Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Trump

Kai Trump, Charlie Woods to golf together at major junior event

President Donald Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, is set to compete alongside Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie Woods, at the Junior Invitational golf tournament at Sage Valley, South Carolina in March.

Kai Trump and Charlie Woods are among the 60 expected competitors, according to a report from Golf Channel, for the invitation-only tournament that features the nation’s top junior golfers.

The announcement comes the same week that Tiger Woods himself was seen walking alongside Kai Trump at Genesis Invitational on Sunday.

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Kai Trump recently committed to play women’s golf at the University of Miami. She is also a golf influencer and runs a YouTube channel that has more than 1 million subscribers. It was announced over the weekend that she even signed an endorsement deal with TaylorMade, which is a partner of the Junior Invitational and also counts Tiger Woods as an ambassador.

Tiger Woods and President Trump recently played a round of golf together at Trump International Golf Club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida on Feb. 9, just hours before Trump became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.

GENESIS INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO TIGER WOODS’ LATE MOTHER, KULTIDA WOODS

Tiger Woods, left, and his son Charlie Woods fist bump after making their putt on the 13th green during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Meanwhile, Charlie Woods has most notably played alongside his father in the PNC Championship on several occasions, with two second-place finishes as his best result, including the 2024 event.

Charlie is set to play in the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship in Myrtle Beach, Florida, from Feb. 28 to March 2, and then the Junior Invitational is scheduled to start just weeks after that, on March 19.

After Tiger Woods announced the death of his mother Kultida Woods in early February, Trump expressed his condolences in a statement.

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President Donald Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods during an event at the White House in the Rose Garden. (Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports)

“I was just informed that Tiger Woods’ wonderful Mother, Kultida, passed away – She has gone onto greener fairways!” Trump wrote in a post. “Kultida Woods was an amazing influence on Tiger, and gave him much of his strength and brilliance. Melania and I send our love and prayers to Tiger and his incredible family!”

Kultida Woods was with her son in 2019 when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump.

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

February 18, 2025
Border arrests hit lowest mark since last time Trump was in office

Apprehensions at the U.S. southern border hit a low mark not seen since the last time President Donald Trump was in office.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended just 29,116 illegal immigrants along the southern border during the month of January, down from 47,000 in December and hitting a low mark not seen since May 2020, when 32,349 arrests were made at ports of entry, according to a White House press release.

Overall, CBP apprehended 61,465 illegal immigrants at the southern border in January, down 36% from the prior month, the release notes, citing new CP data.

NEW CARTEL THREATS AGAINST BORDER AGENTS: EXPLOSIVES, DRONES AND WIRELESS TRACKING

The situation on the border turned markedly with the change of administration. (Getty Images)

The numbers, which were shared with ABC News, shifted even more dramatically after Trump took office, with apprehensions falling 85% between Jan. 21 and 31, an 85% reduction from the same time period in 2024.

The numbers continue a string of news showing reductions in attempted border crossings under Trump, including a Fox News report last week that revealed the daily average of known gotaways – illegal immigrants who enter the U.S. while avoiding arrest – have fallen to just 132 per day since the beginning of February, at 93% reduction from the highs seen under former President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump speaks with Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott along the border wall in San Luis, Arizona, June 23, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

BORDER PATROL AGENTS TO STOP WEARING BODY CAMERAS AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA POST REVEALS ‘SECURITY RISK’

The improving numbers at the border seemingly began in the first few days of the Trump administration, including a 35% reduction in Border Patrol encounters during the first three days of the new administration compared to the final three days under Biden.

President Joe Biden speaks with a member of the Border Patrol as they walk along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

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“During the previous administration, the average number of illegal aliens encountered at the southern border in January was 141,710 – the result of dangerous policies that ferried illegal aliens directly into our communities, where they were allowed to stay indefinitely,” reads the White House release. “Now, under President Trump, illegal border crossings are at record lows as illegal aliens are promptly arrested and sent home.”

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.

February 18, 2025
Trump admin reveals list of cartels to be designated terrorist organizations

The Trump administration sent a list of over half a dozen drug cartels to Congress last week that it plans to designate as foreign terrorist organizations, Fox News confirmed on Tuesday.

The list sent to Congress includes the international Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua – Spanish for “Train from Aragua” – that has ties to the socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro and has been terrorizing U.S. cities in recent months.

Other groups included in the Trump administration’s list are the Salvadoran gang Mara Salvatrucha – also known as MS-13 – as well as several Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa, Jalisco, Zetas, the Gulf Cartels, Cartel Unidos and “La Nueva Familia Michoacana.”

‘WEAPONIZED MIGRATION’: US FACES DEADLY CONSEQUENCES WITH MADURO IN POWER, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION WARNS

President Donald Trump signs an executive order to stop Tren de Aragua on his first day in office, Jan. 20, 2025. (Reuters/Getty)

The New York Times reported last week that the State Department has already informed several congressional committees of the organizations it plans to designate as terror groups.

This comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office to direct the State Department and other executive agencies to move to designate cartels and other criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations.

The order specifically mentioned Tren de Aragua – which is also known as “TdA” – as well MS-13 as groups needing to be designated as terror organizations. It gave Secretary of State Marco Rubio 14 days to make policy recommendations – in consultation with the secretaries of the Treasury and Homeland Security as well as the U.S. attorney general and director of national intelligence – to make a recommendation regarding the designation of criminal groups to be designated as terrorist organizations.

‘ON NOTICE’: EX-VENEZUELAN MILITARY OFFICIAL APPLAUDS TRUMP’S ‘FIRST GOOD STEP’ TARGETING BLOODTHIRSTY GANG

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies in Tennessee announced the indictment of multiple people in the state with ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). (Left: Obtained by New York Post Center: Edward Romero Right: DEA)

A foreign terrorist designation expands the government’s ability to crack down on criminal groups operating in the U.S., allowing all government agencies, including the Department of the Treasury, to target that group from every angle.

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The order states that these groups “present an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” and invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEP) to declare a national emergency to “deal with those threats.”

“It is the policy of the United States to ensure the total elimination of these organizations’ presence in the United States and their ability to threaten the territory, safety, and security of the United States through their extraterritorial command-and-control structures, thereby protecting the American people and the territorial integrity of the United States,” reads the order.

TRUMP GREENLIGHTS SOME PRO-IMMIGRANT MOVES AMID BROADER ANTI-MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

This compilation shows suspected Tren de Aragua members and the southern border, (Fox News/Border Patrol)

At the time, Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, who in 2024 authored a report on how to dismantle TdA, explained to Fox News Digital that designating these groups as foreign terrorist organizations places them “at the highest level” of U.S. national security interest, meaning their funding and any organizations enabling them can be targeted as well.

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“Trump just put all of them on notice,” said Humire. “This said: ‘We know you’re here; we know you’re up to no good and we’re going to come after you.’”

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

February 18, 2025
Rubio makes progress with Russia after Trump promised to bring end to war in Ukraine

The U.S. and Russia on Tuesday took steps to improve diplomatic ties after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with top officials from Moscow in a move to find an end to the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters following the 4.5-hour meeting held in Saudi Arabia between Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the secretary of state said the first move would be in reestablishing the “functionality of our respective missions in Washington and in Moscow.”

“For us to be able to continue to move down this road, we need to have diplomatic facilities that are operating and functioning normally,” Rubio said.

US, RUSSIAN OFFICIALS PROPOSE PEACE PLAN, LAY ‘GROUNDWORK FOR COOPERATION’ IN RIYADH

Rubio meets with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia in search of an end to the war in Ukraine. (Associated Press)

Rubio said there were three additional steps the U.S. planned to pursue, which included establishing a “high-level team” to help negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine – though he did not mention if this would be headed by the special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg.

The Trump administration will also be looking to expand geopolitical and economic relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin.

Rubio did not go into detail on how or when the U.S. would agree to lift the heavy sanctions put on Russia following its illegal invasion, but said that at some point “the European Union (EU) is going to have to be at the table” because they too have strict sanctions in place.

Concerns over EU involvement in negotiating a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia have been mounting as the Trump administration increasingly takes on Moscow.

Reporters questioned Kellogg about EU involvement following the Munich Security Conference that concluded Monday, but he would not confirm whether an EU representative will be officially included at any negotiations, despite direct concerns over European security.

Rubio responded to questions regarding concerns that the EU and Ukraine are being abandoned by the Trump administration and said, “No one is being sidelined here.”

PEACE TALKS: TRUMP TEAM WORKS TO END UKRAINE WAR AS EUROPEAN LEADERS MEET

Special envoy Keith Kellogg participates in the panel discussion on Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 15, 2025, in Germany. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

“But President Trump is in a position – that he campaigned on – to initiate a process that could bring about an end to this conflict, and from that could emerge some very positive things for the United States, for Europe, for Ukraine, for the world,” the secretary said.

Rubio confirmed the final agreement to come out of the lengthy meeting on Tuesday was that the five men involved in the meeting – which included Rubio and Lavrov, as well as Trump’s national security advisor, Michael Waltz, special Mideast envoy Steven Witkoff and Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov – would remain “engaged” to ensure negotiations continue to progress in a “productive way.”

Neither the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nor the EU immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding their reactions to the day’s meeting.

Zelenskyy, who was supposed to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, canceled his trip on Tuesday, which according to a Reuters report, was a move to counter any “legitimacy” of the U.S.-Russia talks that were held without a Ukrainian delegation.

Kellogg’s team confirmed for Fox News Digital that he is set to meet with Zelenskyy this week during his trip to Kyiv.

Zelenskyy, like some EU leaders, has said he will not accept any ceasefire negotiations that are not made through coordinated efforts with Kyiv.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks at a map during his visit to the 110th mechanised brigade in Avdiivka, the site of fierce battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Dec. 29, 2023. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

“Ukraine and Europe – in the broad sense, including the European Union, Turkey and the United Kingdom – must be involved in discussions and the development of necessary security guarantees together with the United States, as these decisions shape the future of our part of the world,” he said in an address following a meeting with Turkish President Reccep Erdoğan on Tuesday.

Reports on Tuesday also indicated that European leaders were looking to reconvene at a “second emergency Ukraine summit” to discuss Ukraine and Europe’s security.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions.

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

February 18, 2025
Former NCAA trans athlete ‘willing to’ sit with Trump amid calls for title to be stripped

CeCe Telfer won an NCAA title as a transgender woman in 2019, and recently said on CNN that the “anti-trans rhetoric has become louder, more in my face” ever since President Donald Trump was sworn in last month.

Earlier this month, the president signed an executive order that would prohibit transgender girls and women from competing against biological females in athletics. The Department of Education has also called for prior titles won by trans women to be stripped.

“Prior to this set-in-stone administration, I woke up every day and I faced adversaries when I leave my house. Now, I wake up every day and I have to make sure that I make it home alive,” Telfer said, adding that “each of my identities” as a Black trans woman is a “target.”

“It’s really sad to see people go out of their way to make it known you don’t belong here. But every day, I wake up, I decide to go out and live my life, (it) proves that I do belong here. And just existing is resilience.

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CeCe Telfer of Franklin Pierce wins the 400 meter hurdles during the Division II Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at Javelina Stadium on May 25, 2019 in Kingsville, Texas. (Rudy Gonzalez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

“It’s sad to see that one of the most powerful countries in the world would ostracize and de-humanize a group of people, a small group of athletes, too, but also as transgender women overall. I’ve done nothing wrong but try to be a good, contributing member of society,” Telfer added. “I pay my taxes. I go to school. I try to leave the world better than when I came into it. And if the president doesn’t see us, then we’ll make ourselves be seen and known with goodness and love, because that’s all we have to offer.”

As the Trump administration continues to fight to keep biological males out of women’s sports, Telfer is “willing to sit down” with “Trump himself” about his order and transgenderism in sports.

“I’m willing to sit down with the IOC, the USATF, the NCAA, with any of my international federations, even the Trump administration, Trump himself, if he wants to sit down with me and talk and have a human conversation and see me. I feel as though social media is very loud, and just to have a human sit across from you and have a conversation with them, it’s very different. So I’m willing to have a conversation if they’re willing to give me that chance,” Telfer said.

Cece Telfer attends Corey O’Brien’s “Everyone Loves Corey” at The Comedy Chateau on November 02, 2023 in North Hollywood, California. (Victoria Sirakova/Getty Images for Corey O’Brien)

MASSACHUSETTS REP BLASTS REPUBLICANS FOR ‘WEAPONIZING’ TRANSGENDER ATHLETES: ‘POLITICS AT ITS WORST’

“I need some explanation as to why you want to completely eradicate us from society when we’ve done nothing wrong. Think about the humanity and think about the younger kids like me who have doctors confirming their gender, have people behind them. Even if he wants to have a team go around with me and see my day-to-day life and what I go through as a transgender female athlete, all for it.”

Telfer added that despite the perceived increase in anti-trans rhetoric, and calls for titles won by trans athletes to be revoked, the title Telfer won is even more vindicated, “because it makes me feel like not only was history made then, but it’ll stay in the books and be reminded that policies and orders are not forever, but our resilience is.”

“If somebody’s truly a part of the Department of Education, they would be smart and educated enough to know that something like that, that’s not how history works, and that’s not how the direction of progressiveness works. You can’t take back history,” Telfer said, adding the NCAA was “pressured” to change their rules and follow suit with Trump’s order.

“They were on the right side of history — I don’t know what happened,” Telfer added.

US President Donald Trump signs the No Men in Women’s Sports Executive Order into law in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 5, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

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Telfer was ruled ineligible to compete at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2021, two years after taking home the 2019 Division II Women’s 400m hurdles title.

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February 18, 2025
Trump nominates Ed Martin to be US Attorney for Washington, DC

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he would be nominating interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin to head the office.

Trump announced the nomination in a Truth Social post, writing, “Since Inauguration Day, Ed has been doing a great job as Interim U.S. Attorney, fighting tirelessly to restore Law and Order, and make our Nation’s Capital Safe and Beautiful Again. He will get the job done.”

“Congratulations Ed!” Trump wrote.

TRUMP NOMINATES JUDGE TO SERVE AS NEXT US ATTORNEY FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

Martin began serving in an interim capacity shortly after Trump’s inauguration. Since taking over the position, Martin has overseen the dismissals of various Jan. 6 cases after Trump pardoned and commuted the defendants.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he would be nominating interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin (center) to head the office. (Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

Martin filed a motion to remove all remaining conditions imposed on several defendants with commutations, including restrictions that barred certain individuals from entering Washington, D.C., or the U.S. Capitol building.

TRUMP DOJ BRINGS DOWN ‘SOVEREIGN’ DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

“If a judge decided that Jim Biden, General Mark Milley, or another individual were forbidden to visit America’s capital – even after receiving a last-minute, preemptive pardon from the former President – I believe most Americans would object,” Martin said in a statement released at the time. “The individuals referenced in our motion have had their sentences commuted – period, end of sentence.”

Trump announced the nomination in a Truth Social post, writing, “Since Inauguration Day, Ed has been doing a great job as Interim U.S. Attorney, fighting tirelessly to restore Law and Order, and make our Nation’s Capital Safe and Beautiful Again. He will get the job done.” (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Martin had previously represented three defendants in the Jan. 6 prosecutions and participated in a pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally.

FEDERAL PROSECUTOR VOWS TO PROTECT DOGE STAFFERS FROM ANY ‘THREATS, CONFRONTATIONS’ TARGETING MUSK TEAM

Martin has also expressed that he would “pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes” the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) work as it seeks to slash unnecessary government spending.

Martin penned a letter on the subject shortly after being appointed, where he vowed to hold said individuals accountable.

Martin responded to Elon Musk on Monday, after Musk tweeted out on X against individuals making threats against the president. (AP/Alex Brandon)

“I recognize that some of the staff at DOGE have been targeted publicly,” Martin wrote to Elon Musk in a letter, which Martin posted to his X account Monday. “At this time, I ask that you utilize me and my staff to assist in protecting the DOGE work and the DOGE workers. Any threats, confrontations or other actions in any way that impact their work may break numerous laws.”

Likewise, Martin responded to Elon Musk on Monday, after Musk tweeted out on X against individuals making threats against the president.

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“Threats against public officials at all levels – whether it be the president or a line federal worker – must stop,” Martin wrote. “Our safe and beautiful capital city cannot be the home of such dangerous conduct from any side, at any time. We are on the case.”

Martin is originally from New Jersey and earned his undergraduate degree in English and a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies from the College of the Holy Cross. After studying abroad, Martin pursued his legal and ethics degrees from the St. Louis University.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.

February 18, 2025
Are more airplanes crashing under President Donald Trump than under Joe Biden?

The United States saw double the number of fatal plane crashes under President Joe Biden’s first four weeks in office compared to the same time period under President Donald Trump’s second administration, federal data reviewed by Fox News Digital shows.

There were 10 fatal plane crashes in the United States between Jan. 20, 2021, and Feb. 18, 2021, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s Case Analysis and Reporting Online, or CAROL, which has recorded aviation accidents since 1962. There were four fatal plane crashes recorded during the same time period under the second Trump administration — from inauguration day to Feb. 18 — the data shows.

A fifth fatal plane crash unfolded in Georgia on Saturday evening, which has not yet been added to the database but is included in Fox Digital’s final tally of five fatal plane crashes in the U.S. since Jan. 20.

Though the second Trump administration has seen fewer plane crashes than the first month of the Biden administration, the Washington, D.C., crash in January provided greater national visibility to concern over aviation crashes as it was the deadliest in U.S. history since November 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area of New York City, killing 260 people on board and five on the ground.

A total of 67 people were killed in January when an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Fox News Digital found that during the Biden administration’s approximate first month in office, there were U.S.-based fatal plane crashes in Janesville, Wisconsin; St. Thomas, Caribbean Sea; Tehachapi, California; Galt, Missouri; Belvidere, Tennessee; Chitina, Alaska; Hackberry, Louisiana; Port Angeles, Washington; Boynton Beach, Florida; Rio Rancho, New Mexico. A total of 18 individuals died in the 10 crashes.

TORONTO PLANE CRASH: HARROWING VIDEO SHOWS DELTA PLANE ERUPTING INTO FIREBALL, FLIPPING UPSIDE-DOWN

The United States saw double the number of fatal plane crashes under President Joe Biden’s first four weeks in office compared to the same time period under President Donald Trump’s second administration. (Getty Images)

The five fatal plane crashes in the first month of the Trump administration occurred in Nome, Alaska; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Covington, Georgia. A total of 96 people died in the plane crashes.

When comparing the two Trump administrations, Fox News Digital found there were 11 recorded fatal plane crashes between Jan. 20, 2017, to Feb. 18, 2017.

TORONTO PLANE CRASH TIMELINE: DELTA FLIGHT FROM MINNEAPOLIS FLIPS UPSIDE DOWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND

Fox News Digital also found that the Biden administration saw seven serious — not fatal — plane crashes between Jan. 20, 2021, and Feb. 18, 2021, compared to six serious plane crashes under the same time period for the Trump administration, according to the CAROL database.

As for crashes that resulted in “minor” injuries for passengers, the CAROL database recorded seven under the Biden administration’s first month and two under the second Trump administration’s first month, Fox Digital found.

A Delta Air Lines plane is upside down on its roof after crashing upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport in Toronto on Feb. 17, 2025. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images)

SWALWELL DECLARES ‘ALL CRASHES ARE TRUMP’S FAULT’ AS HE DOUBLES DOWN ON PLANE DISASTER BLAME GAME

Another plane crash unfolded on Monday in Canada, when a Delta Air Lines CRJ-900 jet originating from Minnesota crashed at Toronto Pearson International Airport. None of the 80 passengers or crew were killed, but at least 18 were treated for injuries after the plane crashed, caught on fire and flipped upside down.

The Toronto crash unfolded as news mounted that the Trump administration is in the midst of firing a bevy of federal employees across various agencies as part of his administration’s effort to cut government spending fat and weed out corruption and mismanagement, including terminating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees who have been hired in the past year, according to a union representing the employees.

President Donald Trump listens as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at the White House on Jan. 30, 2025. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation told Fox News Digital Monday that the agency continues to hire air traffic controllers and those focused on air safety.

PLANE CRASHES SPARK RENEWED FEAR OF FLYING: 10 CAUSES OF AVIATION DISASTERS

“The FAA continues to hire and onboard air traffic controllers and safety professionals, including mechanics and others who support them,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The agency has retained employees who perform safety critical functions.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added on X that his predecessor, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, had “failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system.”

A police boat patrols the water and guards the crash scene on Jan. 30, 2025, after an American Airlines plane collided midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Here’s the truth: the FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees,” he said. “Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.”

The crash, however, has opened the floodgates of criticism from Democrats and liberal media outlets who have laid blame for the crash at Trump’s feet.

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“I’m thankful that everyone in the flight incident in Toronto that took off from Minneapolis is safe, but we keep seeing these incidents day after day,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted to X after the Monday crash. “Meanwhile, Trump’s doing massive layoffs at the FAA—including safety specialists—and making our skies less and less safe. Democrats are fighting to protect the flying public.”

February 18, 2025
MAGA loyalists take aim at GOP senator as key Trump defense post sparks controversy: ‘Why the opposition?’

A key Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is reportedly on the fence about one of President Donald Trump’s Defense nominees over his stance on a nuclear Iran – a potential roadblock to his confirmation given the GOP’s slim Senate majority.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is reportedly hesitant about the nomination of former Defense official Elbridge Colby to serve as the under secretary of defense for policy, a key Defense post that remains unmanned amid the ongoing confirmation process.

“Senator Cotton is focused on ensuring all defense nominees commit to supporting President Trump’s position that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon, and Cotton will be addressing this in meetings and hearings with the nominees,” a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

Colby has previously suggested that the U.S. living with a nuclear Iran is more plausible than countering the country’s nuclear assets, a position that reportedly is causing concern from the key Senator whose support could determine his confirmation.

MCCONNELL’S MENTAL ACUITY TARGETED BY TRUMP AFTER EX-SENATE LEADER JOINS DEMS AGAINST CABINET NOMINEES

Sen. Tom Cotton serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

Cotton’s potential opposition to the Trump nominee sparked debate among prominent MAGA figures on social media.

RUMP’S KEY TO CABINET CONFIRMATIONS: SENATE-TURNED-VP VANCE’S GIFT OF GAB

“Why the opposition to Bridge? What does he think Bridge will do?” Elon Musk wrote in a post on X of reports that Cotton was not on board with the nomination.

“The effort to undermine President Trump continues in the US Senate @SenTomCotton is working behind the scenes to stop Trump’s pick, Elbridge Colby, from getting confirmed at DOD,” Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, said on X. “Colby is one of the most important pieces to stop the Bush/Cheney cabal at DOD. Why is Tom Cotton doing this?”

“Is Tom Cotton’s resistance to Bridge Colby more about IRI than anything else? As in maybe Cotton’s blocking Colby ain’t that principled. . .” American Majority CEO Ned Ryun posted on X.

Elbridge Colby speaks at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. (Dominic Gwinn)

“Cotton has other problems that he doesn’t want exposed. He’ll support Colby,” former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn claimed on X.

Vice President JD Vance expressed support for the Trump nominee, writing that “Bridge has consistently been correct about the big foreign policy debates of the last 20 years.”

“He was critical of the Iraq War, which made him unemployable in the 2000s era conservative movement. He built a relationship with CNAS when it was one of the few institutions that would even hire a foreign policy realist,” Vance said.

Vice President JD Vance delivers a speech during the plenary session of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris on Feb. 11, 2025. (Reuters)

Colby, who worked in the Pentagon during Trump’s first term, has also received endorsements from other members of the Senate.

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“.@ElbridgeColby is a fighter who will execute President Trump’s mandate to end decades of DC foreign policy failures and stop forever wars abroad—The reason the establishment fears him is because he’s 100% aligned with Trump’s agenda,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wrote on X. “Senate Republicans should confirm him ASAP!”

Colby’s Senate confirmation hearing remains unscheduled as the chamber works to confirm more of Trump’s cabinet nominees.

Fox News Digital reached out to Colby for comment.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 18, 2025
Vice President Vance likely to highlight Trump administration agenda at CPAC

Vice President JD Vance is no stranger to the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference, better known by its acronym CPAC.

But on Thursday, at the opening session at National Harbor, Maryland, just outside the nation’s capital, Vance will address CPAC for the first time since his inauguration last month as vice president of the United States.

Vance has been a regular at the conference in recent years, dating back to his successful 2022 campaign for the Senate in Ohio. And last October, as he crisscrossed the national campaign trail as Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate, Vance also spoke at a CPAC-hosted townhall in battleground Arizona.

WATCH: JD VANCE SITS DOWN WITH FOX BUSINESS’ MARIA BARTIROMO

JD Vance speaks on stage during CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) Texas, on Aug. 18, 2022, in Dallas. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

CPAC, which dates back to 1974, is the nation’s oldest and largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists. In the years since Trump first won the White House in 2016, it has been dominated by legions of MAGA loyalists and America First disciples who hold immense sway over the GOP.

The vice president is expected to use his address to highlight and promote the avalanche of activity – both domestically and overseas – by the Trump-Vance administration during its first month in office.

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Vance, who served two years in the Senate before being elected vice president, has been considered a key player in helping the GOP-controlled chamber confirm Trump’s Cabinet nominees at a brisk pace.

And Vance made major headlines earlier this month at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, when he used his first major speech as vice president to deliver a blistering address directed at Europe’s political class.

Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Feb. 14, 2025. (Reuters/Leah Millis)

Trump’s naming last summer of Vance – a former venture capitalist and the author of the bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” before running for elective office – as his running was seen as a sign that the now 40-year-old politician was the heir apparent to Trump and his movement.

Trump praised Vance in a recent interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on “Special Report” for “doing a fantastic job,”

WATCH: VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE SITS DOWN WITH FOX NEWS’ BRET BAIER ON “SPECIAL REPORT”

But asked by Baier if he viewed Vance as his successor and the Republican nominee in 2028, the term-limited Trump said, “No, but he’s very capable.”

“It’s too early. We’re just starting,” Trump added.

Vice President JD Vance, on Jan. 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP )

Questions about 2028 may be hanging over Vance at CPAC, which has long held a closely watched GOP presidential nomination straw poll.

Vance, in an interview earlier this month with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures,” was asked about the next White House race.

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“We’ll see what happens come 2028, but the way I think about this is the best thing for my future is actually the best thing for the American people, which is that we do a really good job over the next three and a half years,” the vice president said.

Vance noted that “we’ll cross that political bridge when we come to it. I’m not thinking about running for president. I’m thinking about doing a good job for the American people and I think the best way to do that is to make sure that President Trump is a success.”

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

February 18, 2025
MAGA loyalists take aim at GOP senator as key Trump defense post goes unmanned: ‘Why the opposition?’

A key Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is reportedly on the fence about one of President Donald Trump’s Defense nominees over his stance on a nuclear Iran – a potential roadblock to his confirmation given the GOP’s slim Senate majority.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is reportedly hesitant about the nomination of former Defense official Elbridge Colby to serve as the under secretary of defense for policy, a key Defense post that remains unmanned amid the ongoing confirmation process.

“Senator Cotton is focused on ensuring all defense nominees commit to supporting President Trump’s position that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon, and Cotton will be addressing this in meetings and hearings with the nominees,” a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

Colby has previously suggested that the U.S. living with a nuclear Iran is more plausible than countering the country’s nuclear assets, a position that reportedly is causing concern from the key Senator whose support could determine his confirmation.

MCCONNELL’S MENTAL ACUITY TARGETED BY TRUMP AFTER EX-SENATE LEADER JOINS DEMS AGAINST CABINET NOMINEES

Sen. Tom Cotton serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

Cotton’s potential opposition to the Trump nominee sparked debate among prominent MAGA figures on social media.

RUMP’S KEY TO CABINET CONFIRMATIONS: SENATE-TURNED-VP VANCE’S GIFT OF GAB

“Why the opposition to Bridge? What does he think Bridge will do?” Elon Musk wrote in a post on X of reports that Cotton was not on board with the nomination.

“The effort to undermine President Trump continues in the US Senate @SenTomCotton is working behind the scenes to stop Trump’s pick, Elbridge Colby, from getting confirmed at DOD,” Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, said on X. “Colby is one of the most important pieces to stop the Bush/Cheney cabal at DOD. Why is Tom Cotton doing this?”

“Is Tom Cotton’s resistance to Bridge Colby more about IRI than anything else? As in maybe Cotton’s blocking Colby ain’t that principled. . .” American Majority CEO Ned Ryun posted on X.

Elbridge Colby speaks at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. (Dominic Gwinn)

“Cotton has other problems that he doesn’t want exposed. He’ll support Colby,” former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn claimed on X.

Vice President JD Vance expressed support for the Trump nominee, writing that “Bridge has consistently been correct about the big foreign policy debates of the last 20 years.”

“He was critical of the Iraq War, which made him unemployable in the 2000s era conservative movement. He built a relationship with CNAS when it was one of the few institutions that would even hire a foreign policy realist,” Vance said.

Vice President JD Vance delivers a speech during the plenary session of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris on Feb. 11, 2025. (Reuters)

Colby, who worked in the Pentagon during Trump’s first term, has also received endorsements from other members of the Senate.

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“.@ElbridgeColby is a fighter who will execute President Trump’s mandate to end decades of DC foreign policy failures and stop forever wars abroad—The reason the establishment fears him is because he’s 100% aligned with Trump’s agenda,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wrote on X. “Senate Republicans should confirm him ASAP!”

Colby’s Senate confirmation hearing remains unscheduled as the chamber works to confirm more of Trump’s cabinet nominees.

Fox News Digital reached out to Colby for comment.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 18, 2025