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Tag: proposed

Trump’s proposed US takeover of Gaza Strip elicits positive response across administration

Support for President Donald Trump’s vision for the U.S. to “take over the Gaza Strip,” level it and rebuild the area came flooding in on Tuesday after a news conference announcing the plan.

The comments were made following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in which Trump claimed the U.S. would take over the Strip and make it safe again.

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump stated. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”

Trump’s sentiments were echoed by many officials across the social media platform X.

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER LAUDS TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP WHEN ASKED IF BIDEN SHOULD TAKE CREDIT FOR CEASEFIRE

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

“Trump’s proposed USA takeover of the Gaza Strip may sound out of the box, but it is brilliant, historic and the only idea I have heard in 50 years that has a chance of bringing security, peace and prosperity to this troubled region,” Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman wrote.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich also expressed that it was “Time to think different, stop the killing!”

“Pres. Trump’s pursuit of peace and prosperity for all is truly visionary. Gaza shouldn’t be a pile of rubble that provides refuge to terrorists, especially when it so easily can become Dubai 2.0. Time to think different, stop the killing!,” he wrote on X.

People inspect the debris and rubble at the site of Israeli bombardment on a residential block in Jalaa Street in Gaza City on Jan. 14, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

In a second post, he said that there is a need for lasting peace.

“President Trump’s bold and unwavering pursuit for peace continues with a humanitarian’s heart. The killing must stop, the war must end, and we must realize lasting PEACE. That’s why the United States will work with Israel to secure Gaza and find a lasting home for the Palestinian people,” Budowich stated.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed with the president, saying that “Gaza MUST BE FREE from Hamas. As @POTUS shared today, the United States stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again. Our pursuit is one of lasting peace in the region for all people.”

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

Netanyahu said during the news conference with Trump that the Gaza Strip has become “a symbol of death and destruction for so many decades and so bad for the people anywhere near it.”

He also lauded Trump’s tenacity and ability “to think outside the box” during his comments to the press.

Sen. Rick Scott seemingly agreed with Netanyahu, writing in an X post, “Hamas terrorists murdered babies and burned people alive. They are evil monsters. Thank God we finally have a president who is committed to standing with Israel and working with Netanyahu on how to support their efforts to get terrorists out of Gaza and bring every hostage home.”

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) arrives for the Senate Republican leadership elections at the U.S. Capitol on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Senate Republican caucus met to vote on new leadership for the 119th Congress. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne is one of many who stand for the president’s radical movement to change how this country is being run and agrees this is the right move for peace.

“The world is looking to the United States for leadership and President @realDonaldTrump is delivering lasting peace! Today’s announcement put Hamas, Iran, and all our enemies on notice — the U.S. will NOT continue the status quo that has empowered terrorists and created a humanitarian disaster,” she said.

Not everyone is onboard, though Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a statement to Trump, noting a call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that the position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the establishment of the Palestinian state is a firm, unwavering position, and His Highness the Prime Minister – may God protect him – has affirmed this position in a clear and explicit manner that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances,” the statement said.

‘PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH’: TRUMP AND NETANYAHU EXPECTED TO DISCUSS IRAN, HAMAS AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are in negotiations over a deal to diplomatically recognize Israel in exchange for a security pact among other terms.

“The duty of the international community today is to work to alleviate the severe human suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain committed to their land and will not budge from it,” the Saudi statement said.

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Hamas also wrote a statement criticizing Trump’s comments.

“We reject Trump’s statements in which he said that the residents of the Gaza Strip have no choice but to leave, and we consider them a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region,” the group said.

Hamas has recently reaffirmed control over the Gaza Strip following the start of the ceasefire and has said they will not release hostages without an end to the war and Israeli forces’ full withdrawal.

February 5, 2025
Trump admin withdraws proposed federal ban on menthol cigarettes

The Trump administration’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally withdrew a proposed rule seeking to ban menthol cigarettes, after the Biden administration said it intended to make the ban become a reality after years of advocacy from anti-smoking groups.

Efforts to ban menthol cigarettes have been ongoing for multiple administrations, but, in April 2021, the Biden administration’s FDA announced plans to finalize the rule. The move was met with praise from anti-smoking advocates, such as the Truth Initiative, which argue that menthol in cigarettes makes them more addictive and disproportionately impacts minority communities.

The Biden administration subsequently delayed implementation of the rule out of concern that more time was needed to consider public comments and concerns.

DIET AND NUTRITION EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HOW RFK JR’S NOMINATION COULD IMPACT HOW WE EAT

President Biden and menthol cigarettes (Getty Images)

But a regulatory filing from President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the federal rulemaking process, slashed any hopes that the ban might come back any time soon. According to the filing, Trump moved to rescind the proposed rule during his first day in office.

When reached for comment, the FDA cited an ongoing communications freeze imposed on all Health and Human Services Department sub-agencies.

HHS WILL REEVALUATE PROGRAMS, REGULATIONS TO ENSURE TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE NOT PAYING FOR ELECTIVE ABORTIONS

“It is deeply disappointing that the FDA’s rule to prohibit menthol cigarettes was not finalized in a timely manner and has now been withdrawn,” the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said in a statement. “We strongly support eliminating menthol cigarettes to end the tobacco industry’s decades-long, predatory marketing of these deadly products to kids, Black Americans and other communities.”

Packs of Newport cigarettes are seen on a shelf in a grocery store in the Flatbush neighborhood on April 29, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

The campaign said it will remain committed to building support to eliminate menthol cigarettes nationwide, noting “it is more critical than ever that states and cities step up their efforts to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.”

Those challenging a menthol cigarette ban, meanwhile, argue the move could create a massive black market for cigarettes. People against the ban also fear the impact it could have on policing in minority communities.

THE YEAR IN CANCER: ADVANCES MADE IN 2024, PREDICTIONS FOR 2025

A woman in New York City holds up a sign on the steps of City Hall on March 9, 2023 in New York City. Members of Mothers of the Movement, a group of women whose African American children have been killed by police officers or by gun violence, held a rally against racism, inequality, and policies targeting people of color.

“Remember Eric Garner? New York City’s exorbitant taxes on cigarette packages generated an underground market in untaxed individual cigarettes, called ‘loosies.’ In 2014, police infamously encountered 43-year-old Eric Garner selling loosies on a street corner, and a policeman’s chokehold led to his death as he repeated ‘I can’t breathe.’ And this happened without a menthol ban,” Jeffrey Singer, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Department of Health Studies, wrote after the Biden administration moved to finalize the ban.

“With menthol cigarettes more prevalent among Black and Hispanic Americans, expect police to focus their attention on minority communities. This might make inequities in criminal justice even worse.”

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While Trump signaled he is against banning menthol cigarettes, the president did act during his first term to ban most flavored e-cigarette pods used in disposable nicotine vapes. However, while the ban prohibited future sales of sweet- and fruit-flavored nicotine cartridges, it permitted continued sales of pods that are either menthol or tobacco flavored.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

January 29, 2025
Mississippi lawmaker proposed paying bounty hunters for helping depot illegal immigrants

A Mississippi lawmaker is proposing a bill that would pay bounty hunters for assistance in deporting illegal immigrants.

Under the terms of House Bill 1484, the state would create the Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program, which would pay a $1,000 reward to registered bounty hunters for each successful deportation they facilitate.

“This legislation is about keeping Mississippi communities safe,” said Republican state Rep. Justin Keen, who authored the bill.

ACTIVE-DUTY TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER IN TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA TO COMBAT MIGRANT CRISIS

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released this image Friday, writing on X that “deportation flights have begun.” A Mississippi lawmaker is proposing paying bounty hunters to help deport illegal immigrants. (White House)

“We’ve seen firsthand the danger posed by bad actors and violent criminals who enter this country illegally, like the innocent life of Laken Riley,” he added. “President Trump’s administration has made it clear that deporting illegal immigrants is a priority, and we are proud to do our part here in Mississippi to help support his agenda and protect our citizens.”

Funding for the proposed program would come from the general assembly and be administered by the state treasurer.

The intention, Keen said, is to encourage collaboration between law enforcement and private citizens in identifying illegal immigrants in the state. It would also alleviate financial burdens on Mississippi taxpayers, who bear the costs of illegal immigration, a press release states.

TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY

ICE and ERO officers detaining one of 216 illegal immigrants who have been convicted of drug dealing or drug possession. Around 1.4 million illegal immigrants in the United States have deportation orders against them, a U.S. official said. (Todd Packard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) )

The bill comes as the Trump administration continues to tout tougher policies to combat illegal migration into the United States, as well as crime. Federal immigration authorities have made hundreds of arrests this week of illegal immigrants with criminal histories.

“When President Trump took office this week, he immediately recognized the emergency at our borders, rolling out executive orders to combat illegal immigration and cartels,” DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton said in a statement. “This legislation builds upon that foundation, empowering local leaders and communities to support federal efforts in protecting our citizens.”

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“Legal immigration is a cornerstone of America, and we must ensure that our borders are secure and that the safety of Mississippians comes first,” Barton continued.

January 24, 2025