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Tearful chair of Munich Security Conference expresses ‘fear’ after blistering Vance speech in farewell address

The outgoing chairman of the Munich Security Conference delivered an emotional farewell speech that ended in tears, after he expressed “fear” over Vice President JD Vance’s blistering speech to the annual conference on international security policy.

“This conference started as a trans-Atlantic conference,” German diplomat and chair of the conference Christoph Heusgen said Sunday. “After the speech of Vice President Vance on Friday, we have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore. I’m very grateful to all those European politicians that spoke out and reaffirmed the values and principles that they are defending. No one did this better than President Zelenskyy, who has been fighting for these values – democracy, freedom, rule of law for the past three years.”

Heusgen’s speech marked the close to his leadership of the Munich Security Conference, as former Secretary-General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg takes the reins of the international security forum. Heusgen had served as leader of the forum since 2022.

Social media critics began posting snippets of Heusgen’s speech to X Sunday, claiming the German diplomat and longtime advisor to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel broke down in tears over his frustrations with Vance’s blistering speech to the international body. The conference clarified on X that the diplomat reportedly broke down due to his speech being his last as chairman of the forum.

CBS HOST BLASTED FOR ‘BONKERS’ CLAIM THAT NAZI GERMANY ‘WEAPONIZED’ FREE SPEECH

Christoph Heusgen’s speech marked the close of his leadership of the Munich Security Conference. (Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images )

“Our former Chair Christoph Heusgen did not shed a few tears out of ‘frustration.’ It was his farewell speech as he was leaving the MSC after this year’s conference. He was saying goodbye to the team at this very moment. The video snippet here is edited together,” the conference posted to X Monday morning.

The full video of Heusgen’s speech shows him breaking down into tears after warning that “our rules-based international order is under pressure.”

VANCE JOKES ABOUT GRETA THUNBERG AS HE GOES SCORCHED EARTH ON EUROPEAN CENSORSHIP

“It is clear that our rules-based international order is under pressure,” he said. “It is my strong belief… that this multipolar world needs to be based on a single set of norms and principles, on the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This order is easy to disrupt, it’s easy to destroy, but it’s much harder to rebuild, so let us stick to these values. Let us not reinvent them, but focus on strengthening their consistent application.”

Vice President JD Vance, in his speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference Feb. 14, 2025, lambasted “Soviet”-style European censorship and joked about left-wing environmentalist Greta Thunberg. (Thomas Kienzle/AFP via Getty Images)

HEGSETH SAYS HE AND VANCE ARE ‘ON THE SAME PAGE’ DESPITE VP’S REMARK ON US TROOPS IN UKRAINE

President Donald Trump has frequently taken shots at the United Nations since his first administration, and said earlier in February that the U.N. was “not being well run” and needs to get its “act together.”

A spokesperson for the Munich Security Conference reiterated to Fox News Digital that Christoph Heusgen teared up solely because he was ending his three-year term leading the forum. (Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images)

“Let me conclude. And this becomes difficult,” Heusgen said, choking up, before leaving the podium on the stage and hugging various members of the audience.

A spokesperson for the conference reiterated to Fox News Digital Monday that Heusgen teared up solely due to the fact that he was ending his three-year term leading the forum and that “many long-time participants and friends were in the Conference Hall to say goodbye” to the diplomat.

“I was truly touched by the warm farewell I received from the entire MSC team and so many friends after my last MSC as chairman,” Heusgen added in comment to Fox News Digital. “It was a very emotional moment on stage at the end of my term. A video is circulating on the internet that takes this scene of my departure out of context. Unfortunately, this once again shows how the mechanisms of disinformation work.”

VANCE EVISCERATES ‘SOVIET’-STYLE EUROPEAN CENSORSHIP IN ADDRESS TO MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE

His speech to the assembly followed Vance’s on Friday, where the U.S. vice president lambasted “Soviet”-style European censorship, joked about left-wing environmentalist Greta Thunberg, and slammed ongoing immigration woes that have throttled European nations and the U.S. under the Biden administration.

“Trust me, I say this with all humor,” Vance said at one point of his speech. “If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk.”

Vance also took issue with current immigration practices across the world, calling them “out-of-control migration” policies that include allowing unvetted migrants into foreign nations. Vance’s comments followed a suspect identified as an Afghan migrant ramming a car into pedestrians at a trade union demonstration in Munich Thursday, killing a mother and child and injuring at least 37 others.

GERMANY ACCUSES ELON MUSK OF TRYING TO INTERFERE IN ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

“But why did this happen in the first place?” Vance said in his speech of the Munich car attack. “It’s a terrible story, but it’s one we’ve heard way too many times in Europe, and unfortunately, too many times in the United States, as well. An asylum seeker, often a young man in his mid-20s, already known to police, rams a car into a crowd and shatters a community. How many times must we suffer these appalling setbacks before we change course and take our shared civilization in a new direction?”

Vice President JD Vance also took issue with current immigration practices across the world, calling them “out-of-control migration” policies. (Matthias Schrader/The Associated Press)

Other world leaders seemingly took issue with Vance’s speech during the forum, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz saying the day after Vance’s speech that Germany rejects “outsiders intervening in our democracy.”

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Stateside, conservatives have celebrated Vance’s speech as “almost Reaganesque,” “pro-American” and pro-free speech on social media and during Fox News interviews.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Munich Security Conference on Monday for additional comment regarding Heusgen’s speech and did not immediately receive a reply.

February 17, 2025
House Democrat’s smear of Border Patrol bill backfires after dozens of Dems support it: ‘Fearmongering’

A House Democrat’s strategy to demonize legislation aimed at making it a federal crime to try to evade law enforcement within 100 miles of the border backfired last week after dozens of House Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

“I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 35. Let’s call this bill what it is: fearmongering dressed up as officer safety,” Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., said last week about the bill named after late Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, who died in a pursuit in 2022.

House Resolution 35 would make individuals convicted of “intentionally fleeing” law enforcement in a vehicle subject to up to two years in prison and fines. If the police chase results in a death, the individual could face up to life imprisonment under the legislation, and potentially face deportation if the person involved is in the country illegally.

SAN DIEGO MIGRANT SHELTER CLOSES AFTER NO NEW ARRIVALS SINCE TRUMP TOOK OFFICE; OVER 100 EMPLOYEES LAID OFF

Oregon State Rep Janelle Bynum faced off against Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer, right, in OR-05. ( )

“This bill echoes one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history, ‘The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.’ Just like that shameful law, H.R. 35 forces local authorities and encourages the deputizing of randos to do the federal government’s work, punishing them if they refuse. Back then, it was hunting people down who dared to seek freedom. Today, it’s forcing local police to become federal enforcers,” she continued in her House floor speech.

Regardless, the bill passed 264-155, with 50 Democrats voting in favor, including a handful in border states. The legislation is now in the hands of the Senate, where Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is leading the charge on the proposal.

FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS ICE PARTNERSHIP ONLY THE BEGINNING IN ILLEGAL MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., leaves the House Republicans’ caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT IMMIGRATION

“This bill delivers a clear message to anyone who endangers our community that they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., said about the legislation he is sponsoring.

Police pursuits near the border are a frequent site as smugglers hope to evade law enforcement. Under the Trump administration, there has been an across-the-board crackdown on border and immigration policies, including sending in the military to the border as well as deportation raids throughout the country.

A Border Patrol agent walks between a gap along the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, on June 1, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Bynum started in Congress last month, as she narrowly defeated former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November. Chavez-DeRemer is now President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Labor secretary.

The seat will likely be one of the nation’s most competitive in 2026, according to the Cook Political Report, which ranks the seat as “Lean Democrat.”

“Janelle Bynum’s unglued comments reinforced she’s hellbent on pursuing a dangerous anti-police officer crusade in Congress. Bynum’s extremist vote siding with cartel terrorists over Border Patrol puts Oregonians in danger,” National Republican Campaign Committee spokesman Ben Petersen said in a statement.

Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand

February 17, 2025
Iraqi activists seek to oust Iranian influence, normalize ties with Israel

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FIRST ON FOX – A group of young Iraqis launched an initiative called “Iraq Only” with the goal of having better relations with the U.S. and eliminating Iranian militia’s hold over Iraq.

The campaign, which involved posting stickers printed with the Iraqi flag and placed over images of militia leaders in Iraq, was a grassroots initiative started by young people to empower the rule of law and build a democratic and citizen-based state in Iraq, free of Iranian influence.

Fox News Digital spoke exclusively with one of the activists who spearheaded the recent effort, Muqtada al-Tamimi, about his experience of social activism, their goals for Iraq’s future, and being kidnapped for his activity of sounding the alarm on Iranian influence.

A WEAKENED IRAN HAS IRAQ LOOKING TO CURB TEHRAN-BACKED EXTREMISTS IN COUNTRY

A deliveryman drives a motorcycle along a road in Baghdad on Oct. 7, 2024, past billboards showing Iran and Hezbollah leaders. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images)

“We as activists suffer the most from Iranian influence over Iraq. Many of us have been kidnapped and taken into illegal detention centers run by Iranian-backed militias. And some were killed,” al-Tamimi, who is a businessman and in his late 20s, told Fox News Digital through his interpreter.

Al-Tamimi and some of his fellow activists were kidnapped by Iranian-aligned armed groups and were tortured for five days. They were shackled, abused, tortured and had their phones and personal data confiscated without any legal document or judge’s signature proving they had the right to access these documents.

“We as activists are persecuted for simply trying to raise our own flag, the Iraqi flag,” al-Tamimi lamented.

Al-Tamimi said the Iranian militias act with impunity and don’t respect the Iraqi constitution or Iraqis’ rights as citizens.

A poster titled “Iraq and only for Iraq” was issued by a new movement that seeks to rid the country of Iranian influence.

“The people most harmed by Iranian militias are people like us who call for peace and co-existence in Iraq and with our neighboring countries,” he said.

Al-Tamimi and his fellow activists want a strong Iraq that has a stable and integrated economy with the West.

“We believe that an Iraqi alliance with the West would make Iraq stronger, stable, and more prosperous.”

Al-Tamimi and his associates’ desire to remove Iranian influence and move Iraq closer to the U.S. and the West is what leaders in Tehran fear most.

WHO IS THE IRAN-BACKED COALITION ISLAMIC RESISTANCE IN IRAQ, RESPONSIBLE FOR DEADLY DRONE STRIKE ON US TROOPS?

The groundwork for the activism was first laid in 2021 when 312 Iraqis from the Shi’a and Sunni communities convened in Erbil in a conference facilitated by the Center for Peace Communications (CPC), and called for peace and normalization with Israel. Once word of the conference spread across international media, the Iran-backed militias issued death threats, and the Iraqi government issued arrest warrants for conference organizers. CPC took measures to protect all participants from jail or being harmed.

“The Iraq Only movement speaks to pent-up Iraqi demand for peace, development, and an end to Iranian domination. We wish these young men and women Godspeed in driving change, and hope the U.S. will do everything it can to help them,” CPC’s founder and president Joseph Braude told Fox News Digital.

More than 300 Iraqis attend a conference to discuss the normalization of relations between Baghdad and Israel, in Arbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdistan autonomous region, on Sept. 24, 2021. (Safin Hamid/AFP via Getty Images)

Iraq has become a central battleground for regional dominance between U.S. and coalition forces and Iran. Tehran uses allies in Iraq to exert its regional influence and also undermine Iraqi sovereignty through various proxy forces.

The Islamic Resistance of Iraq is a group of armed Islamic resistance factions under the umbrella of the Iran-backed “Axis of Resistance.” These groups are the most difficult for the Iraqi government to manage and were responsible for the attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan in January 2024.

The IRI has been engaging in armed operations against Israel and U.S. coalition forces since Oct. 7. Also operating in Iraq are the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which were formed in 2014 to fight ISIS.

Iraq Only is also supportive of U.S. forces on Iraqi soil, even as the status of the 2,500 troops in the country remains uncertain.

NETANYAHU HAILS ‘HISTORIC’ FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

A photo of Iranian leaders is held up by a member of the Islamic Movement of Iraq, a faction of the Popular Mobilisation Forces during a rally in Baghdad on April 5, 2024. (Murtaja Lateef/AFP via Getty Images)

“The American presence in Iraq does not at all contradict a strong Iraq but the opposite. A good relationship with the United States means a strong Iraq.”

Al-Tamimi said he understands and appreciates the heavy price paid by American forces in upholding the stability and security of Iraq since the invasion of 2003.

One aspect of their platform that may raise eyebrows is their recognition of Israel’s place in the Middle East and their desire for closer ties with Israel.

“Israel is a great country and has a great culture. We share with them a lot of the geography and as we are looking at and seeking a strong Iraq, we need to seek a strong partnership with a country like Israel if needed.”

Al-Tamimi also notes that everyday Iraqis have suffered and paid a high price because of the alliance between Iraq and Iran. Physical infrastructure was destroyed, and Iranian interference undermined state institutions. Eradicating Iranian influence will help Iraq, in their view, ultimately become safer and more prosperous.

“We think once we have a strong relationship with Israel and the United States, we will have a strong Iraq.”

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Al-Tamimi also sees positive signs for Iraq and the Middle East after the fall of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

“We believe the removal of the Assad regime is a very good step for undermining Iranian influence in the region and gives us as Iraqis hope for better change in the region.”

February 17, 2025
Federal judge skeptical of states’ arguments against Elon Musk and DOGE

A federal judge expressed skepticism of efforts seeking to bar President Donald Trump’s administration from accessing federal data and firing federal workers when hearing remarks from the bench on Monday.

Judge Tanya Chutkan has yet to issue a ruling in the case, which relates to billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and their efforts to curb government spending. Chutkan says she will rule on the case within 24 hours.

At issue in the case are DOGE’s actions within seven federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, Department of Labor, The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce.

Attorneys general from 14 states argue Musk and Trump’s administration have engaged in illegal executive overreach, but Chutkan says she wasn’t convinced so far.

ELON MUSK DESCRIBES LIMESTONE MINE USED FOR PROCESSING FEDERAL WORKERS’ RETIREMENT PAPERS: ‘LIKE A TIME WARP’

A federal judge has ruled against federal employees who sued the Trump administration over privacy and security concerns around a government workforce email distribution system. (iStock/Sarah Yenesel via Getty Images)

“There is no greater threat to democracy than the accumulation of state power in the hands of a single, unelected individual,” the lawsuit brought against DOGE states.

EXPERT REVEALS MASSIVE LEVELS OF WASTE DOGE CAN SLASH FROM ENTITLEMENTS, PET PROJECTS: ‘A LOT OF FAT’

Chutkan says lawyers for the states have yet to establish that there is imminent harm that could be avoided by restraining DOGE.

“The things that I’m hearing are serious and troubling indeed… But you’re saying these are things that we’re hearing,” she said. “I’m not seeing it so far.”

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump meets with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House, on Thursday, Feb. 13. (AP/Alex Brandon)

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez filed the lawsuit, joined by officials from Arizona, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, California, Nevada, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.

The group of states is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent more federal firings at the recommendation of Musk and DOGE.

President Donald Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk address attempts to portray a rivalry between the pair on a “Hannity” exclusive, airing Tuesday, Feb. 18. (Fox News)

Chutkan was not exclusively hostile to the states’ argument, however, as she was also seen critiquing representatives for Trump’s administration.

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“Nowhere have my friends offered a shred of anything, nor could they, to show that Elon Musk has any formal or actual authority to make any government decisions himself,” DOJ lawyer Harry Graver said.

Chutkan countered, “I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there.”

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

February 17, 2025
Walmart shareholders send letter of support for reigning in DEI policies

Walmart U.S. CEO and President John Furner said the retail giant would continue to “make the best decisions” it could for employees and customers to feel like they belong.

FIRST-ON-FOX: Walmart investors supportive of the company’s decision to roll back its DEI initiatives have issued a letter urging the big box retailer to stay the course as it faces immense backlash from Democratic officials and left-wing shareholders.

The letter — which was drafted by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative group, and signed by a collection of over 60 investors, advisors and proxy consultant groups — hails Walmart’s decision to roll back DEI, saying the decision “restores the promise of the American Dream.”

ADF senior counsel Jeremy Tedesco told Fox News Digital he hopes the letter will give Walmart the “courage and the arguments they need to continue with what was a very good decision.”

TOYOTA FOLLOWS GROWING TREND OF COMPANIES HALTING DELI POLICIES AND INITIATIVES

A group of investors sent a letter to Walmart to support their decision to roll back their DEI policies.

“Walmart, the best decision for them, is to put DEI in the dustbin of bad corporate policy decisions,” Tedesco said.

The retailer announced in November that they would be reigning in their DEI policies, joining a growing list of corporations that have scaled back their DEI initiatives. Walmart vowed to remove certain third-party transgender products inappropriately marketed towards children from their online stores, and review grants given to Pride events to avoid sexualized programming targeted towards children.

Walmart also ended its participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality index, which grades companies on its LGBTQ policies, and vowed to cease using the terms “LatinX” and “DEI” in official communications.

CATERPILLAR MAKES POLICY CHANGES IN YET ANOTHER CORPORATE DEI ROLLBACK

Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner addresses the company’s rollback of DEI policies on “CBS Mornings.” (CBS/Screenshot / Fox News)

“Like many companies all across the U.S., we’ve been on a journey,” Furner said. “We’ll continue to be on a journey. And what we’re trying to do is to ensure every customer, every associate feels welcomed here in the shop and to feel like they belong,” Walmart US CEO and President John Furner told CBS Mornings in November.

The letter was drafted in response to a previous letter drafted by 30 Walmart shareholders blasting their DEI rollbacks.

“Seeing the company retreat from its stated values and the business opportunities associated with a diverse and inclusive workforce is very disheartening, additionally, Walmart has not offered a financial or business case for this change in policy, but the company identified advancing ‘belonging, diversity, equity and inclusion’ as one of four priority ESG issues that offer the greatest potential for Walmart to create shared value,” the signatories wrote in January.

JUDGE ORDERS WALMART SHOPLIFTERS TO WASH CARS IN STORE PARKING LOT

Target was hit by a class action suit over their DEI policies. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Walmart, which is the country’s largest private employer, was targeted by 13 Democratic state attorneys general, which also sent a letter the day after the left-wing shareholders pressed the retailer to reconsider its decision to eliminate many of its DEI initiatives.

“Threats to boycott, sue or otherwise negatively impact Walmart’s bottom line may well have contributed to your decision to walk away from your commitments to DEI. But we are concerned that Walmart failed to consider the other side — the customers and employees that will be alienated by this departure,” the state AG’s wrote.

Bowyer Research fund president Jerry Bowyer says that Walmart was “smart” to move away from DEI and feels that Democratic-led states are attempting to intimidate the retailer into backsliding on DEI by throwing their weight and pension money around.

Bowyer, a signatory to the letter, said Walmart meant well in adopting DEI in the wake of George Floyd’s death, but failed to “read the fine print” on how these policies would require them to “stop treating people equally.”

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Inspire Investing CEO Robert Netzly, told Fox News Digital that his firm, which represents faith-based investors from across the country, signed the letter because his clients have “deep concerns” about DEI and view the policies as “immoral” and “divisive.”

“Those policies not only hurt the people who work there by providing an unfair and discriminatory environment, but also introduce legal risks and shareholder risk from [a] financial standpoint,” he said.

Walmart didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

February 17, 2025
Judge rules against federal employees suing Trump admin for privacy concerns

A federal judge has ruled against federal employees who sued the Trump administration over privacy and security concerns around a government workforce email distribution system.

The new computer server was used to send deferred resignation “Fork in the Road” emails to more than 2 million federal employees, offering them to leave their government jobs and get paid through September, or risk being laid off.

DC-based federal Judge Randolph Moss denied a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have blocked the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from continuing to use the email address [email protected] and is known as the “Government-Wide Email System.”

The lawsuit claimed that in the rush to adopt this new system, OPM violated security safeguards for federal workers, known as a Privacy Impact Statement (PIA).

But in denying emergency legal relief, the judge said, “Plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden of demonstrating that their .gov email addresses (which reveal their names and, possibly, their places of employment) are at imminent risk of exposure outside the United States government— much less that this risk is a result of OPM’s failure to conduct an adequate PIA. Rather, their arguments ‘rel[y] on a highly attenuated chain of possibilities.’”

According to the lawsuit, soon after Trump took office, federal employees received emails from the email address [email protected] that indicated the agency was running tests for a new “distribution and response list.”

“The goal of these tests is to confirm that an email can be sent and replied to by all government employees,” one of the emails said, according to the lawsuit. Workers were asked to acknowledge receipt of the messages.

The case will continue on the merits in the courts, but for now the new communications system will remain in place, pending any appeal.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

February 17, 2025
Trump’s Daytona 500 visit draws Elon Musk’s reaction

Elon Musk, the billionaire mogul in charge of Tesla, X, SpaceX and the Department of Government Efficiency, had one word to describe President Donald Trump’s time at NASCAR’s Daytona 500.

Trump was a fixture in the pre-race festivities on Sunday. He rode in “The Beast” as it went around Daytona International Speedway for one lap. He also had a special message for the drivers, which was broadcast on their radios before the green flag flew.

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President Donald Trump, center, greets drivers at the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Pool via AP)

“This is your favorite president. I’m a big fan,” he said. “I’m a really big fan of you people. (How) you do this, I don’t know. But I just want you to be safe. You’re talented people and great people and great Americans. Have a good day. Have a lot of fun and I’ll see you later.”

Musk reacted on X.

“Awesome,” he wrote.

Trump and the contingency of people who flew on Air Force One with him for the race were three for a few laps. However, rain delayed the restart for a few hours.

It was William Byron who drove his car to Victory Lane on Sunday night. It was the second straight year he won the Daytona 500.

RYAN PREECE THOUGHT OF DAUGHTER AS CAR FLEW THROUGH AIR IN SCARY WRECK AT DAYTONA 500

President Donald Trump rides in the presidential limousine, known as “The Beast,” as he takes a pace lap ahead of the start of the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Pool via AP)

Trump applauded the courage drivers have going at speeds of nearly 200 mph to win a race.

“They have a lot of courage doing this. I see it, and I’ve been here,” the president told FOX Sports’ Jamie Little. “They have a lot of guts, as they would say.”

Trump, who was joined on the track by his granddaughter, highlighted the progress of the United States since he started his second term as president.

William Byron celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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“I think it’s fantastic. I think it’s great for the country,” he said. “The country is doing well again. We have spirit all over the world. There’s spirit again, we brought it back and it’s been less than four weeks. You’ll see what we do in a little period of time. It’s gonna only get better. But this is very exciting.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 17, 2025
NAACP tells black consumers to stay away from companies without DEI commitments

The NAACP is calling on Black consumers to direct their nearly $2 trillion in buying power toward companies that have kept their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

In a “Black Consumer Advisory” memo released Saturday, the NAACP said that Black consumers have purchasing power exceeding $1.8 trillion annually. The memo included a “Call To Action” for these consumers to begin steering that power away from specific companies that have begun cutting back on DEI-related positions, programs, investments and hiring practices. According to the group, such rollbacks “reinforce historical barriers to progress under the guise of protecting ‘meritocracy,’” which they said was “a concept often used to justify exclusion.”

Some of the companies the group is urging Black consumers to steer clear of are listed on its website and include Walmart, Meta and McDonald’s. Others were reportedly referenced in a separate buying guide provided exclusively to The Associated Press, which listed Lowe’s, Amazon, Tractor Supply and Target as others to avoid.

Delta Air Lines, Apple and Ben & Jerry’s are some of the companies the NAACP listed on its website as having “recommitted to DEI.” Meanwhile, e.l.f. Cosmetics, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Costco are other companies the NAACP is suggesting are wise for consumers to support because they have kept strong to their DEI commitments, according to The Associated Press.

WALMART FACING BACKLASH OVER DEI POLICY REVERSAL AS SHAREHOLDERS AND DEM OFFICIALS URGE THEM TO RECONSIDER

The effort to steer consumers away from these companies comes amid pressure from the Trump administration and GOP officials to peel back DEI commitments in both the public and private sectors. In addition to an executive order from President Donald Trump calling for an end to “Illegal DEI and DEIA policies,” which he says violate currently established civil rights law, newly appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a memo earlier this month to all Justice Department employees, indicating the agency would be investigating, eliminating and penalizing DEI preferences, mandates, policies and programs occurring in the private sector and at educational institutions.

Missouri filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging Starbucks’ DEI policies. (Fox News Digital)

Recently, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr ordered an investigation into Comcast’s DEI practices, while the state of Missouri filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging Starbucks’ DEI policies, as well.

OBAMA LIBRARY, BEGUN WITH LOFTY DEI GOALS, NOW PLAGUED BY $40M RACIALLY CHARGED SUIT, BALLOONING COSTS

“The NAACP recognizes that the rollback of DEI initiatives is a direct attack on Black economic progress, civil rights, and the principles of equity and fairness,” the Saturday consumer advisory memo stated. “These actions are part of a broader effort to reverse gains made in civil rights and social justice. We urge Black consumers to remain vigilant, informed, and intentional in their economic decisions, using their collective power to demand accountability from corporations and institutions.”

The consumer guidance provided by the NAACP will reportedly be amended as companies make changes to their DEI commitments, according to The Associated Press, and the group is currently in discussions with executives at companies that have reversed their DEI pledges.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the NAACP for comment and to receive a full list of companies it was urging Black consumers to steer cleer of but did not receive a response by publication time.

“We have the power to choose where we spend our money,” NAACP CEO and President Derrick Johnson said in a statement posted on X. “I am confident that this framework will support our community as we make difficult decisions on where to spend our hard-earned money.”

February 17, 2025
Amazon workers in North Carolina vote against unionizing

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Amazon workers in North Carolina have voted against a proposal to unionize, a win for the retail giant in its fight against organized labor at its facilities.

About 4,300 employees at an Amazon fulfillment center in Garner, a suburb of Raleigh, were eligible to cast ballots in last week’s voting to decide whether to join a grassroots labor organization called Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment, the National Labor Relations Board said.

Amazon workers voted at the warehouse nearly 3-to-1 against joining former and current Amazon workers in the independent union.

The federal labor agency said 2,447 workers voted against unionizing while 829 voted in favor of joining the union.

AMAZON INCREASES AD SPENDING ON X IN MAJOR REVERSAL: REPORT

An Amazon spokeswoman said Saturday that the company already offers workers safe and inclusive workplaces and competitive pay. ( Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File / Getty Images)

An Amazon spokeswoman said Saturday that the company already offers workers safe and inclusive workplaces and competitive pay, items in line with what most unions request.

“We’re glad that our team in Garner was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep a direct relationship with Amazon,” Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said in a statement.

Amazon warehouse workers in Garner, N.C., voted against joining an organized labor union last week. (Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Amazon’s efforts to stop organized labor from forming at its facilities haven’t always been successful.

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Last month, workers at a Whole Foods location in Philadelphia made history as the first group to successfully unionize under the grocery chain, which is owned by Amazon.

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In 2022, Amazon workers at a warehouse in Staten Island, N.Y., voted to unionize. Amazon has yet to recognize the election result or negotiate with organizers over a contract.

February 17, 2025
China outraged after Trump State Department deletes key phrase on Taiwan relations

President Donald Trump’s State Department angered Chinese officials last week after deleting a key phrase declaring U.S. opposition to Taiwan’s independence.

The State Department’s fact sheet on U.S. relations with Taiwan had previously stated “we do not support Taiwan independence,” but the phrase was removed on Thursday and continues to be absent. Chinese officials called on the U.S. to “immediately correct this mistake,” on Sunday, arguing it “sends a wrong signal to the Taiwan independence forces.”

The State Department noted in a statement to NBC News that the U.S. stance on Taiwanese independence has not changed.

“The United States is committed to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” a spokesperson told the outlet Sunday.

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The U.S. and China have long held conflicting views over the future of Taiwan. (Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters/File)

“We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We support cross-Strait dialogue, and we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to people on both sides of the Strait,” the statement continued.

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The U.S. has long held a delicate stance regarding Taiwan and its relation to the Chinese mainland. It has for decades followed the “One China” policy, in which the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the sole government of China, and acknowledges but does not affirm Beijing’s claim to control over Taiwan.

Part of this understanding requires the U.S. to not have any formal diplomatic ties to Taiwan, a policy reflected in the lack of a U.S. embassy on the island.

President Donald Trump’s State Department appears to have removed a statement rejecting Taiwan’s independence. (Getty)

Nevertheless, the U.S. has funded Taiwan’s defense and worked with Western nations to prevent mainland China from taking over. Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated that he is open to using military force to conquer the island.

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Taiwan, which has its own democratically elected government, maintains that it is its own independent country. Taiwan first became a self-governed island after pro-democracy forces fled there in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong and his Chinese Communist Party.

Taiwan Air Force Mirage fighter jets taxi on a runway at an airbase in Hsinchu, Taiwan. China makes air incursions near Taiwan on an almost daily basis. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)

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The U.S. has relied on symbolic rejections of China’s control over Taiwan in recent years. Just last week, two U.S. Navy vessels sailed in the Taiwan Strait between the island and the mainland, as did a Canadian vessel. Both actions drew criticism from Beijing.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

February 17, 2025