A new protest movement is gathering strength in Iran, driven by public outrage over the death of 19-year-old Amir Mohammad Khaleghi, an undergraduate business student at the University of Tehran who was robbed and killed near the dormitory last week.
The post Protests Resurge in Iran After Teen Student Killed near Dorm appeared first on Breitbart.
Demonstrators flocked to the streets of major cities across the country on Wednesday, in protest of President Donald Trump’s aggressive agenda on topics like the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), immigration, tariffs, gender, labor and more.
Since his return to the Oval Office on Jan. 20, Trump has pressed forward with an agenda that puts America first at all costs, whether it is deporting dangerous criminals living in the U.S. illegally or offering buyouts to federal employees with an ultimatum to either return to the office or search for work.
But with what critics say is a harsh approach to leading the country, Trump has ruffled a few feathers, causing people to protest around the country.
The Associated Press reported that the protests were the result of a movement that has organized online under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Websites and accounts across social media called for action with messages like, "reject fascism" and "defend our democracy."
In Austin, Texas, hundreds of protesters took to the streets after protesting on the steps of the state Capitol building.
As the protesters marched, they held signs that read, "Fight, our lives depend on it," "Impeach the b- - - -," and "Texas deserves better," while donning an LGBTQ+ flag and chanting, "Si Se Puede," or in English, "Yes we can."
Protesters also held signs objecting to any influence billionaire Elon Musk may have on the presidency.
About 80 miles south in San Antonio, Texas, hundreds of students from the city’s independent school district walked out in protest of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and mass deportations.
Video posted to social media shows protesters holding signs that said, "This country was made by immigrants," and "The People United Will Defend Immigrant Families," and "The People will Defeat Trump’s Extreme-Right Agenda," while holding flags with Che Guevara, a Cuban revolutionary leader and Marxist who was born in Argentina and became a left-wing hero.
The scenes were similar around the country.
'DEPORTATION FLIGHTS HAVE BEGUN' AS TRUMP SENDS 'STRONG AND CLEAR MESSAGE,' WHITE HOUSE SAYS
In Los Angeles, students walked out of class and gathered in front of city hall to protest against ICE and for the rights of immigrants.
Protesters in Sacramento appeared in droves at the state capitol, shouting rhetoric against Trump and Musk.
And in Phoenix, people protested Trump’s agenda, particularly things like his stance on there only being two genders, as well as tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
While protesters had their voices heard on similar topics at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., another group protested at the U.S. Department of Labor.
Those at the Department of Labor were heard chanting, "Workers United, We’ll Never Be Divided," in protest of the Trump administration’s push to get federal workers back in the office.
Last week, the Trump administration gave nearly 2 million federal employees the option of taking a buyout and getting paid through Sept. 30, but the deadline to take the deal expires on Feb. 6.
Multiple labor unions have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding the buyouts, mainly on the basis that the funds to continue to pay the employees should they take the offer have not been appropriated by Congress for that purpose.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Left-wing activists have planned protests around the United States against President Donald Trump and the early actions of his administration.
The post Left-Wing Activists Protest Against ‘Fascism,’ Trump Across U.S. on Wednesday appeared first on Breitbart.
House Democrats and the family of a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died a day after confronting rioters during the Jan. 6 insurrection scolded President Donald Trump Wednesday over his actions related to the unrest since taking office.
U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and the family of Brian Sicknick gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol to push for a resolution condemning Trump over the blanket pardons for the Jan. 6 defendants and the firing of federal prosecutors on those cases.
"They pardon criminals for violently assaulting cops, and they fire FBI agents and prosecutors for doing their jobs," Raskin said. "That's where we are in America today."
FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION
He added that Trump initially denounced the actions of the rioters before the "process of trying to redefine the meaning of the events of January 6th, to whitewash the atrocities that took place that day, to cover up and to shroud in doubt the violent assaults that took place on the police officers to make people believe that it wasn't Donald Trump's mega mob that attacked us."
Last month, Trump granted clemency to those charged in the riot, even those accused of violently assaulting police officers. In an interview with Fox News, he said the prison sentences for the defendants were excessive.
"These people have served, horribly, a long time," he said.
Thompson said the prosecutors who worked on the Jan. 6 cases were being scapegoated by the Trump administration.
"The people who did the hard work of tracking these 1,500 people down are now being told you didn't do your job," he said. "Now these people either pleaded guilty or they were found guilty, and so many of them assaulted law enforcement people and for now they are being rewarded and the people who are being patriots are being punished."
Ken Sicknick, brother of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, said Trump's pardons reopened wounds from his brother's death.
FBI AGENTS DETAIL J6 ROLE IN EXHAUSTIVE QUESTIONNAIRE EMPLOYEES 'WERE INSTRUCTED TO FILL OUT'
"On January 20th, 2025, a convicted felon and twice-impeached politician pardoned approximately 1,600 criminals responsible for the destruction of property and the destruction of the lives of law enforcement and their families, such as mine," Sicknick said. "They were all convicted through due process. The investigations were thorough. The rule of law that the POTUS and the Republican cronies will tell you they stand for was smashed apart.
"It was smashed apart by the very same person who claimed that he is a friend of the police more than any president who's ever been in office."
Brian Sicknick, 42, suffered two strokes and died of natural causes the day after he confronted rioters during the riot. A medical examiner's report showed that Sicknick was sprayed with a chemical substance around 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 6 and collapsed at the Capitol around 10 p.m. that evening.
He died around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 7, according to the examiner's office. Ken Sicknick noted that most of the defendants released have shown no remorse for their actions.
"We do feel powerless in a lot of cases," he said. "What are we going to do? It's a tiny blue-collar family going against the president of the United States."
Coleman said a purge of Justice Department veteran prosecutors only benefits criminal groups that engage in drug trafficking and terrorism.
"If they were not suddenly the targets of a political takeover of the federal law enforcement, they would be working to stop terrorist attacks, stop drug trafficking and drug dealers, impede human traffickers and prosecute crime across this country if they were not targeted otherwise," she said.
"Now, those efforts will be weakened."
Demonstrators in Arizona took to the streets to protest against President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan on Sunday, and police say officers were assaulted amid the demonstration.
Glendale Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that there was a large group of people who gathered in protest of federal immigration policies.
A police spokesperson said a police vehicle was stolen by one protester but no arrest has been made.
The demonstrator "jumped into one of our patrol vehicles and drove it a short distance before it was quickly recovered," the spokesperson said, adding that the suspect was unknown at that time.
LA FREEWAY BLOCKED BY ANTI-DEPORTATION PROTESTERS IN RESPONSE TO CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Traffic was still shut down in all directions in the area of the protest as of early Monday morning. Glendale and Phoenix Police were on the scene monitoring the situation, which Glendale Police said had begun "to fizzle out due to the excellent work conducted by Glendale and Phoenix Police Officers on scene."
Officers deployed chemical agents to disperse the "unruly and defiant crowd," the Glendale Police spokesperson said.
Several officers were assaulted, police vehicles were damaged and surrounding businesses and personal property were damaged, the spokesperson said.
Investigators will be looking into possible crimes at the protest and will work towards identifying suspects.
Anti-deportation protests were held over the weekend in multiple other cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Houston and Atlanta.
This comes amid the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts — with officials admitting that higher deportation numbers is the goal rather than the removal of violent migrants in the country illegally.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were directed by Trump officials to aggressively increase the number of people they arrest from a few hundred per day to at least 1,200 to 1,500 because the president had been disappointed with the deportation numbers, The Washington Post reported last week.
The president also reversed a directive under the Biden administration that had told immigration officials not to make arrests in sensitive areas like schools and churches.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that the administration is seeking the removal of all immigrants in the country illegally — not just those who committed criminal offenses — and falsely alleged that all migrants accused of being in the U.S. illegally are "criminals."
'DEPORTATION FLIGHTS HAVE BEGUN' AS TRUMP SENDS 'STRONG AND CLEAR MESSAGE,' WHITE HOUSE SAYS
"I know the last administration didn't see it that way, so it's a big culture shift in our nation to view someone who breaks our immigration laws as a criminal, but that's exactly what they are," she said at a press briefing, declining to say if all the migrants in the U.S. illegally had criminal records.
People who cross the border illegally have committed a crime, but simply being in the U.S. illegally is a civil violation, not a criminal one. Someone could be in the country illegally without breaking laws to enter, such as overstaying a Visa.
Trump said in his inauguration speech last month that his administration would quickly deport "millions and millions" of migrants with criminal records, although the number of migrants with criminal records who are in the country without authorization is significantly less than those millions, according to Axios.
Studies also show that both legal and illegal migrants commit crimes at lower rates than U.S. citizens.
FIRST ON FOX: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was jailed last month on charges of corruption, is being compared by supporters to President Donald Trump given the way they say authorities in Pakistan have persecuted him.
Many have linked his situation to Trump’s and blamed the government for jailing the popular former prime minister. Khan’s plight has also been highlighted by longtime Trump ally and adviser Richard Grenell, who took to social media late last year when he tweeted, "Free Imran Khan!"
A Pakistani court sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 and seven years in jail after finding them guilty of corruption. They were convicted for allegedly accepting land as a bribe through the Al-Qadir Trust, which they had set up while Khan was in office. Khan, however, maintains his innocence, describing the events as a "witch hunt" in exclusive comments to Fox News Digital. It is just one of the more than 100 cases he is facing.
PAKISTANI COURT SENTENCES EX-PM IMRAN KHAN AND HIS WIFE TO 14 AND 7 YEARS IN PRISON IN GRAFT CASE
In response to Fox News Digital questions about Khan's conviction, Pakistan's federal minister for information and broadcasting, Ata Ullah TararIn, defended Khan's conviction. "The 190 million pound case is one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of Pakistan, and it is a mega scam in which former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been found to be guilty. There is irrefutable evidence that they not only used the official position to grant illegal favor to a property tycoon, but they also received gratification and formed a sham trust in order to grant this favor to a property tycoon."
He continued, "This is corruption of the highest order, and the former prime minister has been convicted on the basis of irrefutable evidence of corruption and this, this scam, which is the biggest scam in the history of Pakistan, has reached its legal conclusion."
Khan has denied the charges and says his 2023 arrest and consequent sentencing was a plot to stop him from returning to office.
Khan's responses to Fox News Digital questions came via his spokespeople, who communicated them with the former prime minister. Khan noted the parallels between himself and Trump, saying the two shared similar experiences. "The world today needs steadfast leadership that champions peace, democracy, and human rights, and I hope that his leadership can contribute to that vision".
Trump's and Khan's experiences with the authorities share are a key similarity, but their stories mirror each other in ways that go beyond just that.
While Trump transformed the U.S. political scene with his "Make America Great Again" movement, Khan energized Pakistanis with his "Naya Pakistan" (New Pakistan) vision. And in a manner similar to Trump, Khan did away with the elitism of politics, focusing on the average person instead.
Khan told Fox News Digital that his political party "is an inclusive party that represents the diverse fabric of Pakistan." He noted that while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was initially perceived as a party of the educated elite, that notion was "quickly dispelled."
FORMER PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN ARRESTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES BY POLICE
Khan continued, the "PTI resonates with people from all walks of life – rural and urban, middle class and marginalized – and it’s because our policies prioritize inclusion, merit and justice." He added, "We represent all provinces, castes and religions, ensuring that every voice has a place in shaping Pakistan’s future. This inclusivity is what makes us the largest national party, uniting Pakistan under the principles of equity and fairness."
Zuhair Ahmed, a waiter from Lahore, told Fox News Digital, "Imran Khan resonates with a diverse crowd from all ethnic groups and religious sects. We have never seen a leader who has this much grassroots support-base. That’s the beauty of it, and we are confident that he will return to power and make the country better."
PAKISTAN PREPARES FOR PIVOTAL ELECTION AS ONE OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES SERVES JAIL TIME
In Pakistan’s turbulent politics, it has been observed by some analysts that "Allah, the army and America" are the key to rule. Since Trump's return to office, the South Asian nation has been buzzing with speculation and hope over whether he will force Khan's release. The two have a friendly relationship, with Trump calling Khan "a very good friend of mine" at a 2020 forum in Davos. The two first met in Washington in July 2019, which at the time was considered a reset for U.S.-Pakistan relations.
Shortly after Trump's win in November, Grenell wrote on X "Watch Pakistan… Their Trump-like leader is in prison on phony charges, and the people have been inspired by the U.S. Red Wave. Stop the political prosecutions around the world!"
Zulfikar Bukhari, special assistant to Khan, told Fox News Digital "They say Grenell seems to be the second most popular man in Pakistan due to his tweet supporting Khan." He added that Trump prevailed in a similar situation, and "it's only a matter of time before Khan also returns."
Khan tweeted his congratulations to Trump on winning November's presidential election, noting, "The will of the American people held against all odds."
When it comes to national priorities, Trump and Khan have put the economy at the forefront. Khan has also asserted that Pakistan will thrive when he makes his comeback. The country’s economy has teetered on the verge of collapse over the past few years.
"Economic diplomacy will be central to my approach. Pakistan is rich in natural resources, yet we have barely scratched the surface of our potential in agriculture, industrialization, and IT," Khan stated. "These sectors hold immense promise, both domestically and globally."
Explaining his aspirations, Khan concluded, "Rather than relying on handouts, we must focus on self-sufficiency and leveraging our strengths to build sustainable economic relationships. With a population of 250 million, what succeeds internally can and should be positioned globally, creating opportunities for trade and investment that benefit the nation and our international partners alike."
Khan's message to his supporters and foes alike, "The people of Pakistan have never been more awake or more determined. They see with clarity what is happening to their nation, and they understand the forces at play. I firmly believe that truth and justice will ultimately prevail. And as long as I have breath, I will continue to fight for this cause and for a Pakistan that reflects the will and aspirations of its people."
An Iraqi man who carried out several Quran burnings in Sweden has been killed in a shooting near Stockholm, authorities said Thursday.
Salwan Momika, 38, staged several burnings and desecrations of Islam's holy book in Sweden in 2023. Videos of the Quran burnings got worldwide publicity and raised anger and criticism in several Muslim nations, leading to riots and unrest in many places.
THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS RALLY ACROSS IRAQ FOR A 2ND DAY TO CONDEMN THE BURNING OF A QURAN IN SWEDEN
The Stockholm District Court said a verdict scheduled Thursday in a trial in which Momika was a defendant was postponed because one of the defendants had died. A judge at the court, Göran Lundahl, confirmed that the deceased was Momika. He said he didn't have any information on when or how Momika died.
Police said they were alerted to a shooting Wednesday night at an apartment building in Sodertalje, near Stockholm, and found a man with gunshot wounds who later died.
Broadcaster SVT reported that the victim was Momika.
Prosecutors said five people were arrested overnight on suspicion of murder. They said all were adults but gave no further details.
Prosecutor Rasmus Öman said the investigation is still in its early stages and that the suspects and others still have to be questioned.
Momika came to Sweden from Iraq in 2018 and was granted a three-year residence permit in 2021, according to SVT.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sweden's security service was involved because "there is obviously a risk that there is a connection to a foreign power," Swedish news agency TT reported.
Momika argued that his protests targeted the religion of Islam, not Muslim people. He said he wanted to protect Sweden’s population from the messages of the Quran. Swedish police allowed his demonstrations, citing freedom of speech, while filing charges against him.
Last March, he was arrested in neighboring Norway after stating that he would seek asylum there, and was sent back to Sweden, TT reported.
Momika and a co-defendant were charged in August with incitement to hatred because of statements they made in connection with the Quran burnings. A verdict was supposed to be handed down on Thursday morning.
Almost a dozen students have been suspended for a year from New York University (NYU) for demanding divestment from Israel as President Donald Trump's no-nonsense approach to higher education takes hold.
"I think the key thing, and it seems to be going on at NYU, is not that schools come down hard on particular students, is that they enforce the rules evenly," Cornell University professor William Jacobson told Fox News Digital. "The problem with the anti-Israel protesters on campuses is they don't want to obey the existing rules. They don't want to have to live by the rules that everybody else lives by. Whether it's disrupting the library, whether it's blocking the campus flow of pedestrians.
"And as soon as you enforce the rules that everybody else needs to live by, they start playing victim," he said.
COLUMBIA STUDENTS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS WHO STORMED CLASSROOM WITH ANTISEMITIC FLYERS
In a statement following the university's ruling to suspend the student protesters, NYU's Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) argued that the group was participating in anti-war protests and acted nonviolently. On Dec. 11 and 12, a group of NYU students and faculty dropped flyers and hung pro-Palestinian banners throughout the Bobst Library, and others conducted a sit-in on the floor of the library.
"In a draconian case of collective punishment, NYU has issued blanket year-long suspensions to students who participated in nonviolent protest on campus on December 11, 2024," the group posted to its Instagram account. "As of today, at least eleven students have been suspended until January 2026."
"The sit-in was to demand a meeting with administration officials regarding disclosure of and divestment from institutional investments in Israel," the group said. "All students identified as participating in these actions were charged with similar violations of NYU’s code of student conduct."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said that the protests on Dec. 11 and 12 were "not peaceful."
"Rather, it was the intentional disruption of a library, over the course of two days, at a critical academic moment — on the eve of finals. This disruption was accompanied by threats of violence directed at senior members of the university community," he said.
"The disciplinary hearings against NYU student participants that followed, and the resulting sanctions were a consequence of the students' disruptive conduct (not their speech): knowingly violating University and Library rules despite repeated warnings and attempts at de-escalation over several hours," he said.
"It is improper for a small group of people — some not even in our community — to try to prevent or interrupt other students from entering the library or using it to study for finals. Federal law prohibits universities from discussing individual students' disciplinary records, but the University takes these violations of our rules and scholarly norms seriously."
Jacobson said that he believes that the Trump administration will require universities to "insist that the rules be adhered to."
"And those rules mean you cannot create hostile environments for certain religious groups or certain ethnic groups. And what we've seen on many campuses is that, particularly pro-Israel students, Jewish students are being targeted by these groups. They create so-called Zionist-free zones on campus. Well, it's not your right to do that," he said.
"I'm hoping that the Trump administration's Department of Education, to a greater extent than the Biden administration's Department of Education, will look at these things and will treat these students according to the rules and not give them special privileges like they've been used to so far," he said.
More than 100 U.S. colleges and school districts remain under investigation over alleged antisemitism or Islamophobia following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Some settled with federal civil rights investigators in the weeks leading up to Trump's second term.
The civil rights violations fall under Title VI, which bars discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color and national origin at colleges and universities that receive federal funding.
Settlements with the Education Department’s civil rights branch have piled up in recent weeks with the University of Washington, the University of California, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers and the University of Cincinnati. Those follow other voluntary agreements signed by Brown and Temple universities, along with the University of Michigan.
The flurry of settlements with the Biden administration's Department of Education prompted outrage from those who believe that universities are getting "off the hook" for their behaviors.
Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, said the settlements are "toothless" and fail to hold colleges accountable for permitting antisemitism. In a statement, he said the Trump administration should "examine these agreements and explore options to impose real consequences on schools."
Trump has harshly criticized institutions for allowing such protests, promising to halt unruly protests.
"Colleges will and must end the antisemitic propaganda, or they will lose their accreditation and federal support," Trump previously said at a campaign event in September, according to Reuters.
In May, Trump hinted at deporting unrelenting student protesters, telling The Washington Post: "As soon as they hear that, they’re going to behave."
On Wednesday, The New York Post reported that Trump was expected to sign an executive order instructing all federal agencies to identify civil and criminal authorities available to combat antisemitism.
The order would require agency and department heads to provide the White House with recommendations within 60 days and outline plans for the Department of Justice to investigate pro-Hamas graffiti and intimidation, the Post reported.
The executive order also calls for universities to deport student protesters, who were involved in the widespread protests following the Oct. 7 attacks, who are in the U.S. on student visas.
In 2019, during his first term, Trump notably signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to "consider" the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating Title VI cases.
According to the IHRA definition, certain criticisms of Israel, such as "claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor," are considered antisemitic.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the University of Washington, Rutgers, the University of Cincinnati, Brown University and the University of Maryland for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
January 6 defendants who received commutations from President Donald Trump are free to visit the U.S. Capitol without receiving prior permission, a federal judge ruled Monday.
District Judge Amit Mehta issued the order in response to a petition from Trump's Justice Department. Some of the January 6 defendants had included a restriction on visiting the capitol as part of their sentences, and the DOJ requested that those requirements be removed.
Mehta declined to remove the restrictions from their sentencing documents, but acknowledged that the commutation from Trump means those restrictions will not be enforced.
"The U.S. Department of Justice's motion is granted in part and denied in part," Mehta wrote. "The court will not ‘dismiss’ the non-custodial portion of defendants' sentences, but defendants are no longer bound by the judicially imposed conditions of supervised release."
COMMUTED JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS BARRED FROM DC, CAPITOL BUILDING BY FEDERAL JUDGE
The reversal comes days after Mehta imposed the restriction on "Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket," whose sentences were commuted. Those pardoned were not subject to the order.
The order stated, "You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court," adding, "You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square."
NANCY PELOSI SLAMS TRUMP’S ‘SHAMEFUL’ PARDONS OF JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS
While pardons vacate a defendant's conviction, a commutation leaves the conviction in place while lessening the sentence. Mehta had argued that the language of Trump's pardon for the defendants in question had only applied to their terms of imprisonment, and not to the details of their supervised release.
DOJ CONSIDERS CHARGING 200 MORE PEOPLE 4 YEARS AFTER JAN. 6 CAPITOL ATTACK
Jonathan Turley, Fox News Media contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, called the order "very unusual" when it came down last week.
"The judge is relying on the fact that the sentences were commuted, but the defendants did not receive full pardons," Turley told Fox News Digital.
Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants earlier this week after promising to do so at his inaugural parade.
The Justice Department filed a motion Friday asking to lift the order imposed on commuted Jan. 6 defendants barring them from entering Washington, D.C., and the Capitol building. The order was issued by a federal district judge earlier in the day.
In that order, Judge Amit P. Mehta specified it applied to "Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket," whose sentences were commuted.
Those pardoned are not subject to the order.
The order states, "You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court," and, "You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square."
TRUMP PARDONS FORMER DC POLICE OFFICERS CONVICTED IN DEATH OF MAN DURING DEADLY PURSUIT
The filing says the order is effective as of Friday at noon.
Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers, was previously seen in the Capitol complex's Longworth House office building. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Martin filed a motion later Friday to lift all release conditions on the defendants.
"As the terms of supervised release and probation are included in the ‘sentences’ of the defendants, the Court may not modify the terms of supervised release," the filing reads.
President Donald Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants earlier this week, after promising to do so at his inaugural parade.
Trump signed off on releasing more than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The order required the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately on receipt of the pardons.
Those pardoned in his initial order included Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman, who faced a sentence of 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy.
SCHUMER BLASTS TRUMP’S J6 PARDONS AS ‘UN-AMERICAN’
Several prominent figures on the Hill came after Trump and his decision to pardon the defendants.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters the pardons were "deeply un-American."
"There is no other way to describe President Trump's pardon of Jan. 6th defenders than un-American," Schumer said. "It is so deeply un-American to do that, to pardon. And let's be clear, President Trump didn't just pardon protesters. He pardoned individuals convicted of assaulting police officers. He pardoned individuals convicted of seditious conspiracy. And he pardoned those who attempted to undermine our democracy."
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Trump's pardon "shameful," and "a betrayal" to those police officers "who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peacefyl transfer of power."
"The President's actions are an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution," Pelosi said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump has pardoned pro-life protesters convicted under the FACE Act during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
The activists were pardoned just ahead of the March for Life demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
When asked about the pardons, Trump told the press, "We released 23 people that were unjustly put in and having to do with pro-life. And, they will be released, and they'll be out very shortly. It was disgraceful what happened."
Here is the list of confirmed names:
1. Lauren Handy
2. Jonathan Darnel
3. Jay Smith
4. Paula Paulette Harlow
5. Jean Marshall
6. John Hinshaw
7. Heather Idoni
8. William Goodman
9. Joan Bell
10. Herb Geraghty
11. Chester Gallagher
12. Calvin Zastrow
13. Coleman Boyd
14. Paul Vaughn
15. Dennis Green
16. Eva Edl
17. Eva Zastrow
18. James Zastrow
19. Paul Place
20. Caroline Davis
21. Joel Curry
22. Justin Phillips
23. Bevelyn Beatty Williams
24. Christopher Moscinski
Vice President JD Vance is expected to address the annual pro-life march taking place in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL 1/6 DEFENDANTS
In addition to the pro-life protesters, Trump has issued pardons for some Jan. 6 defendants and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
"No administration in history has targeted Christians like the Biden Admin. We saw one persecution after another, from shutting down churches during COVID to raiding pro-lifers homes at the crack of dawn. EVERY pro-life prisoner Biden wrongly imprisoned should be pardoned," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in an X post on Thursday.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is introducing legislation that would dismantle the FACE Act. Many lawmakers have argued that Democratic administrations have weaponized it against pro-life groups and Christians.
A federal district judge issued an order Friday barring certain Jan. 6 defendants with commutations from entering Washington, D.C., or the U.S. Capitol building.
In the filing, Judge Amit P. Mehta specified the order applied to "Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket," whose sentences were commuted.
Those pardoned are not subject to the order.
The order states "You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court" and "You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square."
TRUMP PARDONS FORMER DC POLICE OFFICERS CONVICTED IN DEATH OF MAN DURING DEADLY PURSUIT
The filing says the order is effective as of Friday at noon.
Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers, was previously seen in the Capitol complex's Longworth House office building. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy.
President Donald Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants earlier this week, after promising to do so at his inaugural parade.
Trump signed off on releasing more than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The order required the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately on receipt of the pardons.
Those pardoned in his initial order included Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman, who faced a sentence of 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy.
SCHUMER BLASTS TRUMP’S J6 PARDONS AS ‘UN-AMERICAN’
Several prominent figures on the Hill came after Trump and his decision to pardon the defendants.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters the pardons were "deeply un-American."
"There is no other way to describe President Trump's pardon of Jan. 6th defenders than un-American," Schumer said. "It is so deeply un-American to do that, to pardon. And let's be clear, President Trump didn't just pardon protesters. He pardoned individuals convicted of assaulting police officers. He pardoned individuals convicted of seditious conspiracy. And he pardoned those who attempted to undermine our democracy."
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Trump's pardon "shameful," and "a betrayal" to those police officers "who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peacefyl transfer of power."
"The President's actions are an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution," Pelosi said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fox News Digital's Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
Soon after President Donald Trump took his oath of office across town at the U.S. Capitol, Johng Delacruz, 31, a local Filipino-American nurse, set out from another corner of the nation’s capital, on Meridian Hill off 16th Street NW, joining a cacophony of drums, chants, signs and conversations that left little ambiguity about the ideology bent of the gathering.
A man hoisted a pre-made sign, "SOCIALISM BEATS FACISM!" Beneath the message, the name of the organization that paid for the sign’s production: Democratic Socialists of America.
WOKE ARMY RETREATS IN DC PROTEST, PIVOTS TO ‘FIGHT BACK’ FOR GAZA
A pre-made neon green placard read: "WORKERS RIGHTS & PEOPLES NEEDS. NOT WAR & GENOCIDE," stamped with "Peoples Power Assembly,"
Another slogan, "FIGHT TRUMP’S AGENDA," bore the smaller-print attribution to Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
A pre-printed banner carried by a group of demonstrators read: "WORKERS SHOULD HAVE POWER, NOT BILLIONAIRES!" Below it, the Party for Socialism and Liberation took credit.
"I’m proud to identify as a socialist supporting socialist movements," Delacruz told me without hesitation. "I believe that is the future of humanity and the right side of history. Well, ‘left’ if you will," he added with a laugh.
But you wouldn’t know that from the media coverage of this so-called professional "resistance" to Trump, with the Guardian reporting only that "anti-Trump protests sweep the globe on inauguration day." Voice of America merely describing the demonstrators as "anti-Trump protesters" and NBC News writing that "progressive groups" held marches around the country – not a word about the self-described socialist dreams for many of the groups.
Nearby, three activists bundled in winter clothes carried a banner in the blue and red colors of Puerto Rico’s flag, also waving overhead. It bore the name, Diaspora Pa’lante Collective, advocating for Puerto Rico’s independence—and a socialist government to lead it.
A man and a woman dressed in black masks dramatically pushed a faux guillotine, emblazoned with the ominous message: "COME GET SUM."
These weren’t fringe gatherings of hobbyists. Among them was Medea Benjamin, the rich co-founder of Code Pink, marching with a cardboard heart-shaped sign painted hot pink.
"The media doesn’t give a full and honest reportage of movements like this," Delacruz told me. "It holds a purpose to uphold the status quo of the capitalist system, if you will. If we believe socialism to be the antithesis to capitalism, then of course, it’s not going to cover it. I think at best it’ll say anti-Trump protesters from various grassroots movements, if that. But I highly doubt they will go with the particular calls and demands that we have."
Understanding these demands is crucial. The groups here weren’t just protesting Trump—they were advancing socialism, Marxism and communism. Many of these organizations also have a pro-Russia stance, rooted in a propaganda tradition the Soviet Union pioneered: agitprop. Short for "agitation and propaganda," agitprop combines political messaging with provocative action to influence and mobilize. I call protests like this "agitprop actions."
The journalists I spoke to at the rally admitted they rarely identify the groups behind the protests. "Audiences don’t really understand socialism," one reporter told me. "They tune out when they hear the word." It’s easier to reduce the activists to concepts their readers can grasp.
On the eve of the protest, I stayed up until 3 a.m., researching the ideologies of the 205 groups involved nationwide in the January 20 protests, as part of reporting for the Pearl Project, a nonprofit investigative reporting project that I cofounded. My analysis: 27 were Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, or Islamist; 63 self-identified as socialist; and 115 fell into what I term "adjacent" categories.
The protest industry is a complex and often opaque network of organizations, funding streams and ideological agendas that work together to orchestrate demonstrations, shape public narratives and influence political outcomes, like an effective "agitprop" operation. Understanding this ecosystem is critical because it reveals the motivations, alliances, and strategies behind what often appears to be spontaneous grassroots activism.
Far from being isolated events, protests are frequently coordinated efforts involving global actors, local chapters, and significant financial backing. Through the Pearl Project, I aim to investigate and expose the mechanisms of this industry—identifying the players, tracing their funding and analyzing their impact. By shedding light on how protests are organized and sustained, positioning themselves now as the "resistance" to the Trump administration, I hope to provide transparency and equip the public with a deeper understanding of the forces shaping political discourse and activism.
Walking through Meridian Hill Park revealed these agendas more clearly. The groups’ slogans championed socialism and anti-imperialism in countries like the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, Cuba—and here in the U.S. Their endorsers didn’t hide their intentions.
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The groups’ 205 "endorsers" nationwide don’t hide their agendas. Based in Salt Lake City, "Mormons with Hope for a Better World" says it is "committed to anti-racism, intersectional feminism, Trans and Queer liberation, disability justice, individual bodily autonomy, reproductive justice, socialism, anti-imperialism, and decolonization." Leaders of Qiao Collective, a media outlet say they seek to "be a bridge between the U.S. left and China’s rich Marxist, anti-imperialist political work and thought." The "Project for a Revolutionary Marxist International" has its agenda in its name.
As the march turned from 16th Street NW onto Massachusetts Avenue NW, Lacy MacAuley, 46, became a focal point for cameras. Wearing a disco outfit for a nearby "dance-off protest," she donned a mask over her sunglasses that read: "TRUMP IS SO NOT THE VIBE."
"I am an anarchist," she said with a smile. "I self-identify as one. That means I question and oppose hierarchies and the rule of people over others." While MacAuley criticized socialism as often becoming "too centralized," she added, "It’s thinking in the right direction."
By the end of the day, the protest wound down at Dupont Circle. The scent of marijuana lingered in the air as demonstrators dispersed. One marcher shoved his sign into a trash can, its message peeking out: "WE FIGHT BACK NETWORK."
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What began in January 2017 as the "Women's March" morphed into a smorgasbord of liberal, progressive, and socialist groups rebranded as the "People's March" ahead of President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Despite broadening protest group categories, the rally failed to muster the size of the initial Women's March before Trump's first swearing-in ceremony eight years ago. "Anti-Trump was the only thing the groups seemed to have in common.
The post PHOTOS: Conglomeration of Anti-Trump Leftists March on Washington Mall Ahead of Inauguration appeared first on Breitbart.
As anti-Trump protesters swarmed the steps below the Lincoln Memorial Saturday, media outlets painted a feel-good portrait. NBC4 Washington declared on social media: "Grassroots groups are descending on the capital for the People’s March before President-elect Trump’s inauguration." The Associated Press reported that anti-Trump "demonstrators" "converge" on Washington, D.C., for protests led by the Women’s March, a "grassroots movement."
The Washington Post described the protests as a "joint effort among civil rights, racial and social justice and reproductive health organizations," highlighting the event’s "diverse mix of people."
While this positive media coverage may have captured the energy of ordinary protesters, they omitted one critical detail: the name of for-profit professional machine behind the protest.
THOUSANDS OF LEFT-WING DEMONSTRATORS DESCEND ON WASHINGTON TO PROTEST TRUMP INAUGURATION
Far from a spontaneous outpouring of civic action, the event was coordinated by Movement Catalyst LLC, a for-profit company based in Silver Spring, Md., and the official permit holder for the protests, according to a copy of the permit, which I obtained from the U.S. National Park Service. In the 1990s, covering international trade for the Wall Street Journal, I was among the first reporters to put the term "AstroTurf" into the paper’s pages, describing a coalition against tariffs on minivans that the auto industry called "grassroots" but was actually manufactured by an industry lobbying group. Protest organizing isn’t much different nowadays, and today’s "People’s March" is more AstroTurf than "grassroots." So too is the march planned for Monday, when we can expect more aggressive rabble-rousers to show up, as I reported earlier this week.
A plan, marked "Confidential Document - Not for Distribution" and submitted as part of the permit application, reveals that Movement Catalyst and its team of professional protest organizers coordinated everything from security to dumpster pickups, "port-a-potties" and a meticulously detailed "run of show,"
The confidential document reveals the extraordinary precision with which this event was constructed, down to the golf carts, water stations and even snack distribution for staff.
Why does this matter? Because the public deserves transparency. When media outlets frame such events as grassroots, led by ordinary Americans gathering to voice their concerns, it misrepresents the reality. These are highly coordinated, well-funded initiatives driven by professional organizers. The lack of scrutiny obscures the financial, strategic and political interests behind these movements. It’s critical to follow the money and understand the players using the imagery of grassroots activism to advance their agendas. Often, media outlets will look at conservative events, like the March for Life, with skepticism and scrutiny, while deeming progressive causes as "grassroots." We should have equal-opportunity transparency.
So, what is Movement Catalyst LLC? According to Washington, D.C., government records, it is a limited liability corporation established in February 2021. On its website, Movement Catalysts promotes its for-profit services, writing it’s an "experienced and interdisciplinary team of strategists, organizers, campaigners, and researchers" who launch "strategic projects to meet the moment," partnering with organizations to "expand their ability to have an impact, and anchor movement infrastructure." Its officials didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The People’s March is one of those "strategic projects," and the company’s services include "strategy & campaign development" and "creative protests & events." A look at its funding reveals the scale of its operations. In 2021, Movement Catalyst LLC received $592,050 from the New York-based Sustainable Markets Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for "web campaign development," according to its IRS Form 990 filing. Then, in 2023, Philadelphia-based Workers United, working on "organizing the unorganized collective bargaining," paid Movement Catalyst LLC a total of $319,600, according to its tax filing. The services provided? "CONSULTANT." This is far from a "grassroots," mom-and-pop operation run over a kitchen table.
The confidential document lists four top officials at Movement Catalyst, as "protest leads":
The document also includes a polished map for staff and volunteers, marked "FOR INTERNAL USE - STAFF & VOLUNTEERS," detailing traffic flow and staging areas at Franklin Park, McPherson Square and Farragut Square. The "Production Schedule for People’s March" reveals the granular level of planning: "Portable restrooms," "Golf carts," "Tents," "Stage," Tables," "Chairs," "Leaflets, pamphlets," "Signs, banners," "Bullhorns" and Movement Catalyst for "Paid Team Clean Up."
"Miscellaneous" items include walkie-talkies, "500 cardboard trash receptacles," "5000 masks," hand sanitizer, earbuds, "snacks for volunteers and staff," "coffee and catering for staff," sweatshirts, scarves, t-shirts, "office supplies" and "badges for staff."
Mortell Industries provided restroom trailers, "Metro Golf Car" delivered golf carts, and Bell Visuals managed live-streaming. The permit lists "Site Security" as "Omni Ranger Solutions." Bell Visuals, a D.C. company quietly behind many of protest messages projects around the nation’s capital, is listed among the vendors for live-streaming.
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The "PRODUCTION SCHEDULE" and "RUN OF SHOW/RALLY PROGRAM" was scripted with leaders and performers from many big-money organizations, including the Women’s March, Popular Democracy in Action, Standing Up for Racial Justice, Harriet’s Wildest Dreams and Dream Defenders. Movement Catalyst promised to provide at least 750 "identifiable marshals," each wearing "hi-visibility vests and volunteer credentials."
This level of professionalism is not new in modern protests, but rarely are the details disclosed so explicitly. The public has a right to know when well-financed organizations use the guise of grassroots activism to promote their interests. Transparency ensures accountability and enables a more informed discussion about the role of professional activism in shaping public discourse.
Behind the music, speeches and banners lies a highly coordinated operation, far removed from the grassroots imagery projected by the media. This matters because democracy thrives on truth, and understanding who pulls the strings is essential for an informed citizenry. Professional organizing is most certainly legal, but in this day of misinformation, it’s critical to examine who is driving movements cast as "grassroots," so the public isn’t misled.
Sunday morning's plans, from 4 a.m. until 5 a.m., includes a final essential: "Load out dumpsters and portable restrooms."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken's final press conference shortly devolved into chaos Thursday after reporters had to be forcibly removed from the event, including one, an activist, who was physically carried out.
The men were upset that a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel had not been reached sooner, accusing Blinken of "genocide" and being a "criminal."
Writer and activist Sam Husseini had to be dragged out of the event by security. Another reporter, Grayzone News' Max Blumenthal, left more peacefully, but still had to be escorted out after shouting questions at Blinken about why he kept "the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?"
ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'Americans will be part of that'
"You pontificate about a free press?" Husseini erupted. "I'm asking questions after being told by Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions, and so I ask them. Wasn't – wasn’t the point of the May 31st statement to block the ICJ orders? You blocked the ICJ orders!"
Blumenthal questioned Blinken on why he allowed "the Holocaust of our time" as he was escorted out, but that didn't stop the uproar. Blinken kept trying to get back on course amid the interruption, at one point asking people to "respect the process," but Husseini refused.
"Oh, respect the process?" Husseini yelled as he was being carried away. "Respect the process while everybody – everybody from the International – from Amnesty International to the ICJ’s saying that Israel’s doing genocide and extermination, and you’re telling me to respect the process. Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague?"
Three security guards ultimately had to grab Husseini in an attempt to remove him from the room. Husseini shouted as he clasped the table he was sitting at while he continued shouting at Blinken: "You are hurting me. You are hurting me!"
The United States, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Hamas agreed this week to a ceasefire deal – the basis of which was proposed by President Joe Biden in May. Israel still has to fully ratify the agreement, but it is a three-phase process that is expected to potentially commence as early as Sunday. The deal marks the first reprieve in fighting since a short truce took place in November 2023, but fighting resumed several days later with both sides arguing violations of the agreed upon deal.
HAMAS USES BODIES AS ‘NEGOTIATION CHIPS,’ SAYS FATHER OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE IN GAZA
"Three hundred reporters in Gaza were on the receiving end of your bombs. Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal?" Blumenthal shouted at Blinken, after the Secretary of State thanked members for their "hard questions" during the past four years of his tenure. "You all knew we had a deal. Everyone in this room knows we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing."
A spokesperson for the State Department told Fox News Digital that it is committed to advancing press freedom and values the opportunity to regularly communicate with members of the press. But, the agency spokesperson said the State Department also follows agency norms, which posit that anyone attending department press briefings must act in a professional manner, observe restrictions that may be laid out in advance and not impede other speakers.
Blinken defended the Biden administration's policy approach to the fighting in Gaza during his final press conference as Secretary of State on Thursday. He did acknowledge that the war in Gaza posed a "uniquely challenging situation" due to the humanitarian issues Palestinians faced after Hamas launched their attack on Oct. 7, 2023. He also acknowledged that the U.S. had "real differences with Israel on the way it’s gone about the necessary defense of its people and its country."
But, according to President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, the Biden administration does "not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide," he said earlier this year.
The deal reached this week hit a quick snag when Hamas sought to push last-minute demands into the deal. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure from far-right politicians not to go through with the deal. Still, on Friday morning, Netanyahu said that, pending approval by Israel's security cabinet and government, the proposed ceasefire and hostage deal was still on and expected to commence Sunday.
The confirmation hearing for Trump's Energy Secretary pick Chris Wright was interrupted at least five times within the first hour by raging, left-wing climate activists.
The post Climate Protesters Disrupt Confirmation Hearing for Trump’s Energy Secretary Pick appeared first on Breitbart.
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who was tapped to lead the Department of State under the second Trump administration, was repeatedly interrupted by protesters during his Senate hearing on Wednesday.
One female protester was heard shouting at Rubio in Spanish, while at least two men, including one wearing pink, were seen being pulled out of the hearing by Capitol Police after shouting.
"I get bilingual protesters," Rubio quipped after a protester yelled at him in Spanish, earning laughter from the crowd.
Ahead of the hearing kicking off on Wednesday morning, Fox News Digital spotted Code Pink protesters wearing bright pink with shirts reading, "hands of Iran," and "stop killing the children of Gaza." They also sported anti-Rubio stickers on their headbands and hats.
HEGSETH INTERRUPTED BY MULTIPLE PROTESTERS DURING SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING
Protesters were warned by the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ahead of the hearing kicking off to not disrupt proceedings, saying they will be removed from the hearing and would not be permitted to a public hearing for at least a year.
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING
PROTESTS ERUPT IN CHRIS WRIGHT'S CONFIRMATION HEARING
"Distractions will include not only noise, not only standing up, not only holding up painted hands, painted signs. None of that will be allowed. If you do that, I'm going to pause the committee. I'm going to ask our friends, first of all, my, my faithful, Sergeant at Arms here -- who's, perhaps, tougher than the Capitol Police. But also the Capitol Police to assist. And, we will pause briefly … If you are removed, you'll not be permitted back into one of these public hearings for at least 12 months. And, that's the purpose of this is, as I've stated, and it's important work," Republican Idaho Sen. James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in opening remarks.
A handful of President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his cabinet are facing Senate hearings this week ahead of his inauguration on Monday.
Department of Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright's confirmation hearing was also interrupted by protesters on Wednesday, who shouted if his policies would "put out the fires in LA."
Protesters also interrupted Pete Hegseth's Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, when he joined the Senate Armed Services Committee and he was grilled by lawmakers ahead of a committee vote and final confirmation vote on his nomination as secretary of Defense.
JD VANCE SPELLS OUT WHAT TRUMP'S PROCESS TO 'RECTIFY' 'UNFAIR' JAN 6 PROSECUTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE
"Veterans are committing suicide and are homeless, but we send money to bomb children in Gaza," one female protester wearing fatigues shouted as she was escorted from the hearing, Fox News Digital video shows.
An elderly man who was handcuffed with zipties was also seen being escorted out of the hearing. Another man, also appearing to wear fatigues, was seen being carried out by Capitol Police.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Hegseth about the protesters during his hearing, including regarding the war in Israel that has been ongoing since 2023.
"Another protester, and I think this one was a member of Code Pink, which, by the way, is a Chinese communist front group these days, said that you support Israel's war in Gaza. I support Israel's existential war in Gaza. I assume, like me and President Trump, you support that war as well," Cotton said.
"I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas," Hegseth responded.
"Lone actors" pose the greatest threat to safety during the upcoming presidential inauguration events, according to U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger.
He referenced two incidents last week on Capitol Hill where people sought to "disrupt" congressional proceedings with potentially violent tactics.
An estimated 250,000 ticketed guests will attend the formal inauguration on Jan. 20, according to law enforcement.
That will be supplemented by another 25,000, who law enforcement expect will attend various demonstrations going on around the Capitol on Inauguration Day. The inauguration and its accompanying events have been designated a "National Special Security Event," the highest federal protective status an event can receive, authorities said.
"The biggest threat, I think, for all of us remains the lone actor," Manger said Monday. "Just in the past week, while President Carter was lying in state, we had two lone actors show up at the Capitol: one trying to bring in knives and a machete; another one who was trying – what I believe – to disrupt the proceedings by setting their car on fire down in the peace circle area."
"Capitol Police were able to interdict these folks before they had a chance to do any harm. But that threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us being at this heightened state of alert throughout the next week."
TRAVEL TIPS FOR ATTENDING PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP'S INAUGURATION AS EXPERTS WEIGH IN
Manger's remarks came during a Monday press conference with federal and local law enforcement officials, including leaders from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police, during which they discussed their preparation for the inauguration.
Representing the FBI was the assistant director in charge of the agency's Washington field office, David Sundberg, who said the FBI was "not currently tracking any specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or to the Capitol complex."
The upcoming week of events will be secured similarly to the two high-profile National Special Security Events from last week, the presidential election certification and the late President Jimmy Carter's funeral, authorities indicated. However, the inauguration will get a little extra support from roughly 4,000 local law enforcement officers who have volunteered to help and an estimated 7,800 National Guard soldiers who will deploy to the nation's capital. In total, according to the Secret Service's special agent in charge of the agency's Washington field office, Matt McCool, a total of about 25,000 law enforcement officers will be on duty.
ABBOTT ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP'S INAUGURATION DESPITE ONE MONTH ORDER TO HONOR CARTER
The inauguration will get extra concrete barriers and more than 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, which is more than has been used for any National Special Security Event in the past.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said that the district is expecting to see 12 different First Amendment demonstrations during the inauguration. Smith said that while the "MPD will ensure your right to peacefully protest," they "will not tolerate any violence."
"I want to reiterate – as I always have – that violence, destruction and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated," Smith said Monday. "Offenders will face swift and decisive consequences."
When asked by a reporter what the biggest difference was between this inauguration and the last in 2021, McCool said there is a "slightly more robust security plan."
"We've learned," McCool said. "This is our fifth NSSE this year in the Washington field office. We've done 83 NSSEs, each one we take a look at, and if there's areas where we need to improve, we do it. But what I can tell you is that we are 100% confident in the plan that we have put in place for this inauguration that the public and our protectees will be safe."
The focus on President-elect Donald Trump's vow to pardon Jan. 6 protesters is sharpening, with his return to the White House just eight days away.
Vice President-elect JD Vance — who, like Trump, has been critical of a justice system allegedly weaponized against the protesters — laid out how their offenses might be weighed when considering the pardons.
"If you protested peacefully on January 6th, and you've had Merrick Garland's Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned," Vance told Fox News' Shannon Bream during an exclusive one-on-one interview that aired Sunday.
"If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn't be pardoned, and there's a little bit of a gray area there, but we're very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law. And there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that."
TRUMP ASKS ABOUT ‘J-6 HOSTAGES’ IN RESPONSE TO BIDEN'S PARDON OF HUNTER: ‘SUCH AN ABUSE’
Trump previously pledged to pardon Jan. 6 protesters on day one of his incoming administration, telling NBC's Kristen Welker last month that people on the Jan. 6 committee in Congress belonged in jail instead.
"I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases," Trump told Welker as he spelled out his plans. "But I’m going to be acting very quickly."
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM
The incoming administration faces a slew of challenges ranging from the border crisis to hostages in the Middle East to domestic disaster relief once all members are sworn in.
Relentless wildfires tearing through southern California are but one of the issues Trump's administration will have to address. With a rift growing between Trump and state Democratic officials, the intended path forward seems unclear.
"President Trump is committed to doing a better job when it comes to disaster relief. That's true for the hurricane victims and flood victims in North Carolina. It's true for the fire victims in California. We just have to do a better job. We need competent, good governance," Vance said.
"That doesn't mean you can't criticize the governor of California for, I think, some very bad decisions over a very long period of time. Some of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are trying to put out these fires. There is a serious lack of competent governance in California, and I think it's part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad. We need to do a better job at both the state and federal level."
Newsom's press office, meanwhile, addressed Trump's previous remarks that criticized the governor for allegedly mismanaging the water supply, with an X post, stating, "LADWP said that because of the high water demand, pump stations at lower elevations did not have enough pressure refill tanks at higher elevations, and the ongoing fire hampered the ability of crews to access the pumps."
It added, "Broadly speaking, there is no water shortage in Southern California right now, despite Trump's claims that he would open some imaginary spigot."
Fox News' Hanna Panreck and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
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