Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Official

Former USAID official warns China is already looking to fill void left by paused programs

The Trump administration’s pause of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding may leave the door open for China to spread its influence, and Beijing is not wasting time trying to fill in the gaps.

A former USAID official, who spoke with Fox News Digital under the condition of anonymity, said that whereas the U.S. stepped down, China has “immediately” stepped in.

“We’ve just seen news reporting coming out of Nepal, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, documenting directly that where USAID programs have ended that the People’s Republic of China has told these governments that it will step in and become the partner for these governments to continue that work,” a former USAID official told Fox News Digital.

An illustration of Elon Musk, President Donald Trump and a USAID flag. (Getty Images)

FORMER USAID ADMINISTRATOR SAYS AGENCY SHOULD STAY WITH CONSERVATIVE HEAD

China has already stepped up its funding to Cambodia’s largest demining organization, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), in the absence of U.S. funds, according to Reuters. As it seeks increased influence, Beijing pledged $4.4 million to CMAC, more than double the $2 million it received from the U.S. last year, the outlet added.

Additionally, China is also watching the funding freeze’s impact on Nepal, the Annapurna Express reports. While China is already sending funds to Nepal, it is reportedly increasing its financial support in various areas.

The former USAID official emphasized that “by removing these [USAID] programs it adds one more reason for many of these partners to now not see the United States as a partner who shares their priorities of investing in the people of their countries.”

President Donald Trump displays a signed National Security Presidential Memorandum in the Oval Office in 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

TOP FEDERAL AGENCY EXPOSED FOR SPENDING BILLIONS ON MIGRANTS IN A SINGLE YEAR

While there are several populations around the globe feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s funding freeze, the situation is particularly treacherous for women.

During President Donald Trump’s first term in office, his daughter, Ivanka, played a key role in launching the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP). At the time, the White House said the program was aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment.

Lilian Achom, who is based in Uganda, participated in USAID W-GDP Fund programming and was present when Trump launched the W-GDP. Now, she fears that women grappling with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are widows trying to raise children.

When speaking to Fox News Digital, Achom said Trump needs to “think about the underprivileged deep down in northern Uganda. The underprivileged, the children, the women who are currently suffering.”

Achom recalled meeting Ivanka Trump and spoke highly of the president’s daughter, saying that she was “inspired” by her.

“I saw in her someone who was really, really interested in women’s empowerment, economic development and digital inclusion for women around the world,” Achom said of Ivanka.

Ivanka Trump speaks while next to Lilian Achom in the White House, Feb. 7, 2019. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The former USAID official who spoke with Fox News Digital said that the funding freeze is “impacting potentially every aspect of the lives of women and girls who were benefiting from USAID programs.” The official added that while China is already trying to fill certain voids left by the U.S., it’s unclear whether they will fund programs focused on women.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The White House has accused USAID of funding “the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats.”

Among the areas of “waste and abuse” highlighted by the White House are $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam, $1.5 million to “advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,” and $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt.

The State Department did not respond to a Fox News request for comment.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

February 18, 2025
Trump congratulates US military after airstrike that killed official of Al-Qaeda affiliate: ‘Dealt Justice’

President Donald Trump congratulated U.S. forces following an airstrike over the weekend that targeted an official of Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, in Syria.

“US forces conducted a precision airstrike against a member of al-Qaeda in Syria this weekend,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The terrorist leader was working with al-Qaeda across the region.”

“Congratulations to CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla, and the US warfighters who dealt Justice to another Jihadi threatening America and our allies and partners,” he continued.

AUSTRIA STABBING SUSPECT IS SYRIAN MIGRANT WHO PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO ISLAMIC STATE, OFFICIALS SAY

U.S. President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on February 10, 2025, in Washington, D.C. ((Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images))

On Saturday, U.S. forces “conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate,” U.S. Central Command said in a press release.

CENTCOM said the airstrike was part of its “ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond.”

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on February 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

“We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement.

Hurras al-Din was formed in 2018 after the Nusrah Front terror group broke off from Al-Qaeda. The group operates primarily in Syria’s Idlib Province and could have as many as 2,500 members, according to the National Counterterrorism Center.

TOP RUSSIAN, US OFFICIALS MEET IN SAUDI ARABIA TO BEGIN TALKS ON UKRAINE WAR WITHOUT OFFICIALS FROM KYIV

Gen. Michael Kurilla, commanding general of U.S. Central Command, addresses the attendees during Army Day at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, May 19, 2023. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Latasha Price)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The center said Hurras al-Din “advocates attacks against the West and Israel to expel foreign influence from Muslim lands, and it seeks to set the conditions necessary to form a new caliphate across the Levant and the broader Middle East.”

“Hurras al-Din maintains access to several longtime al-Qa‘ida members who could enable the group to pose a threat to US and other Western interests outside of Syria, despite its weakened state following successive personnel losses since 2019 that have removed many of the group’s veteran leaders,” the center said.

February 18, 2025
Top Trump official teases 2026 bid for California governor if Harris jumps in race

One of President Donald Trump’s top aides is floating a potential bid for California governor if former Vice President Kamala Harris also runs.

Richard Grenell, a longtime Trump loyalist who is serving as U.S. envoy for special missions in the president’s second administration, ended a gaggle with reporters at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday by teasing, “I’ll make a little news.”

Grenell then pointed to the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.

“If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage and hundreds of millions of dollars in educating the voters of how terrible she is, that it’s a new day in California and that the Republican actually has a shot,” Grenell said.

SOURCES TELL FOX NEWS THIS TRUMP SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA SHERIFF WILL RUN FOR GOVERNOR

Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

There has been plenty of speculation since Harris’ defeat last November, regarding her next political move, with the two potential options likely being launching a 2026 gubernatorial run in her home state of California or seeking the presidency again in 2028.

Harris served as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general and U.S. senator before becoming vice president.

MAJOR CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT PREEDICTS FORMER VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WOULD CLEAR GUBERNATORIAL FIELD

Sources in the former vice president’s political orbit say no decisions have been made about any next steps.

The Democrats’ field for governor in the heavily blue-leaning state is already crowded.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Among the more than a half-dozen candidates already running for governor are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Harris ally, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Former Rep. Katie Porter, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic Senate nomination last year, has expressed interest in launching a campaign.

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who served in Congress and as California attorney general before joining the Biden administration, is also seen as a potential contender.

But pundits predict that Harris could clear the Democrats’ field if she decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign.

It’s been nearly two decades since a Republican won statewide office in California. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 re-election victory.

Grenell considered a run for California governor during the 2021 recall election that Newsom eventually ended up easily winning, but he ultimately decided against launching a campaign.

FILE – Then-former President Donald Trump speaks next to Richard Grenell during a presidential election campaign event at a farm in Smithton, Pa., on Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Grenell served as ambassador to Germany and as acting director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term.

In his role as U.S. envoy for special missions in Trump’s second administration, he took part in a mission to Venezuela that led to the release of six hostages.

Grenell also joined the president in Los Angeles last month to survey the horrific wildfire damage in the area. Grenell, who along with Trump blasted state and local Democratic leaders for their performance handling the wildfire crisis, returned to Los Angeles last week as he accompanied EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on a recovery tour.

Grenell isn’t the only California Republican considering or moving toward a gubernatorial campaign in 2026 in the race to succeed Newsom.

Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on May 15, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Fox News confirmed earlier this week that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is planning to announce his candidacy at a scheduled event Monday in Riverside, California.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

And former Fox News Channel host and conservative commentator Steve Hilton is considering a Republican run for California governor.

In California, unlike most other states, the top two finishers in a primary, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election.

Fox News’ Kaitlin Sprague contributed to this report.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

February 14, 2025
USAID’s green energy programs have maximized harm to the developing world, according to former official

USAID’s green energy programs may have done more “harm” to developing nations than anything else, according to a former official at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“I can’t think of anything that’s harmed the developing world more than the climate agenda,” said Max Primorac, a top USAID official under President Donald Trump’s first administration, when asked about programs that had run afoul of American interests throughout the world.

“The strong counter-China infrastructure that we developed over at USAID was simply dismantled by the next administration,” he told lawmakers at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing entitled, “USAID Betrayal.”

“[USAID] has pushed all of these countries, especially in Africa, to go green. Solar, wind, EV: who produces all of those materials? It’s China. Then, on top of it, we tell them, ‘No, you can’t develop your own fossil fuel industry because it’s, it’s anti-green.’ So, what happens? They can’t generate the revenues to create good jobs at home. They can’t generate the revenues in order to finance their own health, education and other needs.”

USAID MISSIONS OVERSEAS ORDERED TO SHUT DOWN, STAFF BEING RECALLED: REPORT

“I can’t think of anything that’s harmed the developing world more than the climate agenda,” Max Primorac, a top USAID official under President Donald Trump’s first administration, said when asked about U.S. AID programs that had run afoul of U.S. interests throughout the world. (Getty Images)

Primorac claimed that green energy infrastructure in developing countries “increases the price of energy.”

According to Primorac, 19 of the top 20 countries receiving USAID are part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, securing aid from the CCP in exchange for influence.

Primorac said that developing nations “want more trade, they want more investment,” but “resentment” is building in conservative countries who don’t want “woke things.”

The Trump administration, upon assuming office, instituted a 90-day pause on all foreign aid. Trump fired USAID’s inspector general Paul Martin this week after he wrote a report claiming Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s efforts to dismantle USAID had prevented him from conducting oversight on unspent aid of up to $8.5 billion. Martin’s report claimed that about $500 million worth of food aid is at risk of spoiling as it sits in ports while USAID staff in other nations have been called back and placed on leave.

USAID has now been placed under the purview of the State Department and is in the process of whittling down its staff from 10,000 to fewer than 300.

USAID INSPECTOR GENERAL FIRED DAYS AFTER PUBLISHING REPORT CRITICAL OF AID PAUSE

Protesters interrupted Max Primorac to demand funds for PEPFAR, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. (Getty Images )

Republican witnesses at the hearing largely agreed that foreign aid was important to fighting global disease outbreaks and securing U.S. interests throughout the world, but USAID’s reputation had been “tarnished” by “mission creep,” as former GOP Rep. Ted Yoho, Fla., said.

But Yoho, who said he came to Congress to slash foreign aid before realizing its importance throughout the world, and Andrew Natsios, USAID administrator under President George W. Bush, warned that a blanket freeze on aid throughout the world would be detrimental.

“By pausing U.S. international assistance, a vacuum is created. China, Russia, or others are already moving in to fill those voids,” said Yoho.

“Not being effectively present can be arguably worse than pausing a program. And all you have to do is look at South and Central America and look at how much we’ve ceded to China and their influence from Russia, China and Iran. That has to be dealt with immediately. That’s a national security threat.”

Natsios said he was “appalled” by how the Biden administration had roped USAID into “culture wars.”

“It’s a failure,” he said. “All of the things I did at AID, I tried to do it in a way that would not alienate the Democratic Party when I left.”

GOP CHAIRMAN RESPONDS AFTER PROTESTERS ARE TOSSED FROM USAID SPENDING HEARING

Primorac went on: “[USAID] has pushed all of these countries, especially in Africa, to go green. Solar, wind, EV: who produces all of those materials? It’s China.” (Getty Images)

But he noted that “woke” programs were a “small percentage” of the USAID budget, and the agency gives $1 billion per year to Christian NGOs.

Republicans claim there is a waiver process, but aid advocates have said NGOs and charities do not know how to apply for the waiver, and if they receive one, no one at USAID is operating the payment systems that dole out funds.

“I’ve met with these Christian groups, even though they have the waivers, the Phoenix system is not operating,” said Natsios, referring to the agency’s financial program. “Please do something about it.”

During the hearing, Republicans also pointed to USAID-funded NGOs that were conducting abortions, a program that sent millions of taxpayer dollars to dole out condoms in Afghanistan and Mozambique, $20 million for drag shows in Ecuador and $500,000 to promote atheism in Nepal.

“All of these programs gave USAID a black eye and that’s unfortunate,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, a former chairman of the committee who claimed USAID “blew through” his holds on their controversial programs.

Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast agreed. “When done right, foreign aid can be one of the best tools. It can help strengthen our relationships with our allies and help countries realize America is the best for them,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He promised that more aid oversight was to come.

“We are going to bring in individuals who were responsible for putting these horrible policies in place and reveal all the receipts, videos – all of it – for the American people to see.”

February 13, 2025
NYC official removes post supporting Trump’s trans athlete order after ‘guidance’ from mayor’s chief of staff

As some states have refused to comply with President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that bans trans athletes in girls’ and women’s sports, New York is at an impasse over the issue.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) provided a statement to Fox News Digital saying it has advised schools to comply with current state law that allows trans athletes to compete with girls, but is gathering public input before making a final decision.

“While we await further clarification, I strongly advise that NYSPHSAA member schools continue to adhere to current New York state anti-discrimination laws, which allow students to participate on interscholastic teams that best align with their gender identity,” NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert J. Zayas said.

“I am actively working with state officials to assess the implications of this executive order and determine appropriate next steps. Yesterday, I spoke with Dr. Betty Rosa, commissioner of the New York State Education Department (NYSED), regarding this matter. She has requested that I collect any questions or concerns from the field, which she will then discuss with the Attorney General’s Office to provide us with guidance and direction.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

However, as Zayas advised New York schools to continue enabling trans inclusion, an official in New York City spoke out about her support for Trump’s executive order.

Director of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Office of Sports, Wellness and Recreation Jasmine Ray stated her position in favor of following Trump’s order on her Instagram Stories over the weekend, via Gothamist.

“To those asking about my position, as Director of NYC Sports & Rec, I stand with the recent executive order reinforcing the importance of fairness in women’s sports,” she wrote.

However, the outlet reported Ray later took down her story and says she deleted it at the “guidance” of the mayor’s chief of staff, Camille Joseph Varlack.

“I take full responsibility for the error in judgment,” Ray told Gothamist. “I am committed to maintaining the separation between my personal beliefs and my professional responsibilities.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Adams’ office for comment.

Since Trump’s order went into effect last Wednesday, multiple states and high school athletic associations have made it clear that they won’t enforce it, and will continue protecting trans athletes in girls’ sports.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

California is the most prominent.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) said it will continue to follow the state’s law that allows athletes to participate as whichever gender they identify as, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

“The CIF provides students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete in education-based experiences in compliance with California law [Education Code section 221.5. (f)] which permits students to participate in school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with the student’s gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the student’s records,” a CIF statement said.

The decision has prompted backlash and even protests and threats of lawsuits by California residents.

Minnesota and Massachusetts are among the other states that have indicated they will continue protecting trans athletes in girls’ sports.

A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women’s sports. Of the 2,128 people polled, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports.

Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

Democratic opposition to GOP efforts to restrict trans inclusion has alienated some longtime Democrat voters. In January, when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, all but two Democratic House members voted against it.

Prominent Democrats, including House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Vt., Rep. Suzanne Bonamic, D-Ore., Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., and Rep. Whip Clark, D-Mass., argued that the bill would “empower” child predators to give genital examinations to young girls. There was no language in the bill that suggested genital examinations would be necessary.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The argument alienated some of the party’s loyal voters, who have unregistered as Democrats in response.

“That just made me very upset because it screamed out lack of integrity, lack of honesty,” prominent law professor and lifelong Democrat Gary Francione told Fox News Digital “This is the way you fight battles? By trying to insult other people who oppose you and disagree with and insinuate that they’re child molesters or pedophiles? It seems to me you’ve lost the game… I don’t know how they’re ever going to come back from this.”

Francione has a lifelong network of other Democrats in the field of law and other industries, and says many of them share his beliefs and will also be unregistering from the party.

“I can say confidently of the people I know who are Democrats who I’ve spoken to, the vast majority of them are very unhappy about all of this stuff and feel that the party has lost its way,” Francione said. “I know a couple who said they are going to [unregister].”

Other Democratic lawmakers have also spoken out against the party’s platform of enabling trans athletes to compete against girls and women. They include Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Reps. Colin Allred, Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar, of Texas, Rep. Mary Peltola, of Alaska, and Rep. Tom Suozzi, of New York.

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

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 11, 2025
Trump sanctions on ICC protects US military and government officials, former NSC official says

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

JERUSALEM – President Donald Trump’s executive order sanctioning the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) will prevent a slippery slope of U.S. military and government officials facing prosecution from a nebulous judicial bureaucracy in the Netherlands, argue critics of the global criminal body.

Richard Goldberg, a former Trump official who served on his first National Security Council, told Fox News Digital, “This is a critical first step in defending American soldiers and officials from further lawfare illegitimately waged by radical anti-Americans at what’s become an international kangaroo court. Israel may be in the news today, but tomorrow it will be the Americans who are still being wrongfully investigated by the court for supposed war crimes in Afghanistan.”

Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, added, “These ICC officials have crossed a line, they have entered the battlefield against the United States and Israel by perverting international law and using it as a tool of warfare. The president has preserved an escalation ladder here, too. These sanctions only apply to officials and service providers, not to the court itself. We could absolutely go the next step and shut down the court if this lawfare isn’t terminated.”

TRUMP-NETANYAHU MEETING: RADICAL PROTESTS WAVE APPARENT HAMAS FLAG OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE

A general view of the International Criminal Court building in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 30, 2024. (Selman Aksunger/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The ICC fired back in a statement and said it “condemns the issuance by the U.S. of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and harm its independent and impartial judicial work. The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it. We call on our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.”

Trump signed the executive order punishing the ICC on Thursday in response to its May 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Netanyahu praised the order in a statement. “Thank you, President Trump for your bold ICC Executive Order. It will defend America and Israel from the anti-American and antisemetic corrupt court that has no jurisdiction or basis to engage in lawfare against us. The ICC waged a ruthless campaign against Israel as a trial run for action against America. President Trump’s Executive Order protects the sovereignty of both countries and its brave soldiers.”

The ICC is reportedly still investigating U.S. citizens for war crimes committed in Afghanistan. (AP)

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday that Trump’s sanctions on the ICC are “absolutely understandable.” He added the ICC has become “a biased political tool” and that the central European country was evaluating its cooperation with the ICC.

Goldberg said, “The president wasn’t going to wait around on Schumer’s games to act. The minute Senate Democrats blocked the bill it was a guarantee you would see an executive order follow. But if Schumer now says he supports the order, Senate Republicans should move quickly to codify it and force Schumer back to a vote.”

‘LEVEL IT’: TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

President Donald Trump, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

Dozens of countries expressed their “unwavering support” for the ICC on Friday, a day after Trump authorized potentially far-reaching economic and travel sanctions against the court’s staff.

“We reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality and integrity of the ICC,” a group of almost 80 countries said in a joint statement. “The court serves as a vital pillar of the international justice system by ensuring accountability for the most serious international crimes, and justice for victims.”

The signatories came from all parts of the world but make up only about two-thirds of the 125 member states of the permanent court for the prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression.

Among the countries who agreed to the statement were France, Germany and Britain. Among those absent were Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Italy.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Goldberg said that “The president wasn’t going to wait around on Schumer’s games to act. The minute Senate Democrats blocked the bill it was a guarantee you would see an executive order follow. But if Schumer now says he supports the order, Senate Republicans should move quickly to codify it and force Schumer back to a vote.”

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer,D-NY., torpedoed a GOP-led bill to sanction the ICC in January.

Reuters and Fox News’ Diana Stancy contributed to this article

February 7, 2025
Former USAID official Mark Moyar says ‘corruption’ at agency ‘subverted’ Trump White House

In President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was rife with “corrruption” as staffers were intent on “subverting the president’s will,” on policy matters and sending taxpayer dollars overseas to further DEI and LGBT advocacy initiatives, a former USAID official told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“A lot of them were beholden or had ties to the previous administration, the Obama administration, [and] the large majority of them had voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016,” Mark Moyar, who worked in the department from 2018 to 2019, said.

“Now some of them did as they were told, but there was a large resistance element. And in one case, I was at a meeting, and they talked about how there was this aid going into Syria, and we needed to hide it from the White House, because we don’t want President Trump finding out about it and canceling it.”

“They apparently just forgot I was in the room,” he added.

WHAT IS USAID AND WHY IS IT IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS?

Mark Moyar details his experience dealing with “corruption” and government waste on leftist ideologies during his tenure at USAID from 2018 to 2019. (Getty Images)

Moyar resigned from his position in July 2019 after his security clearance was suspended due to a dispute over him publishing a book – “Oppose Any Foe: The Rise of America’s Special Operations Forces” – before the Defense Department was able to complete a prepublication review for potentially classified information, according to a court document.

While USAID did not officially terminate his employment, Moyar said he was effectively “fired” without due process. He has also alleged that the suspension of his security clearance was a form of retaliation for reporting waste, fraud and abuse within the agency.

Moyar said significant amounts of money were being spent at USAID without the knowledge of political appointees. He described a case from 2019, “more than halfway through the administration,” where officials discovered a “big slush fund that none of his political appointees knew about.”

Once it was exposed, they were able to take action, but he emphasized that such issues were widespread across the agency. He also pointed to numerous conflicts of interest, where employees used their positions to benefit private businesses in which they had a stake – something he described as “totally illegal.”

MUSK’S DOGE TAKES AIM AT ‘VIPER’S NEST’ FEDERAL AGENCY WITH GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Elon Musk speaks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and guests at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship, in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024 . (Brandon Bell/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

Moyar explained that what ultimately led to getting in trouble at the department was reporting an office director who was not only using his role to assist a specific company but was also “the Chairman of the Board of that company.” Despite previous reports being made about the misconduct, he said no action was taken. Instead, he said the agency “helped him find employment at another federal agency, the Department of Defense, so he ends up OK.”

“Meanwhile, they come after me and try to accuse me of publishing classified information and use that as a pretext to have me fired,” Moya said. “And I’m 100% sure this is fraudulent. I’ve actually sued the government to turn over the records, and still, five years later, the Department of Justice is fighting me. But it’s part of a larger pattern where the people who report the corruption are the ones who get kicked out, and the ones who are engaged in corruption thrive within the organization.”

Moyar added this is part of why such “radical” changes are happening in real time at the USAID, as Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – the government accountability unit headed by billionaire Elon Musk – effectively shut down the $40 billion agency on Monday.

The former director also detailed instances of government waste dating back to Trump’s first term, saying it;s “so important to get into the records of the agency” to determine how many taxpayer dollars have been used on wasteful initiatives.

USAID STAFFERS STUNNED, ANGERED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S DOGE SHUTDOWN OF $40B AGENCY

An illustration of Elon Musk, Donald Trump and a USAID flag. (Getty Images)

Uncovering the full extent of DEI-related spending at USAID will take significant effort, as much of it has been “disguised or rebranded,” Moyar said. He noted that while it’s clear a “huge amount” has already been spent, the actual figure is likely even higher. He also criticized the push for DEI abroad, calling it not only a “ridiculous ideology” but one that is actively harming U.S. relations with other countries. “Most other countries look at this DEI stuff and say, ‘This is crazy,’” he said, adding that efforts to promote a “radical LGBTQ agenda” overseas have sometimes been met with resistance.

“So I think we’re going to find a great amount of waste, fraud and abuse, especially because the Inspector General, I think, has been asleep at the wheel,” Moyar said. “In the weeks and months to come, we’re going to hear a lot of horror stories about how USAID has been misusing the money.”

USAID was set up in the early 1960s to act on behalf of the U.S. to deliver aid across the globe, particularly in impoverished and underdeveloped regions. The Trump administration alleges that much of the spending has been wasteful, promoting a liberal agenda around the world.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department, Department of Defense and USAID for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

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

February 6, 2025
Hungarian official says only President Trump can end Ukraine-Russia war

NEW YORK CITY, NY – President Donald Trump, who echoed former President Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” mantra, has the credibility to end the nearly three-year-long war between Ukraine and Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó told Fox News Digital.

“If he doesn’t have the ability, no one has the ability,” Foreign Minister Szijjártó said.

In the nearly three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, world leaders from several countries have tried to step in and end the conflict. Szijjártó believes there’s a reason that European leaders and the Biden administration “totally failed” to end the war. The foreign minister believes world leaders were fighting for an “impossible” victory, saying it was “obvious from the very beginning” that Ukraine could not win.

“If you look at the current situation, regardless of the huge money, regardless of the huge weapon deliveries which have been poured into Ukraine, the battlefield reality shows the advance of the Russians,” Szijjártó said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pictured. (Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via REUTERS/Leah Millis/Alina Smutko)

TRUMP’S ‘RARE’ PRICE FOR US MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE CALLED ‘FAIR’ BY ZELENSKYY

Szijjártó believes that Trump has credibility with both the Ukrainians and Russians, and that while other leaders have had this, they lost it by taking “a very clear position in favor of Ukraine against Russia.”

The Hungarian official also accused European leaders of treating the war between Russia and Ukraine as their own, adding to the list of possible reasons why they have failed to bring an end to it.

“So, if you really think that Ukraine should negotiate in its best shape, then we have to stop the war today because tomorrow Ukraine will be in a weaker position than today,” Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. He went on to accuse his European colleagues of not respecting the “reality” of the current state of the war.

This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would accept either a fast-track to NATO or nuclear weapons. However, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Russia and Ukraine, doubts that the Ukrainan leader’s demands will be met.

“The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none,” Kellogg told Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at Trump Tower in New York City, New York, on Sept. 27, 2024. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo)

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

Late last month, Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a deal with Zelenskyy to end the war. However, this has yet to happen. The president also said that Zelenskyy was ready to negotiate a deal to end the war.

“The only person that Putin will really want to talk to – because he’s kind of denigrated other leaders that are out there – is President Trump, and President Trump’s the only one who can bring this to a conclusion,” Kellogg told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday. He described Trump and Putin’s relationship as “very transactional.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and President Donald Trump (r) are pictured. (Contributor/Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In September 2024, before he won re-election, then-candidate Trump met with Zelenskyy in New York City at Trump Tower.

After meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump told Fox News that “we both want to see this end and we both want a fair deal made. And it’s got to be fair.”

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

February 6, 2025
Ex-USAID official speaks out over alleged waste, fraud inside agency

Former Trump administration State Department and USAID official Catharine O’Neill Gillihan argues that it was ‘difficult’ to do her job with ‘out of control’ spending and programs.

One former State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) official is speaking out over the waste and fraud she allegedly saw, which ultimately made it difficult to do their jobs.

“We would try to keep USAID in line with the Secretary of State because, technically, the USAID responds to the Secretary of State, and it was very difficult. There was no traceability, no accountability, and it was really hard for us to do our jobs,” Catharine O’Neill Gillihan said on “Varney & Co.” Wednesday.

O’Neill Gillihan worked at the State Department for three years before transferring to being a USAID official under President Donald Trump’s first administration. Currently, the USAID finds itself in the crosshairs of Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chair Elon Musk, as they work to shut down the agency.

Musk, the world’s richest man now in charge of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made headlines over the weekend after he targeted the international aid agency and his team seized classified information on Saturday despite lacking the security clearance to do so, the Associated Press reported.

BILL GATES WEIGHS IN ON NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ELON MUSK’S ROLE

By Sunday, the USAID website went dark and on Monday employees were barred entry into its headquarters, while thousands of others had their work instantly put on hold.

A former USAID official is speaking out about the spending waste and fraud she experienced while working there, on “Varney & Co.” (FOXBusiness)

USAID has become increasingly the target of heated U.S. politics, with Republicans arguing it is wasteful, promotes liberal agendas and should be enfolded into the State Department.

“The list goes on and on and on,” O’Neill Gillihan said of the spending waste. “I think I read recently that they were funding a ‘Sesame Street’ program in Peru. I mean, these programs have gotten so out of control.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt breaks down President Donald Trump’s ‘day one’ goal as president during an appearance on ‘Varney & Co.’

“USAID was created in 1961 by President Kennedy under executive order,” she further explained. “And his idea for the agency would be housed under this Department of State. So President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are totally within their right to bring USAID back under the Department of State. It’s within its original mandate.”

The U.S. far outspends its international peers when it comes to foreign aid, spending some $68 billion in 2023 – $40 billion of which was budgeted for USAID, the BBC reported.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in El Salvador that he is now acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

“If you’re a CEO of a large company and you have a department that’s out there spending money that’s not in alignment with your mission, not matching up with your bottom line, the natural inclination is to bring that department into review and perhaps cut it,” O’Neill Gillihan pointed out.

“So Donald Trump, as the CEO of the United States of America, has deputized Elon Musk, who I see as the de facto controller of America, is reviewing every penny that’s going out the door… Article II of the Constitution gives the president that right, as [it’s] called the vesting clause, to review the powers of this government and to make sure that all of the spending is aligned with our interests.”

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

FOX Business’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

February 6, 2025
Top DOJ official says FBI employees who ‘simply followed orders’ on Jan 6 investigations won’t be fired

Mass exodus at the FBI and DOJ expected

Fox News correspondent David Spunt has the latest on the debate surrounding President Donald Trump’s efforts to overhaul the FBI and Justice Department on ‘Special Report.’

FBI employees who “simply followed orders” with respect to their investigations into Jan. 6 defendants will not be fired or face any other penalties, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove confirmed in an internal memo.

Bove’s memo this week accused Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll of refusing to reply to requests from President Donald Trump’s administration to identify “the core team in Washington, D.C. responsible for the investigation relating to events on January 6, 2021.”

“That insubordination necessitated, among other things, the directive in my January 31, 2025 memo to identify all agents assigned to investigations relating to January 6, 2021. In light of acting leadership’s refusal to comply with the narrower request, the written directive was intended to obtain a complete data set that the Justice Department can reliably pare down to the core team that will be the focus of the weaponization review pursuant to the Executive Order,” Bove wrote.

“Let me be clear: No FBI employee who simply followed orders and carried out their duties in an ethical manner with respect to January 6 investigations is at risk of termination or other penalties,” Bove continued. “The only individuals who should be concerned about the process initiated by my January 31, 2025 memo are those who acted with corrupt or partisan intent, who blatantly defied orders from Department leadership, or who exercised discretion in weaponizing the FBI.”

FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION

Acting leadership at the FBI is refusing to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s administration, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove claimed in a memo. (AP/iStock)

“There is no honor in the ongoing efforts to distort that simple truth or protect culpable actors from scrutiny on these issues, which have politicized the Bureau, harmed its credibility, and distracted the public from the excellent work being done every day. If you have witnessed such behavior, I encourage you to report it through appropriate channels,” he added.

Bove’s latest memo comes after a group of nine FBI agents filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block the public identification of any FBI employees who worked on the Jan. 6 investigations.

FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION

The plaintiffs, who filed the lawsuit anonymously in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said that any effort to review or discriminate against FBI employees involved in the Jan. 6 investigations would be “unlawful and retaliatory,” and a violation of civil service protections under federal law.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a former Trump attorney, directed the FBI acting director to fire seven specific employees by Monday. (Angela Weiss – Pool/Getty Images)

The lawsuit cited the questionnaire employees were required to fill out detailing their specific role in the Jan. 6 investigation and Mar-a-Lago investigation led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.

AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS

Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll is blocking the release of information on the FBI’s investigations into Jan. 6, Bove said. (FBI)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

President Donald Trump declined to answer questions on Monday over whether his administration would remove FBI employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, telling reporters only that he believes the bureau is “corrupt” and that his nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, will “straighten it out.”

Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch 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