New Delhi, February 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his 395th birth anniversary. Taking to X, PM Modi posted that Shivaji Maharaj’s valour and vision laid the foundation for Swarajya (self-rule). “I pay homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His valour and visionary leadership laid the foundation for Swarajya, inspiring generations to uphold the values of courage and justice,” wrote the PM in his post. He further said that Shivaji inspires us to build a strong, self-reliant and prosperous India.
PM Modi also posted a video clip in honour of the great king. He said for him he is not just a name or a king but “Shivaji is a God and there is nothing bigger than God”. The PM said in the video, “…so many years have passed by but his values, and commitments continue to inspire us today… and based on these values, we have to complete the next 25 years of Amrit Kal… this journey will be to make India of Shivaji’s dreams .. this journey will be of swaraj, good governance and Atmanirbharta… this journey will be of Viksit Bharat..” Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Other Leaders Extend Greetings on Shivaji Maharaj’s Birth Anniversary.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Shivaji Maharaj’s unmatched courage, commitment to justice and unwavering dedication to the welfare of the people continue to inspire all. In a post on X, he wrote, “I bow to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti on his Jayanti. His unmatched courage, commitment to justice and unwavering dedication to the welfare of the people continue to inspire us. Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy of selfless service, integrity and resilience will pave the way for prosperity and peace for coming generations.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote in Marathi (loosely translated as): “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who declared ‘Hindavi Swarajya’, embodied a life of principles, duty, and religious devotion. He fought against the fanatic invaders, protecting the flag of eternal pride and dharma. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will forever be remembered as a nation-builder. On Shiv Jayanti, a tribute to the symbol of unparalleled courage, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!” Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 2025 Date, History and Significance: Know About Shiv Jayanti Celebrations in Maharashtra Marking Maratha Warrior King’s 395th Birth Anniversary.
In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar attended Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj birth anniversary celebrations at Shivneri Fort, Junnar. They also interacted with children and the event featured cultural performances celebrating Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy.
CM Devendra Fadnavis while paying tributes to Shivaji posted on X, “His governance was as remarkable as his conquests, still inspiring generations. On his Birth Anniversary, salutations to a benevolent ruler and a master strategist, the Founder of Hindavi Swarajya, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!” “Tributes to a great conqueror with the vision of Akhand Bharat, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Birth Anniversary! …Jai Bhavani! Jai Shivaji! Honouring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of Hindavi Swarajya on his Birth Anniversary!” CM Fadnavis added in his post.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2025 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Saudi Arabian officials Monday ahead of planned talks in the country between United States diplomats and their Russian counterparts meant to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war.
Rubio was joined by U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, in a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at his palace in the capital city of Riyadh. Rubio also met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud earlier Monday after traveling to Riyadh from Israel during his first trip to the Middle East as secretary of state.
Talks are scheduled for Tuesday in Saudi Arabia between the U.S. and Russia. Ukrainian officials are notably expected to be absent from the negotiating table.
Rubio, Waltz and Witkoff will meet the Russian delegation, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAYS PUTIN, ZELENSKYY AGREE ‘ONLY PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD GET THEM TO THE TABLE’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025. (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov set off for the Saudi capital on Monday, according to Russian state TV.
Addressing reporters in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov said he looked forward to putting an “absolutely abnormal period” of estrangement between the U.S. and Russia behind them, according to the Washington Post.
“We want to listen to our partners,” Lavrov reportedly said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks will be primarily focused on “restoring the entire range of U.S.-Russian relations, as well as preparing possible talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organizing a meeting of the two presidents.”
Bruce said the meeting is aimed at determining how serious the Russians are about wanting peace and whether detailed negotiations can be started.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud receives Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Saudi Foreign Ministry headquarters in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025. (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“I think the goal, obviously, for everyone is to determine if this is something that can move forward,” she told reporters traveling with Rubio in Riyadh, according to the Associated Press.
Bruce said that even though Ukraine would not be at the table for Tuesday’s talks, actual peace negotiations would only take place with Ukraine’s involvement.
Tuesday’s talks are expected to lay the groundwork for the summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he spoke to Putin on the phone last week and they “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.” The call upended years of U.S. policy, ending the isolation of Moscow over its Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Trump phoned Zelenskyy afterward to inform him about their conversation.
Trump on Sunday told reporters that Zelenskyy “will be involved” but did not elaborate.
ZELENSKYY NOT YET SIGNING US ECONOMIC AGREEMENT ‘SHORT-SIGHTED,’ WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL SAYS
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is convening an emergency meeting between the main European powers in Paris on Monday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Witkoff said he and Waltz will be “having meetings at the direction of the president,” and hope to make “some really good progress with regard to Russia-Ukraine.”
Witkoff didn’t directly respond to a question about whether Ukraine would have to give up a “significant portion” of its territory as part of any negotiated settlement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia.
The Ukrainian president said Monday his country had not been invited to the upcoming talks and won’t accept the outcome if Kyiv doesn’t take part. The U.S.-Russia talks would “yield no results,” given the absence of any Ukrainian officials, Zelenskyy said on a conference call with journalists from the United Arab Emirates, according to the AP. Zelenskyy said he would travel to Turkey on Monday and to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, but that his trip was unrelated to the U.S.-Russia talks.
Rubio meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Feb. 17, 2025. On a separate couch are Waltz and U.S. charge d’affaires Alison Dilworth. Witkoff, not pictured, was on another couch in the room. (EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Waltz rejected the notion that European allies are not being consulted on negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, noting how Rubio, Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spent last week in Europe meeting with allies. Bessent, in particular, traveled to Kyiv, while Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
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Waltz said one of the key tenants in negotiating a peace deal would be ensuring “a permanent end to the war,” describing how the conflict has devolved “into a World War I-style meat grinder of human beings.” He said long-term military security guarantees have to be European-led, criticizing how a third of NATO countries are not contributing what they agreed upon a decade ago.
As for the billions in U.S. aid sent to Ukraine during the Biden administration, Waltz said the American people “deserve to be recouped, deserve to have some type of payback for the billions they have invested in this war.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dispatched a group of senior officials to Saudi Arabia for meetings with the U.S. about a potential peace deal for Ukraine, the Kremlin announced Monday.
The officials, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, will meet with U.S. counterparts on Tuesday. The groups plan to discuss a restoration of diplomatic ties between Washington and Moscow, as well as a Ukrainian peace deal and a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Putin.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation, accompanied by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz, the state department confirmed Monday.
The meeting comes just days after Trump revealed he had spoken to Putin in a phone call last week. Trump said he and Putin “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.”
TRUMP SAYS RUSSIA AGREES TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS TO END WAR IN UKRAINE
President Donald Trump (center), Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right).(Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto via Getty Images | Contributor/Getty Images | Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met the effort with skepticism, urging Trump not to trust Putin in a separate call last week.
“I said that [Putin] is a liar,” Zelenskyy recounted of his phone call to Trump. “And he said, ‘I think my feeling is that he’s ready for these negotiations.’ And I said to him, ‘No, he’s a liar. He doesn’t want any peace.’”
PUTIN VIEWED AS ‘GREAT COMPETITOR’ BUT STILL A US ‘ADVERSARY’ AS UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS LOOM, LEAVITT SAYS
Zelenskyy nevertheless said he believes Putin is a “little bit scared” of Trump.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia this week.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Trump’s representatives have declined to offer details about the negotiations, such as whether the U.S. would support a deal where Ukraine is forced to give up a sizable amount of its pre-war territory.
FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY
“Those are details, and I’m not dismissive of the details, they’re important. But I think the beginning here is trust-building. It’s getting everybody to understand that this war does not belong continuing, that it should end. That’s what the president has directed us to do,” Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday.
Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer has confirmed that he is willing to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to ensure its security as part of a peace deal.
“I do not say that lightly,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.”
“But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country,” he added.
War has continued to rage in Ukraine in recent days despite a phone call between Trump and Putin discussing a possible peace deal.(Anatolii STEPANOV / AFP, ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
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Zelenskyy added in his interview that he will not accept any negotiation hashed out by just the U.S. and Russia.
“I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine. Never.… The war in Ukraine is against us, and it is our human losses. And we are thankful for all the support, unity between U.S.A. – in U.S.A. around Ukraine support, bipartisan unity, bipartisan support, we’re thankful for all of this. But there is no… leader in the world who can really make a deal with Putin without us about us,” he said.
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.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., shares his take on the Democratic Party’s ongoing meltdown over DOGE on ‘The Evening Edit.’
A top Canadian lawmaker and candidate to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for a 100% tariff on Tesla vehicles in an effort to counter tariffs from President Donald Trump.
Chrystia Freeland worked as Trudeau’s finance minister until she resigned in January, now running to replace Trudeau as prime minister. The thrust of her economic policy urges Canada to inflict “the biggest trade blow that the United States has ever endured.”
“We are going to go after American stakeholders who matter to the White House,” Freeland told CNN this week. “I have proposed a 100 percent tariff on all Teslas. I am calling on all the countries that are affected by this tariff to join us, and our retaliation will target specific Trump constituencies.”
Freeland also targeted dairy farmers in Wisconsin, saying they are “important” to Trump.
MEXICO AGREES TO DEPLOY 10,000 TROOPS TO US BORDER IN EXCHANGE FOR TARIFF PAUSE
Elon Musk’s Tesla could be hit with tariffs in Canada if Chrystia Freeland wins election. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
“”We’re not going to let them sell their products in Canada anymore,” she said.
Freeland’s threats come after Trump issued pauses on the tariff plans against both Canada and Mexico. Both countries agreed to some capitulations in order to stave off the tariffs and give time for further negotiations.
PALANTIR CEO TOUTS ELON MUSK’S DOGE, ABILITY TO HOLD ‘SACRED COW OF THE DEEP STATE’ ACCOUNTABLE
Chrystia Freeland, a former official in Trudeau’s government, has vowed tariffs against Trump allies. (Thomas Trutschel / Getty Images)
Freeland’s call echoes sentiment from other Canadian officials as well. Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh proposed that Canada should “fight back” against Trump’s tariff threat.
“Elon Musk has been very loud. Very vocal attacking our country. We’re not going to let that stand. So if you are going to take a shot at us, we’re going to fight back,” Singh told reporters earlier this week. “So Elon Musk thinks he can tweet off whatever he wants. Yeah, we’re going to put a tariff on him. I want that to be something that impacts him.”
CNN host Boris Sanchez spoke to Singh on Monday, asking about how Canadians feel about Trump’s talk of bringing Canada in as the 51st state. Singh noted that Canadians are known for being polite, but warned, “don‘t take our kindness for weakness” and said “hell no” to the proposal.
Potential Canadian prime minister, Jagmeet Singh, warned President Donald Trump and Tesla-founder Elon Musk that Canada will respond to American tariffs with tariffs of its own.
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“I believe in being good neighbors and having good relationships, but I believe very firmly Donald Trump only understands force. He‘s acted as a bully in many circumstances, and now he‘s acting as an economic bully. The only language that bullies understand is the language of strength. So we have to show that we‘re ready to fight back,” Singh replied. “We might be smaller. We might be up against a larger opponent, but it‘s going to hurt both of us. It‘s a bad thing to do. It‘s going to hurt Americans. It‘s going to hurt Canadians. We need to show that it‘s the wrong thing to do, and also show that we‘re ready to fight back and defend what we have.”
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., launched a unique attack against U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over a plan to relinquish a military base in the Indian Ocean, cautioning the British leader to “put down the bong.”
“Because the United Nations wants the United Kingdom to feel guilty, they want to give our military base and their military base to Mauritius,” Kennedy said on the floor of the Senate. “Now, the prime minister of the United Kingdom can stop this, and Marco Rubio, our new Secretary of State, is against it. And I haven’t talked to him directly, but I think President Trump is against it.”
At issue is the fate of the Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean that currently hosts a U.S.-U.K. joint naval base at Diego Garcia.
UN DEMANDS BRITAIN END RULE OF CHAGOS ISLANDS IN 6 MONTHS
Split image of Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (Getty Images)
But a ruling by the International Court of Justice in 2019 that was backed by the United Nations found that the U.K. had no claim to the islands, spurring an October announcement that the U.K. had cut a deal to hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius
While the deal calls for the base to remain under American and British control for another 99-years, the plan to hand over the territory has received push back in both the U.K and the United States.
Kennedy let it be known that he was one of those critics, calling the plan to give up control of the islands “bone deep down to the marrow stupid.”
PRESTON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 6: Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives an interview during a visit to Springfields (Preston Lab), National Nuclear Laboratory facility on February 6, 2025 in Preston, England. (Photo by Oli Scarff – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
UN COURT TO RULE ON BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER CHAGOS ISLANDS
“The United Kingdom is our friend. I went to school there for a while. I love them and I want to see the prime minister do well, but he needs to put down the bong. He needs to put down the bong,” Kennedy said. “This makes absolutely no sense, and it’s going to be a big part of his legacy if he gives away this island and our military base to, in effect, what will eventually be China.”
The Louisiana senator then suddenly changed gears, arguing that he did not “mean any disrespect,” while still urging Starmer to reconsider.
Members of the Chagossian community gather with banners and placards outside parliament to protest against the government’s decision to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius, on October 7, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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“I shouldn’t have said the bong part, I take it back,” Kennedy said. “Please Mr. prime minister, don’t do this. Don’t do this. We’ll stand with you in telling the United Nations, who’s so upset with you, to go fill out a hurt feelings report because we’re not doing it. We’ll stand with you.”
The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.
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Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he welcomes President Donald Trump’s proposal for large numbers of Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip as he instructed the IDF to prepare a plan in line with the controversial plan.
Katz said Trump’s “bold plan” could “create extensive opportunities for those in Gaza who wish to leave.”
Trump’s plan initially stated that Gaza’s population would be “permanently” relocated while the United States rebuilds the territory, but U.S. officials later walked back those comments, saying the relocation would only be temporary.
TRUMP’S PROPOSED US TAKEOVER OF GAZA STRIP ELICITS POSITIVE RESPONSE ACROSS ADMINISTRATION
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz looks on, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, November 7, 2024. (REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said Tuesday evening in a joint press conference with Netanyahu. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”
“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he said. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER LAUDS TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP WHEN ASKED IF BIDEN SHOULD TAKE CREDIT FOR CEASEFIRE
Israelis protestors set a fire as they block a road in Tel Aviv on November 5, 2024, after the dismissal of the defense minister, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant Hamas group. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Katz said he believes that the plan should include multiple exit options for any country willing to receive them.
“The plan will include exit options via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departure by sea and air. Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have falsely accused Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow Gazans to enter their territory. Their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse,” said Katz.
Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday.(AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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As of now, the plan has been rejected by the Palestinians as well as many in the international community who believe it is forcible displacement and violates international law. Rights groups said it would amount to forcible displacement in violation of international law.
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JERUSALEM—President Donald Trump’s decision to restore his maximum pressure campaign on the Islamic Republic of Iran jolted the clerical regime in Tehran and established a clean break with the Biden administration’s concessionary policy toward the rogue nation, according to Mideast experts.
Trump also warned the regime on Tuesday that if it carries out his assassination, advisers will ensure that the country is “obliterated.”
Trump’s message to the Iranians seemingly got their attention. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that “If the main issue is ensuring that Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons, this is achievable and not a difficult matter.” He also added that “maximum pressure is a failed experiment, and trying it again will only lead to another failure.” He did not respond Trump’s sanction order targeting Iranian oil exports and Tehran’s support for jihadi terrorist organizations.
IRAN’S WEAKENED POSITION COULD LEAD IT TO PURSUE NUCLEAR WEAPON, BIDEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WARNS
Yossi Mansharof, an Iran analyst at the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy in Israel, told Fox News Digital, “Despite oil sanctions on Iran, data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reveals that Iran’s oil revenue surged to $144 billion in the first three years of Biden’s presidency (January 2021–January 2024), $100 billion more than during the last two years of the Trump administration. “
Mansharof continued, “While Biden tightened sanctions, he did not enforce them, allowing Iran to continue profiting from oil exports, providing critical support to its economy. This approach reflects a flawed strategy of attempting to engage Ali Khamenei [the supreme leader of Iran] diplomatically while ignoring Iran’s oil smuggling.”
Fox News Digital also reported extensively on Biden’s decision to extend sanctions waivers that enabled repeated payments of $10 billion to be delivered into Iran’s coffers.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.(Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Mansharof welcomed the reinstatement of the maximum economic pressure campaign. He warned, however, that in light of Iran’s progress on building a nuclear weapon “it is unclear whether this strategy is sufficient.” He said, “Military pressure on Iran is needed to disrupt its activities, send a clear message on its nuclear ambitions, and prevent further destabilizing actions.”
Both the Republican and Democratic administrations have classified Iran’s regime as the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism. Trump’s Tuesday signing of the National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) restoring maximum pressure on Iran states its aims are to deny “Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, and countering Iran’s malign influence abroad.” Iran’s regime funds the U.S.-designated terrorist movements Hamas and Hezbollah.
Demonstrators in Iran protesting the regime in 2022.(Credit: NCRI)
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker told Fox News Digital, “President Donald Trump’s reimposed maximum pressure campaign to cripple the Iranian regime is another differentiator from the former Biden administration’s defensive and even conciliatory approach to the Iranian regime.”
He added, “The first Trump administration maximum pressure that came in parallel with canceling its participation in the ill-fated JCPOA had essentially bankrupted the regime and Trump’s continuation of economic warfare against the regime underscores his commitment to U.S. primacy and power projection in the terror-ridden Middle East short of direct military intervention.”
TRUMP’S LATEST HIRES AND FIRES RANKLE IRAN HAWKS AS NEW PRESIDENT SUGGESTS NUCLEAR DEAL
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) National Aerospace Park in western Tehran, Oct. 11, 2023.(Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The JCPOA, an acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was former President Obama’s signature foreign policy deal. It was supposed to slow down Iran’s drive to build an atomic bomb in exchange for massive economic benefits for Iran. In 2018, President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA and famously termed it “the worst deal in history.” Trump said at the time of the withdrawal, “At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program.”
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According to the Trump administration, the JCPOA did not prevent Iran from securing a nuclear weapons device and allowed Tehran to finance global terrorism.
Diker said, “Trump will face an Iranian regime octopus that is still extending its terror tentacles across the region, particularly in the Israeli controlled Judea and Samaria (West Bank) while prosecuting charm offensive with European and other powers to fend off the US initiative to strangle the Iranian regime.”
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this story.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded President Donald Trump’s leadership when asked who should take credit for the ceasefire deal reached in the waning days of the Biden administration.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu, we’ve heard Joe Biden and Donald Trump take credit for the hostage and ceasefire deal. Who do you think deserves more credit?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Netanyahu as he joined Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
“I think President Trump had a great force and powerful leadership to this effort. I appreciate it,” Netanyahu responded. “He sent a very good emissary. He’s helped a lot. And, you know, I’ll just tell you, I’m happy that they’re here. And I’m sure the president is happy that they’re here. And I would think that’s about enough.”
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal Jan. 15, just days before Biden exited the White House, and Trump entered it, on Jan. 20. The ceasefire followed a meeting between Trump’s then-incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Netanyahu.
TRUMP EYES ABRAHAM ACCORDS EXPANSION, GAZA REBUILD WITH NETANYAHU MEETING ON DECK
President Donald Trump, right, accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images )
Credit for the ceasefire was claimed by both Biden and Trump, with the 46th president taking a victory lap for the achievement in the opening remarks of his farewell address to the nation.
“After eight months of nonstop negotiation, my administration — by my administration — a cease-fire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas, the elements of which I laid out in great detail in May of this year,” Biden said in his farewell address.
“This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That’s why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that’s how it should be, working together as Americans.”
Credit for the ceasefire was claimed by both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, pictured here with former Vice President Kamala Harris, with Biden taking a victory lap for the achievement in the opening remarks of his farewell address to the nation. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
At another point of Tuesday’s joint press conference, Netanyahu argued that chances of peace in the Middle East increase when he and Trump — and Israel and the U.S. overall — work side by side.
TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN
“When Israel and the United States work together, and President Trump and I work together, you know, the chances go up a lot [to reach the second phase of the ceasefire deal],” he said. “It’s when we don’t work together, when Israel and the United States don’t work together, that creates problems. When the other side sees daylight between us, and occasionally in the last few years … then it’s more difficult.”
Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House to discuss the ceasefire deal’s future, and Iran’s grip in the Middle East and resettling Gaza residents in other nations.
President Donald Trump, right, invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House to discuss the ceasefire deal’s future, and Iran’s grip in the Middle East and resettling Gaza residents in other nations. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Iran has been at the forefront of Hamas’ war on Israel, assisting in funding the effort. Trump said during the press conference that war would not have broken out if he had been president back on Oct. 7, 2023 — citing that Iran was financially hobbled under his first administration.
“Iran was in big trouble when I left. They were broke,” Trump said. “They didn’t have money for Hamas. They didn’t have any money for Hezbollah. You had no problem. October 7th could have never happened when I left.”
ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU DEPARTS FOR US TO MEET WITH TRUMP, HOPING TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH WASHINGTON
Netanyahu vowed during the press conference that he would bring home the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity, while adding that “Hamas is not going to be in Gaza” much longer.
Trump added that Gaza is too dangerous for even the soldiers currently on the ground.
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“It’s too dangerous for people. Nobody wants to be there,” he said. “Warriors don’t want to be there. Soldiers don’t want to be there. How can you have people go back? You’re saying go back into Gaza now? The same thing’s going to happen.”
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FIRST ON FOX: Expansionist rhetoric has been a major concern in NATO for several years amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but according to Greece’s top defense official, the security alliance should take seriously similar threats from within its own coalition, in particular from Turkey.
A decades-old feud over the island nation of Cyprus between Greece and Turkey, both of which have been members of NATO since 1952, has plagued the alliance for over half a century and spill-over conflicts pushed the two countries nearly to the brink of war in the 1990s.
Though relations between Greece and Turkey have become less outwardly hostile in recent years, Erdoğan’s pursuit of regional natural resources coupled with his controversial geopolitical actions in the Middle East and Aegean Sea have long drawn criticism that he is looking to “recreate” the Ottoman Empire.
Nikos Dendias, minister of national defense of Greece, delivers a speech for Greece’s Independence Day in Athens March 25, 2024. (Giorgos Arapekos/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
TURKEY AND GREECE LEADERS TO MEET, PUT FRIENDSHIP INITIATIVE TO THE TEST AMID GAZA AND UKRAINE WARS
“There’s some people in Turkey that go back to the Ottoman times and believe that they could recreate the Ottoman Empire, including parts of Greece, parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, parts of Iran, half of the Caucasus, etc.,” Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said during an interview with Fox News Digital.
“I hope that this is daydream, but it creates a lot of problems in the relations with Greece, a lot of problems within NATO.”
Erdoğan, who has been president of Turkey since 2014, has long been criticized for his aggressive approach in dealing with regional nations like Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Israel, but also his oppressive practices at home that have targeted non-Sunni communities, including Shiites and Christians, journalists, women and Kurds. It’s an issue that has not only blocked Turkey from joining the European Union, but has increasingly held geopolitical ramifications for the U.S.
The U.S.’s chief ally in the fight against ISIS in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has found itself in Ankara’s crosshairs as it views the Kurdish-affiliated force as being akin to the terrorist network, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Turkey has routinely targeted the group and prompted international concern over how the SDF will be able to continue to effectively fight ISIS should the Trump administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.
U.S. forces provide military training to members of the YPG/SDF, which Turkey considers an extension of PKK in Syria, in the Qamisli district in the Al-Hasakah province of Syria Aug. 18, 2023.(Hedil Amir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“ISIS, let us be frank and honest, is down but not out,” Dendias said. “The ideology behind ISIS, the ideology behind the Muslim Brotherhood is there, is alive and kicking.
“And I have to say, the worst thing that you can do in life is forget your allies, forget the people who fought by your side in your hour of need, and turn against them or forget about them,” the defense minister continued. “I’m speaking about the Kurds fighting against ISIS for years. They should not be forgotten by the West.”
TRUMP SAYS TURKEY ‘DID AN UNFRIENDLY TAKEOVER’ IN SYRIA AS US-BROKERED CEASE-FIRE APPEARS TO FAIL
The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has renewed concerns over regional stability, and the close dynamic between Trump and Erdoğan has raised more questions about how the Turkish president will pursue his regional ambitions.
Dendias argued that the close relationship allegedly shared between the two world leaders will not necessarily embolden Erdoğan and could uniquely position Trump to “whisper” in the ear of the Turkish leader and remind him that “international law, international [rules] of the sea, is a way of life in this modern world.”
“I assume that it will not be good at all for NATO and would not be good at all for the United States of America to encourage Turkey to create a huge problem in the eastern front of NATO, taking also into account what’s happening in the Middle East and what’s happening between Russia and Ukraine,” the defense minster added.
The Blue Homeland-2025 Exercise, organized by the Turkish Naval Forces Command in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean, commenced Jan. 8, 2025, in Mugla, Turkey.(Sabri Kesen/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Earlier this month, Turkey relaunched military exercises in the Black, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas known as “Blue Homeland,” which Greece has long viewed as a show of force and prompted long-held maritime disputes to resurface.
“This [is a] new Turkish neo-imperialist, neo-Ottoman approach,” Dendias said. “It started appearing somewhere in the first decade of the 21st century … which, in essence, claims that half of the Greek islands in the Aegean belong to Turkey.
President Donald Trump, during his first presidency talks with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as they arrive together for a family photo at a summit of heads of state and government at NATO headquarters in Brussels. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
“And sometimes they even go further. They claim that Crete, a huge island with very important NATO presence and an American base in Souda – again, should belong to Turkey.”
The defense minster said Greece’s tense relations with Turkey have made its defensive posture in NATO unique because it has forced Athens to be on top of its defense spending, an issue that has once again become a top matter of discussion in the NATO alliance due to Trump’s push to have all nations meet a 5% GDP spending limit, up from 2%.
The latest NATO spending figures released in June 2024 show Greece was the fifth-highest spender on defense in the alliance, spending more than 3% of its GPD, while Turkey came in 18th and spent just over 2% of its GDP on defense.
ANKARA, TURKEY- MAY 13: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) of Greece shakes hands with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey during a press conference after their meeting on May 13, 2024 in Ankara, Turkey. (Yavuz Ozden/ dia images via Getty Images)
Dendias said European nations need to collectively agree on how they view security threat levels and the importance of defense spending.
“Regardless of President Trump’s position on 5%, it’s an internal issue and needs to be resolved,” Dendias added.
“The biggest threat is countries that do not abide by international law and do not abide by international law of the sea. Countries that believe that borders [are] something that you can disregard, that treaties and international treaties should work only if it’s to your advantage,” Dendias said. “That is the biggest threat to the whole world, not just Greece.”
Additional questions to Dendias about President Trump’s recent comments on his refusal to rule out military intervention in acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal were not answered.
The Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions but instead pointed to a statement issued by the Turkish Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, who ahead of the “Blue Homeland” exercises said, “Our country, located at the very heart of a region surrounded by conflicts and disputes, consistently emphasizes its commitment to international law and peace in preventing tensions and resolving crises.
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“We approach the development of our relations with our neighbor Greece within this framework and take significant steps toward resolving problems,” he added. “The efforts to portray Turkey’s determination to protect its rights and interests in the ‘Blue Homeland’ as ‘historical expansionism and aggression’ are nothing more than a futile attempt to disregard the rights granted to Turkey by international law.
“However, while striving for a peaceful solution, we strongly emphasize that we will never compromise our national rights and interests,” Güler said earlier this month.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi that the Trump administration will put the “American people first” and advance U.S. interests in its relationship with China, according to a readout of the call from spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
The meeting was the first between Rubio and Wang since the former Florida senator was unanimously approved by the Senate this week to become President Donald Trump’s first Cabinet official following Monday’s inauguration.
“The Secretary also stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea,” Bruce said. “The Secretary also discussed other issues of bilateral, regional, and global importance with his Chinese counterpart.”
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Chinese Foreign Minister and Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi that the Trump administration will put the “American people first” and advance U.S. interests in its relationship with China, according to a readout of the call from spokesperson Tammy Bruce.(Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz/File)
Wang told Rubio during the call that he hoped he would “conduct” himself well and “play a constructive role in the future of the Chinese and American people and in world peace and stability.”
He added that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had already set the tone for U.S.-Chinese relations.
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President Donald Trump on Thursday told the World Economic Forum virtually that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have “always had a great relationship,” and all his administration wants is “fairness. We just want a level playing field.”(Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images)
“The teams of both sides should implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, maintain communication, manage differences, expand cooperation, promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and find the right way for China and the United States to get along in the new era,” Wang said.
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Trump has threatened China with 10% tariffs on imports over its role in fentanyl trafficking, starting as early as Feb. 1, and Rubio called the country the gravest threat to the U.S. during his confirmation hearing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, flanked by his wife, Jeanette, and Vice President JD Vance, is sworn in on Tuesday in the Vice Presidential Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington, D.C.(Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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Trump n Thursday told the World Economic Forum virtually that he and Xi have “always had a great relationship,” and all his administration wants is “fairness. We just want a level playing field.”
