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Tag: declares

Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency of CA wildfires

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday in a bid to fast-track wildfire prevention projects.

Newsom announced the move after President Donald Trump blasted the governor’s handling of previous wildfire disasters. The order suspends certain environmental regulations that would have delayed forest management projects and other wildfire prevention measures.

“This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March. Building on unprecedented work cutting red tape and making historic investments – we’re taking action with a state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire projects even more,” Newsom said in a statement.

“These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done,” he added.

NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP’S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER HE POINTED FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY

California’s wider efforts will cost roughly $2.5 billion, funding controlled burns, reducing fuel in burn areas, as well as implementing public tracking of wildfire prevention efforts.

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

The state of emergency announcement comes weeks after Trump blasted Newsom for “gross incompetence” in handling the recent wildfires.

“Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump charged in a social media post on Jan. 8, repeating a derogatory name he often uses for the governor.

President Trump criticized Gov. Newsom’s handling of wildfires. (AP/Getty Images)

Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., in early February in a bid to secure federal backing for the disaster relief efforts. He said he had a “very productive” meeting at the White House at the time.

The governor held two meetings on Capitol Hill before traveling to the White House and petitioning Trump for “unconditional disaster aid,” his office said.

A large wildfire near Carolina Forest. (Horry County Fire Rescue)

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“As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and clean up efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need.”

Fox News’ Stepheny Price 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.

March 2, 2025
Trump declares February 9 as ‘Gulf of America Day’

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9th as “Gulf of America Day” as he flew over the recently renamed body of water on his way to make history at Super Bowl LIX on Sunday afternoon.

“MOMENTS AGO ON AF1: President Trump signed a Proclamation declaring February 9th ‘Gulf of America Day’ while flying over the newly and appropriately named GULF OF AMERICA!” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced in a post on X.

“Air Force One is currently in international waters, the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America,” the White House shared in a video on X, showing Trump signing the proclamation.

Trump signed the proclamation aboard Air Force 1, while traveling to Super Bowl LIX. He will be the first sitting president to ever attend a Super Bowl.

TRUMP’S VIRAL ‘GULF OF AMERICA’ NAME-CHANGE SPURS A TEXAS-SIZED SUGGESTION: GULF OF BUC-EE’S

On his way to Super Bowl LIX, President Trump signed an order declaring Feb. 9 as “Gulf of America Day.” (Daniel Torok/Chief White House Photographer)

“Today, I am very honored to recognize February 9, 2025, as the first ever Gulf of America Day,” the proclamation read.

“I took this action in part because, as stated in that Order, “[t]he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.”

“Today, I am making my first visit to the Gulf of America since its renaming,” the proclamation continued. “As my Administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America.”

Former North Dakota Gov. and current Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum also praised the president and celebrated the gulf’s official day.

“It’s official! Congratulations @POTUS on the Gulf of America! Interior has implemented your instruction from the Executive Order on Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” Burgum wrote.

‘BEAUTIFUL NAME’: TRUMP ANNOUNCES GULF OF MEXICO WILL GET NEW, PRO-AMERICA REVAMP

“Another big win for President Trump’s agenda to Make America Great Again.”

“It’s official! Proclamation signed aboard Air Force 1 above the Gulf Of America!” Trump’s son, Eric Trump, posted on X.

Trump announced his push for the name change during his first press conference as the 47th President of the United States of America.

“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. That covers a lot of territory,” Trump previously said at his first news conference. “The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate.”

TRUMP TO RENAME GULF OF MEXICO, MOUNT DENALI ON FIRST DAY IN OFFICE

President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. (Getty Images)

The changes will apply to official federal documents and maps, though it is unclear whether the order also requires schools to use the new terminology.

Trump has also pushed to rename Alaska’s Mount Denali, pointing out that it was originally named after President William McKinley.

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“McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said at a December rally. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people. Now, he was a great president, very good president. At a minimum, he was a very good businessman. He was a businessman, then a governor, very successful businessman.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

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

February 9, 2025
Mark Ingram declares Saquon Barkley the reason Eagles are back in Super Bowl LIX: ‘Special season’

NEW ORLEANS – Since 2009, there have only been four 2,000-yard rushing seasons in the NFL.

It began with Chris Johnson, known forever as “CJ2K” after his 2009 season with the Tennessee Titans. Then, Adrian Peterson defied all odds when he came back to the Minnesota Vikings after tearing his ACL in 2011, rushing for 2,097 in 2012.

Finally, Derrick Henry, another Titans running back, notched 2,027 yards during the 2020 campaign, and he almost got it again with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024.

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Mark Ingram attends the 10th Annual Unbridled Eve Kentucky Derby Gala at The Galt House Hotel on May 5, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Unbridled Eve)

The 2024 season’s top rusher, though, was Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley, who had one former running back star believing his campaign was better than all the ones mentioned before.

“In recent memory, man, just the impact he had coming from the Giants and going to the Eagles in season one, is second to none for sure,” Mark Ingram II, the New Orleans Saints legend back in town for Super Bowl LIX where Barkley will be playing, told Fox News Digital on Radio Row. “We’ve seen some special performances from backs, but his season is second to none.

“What he’s been able to do, the value he’s shown to the Eagles organization, the value he’s showing to the Eagles’ offense. It’s been a special season.”

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

When it comes to running backs, what Ingram loves most is when a player is a complete back. That translates to more than just a north-to-south, bulldozing runner. A do-it-all back can not only cover all the running lanes, but he can pass catch and block out of the backfield.

Barkley has showcased he can do all that in his six seasons with the Giants, but Ingram cannot believe the level he has done it at up to this point.

“The highlight-reel runs he’s had, speed, power, agility, catching the football and jumping over people backwards. He’s operating at a high level right now,” he explained, while also touching on his work with the American Gaming Association this week. “He’s in the zone and that’s why the Eagles are at where they’re at right now because of Saquon Barkley.”

Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, #1, and Saquon Barkley, #26, celebrate after Hurts ran the ball for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Barkley led the league in rushing with 2,005 yards, and he might have broken Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing yards record (2,105) if he had not sat out the entire Week 18 regular-season finale against his former Giants. Not only that, he also had 33 receptions for 278 yards and added two touchdowns through the air to mark 15 total on the season.

Barkley’s massive production in 2024 is a clear reason why the Eagles are currently in the same position they were two seasons ago, when they were facing the same Kansas City Chiefs in the “Big Game.”

Is Barkley the difference maker this time around, though? Time, 60 minutes to be exact, on Sunday, will show the football world whether that is true or false.

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One thing is for sure: Barkley is special, no matter which way you spin it. Ingram can name anything a running back should do on gameday, and Barkley does it at an elite level.

HAVE A BETTING GAMEPLAN

Americans are expected to legally wager a record $1.39 billion dollars on Super Bowl LIX this year, which has led Ingram to team up with the American Gaming Association to preach having a betting gameplan.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

First and foremost, have a budget and stick to it. Be responsible, bet legally and don’t be harassing players – sending Venmos, sending CashApps when they do not hit your prop bets. Enjoy it, respect it. It is supposed to be entertainment.

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Ingram finds it crazy that some fans take betting to the extreme, especially when it comes to what he calls bashing players through various means because they did not win.

“It is crazy. People Venmo-ing, people DMing. It’s crazy, man. The players didn’t set the over/under for themselves, Vegas did. So, be mad at Vegas. The players are out there trying to do everything they can to help their team win a game.”

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

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 6, 2025
Hegseth declares ‘new era’ under Trump in visit to southern border in Texas

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday visited the southern border, declaring a “new era of determination” as the Trump administration doubles down on its efforts to secure the border and stop illegal immigration.

“Because of President Donald Trump, this is a new era at the southern border, a new era of determination, a new era of cooperation. And at the Defense Department, we are proud to be a part of it,” Hegseth told reporters at a press conference in El Paso, Texas after Hegseth had toured the border.

Hegseth emphasized that, rather than focusing on foreign territory, the administration wanted to focus first on U.S. sovereignty.

HOMAN, LAWMAKERS SIGNAL COOPERATION ON ‘OVERLOOKED’ NORTHERN BORDER AMID MIGRANT SPIKE: ‘SAME VISION’

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visits Texas border to inspect the efforts against irregular migrants with Tom Homan, who is in charge of border security in Texas, United States on February 03, 2025. ((Photo by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth/Anadolu via Getty Images))

“Guys and gals of my generation have spent decades in foreign countries guarding other people’s borders. It’s about time we secure our own border,” he said.

Trump deployed the U.S. military to the border on his first day in office, with over 1,500 troops joining forces already there. It’s part of a blitz that has correlated with a sharp drop in encounters at the southern border.

Hegseth said the men and women dispatched to the border are excited to be there.

“They’re motivated to be here because they’re defending their friends, their family, their communities, their church, their schools, their loved ones from an invasion of people whose intentions we don’t know,” he said. “We are going to get control of this border.”

NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING

A group of people cross the US-Mexico border from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico, into Sunland Park, New Mexico, US, on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (Justin Hamel/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hegseth’s visit to the southern border is the latest migration-focused trip by a Trump Cabinet official.

His trip comes after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was at the southern border in Del Rio, Texas on Saturday. She said she was there to see “firsthand what’s happening and how we can best support our Border Patrol agents.”

“Under President [Trump] the days of open borders are over,” she said.

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Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had a migration-packed first week in office, left Saturday for his first overseas trip to Latin America.

His visit includes trips to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. He is expected to return Thursday, and issues including migration, drug trafficking and gang violence are expected to be at the top of his agenda.

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Hegseth spoke alongside border czar Tom Homan, who said what was occurring with the use of the military and other government agencies to facilitate security and deportations is a “game changer.”

“We will finally succeed and have an operational control of our southern border with this president in charge,” he said.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

February 3, 2025
California city declares itself a ‘non-sanctuary’ city

Leaders in one Southern California city fed up with the state’s immigration policies have voted to become a “non-sanctuary” city and ignore the state’s sanctuary laws.

The resolution was approved by the Huntington Beach City Council on Tuesday night by a unanimous 7-0 vote. Mayor Pat Burns, who introduced the legislation, “Non-Sanctuary City for Illegal Immigration for the Prevention of Crime,” said the move was a matter of public safety.

“This is in the best interest of our community, Huntington Beach, to make sure that we utilize every facet of law enforcement we can to make it the best place to live,” Burns, a former law enforcement officer, said during Tuesday’s meeting alongside a small bust sculpture of President Donald Trump.

The move directs the city’s police officers to work with federal immigration authorities and notify immigration officials when they are about to release an illegal immigrant from jail.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED IN NYC APARTMENT NEXT TO DAYCARE FACILITY

Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns introduced a resolution to make the Southern California city a “non-sanctuary” city. (City of Huntington Beach)

The resolution “deliberately sidestep[s] the Governor’s efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city’s cooperation with the federal government, the Trump Administration and Border Czar Tom Homan’s work,” the city said in a news release.

Sanctuary cities prohibit their law enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The practice has come under scrutiny for shielding criminal illegal immigrants from being deported.

President Donald Trump, left, and Border Czar Tom Homan. (Getty Images)

In addition to the resolution, Huntington Beach is suing the state over its sanctuary state laws, which it claims are unconstitutional.

Before the vote, Councilman Chad Williams chided state lawmakers for enacting policies to protect illegal immigrants, including those convicted of violent crimes.

“If we want to voluntarily cooperate with federal authorities to protect our community, that is absolutely our prerogative,” he said. “It’s just basic common sense. Why wouldn’t you want to use every tool available to keep your community safe?”

TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM’

Huntington Beach, California, declared itself a “non-sanctuary” city. City leaders said they will cooperate with federal immigration officials. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson)

The resolution text mentions crimes committed by illegal immigrants on behalf of criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, which gained widespread attention after its members allegedly terrorized residents at a Colorado apartment complex.

Tuesday’s vote came weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a “Trump-proof” legal defense fund of up to $25 million for California’s justice department. Trump has promised to target criminal illegal immigrants for deportation.

“In California in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The State should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and California’s cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens,” Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates said in a press release.

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“Emphatically, the State should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws.”

January 23, 2025