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Zelenskyy ready ‘to do a deal’ with Trump on raw earth minerals and military assistance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing to meet with Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference later this week after confirming on Friday he is ready to “do a deal” with President Donald Trump.

According to an interview with Reuters, Zelenskyy said he was ready to supply the U.S. with rare-earth minerals in exchange for Washington’s continued backing of its war effort.

“If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it,” Zelenskyy said.

ZELENSKYY WANTS NUKES OR NATO; TRUMP SPECIAL ENVOY KELLOGG SAYS ‘SLIM AND NONE’ CHANCE

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to “do a deal” with President Trump about Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals in exchange for continued financial support. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

The Ukrainian president has made clear he is also open to engaging in peace talks with Russia to end the three-year-long war, though possible terms for securing a peace deal remain varied and unknown.

Though Zelenskyy has said he is looking for “guarantees” when it comes to future security assurances for the war-torn country.

These security assurances will likely need to be more than a formal handshake paired with a signed document, as Russia has twice violated its last agreement with Ukraine, known as the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.

The deal saw Kyiv hand over its nuclear arsenal to Moscow for dismantlement in exchange for sovereignty and independence guarantees from Russia, the U.S. and the U.K. However, the agreement did not stop Russia from invading Ukraine twice under Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy apparently first floated the idea of trading Ukraine’s mineral resources – roughly 20% of which are located in now Russian controlled territory, including half of the rare-earth variety – under his “victory plan” first presented to Western allies last fall, reported Reuters.

Rare-earth materials are used in the production of consumer electronics and electric engines. Zelenskyy has warned that Russia could give these resources to its allies like North Korea and Iran – the latter of which the U.S. just last week began to even more heavily sanction.

TRUMP’S FOURTH WEEK IN OFFICE COULD INCLUDE MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY, IRONING OUT STEEL DEAL

Former President Donald Trump meets with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“We need to stop Putin and protect what we have – a very rich Dnipro region, central Ukraine,” Zelenskyy reportedly said.

While Trump will not attend the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy will lead the Ukrainian delegation there and is reportedly expected to meet with Vance and special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg.

Trump told reporters last week that Zelenskyy may travel to D.C. in the week following the security conference, which runs Feb. 14-16, at which time both presidents will once again meet to discuss the war.

“I’d like to see that war end,” Trump told reporters last week. “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things.”

Russia’s war effort in eastern Ukraine continues to rage, and Moscow on Friday claimed it had captured the mining town of Toretsk in the Donetsk region despite Ukraine’s months-long attempts to stop Russian advances.

TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH ZELENSKYY AS HE LOOKS TO END UKRAINE WAR

The ruins of the city of Toretsk are in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Dec. 19, 2024. Russia, on Feb. 7, 2025, claimed to have finally seized the mining city. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

As Moscow continues to see incremental gains in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv is also pushing forward with its own attempts to seize Russian territory, which security experts have told Fox News Digital could be an attempt to give it better bargaining leverage come the time for ceasefire talks with Moscow.

Zelenskyy also said on Friday that Ukraine had opened a new offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kyiv first began its incursion in August 2024.

“In the areas of the Kursk operation, new assaults have taken place,” Zelenskyy said during his nightly address. “Russia has once again deployed North Korean soldiers alongside its troops.”

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Ukrainian forces fight in the Kursk region in Malaya Loknya, Russia, in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released on Aug. 20, 2024. (Air Assault Brigade/Handout via Reuters)

It is unclear if North Korea has sent more troops to Russia after its initial deployment of as many as 12,000 men last October, though South Korean intelligence has warned Pyongyang is planning to do so.

Zelenskyy Sunday night said Ukrainian troops in Kursk “demonstrate highly effective enemy destruction,” though he did not detail any casualty rates among Russian or North Korean troops.

“We must hold all our positions firmly,” he said. “The stronger we stand on the front lines, the stronger our diplomacy – our work with partners – will be.”

Caitlin McFall is a Reporter at Fox News Digital covering Politics, U.S. and World news.

February 10, 2025
Trump’s next week in office could include meeting with Zelenskyy, ironing out steel deal

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President Donald Trump kicked off his fourth week in office by attending the Super Bowl in what is expected to be another action-packed work week that could include a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump will land back in Washington, D.C., late Sunday evening after attending the Super Bowl and spending the weekend at Mar-A-Lago. The 47th president hinted that he could hold his first meeting with Zelenskyy since his Jan. 20 inauguration later this week to discuss the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.

“[Zelenskyy] may meet next week, yeah. Whenever he would like. I’m here,” Trump told reporters while hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday.

Trump has already met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose nation is in the midst of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas following more than a year of war, and has vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths for both nations as war continues.

TRUMP SPELLS OUT TAX PLAN FOR HOUSE GOP LEADERS IN WHITE HOUSE MEETING

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President-elect Donald Trump shake hands at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on Dec. 7, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“I will probably be meeting with President Zelenskyy next week. And I’ve… I will probably be talking to President Putin. I’d like to see that war end for one primary reason: They’re killing so many people,” Trump said during the press conference on Friday.

Trump last met with Zelenskyy when he was president-elect in December during a trip to Paris ahead of the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening after a fire ripped through the Catholic church in 2019.

TRUMP’S CUTS TO FOREIGN AID COULD BENEFIT US POSITION IN IRAN NEGOTIATIONS, EXPERT SAYS

“You have 8 or 900,000 Russian soldiers are dead, and very badly wounded. And the same thing with Ukraine, you have probably 700,000 with Ukraine. The numbers they gave are a little bit lower than that. But I believe those numbers aren’t correct. I’d like to see it just on a human basis. It’s terrible what’s going on,” Trump added of the ongoing war during his comments Friday.

Trump confirmed to the New York Post on Friday that he has spoken to Vladimir Putin as the war continues, but did not divulge many details beyond that Putin “wants to see people stop dying.”

Trump suggested earlier last week that Ukraine should strike a deal with the U.S. to provide crucial minerals – such as titanium, lithium, graphite and uranium – in exchange for military aid.

“We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earths. And I want security of the rare earth, and they’re willing to do [that],” Trump told reporters at the White House last Monday.

Zelenskyy told the media a day later that he is open to an “investment” from “partners who help us defend our land and push the enemy back with their weapons, their presence, and sanctions packages.”

“And this is absolutely fair,” he added.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 7, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump is also expected to meet with the CEO of Nippon Steel this week, which is Japan’s largest steel company. The Biden administration had blocked a nearly $15 billion deal for the Japanese company to buy the American steelmaker, U.S. Steel, with Trump previewing last week that Nippon is now looking to invest in U.S. Steel as opposed to purchasing it.

TRUMP SIGNS LAKEN RILEY ACT INTO LAW AS FIRST LEGISLATIVE VICTORY IN NEW ADMINISTRATION

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting via a videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow, March 17, 2023. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Nippon Steel “is going to be doing something very exciting about U.S. Steel,” Trump said on Friday. “They’ll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase.”

“Very great company and they’ll work out the details,” Trump said of Nippon, mistakenly referring to it as “Nissan,” a Japanese car company on first reference. “I’ll help. I’ll be there to mediate and arbitrate.”

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND WEEK IN OFFICE

The president is in the midst of leveraging tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to bolster border security, end illegal immigration and stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Trump previewed on Friday that this week will include him announcing “reciprocal trade” tariffs on other nations, as opposed to a flat 10% or 20% tariff on other nations, as he has previously threatened.

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“I’ll be announcing that next week, reciprocal trade, so that we’re treated evenly with other countries,” he told reporters on Friday, saying the announcement should come by Monday or Tuesday. “We don’t want any more, any less.”

“I think that’s the only fair way to do it that way nobody’s hurt,” the president continued. “They charge us, we charge them. It’s the same thing, and I seem to be going in that line as opposed to a flat fee tariff.”

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In addition to anticipated foreign relations and international trade announcements and meetings, Trump’s administration is expected to continue its investigations of the federal government’s various agencies as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s quest to suss out internal corruption and government overspending.

Trump’s schedule for the week was not yet released as of Sunday afternoon, beyond attending the Super Bowl before flying back to the White House late Sunday evening.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this article.

February 9, 2025
PGA Tour credits Trump with moving LIV Golf deal closer during president’s big sports week

The PGA Tour put out a statement Thursday thanking President Donald Trump for intervening in the tour’s effort to broker a business agreement with LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

“We asked the president to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country and for all the countries involved,” a statement from PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Tiger Woods said. “We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”

After launching in 2022, LIV lured several star golfers with massive salaries, including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia.

In June of that year, the PGA suspended 17 players who pledged to play for LIV and promised future suspensions for anyone who participated in LIV events.

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Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 presidential hopeful, plays golf ahead of the LIV Golf Invitational series tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J., Aug. 9, 2023. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

In June 2023, the PGA Tour and the European-based DP World Tour announced they had a ‘framework agreement’ for a merger with PIF and LIV. But the agreement never materialized because the deadline to complete that deal passed at the end of that year.

More than a full year has passed since, but now Trump’s intervention may bring that deal closer to fruition.

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Golf star Rory McIlroy said in November he believed Trump becoming president for the second time could help “clear the way” for a deal between the PGA and LIV.

Trump has a close relationship with Saudi Arabia and LIV Golf, with several of its 54-hole events being staged at Trump-owned courses.

Trump’s intervention with the PGA-LIV negotiations was one of many big sports moments for the president this week.

Former President Donald Trump watches his shot from the first tee during the pro-am prior to the LIV Golf Invitational – Bedminster at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster July 28, 2022, in Bedminster, N.J. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images)

Trump changed the course of women’s sports history by signing the “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order in the East Room of the White House in front of female athletes on National Girls and Women in Sports Day Wednesday.

The NCAA quickly capitulated to Trump’s order, announcing Thursday afternoon a new participation policy for transgender student-athletes.

“A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team,” the new policy states.

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It was also reported this week that Trump will become the first sitting president in history to attend a Super Bowl.

The news prompted excitement from Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

“It’s always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting president,” Mahomes said. “Someone that is at the top position in our country.”

Kelce called it an “honor.”

“I think, you know, no matter who the president is, I know I’m excited because it’s the biggest game of my life, you know. And having the president there, you know, it’s the best country in the world. So, that’d be pretty cool,” Kelce said.

Former President Donald Trump headlines a Republican National Committee spring donor retreat in Palm Beach, Fla., May 4, 2024 (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)

Gracie Hunt, the daughter of Chiefs team owner Clark Hunt, spoke to Riley Gaines on OutKick’s “Gaines for Girls” podcast and reacted to Trump’s remarks.

“It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty awesome,” she told Gaines. “Sometimes, I just look at whoever I’m talking to, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that just wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card.’ But, wow, that’s just absolutely incredible.”

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 7, 2025
Minnesota Republicans notch deal securing temporary majority after Dems refused to show up for work

Republicans in Minnesota’s progressive-dominated government have notched a temporary majority in the House through a power-sharing agreement reached Thursday after Democrats refused to show up to work for several weeks.

“So, 23 days as of yesterday, none of the Democrats have come into work,” Republican leader and now House Speaker Lisa Demuth told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. “They completely boycotted the session and prevented the work from getting started here in Minnesota.”

The arrangement comes after a weeks-long saga beginning in December 2024 when a district court judge ruled that Democratic House Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson did not meet the residency requirements to represent Minnesota House District 40B, rendering him ineligible to take office.

The decision temporarily tipped the balance of power in the Minnesota House, giving Republicans a 67-66 majority until a special election could be held.

‘SCARED’ AND ‘TRAUMATIZED’: WALZ’S SUPPORT FOR TRANS WOMEN IN MINNESOTA WOMEN’S PRISON ‘ENDANGERING’ INMATES

Minnesota state Republicans will have the “advantage” after a power-sharing agreement was reached Thursday. (Getty Images/Minnesota)

Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday a special election will be held on Tuesday, March 11, which could bring back a 67-67 tie.

As such, House Democrats boycotted the legislative session beginning Jan. 14, protesting what they perceived as an “abuse of power” by Republicans attempting to leverage their temporary majority to advance their policies. This stalemate effectively denied the House the quorum needed to conduct official business, leading to the state GOP threatening Democratic lawmakers with recall efforts.

Demuth said the organizational agreement reached with Democrats taking effect when the Minnesota House convenes Thursday afternoon ensures she will serve as the Republican speaker for a full two-year term, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming special election.

Currently, with a 67-66 Republican majority, the GOP holds committee chair positions and a one-vote advantage on all committees. If the election results in a 67-67 tie, committee leadership will be shared between Republicans and Democrats, alternating control over schedules and agendas. The Fraud Prevention and Agency Oversight Committee will remain under Republican control, with a 5-3 GOP majority, for the full two-year period, she said.

“We definitely have an advantage,” Demuth said. “And I think it’s important to recognize that the reason that there is a special election that needed to be called is because the Democrats had a candidate that lied and cheated and couldn’t take office.”

WALZ EDUCATION APPOINTEE WHO CALLED FOR THE US GOVERNMENT TO BE ‘OVERTHROWN’ UNDER GOP FIRE: ‘INSURRECTION’

Gov. Tim Walz “has not contacted” Republican state legislative leaders during the long stalemate and been “very partisan” in his dealings overall, Minnesota Republicans claim. ( Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Demuth said Republicans – who have been gaveled in by the state secretary every day despite the stalemate – are looking forward to addressing the state’s budget and other key issues once lawmakers convene Thursday.

“We need to stop the fraud in the state of Minnesota,” Demuth said. “And according to test scores, our test results for our K-12 education, specifically in fourth and eighth grade, continue to plummet under the leadership of Gov. Walz, and so [the Democrats] have prevented all of that work to even begin.”

Demuth criticized the governor for his lack of engagement during the legislative standoff, noting that “he has not contacted me at all as caucus leader during this time.” She said he issued a press statement suggesting that “Republicans need to start working with Democrats,” but argued that his statement was “very partisan” and ultimately “a disservice to Minnesotans.”

MN GOP VOWS RECALL EFFORTS AS DEM LAWMAKERS THREATEN TO SKIP WORK FOR TWO WEEKS

Minnesota House Republicans say they are committed to being a check on the power and policy priorities of liberal Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Minnesotans need us to do the work. It’s not Republican or Democrat, but when you have a party that stayed out to prevent the work, you have a governor that isn’t even encouraging his own party to show back up, he’s really doing a disservice to the people of Minnesota,” said Demuth, whom the Minnesota Star Tribune noted becomes the state’s first Black House speaker.

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During the first week of the Democrats’ boycott, Walz told lawmakers, “Just work together on a power-sharing agreement,” the AP reported. “That’s the way it’s going to end up. And I think that can work out really well.”

The Republican State Leadership Committee provided a statement to Fox News Digital in which it congratulated Demuth for securing the House leadership role, adding in part, “Voters have made it clear they want Minnesota House Republicans to be a strong check on Tim Walz and his extreme liberal agenda.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party for comment.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 6, 2025
NBA player Dennis Schroder included in reported major deal after wild ‘modern slavery’ claim

NBA guard Dennis Schroder was included in a blockbuster trade on Wednesday night that saw Jimmy Butler go from the Miami Heat to the Golden State Warriors, according to multiple reports.

Schroder will reportedly be moved to the Utah Jazz as part of a multi-team trade that also included the Detroit Pistons. The guard’s inclusion of the deal came after he compared the trade deadline to “modern slavery.”

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Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder, #71, brings the ball up the court against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

He made the eyebrow-raising remarks in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, lamenting the lack of the control a player has on where they’re going in such deals.

“It’s like modern slavery,” he told the network. “It’s modern slavery at the end of the day. Everybody can decide where you’re going, even if you have a contract. Yeah, of course, we make a lot of money and we can feed our families, but at the end of the day if they say, ‘You’re not coming to work tomorrow, you’re going over there,’ they can decide that. They got to change that a little bit.

“But still grateful that we’re here and that we can live this every single day. I think everybody who’s in here is blessed. But if you really think about it, it is kind of crazy that the organization can tell you, ‘We want you to be team-first, but you’re going over there.’ It’s a lot.”

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Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder, #71, shoots against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh, #28, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Schroder added that control being out of the players’ hands and left to the NBA owners is something the guard wanted the league to eventually figure out. The veteran was already traded earlier in the season from the Brooklyn Nets to the Warriors. The latest reported trade would be the sixth time he’s been traded in his career.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggested the trade deadline be moved to the All-Star break as his rotations were thrown off with the trade before their game.

“I think the league should consider making the trade deadline at the All-Star break just so you don’t have to face these games where guys are getting traded half an hour before a game and you’re trying to process the emotions and trying to win a game,” Kerr said. “I don’t know if it’s possible.”

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 6, 2025
Pete Alonso returning to Mets on short-term deal: reports

The New York Mets are bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso on a two-year, $54 million deal, according to multiple reports.

The deal reportedly comes with an opt-out after 2025. The deal also reportedly comes with a $10 million signing bonus and a $20 million salary for 2025, with a $24 million player option for 2026.

Alonso was the team’s second-round pick out of the Florida Gators’ program in 2016, and he’s spent his first six seasons hitting home runs (226), including a rookie record 53 that aided his Rookie of the Year resume in 2019. He’s also made four All-Star teams, including each of the last three, and has a career .854 OPS.

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Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after walking in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Alonso’s uncertain return to the Mets was one of the most-discussed storylines of the MLB offseason. Team owner Steve Cohen expressed skepticism the team would re-sign the star sluggers during an appearance at the Mets’ Amazin’ Day in late January.

There, Cohen said the negotiations with Alonso were going “worse” than they had with the team’s offseason big offseason signing, Juan Soto.

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Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets reacts after flying out to left field to end the bottom of the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on May 25, 2024 in New York City. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

“We’ve made a significant offer to Pete, and, you know, what David said is correct. He’s entitled to go out and explore his market,” Cohen said. “That’s what he’s doing. Personally, this has been an exhausting conversation and negotiation. I mean, Soto was tough. This is worse.”

Still, Cohen never ruled out Alonso’s return.

“I will never say no. There’s always the possibility. But the reality is we’re moving forward, and we continue to bring in players. As we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have. That’s where we are,” Cohen said.

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New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) runs the bases after hitting run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. (Kyle Ross-Imagn Images)

“I’m being brutally honest. I don’t like the negotiations, I don’t like what’s been presented to us, and maybe that changes. Certainly, I’ll always stay flexible. If it stays this way, I think we’re going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”

Now, Alonso is back in Queens and will be paired with Soto for at least one season.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 6, 2025
Guatemala agrees to accept deportees from other countries, in deal with Rubio

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed that his country is willing to accept migrants of other nationalities being deported from the U.S. under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Arevalo made the announcement during a visit from Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The new agreement declares Guatemala a “safe third country” for deportation, with the U.S. paying for migrants to be eventually returned to their home countries.

“We have agreed to increase by 40% the number of flights of deportees both of our nationality as well as deportees from other nationalities,” Arevalo said, speaking during a news conference with Rubio.

The agreement is similar to but less expansive than the one Rubio reached with El Slavador’s president, Nayib Bukele, on Tuesday. Bukele said his country would accept U.S. deportees of any nationality, including American citizens and legal residents who are imprisoned for violent crimes.

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

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo cleared the path for his nation’s status as a “safe third country.” (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

“We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system,” Bukele wrote on X Monday night. “We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee. The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable.”

TRUMP ANNOUNCES VENEZUELA WILL TAKE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BACK

Rubio said the Salvadoran president “has agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.”

“We can send them, and he will put them in his jails,” Rubio told reporters, referring to illegal immigrants behind bars in U.S. prisons. “And, he’s also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentences in the United States, even though they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele at his residence at Lake Coatepeque in El Salvador on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP)

While Bukele did extend the offer to include violent American criminals, it is highly unlikely that part of the offer would actually happen, since it is illegal to deport U.S. citizens. A U.S. official said the Trump administration has no plans to deport American citizens, but noted that Bukele’s offer was significant.

The proposal with El Salvador, known as a “safe third country” agreement, could potentially be an option for Venezuelan gang members convicted in the U.S. if Venezuela refuses to accept them, and Rubio said Bukele offered to accept detainees of any nationality.

People are seen boarding a U.S. military aircraft. The White House announced Friday that “deportation flights have begun” in the U.S. (White House)

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Bukele also said he would take back all Salvadoran MS-13 gang members in the U.S. illegally, and promised to accept and incarcerate criminal illegal aliens from any country, especially those affiliated with Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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 5, 2025
Panama agrees to end canal deal with China after Rubio visit

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Panama’s president vowed Sunday to end a key development deal with China after meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and after complaints from President Donald Trump that the Latin American country had ceded control over its critical shipping canal to Beijing.

José Raúl Mulino, Panama’s president, said his nation’s sovereignty over the 51-mile waterway, which connects the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, will remain unchanged. But he said he would not renew a 2017 memorandum of understanding to join China’s Belt and Road global development initiative and that Panama would instead look to work more closely with the U.S.

“I think this visit opens the door to build new relations … and try to increase as much as possible U.S. investments in Panama,” Mulino told reporters after meeting with Rubio on his first international trip since being confirmed.

Rubio, who was a senator representing Florida before Trump tapped him to be America’s top diplomat, said his team is ready to push the U.S. agenda.

‘TAKING IT BACK’: INTERNAL HOUSE GOP MEMO OUTLINES CASE FOR TRUMP TO Y PANAMA CANAL

“Had the pleasure of meeting the incredible @USEmbPAN team during my first embassy meet and greet in my new role as Secretary of State!” Rubio wrote in a post on X. “Thankful for their dedication and ongoing efforts to promoting President Trump’s vision of an America First foreign policy.”

During his visit, Rubio wrote in a post on X that “the United States cannot, and will not, allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area.”

Trump has complained that China exerts control over the canal and charges U.S. ships six-figure premiums to cross Panama’s isthmus. The canal was built over several decades by the U.S. and completed in 1914 but handed over to Panama during the Carter administration.

Trump has made regaining ownership of the Panama Canal a priority in his administration. House Republicans introduced a bill for the United States to repurchase the Panama Canal after Trump raised concerns that the critical waterway is under Chinese control.

The bill, named the Panama Canal Repurchase Act, was introduced by Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., a member of the Select Committee on China and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“President Trump is right to consider repurchasing the Panama Canal,” Johnson said in a statement. “China’s interest in and presence around the canal is a cause for concern. America must project strength abroad – owning and operating the Panama Canal might be an important step towards a stronger America and a more secure globe.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS INTRODUCE BILL TO REPURCHASE PANAMA CANAL AFTER TRUMP RAISES CONCERNS OF CHINESE CONTROL

Panama announced it won’t renew the Belt and Road Initiative with China after Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the country. (Reuters)

If it becomes law, the bill would give the president authority to act in coordination with the secretary of state to “initiate and conduct negotiations with appropriate counterparts of the Government of the Republic of Panama to reacquire the Panama Canal.”

CHINA’S INFLUENCE ON PANAMA CANAL POSES ‘ACUTE RISKS TO US NATIONAL SECURITY,’ SEN CRUZ WARNS

President Donald Trump has expressed concern that the Panama Canal is being controlled by China. (Getty Images)

The U.S. Department of State estimates around 72% of all vessels that travel through the Panama Canal are coming from or going to a U.S. port.

Noting the canal’s strategic importance to the United States, Johnson’s office also noted how the waterway is a key transit point for U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Defense vessels.

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Without access to the canal, ships would be forced to travel 8,000 additional miles around South America.

“More than 10,000 ships use the Panama Canal each year, generating billions of dollars of tolls which would economically benefit America,” Johnson’s office said.

While the canal and China’s role in the region topped the agenda, Rubio had other items to raise.

“We also discussed efforts to end the hemisphere’s mass migration crisis and ensure fair competition for U.S. firms,” Rubio added.

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

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

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]

February 3, 2025
2 NBA stars on the move in latest blockbuster deal: report

Two NBA stars are reportedly on the move Sunday, hours after the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis earlier in the day.

The Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs were finalizing a deal involving De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine, ESPN reported.

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Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox calls out to teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Fox was traded to the Spurs and LaVine was traded to the Kings in the deal, according to the report. The Bulls will reportedly receive Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Heurter and a 2025 draft pick.

The Kings guard is two seasons removed from his first All-Star appearance. He was averaging 25 points, 6.1 assists and five rebounds with the team before he was dealt. He has played for the Kings since the 2017-18 season.

LaVine, a two-time All-Star, had been with the Bulls since the 2017-18 season as well. He was mostly injured during the 2023-24 season but bounced back and played in 42 games this season. He’s averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)

Fox will now pair up with Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs are 21-25 this season and are about three games behind the Golden State Warriors for 11th in the Western Conference.

LaVine will team up with Domantas Sabonis. The Kings are two seasons removed from their playoff run in 2023. Sacramento has seen changes this season and the Fox trade appeared to be the end of it. The team fired head coach Mike Brow and replaced him with Doug Christie.

The Kings are in 10th in the West with a record of 24-24. Chicago is in 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 21-28 record.

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, guards against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

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San Antonio will also receive Jordan McLaughlin and the Kings will receive Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks and three second-round picks.

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 3, 2025
Hamas to release 3 more hostages, including US citizen, as part of fragile ceasefire deal

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Terror group Hamas has released two more hostages, with a third, an American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, expected to be freed later Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Hamas handed over Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas to the Red Cross, and both were expected to be given over to IDF soldiers.

Siegel, 65, was raised in North Carolina and immigrated to Israel as a young man, becoming a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen. He and his wife, Aviva, settled in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. He had been held in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when both were kidnapped from their home during the Hamas massacre.

Aviva Siegel, who was freed in the last hostage deal in November, previously told Fox News about her fears for his deteriorating health, emphasizing that the fight is not over until all hostages return. Alongside Siegel, French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were also freed. Bibas’ wife and two young children remain in captivity.

ISRAELI WOMAN BRAVELY DESCRIBES HORROR AS HAMAS HOSTAGE: ‘THEY WERE TAKING PLEASURE IN HURTING ME’

Siegel would be the first American freed under the current ceasefire deal. So far, 10 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals abducted on October 7 have also been released. Six Americans remain in Gaza. Among them, Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old father of three, is expected to be freed soon. Another captive, Edan Alexander, 21, from New Jersey, was serving in the IDF when taken. Hamas also holds the bodies of deceased hostages.

Hamas has named Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon as the next three hostages to be released. (The Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

Securing the release of U.S. citizens and other hostages remains a top priority for President Donald Trump, who warned Hamas would face “all hell to pay” if they failed to comply. White House envoy Steve Witkoff, closely monitoring the situation, recently became the first U.S. official to visit Gaza in 15 years. “There is almost nothing left of Gaza,” Witkoff told Axios, estimating that full reconstruction could take 10 to 15 years. He stressed that advancing the hostage deal is key to stabilizing the region and broader diplomatic efforts, including Saudi-Israeli normalization talks.

For the families of those still in captivity, the struggle is far from over. Yechi Yehoud, father of released hostage Arbel Yehoud who was released on Thursday, delivered an emotional statement upon his daughter’s return.

“Arbel has come back to us in reasonable health, considering the hell she endured. She survived heroically until the very end, displaying immeasurable courage. We are here also to express our gratitude to President Trump, and his Middle East Special Envoy Mr. Steve Witkoff, who knew how to speak ‘Trump language’ in the Middle East and leverage full diplomatic pressure for the hostages’ return… We won’t rest until we know they’re back with us, alive!”

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

Scenes of chaos in Khan Younis, as hostages Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehud were forced to walk on foot through a Palestinian mob to waiting Red Cross vehicles on Jan. 30, 2025. (Majdi Fathi/TPS-IL)

The ceasefire, which has temporarily halted a brutal 15-month war, is unfolding in phases. Each stage involves the staggered release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the process has faced setbacks, including horrific scenes this week when Hamas paraded hostages before an angry mob, endangering their safety. The chaotic handover to the Red Cross sparked outrage in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefly halted the reciprocal release of Palestinian prisoners, warning Hamas against further disruptions.

The current plan includes additional hostage releases in the coming weeks, with 33 captives expected to be freed over six weeks. In return, Israel will release 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners, including 250-300 convicted of deadly attacks, and allow increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. Whether Hamas will fully comply remains uncertain, putting the fragile truce at risk.

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PM Netanyahu Meets with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. (Photo by Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

Amid high-stakes ceasefire negotiations, Netanyahu has accepted an invitation from President Trump to visit Washington on February 4, making him the first foreign leader to meet Trump in his second term. The visit will focus on the hostage deal, ceasefire discussions, and broader security concerns, including Iran and Gaza’s reconstruction.

February 1, 2025