Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Trump

Trump reverses Biden’s policies expanding Obamacare

President Donald Trump’s first actions in the Oval Office included rolling back healthcare policies put forth by former President Joe Biden, including expansions to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as “ObamaCare.”

Directly after he was sworn in on Monday, Trump moved quickly to revoke a long list of Biden executive orders covering a wide range of issues. Two of the orders that were revoked included efforts by Biden to expand access to the ACA and restore the federal program “to the way it was before Trump became president” the first time around.

The move angered Democrats, who argued the action was an “attack” on the federal health insurance program.

“Donald Trump’s immediate priority as president is ripping away affordable health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans and screwing over people with preexisting conditions,” the Democratic National Committee said in a Tuesday statement.

Shortly after taking office in January 2021, Biden passed Executive Order 14009, titled the “Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.” The move, which Trump rescinded as part of his Day One executive actions, doubled the window of time that uninsured Americans had to apply to participate in the federal insurance program. Under Trump’s first term, the ACA’s open enrollment period was six weeks long.

TRUMP AND A HEALTHIER AMERICA WELCOMED BY DOCTORS: ‘NEW GOLDEN AGE’

In addition to expanding the open enrollment period, Biden’s January 2021 executive order also directed all relevant federal agencies to examine their policies and implement any necessary changes to help get more people covered under the ACA.

President Trump denied wanting to repeal the Affordable Care Act. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, in April of the following year, Biden signed a second executive order on “Continuing to Strengthen Americans’ Access to Affordable, Quality Health Coverage,” which Trump also reversed on Monday. The April order from Biden directed the Department of Health and Human Services to analyze new policies aimed at “exploring how medical debts are collected from beneficiaries,” in order to find new ways to reduce “the burden of medical debt on working families and individuals across the country.”

Consistent with both of these orders, agencies facilitated the expansion of the ACA through new eligibility provisions, increased funding to groups that help people sign up for the ACA, and more.

Other changes enacted by Trump during his first days in office included the revocation of a Biden-era policy that directed Medicare and Medicaid to investigate how to lower drug costs. In response to that order, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a $2 cap for certain generic drugs, ensured Medicare beneficiaries did not overpay for drugs that received accelerated approval, and helped state Medicaid programs pay for certain high-cost, cutting-edge therapies. Biden’s policy that capped insulin costs at $35 and implemented a $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum for prescription drug costs went unaffected by Trump’s Day One orders.

TRUMP TO DEPLOY MILITARY TO BORDER, END BIDEN PAROLE POLICIES IN FLURRY OF DAY ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Trump also acted during his first day in office to rescind several of Biden’s COVID-19 health orders, such as directives to ensure equity in the pandemic response and COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers. He withdrew the U.S. from its participation in the World Health Organization, as well.

The Democratic National Committee argued Tuesday that Trump was “screwing over people with pre-existing conditions.”

“Donald Trump’s immediate priority as president is ripping away affordable health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans,” the DNC said in a Tuesday statement. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, more Americans have health coverage than ever before, and Trump wants to unwind this progress even though the American people overwhelmingly support the ACA. Trump’s plans will do nothing but raise costs and make Americans sicker.”

Yet, according to a health policy expert from Vanderbilt University, the moves Trump made on health policies will likely not be consequential when it comes to how much Americans are paying for their healthcare.

An emergency sign points to the entrance to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, March 23, 2017. (Reuters/Mike Blake)

“When administrations change over, many of them want to undo some of the actions of other presidents, even when those are more symbolic,” Dr. Stacie Dusetzina, a professor at Vanderbilt’s Department of Health Policy told NBC News. “It could mean that the Trump administration is not interested in pursuing any of the work that has since developed out of these executive orders.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump administration for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

January 23, 2025
Dem who called Trump ‘existential threat to democracy’ now blocking his nominees

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., disrupted Senate Republicans’ plans to quickly confirm President Donald Trump’s national security nominees on Tuesday night when he objected to bypassing lengthy procedural votes that are routinely skipped.

“Unfortunately, we were at the point of almost having a consent agreement to have a vote on the confirmation of John Ratcliffe to be the CIA director tomorrow. Not today, not yesterday, when it should have happened, but tomorrow,” Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on the chamber floor. “But the senator from Connecticut has decided to object at the last minute.”

“I don’t really understand the objection to Mr. Ratcliffe. He was confirmed by the Senate to be the director of National intelligence. He was fully vetted through the bipartisan process in the Senate Intelligence Committee. We voted him out yesterday on a 14 to 3 vote,” Cotton, also the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, continued.

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., left, and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. (Reuters)

During his objection, Murphy said there were “serious concerns” from some Democrats about Trump’s CIA pick John Ratcliffe. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask to make sure that we have a full, real debate that lasts two days on the Senate floor,” he said.

The Connecticut Democrat notably previewed Trump’s eventual second presidency over the summer. “There’s a lot of anxiety in the country and in the party today, and that’s because the stakes are so high,” he said.

“That’s because Donald Trump presents an existential threat to democracy. He has advertised he is going to transition this country from a democracy to a dictatorship,” Murphy claimed in a July appearance on CNN.

REPUBLICAN LEADERS STILL AT ODDS ON RECONCILIATION DEBATE AFTER TRUMP MEETING

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., chairs the intelligence committee. (Getty Images)

Murphy’s Tuesday night objection to speeding through the routine procedural votes is the first case of Democrats using the strategy Republicans employed while in the Senate minority to gain leverage to negotiate.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., expressed his frustration with the objection on the floor, saying, “OK, so 14 to 3 coming out of the committee. And we’ve now wasted a whole day where we could have been acting on that nomination.”

“And so really, I think the question before the House is, do we want a vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because that’s what we’re going to do,” he said, threatening weekend votes in the upper chamber.

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

John Ratcliffe is President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the CIA. (Getty Images)

“This can be easy or this can be hard.”

Murphy foreshadowed this type of defiance while speaking to reporters last week.

“I think Republicans changed the rules here over the last two years,” he said. “They used extraordinary powers to block nominees and to lengthen every process.”

NEW OHIO AND FLORIDA SENATE-APPOINTEES SWORN IN AS VANCE AND RUBIO’S REPLACEMENTS

Murphy foreshadowed the move last week. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The rules are different now, they changed the way the Senate works,” he reiterated.

Thune took the necessary actions to tee up eventual votes on Ratcliffe; Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth; and Trump’s pick for Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem. Since there is no agreement with Democrats to limit debate and bypass certain procedural votes, the nominations will not ripen for confirmation votes for more than a day.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

January 23, 2025
Putin, Xi vow to ‘deepen’ alliance hours after Trump re-enters the White House

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.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday pledged to “deepen strategic coordination” in a video call less than a day after President Donald Trump re-entered the White House.

A transcript of the call posted to the Kremlin’s website showed that both Putin and Xi referred to one another as “friends” and vowed to back one another’s strategic interests, no matter the “current global situation.”

“This year, I am ready, together with you, to elevate Chinese-Russian relations to a new level, to counter external uncertainties by preserving stability and resilience of Chinese-Russian relations,” Xi said while addressing Putin.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin holds a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on Jan. 21, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

TRUMP WANTS TO VISIT CHINA AGAIN AFTER HE TAKES OFFICE: REPORT

The pair both vowed to back the U.N.-centered international system ahead of the 80th anniversary this year, and to defend the post-World War II global order – a nod to Putin’s pursuit to reclaim Ukraine in what many have argued is an attempt to re-establish the Soviet Union.

Xi also told Putin about a call he had with Trump on Friday regarding TikTok, trade and Taiwan, according to a report by Reuters.

The Chinese and Russian leaders also reportedly “indicated a willingness to build relations with the United States on a mutually beneficial, mutually respectful basis,” Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, adding this will happen “if the Trump team really shows interest in this.”

“It was also noted from our side that we are ready for dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukrainian conflict,” he added.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping attend a reception during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 23, 2024. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)

RUSSIA, IRAN TO SEAL PARTNERSHIP TREATY DAYS BEFORE TRUMP TAKES OFFICE

Neither readouts of the call issued by China or Russia directly mentioned Ukraine, though Russia highlighted that Beijing has remained a major supporter of Moscow’s economy as it is the largest consumer of Russian energy resources – a major earner for Putin’s war effort.

“Five years ago, we launched the Power of Siberia gas pipeline together, and today, Russia has become the leading supplier of natural gas to China,” the Kremlin said in a readout.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a Victory Day military parade marking the 79th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in Moscow. (Tian Bing/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Though according to Beijing, Moscow did directly address China’s interests in Taiwan and, according to the readout issued by the Chinese Communist Party, “Russia firmly supports Taiwan as an integral part of China’s territory and firmly opposes any form of ‘Taiwan independence.’”

“I believe that the past year was very good for us,” Putin said. “It can be said confidently that our foreign policy ties and Russia and China’s joint efforts objectively play a major stabilizing role in international affairs.”

January 23, 2025
Trump puts higher education on notice for ‘dangerous, demeaning, and immoral’ DEI teachings

President Donald Trump’s latest executive order seeks to water down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in federally funded higher-education institutions in an effort to restore “merit-based opportunity,” according to the White House.

During his first two days in office, Trump issued a slew of executive orders, including ordering that all federal agencies close their DEI offices by Wednesday and put employees in those units on paid leave. To further his effort to deter DEI, the president is launching a federal review of such teachings and practices in educational institutions receiving federal funding.

“Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” reads the White House order, published on Tuesday.

The order requires that the attorney general and secretary of education identify potential civil compliance investigations among institutions of higher education with endowments over $1 billion dollars and, accordingly, develop action plans to “deter DEI programs or principles that constitute illegal discrimination or preferences.”

CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS HOW TRUMP CAN CLEAN HOUSE AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LISTS TO BUREAUCRATS TO FIRE

President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday. (Evan Vucci)

Within 120 days, the AG and the secretary of education will issue guidance to state and local educational institutions that receive federal funds or grants or that participate in the student loan program. The focus will be on ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a landmark case that held that race-based admissions practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment.

“Illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system,” the memo reads.

The executive order noted that it will not prevent educational institutions or agencies from engaging in “First Amendment-protected” speech.

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., who chairs the House Education and the Workforce Committee, applauded Trump for pushing back against the controversial practice.

Linda McMahon, former administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and education secretary nominee for President Donald Trump, arrives for a meeting with Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Ohio, not pictured, on Capitol Hill on Jan. 8, 2025. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg)

“For too long, social justice warriors crusaded to mandate DEI in every corner of America. Instead of merit, skills and ability, DEI devotees pushed policies that are antithetical to American exceptionalism,” Walberg said. “From the classroom to the boardroom, Americans have felt the negative effects. DEI has bloated education budgets while telling students what to think instead of how to think.”

Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, suggested in an analysis of the executive order that it “will send a shock wave through higher education and the resulting agency actions are likely to trigger a tsunami of lawsuits.”

President Donald Trump takes part in a signing ceremony after his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol. (Melina Mara)

Meanwhile, one education expert suggested that universities could begin to pre-comply with new DEI measures.

“It seems very plausible that higher-education institutions will pre-comply, even before the Department of Education or the National Science Foundation writes it into specific projects,” Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, told the Chronicle of Higher Education. “Universities will adopt the spirit of the executive order.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Nearly 10 states, including one with a Democrat governor, have already either banned or prohibited the use of DEI initiatives in public colleges and universities.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025
Trump demands Putin end war in Ukraine or face tariffs on Russian imports

Trump senior advisor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro discusses the battle over TikTok and bringing ‘prosperity’ to the U.S. on ‘The Claman Countdown.’

President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on Russian imports to the U.S. if a deal isn’t struck soon to end the war in Ukraine.

“I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin – and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process.”

Trump continued, “All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.”

TRUMP PLANS 10% TARIFFS ON CHINESE IMPORTS ON FEB. 1

President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with!” Trump said. “We can do it the easy way, or the hard way – and the easy way is always better. It’s time to ‘MAKE A DEAL.’ NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!”

Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Tuesday evening if he would add additional sanctions on Russia if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not negotiate a ceasefire deal with Ukraine soon.

“Sounds likely,” Trump responded, adding: “The war should have never started. If you had a competent president, which you didn’t, the war wouldn’t have happened. The war in Ukraine would have never happened if I were president.”

“Russia never would have gone into Ukraine. I had a very strong understanding with Putin that it would have never, ever happened,” Trump told reporters. “He disrespected Biden. Very simple. He disrespects people. He’s smart. He understands. He disrespected Biden.”

On whether the U.S. would continue sending military aid to Ukraine, Trump argued that America was contributing about $200 billion more to Kyiv than the European Union.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during Russian-Iranian meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Friday. (Contributor/Getty Images / Getty Images)

RUSSIA SOUNDS OFF ON TRUMP’S THREAT TO RETAKE THE PANAMA CANAL

“We’re talking to [Ukrainian President Voldymyr] Zelenskyy. We’re going to be talking with President Putin very soon. And we’ll see how it all happens,” Trump said, adding, “I do feel the European Union should be paying a lot more than they’re paying… It affects them more than it affects us. We have an ocean in between, right?”

“The European Union should equalize. We’re in there for $200 billion more than the European Union. I mean, what are we, stupid? I guess the answer is yes, because they must think so,” he said.

The president was also asked when he would meet with Putin.

“Anytime they want, I’ll meet. I’d like to see that end,” Trump told reporters. “Millions of people are being killed — It’s a vicious situation. And now, largely soldiers. A lot of people have been killed in the cities. They look like demolition sites, buildings, massive buildings bombed and coming down. The thing with Ukraine is that many more people died than you’re reporting.”

Ukrainian soldiers from the 28th Infantry Brigade take part in tactical training exercises wearing gas masks in a rural area of Ukraine as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues on Tuesday. (Jose Colon/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Trump estimated that Russia has lost approximately 800,000 soldiers, and between 600,000 to 700,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the conflict.

His comments echo those he made a day earlier from the Oval Office when he accused Putin of “destroying Russia.”

“I think he’s destroying Russia by not making a deal,” Trump told reporters Monday hours after his inauguration. “I think Russia’s going to be in big trouble. You take a look at their economy. You take a look at the inflation in Russia. So I would — I would hope, I get along with him great, and you know, I would hope he wants to make a deal.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

On Tuesday, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters that Moscow was “taking into account” Trump’s comments in the Oval Office, and the Russians are “ready and open for a dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukraine conflict,” according to The New York Times.

“If the relevant signals come in from Washington, then we’ll pick them up and will be ready to hold negotiations,” Ushakov reportedly added.

January 23, 2025
Trump open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison buying TikTok

President Donald Trump makes a major infrastructure announcement on his second day in office.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his view that the U.S. should own half of TikTok and said he would be in favor of X owner Elon Musk or Oracle founder Larry Ellison purchasing the China-linked social media app.

During his first day in office on Monday, Trump issued an executive order granting TikTok more time to operate and work toward compliance with a law forcing the platform’s Beijing-based owner, ByteDance, to either divest the app to an American buyer or shut the platform down in the U.S.

Elon Musk, right, speaks with President Donald Trump. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Trump was asked during a press conference announcing the massive Stargate AI infrastructure project, involving Oracle, OpenAI and Softbank, whether he would be open to Musk, his close ally, purchasing TikTok.

“I would be if he wanted to buy it, yeah,” the president replied, adding, “I’d like Larry to buy it, too,” nodding toward Ellison, who was present.

MAJOR BANK CEO SAYS TRUMP’S FISCAL POLICIES MAKE US ‘THE NO. 1 PLACE TO INVEST’ AGAIN

Trump said he met with the current owners of TikTok, and told the press, “I have the right to make a deal. So, the deal I’m thinking about…” then he turned to Ellison and said, “Larry, let’s negotiate in front of the media.”

Oracle founder Larry Ellison, right, listens to President Donald Trump speak in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The president said the deal he is thinking about would involve someone buying TikTok and giving “half to the United States of America, and we’ll give you the permit, and they’ll have a great partner.”

TRUMP PLANS 10% TARIFFS ON CHINESE IMPORTS ON FEB. 1

After explaining the deal, Trump turned back toward Ellison and said, “Sounds reasonable. What do you think?”

Ellison replied, “Sounds like a good deal to me, Mr. President.” Trump then turned back to the press and said of Ellison, “He can afford it, too.”

‘Shark Tank’ investor Kevin O’Leary talks TikTok’s future, the Chinese government’s role with a ‘secret golden share’ and the role Trump could play in keeping the platform available in the U.S.

TikTok shut down its U.S. operations on Saturday, the day before its deadline to cease in accordance with the law. However, the platform restored U.S. operations on Sunday after Trump provided assurances that he would sign the executive order extending the deadline in order to reach an agreement that protects America’s national security.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to [stay] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.”

FOX Business’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

January 23, 2025
Danish lawmaker addressing EU tells Trump to ‘f— off’ over Greenland bid

A Danish Member of European Parliament (MEP) seethed at U.S. President Donald Trump amid his bid to have Greenland sold or ceded to the United States.

MEP Anders Vistisen, a member of the right-wing Danish People’s Party, addressed Trump’s efforts at an EU session in Strasburg, France.

“Dear President Trump, listen very carefully: Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It is an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale,” Vistisen said.

Appearing to cue into the American president’s occasional salty language, Vistisen said he would put his remarks in “words you might understand.”

GREENLAND PM SAYS ARCTIC ISLAND DOESN’T WANT TO BE PART OF US

Anders Vistisen from the Danish ECR party speaks. (Reuters)

“Mr. Trump, f— off,” said Vistisen. The remark drew a formal reprimand from European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță, who, however, suggested he too has reservations about Trump.

“If the translation was correct, the term you used is not allowed in this House, and there will be consequences to the message you have used,” said Ștefănuță, who represents Romania.

“It is not OK in this House of Democracy. Regardless of what we think of Mr. Trump, it is not possible to use such language.”

First son Donald Trump Jr. led a small delegation to Nuuk — the Greenlandic capital — prior to the inauguration and met with members of the public and reportedly held a luncheon.

Both Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen have said the landmass is not for sale.

TRUMP PLANS NC VISIT AS HE DEFENDS EXECUTIVE ORDERS

The island enjoys relative autonomy in domestic affairs and relies on Copenhagen for foreign policy and support.

The U.S. does, however, retain a U.S. Space Force presence on Greenland — at Pituffik (formerly Thule) Air Base near Savissivik.

Just over 100 years ago, the U.S. did successfully purchase Danish lands from Copenhagen.

King Christian X of Denmark and the U.S. Senate both ratified a 1916 treaty that led to the purchase of what are now the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) — St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Then-President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, approved the treaty.

Qaqortoq, means “white” in the Greenlandic language. (Danuta Hamlin)

Wilson’s Secretary of State Frank Polk said the island chain’s people would have American nationality but not the “political status of citizens,” according to the State Department’s archives.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Residents were, however, later given full citizenship through a 1932 act of Congress.

With its roots as the Danish West Indies and originally home to British expatriates, it is also the only U.S. territory where driving on the left side of the road is the law.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

January 22, 2025
UN urges diplomacy as Iran hits nuclear ‘gas pedal,’ conservative commentator tells Trump ‘do not appease’

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.

The United Nations atomic watchdog on Wednesday sounded the alarm that Iran has hit the “gas pedal” on its nuclear development and urged diplomacy just two days after President Donald Trump re-entered the White House.

The Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told world leaders at the Davos World Economic Forum that Iran has roughly enough uranium, if enriched further, to develop nearly five nuclear weapons.

Rafael Grossi warned that Iran currently possesses roughly 440 pounds of near-weapons grade uranium that has been enriched to the 60% purity threshold, shy of the 90% purity levels needed to develop a nuclear bomb. Roughly 92 pounds of weapons-grade uranium is enough to create one nuclear bomb, reported Reuters.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi looks on as he addresses the media during their Board of Governors meeting in Vienna on Sept. 9, 2024. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo)

TASK FORCE CREATED IN AFRICA TO COUNTER TERROR FEARS FROM IRAN AND JIHADI GROUPS

“One can gather from the first statements from President Trump and some others in the new administration that there is a disposition, so to speak, to have a conversation and perhaps move into some form of an agreement,” Grossi said.

Conservative allies of Trump have called on the president to continue with his maximum pressure campaign that was implemented against Iran during his first presidency. Mark Levin, host of Fox News show “Life, Liberty & Levin,” on Tuesday urged the president to “not appease” Tehran when it comes to its nuclear deal.

“Do not embrace the discredited ‘diplomatic solutions’ of the Biden and Obama regimes and think deals can be made with mass murdering terrorists,” Levin said in a post on X. “You do not negotiate with genocidal maniacs, pure and simple.

“Do not appease, as their bloodthirsty ideology cannot be appeased only destroyed,” he warned.

According to the Grossi, Iran has increased its production of uranium enriched to 60% purity levels from an average of 15 pounds each month to more than 65 pounds.

“I think this is a clear indication of an acceleration. They are pressing the gas pedal,” Grossi told reporters, according to Reuters.

The IAEA chief said that while it will take time for Iran to develop the extra centrifuges needed to create more enriched uranium, he believes the international community can expect “to start seeing steady increases from now.”

Iranian newspapers that report Donald Trump has officially taken office as president of the United States are viewed on Jan. 21, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

It is unclear what comments issued by the new Trump administration led Grossi to believe that it might be open to diplomacy given Trump’s repeated commitments to hit Iran with stiff sanctions in a move to end Tehran’s support of state-sponsored terrorism and counter its nuclear program.

Republicans have ardently objected to diplomatic efforts in the past, and Trump, in 2018, pulled the U.S. out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international deal that looked to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Reports this week claimed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had prohibited the development of a nuclear weapon in an apparent olive branch to Trump, though Fox News Digital could not independently confirm this. This alleged ban also would not necessarily prohibit Tehran from developing its nuclear program.

JOHN FETTERMAN AND LINDSEY GRAHAM ADVOCATE FOR THE DESTRU

President Donald Trump stands after delivering remarks on AI infrastructure at the Roosevelt room at White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the White House to confirm whether Trump plans to pursue any diplomatic efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program.

January 22, 2025
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to a probable weekend session to confirm Trump nominees

We’re quickly approaching the fourth weekend of 2025.

And the Senate is already running behind.

This could trigger weekend Senate sessions as Senate Republicans try to accelerate the process on some of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

Senators failed to forge a time agreement to expedite the confirmation of CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe.

SEN. THUNE SUGGESTS STAYING THROUGH WEEKEND TO CONFIRM TRUMP PICKS AFTER DEMS DELAY VOTES: ‘SHOULDN’T BE HARD’

So, here are some Senate vocabulary terms for you.

Cloture, filibuster and ripen.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., filed “cloture” Tuesday to break filibusters on three nominees, starting with Ratcliffe. “Invoking cloture” is the parliamentary means to break a filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., filed “cloture” Tuesday to break filibusters on three Trump nominees – starting with former DNI John Ratcliffe. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A filibuster is in the eyes of the beholder. A filibuster could be a way to hold something up via a lengthy speech. It could be a way to just object and sidetrack the Senate’s course. Or, it could be implied that senators who plan to deploy either option. Thus, the Senate Majority Leader gets the joke. He knows he must “file cloture” to terminate the “filibuster.”

Democrats appear dug in on Ratcliffe. So Thune took the procedural step of filing cloture petitions to overcome a filibuster on the the Ratcliffe nomination, but also for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary nominee Kristi Noem.

By rule, once cloture is filed, it must “ripen” for a day before the Senate may consider it. Thune filed cloture on Ratcliffe Tuesday. Therefore Wednesday serves as the intervening day. The Senate could vote to break the filibuster one hour after the Senate meets on Thursday at 10 am et. By rule, the cloture vote can begin at 11 am et. That will only need 51 yeas to break the filibuster.

SECOND ACTS: PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES HISTORIC COMEBACK

CIA Director is not recognized as a full-level cabinet position. So the “post cloture” time is limited to only two hours – not the full 30 hours of debate allowed for all cabinet level slots.

Thus, if the Senate breaks the filibuster on Thursday, a vote to confirm Ratcliffe as CIA Director could come just two hours later. Confirmation only needs 51 votes.

Next in the queue is the Hegseth nomination. And the process starts all over again.

Pete Hegseth, the president’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, may require a tiebreaking vote by Vice President JD Vance in order to be confirmed. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fox has learned that unless there is a time agreement to accelerate debate on nominees, it is possible that the confirmation vote on Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth could come late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

So let’s say the Senate clears the filibuster on Ratcliffe by late morning. It debates his nomination for a couple of hours. That means the Senate could vote by 3 or 4 p.m. ET to confirm Ratcliffe.

Once Ratcliffe is confirmed, Hegseth is next. The Senate could then vote to break the filibuster on Hegseth on Thursday afternoon. If the Senate breaks the filibuster, that would then trigger up to 30 hours of debate. If all time is used, final confirmation on Hegseth could come late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

Regardless, this is where things get interesting:

Fox is told it’s possible there could be a tie on the confirmation vote for Hegseth. It’s about the math. Republicans have 53 members. Fox is told to keep an eye on Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. All have played their cards close to the vest as to their opinions on Hegseth. If they vote nay, Vice President Vance could need to come to the Capitol to break the tie and confirm Hegseth as Defense Secretary.

No vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a cabinet secretary until former Vice President Mike Pence did so to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary on February 7, 2017. Pence also broke ties to confirm former Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., as ambassador for religious freedom in 2018. He also broke a tie to confirm current Budget Director nominee Russ Vought as Deputy Budget Director in 2018.

Next in line after Hegseth comes a procedural vote on Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., Trump’s pick for Secretary of Homeland Security. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Once the Senate dispenses with the Hegseth nomination, it’s on to a procedural vote for Noem. The Senate would need to break a filibuster on Noem’s nomination. If that vote comes late Friday/early Saturday, the Senate could vote to confirm Noem midday Sunday if they burn all time. If the vote to break the filibuster on Noem comes at a “normal” hour Saturday (say 10 or 11 am et), the Senate doesn’t vote to confirm Noem until Sunday night or Monday if all time is required.

Thune also filed cloture on the nomination of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent late Thursday. So that’s up once Noem is confirmed. If all time is used, Bessent isn’t confirmed until early next week.

And so it goes.

TRUMP NOMINEES COLLINS, STEFANIK TO FACE SENATE GRILLING AS VA, UN PICKS; BESSENT GETS COMMITTEE VOTE

“Do you all have your sleeping bags and cots?” asked Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Everyone is settling in for a slog.

“Right now it appears there’s every indication that votes will be taking place through Saturday. We’ll see if that goes into Sunday or Monday without any days in between. But right now, I’m planning on being there for the weekend for votes,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M.

These confirmations are Thune’s “first rodeo” as majority leader – and his first real opportunity to go to bat on behalf of his party’s interests. (Getty Images)

“I’m happy to be here all weekend, if that’s what it takes,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.

That said, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cautioned that things sometimes accelerate in the Senate. Especially when there’s chatter of late-night votes and weekend sessions.

“I think I’ve seen this game before,” said Durbin Tuesday. “I think it ends with an accommodation and a bipartisan agreement. So I wouldn’t jump too quickly now to reach a conclusion.”

DEM WHO CALLED TRUMP ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’ NOW BLOCKING HIS NOMINEES

That said, there are two factors afoot:

Democrats want to make a point about their reservations Trump nominees – especially those with whom they vehemently disagree or believe are unqualified. So politically, it’s important that they go to the mat and show their base they’re standing up to the President and his cabinet.

By the same token, this is Thune’s first rodeo as Majority Leader. He needs to establish his bona fides as Leader. Politically, Thune must demonstrate he’s fighting for Mr. Trump and his nominees – and willing to keep the Senate in session around the clock. In other words, there’s a new sheriff in town.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

So, unless something changes, everyone is dialed in for some lengthy weekend and even late-night sessions. It’s likely the Senate will confirm President Trump’s nominees.

But it might just take a while.

Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.

January 22, 2025
Mother of missing Marine veteran calls Trump admin a ‘breath of fresh air’ as she continues 12-year search

Debra Tice has spent more than 12 years searching for her son, Austin Tice, a Marine veteran and journalist who was kidnapped in Syria in August 2012.

Through four presidential administrations, she has not lost hope that her son will come home alive. In fact, she calls the new Trump administration a “breath of fresh air.”

“They are thinking about what they need to do, making suggestions, standing ready, having ideas. The burden isn’t on me the way it has been in the past,” Tice told Fox News Digital, referring to the Trump administration.

The Marine veteran’s mother’s first trip back to Damascus, Syria, in over 10 years comes on the heels of a revolution within the war-torn country. Debra Tice has been in Syria for only a few days, but she has already managed to meet with the country’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the group that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.

“It was really quite a surprise that we were able to get a meeting with al-Sharaa. It was a very good meeting,” Tice said.

SYRIA RESCUE-MISSION OPERATOR BELIEVES AUSTIN TICE IS ALIVE AND WILL BE FOUND SOON

Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, right, meets with Debra Tice, the mother of American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in Syria in 2012, and Nizar Zakka, head of non-profit Hostage Aid Worldwide, center, in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (SANA via AP)

Hostage Aid Worldwide, a non-profit organization coordinating Tice’s visit to Syria, was able to take her inside some of the prisons that have been abandoned since the fall of Assad. She said that seeing the conditions in these prisons was “really challenging,” but that she appreciated getting a sense of “what Austin was up against.”

Tice also issued a challenge to those in the U.S. government who “feel like Austin can wait” to go see the prisons for themselves.

“I think if they had to come over here – and I wouldn’t even ask them to spend the night in one of those prisons – but I think if they had gone to see what he may have gone through, maybe they would’ve been more motivated to get Austin out of there.”

TREY YINGST ENTERS ABANDONED SYRIAN DETENTION SITE IN SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICAN JOURNALIST AUSTIN TICE

Debra Tice, mother of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice who disappeared while reporting in Syria in August 2012, attends a press conference as she urged President Donald Trump to help reveal her son’s fate in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 20, 2025. (Bekir Kasim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During a press conference on Monday, Tice offered praise for the incoming Trump administration and confirmed that they have “already reached out” regarding Austin’s case.

“I haven’t experienced that in the past four years, but I am optimistic about their help and involvement. I believe they will act quickly,” Tice said.

Tice also used the press conference to send an emotional message to her missing son. “Austin, if you can hear this somehow, I love you. I know you won’t give up, and I won’t give up either,” Tice said.

Tice added she has “never had any doubt about the fact that Austin is going to walk free. It’s a matter of time, and in my faith it’s God’s timing.”

When speaking about her hope and optimism about finding her son, Tice credited her faith as “100 percent.” She added that, “if I didn’t have my faith, I just think I would crumble into a bunch of really small pieces.”

COLLAPSE OF SYRIA’S ASSAD REGIME RENEWS US PUSH TO FIND AUSTIN TICE

The State Department’s Reward for Justice program is offering $10 million for information relating to locating Austin Tice. (The State Department’s Reward for Justice)

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that “intensive efforts are still underway to find Austin Tice.” Additionally, the spokesperson said that the department is “working to get U.S. officials into Damascus” to aid in the search but is waiting for confirmation that the”conditions are safe and local authorities can accommodate the visit.”

“We have used relevant information, as well as declassified intelligence, to inform the search efforts of Syrian and international partners on the ground in Damascus who are searching for Austin every day,” the spokesperson added.

“They have visited and searched numerous now-uncovered secret prisons, but to date they have not found Austin or any additional information that would help us locate him.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Last month, after receiving a letter from Debra Tice, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to ask Assad for help finding Austin. However, as of now, there are no signs that this has happened.

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

January 22, 2025