FIRST ON FOX: Newly sworn-in Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, in his first letter as a member of the Senate, sent a blistering inquiry to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers on the extension of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals from a slew of countries.

"I write to express my sincere concerns regarding the extensions of the designations of El Salvador, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Sudan for Temporary Protected Status ("TPS")," Moreno wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday. "These 18-month extensions allow these noncitizens to remain in the United States through the Fall of 2026, when the designations were set to expire."

"These decisions were shamefully made by an outgoing administration ten days before President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office. One would think that after handedly losing the 2024 Presidential Election when voters overwhelmingly rejected the Biden-Harris Administration's open-border policy, that you would finally understand American citizens' mandate. And yet, you continue to completely disregard the will of the majority of voters, by unilaterally deciding to allow nearly 1 million noncitizens who entered our country without original authorization to remain in the United States."

DHS announced on Friday it is extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan and Ukraine for an additional 18 months beyond their current expirations.

RED STATE AGS WELCOME TRUMP CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AFTER FOUR YEARS BATTLING BIDEN

TPS grants protection from deportation and work permits for nationals living in the U.S. from countries deemed unsafe for them to be returned. DHS cited environmental disasters in El Salvador, including storms and heavy rainfall, that it said resulted in a "substantial, but temporary" disruption of living conditions. It also cited the political and economic crises in Venezuela, political instability in Sudan and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with Russia.

In his letter to Secretary Mayorkas, Moreno criticized the government’s rationale for the move.

"I am also deeply disgusted by your attempts to justify these decisions," Moreno wrote. "For example, according to your Department, the extension of the TPS status of 234,000 noncitizens is due to "geological and weather events" in El Salvador. However, a quick review of the current weather in San Salvador, El Salvador currently shows that it is "mostly sunny" and 81 degrees Fahrenheit."

NEW REPORT REVEALS MASSIVE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BENEFITING FROM BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN'S 'QUIET AMNESTY'

The moves do not redesignate countries for the status, meaning only those currently protected by TPS are eligible for an extension and no new applications can be received. Venezuela's extension will apply to approximately 600,000 nationals; El Salvador's will apply to 232,000; Ukraine's will apply to approximately 103,000; and Sudan will affect about 1,900 nationals. Venezuela's extension will run until October 2026, and El Salvador's will run until September 2026, with both having been scheduled to end in the spring of 2025.

The moves, particularly for El Salvador and Venezuela, could complicate efforts by the Trump administration to deport illegal immigrants from those countries. Venezuelan nationals have been a particular focus, given the rise of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, while El Salvador is where the MS-13 gang originated.

Moreno’s letter asked Mayorkas to provide answers to a series of questions, some of them related to the concerns about MS-13. 

"What is the current number of MS-13 members known to be in the United States?" Moreno asked. " What is the current number of TdA members known to be in the United States? How many of the noncitizens suspected of being associated with MS-13 and/or TdA have remained in this country through a TPS designation?"

The letter also asks for sourcing and data related to the "geological and weather events" cited by the government as well as information about the vetting process for these individuals and answers about how the government is ensuring that these migrants will not commit crimes in the United States. 

"DHS responds to Congressional inquiries directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

The department added that a series of earthquakes in El Salvador that caused a disruption in living conditions played a role in the extension for foreign nationals from that country. The department added that it has implemented "enhanced screening measures" to identify gang members.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. 

The first Trump administration moved to cut down on the number of countries designated for TPS, but the Biden administration has used it broadly, designating or redesignating a number of countries, including Venezuela, Afghanistan and Haiti. There are currently 17 countries designated for TPS.

Both President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have indicated they want to cut back on TPS once in office, specifically for Haiti.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report

Los Angeles' municipal utility lacks a common safety procedure that may have kept water pumping to fire hydrants during an intentional power shutoff, though President Biden said the outage caused the problem.

Republicans, including President-elect Trump, have blamed Democratic officials — at least in part — for the water shortage, which has hampered efforts to fight devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. However, Democrats have rebuked these claims, and on Thursday, Biden suggested the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) bore responsibility for shutting off power to pumps that fuel the hydrants.

"What I know from talking to the governor, there are concerns out there that there’s also been a water shortage," Biden told reporters. "The fact is the utilities, understandably, shut off power because they are worried the lines that carried energy were going to be blown down and spark additional fires. When it did that, it cut off the ability to generate pumping the water — that’s what caused the lack of water in these hydrants."

Biden noted that generators were being deployed following the shutdown to get power back to the pumps and ensure there is no longer a shortage of water to fight the fire.

TRUMP ACCUSES NEWSOM OF PRIORITIZING ENDANGERED FISH SPECIES OVER PROTECTING RESIDENTS FROM WILDFIRES

But a report from The Wall Street Journal unveiled Friday highlighted how LADWP is the only major utility company in California without an intentional shut-off protocol, known as a "Public Safety Power Shut Off" procedure. The protocol lays out plans for how to proactively shut down certain electricity lines during dangerous windstorms and limit the impact to public safety. 

"Being prepared for a power shutoff takes careful planning, which begins by designing our water systems the right way and working with local fire agencies and energy companies to ensure community safety," California Water Service, a private utility provider in the state, explains on its website FAQ page about public safety power shutoffs.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST-TURNED-FIREFIGHTER BATTLES CALIFORNIA BLAZES AS WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN

"We go to great lengths beyond our standard procedures to ensure water service isn’t disrupted during a power shutoff," the company added. "Cal Water has been installing permanent generators at a number of our critical stations over the years, and we are working to bring in additional, portable generators for other stations. Our crews and employees have also been trained on emergency response procedures for when these widespread shutoffs occur."

Michael Wara, a lawyer who directs the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University and studies wildfire mitigation strategies, added in remarks to the Journal that "there is no need to make any trade-off between reliability and safety."

Edward Ring, the director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center, confirmed there are measures that could be taken to keep power to the pumps during an intentional shutoff. 

"They need to underground these power lines, that would be the solution, or they need to have parallel systems that go to vital services like fire hydrant pumps that are not on the same circuit as the lines that are going into households," he said.

‘DEVASTATING’: CALIFORNIA HAD RECORD RAINFALL LAST YEAR, BUT LACKED INFRASTRUCTURE TO STORE IT

A spokesperson for LADWP told Fox News Digital that in the absence of a public safety power shutoff protocol for Los Angeles, it has a different procedure in place to reduce fire risks while continuing vital functions. The spokesperson said that Los Angeles's urban environment is different from the environments that other California utility companies serve. 

"LADWP worked closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department to develop this emergency protocol," the spokesperson said. "LADWP's plan is audited every 3 years by an independent third party and is submitted to state regulators as required."

But, in the past, according to the Journal, LADWP has asserted it will not proactively shut off power ahead of heavy winds.

Former Los Angeles firefighter John Knox, who spoke with Fox News on Friday, said he was "surprised" to hear that fire hydrants were running dry, adding that there are "a lot of things that need to be asked by the people to get answers from these so-called leaders." 

"In my career I've never seen us have — every once in a while you might have a dry hydrant, but we do annual testing in January where we test all the fire hydrants and that didn't happen this year," Knox said. "That area has a very large reservoir with four huge tanks that are supposed to be filled at all times. It's my understanding also that they had one of them that's been out for maintenance for a year during peak brush season. 

"There's a lot of issues and a lot of things that need to be asked by the people to get answers from these so-called leaders."

President-elect Donald Trump's transition will be funded entirely by private donors. His unprecedented move to reject federal funds typically allocated to presidential transitions allows him to shield the identity of donors. We explore why this matters in a video collaboration between Politico and Business Insider.

The late former President Jimmy Carter reportedly held the 1971 John Lennon hit "Imagine" as his favorite tune. But its use as a song at his state funeral ceremony has set a firestorm on social media from critics saying it wasn't fit for use in what in a memorial service in a Christian church.

On Thursday, the tune was performed by fellow Georgian Trisha Yearwood and her husband Garth Brooks during Carter's Washington National Cathedral funeral service. One year earlier, Brooks and Yearwood performed it at former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s wake, as well. The country star couple previously worked with Carter on several Habitat for Humanity home projects, according to reports.

Social media lit up later Thursday, calling into question the performance of the song, given its lyrical rejection of religion.

"Imagine there's no heaven / It's easy if you try / No Hell below us / Above us, only sky," the first line goes.

HARRIS, EMHOFF APPEAR TO IGNORE TRUMP, OBAMA AT CARTER FUNERAL

On X, several observers, including top conservative figures, questioned the use of the song, while others differed.

"Having Joe Biden lecture us about what a strong Christian Jimmy Carter was before the crowd sits through ‘Imagine’ with the lyrics ‘Imagine there's no heaven /It's easy if you try’ makes me question the authenticity of the assertion," said commentator Erick Erickson, who also served on the Macon City Council in Carter’s home state.

"Imagine there is no heaven -- Sung for someone who is a devout Southern Baptist," one X user added.

TRUMP CHATS UP OBAMA WHILE CLINTONS, HARRIS IGNORE PRESIDENT-ELECT AT CARTER WAKE

"I don’t think Jimmy would appreciate the ‘no religion’ part," another said.

Self-described "Trumpocrat" Steve Carlson, a perennial Minnesota Democratic candidate now running for governor in 2026, wrote that it is an "insult" to have "Imagine" played at Carter’s funeral.

REV GREG LAURIE DETAILS HOW LENNON FOUND GOD

"Why would any Christian have that sung at their funeral? Imagining there is no heaven and no Christianity at a Christian funeral is dark, indeed," said Mollie Z. Hemingway, Federalist editor and frequent "All-Star Panel"-ist on Fox News’ "Special Report with Bret Baier."

A prominent member of the Catholic clergy also chimed in on X, saying he was "appalled" by the performance.

"Under the soaring vault of what I think is still a Christian church, they reverently intoned, ‘Imagine there’s no heaven; it’s easy if you try" and "imagine there’s no country; it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too.’ -- Vested ministers sat patiently while a hymn to atheistic humanism was sung," said Bishop Robert Barron, prelate of the Catholic Archdiocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota.

"This was not only an insult to the memory of a devoutly believing Christian but also an indicator of the spinelessness of too much of established religion in our country," the bishop said.

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The National Review’s Jim Geraghty said the fact "Imagine" asks the listener to imagine the absence of heaven is a "de facto concession" that it exists, in an apparent defense of the rendition.

"Otherwise, there would be no need to ask us to envision otherwise," Geraghty said.

Lennon himself had a complicated view of Christianity and organized religion, but notably corresponded with Christian preachers like Oral Roberts.

"I was brought up a Christian and I only now understand some of the things that Christ was saying in those parables," Lennon also has been quoted as saying. "God is a concept by which we measure our own pain."

FIRST ON FOX: Special Counsel David Weiss is expected to release his final report on his years-long investigation into Hunter Biden as soon as next week, Fox News has learned. 

Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony firearm offenses stemming from Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation. The first son was also charged with federal tax crimes regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. Before his trial, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea. 

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

The charges carried up to 17 years behind bars. His sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 16, but his father, President Joe Biden, pardoned him on all charges in December. 

The federal investigation into Hunter Biden began in November 2018. 

But it wasn't until 2023 that whistleblowers from the IRS, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, brought allegations of politicization in the federal probe of Hunter Biden to Congress. 

The two alleged that political influence had infected prosecutorial decisions in the federal probe, which was led by Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who they said had requested to become a special counsel. 

BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE

After Shapley and Ziegler testified publicly, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel to continue his investigation of the first son and, ultimately, bring federal charges against him in two separate jurisdictions — Delaware and California. 

Justice Department regulations require Weiss to transmit any final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who has pledged to release as much as possible to the public. 

The Justice Department and Special Counsel Weiss’ office declined to comment. 

Meanwhile, President Biden's pardon of his son came after months of vowing to the American people that he would not do so. 

But on last month, the president announced a blanket pardon that applies to any offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. 

"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," Biden said. "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."

Biden added, "I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision." 

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra warned against the impact of a preemptive presidential pardon for people like Dr. Anthony Fauci just hours after President Biden said in an interview that he was still considering it.

"It sinks my heart to think that we’re going to use the pardon process in a way that will follow the whims of whoever’s in the White House," Becerra, who previously served as California's attorney general before taking his post at HHS, said in an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday. Becerra noted that he was speaking from his legal background as opposed to his position in Biden's Cabinet.

"I think we should hold that power, that only a president has, in very high regard," he continued. "Because otherwise it becomes pedestrian, and it’s used anywhere, and I don’t think that should be the case."

When the HHS secretary was asked directly if he meant that the president should not pardon Fauci, who was Biden's former chief medical adviser during the pandemic and served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for several decades, Becerra declined to clarify.

 BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS; HERE'S HOW OTHER PRESIDENTS RANK

"I won’t try to interpret what you’re hearing; I just told you what I think," he replied. 

Becerra's comments came hours after Biden's final interview as president with a print publication, during which he said preemptive pardons for Trump's political targets were still under consideration.

President-elect Trump's nominees for director of the FBI and attorney general, Kash Patel and Pam Bondi, respectively, have previously indicated they are in favor of using the Justice Department to go after people they believe unfairly targeted Trump. 

Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress and some of Trump's top transition advisers, such as Elon Musk, have argued that Fauci should be prosecuted over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Trump's nominee to be the successor to Becerra, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said while he was running for president — before joining Trump's team — that he would prosecute Fauci if he won the November election and his attorney general determined that crimes had been committed in Fauci's handling of the coronavirus. During the pandemic, Fauci was accused of working to evade public records laws and lying to Congress in apparent efforts to conceal the origins of the virus.  

Democrats are split on whether Biden should offer preemptive pardons to public officials who may be politically targeted by Trump.

BIDEN COMMUTES 1,500 JAIL SENTENCES, GRANTS PARDONS FOR 39 OTHERS: ‘LARGEST SINGLE-DAY GRANT OF CLEMENCY’

"If we’re serious about stopping Trump’s authoritarian ambitions, we need to act decisively and use every tool at our disposal. Norms and traditions alone won’t stop — Trump has shown time and again that he’s willing to ignore them to consolidate power and punish his opponents," Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said in a statement last month calling on Biden to issue a blanket pardon for Trump's political foes. "The time for cautious restraint is over. We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power."

Legal experts have said that Biden has the authority to issue preemptive pardons, citing a precedent set by former President Gerald Ford when he granted a blanket pardon to Richard Nixon for any crimes committed while in office, even though Nixon had not been charged with anything after resigning following the Watergate scandal.

Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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.

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."

The funeral service of the late President Carter on Thursday at Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral brought together all five living presidents together in one location.

The service comes as President Biden declared Thursday a National Day of Mourning for the 39th president, who died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. 

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

Biden delivered a eulogy. 

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

"Throughout his life, he showed us what it means to be a practitioner of good works and a good and faithful servant of God, and of the people," Biden said. "And today, many think he was from a bygone era, but in reality he saw well into the future. A White Southern Baptist, who led the civil rights, a decorated Navy veteran who brokered peace, was a brilliant nuclear engineer who led a nuclear nonproliferation, a hard-working farmer who championed conservation and clean energy, and the president who redefined the relationship with a vice president."

Biden praised the strength of character with which Carter lived his life, saying he showed the strength to understand "that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect."

"That's the definition of a good life, a life Jimmy Carter lived during his 100 years. To young people, to anyone in search of meaning and purpose, study the power of Jimmy Carter's example. I miss him, but I take solace in knowing that his beloved Rosalynn are reunited again. To the entire Carter family. Thank you, and I mean this sincerely, for sharing them both with America and the world."

Ahead of the service, Trump was seen shaking hands with his former vice president, Mike Pence. Obama was seated next to Trump and the pair were seen shaking hands and chatting cordially.

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

Also in attendance were Sen. Dave McCormick, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Vice President-elect JD Vance, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, former first son Hunter Biden and former Vice President Al Gore.

In addition to Biden, other speakers included Carter's grandsons, Joshua Carter and Jason Carter; Steven Ford, who read a eulogy written by his father, former President Gerald Ford; and Ted Mondale, the son of former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, who also read his father's tribute to Carter.

Jason Carter remembered his grandparents' humble lifestyle, though added that he knows "we are not here because he was just a regular guy."

"As you've heard from the other speakers, his political life and his presidency, for me, was not just ahead of its time. It was prophetic. He had the courage and strength to stick to his principles even when they were politically unpopular," the grandson said.

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.

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

Carter then lay in repose at the Carter Center and then the Capitol.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

• Biden in a new interview said Trump was "very complimentary" of a portion of his economic record.
• The president made the statement while speaking with USA Today days before he's set to leave office.
• Trump's 2024 election victory was fueled by voter dissatisfaction over large parts of the economy.

In a newly-published interview with USA Today days before he's set to leave office, President Joe Biden said President-elect Donald Trump praised of a portion of his economic record during a private meeting.

"He was very complimentary about some of the economic things I had done," Biden said. "And he talked about — he thought I was leaving with a good record."

Biden in the interview didn't specify exactly what policies Trump praised, and the gesture could've simply been an element of the courtesies that presidents and president-elects generally extend to each other when discussing a White House transition.

The president during the interview also issued a warning for his predecessor and soon-to-be successor regarding tax policy and the economy overall.

"I think if he moves on the tax cuts of $5 trillion, I think if he moves on dealing with increasing tariffs across the board, all they are is increasing costs of consumers in America," Biden said. "And if he decides to do away with some of the major programs, whether it's dealing with the rescue plan or infrastructure or the climate law, I think he's just going to, you know, hurt himself, hurt the economy."

Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump hammered President Biden over his economic record, repeatedly needling the commander-in-chief on issues like inflation and housing affordability.

When Biden stepped aside as the Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris became the party's standard-bearer, Trump pursued the same strategy, tying voter dissatisfaction with the economy to Biden's No. 2.

The president-elect in November was victorious in the major swing states — making significant gains with groups that had long backed Democrats — in large part because of his focus on the economy.

Trump during his first term pledged to get an infrastructure agenda in place and even sought to work with congressional Democrats on the issue.

However it was Biden — an ardent Amtrak fan — who oversaw passage of the gargantuan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure law. The law is one of the biggest domestic accomplishments of Biden's presidency, and one that's poised to reshape his economic legacy years — and potentially decades — after he leaves office later this month.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung in a statement to Business Insider said Trump was elected to a second term to "continue the massively successful economic policies" of his first administration.

"Joe Biden's disastrous policies led to record inflation and an economy that left behind all Americans," Cheung said.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has offered to assist California as Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with multiple fires ripping through Los Angeles County this week. 

"Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California. When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can," DeSantis posted to X on Wednesday morning. 

"The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated," he added. 

DeSantis' offer of support to California comes after he recently led his state through Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene last year. The two governors have frequently traded barbs with one another in recent years, most notably when Florida was open for business during the pandemic, and California implemented strict lockdown orders and mandates. 

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES 

At least four fires are raging in Los Angeles County this week, tearing through the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles, as well as near the city of Pasadena. Newsom declared a state of emergency after the Pacific Palisades fire quickly grew on Tuesday. 

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

"This is a highly dangerous windstorm that's creating extreme fire risk – and we're not out of the woods. We're already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes," Newsom said in a statement. "Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you're in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials." 

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

At least 30,000 residents have evacuated the area as the devastating fires have burned mansions and homes to the ground, including those belonging to Hollywood stars such as James Woods. 

"All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones. I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one," Woods shared on X of the devastation to his home.

ACTOR STEVE GUTTENBERG HELPS PALISADES FIRE FIRST RESPONDERS AS FLAMES RAGE, 'IT'S A GHOST TOWN' 

President Biden reported to the public that he has been in frequent communication with California leaders as the fires rages and that FEMA aid was approved to assist efforts. 

"I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire. Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response," Biden posted to X on Tuesday evening. 

President Biden said he was still considering pre-emptive pardons for President-elect Donald Trump's political foes, such as former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Dr. Anthony Fauci, during his final interview with a print publication before leaving the White House.

The interview, conducted over the weekend in the Oval Office by USA Today's Washington Bureau chief Susan Page, was released Wednesday morning. Biden told Page during the discussion that he was still unsure whether to offer pre-emptive pardons to potential Trump targets, including Cheney, Fauci and others. 

Biden added during the interview that when he met with Trump following his November election victory, he urged the president-elect not to "try to settle scores."

TWO FEDERAL DEATH ROW INMATES REFUSE BIDEN'S COMMUTATION IN CONTINUED FIGHT TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE

"He didn't say, 'No, I'm going to...' You know. He didn't reinforce it. He just basically listened," Biden told Page.

Reports of potential pre-emptive pardons for people who could face Trump's political wrath started to surface after Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, following his conviction on felony gun and tax charges. The pardon came after Biden said he was not considering such a move.

Biden continued handing out pardons and commutations during the waning days of his presidency. Last month, he set a record for the largest single-day act of clemency when he commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 people in mid-December.

Some Democrats have warned the move to issue additional broad-based pardons for Trump's political targets – on Biden's way out the door – could set a dangerous precedent. Meanwhile, others have publicly advocated for the pardons over fear of what Trump might do.

One of the public officials who Biden has reportedly been considering for one of the pre-emptive pardons, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told CNN Monday that he did not want to see every president going forward handing out broad-based, blanket pardons. However, Schiff stopped short of saying whether he would decline such a pardon if it were offered to him.

BIDEN CLAMS HE ‘MEANT WHAT I SAID’ WITH PROMISE NOT TO PLEDGE HUNTER, HOPES IT DOESN'T SET PRECEDENT

Other lawmakers, such as Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., signaled support for Biden issuing pre-emptive pardons. 

"I think that without question, Trump is going to try to act in a dictatorial way, in a fascistic way, in a revengeful [way his] first year … towards individuals who he believes harmed him," Markey told Boston Public Radio following Trump's November election victory. "If it’s clear by January 19th that [revenge] is his intention, then I would recommend to President Biden that he provide those preemptive pardons to people, because that’s really what our country is going to need next year."

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

• Biden says he thinks he would've defeated Trump in 2024, "based on the polling."
• Polling consistently showed Biden losing handily to Trump before he dropped out in July.
• The president also says he's unsure if he would've been able to complete a second term.

President Joe Biden said in an interview this week that he believes he could have defeated President-elect Donald Trump if he had remained the Democratic nominee, rather than stepping aside for Vice President Kamala Harris.

"It's presumptuous to say that, but I think yes," Biden told USA Today.

The president was less sure, however, that he would've been able to serve out the entirety of a second term, noting that he would have been 86 years old at the end of it.

"When Trump was running again for reelection, I really thought I had the best chance of beating him. But I also wasn't looking to be president when I was 85 years old, 86 years old," Biden said. "Who the hell knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I'm going to be when I'm 86 years old?"

Though Harris came up short in the 2024 election, many prominent Democratic lawmakers have argued that she helped the party stave off an electoral disaster by replacing Biden, who lost the confidence of Democrats after a disastrous debate performance against Trump in June.

"President Trump beat Joe Biden after delivering the greatest debate performance in history, and he beat Kamala Harris in a landslide on Election Day," Trump-Vance Transition Spokesperson Anna Kelly told BI in a statement.

Rep. Angie Craig, a Democratic who represents a swing district in Minnesota, recently told NBC that Trump "would have taken, I believe, if Biden had stayed on the top of the ticket, 30 to 40 House seats with him."

Instead, Democrats actually gained one seat in the House.

Biden said that his belief that he could've done what Harris couldn't is "based on the polling." Polling at the time showed the president losing handily to Trump.

Most Americans believe President Biden will be remembered as a below-average president once he leaves office, according to a Wednesday poll.

The new poll from Gallup found that 54% of Americans say Biden will be remembered as either "below average" (37%) or "poor" (17%). Meanwhile, just 19% are confident he will have a positive legacy, with 6% saying he was "outstanding" and 13% saying he was "above average."

Just over a quarter of Americans, 26%, predict Biden will be remembered as an average president, the poll found.

Gallup's poll ranked Biden alongside nine other recent presidents, and only President Richard Nixon proved to be less popular. Nixon received a net positivity rating of -42, compared to Biden's -35. The next closest president was George W. Bush at -9.

'FAILED EXPERIMENT': EXPERTS REVEAL WHY SOROS-BACKED POLICIES TOOK BEATING IN DEEP BLUE STATE

Gallup noted that presidents who serve challenging terms like Biden typically see their approval ratings rise in the years after they leave office. The pollster noted that Presidents Jimmy Carter, Trump and Bush all benefited from this trend.

President-elect Trump's first term received a net positivity rating of -4. The most popular president was John F. Kennedy, at +68, followed by Ronald Reagan at +38.

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

Gallup conducted the poll from Dec. 2 - 18, surveying 1,003 U.S. adults via cellphone and landline. The poll advertises a margin of error of 4%.

The poll came the same day that Biden acknowledged concerns about his age and discussed his legacy in an interview with USA Today in the Oval Office. He still claimed he would have won another term if he'd run against Trump, but he admitted he's not sure if he could have lasted four more years.

"Do you think you would've had the vigor to serve another four years in office?" USA Today's Susan Page asked.

"I don't know," Biden said. "That's why I thought when I first announced, talking to Barack [Obama] about it, I said I thought I was the person. I had no intention of running after [my son] Beau died – for real, not a joke. And then when Trump was running again for re-election, I really thought I had the best chance of beating him."

OBAMA ALUMS TRASH 'STUBBORN OLD MAN' BIDEN’S ‘FECKLESS’ JAN. 6 OP-ED

"But I also wasn't looking to be president when I was 85 years old, 86 years old. And so I did talk about passing the baton," Biden added, reflecting on concerns over his age, especially before he dropped out of the presidential race.

Biden says his "hope" is that history remembers "that I came in and I had a plan how to restore the economy and reestablish America's leadership in the world."

"I hope that my legacy is one that says I took an economy that was in disarray and set it on track to lead the world, in terms of the new sort of rules of the road," he said.

The White House declined to comment on the record when contacted by Fox News Digital regarding the poll.

The Biden administration is asking a federal appeals court for an injunction to temporarily block a plea deal agreement with three detainees in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, which would see the defendants avoid the death penalty. 

The three prisoners were set to enter their pleas as early as Friday at the military prison.

On New Year’s Eve, a military appeals court shot down Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's effort to block the deal between military prosecutors and defense lawyers, saying Austin did not have the power to cancel plea agreements.

Specifically, the court opinion said the plea deals reached by military prosecutors and defense attorneys were valid and enforceable and that Austin exceeded his authority when he later tried to nullify them.

MILITARY APPEALS COURT RULES DEFENSE SEC AUSTIN CANNOT RESCIND 9/11 PLEA DEALS

In its appeal this week, the government says, "Respondents are charged with perpetrating the most egregious criminal act on American soil in modern history—the 9/11 terrorist attacks."

"The military commission judge intends to enforce pretrial plea agreements that will deprive the government and the American people of a public trial as to the respondents’ guilt and the possibility of capital punishment, despite the fact that the Secretary of Defense has lawfully withdrawn those agreements," the appeal read. "The harm to the government and the public will be irreparable once the judge accepts the pleas, which he is scheduled to do in hearings beginning on January 10, 2025."

The appeal also noted that once the military commission accepts the guilty pleas, there is likely no way to return to the status quo.

BIDEN ADMIN SENDS 11 GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES TO OMAN FOR RESETTLEMENT

"The government and the public will lose the opportunity for a public trial as to the respondents’ guilt and to seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world," it continued. "The government is likely to prevail on the merits of its petition for a writ of mandamus and prohibition, but it will be a pyrrhic victory unless this Court first issues a stay of the military commission’s proceedings, at least as they relate to enforcing the withdrawn pretrial agreements and accepting the respondents’ pleas, until this Court can decide the merits of the government’s petition."

The plea deal in the long-running case against the terrorists was struck over the summer and approved by the top official of the Guantánamo military commission.

A number of 9/11 victims and U.S. politicians have condemned the plea deals. 

BIDEN WHITE HOUSE TO SEND $1.25 BILLION IN WEAPON AID TO UKRAINE BEFORE TRUMP TRANSITION: REPORT

"Joe Biden, Kamala Harris have weaponized the Department of Justice to go after their political opponents, but they’re cutting a sweetheart deal with 9/11 terrorists," now-Vice President-elect JD Vance said at the time.

The Pentagon revoked the deals in July.

"Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pretrial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024," a letter from Austin states. 

On Monday, the Biden administration announced the transfer of 11 Yemeni detainees, including two former bodyguards for Osama bin Laden, who were being held at Guantánamo Bay, to Cuba.

JUDGE RESTORES CONTROVERSIAL 9/11 TERRORIST PLEA DEALS INVOLVING KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED: REPORT

All the men were captured in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and were held for more than two decades without being charged or put on trial.

The transfer was carried out as part of an early morning secret operation on Monday, days before Mohammed, Guantánamo’s most notorious prisoner, was scheduled to plead guilty to plotting the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in exchange for a life sentence rather than face a death-penalty trial, the New York Times reported.

The move had been in the works for about three years after an initial plan to conduct the transfer in October 2023 faced opposition from congressional lawmakers. 

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

President Biden’s recent move to award the prestigious Medal of Freedom to progressive megadonor George Soros has sparked criticism both on social media and from one crime expert who spoke to Fox News Digital. 

"President Biden’s decision to award George Soros the Medal of Freedom is a slap in the face to the citizens and crime victims suffering under the policies and politicians he has promoted," Zack Smith, Heritage Foundation legal fellow and co-author of "Rogue Prosecutors: How Radical Soros Lawyers Are Destroying America's Communities," told Fox News Digital after a weekend ceremony awarding the Medal of Freedom to Soros, via his son Alex, who has taken over the family's $25 billion empire. 

"Soros has been a major donor to far-left politicians and has promoted policies that undermine the rule of law in our country. Given Biden’s embrace of these policies and the funding Soros has provided, this looks like nothing more than an effort to reward and keep happy one of the Left’s major donors (and his family).  It cheapens what should be a prestigious award and gives everyday Americans yet another reason to be disgusted by the current Administration’s actions."

The award, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is given to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors, the White House said in a statement.

'FAILED EXPERIMENT': EXPERTS REVEAL WHY SOROS-BACKED POLICIES TOOK BEATING IN DEEP BLUE STATE

Soros, a mega-Democrat donor, runs a web of non-profits that bankroll various candidates around the world who align with his progressive agenda, including his Open Society Foundations. Soros has given over $32 billion to Open Society Foundations since 1984, according to its website. 

The White House said that Soros’ philanthropy across the world has strengthened democracy, human rights, education and social justice.

NFL LEGEND BRETT FAVRE LEFT 'SPEECHLESS' AS BIDEN HONORS SOROS, CLINTON WITH MEDAL OF FREEDOM

Conservatives on social media disagreed and made the case that giving the medal to Soros sent the wrong message given the alleged effects Soros-backed policies have had on crime. 

"Police officers deserve the Medal of Freedom for dealing with violent criminals set free by Soros prosecutors," GOP Sen. Tom Cotton posted on X. 

"George Soros is responsible for the breakdown of American society," conservative lawyer Marina Medvin posted on X. "His goal is the destruction of the West. He supports illegal immigrants, Antifa, Palestinian terror enthusiasts, campus disrupters, etc. Of course this is all wonderful in Biden’s world. So he’s giving Soros the highest civilian honor."

"A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom," Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk posted on X. 

"A clear sign Joe Biden lost his mind or he's not in control, for awarding George Soros a Presidential Medal of Freedom," political commentator Richie Greenberg, who led the effort to recall Soros-backed San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin from office, posted on X.

"Few have risen to the level of criminal justice arch-nemesis as Soros has. This is a slap to countless victims of crime enabled by Soros DAs. Truly disgusting."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Open Society Foundations but did not receive a response. 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also awarded the Medal of Freedom on Saturday, prompting similar outrage from conservatives.

Clinton, the White House said, made "history many times over decades in public service," becoming the first female senator from New York and the first first lady to hold elected office.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report

The Biden administration secured an agreement to implement police reforms in Minneapolis ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

The consent decree agreement Monday with the Minneapolis Police Department follows a similar decree that the department agreed upon with Louisville, Kentucky, police last month. The agreements follow the Biden administration's initiation of 12 investigations in 2021, which probed possible "pattern or practice" of civil rights abuses by police departments around the country following the anti-police riots that took place after the death of George Floyd in 2020. 

Both decrees await approval by the courts. The 171-page Minneapolis agreement would overhaul the city's police training and use of-force-policies, while requiring officers to "promote the sanctity of human life as the highest priority in their activities." The decree also mandates that officers must not allow race, gender or ethnicity "to influence any decision to use force, including the amount or type of force used."

MINNEAPOLIS POLICE STAFFING LEVEL PLUMMETS TO HISTORIC 4-DECADE LOW 3 YEARS AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH: REPORT

Other elements of the Minneapolis agreement include bolstering protections for protesters, new data collection requirements aimed at reducing racial discrimination, guidelines restricting officers from going after fleeing subjects, new interrogation requirements, a mandate against racial profiling in investigations, traffic stop reforms and more.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division was asked repeatedly during a Monday press conference from Minneapolis whether the Trump administration could derail the agreement.

"I can’t predict the future," Clarke said. "What I can tell you is that the findings we identified in Minneapolis are severe. These are real issues that impact people’s lives. The community wants reform. The city wants reform, the police department wants reform, and the Justice Department stands here today as a full partner in the effort of achieving reform and transformation for this community."

BIDEN DOJ OPPOSES COURT DECISION ALLOWING DEREK CHAUVIN CHANCE TO EXAMINE GEORGE FLOYD'S HEART

Meanwhile, in an email to constituents, Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley said she has no faith that the incoming Trump administration will be a "serious partner" in supporting the recently agreed-upon consent decree.

A similar consent decree agreed upon by the Biden administration and the Loisville police roughly three weeks ago also compels the department to revise its use-of-force policies, places new restrictions around traffic stops and police searches, and challenges how law enforcement deals with protesters. 

A local police union in the city is challenging the reforms, calling on a judge not to approve the agreement. Meanwhile, the conservative Heritage Foundation has argued that the point of the consent decree coming so late in Biden's term is "to bind the Trump 47 Administration and future elected Louisville administrations who may well vehemently and categorically disagree with the Proposed Consent Decree."

Both Minneapolis and Louisville were flash points for debates around police reform after both cities saw the high-profile deaths of Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020. Both cities, and numerous others, saw protesters rampage through the streets following their deaths, leading to multiple fatalities and billions of dollars in damage that year.  

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment, but they declined to comment.