that stockpiles were inadequate for a major conventional land war.

The U.S. has provided about $66 billion of the total aid since February 2022 and has been able to deliver most of that total — between 80% and 90% — already to Ukraine.

"Retreat will only provide incentives for more imperial aggression," Austin said Thursday. "And if we flinch, you can count on Putin to push further and punch harder. Ukraine’s survival is on the line. But so is the security of Europe, the United States, and the world."

FIRST ON FOX: A top "DOGE" senator said a government watchdog alerted her to an "alarming" rate of defaults on COVID-era "PPP" loans, and now she wants to hold fraudsters accountable.

In a letter to Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) Brian Miller wrote that the loan programs funding reported losses of $1.27 billion as of November 2024, and had snowballed since debtors' initial payments began coming due in July 2023.

"Without SIGPR to protect the taxpayer, there will be no one on watch which will allow this crisis to continue," Miller wrote.

"Of equal concern is an alarming rate of defaults by borrowers who are failing to pay even the interest payments on the loans for the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP) and the Direct Loan Program."

‘DOGE’-MEETS-CONGRESS: GOP LAWMAKER AARON BEAN LAUNCHES CAUCUS TO HELP MUSK ‘TAKE ON CRAZYTOWN’

The inspector general added that their office has been "shedding staff" and going through legally mandated processes for an agency in the process of shutting down.

There are at least 130 potential defendants identified to be probed, and without proper resources, they may never be so.

Ernst warned that dishonest loan applicants could get away with $200 billion in fraud from COVID-19 relief if her bill does not pass.

"Con artists took advantage of small businesses’ pain during COVID to defraud government programs designed to help hardworking Americans," Ernst said Wednesday. 

"While we are $36 trillion in debt, we especially cannot afford to leave more than $200 billion floating around, especially in the hands of fraudsters. My Republican colleagues and I are making sure that all resources are available in this fight to get taxpayers’ money back and hold these criminals accountable."

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO RECOUP $200B IN FRAUDULENT COVID LOANS, HOUSE COMMITTEE SAYS

When the Small Business Administration initiated the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, they were on a "first come, first serve" basis.

Critics claimed at the time that many qualifying businesses and entities were therefore turned away, and reports proliferated that gang members and drug traffickers were instead able to access the resources.

One alleged fraudster used a photo of a Barbie doll as their identifier on an SBA loan application, while another raked in $8 million that could have gone to struggling restaurants – particularly in states with onerous shutdown policies. 

TOP DOGE SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS ON PLAN TO EXHAUST CHIPS FUNDING BEFORE TRUMP ARRIVES

In response, Ernst has drafted the Complete COVID Collections Act, Fox News Digital has learned.

The bill would extend authorization of the SIGPR through 2030 and expand its jurisdiction to cover other SBA COVID-related programs. As of Wednesday, the SIGPR is only authorized into September.

The proposal also directs the Treasury to enforce collection of loans under $100,000 as stringently as high-dollar alleged scofflaws and late-debtors.

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It also brings in the Justice Department, requiring the law enforcement agency to provide regular reports to Congress on activities related to pandemic-centric programs including prosecutions, fund recovery and referrals to the DOJ from other entities.

By Wednesday afternoon, Ernst’s bill gained co-sponsorship from four other Republicans: Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Todd Young of Indiana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and John Curtis of Utah – who was just seated following the departure of Mitt Romney.

Americans traveled from all over the country on Wednesday to visit former President Jimmy Carter, who was lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, ahead of his funeral on Thursday.

A handful of visitors spoke with Fox News while waiting in line to view Carter's casket – some knew him personally and others simply admired the late president.

Catherine, of nearby Gaithersburg, Maryland, said it was important that she pay her respects to Carter because he was inspirational in how he spent much of his life helping others.

"One of the reasons that I respect him is that he showed a lot of us older folks that when you retire, you don't just stop working," she said to Fox News' Rich Edson. "You can use your resources, your experience to help other people, and that's what I hope to do."

AN 'EXTRAORDINARY MAN': FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER LIES IN STATE AT CAPITOL AHEAD OF STATE FUNERAL

Georgia native Riley Cagle said he made the trip to Washington, D.C., because Carter was a "dear friend of [her] family" and he wasn't able to attend his funeral in the Peach State.

While Cagle didn't know him personally, he said his aunt was one of Carter's best friends and that she was in attendance when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His grandparents also knew Carter and had shared various "amazing" stories about him while he was growing up – such as his love for pineapple sandwiches.

"Man, they just don't make them like him anymore," Cagle said, adding that they didn't "make them like him back then either."

Natalie, another visitor from Maryland, said Carter was "the epitome of a faithful and humble servant" and congratulated him on a "job well done."

JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100

The respect for Carter transcended political lines as Ted McConnell, an employee of former President Gerald Ford's 1976 campaign, was present at the Capitol on Wednesday.

"As you well know, President Ford and President Carter became compatriots and close friends after the presidency, so I'm supporting both President Ford and President Carter today," said McConnell, who was even wearing a "Jimmy Carter for president" button.

McConnell said he appreciated all the humanitarian work Carter did all over the world and was "honored to honor him in his laying(sic) in state" on Wednesday.

Another man was in attendance with a similar "Jimmy for president" pin, but he actually volunteered to work on the late president's campaign as a high schooler and attended Carter's inauguration in 1977. 

Eric Stromayer told Fox News' Chad Pergram that the lines to view Carter's casket were moving quickly and he encouraged "those who want to give a good send off to a highly regarded president, come down and seize the opportunity."

Carter's casket will be removed from the Rotunda at 9 a.m. on Thursday to be taken to the Washington National Cathedral ahead of his state funeral at 10 a.m.

His remains will then be flown to Georgia later in the day via Special Air Mission 39 for a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains.

Fox News' Rich Edson and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: CONCORD, N.H. — Kelly Ayotte becomes the nation's newest governor on Thursday when she's inaugurated at the New Hampshire State House.

The former U.S. senator, who previously served as a state attorney general, takes office in the key New England swing state a week and a half before President-elect Trump is inaugurated.

And Ayotte, who succeeds fellow Republican Gov. Chris Sununu in steering the Granite State, says she looks forward to working with the Trump administration.

"I'll work with the administration on behalf of New Hampshire and advocate for the Granite State on important priorities here: keeping the state safe, making sure that when it comes to federal resources that we're advocating for New Hampshire, so I look forward to working with the administration," Ayotte said in a national exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her inauguration.

THE COMEBACK KID: ONE-TIME GOP RISING STAR RISES ONCE AGAIN WITH MAJOR GUBERNATORIAL VICTORY

During last year's gubernatorial campaign, which culminated with Ayotte defeating Democrat gubernatorial nominee and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig by nearly 10 points in November's election, the issue of illegal immigration and border security was often in the spotlight in a state that shares a border with Canada and has long dealt with an acute fentanyl crisis.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS POPULAR REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WHO DECIDED AGAINST SEEKING RE-ELECTION

Ayotte, who pledged on the campaign trail to prevent New Hampshire from becoming a sanctuary state for illegal migrants, will have what Sununu didn't enjoy the past four years: a Republican in the White House.

"President Trump is going to enforce the laws, and that's important to me. And we have a northern border."

Noting her tenure as a state attorney general, Ayotte said, "I believe it's important that criminals are held accountable. And as we look at New Hampshire, we're not going to allow New Hampshire to become a sanctuary state. And so it's important that we enforce our laws. We welcome legal immigration, but those who come here illegally and especially those who commit crimes need to be held accountable."

Ayotte was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 and was a rising star in the GOP and regarded as a leader on national security and foreign policy.

But Ayotte lost re-election in 2016 by a razor-thin margin of just over 1,000 votes at the hands of then-Democrat Gov. Maggie Hassan.

Now, as she takes over running the Granite State, she said that "my No. 1 priority is being a governor for everyone in New Hampshire, for all the people, and being accessible to the people of New Hampshire."

"Making sure that we continue to grow our economy, our prosperity, our freedom here in New Hampshire, having a responsible budget where we live within our means but serve the people of New Hampshire effectively, those will be my priorities on day one," she added.

Ayotte, who made history nearly two decades ago as the state’s first female attorney general, made history again in November as the first Republican woman to win election as New Hampshire governor.

"We have so many strong women that have served in this state, a great history," Ayotte said. "There are so many examples of women who have led and great men who have led, too."

She said her "hope is that every young girl out there understands that whatever position she strives to attain, it's available to her, and that we aren't even having these discussions about whether a woman's elected or a man's elected because it's just equal for everyone to understand that those opportunities are there, and I think that's what's happening in New Hampshire."

FIRST ON FOX: A group of House Republicans is gunning to codify Remain In Mexico, a cornerstone of President-elect Donald Trump's border policy during his first term.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a first-term lawmaker, is leading the effort that was first shared with Fox News Digital on Thursday.

His bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols, more commonly known as Remain In Mexico.

ICE NABS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH SEX CRIMES IN BLUE CITY, AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL

"The American people gave President Trump and Republicans a mandate to secure the border, and Congress must pass the Remain In Mexico Act as a first step to secure our border and fix the problems Democrats created in our country," Gill told Fox News Digital.

The policy, which Trump implemented in January 2019, required migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. southwestern border to await their immigration proceedings in Mexico.

A federal judge had halted the Biden administration from stopping the program, but officials ceased its use for new cases in mid-2022. 

President Biden had campaigned on ending the policy, which human rights groups and left-wing organizations had criticized as cruel and inhumane, given the accusations of rape and other crimes that migrants had endured while waiting in Mexico.

The American Civil Liberties Union previously said about the policy, "The Remain in Mexico Policy, misleadingly dubbed the "Migrant Protection Protocols" created a humanitarian disaster at the border and has been the subject of ACLU lawsuits since it was first implemented in 2019."

Proponents of Remain In Mexico, however, have argued that it is one of the only viable solutions to help cities and towns on the U.S. side of the border, many of which have seen their infrastructures strained by the volume of people crossing illegally or seeking asylum.

Gill is introducing his bill roughly two weeks before Trump takes office for his second term.

Codifying the policy in federal law would make it significantly harder for critics to then repeal it under a different administration.

Congressional Republicans have been rushing to prepare for Trump's return with a flurry of conservative legislative proposals made since the 119th Congress kicked off last Friday. 

TRUMP, GOP SENATORS TO HUDDLE AT CAPITOL, WEIGH STRATEGY ON BUDGET, TAXES AND BORDER

A significant number of those bills are related to immigration and the border, an issue that proved critical for the GOP in the November elections.

The House passed its first bill of the term on Tuesday, aimed at enabling federal officials to detain migrants accused or convicted of theft-related crimes. More than 40 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, alongside all present Republicans.

Trump has signaled he is hoping for an active first 100 days in office, particularly with Republicans controlling both the House and Senate.

The White House did not return a request for comment.

Supporters and friends of the late President Carter will attend his funeral Thursday at Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral. 

The service, scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., comes as President Biden declared Thursday a National Day of Mourning for the 38th president, who died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. 

The so-called presidents’ club — the five living men who once occupied the White House — will all gather for the event. President Biden and former presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and President-elect Trump will come together for the first time since the 2018 funeral of former President George H.W. Bush. 

Biden will deliver the eulogy. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., are also expected to attend, along with their Democratic counterparts, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Tributes began Jan. 4, when a motorcade carried Carter’s body through his hometown of Plains, Georgia, before heading to Atlanta and the Carter Presidential Center, where family and loved ones paid tribute.

Carter then lay in repose at the Carter Center and then the Capitol, where the public could pay respects from Tuesday evening through early Thursday.

JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100

After the D.C. service, the Carter family will head back to Plains for a private ceremony at Maranatha Baptist Church and another procession through Plains, where supporters are encouraged to line the streets for the motorcade before he’s buried on his property next to his late wife, Rosalynn, who died in 2023. 

Carter, the former governor of Georgia, won the presidency in 1976. He was guided by his devout Christian faith and determined to restore faith in government after Watergate and Vietnam. But after four years in office and impaired by stubborn, double-digit inflation and high unemployment, he was roundly defeated for re-election by Ronald Reagan. 

AN 'EXTRAORDINARY MAN': FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER LIES IN STATE AT CAPITOL AHEAD OF STATE FUNERAL

While in the White House, Carter established full diplomatic relations with China and led the negotiation of a nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Domestically, he led several conservation efforts, showing the same love of nature as president as he did as a young farmer in Plains.

Carter lived out the rest of his years in the unassuming ranch house he'd built with his wife in 1961, building homes with Habitat for Humanity and making forays back into foreign policy when he felt it was needed, a tendency that made his relationship with the presidents' club, at times, tense.

He earned a living in large part by writing books — 32 in all — but didn't cash in on seven-figure checks for giving speeches or take any cushy board jobs as other presidents have. 

In his spare time, Carter, a deeply religious man who served as a deacon for the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains, enjoyed fishing, running and woodworking. 

Carter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito confirmed to Fox News Wednesday that he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump the day before Trump’s high court appearance but said they did not discuss an emergency application the former president's legal team planned to file to delay the sentencing. 

Alito told Fox News' Shannon Bream he was asked if he would accept a call from Trump regarding a position that his former clerk, William Levi, is being considered for, and praised Levi’s "outstanding resume." 

"William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position. I agreed to discuss this matter with President-elect Trump, and he called me yesterday afternoon," said Alito. 

JUDGE DENIES TRUMP MOTION TO STOP NY CRIMINAL CASE SENTENCING

Alito said he did not speak with Trump about the emergency application, nor was he "even aware at the time of our conversation that such an application would be filed." 

"We also did not discuss any other matter that is pending or might in the future come before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court decisions involving the President-elect," Alito said. 

Alito told Fox News that he is often asked to give recommendations to potential employers for former clerks and that it was common practice. 

Levi once served in the Justice Department during the President-elect's first term and also clerked for Alito from 2011 to 2012.

TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO 'BLAME' FOR 'APOCALYPTIC' WILDFIRES

Alito, speaking to Trump the day before Trump’s appearance in high court regarding his New York hush-money case, is causing some to call him out, saying the conversation was an "unmistakable breach of protocol."

"No person, no matter who they are, should engage in out-of-court communication with a judge or justice who’s considering that person’s case," Gabe Roth, executive director of the nonpartisan group Fix the Court, said in a statement.

Alito said he was unaware there was an emergency request being readied by the Trump legal team with respect to the New York State case, and there was no discussion of it.   

He confirmed to Fox News that the call was solely about Levi, and that there was no discussion of any matter involving a Trump legal issue – past, present or future. 

He also said there was no discussion of any issue before the Court or potentially coming before the Court.

ABC News was the first to report the Trump-Alito call. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom is firing back at President-elect Donald Trump for comments he made Wednesday about the response to deadly wildfires currently devastating Southern California.

Trump spoke with reporters after attending meetings Wednesday on Capitol Hill and accused Newsom of not "[doing] a good job," but noted they "worked well together" and would again when he takes office later this month.

"It's very sad because I've been trying to get Gavin Newsom to allow water to come - you'd have tremendous water up there, they send it out from the Pacific - because they're trying to protect a tiny little fish," Trump said. "For the sake of a smelt, they have no water… It's a mistake of the governor, and you could say, the administration."

Newsom's press office released a statement on social media following Trump's remarks saying there was a reason for not using the pumps. 

PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; CELEBRITIES FLEE RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD  

"LADWP said that because of the high water demand, pump stations at lower elevations did not have enough pressure refill tanks at higher elevations, and the ongoing fire hampered the ability of crews to access the pumps," Newsom's press office wrote on X. 

His office added that the city used water tenders to supply water, which is a common tactic in wildland firefighting. 

Newsom's office also dismissed claims there is a water shortage.

"Broadly speaking, there is no water shortage in Southern California right now, despite Trump's claims that he would open some imaginary spigot," Newsom's office said.

The office posted a number of quotes from California officials saying water reliability and water supply are stable.

One of the comments said there was enough water to supply 40 million people for a year.

PACIFIC PALISADES INFERNO FORCES THOUSANDS TO FLEE CALIFORNIA HOMES; GOV. NEWSOM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY 

Earlier in the afternoon, Trump accused Newsom of refusing to sign a water restoration declaration and criticized him for the low fire containment.

"Let this serve, and be emblematic, of the gross incompetence and mismanagement of the Biden/Newscum Duo. January 20th cannot come fast enough!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

Newsom's office said there was no such thing as a water restoration declaration.

They also noted that the supply and transport of water are unrelated.

"Trump is conflating two entirely unrelated things: the conveyance of water to Southern California and supply from local storage," according to the post. "And again, there is no such document as the water restoration declaration - this is pure fiction."

Still, Trump was not done with his criticism of Newsom. 

In a scathing late-night post on Truth Social, Trump said the wildfires were "all his fault!!!"

Trump also called on Newsom to resign.

"One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground," Trump wrote. "It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!"

In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper earlier on Wednesday, Newsom was asked in general about Trump blaming him for the wildfire disaster.

"One can't even respond to it. I mean… you know, people are literally fleeing. People have lost their lives. Kids lost their schools. Families completely torn apart. Churches burned down," Newsom told Cooper. "This guy wanted to politicize it. I have a lot of thoughts, and I know what I want to say – I won‘t."

Newsom went on to praise President Biden, saying he "didn‘t play politics." 

Biden visited a fire station Wednesday in Los Angeles alongside Newsom for a briefing from authorities on the raging wildfires.

The California wildfires, which ignited Tuesday afternoon, have already forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. The Los Angeles area fires are threatening at least 28,000 structures. At least five people were killed.

Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday after the Palisades fire grew to an unmanageable level.

President-elect Trump pointed to a strategic benefit of the one-bill approach to budget reconciliation that he's said he prefers during a closed-door meeting with Republican senators on Wednesday evening at the Capitol. 

By combining legislation relating to both the southern border crisis and taxes into one reconciliation bill, Trump suggested that one issue could potentially force some lawmakers to make a difficult decision. For example, if a Republican doesn't support a piece of the tax component, they would also have to vote against the border provisions because they are in one measure. 

SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY

With portions of Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiring this year, the party is looking to act quickly. But the tax debate in 2025 is expected to be more divided among Republicans than that regarding the border. In particular, there is some disagreement in the party on state and local tax (SALT) deductions, which can benefit some states more than others and have been hit by some Republicans as inefficient. 

"If somebody, for example, in the House is balking because there's not SALT in the tax agreement or some other provision they want, if that also means they'd be holding out and voting against the border, it might make it harder for them to do so," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Fox News Digital. "That's a very valid point."

While SALT was not posed as an example of this by Trump himself, it was mentioned by a GOP senator in a side conversation among other attendees as they went over the advantages of a one-bill approach, Hoeven said. 

BORDER STATE DEMOCRAT RUBEN GALLEGO BACKS GOP'S LAKEN RILEY ACT AHEAD OF SENATE VOTE

A source familiar told Fox News that Republicans are preparing to go with Trump's one-bill preference, but they are also keeping the potential for two bills, one on the border and another to address taxes, in their back pocket in the case of any significant obstacles. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Trump that if one bill is what he wanted, that is what they are going to try first, the source said. 

A number of senators have their own preferences for two separate reconciliation bills instead, and some made their cases to Trump during the meeting. However, the conference is set to move forward with Trump's one-bill approach. 

RFK JR. TO MEET WITH SLEW OF DEMS INCLUDING ELIZABETH WARREN, BERNIE SANDERS

Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal came up during the discussion following Trump's remarks about each. Trump has recently said he wants U.S. to take back control of critical trade medium the Panama Canal, while also expressing interest in making Greenland and Canada part of the U.S.

Sources familiar told Fox News that Trump brought these up himself during the meeting, telling senators at one point that these countries "were screwing with" the U.S.

TRUMP, GOP SENATORS TO HUDDLE AT CAPITOL, WEIGH STRATEGY ON BUDGET, TAXES AND BORDER

The senators believe his approach to Canada is already managing to change the country's "behavior" and could have even contributed to the recent resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the sources added. 

Leaders in the tech industry are urging the Biden administration not to add a new regulation that will limit artificial intelligence exports, citing concerns it is overbroad and could diminish the United States' global dominance in AI.  

The new rule, which industry leaders say could come as early as the end of this week, effectively seeks to shore up the U.S. economy and national security efforts by adding new restrictions on how many U.S.-made artifical intelligence products can be deployed across the globe. 

"A rule of this nature would cede the global market to U.S. competitors who will be eager to fill the untapped demand created by placing arbitrary constraints on U.S. companies' ability to sell basic computing systems overseas," stated a Monday letter from Jason Oxman, the president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), sent to Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo. "Should the U.S. lose its advantage in the global AI ecosystem, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to regain in the future."

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The process to place new export controls on artificial intelligence goes back to October 2022, when the Biden administration's Commerce Department first released an updated export framework aimed at slowing the progress of Chinese military programs. Details of the new incoming export controls surfaced after the Biden administration called on American tech company NVIDIA to stop selling certain computer chips to China the following month.

In an update to the rule the following year, the Biden administration announced the initiation of a public notice and comment period. Finally, last month, as the president's term in the White House winds down, the administration published two new updates to the rule that added more limits to the proposed export controls. The rule is now in its final stages before it will be formally published in the Federal Register.

"The Bureau of Industry and Security’s ('BIS') proposed Interim Final Rule ('IFR') is a highly complex and wildly overbroad attempt to regulate Artificial Intelligence and GPUs in the name of national security," Ken Glueck, the executive vice president at Oracle, wrote in a blog post Sunday that was published to his company's website. 

"For over half a century, bipartisan consensus has held that the best way to achieve U.S. technological leadership is to regulate technology with a light touch. As a result, American companies have continued to lead each successive generation of technology, from the personal computer to the Internet, to mobile, to the cloud, and now Artificial Intelligence."

In addition to fears that the new regulations will stifle economic growth in the domestic AI sector, some critics have also argued that blocking American AI manufacturers from selling their computer chips around the globe could actually benefit China. 

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"The Biden administration is trying to force other countries to pick a side – the United States or China – and it is likely going to discover that if it issues this ultimatum, many will pick China," Stephen Ezell, vice president of global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said in a Tuesday statement published on the foundation's website. 

"Moreover, the United States should be countering efforts by China and Russia, which recently launched an AI Alliance Network among BRICS countries, to offer its own allies and partners access to AI data, models, and computer resources," he added.

Ezell and others also highlighted the rushed nature of the new proposed rule on export controls, arguing that hurrying to get it finalized has been at the cost of adequate industry input on the new regulations. 

"We respectfully caution against making such a swift and significant shift in policy during this transitional period, and without meaningful consultation with industry," the Semiconductor Industry Association said in a Monday statement. The group encouraged the Biden administration to "hand over the policymaking process" to the incoming Trump administration because it will "ensure there is appropriate opportunity for government and industry leaders, together with our global partners, to thoughtfully address this critical matter."

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It is uncertain exactly how the incoming administration might approach this issue. Trump has signaled he is not afraid to initiate new trade deals and could potentially use the export controls as leverage.

However, the president-elect said following his November election victory that a focus of his second term will be to "win the A.I. arms race with China (and others)."

"With U.S. Energy Dominance, we will drive down inflation, win the A.I. arms race with China (and others), and expand American Diplomatic Power to end Wars all across the World," Trump wrote in an email announcing former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as the new head of the Interior Department.  

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

President Biden will be in office less than two more weeks, but that's not slowing down Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, from taking the Biden administration to court over new energy-efficient housing standards they argue undermine affordable housing and go beyond what federal law allows.

This isn't the only late lawsuit or complaint filed against the Biden White House in its waning days, and it marks Paxton's 103rd lawsuit challenging the Democratic administration.

"So, I don't know if anybody's close to that, but he's kept us busy because we've had to prevent him from being more of a king or a dictator than an elected executive who is responsible for implementing, not creating, laws," Paxton told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

TRUMP PLANNING TO LIFT BIDEN'S LNG PAUSE, INCREASE OIL DRILLING DURING 1ST DAYS IN OFFICE: REPORT

Paxton said they "may have another" lawsuit on the way, but they may not have it ready in time.

In addition to Utah and Texas, the states participating in the lawsuit with the National Association of Home Builders are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. The coalition contends the administration’s energy standards are not only burdensome but also exceed the authority granted by Congress. 

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

"Even as our nation prepares to transition to a new administration, the outgoing HUD and USDA offices are committed to inflicting unwanted and unneeded cost increases on Americans who are already struggling to pay their bills, provide for their families, and secure a brighter future for their children," Reyes said in a statement.

The Biden administration has claimed these rules will save money by making homes more energy efficient. However, critics argue the rules are increasing upfront costs and reducing options for buyers.

The lawsuit also questions whether the administration had the legal authority to enforce these rules. The attorneys general say the administration is relying on private organizations, like the International Code Council, to set standards that go beyond what the original law intended.

Biden's renewable energy agenda has been a controversial focal point of energy critics over the last four years. On Monday, Biden also signed an executive action that bans new drilling and further oil and natural gas development on more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters. 

Trump's press secretary quickly slammed the order on X. 

"This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill," Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. 

BIDEN RIPPED FOR 'SLAP IN THE FACE' TO CRIME VICTIMS AFTER AWARDING SOROS MEDAL OF FREEDOM: 'DISGUSTING'

More than a dozen Republican AGs over the last four years have kept the Biden administration on alert and issued notices on several of his policies. In November, Iowa Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, alongside more than 20 other attorneys general, sent a letter to special counsel Jack Smith, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, calling on them to drop their cases against President-elect Trump to avoid the risk of a "constitutional crisis."

Paxton also filed a lawsuit in November against the Biden-Harris Department of Justice to prevent potential destruction of any records from Smith’s "corrupt investigation into President Donald Trump," according to his office. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.

FIRST ON FOX: Two former Navy SEALs are planning to bring hundreds of veterans to Washington, D.C., next week to march in support of Pete Hegseth’s confirmation for defense secretary.

Hegseth, a former Army National Guardsman, will take the hot seat before the Armed Services Committee for a hearing on Tuesday ahead of a confirmation vote.

The group, organized by Bill Brown and Rob Sweetman, are planning to pack "as many veterans into the hearing room" as possible. They plan to have veterans meet outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 4 a.m., before the building opens at 7 a.m. and the hearing kicks off at 9:30 a.m. 

The pair got to know Hegseth through his participation in the yearly New York City SEAL Swim in the Hudson River, organized by Brown. 

A group of veterans will also meet at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 9 a.m. to march in support of Hegseth. Brown is inviting all veterans to bring American flags and join their group. 

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

"There's something really powerful about having a physical presence of support, other than just social media," said Sweetman. His organization, 62Romeo, helps veterans transitioning out of the military get their sleep back on track and is helping to sponsor the event. 

Sweetman expects at least 100 SEALs to join and hundreds of other veterans. 

Brown said he and others began organizing the march over the "total dismay that a lot of us in the military, a lot of us who served our country and war and overseas, have with the current leadership in the Pentagon."

Jurandir "J" Araujo, Hegseth’s first commander when he was stationed at Guantanamo Bay prison in 2004, who’s planning to help rally support, told Fox News Digital that back then he used to tell his colleagues that Hegseth would be president one day. 

"I immediately noticed his dedication and commitment to the mission, and not only to the mission but to his men."

"As a young second lieutenant and platoon leader, Pete cared about not only training and instructing his men, but being a part of their daily lives," said Araujo. "He was always very caring about his troops, and their satisfaction with what they were doing there. 

"I always saw something in him that was special," Araujo went on. "I gave him the call sign as a lieutenant of double-A, which means all-American."

"I made a point to tell the first sergeant, I said, you know, I said, "Lt. Hegseth, prepare yourself because this guy is gonna be president one day."

Hegseth’s nomination has been rocked by allegations that the former Army National Guardsman and Fox News host drank too much and behaved inappropriately with women.

A recently unearthed police report from 2017 revealed a sexual assault allegation against him that Hegseth thoroughly denies. Others have taken issue with his past comments arguing that women should not serve in combat roles.

Some still have said they don’t believe he has the experience for the job, having retired as a major. 

The veterans coming to support him in D.C. are not deterred by the allegations. 

"The Lt. Hegseth that I knew, and the Pete Hegseth that I know today is a man of integrity," said Araujo. "That's what I gauge my measurement on, as far as leadership and the ability to lead men and this country.

"His view on women in combat is the same as mine," said Brown. "The focus should be what’s going to make us the most lethal and combat-efficient force we can be." 

"We're not little guys, we're big muscly dudes. Most women are going to have a hard time, with my plates, with my gear, dragging me out of harm's way. It’s just the truth… Pete was speaking out of love."

Both Brown and Sweetman said they were infuriated over the Afghanistan withdrawal and spurred to action when the Pentagon failed its seventh audit in a row. They hope Hegseth will hold those responsible for the withdrawal accountable and cut out waste at the Pentagon. 

"There's gross corruption, fraud, wasting, abuse in the Pentagon," said Brown. "No one's been held accountable for the travesty in Afghanistan."

"We are hemorrhaging money with some of the defense contractor initiatives," said Sweetman. "There are no checks and balances on some of these large contracts, with some of the larger companies that are embedded with the government, and so we're looking at a huge budget that a lot of it is unaccounted for, specifically when we talk about the audits. How come you don't know where the money is going?"

Angelo Martinez served with Hegseth in Cuba, when he was a young soldier and Hegseth was his platoon commander. Martinez is now a staff sergeant, and has been in the Army for 21 years.

"I had the pleasure, or maybe not, of meeting many personalities or officers," he said. 

'GREATEST WARRIORS': HEGSETH RAILS AGAINST 'MISCONSTRUED' NARRATIVE THAT HE'S AGAINST WOMEN IN MILITARY

"The difference between him and other officers, and there's very few of them that treat other people, meaning the enlisted soldiers, as, not saying equal, but they will look at you as an equal person."

"A lot of officers kind of look above us as U.S. enlisted soldiers, and he's one of the few people that took the time to get to know the soldier, understand you, listen to you, listen to your viewpoints and stuff like that. He was one of the few that cared." 

"I'm actually on my way out of the military, and I joke that I hope one of the last few things I do here is I can take down the other secretary of defense and hang [Hegseth] up on my wall," Martinez said.

The NCO said he believed the fact that Hegseth didn’t retire as a colonel or a general was a plus, recalling times in Cuba when he and his platoon were on duty while the officers were off scuba diving on break. "He didn’t join them, he felt like he needed to be there with us."

"He's not that officer that would sit back and say, ‘You know what? I'm just gonna sit back and supervise and not have to deal with the grunt work.' Him not having the colonel rank or the star, it keeps him like among us still, rather than a distance, like someone above us looking down."

Martinez went on: "I have had people talk to me, asking about who he was, and how people had mixed feelings about him, what he did. And you know, a lot of people sometimes get a misunderstanding of who he is, but once you get to know him, you realize that he is the person for the job. Once you get to know him, you’ll probably be more comfortable with him being in that job."

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

Here's what's happening…

-Garland intends to release Jack Smith report on Trump election case

-Gaetz mulls bid for Florida Governor

-Senator Fetterman open to potential Greenland acquisition

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse California for costs associated with hiring more firefighters and controlling the raging wildfires that have ripped through Southern California. 

News of the Fire Management Assistance Grants trickled in Tuesday, and by the evening the White House put out a statement from President Biden confirming the move. FEMA confirmed the measures on Wednesday, in an announcement laying out some details about the grants. 

The funding will provide federal reimbursements for up to 75% of "eligible firefighting costs" incurred by the state, as California seeks to shore up its firefighting force and put out the wildfires that have killed at least two people and driven thousands from their homes. Eligible costs include expenses for field camps, equipment, materials, supplies and mobilization or demobilization efforts attributed to fighting the fires …Read more

DOUBTFUL LEGACY: Majority of Americans say President Biden will be remembered as a below-average president: Gallup ...Read more

'FURTHER THE PUBLIC INTEREST': AG Merrick Garland intends to release Jack Smith report on Trump election case ...Read more

STILL THINKING: Biden says pre-emptive pardons for Trump targets still under consideration ...Read more

ROAD BLOCK: Dems accused of 'stonewalling' Tulsi Gabbard confirmation after GOP calls for quick hearing ...Read more

MAGAFEST DESTINY: Trump flexes his muscles with repeated talk of American expansionism ...Read more

'DRIVING THE WHALES CRAZY': Trump signals he could oppose new wind energy production during second term ...Read more

TRUMP TRIAL: President-elect files emergency petition to SCOTUS to prevent sentencing in New York ...Read more

FIRST ON FOX: Bipartisan lawmakers introduce bill in warning to Putin-allied government ...Read more

SENATE STEP FORWARD: Dems expected to help advance Laken Riley Act ...Read more

'NEED TO GO': Fetterman open to potential Greenland acquisition, declares support for Laken Riley Act ...Read more

BRING BACK DEATH PENALTY: Top Republicans roll out bill that would undo 9/11 plea deals ...Read more

'I SAW IT FIRSTHAND': Ex-Dem rep calls presidential race 'unwinnable,' had concerns about Biden ...Read more

'REVIEWING THE OPPORTUNITY': Gaetz mulls bid for Florida governor ...Read more

PARTISAN FLASH POINT: NC Supreme Court blocks election results for one of its own seats amid legal challenge ...Read more

DRUG DEALERS BEWARE: VA seeks murder charges for fentanyl deaths ...Read more

TARIFF THREAT: Mexico disperses migrant caravans heading to U.S. ahead of Trump inauguration ...Read more

'TERRIBLE JOB': Flashback: Trump repeatedly called out Newsom on wildfires in first term ...Read more

NAME GAMES: Mexico president turns tables on Trump with map idea of her own ...Read more

'TRUE DISASTER': Trump pins blame for 'apocalyptic' wildfires on Newsom ...Read more

'I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED': 'Hillbilly Elegy' actress says JD Vance's family was 'generous' on set ...Read more

'RAPE GANG SCANDAL': UK lawmakers reject inquiry despite Musk appeals ...Read more

DIRECT HIT: U.S. hits underground Houthi weapons depots ...Read more

Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

The Biden administration was sued by the state of Alaska over claims they violated a Trump-era law by narrowing the scope of a mandated oil and gas lease.

During President-elect Donald Trump's first term in 2017, he signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which required the government to allow for at least two oil and gas drilling lease sales in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) by December 2024. 

With the deadline quickly approaching, the Biden administration announced in December plans to move forward with an oil and gas lease sale of 400,000 acres within the northwest portion of the program area. But the lease, which was the smallest amount required under the Trump-era law, contained some restrictions.

In a lawsuit filed on Monday, the state of Alaska sued the Biden administration on claims that they are violating the statutory mandate of Congress by limiting drilling in the region. 

TRUMP PLANS TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ REVERSE BIDEN'S ‘RIDICULOUS’ BAN ON NEW OIL AND GAS DRILLING ALONG US COAST

"Interior’s continued and irrational opposition under the Biden administration to responsible energy development in the Arctic continues America on a path of energy dependence instead of utilizing the vast resources we have available," Alaska's Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter set aside an area of ANWR, known as "Area 1002," for the potential future exploration and development of natural resources. 

The state of Alaska claims that by limiting drilling in the region, the Biden administration "negates Congress’ express call for oil and gas leasing and development on the Coastal Plain." 

BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION

"Congress did not authorize a new direction for ANWR. President Biden’s Administration ignored the law and took this unlawful detour without even presenting their final decision to the public for comment," Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor said in a statement.

The Biden administration issued restrictions on the lease, such as surface use and occupancy, which the complaint claims could "make any development economically and practically impossible." 

The lawsuit was filed just days before the lease sale is expected to take place on Jan. 9.

The Department of Interior told Fox News Digital it would not be commenting on the lawsuit.