Attorneys for anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil criticized a two-page letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the entire case against their client rests on shaky allegations. 

The letter, which was filed in an immigration court this week and published Thursday, said the Trump administration has the authority to expel noncitizens whose presence in the country damages U.S. foreign policy interests.

The memo alleges that Khalil, a legal permanent U.S. resident and Columbia University graduate student who served as spokesperson for anti-Israel protesters during large demonstrations, participated in "antisemitic protests and disruptive activities." His presence in the U.S. would have "potentially serious adverse foreign consequences, and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest."

MAHMOUD KHALIL BLAMES 'ANTI-PALESTINIAN RACISM' FOR ARREST IN FIRST STATEMENT SINCE ICE DETAINMENT

"Two pages, that's it," Marc Van Der Hout, one of Khalil's lawyers, told reporters during a virtual news conference Thursday. "Yet this administration wants to silence Mahmoud, wants to silence people speaking out against the government of Israel or the government of the United States."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House. 

The Trump administration is attempting to deport Khalil over his activities at the Ivy League university last year. Federal Judge Jamee Comans said she will rule Friday on whether Khalil can be deported or if he must be freed.

"I think the bigger picture here that we all need to keep focus on is that tomorrow's hearing has momentous implications, whether the government can act in violation of the Constitution, to deport someone, is front and center, and our position is that it cannot," said Johnny Sinodis, another one of Khalil's lawyers. 

TRUMP VOWS ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST MAHMOUD KHALIL WAS 'FIRST ARREST OF MANY TO COME'

The attorneys also accused the Trump administration of forum "shopping" in an effort to argue their case against Khalil in a friendly court.

"Just as the government was trying to manipulate jurisdictional rules to keep Mahmood out of federal courts in New York and New Jersey and into the federal circuit in Louisiana where the law is very favorable to the government," said Baher Azmy, the legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Azmy said government lawyers are trying to argue the case in immigration court, which "has to largely accept what the secretary of state has said about Mahmood and largely defer to the executive's conclusions about the fact that he is a threat to foreign policy simply because the secretary of state says without analysis or evidence."

Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on March 8. The Trump administration has targeted noncitizen, anti-Israel protesters for deportation.

After his arrest, Khalil was taken to Louisiana and Rubio revoked his green card.

Khalil has characterized his arrest as "indicative of anti-Palestinian racism."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed Friday that the U.S. has "to reset the global order of trade" and that President Donald Trump is "absolutely right to do it." 

Rubio, speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels, made the remark after taking issue with a reporter’s claim that world economies are "crashing" in the wake of Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariffs. 

"We have to be a country to think we're the largest consumer market in the world, and yet the only thing we export is services, and we need to stop that," Rubio said. "We need to get back to a time where we are a country that can make things, and to do that, we have to reset the global order of trade." 

"So the president rightly has concluded that the current status of global trade is bad for America and good for a bunch of other people. And he's going to reset it, and he's absolutely right to do it," Rubio added. 

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO TRUMP’S SWEEPING TARIFFS: ‘TUMULTUOUS TIMES’ AHEAD 

The secretary of state said the "worst thing" the U.S. could do is leave the global trade system "the way it is forever."

"I mean, this is, just can't continue. We can't continue to be a country that doesn't make things. We have to be able to make things to provide jobs for Americans... it’s that simple," he said. "China, as an example. I mean, it's outrageous. I mean, they don't consume anything. All they do is export and flood and distort markets in addition to all the tariffs and barriers they put in place." 

SENATE APPROVES RESOLUTION AGAINST TRUMP’S CANADA TARIFFS HOURS AFTER ‘LIBERATION DAY’ EVENT 

Rubio added, "If you're a company and you make a bunch of your products in China and all of a sudden shareholders or people that play the stock market realize that it's going to cost a lot more to produce in China, your stock is going to go down, but ultimately the markets, as long as they know what the rules are going to be moving forward, and as long as you can sustain where you're going to be, the markets will adjust."

"Businesses around the world, including in trade and global trade, they just need to know what the rules are. Once they know what the rules are, they will adjust to those rules," he said. "So I don't think it's fair to say economies are crashing. Markets are crashing because markets are based on the stock value of companies who today are embedded in modes of production that are bad for the United States." 

Venezuela will face "severe, and escalating sanctions" if it refuses to accept its citizens who have been deported from the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday. 

The tough warning comes as the Trump administration seeks to ramp up deportations of Venezuelans living illegally in the U.S. and to need a temporary residency program for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, which could pave the way for them to lose their legal status. 

'WEAPONIZED MIGRATION': US FACES DEADLY CONSEQUENCES WITH MADURO IN POWER, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION WARNS

Many of those with protected status migrated to the U.S. amid Venezuela's economic collapse under the authoritarian rule of President Nicolas Maduro.

"Venezuela is obligated to accept its repatriated citizens from the U.S. This is not an issue for debate or negotiation," Rubio wrote on X. "Nor does it merit any reward. Unless the Maduro regime accepts a consistent flow of deportation flights, without further excuses or delays, the U.S. will impose new, severe, and escalating sanctions."

The threat came days after Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump's special envoy tasked with securing the release of six U.S. citizens imprisoned in Venezuela, said the Maduro government had agreed to accept repatriation flights.

Maduro agreed to accept his citizens after initially refusing to do so. 

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In February, Trump ended a permit to export oil to allow Chevron to export oil from Venezuela to the U.S. In doing so, Trump noted that Maduro's government had not met benchmarks to promote free and fair elections.

The Trump administration is fighting to deport Venezuelan gang members back to their country. Over the weekend, 238 Venezuelan gang members were flown to a high-security prison in El Salvador despite a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the deportations.

During an interview on Fox News Radio, Rubio thanked El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for accepting the migrants. 

"Venezuela should be taking them, but they refuse to take them. And so, we are fortunate to have a friend like President Bukele who, as part of my meeting with him said we will take them for a fraction of what it costs you guys to house them in your own prison system," he said.

"I think it was a very helpful thing that El Salvador did for us and President Bukele, and we’re grateful to him for it. And frankly, I feel like we should continue to do it," he added. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said South Africa's ambassador to the U.S. was no longer welcome in the country, while calling him a "race-baiting" politician who hates America and President Donald Trump after he said the commander-in-chief is leading a global White supremacist movement.

On Thursday, South African Ambassador Embrahim Rasool addressed the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Johannesburg while explaining Trump's opposition to his country's expropriation law and its anti-Israel stances. 

He said Trump's Make America Great Again movement was a White supremacist response to demographic changes in the U.S.

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL LAND SEIZURE BILL, ERODING PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS 

"What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilizing a supremacism against the incumbency, at home, and, I think I’ve illustrated, abroad as well," he said. "So in terms of that, the supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the USA, the MAGA movement, the Make America Great Again movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the USA in which the voting electorate in the USA is projected to become 48% white."

Rubio, in a post on X, blasted Rasool over his remarks. 

"South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," the secretary said. "Emrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS. We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA."

Trump has criticized South Africa over a land expropriation law that allows the government to make land seizures without compensation. In February, Trump issued an executive order penalizing South Africa.

"In shocking disregard of its citizens' rights, the Republic of South Africa recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, to enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property without compensation," the order states. 

TRUMP FREEZES AID TO SOUTH AFRICA, PROMOTES RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FACING RACE DISCRIMINATION

"It is the policy of the United States that, as long as South Africa continues these unjust and immoral practices that harm our Nation: (a) the United States shall not provide aid or assistance to South Africa; and (b) the United States shall promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation."

The order also took aim at South Africa's position against Israel, which it has accused in the International Court of Justice of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as well as reinvigorating its relations with Iran to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements.

"The United States cannot support the government of South Africa's commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining United States foreign policy, which poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests," the order said. 

The South African government has claimed Whites of all backgrounds, not just Afrikaners, still own approximately 70% of South Africa’s land. The government is on record saying the Expropriation Act will only be used to take land needed for public purposes — such as for a new school — from people of any color when the owner refuses to sell, and even then there would be "fair and equitable compensation."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the detention and possible deportation of former Columbia University protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil, as critics claim it goes against the First Amendment.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Shannon Airport in Ireland, Rubio said that the issue is "not about free speech." Rubio discussed the situation during a refueling stop en route to the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Canada after conducting negotiations on the Ukraine war in Saudi Arabia.

A federal judge in Manhattan later Wednesday morning is expected to consider arguments from Khalil's lawyers challenging the Trump administration's revocation of his green card. 

"When you come to the United States as a visitor, which is what a visa is – which is how this individual entered this country, on a visitor’s visa – as a visitor, we can deny you that visa," Rubio said. "When you tell us when you apply, ‘Hi, I’m trying to get into the United States on a student visa. I am a big supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps children, that rapes teenage girls, that takes hostages, that allows them to die in captivity, that returns more bodies than live hostages,’ if you tell us that you are in favor of a group like this and if you tell us when you apply for your visa, ‘and by the way, I intend to come to your country as a student and rile up all kinds of anti-Jewish student, antisemitic activities, I intend to shut down your universities,’ if you told us all these things when you applied for your visa, we would deny your visa. I’d hope we would." 

WHITE HOUSE: RUBIO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REVOKE GREEN CARD OR VISA OF ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST MAHMOUD KHALIL

"If you actually end up doing that once you’re in this country on such a visa, we will revoke it, and if you end up having a green card, not citizenship, but a green card as a result of that visa while you’re here doing those activities, we’re going to kick you out. It’s as simple as that. This is not about free speech," Rubio said. "This is about people who do not have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a greed card by the way." 

"So when you apply for a student visa or any visa to enter the United States, we have a right to deny you for virtually any reason, but I think being a supporter of Hamas and coming into our universities and turning them upside down, being complicit in what are clearly crimes, vandalization, complicit in shutting down institutions," Rubio added. "There are kids at these schools that can’t go to class. You pay all this money to these high-priced schools that are supposed to be of great esteem, and you can’t even go to class. You’re afraid to go to class because there are lunatics running around with covers on their faces screaming terrifying things. If you told us that’s what you intended to do when you came to America, we would have never let you in. And if you do it once you get in, we’re going to revoke it and kick you out." 

Federal immigration authorities arrested Khalil at his university-owned apartment in New York on Saturday, and he was transported to a detention center in Louisiana. A student organizer during last year's anti-Israel protests, Khalil was born in Syria to Palestinian parents and was granted a student visa to enter the U.S. to attend Columbia in 2022. He has since obtained a green card and is married to an American citizen who is reportedly eight months pregnant. 

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York on Monday temporarily blocked Khalil's deportation as the case plays out. His attorneys argue that his constitutional rights of free speech and due process under the First and Fifth amendments were violated and filed a motion challenging the validity of Khalil’s detention. They are pushing for Khalil to be returned to New York, while Trump administration lawyers say they intend to file a motion to dismiss or transfer the case out of the Southern District of New York by Wednesday night. They say the Manhattan federal court is "an improper venue." 

A federal judge in Manhattan later Wednesday morning is expected to consider arguments from Khalil's lawyers challenging the Trump administration's revocation of his green card. 

Sources tell Fox News that Khalil is being investigated as a potential national security threat. State Department officials say Khalil's activities in the U.S. would have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States."  

SUPPORTERS OF DETAINED COLUMBIA STUDENT ARRESTED AFTER CLASH WITH NYPD AS TRUMP ADMIN SEEKS HIS DEPORTATION

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday the Immigration and Nationality Act gives Rubio the right to revoke a green card or visa from an individual considered "adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States of America," and that Khalil "took advantage" of the privilege of coming to the United States to study at one of America's finest institutions "by siding with terrorists, Hamas terrorists, who have killed innocent men, women and children." 

After riding in a Tesla with Elon Musk at the White House, Trump addressed his promise that Khalil's detention would be the first of many related to antisemitic campus unrest. 

"I think we ought to get them all out of the country. They're troublemakers. They're agitators. They don't love our country. We ought to get him the hell out," Trump said Tuesday. "I heard his statements, too. There were plenty bad. And I think we ought to get him the hell out of the country … I watched him, I watched tapes, specifically, I watched tapes…> You can have him, okay? You can have him, and you can have the rest of them." 

"Let them go to school, let them learn. Columbia used to be a good school. Now it's been overrun because of bad leadership. That's what happens. Happens to countries, it happens to the universities, and it happens to companies," Trump said. 

Fox News' Maria Paronich and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday that he has signed a declaration to expedite the delivery of nearly $4 billion in military aid to Israel, reversing a partial arms blockage imposed during the Biden administration.

"The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump," Rubio said in a statement. 

The announcement comes as solutions to achieve a permanent cease-fire between longtime American ally Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas remain unclear.  

Since taking office, the Trump administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major foreign military sales to Israel, Rubio said. 

ISRAEL BLOCKS HUMANITARIAN AID INTO GAZA AFTER HAMAS REJECTS CEASEFIRE EXTENSION PROPOSAL

"This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies," Rubio continued.

Saturday’s announcement comes two days after the State Department said it has approved the potential sale of nearly $3 billion in bombs, demolition kits and other weaponry to Israel, according to the Associated Press.

HAMAS RELEASES MORE HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE THAN 600  PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASEFIRE DEAL

The sales include approximately 40,000 defense items, including 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs as well as 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion.

The weaponry is expected to be delivered in 2026. However, some items may be ready for immediate shipment due to the possibility that "a portion of this procurement will come from U.S. stock," according to the Associated Press, citing the Pentagon.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of State for more information but did not immediately receive a response. 

Rubio also approved a second package of munitions sales to Israel valued at $675 million for 2028, the Department of Defense reportedly stated.  

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"The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats," Rubio said in Saturday’s statement. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is using waivers to keep programs in Mexico and related to border security and anti-fentanyl efforts going amid a federal funding freeze – as he seeks to put pressure on Mexico to increase its efforts.

A senior State Department official told Fox News Digital on Friday that Rubio has been granting waivers to the administration-wide pause on federal funding for efforts under the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Program.

The INL program provides aid to border security agencies in other countries that could pose a threat to the U.S. if narcotics production, organized crime and terrorist activity are allowed to flourish. 

MEXICAN TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER FOLLOWING DEAL MADE TO PAUSE TRUMP-APPROVED TARIFFS

"INL programs aim to reduce the entry of illegal drugs into the United States and minimize the impact of international crime on the United States and its citizens," the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website says. That includes programs that target fentanyl smuggling. Illicit fentanyl, which can be fatal in tiny doses, is typically made in Mexico using Chinese precursors and then smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico land border. Fentanyl overdoses kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.

Rubio recently completed a tour of Latin America, where he secured a number of commitments from foreign governments in terms of border security. The official said that INL programming has been coming back online in those countries since that trip.

Reuters reported on Thursday that INL programming in Mexico had been halted, including programs that train Mexican authorities to find and destroy fentanyl labs and to stop precursor chemicals entering Mexico. But the State Department official disputed that, telling Fox News Digital that some Mexican programming has already been granted waivers. Specifically, there has been $5.2M in waivers approved to date for Mexico, with an additional $2.5 million pending resubmission.

They said those waivers included funding for law enforcement in Mexico that has supported the extradition of transnational criminal organization members to the U.S. who have exported fentanyl and smuggled migrants into the U.S. Other programs include a wire intercept program and programs that assist with drug trafficking investigations of cartel members.

MEXICO AGREES TO DEPLOY 10,000 TROOPS TO US BORDER IN EXCHANGE FOR TARIFF PAUSE

The official said that announcements of those waivers have not been forthcoming because Rubio is hoping to secure additional commitments from Mexico on border security.

"A new administration in the US has taken office, and we need increased commitments on the part of Mexico to assure us that they're serious when it comes to stopping the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs," the official said.

The official said there have been some waivers so far because the U.S. wants to show it is a reliable partner, but other programs are being reviewed and "we don’t want to turn them on yet until we know that our Mexican counterparts are going to promise various actions in return."

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One of the areas that the U.S. wishes to see further action on is the rejection of INL assistance by former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who the U.S. previously said had refused to participate in a U.S. program to train and equip Mexican police. The new Sheinbaum administration has now approved part of that assistance, officials say, but has not approved the rest, or eliminated an approval system that caused the blockage. Officials believe Rubio’s visit will confirm Mexico’s commitment and that the announcement of resumption of more INL funding will follow.

The push comes amid a migration-focused start by the Trump administration and the State Department. The administration has secured a number of border-related commitments from Mexico and Canada, as well as promises to accept migrants being returned from Venezuela and Colombia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his first overseas trip across Latin America with several wins on immigration, a top priority for President Donald Trump.

America’s new top diplomat returns home with a binder full of agreements from foreign governments on day-one priorities to interdict human and drug trafficking – a testament to how the Trump administration wields America’s economic might. 

"I think the fact that his first trip was to Latin America, I think was a huge statement in itself," said Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS).

Next, Rubio will head to the Middle East, with plans to visit Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in mid-February after attending the Munich Security Conference. A broad swath of even more challenging circumstances await him there, including concerns from foreign officials over Trump’s newfangled idea to "take over" the Gaza Strip, with neighboring Arab states staunchly opposed to U.S. insistence that they take in Palestinians. 

RUBIO TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST FOR SECOND TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS US TAKEOVER OF GAZA

Before the secretary took off for Latin America, the Trump administration had already scored several victories. Colombia did a lightning fast about-face on accepting deportation flights carrying illegal immigrants headed home from the United States. President Gustavo Petro had initially denied two flights carrying Colombian nationals, saying he would not accept the return of migrants who were not treated with "dignity and respect" and who had arrived shackled or on military planes. 

But Trump immediately threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian goods, and Petro acquiesced to all U.S. conditions, according to the White House, including accepting migrants on military planes. 

Rubio then began his regional tour in Panama last Saturday, a nation that nervously awaited to see what his visit would hold after Trump repeatedly called for a U.S. takeover of the Panama Canal. 

Trump had claimed the canal was essentially under the control of China – Hong Kong-based firms control the ports of entry – and charging America unfair rates after the U.S. built the canal and gave it back to Panama in a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter. 

After Rubio’s visit, Panama said it would not be renewing its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China, an investment project the CCP uses to secure influence in developing nations across the world. 

"The BRI thing was huge news," said Humire. 

"There are 22 countries in Latin America that signed a BRI agreement. If we really push hard on this, a lot of countries, especially the ones that are allied with us, are going to rethink" their agreements with China, he added. 

RUBIO HEADS TO PANAMA, LATIN AMERICA TO PURSUE TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN AGE' AGENDA

Rubio had warned Panama that if its government did not move to reduce or eliminate the CCP’s grip on the canal, the U.S. would move to do so.

Under the canal treaties, the U.S. retains the duty to defend the canal if it comes under threat. 

But Rubio hit a snag over a claim that the State Department made that Panama had offered free passage through the canal for U.S naval vessels.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino then accused the US of spreading "lies and falsehoods" about his nation offering the U.S. free passage. 

The secretary then rowed back the claim, while calling the charges "absurd." 

"It seems absurd that we would have to pay fees to transit a zone that we are obligated to protect in a time of conflict," Rubio said.  "Panama has a process of laws and procedures that they need to follow as it relates to the Panamanian port."

In Costa Rica, Rubio offered U.S. help to combat a wave of drug trafficking crime and push back on Chinese influence by limiting CCP development of 5G technology in the country. 

Then, in El Salvador, Rubio cinched an offer from Trump-friendly President Nayib Bukele to accept deportees of any nationality, including American criminals. 

EL SALVADOR AGREES TO ACCEPT US DEPORTEES OF ANY NATIONALITY FOLLOWING MEETING WITH RUBIO

At the same time, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 Mexican forces to the U.S. border after Trump agreed to delay a threatened 25% tariff on her nation’s exports to the U.S.

Meanwhile, in Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo pledged to accept 40% more deportation flights and to accept people of other nationalities. 

"I think a lot of the wins are because of his prior relationships with the region, his team and, frankly, his experience and his knowledge," said Humire. "He’s somebody that can engage them in their language and in their kind of mannerisms."

And, he added, Latin America saw "how serious" Trump was about deportations, watching the threats the president made to Canada, Mexico and Colombia.

"I think we could have gotten more clarity from Panama on the canal," said Humire. "But I think we met little resistance [overall]."

Rubio wasn’t the only Trump official to secure Latin America wins. Special envoy Ric Grenell sat down with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this week and returned home with six American hostages. The price paid, according to Grenell, was giving the Venezuelan dictator a photo opportunity with an American diplomat for propaganda purposes. 

The Trump administration now expects deportation flights to Venezuela to resume "within 30 days," border czar Tom Homan told the New York Times, after Maduro previously refused to accept Venezuelan nationals back from the U.S. 

"He's on a good-behavior policy," said Humire.  "[Maduro] thinks – they call it agenda zero – they think that they can renew, kind of restart relations with the U.S. by basically being on good behavior, starting to steer us towards their interests."

"Grennell has to be able to get the things that we need without giving a whole lot. And I think he accomplished that," Humire continued. "The photo op, they’re going to spin it, use it for disinformation. But that’s a small concession for bringing hostages home."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the Middle East for a few days beginning next week for his second trip at the head of the State Department.

Rubio will visit Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Fox News confirmed on Thursday.

While an itinerary has not yet been released, Rubio's impending visit to the Middle East comes at a pivotal time in foreign policy, as Israel and Hamas are implementing a three-stage ceasefire agreement after 16 months of war in Gaza.

During a joint news conference in the Dominican Republic with President Luis Abinader on Thursday, Rubio said President Donald Trump has offered to be part of the solution to rebuild Gaza.

PANAMA PLEDGES TO END KEY CANAL DEAL WITH CHINA, WORK WITH US AFTER RUBIO VISIT

Trump suggested on Wednesday that the U.S. take control of the Gaza Strip in order to rehabilitate the territory to a livable location as most of the area has been decimated and millions are displaced. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that under Trump's proposal, Palestinians would be "temporarily" relocated in order to successfully level and rebuild.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with the proposed plan, describing it as "remarkable" and "the first good idea that [he's] heard."

"President Trump is taking it to a much higher level," Netanyahu said from the White House with Trump on Wednesday. "He sees a different future for that piece of land that has been the focus of so much terrorism, so much, so many attacks against us, so many, so many trials and so many tribulations. He has a different idea, and I think it's worth paying attention to this."

RUBIO REFUSES TO VISIT SOUTH AFRICA FOR G-20 SUMMIT, ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF 'DOING VERY BAD THINGS'

Rubio said "there are a lot of countries in the world that like to express concern about Gaza and the Palestinian people, but very few [were] willing, in the past, to do anything concrete about it."

Gaza, which is run by Hamas terrorists, is not only uninhabitable because of the destruction from the war with Israel, but because of unexploded munitions, rockets and weapons that plague the land, Rubio said, adding that "it needs to be dealt with."

"If some other country is willing to step forward and do it themselves, that would be great, but no one seems to be rushing forward to do that and that has to happen," Rubio said Thursday.

The secretary of state said he thinks Trump proposed the Gaza takeover idea in hopes of getting a reaction from countries who "have the economic and technological capacity to contribute to a post-conflict region."

As of Friday morning, no other country has spoken out about a potential plan to rehabilitate Gaza.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was tapped as the acting director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) just days ago, is taking on another new role in President Donald Trump's new administration. 

Rubio is now also serving as the acting director of the U.S. Archives, ABC News reported, citing a high-level official. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Trump signaled last month his intention of replacing the now-former national archivist Colleen Shogan, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, during a brief phone interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt. The National Archives notified the Justice Department in early 2022 over classified documents Trump allegedly took with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office. That would later result in an FBI raid, and Trump being indicted by former special counsel Jack Smith. However, Biden nominated Shogan to run the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) later in 2022, and the Senate confirmed her the following year.

The source told ABC News that Rubio has been the acting archivist since shortly after Trump was sworn in as the 47th president last month. 

USAID HAS 'DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF OBSTRUCTIONISM,' CLAIMS TOP DOGE REPUBLICAN IN LETTER TO RUBIO

This week, Rubio is traveling on his first official State Department trip to Central America, during which he convinced the Panamanian president to end its Belt and Roads project deal with the Chinese government. Trump has said the United States could claim the Panama Canal through economic or military measures if necessary after raising concerns about Beijing allegedly controlling the strategic waterway that was constructed by the U.S. 

The Trump administration has suspended some foreign aid pending a review into how U.S. taxpayer dollars are being spent abroad, resulting in thousands of layoffs and ended programs. 

While addressing reporters in Guatemala City on Wednesday, Rubio said he issued waivers for certain programs that assist in gathering biometric information to better identify fugitives, as well as bolster technology and K-9 units to identify shipments of deadly fentanyl and precursor chemicals, showing "firsthand the kind of foreign aid America wants to be involved in." 

"This is an example of foreign aid that’s in our national interest. That’s why I’ve issued a waiver for these programs, that’s why these programs are coming back online, and they will be functioning, because it’s a way of showing to the American people this is the kind of foreign aid that’s aligned with our foreign policy, with our national interest," Rubio said.

'VIPER'S NEST': USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM

America’s top diplomat said the United States wants some fugitives who are "strategic objectives, meaning they help us strengthen our partners, and they help us to cut the head off the snake of a transnational group that’s particularly dangerous." He said the State Department would be "working very closely" with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department in "prioritizing our extradition requests so that they align with our strategic objective with regards to who it is that we’re going after."

The State Department announced on Wednesday that "the government of Panama has agreed to no longer charge fees for U.S. government vessels to transit the Panama Canal," saving the U.S. government "millions of dollars a year." 

However, the Panama Canal Authority denied having made any adjustments to the tolls or transit agreements of the canal despite the State Department's announcement, adding that they are "ready to establish a dialogue with the relevant officials of the United States regarding the transit of warships." Earlier this week, Rubio voiced frustration about U.S. Navy ships having to pay to transit through the canal despite the U.S. being under treaty agreement to defend the canal if it is attacked. 

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio is such a breath of fresh air & he’s proven to be incredibly effective in implementing President Trump’s PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH vision for the world," Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Republican ally of Rubio in Congress representing south Florida, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Panama has agreed to drop its ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Communist China & to waive the toll for U.S. Navy ships transiting the Canal Zone. Panama must continue to work with the United States to evict Communist China from their country & achieve a productive, long-term deal that prioritizes both of our countries’ shared interests."

Besides the canal, Rubio has focused his trip on immigration, praising the Panamanians for the decreased flow of migrants through the Darien Gap and overseeing a deportation flight of Colombian nationals back to Colombia. 

Rubio secured two agreements with first, El Salvador, and then Guatemala on Wednesday, for the countries to accept deportees from the U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he is now the acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Rubio told this to reporters while taking questions from the press in El Salvador. 

"USAID is not functioning. It has to be aligned with US policy. It needs to be aligned with the national interest of the US," he said. "They're not a global charity these are taxpayer dollars. People are asking simple questions. What are they doing with the money? We are spending taxpayers money. We owe the taxpayers assurances that it furthers our national interest." 

"I am the acting director," he confirmed when asked if he is now in charge. "Our goal was to allow our foreign aid with the national interest. It has been 20 or 30 years. They have tried to reform it. That will not continue." 

USAID staffers were instructed earlier Monday to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters after Elon Musk announced President Donald Trump had agreed with him to shut the agency. Thousands of USAID employees already had been laid off and programs shut down. 

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday announced the release of a U.S. citizen who had been imprisoned in Belarus as controversy looms over the Eastern European nation's ongoing election. 

Crediting President Donald Trump's leadership, Rubio said in a post on X that "Belarus just unilaterally released an innocent American, ANASTASSIA Nuhfer, who was taken under JOE BIDEN!" 

Rubio added that Christopher Smith, State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Europe and Policy and Regional Affairs, "from our team did a great job on this."  

"PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Rubio, who served 14 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before he was sworn in as Trump's new Secretary of State last week, wrote. 

RUBIO DEMANDS ANSWERS WITH 2 MORE AMERICANS REPORTEDLY HELD BY TALIBAN

No further information was immediately released about Nuhfer or her release, as some social media users marveled about not knowing an American had been jailed in Belarus during former President Joe Biden's administration. 

Meanwhile, Belarus is holding its national election on Sunday. President Alexander Lukashenko, a loyalist of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, only faces token opposition and is expected to get another term on top of his three decades in power. 

Lukashenko's more consequential opponents, many of whom are imprisoned or exiled abroad by his unrelenting crackdown on dissent and free speech, are calling the election a sham – much like the last one in 2020 that triggered months of protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of 9 million people.

The crackdown saw more than 65,000 arrests, with thousands beaten, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West, according to the Associated Press. 

The country holds nearly 1,300 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Center.

Since July, Lukashenko has pardoned more than 250 people. At the same time, authorities have sought to uproot dissent by arresting hundreds more in raids targeting relatives and friends of political prisoners.

Authorities detained 188 people last month alone, Viasna said. Activists and those who donated money to opposition groups have been summoned by police and forced to sign papers saying they were warned against participating in unsanctioned demonstrations, rights advocates said, according to the AP.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE DEAL

Opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus under government pressure after challenging the president in 2020, told the AP that Sunday's election was "a senseless farce, a Lukashenko ritual."

Voters should cross off everyone on the ballot, she said, and world leaders shouldn't recognize the result from a country "where all independent media and opposition parties have been destroyed and prisons are filled by political prisoners."

"The repressions have become even more brutal as this vote without choice has approached, but Lukashenko acts as though hundreds of thousands of people are still standing outside his palace," she said.

The European Parliament urged the European Union to reject the election outcome. EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas called the vote "a blatant affront to democracy."

Shortly after voting in Minsk on Sunday, Lukashenko told journalists that he did not seek recognition or approval from the EU.

"The main thing for me is that Belarusians recognize these elections and that they end peacefully, as they began," he said.

Media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders filed a complaint against Lukashenko with the International Criminal Court over his crackdown on free speech that saw 397 journalists arrested since 2020. It said that 43 are in prison.

Two years after the demise of the Soviet Union, Lukashenko took office in 1994 and has earned the nickname of "Europe’s Last Dictator." His iron-fisted rule had been cemented through subsidies and political support from Russia, a close ally. 

He let Moscow use his territory to invade Ukraine in 2022, and even hosts some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, but he still campaigned with the slogan "Peace and security," arguing he has saved Belarus from being drawn into war.

"It’s better to have a dictatorship like in Belarus than a democracy like Ukraine," Lukashenko said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi that the Trump administration will put the "American people first" and advance U.S. interests in its relationship with China, according to a readout of the call from spokesperson Tammy Bruce. 

The meeting was the first between Rubio and Wang since the former Florida senator was unanimously approved by the Senate this week to become President Donald Trump’s first Cabinet official following Monday's inauguration. 

"The Secretary also stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea," Bruce said. "The Secretary also discussed other issues of bilateral, regional, and global importance with his Chinese counterpart." 

MARCO RUBIO HEADING TO PANAMA ON FIRST TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE: ‘WE WON’T CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE REGION'

Wang told Rubio during the call that he hoped he would "conduct" himself well and "play a constructive role in the future of the Chinese and American people and in world peace and stability." 

He added that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had already set the tone for U.S.-Chinese relations. 

TRUMP, CHINA'S XI SPEAK ON PHONE AHEAD OF INAUGURATION

"The teams of both sides should implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, maintain communication, manage differences, expand cooperation, promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and find the right way for China and the United States to get along in the new era," Wang said.

MARCO RUBIO CLASHES WITH NBC ‘TODAY’ HOST WHEN PRESSED ON TRUMP'S JAN. 6 PARDONS

Trump has threatened China with 10% tariffs on imports over its role in fentanyl trafficking, starting as early as Feb. 1, and Rubio called the country the gravest threat to the U.S. during his confirmation hearing. 

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Trump n Thursday told the World Economic Forum virtually that he and Xi have "always had a great relationship," and all his administration wants is "fairness. We just want a level playing field."

Newly sworn-in Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Panama for his first international trip as the nation’s top diplomat, Fox News has learned. 

Though details are still being worked out, the visit could come as early as next week. 

The planned trip comes after repeated vows by President Donald Trump – who returned to the White House on Monday – to take back the Panama Canal.

Trump mentioned the Panama Canal again during his inaugural address on Monday, claiming that it was now in the hands of China and vowing to take it back. 

MARCO RUBIO CLASHES WITH NBC ‘TODAY’ HOST WHEN PRESSED ON TRUMP'S JAN. 6 PARDONS

"China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back," Trump said. 

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino responded forcefully to Trump's comments on Wednesday saying, "we reject in its entirety everything that Mr. Trump has said. First, because it is false and second, because the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama."  

The U.S. built the canal in the early 1900s under then President Theodore Roosevelt as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by then President Jimmy Carter. 

TRUMP WARNS FEMA FACES A RECKONING AFTER BIDEN ADMIN: ‘NOT DONE THEIR JOB’

News of Rubio’s trip was first reported by Politico and could include other Central American countries like Guatemala and El Salvador, where Rubio is expected to address a top priority of curbing mass migration that he outlined earlier this week. 

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce tells Fox News that "Secretary Rubio is prioritizing the region because it’s where we live," adding "we won’t continue to ignore the region as other administrations have." 

She added: "Engaging with our neighbors is a vital element in addressing migration, supply chains, and economic growth, which are key to Secretary Rubio’s pursuit of foreign policy focused on making America strong, prosperous, and safe."

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

FIRST ON FOX: Newly sworn-in Secretary of State Marco Rubio is advising his department to cease refugee resettlement operations and begin ramping up vetting of visas from certain regions in response to executive orders from President Donald Trump. 

After officially becoming its next secretary, Rubio directed the Department of State to halt refugee resettlement programs, a senior department source told Fox News Digital.

He also ordered the department to implement enhanced vetting for visa applications from "dangerous regions." 

The secretary cited new executive orders signed by Trump after his inauguration Monday. 

LAKEN RILEY ACT SET TO BECOME ONE OF FIRST BILLS TO HIT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DESK

Among dozens of executive orders, Trump signed one aimed at "Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program" and another to "[Protect] the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats."

NEXT OHIO SENATOR, A 'FISCAL CONSERVATIVE,' AIMS TO 'GET GOVERNMENT OUT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES'

The former dictated that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) be suspended due to its detrimental effect on the country's interests. The latter order calls for increased vetting of all aliens, "to the maximum degree possible," especially those "from regions or nations with identified security risks."

DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE

Trump's executive order on refugees further stipulates that "the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit aliens to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such aliens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States."

Rubio was the first Trump Cabinet member confirmed, with the Senate voting unanimously to do so on Monday night. 

He was sworn in on Tuesday morning, becoming the 72nd secretary of state. 

OHIO GOV. DEWINE PICKS LT. GOV. TO FILL VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT JD VANCE'S VACANT SEAT

In remarks at the department Tuesday, Rubio said, "There will be changes, but the changes are not meant to be destructive. They're not meant to be punitive.

"The changes will be because we need to be a 21st century agency that can move by — a cliché that's used by many — at the speed of relevance. But we need to move faster than we ever have, because the world is changing faster than we ever have. And we have to have a view that some say is called 'look around the corner.'"

"But we really need to be thinking about where are we going to be in five, seven, 10 or 15 years. Some of the issues that confront humanity today have no precedent. They have no historic precedent. Some of the challenges we face have no historic precedent. We can compare it to another era, to another time, but they're not the same. Things are moving faster than ever," he explained. 

Immigration was a top campaign priority for Trump during the 2024 election. 

During his inaugural address Monday, Trump promised, "I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country." 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken's final press conference quickly devolved into chaos Thursday after reporters had to be forcibly removed from the event, including one, an activist, who was physically carried out. 

The men were upset that a cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel had not been reached sooner, accusing Blinken of "genocide" and being a "criminal." 

Writer and activist Sam Husseini had to be dragged out of the event by security. Another reporter, Grayzone News' Max Blumenthal, left more peacefully but still had to be escorted out after shouting questions at Blinken about why he had kept "the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?"

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'Americans will be part of that'

"You pontificate about a free press?" Husseini erupted. "I'm asking questions after being told by Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions, and so I ask them. Wasn't – wasn’t the point of the May 31st statement to block the ICJ orders? You blocked the ICJ orders!"

Blumenthal questioned Blinken on why he had allowed "the Holocaust of our time," as he was escorted out, but that didn't stop the uproar. Blinken kept trying to get back on course amid the interruption, at one point asking people to "respect the process," but Husseini refused. 

"Oh, respect the process?" Husseini yelled as he was being carried away. "Respect the process while everybody – everybody from the International – from Amnesty International to the ICJ’s saying that Israel’s doing genocide and extermination, and you’re telling me to respect the process. Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague?"

Three security guards ultimately had to grab Husseini in an attempt to remove him from the room. Husseini shouted as he clasped the table he was sitting at while he continued shouting at Blinken: "You're hurting me! You're hurting me!" 

The United States, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Hamas agreed this week to a cease-fire deal – the basis of which was proposed by President Joe Biden in May. Israel still has to fully ratify the agreement, but it is a three-phase process that is expected to commence as early as Sunday. The deal marks the first reprieve in fighting since a short truce took place in November 2023, but fighting resumed several days later with both sides arguing violations of the agreed upon deal.   

HAMAS USES BODIES AS ‘NEGOTIATION CHIPS,’ SAYS FATHER OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE IN GAZA

"Three hundred reporters in Gaza were on the receiving end of your bombs. Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal?" Blumenthal shouted at Blinken, after the secretary of state thanked members for their "hard questions" during the past four years of his tenure. "You all knew we had a deal. Everyone in this room knows we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing."

HAMAS' GAZA DEATH TOLL QUESTIONED AS NEW REPORT SAYS ITS LED TO ‘WIDESPREAD INACCURACIES AND DISTORTION’

A spokesperson for the State Department told Fox News Digital that it is committed to advancing press freedom and values the opportunity to regularly communicate with members of the press. But they said the State Department also follows agency norms, which posit that anyone attending department press briefings must act in a professional manner, observe restrictions that may be laid out in advance and not impede other speakers.     

Blinken defended the Biden administration's policy approach to the fighting in Gaza during his final press conference as Ssecretary of state on Thursday. He did acknowledge that the war in Gaza posed a "uniquely challenging situation" due to the humanitarian issues that Palestinians faced after Hamas launched their attack on Oct. 7, 2023. He also acknowledged that the U.S. had "real differences with Israel on the way it’s gone about the necessary defense of its people and its country."

But, according to President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, the Biden administration does "not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide," he said earlier this year. 

The deal reached this week hit a quick snag when Hamas sought to push last-minute demands into the deal. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure from far-right politicians not to go through with it. Still, on Friday morning, Netanyahu said that, pending approval by Israel's security cabinet and government, the proposed cease-fire and hostage deal was still on and expected to commence on Sunday.

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., declared in a statement that he intends to vote to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as Secretary of State.

"Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world, the continued threat of China, and the recent sham election in Venezuela," Durbin said in the statement. 

"I believe Senator Rubio has a thorough understanding of the United States’ role on an international scale, has served with honor on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is a good choice to lead the State Department. I plan to vote yes on his nomination when it comes before the Senate," the Democrat lawmaker noted.

DURBIN FACES BACKLASH FOR REMARK ON TRANS INCLUSION IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

President-elect Donald Trump — who is slated to be inaugurated on Monday — announced Rubio as his pick for the cabinet post back in November.

Rubio is likely to sail through confirmation on a bipartisan basis. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., previously called Rubio "a strong choice," and indicated that he will support confirmation.

TRUMP NOMINATES MARCO RUBIO TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF STATE

Rubio's current Senate term runs through early 2029, so if he resigns to serve in the Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will tap a replacement to represent the Sunshine State in the U.S. Senate until voters select a replacement during a 2026 special election for the seat.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to hold a nomination hearing for Rubio on Wednesday.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS TO SEN. RUBIO'S SEAT IF HE BECOMES SECRETARY OF STATE AND WHO COULD REPLACE HIM

Rubio has served in the U.S. Senate since early 2011.

Russia is planning to share advanced satellite technology with North Korea, according to a warning from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

"The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now, we have reason to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang," Blinken said while in Seoul, using North Korea’s official name.

Such technology would allow North Korea to identify targets and aim strikes at adversaries across the world, including the U.S. As of last year, North Korea was estimated to have an arsenal of 50 nuclear weapons. 

The warning comes as North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, expanding its weapons tests in the weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. 

NORTH KOREA CARRIES OUT FIRST MISSILE LAUNCH TEST SINCE TRUMP'S ELECTION

In one of his last moves as head of the State Department, Blinken was visiting Seoul for talks with South Korean allies about the North Korean nuclear threat. He'll also visit with officials in Japan, France, Italy and the Holy See. 

Supplying North Korea with satellite technology would come after North Korea supplied Russia with troops and arms to fight in its war on Ukraine. 

Russia "may be close" to accepting North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, reversing decades of commitment to denuclearizing the DPRK. 

SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

Russia helped North Korea launch its first successful satellite in 2023. A Russian rocket launched Iranian satellites into orbit in November, ratcheting up the 21st century space race between the U.S. and its foes. 

Last year, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, issued an ominous warning calling on the Biden administration to declassify information that was later revealed to be about Russia's anti-satellite capabilities. 

In May, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb warned that Russia was developing an "indiscriminate" nuclear weapon designed for space, highlighting its potential impacts on communications, commerce and national security.

In a year-end political conference, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement his "toughest" anti-U.S. policy and condemned the Biden administration for strengthening ties with South Korea and Japan, describing the alliance as a "nuclear military bloc for aggression."

During his administration, President-elect Trump met with Kim three times for talks about nuclear programs. However, emboldened by Russian support and a lessened enforcement of international sanctions, Kim may be less likely to stand down in talks with the U.S. than ever before. 

It is also unclear if Trump would put the same emphasis on bolstering U.S. alliances in Asia that the Biden administration did. In the past, he has complained about the cost of keeping 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea to deter threats from the north and pushed for Seoul to increase its own defense contributions. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

President-elect Trump says he doesn't think Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will name his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to succeed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate.

"No, I don’t. I probably don't. But I don’t know," Trump said Monday as he took questions from reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. "Ron’s doing a good job. That’s his choice – nothing to do with me."

Trump last month announced that he would nominate Rubio, the three-term senator from Florida and a senior Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, to serve as secretary of state in his incoming administration.

TRUMP PRESSES DESANTIS TO NAME DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO SUCCEED RUBIO IN SENATE

Since then, the president-elect and some top Trump allies have recommended that Lara Trump, who from March until a week ago served as Republican National Committee co-chair, fill the next two years of Rubio's term in the Senate.

DeSantis has said he'll make a decision on the Rubio Senate replacement by early next month.

DESANTIS SETS TIMETABLE TO NAME RUBIO SENATE SUCCESSOR

Trump on Monday praised his daughter-in-law, saying, "Lara's unbelievable. She was incredible. The job she did at the RNC…. she is so highly respected."

And he added that Lara Trump is highly sought after.

"I also know that Lara got so many other things. I mean she's got so many other things. People want her to be on television. They want to give her contracts," Trump said. "She's got so many other things that she's talking about."

The president-elect also praised Rubio, but added, "He leaves a vacancy in Florida and Ron's going to have to make that decision. And he'll make the right decision."

Sources have confirmed to Fox News that Trump told DeSantis that he would like to see his daughter-in-law succeed Rubio. But Republican sources in Florida suggest that DeSantis is more likely to name someone who's held public office in the Sunshine State.

And Lara Trump, in interviews with Fox News and the AP, has said she would "seriously consider" serving Florida in the Senate.

DeSantis, a one-time Trump ally who clashed with the former president last year and early this year during a very contentious 2024 GOP presidential nomination race, mended relations a bit with the former president after the primary season, as he endorsed Trump and helped raise money for the Republican nominee's general election campaign.

"Florida deserves a senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results," DeSantis said last month.

And he noted at the time that "we have already received strong interest from several possible candidates, and we continue to gather names of additional candidates and conduct preliminary vetting. More extensive vetting and candidate interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks, with a selection likely made by the beginning of January."

The formal confirmation process for Rubio by his fellow senators won’t kick off until after Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20.