President Donald Trump met with Marc Fogel’s mother on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania, and vowed to bring her son home if elected, just before an assassination attempt nearly took his life. 

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., was there for the meeting between Trump and Malphine Fogel before the president took the stage. 

"The president survived the assassination attempt on July 13 in Butler, and he fulfilled his commitment to Mrs. Fogel that he would get her son home," Kelly told Fox News Digital. "It is an incredible, providential story." 

MOTHER OF FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL THANKS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: 'HE KEPT HIS PROMISE'

During the rally, after his meeting with Fogel's mother, Trump was showing off a chart highlighting how illegal immigration skyrocketed under the Biden-Harris administration. As he turned toward the chart, he was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear by the now-deceased would-be-assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Trump credits the chart for saving his life. 

Kelly likened the situation to the classic movie "It’s a Wonderful Life." 

"The theme of the movie was that George Bailey was very frustrated, but he was given a glimpse of life and what would have happened if he hadn’t been there – if he hadn’t been born," Kelly recalled. "And if I go back to July 13, this is all providential." 

"Mrs. Fogel has a chance to talk to the president, and she talks about what is happening to Marc. The president vows to get him home," Kelly continued. "It is a take-off of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and the opportunity, or the dilemma, that if you were never born, what would the consequences have been?" 

"If President Trump did not survive the assassination attempt on July 13, Marc Fogel wouldn’t be home today," Kelly said.  

Fogel, an American teacher from Western Pennsylvania, returned to the United States late Tuesday, after Trump secured his release. Fogel was arrested in 2021 at an airport in Russia for possession of medical marijuana and was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian prison. 

AMERICAN MARC FOGEL RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN CUSTODY

Kelly told Fox News Digital that "it is all about faith." 

"Having been there and witnessed it, I think to myself, ‘Oh my goodness, that tiny fraction of an inch, or whatever it was, is the difference between Marc Fogel being home and Marc Fogel not being home,’" he said. "Between making a promise to his mother and being able to keep it, as opposed to making a promise and never getting a chance to fulfill it." 

Malphine Fogel recalled the Butler meeting with Trump on Fox News Channel's "America Newsroom." 

"I met with President Trump, and he was just as cordial as he could be," she said. "He told me three different times, 'If I get in,' he said, 'I'll get him out' and I really think he's been instrumental." 

Malphine Fogel told Fox News that "it was a total surprise" when she heard from her son from the Moscow airport. 

"So, that meant that (they) had taken him out of the prison to Moscow.... The last week or so, for some crazy reason, I had a better feeling about things, but I hadn't heard from him in a week, so I thought that was odd and when he called…  it was just a total shock," she said. 

Meanwhile, Kelly told Fox News Digital, "There is a certain time in people’s lives where you realize you don’t have forever, you have right now, and you need to get it done." 

"Politically, there is no one on either side of the aisle that could look at what happened with Marc Fogel and not somehow say, this is truly providential – this is not a political move," Kelly said. "This doesn’t do anything for the president. He's already elected. He did this to keep a promise to a mother in her mid 90s – the only thing she wanted to see before she died was her son one more time." 

Kelly added: "This is a promise made. Promise kept. It is truly providential. It is. It is a wonderful life." 

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., penned a letter to newly sworn-in Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, warning that the United Kingdom's reported new order demanding backdoor Apple data jeopardizes Americans.

The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, referenced recent press reports that the U.K.’s home secretary "served Apple with a secret order last month, directing the company to weaken the security of its iCloud backup service to facilitate government spying." The directive reportedly requires the company to weaken the encryption of its iCloud backup service, giving the U.K. government the "blanket capability" to access customers’ encrypted files. 

Reports further state that the order was issued under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016, commonly known as the "Snoopers’ Charter," which does not require a judge’s approval. 

"Apple is reportedly gagged from acknowledging that it received such an order, and the company faces criminal penalties that prevent it from even confirming to the U.S. Congress the accuracy of these press reports," Wyden and Biggs note. 

TULSI GABBARD SWORN IN AT WHITE HOUSE HOURS AFTER SENATE CONFIRMATION

The United Kingdom has been increasingly cracking down on British citizens for opposition commentary, especially online posts and memes opposing mass migration. As riots broke out in the U.K. last August after a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event left three girls dead and others wounded, London's Metropolitan Police chief warned that officials could also extradite and jail U.S. citizens for online posts about the unrest. 

The letter, however, described the threat of China, Russia and other adversaries spying on Americans.

Wyden, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Biggs, who chairs a House Judiciary subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, asked Gabbard to "act decisively to protect the security of Americans’ communications from dangerous, shortsighted efforts by the United Kingdom (U.K.) that will undermine Americans’ privacy rights and expose them to espionage by China, Russia and other adversaries." 

The Washington Post was among the outlets to report about the U.K. order. 

"These reported actions seriously threaten the privacy and security of both the American people and the U.S. government," Wyden and Biggs wrote. "Apple does not make different versions of its encryption software for each market; Apple customers in the U.K. use the same software as Americans. If Apple is forced to build a backdoor in its products, that backdoor will end up in Americans’ phones, tablets, and computers, undermining the security of Americans’ data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products." 

The letter also references a Chinese hacking operation known as "Salt Typhoon." Last year, the Biden White House admitted the Chinese hacked at least nine U.S. telecommunications companies. 

"The Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telephone carriers’ wiretapping systems last year – in which President Trump and Vice President Vance’s calls were tapped by China – provides a perfect example of the dangers of surveillance backdoors," the letter says. "They will inevitably be compromised by sophisticated foreign adversaries and exploited in ways harmful to U.S. national security. As the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI confirmed last November, People’s Republic of China (PRC)-affiliated actors were involved in ‘copying of certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.’" 

TRUMP LANDS KEY TULSI GABBARD CONFIRMATION FOLLOWING UPHILL SENATE BATTLE

"While the U.K has been a trusted ally, the U.S. government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means. If the U.K. does not immediately reverse this dangerous effort, we urge you to reevaluate U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as U.S. intelligence sharing with the U.K.," the letter says.

Citing a December 2023 report by the U.K. Parliament’s intelligence oversight committee, the letter states that the U.K. benefits greatly from a "mutual presumption towards unrestricted sharing of [Signals Intelligence]" between the U.S. and U.K. and that "[t]he weight of advantage in the partnership with the [National Security Agency] is overwhelmingly in [the U.K.’s] favour." 

"The bilateral U.S.-U.K. relationship must be built on trust. If the U.K. is secretly undermining one of the foundations of U.S. cybersecurity, that trust has been profoundly breached," Wyden and Biggs wrote. 

At her confirmation hearing, Gabbard stated that "backdoors lead down a dangerous path that can undermine Americans' Fourth Amendment rights and civil liberties." In written responses to senators' questions, she also said, "mandating mechanisms to bypass encryption or privacy technologies undermines user security, privacy, and trust and poses significant risks of exploitation by malicious actors."

"We urge you to put those words into action by giving the U.K. an ultimatum: back down from this dangerous attack on U.S. cybersecurity, or face serious consequences," Wyden and Biggs wrote.

The letter asks Gabbard specifically whether the Trump administration was made aware of the reported order, either by the U.K. or Apple, prior to the press reports and, if so, when and by whom. They also ask what the Trump administration's understanding is of U.K. law "and the bilateral CLOUD Act agreement with regard to an exception to gag orders for notice to the U.S. government." Wyden and Biggs asked what the Trump administration's understanding is "of its obligation to inform Congress and the American public about foreign government demands for U.S. companies to weaken the security of their products, pursuant to the CLOUD Act?" The letter asked that unclassified answers be provided by March 3. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Apple and the White House regarding the letter, but neither immediately responded.

President Donald Trump is on the cusp of seeing his 14th Cabinet member confirmed in former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. 

Gabbard is slated for a final Senate confirmation vote to be Trump's director of national intelligence (DNI) after midnight in the early morning hours of Wednesday. 

This is when the 30 hours of post-cloture debate expires on her nomination. Frequently, the debate between the cloture motion and the final vote is minimized in what's referred to as a "time agreement" between Republicans and Democrats. But with the controversial nature of Gabbard's nomination and ongoing frustrations with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its government audit, no such agreement is expected. 

NOEM, HEGSETH, BONDI PLEAD WITH CONGRESS FOR MORE BORDER FUNDING AMID LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATIONS

Gabbard is expected to be confirmed and has already amassed support from hesitant Republicans who voted against Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, requiring Vice President JD Vance to break the tie in the upper chamber. 

Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who are often considered the conference's moderate members, have both already come out in support of Gabbard. Both lawmakers voted against confirming Hegseth. 

LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMER: THE LITTLE-KNOWN TRUMP NOMINEE WHO MAY NEED TO RELY ON DEMS

Collins is a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and voted in favor of the nomination, helping advance it to the full Senate floor. 

Gabbard also snagged the backing of key Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Todd Young, R-Ind., despite the latter being uncertain before the committee vote. 

TRUMP NOMINEE TULSI GABBARD CLEARS LAST HURDLE, HEADS FOR FINAL CONFIRMATION VOTE

Young is also on the Intel Committee and ultimately voted to advance her to the floor, but only after some prodding and discussions with Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Vance, who operated rigorous operations to ensure the nomination got through. 

SCHUMER REVEALS DEM COUNTER-OFFENSIVE AGAINST TRUMP'S DOGE AUDIT

Some concerns that followed Gabbard through her confirmation hearing were her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. 

But these worries were apparently quelled by her answers and the persuasive support of both Cotton and Vance.

President Donald Trump's nominee to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, cleared her last procedural hurdle on Monday evening, paving the way for a final confirmation vote later this week. 

The motion passed by a vote of 52-46, along party lines. 

At one time considered perhaps the most vulnerable of Trump's picks, the former Democratic congresswoman got past another key vote, defeating the legislative filibuster's threshold on nominations.

SCHUMER REVEALS DEM COUNTER-OFFENSIVE AGAINST TRUMP'S DOGE AUDIT

The Monday vote's outcome was much more certain than that of her Senate Select Committee on Intelligence vote last week, which depended on a handful of senators who had potentially lingering concerns. 

TRUMP'S KEY TO CABINET CONFIRMATIONS: SENATOR-TURNED-VP VANCE'S GIFT OF GAB

But Republicans signaled confidence in her confirmation in the full Senate, evidenced by their slating it while Vice President JD Vance is in Europe representing the U.S. at events and meetings, and is not around to break a tie in the upper chamber. Vance notably had to break a tie to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 

The vote teed up a final confirmation vote on Wednesday, as Democrats are expected to use all 30 hours of post-cloture time to debate, rather than reaching a time agreement with Republicans to expedite it. 

INSIDE SEN. TOM COTTON'S CAMPAIGN TO SAVE TULSI GABBARD'S ENDANGERED DNI NOMINATION

Gabbard advanced out of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence last week, snagging the support of crucial GOP Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Todd Young, R-Ind.

In a final vote, Gabbard can only lose 3 Republican votes, assuming she does not get any Democratic support, as was the case in the committee vote. 

LEADER THUNE BACKS SENATE GOP BID TO SPEED PAST HOUSE ON TRUMP BUDGET PLAN

Gabbard already has an advantage over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as Collins supports her. The senator was notably one of three votes against Hegseth. 

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has revoked the security clearances of people he does not respect, which includes his political enemies.

"There are people that we don’t respect. If there are people that we thought that were breaking the law, that came very close to it in previous years, we do it. And we’ve done it with some people," Trump told reporters, according to The Hill.

This comes after Trump on Friday pulled former President Joe Biden's security clearance and stopped his daily intelligence briefings.

'JOE, YOU’RE FIRED': PRESIDENT TRUMP REVOKES BIDEN'S SECURITY CLEARANCES, INTEL BRIEFINGS

"We’ve done it with Biden himself. Biden himself. We think our country is not as safe when you gave him clearance," Trump said on Sunday.

"We don’t think he knows what he’s doing and what he’s done to this country is a disgrace, and what he’s done in terms of allowing criminals, murderers, drug lords into our country, people from mental institutions into our country, he should be ashamed of himself," he added.

The president argued that there is no need for Biden to receive a security clearance or receive daily intelligence briefings.

He had cited former special counsel Robert Hur’s report last year into Biden’s handling of classified materials. The report highlighted the former president's frequent memory lapses and led to increased scrutiny from Republicans about his mental fitness.

"There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information," Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social. "Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings."

"He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents," Trump's post continued. "The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from 'poor memory' and, even in his 'prime,' could not be trusted with sensitive information. I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

TRUMP REMOVED ANTONY BLINKEN, LETITIA JAMES, ALVIN BRAGG'S SECURITY CLEARANCES, AMONG OTHERS

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Trump has also revoked the clearances of former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

He also pulled Secret Service protection for his former national security adviser John Bolton last month and security protection for his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, despite both men facing threats from Iran over their hawkish foreign policy positions towards the country.

The Justice Department and a group of FBI agents reached an agreement in federal court Friday over the dissemination of information about FBI agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigation.

According to the text of the deal, the Trump administration cannot release information about the FBI agents who investigated the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot without giving plaintiffs at least two days' notice so that the matter can be considered again in federal court.

It does not, however, place such a time limit on the dissemination of agents' identities to other government agencies or the White House. 

The deal resolves, at least for now, a dispute over the release of information that agents said they feared could be used for retaliation or leaked to the public.

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

The agreement comes after active FBI agents and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association, a voluntary agents’ group, sued the Justice Department earlier this week seeking to block the release of any identifying information about FBI agents involved in the January 6 investigations.

The two parties tussled for hours in court on Thursday in front of U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who questioned both parties at length on the nature of DOJ's questionnaire, the potential for disclosures or retaliation and how the Justice Department intends to use information divulged in the questionnaires.

The agreement defers any immediate relief for plaintiffs, pushing to March 27 their hearing for a preliminary injunction. 

FBI AGENTS SUTE TRUMP DOJ TO BLOCK ANY PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED ON JAN.6 INVESTIGATIONS

Cobb previously granted the two parties a brief administrative stay on Thursday evening, saying that if the information was released she believed it "would put FBI agents in immediate danger."

The agreement comes just days after FBI leadership said it had provided the Justice Department with a list of agents who worked on Jan. 6 investigations and criminal cases, in keeping with an earlier deadline set by U.S. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.

"Plaintiffs assert that the purpose for this list is to identify agents to be terminated or to suffer other adverse employment action," lawyers for the FBI agents said, adding that they "reasonably fear that all or parts of this list might be published by allies of President Trump, thus placing themselves and their families in immediate danger of retribution by the now pardoned and at-large Jan. 6 convicted felons."

BONDI SWORN IN AS ATTORNEY GENERAL WITH MISSION TO END 'WEAPONIZATION' OF JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

Lawyers for the agents argued that any effort to review or discriminate against agents involved in the investigation would be "unlawful and retaliatory," and a violation of civil service protections under federal law.

They also cited "profound concern" that the list of thousands of FBI agents involved would be leaked to the public, threatening their safety. 

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Justice Department stressed that their intent in issuing the questionnaire was to conduct an "internal review" of activities in the Jan. 6 probe, not to punish individuals for carrying out orders. 

Bove also sought to emphasize this message in an all-staff email to FBI personnel earlier this week. In the email, Bove stressed that the questionnaire was not intended to be a first step to mass layoffs, and stressed it was simply intended for review.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's director of national intelligence (DNI) pick, said the attack on Sept. 11 likely could have been prevented if not for government "stovepiping," where government officials deliver intelligence directly to high-ranking officials without broadening communications. 

"There's a general consensus that there was a massive intelligence failure," Republican Sen. Roger Wicker said during Gabbard's hearing regarding 9/11. "This caught us all by surprise, even though the the World Trade Center had been attacked earlier. Do you think stovepipeing was a problem in our intelligence failure?"

"There's no question about it, senator," Gabbard said before Wicker asked her to elaborate. 

"Senator, when we looked back at the post-9/11 reporting and the post-assessments that were made, it was very clear, that there was stovepiping of information and intelligence that occurred at many levels, at the highest, but also at the lowest levels," she said. 

'LIES AND SMEARS': TULSI GABBARD RAILS AGAINST DEM NARRATIVE SHE'S TRUMP'S AND PUTIN'S 'PUPPET'

"Information that was collected by the FBI, information that was collected by the CIA was not being shared. It was almost ships passing in the night where if there was an integration of those intelligence elements and information being shared, it is highly likely that that horrific attack could have been prevented," she said. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

Wicker pressed if the intelligence community could face another "stovepipe" issue in the future if plans to trim the DNI office of redundant jobs and increase efficiency, as Gabbard has said she will do, is put into effect. 

"And that's the reason, really, your position was created," Wicker told Gabbard after she said 9/11 likely could have been prevented. "There's been some discussion this morning, I again, have not been able to listen in, but I understand there's been some discussion about reforming the office of DNI, to eliminate redundancy and increase effectiveness. Do you worry that in doing so, we might be getting back to the same problem that we had in 2001?"

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SPARKS BACKLASH FOR CLAIMING TULSI GABBARD IS A RUSSIAN ASSET

"The problem that we had in 2001, senator, remains at the forefront of my mind. And as you said, this is exactly why the ODNI was created. Given my limited vantage point not being in this seat, I am concerned that there are still problems with stovepiping that need to be addressed. And in some cases, my concern would be that unnecessary bureaucratic layers may be contributing to that problem. This is where coming in and being able to really take a fresh look, given my experience and my background, will be essential to making sure that the ODNI is accomplishing the reason why it was created in the first place," she responded. 

Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House representing Hawaii during the 2012 election cycle, serving as a Democrat until 2021. She did not seek re-election to that office after throwing her hat in the 2020 White House race. 

She left the Democratic Party in 2022, registering as an independent, before becoming a Republican this year and offering her full endorsement of Trump amid his presidential campaign before Trump named her his DNI pick.

She appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of the last leg of her confirmation process. Fox News Digital reported ahead of the hearing that Gabbard does not currently have a majority of its members' votes, which are necessary to move to the full Senate, according to a senior Intel Committee aide. 

Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson contributed to this report. 

Director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard shed further light on her 2017 meeting with then-Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a trip that has come under the microscope since President Donald Trump nominated the former congresswoman. 

"There is not a great deal in the public record about what you and Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad discussed for so long in January of 2017. And I think there's a great deal of interest from the American people about what was discussed in that meeting. So what did you talk about? And did you press Assad on things like his use of chemical weapons, systematic torture and the killing of so many Syrians?" Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., asked Gabbard on Thursday. 

Gabbard, when she served in the U.S. House, traveled to Syria in 2017, when she met with the dictator, whose government was overthrown years later in 2024. The visit has become a focal point of Democrats' criticism of the DNI nominee, arguing the visit casts doubt on her worldview and judgment. 

'LIES AND SMEARS': TULSI GABBARD RAILS AGAINST DEM NARRATIVE SHE'S TRUMP'S AND PUTIN'S 'PUPPET'

"Yes, senator, I, upon returning from this trip, I met with people like then-Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Steny Hoyer, talked to them and answered their questions about the trip," Gabbard, who served in the U.S. House representing Hawaii from 2013 to 2021, responded. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

"And quite frankly, I was surprised that there was no one from the intelligence community or the State Department who reached out or showed any interest whatsoever in my takeaways from that trip. I would have been very happy to have a conversation and give them a back brief. I went with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who had been there many times before and who had met with Assad before. A number of topics were covered and discussed. And to directly answer your question, yes. I asked him tough questions about his own regime's actions. The use of chemical weapons and the brutal tactics that were being used against his own people."

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also met with Assad in 2007, despite then-President George W. Bush's criticism of the visit at the time. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SPARKS BACKLASH FOR CLAIMING TULSI GABBARD IS A RUSSIAN ASSET

"Were you able to extract any concessions from President Assad?" Heinrich asked Gabbard. 

"No, and I didn't expect to, but I felt these issues were important to address," she continued. 

"Just in complete hindsight, would you, would you view this trip as, good judgment?" the Senate lawmaker continued. 

"Yes, senator. And I believe that leaders, whether you be in Congress or the president of the United States, can benefit greatly by going and engaging boots on the ground, learning and listening and meeting directly with people, whether they be adversaries or friends," Gabbard said. 

Gabbard is appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of her nomination process to serve as director of national intelligence under the second Trump administration.

Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard slammed the Democratic narrative that she is a puppet for U.S. and world leaders, saying she is loyal to only God, the Constitution and her own conscience in her opening remarks before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. 

"Before I close, I want to warn the American people who are watching at home. You may hear lies and smears in this hearing that will challenge my loyalty to and my love for our country," Gabbard said.

"Those who oppose my nomination imply that I am loyal to something or someone other than God, my own conscience and the Constitution of the United States. Accusing me of being Trump's puppet, Putin's puppet, Assad's puppet, a guru's puppet, Modi's puppet, not recognizing the absurdity of simultaneously being the puppet of five different puppet masters," she continued. 

Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of her confirmation process to serve as director of national intelligence during President Donald Trump's second term. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

"The same tactic was used against President Trump and failed," she continued of the accusations against her. 

"The American people elected President Trump with a decisive victory and mandate for change. The fact is, what truly unsettles my political opponents, is I refuse to be their puppet. I have no love for Assad or Gadhafi or any dictator. I just hate al Qaeda. I hate that we have leaders who cozy up to Islamist extremists, minimizing them to so-called rebels."

TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’

Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House representing Hawaii during the 2012 election cycle, serving as a Democrat until 2021. She did not seek re-election to that office after throwing her hat in the 2020 White House race. 

Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022, registering as an independent, before becoming a member of the GOP this year and offering her full endorsement of Trump amid his presidential campaign before Trump named her his DNI pick. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SPARKS BACKLASH FOR CLAIMING TULSI GABBARD IS A RUSSIAN ASSET

"If confirmed as director of national intelligence, I will continue to live by the oath that I have sworn at least eight times in my life, both in uniform, as and as a member of Congress. I will support and defend our God-given freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same," she said. 

Tulsi Gabbard doesn't currently have enough votes to advance out of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Fox News Digital has learned. 

The former Democrat representative's nomination to be director of national intelligence (DNI) under President Donald Trump is in danger as she lacks enough Republican support on the committee, sources confirmed.

Before heading to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote, Trump's picks all have hearings and their nominations are voted on at the committee level. Gabbard's confirmation hearing will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday.

SCOOP: KEY GOP SENATOR WHO HESITATED ON PETE HEGSETH PUSHES KASH PATEL FOR FBI

So far, no Trump nominees have failed to advance out of their respective committees. 

A senior Intel Committee aide confirmed to Fox News Digital that Gabbard does not currently have a majority of its members' votes, which are necessary to move to the full Senate. 

According to the source, half of the Republicans on the coveted committee are not sold on Trump's DNI pick. 

A Senate source familiar told Fox News Digital, "Some members are undecided."

"Not true that [they] are NOs," they clarified. 

The source confirmed that the undecided senators in question are Republicans. 

'SQUEEZED BY RISING COSTS': DEMOCRAT JACKY ROSEN LEADS BIPARTISAN BILL TO ADDRESS CHILDCARE AFFORDABILITY

A spokesperson for Gabbard told Fox News Digital in a statement, "Anonymous sources are going to continue to lie and smear to try and take down the President’s nominees and subvert the will of the American people and the media is playing a role in publishing these lies. That doesn’t change the fact that Lt. Col. Gabbard is immensely qualified for this role and we look forward to her hearing."

The senior committee aide shared that the reasons for GOP uncertainty include her previous Section 702 stance, her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and her past defense of Edward Snowden.

"It’s about judgment," they said. 

Gabbard will likely need every Republican vote to move past the committee, assuming Democrats will vote against her. 

DOGE CHAIR JONI ERNST TAKES ON FOOD STAMPS IN NEW BILL TO HOLD STATES 'ACCOUNTABLE'

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., serves as chair of the committee alongside other Republican members Jim Risch of Idaho, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Jerry Moran of Kansas, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Todd Young of Indiana and Ted Budd of North Carolina.

Lankford recently came out in support of Gabbard after she reversed her position on a controversial intelligence gathering tool known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Neither the White House nor Cotton's office provided comments to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

Fox News Digital reached out to multiple Republican Senate offices for comment. 

SENATE TO KICK OFF RFK JR, KELLY LOEFFLER CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR TOP TRUMP POSTS

As Gabbard's confirmation fate hangs in the balance, there is reportedly a push by some Trump-aligned Republican senators to waive the committee's rules in order to open the vote on Gabbard's nomination, as Politico reported. This would mean each senator's vote is accessible to the public. 

The Intel Committee's rules stipulate that the vote is conducted in a closed meeting and a tally is released afterward. The vote is expected to go forward in a closed manner, in accordance with the rules.

Two of President Donald Trump's most vulnerable administration picks will get back-to-back confirmation hearings in the Senate this week. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whom he selected to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI), will have committee confirmation hearings on Wednesday and Thursday. 

REPUBLICANS REACT TO PETE HEGSETH'S CONFIRMATION AS DEFENSE SECRETARY: ‘HE IS THE CHANGE AGENT’

On Wednesday, Kennedy will have his first hearing with the Senate Finance Committee, who will eventually vote on whether to advance his nomination to the full Senate. He will have an additional hearing on Thursday with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), but that committee will not have a vote on the nomination. 

Gabbard's hearing with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will take place Thursday morning. 

The two Trump picks were some of the more controversial administration selections. Both Kennedy and Gabbard are former Democrats with histories of policy positions that clash with what many Republican senators believe. 

At issue for lawmakers on both sides is Kennedy's history of significant criticism of vaccines and vaccination programs. For some Republicans whose states have a large farming constituency, his positions on further regulating agriculture and food production have been cause for concern. 

TIM SCOTT EMPHASIZES 'RESULTS' OVER RECONCILIATION PROCESS AS HE STAYS OUT OF DEBATE

Gabbard's past policy stances as they relate to national security have given bipartisan lawmakers some reason for pause, since the role she is nominated for is critical to the nation's safety and defense. 

Both of the nominees have taken steps to moderate themselves amid the confirmation process. Kennedy has pushed back on suggestions that he is "anti-vaccine" and explained, "If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away."

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

"People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information," he said in an interview with NBC News. "So I’m going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them."

Gabbard recently made a remarkable reversal on a controversial intelligence tool used by the government. And her choice to change her position on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's (FISA) section 702 managed to win her the backing of a Republican senator on the intel committee that she will need to advance out of. 

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

Recently asked whether her change of heart on section 702 had earned his vote, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said, "Yeah, I am, and that was a very important piece for me."

While both nominees have gotten some necessary Republican backing in the relevant committees, not everyone has said whether they will vote to advance the selections. And even if they are voted out of the committees, they could still face an uphill battle to be confirmed by the full Senate. 

Legal experts, privacy groups and parents alike applauded the Supreme Court's Friday ruling upholding a federal law banning TikTok unless it is divested from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, while others deemed it as "anti-democratic."

The ban is set to go into effect on Sunday.

"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community," the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary."

SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF BLOCKING US BAN ON TIKTOK: WHAT TO KNOW

Former Vice President Mike Pence turned to X and called the decision "a victory for the privacy and security of the American people."

"This law was the result of a bipartisan cooperation and I commend it's authors and supporters in Congress for enacting this vital law for our national security," he continued. The CCP has been put on notice that the American people’s data is no longer for the taking. The incoming Trump administration must be prepared to uphold this TikTok divestment law and put the privacy and security of America first."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., likewise said the Supreme Court "correctly rejected TikTok’s lies and propaganda masquerading as legal arguments" in a post on X. 

"ByteDance and its Chinese Communist masters had nine months to sell TikTok before the Sunday deadline," the senator wrote. "The very fact that Communist China refuses to permit its sale reveals exactly what TikTok is: a communist spy app. The Supreme Court correctly rejected TikTok’s lies and propaganda masquerading as legal arguments."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., said the decision was "unsurprising, and the answer is that the Chinese government needs to give up control of TikTok."

Carrie Severino, President of Judicial Crisis Network, echoed Cotton's sentiments, also saying in a statement that the high court "rightly recognizes the danger of the Chinese Communist Party being able to access and maliciously deploy the data of hundreds of millions of Americans."

READ THE SUPREME COURT RULING ON TIKTOK LAW – APP USERS, CLICK HERE

President Biden notably maintained his stance that he would enforce the law banning the social media app and would instead punt the implementation to President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration. 

Severino stated she hopes "that President Trump's incoming administration vigorously enforces this important national security law."

Executive Director of American Parents Coalition Alleigh Marré also posted on X reacting to the holding. "This is a huge win for parents! Kids will be free from TikTok’s poison, its powerful, dangerous algorithm and compromising influences."

"I am incredibly proud to see that the highest court in the land has agreed that our elected officials hold the power to protect our national security from our most powerful foreign adversaries," said Michael Lucci, Founder and CEO of State Arumor, in a statement. "This decision is a vindication of the tireless work of so many patriotic groups, including State Armor, have done over the last year to make the public and lawmakers aware of the dangers that TikTok poses."

Lucci continued on to call for TikTok's sale to an American company "or immediately cease all operations within the United States, per the Supreme Court’s decision."

Others reacted to the Supreme Court's decision with disappointment, including Electronic Frontier Foundation Civil Liberties Director David Greene who called the holding "anti-democratic." 

TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

"Shutting down communications platforms or forcing their reorganization based on concerns of foreign propaganda and anti-national manipulation is an eminently anti-democratic tactic, one that the U.S. has previously condemned globally," he said in a statement released. 

Likewise, Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law Erwin Chemerinsky told Fox News Digital in a statement that he believes the Court was "wrong" in its decision. 

"Although unanimous, I think the Court was wrong," Chemerinsky said. "It accepted uncritically the government’s argument that China being able to gather information would harm national security; it never explained what kind of information is likely to be gathered to what effect.

"The impact on speech is staggering to ban a platform used by 173 million people in this country," he continued. 

Just last year, Congress required that TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance divest the company by Jan. 19. The law was subsequently signed by Biden.

When the law was passed, Congress specifically noted concerns over the app's Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

Fox News Digital's Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report. 

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok just two days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect.

"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community," the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. 

"For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed."

There were no noted dissents.

At issue was the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed by Congress last April with wide bipartisan support. The law gave TikTok nine months to either divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from U.S.-based app stores and hosting services. 

SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF BLOCKING US BAN ON TIKTOK: WHAT TO KNOW

In passing the law, Congress cited concerns over the app's Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

TikTok, ByteDance and several users of the app swiftly sued to block the ban in May, arguing the legislation would suppress free speech for the millions of Americans who use the platform. After a lower court upheld the ban, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok's emergency request to either block or pause implementation of the law under a fast-track timeline just nine days before the ban was slated to go into effect.

President-elect Donald Trump did not immediately respond to the Supreme Court decision, which comes just days before his inauguration. As president, Trump could move to delay the law, either by not enforcing it vigorously— which would allow TikTok more time to find a buyer, or continue operating as-is—or take other actions that would uphold the status quo.

Trump said he spoke by phone Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping hours before the Supreme Court decision was published. Trump described the conversation between the two as being "a very good one" both for China and the U.S. He noted that the two had discussed shared interests, including TikTok. 

Trump has also invited TikTok CEO Shou Chew to attend his inauguration. Chew said he plans to attend.

READ THE SUPREME COURT RULING ON TIKTOK LAW – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

During oral arguments, lawyers for the Biden administration reiterated the argument that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a "grave" national security risk for American users. 

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar cited risks that China could weaponize the app, including by manipulating its algorithm to prioritize certain content or by ordering parent company ByteDance to turn over vast amounts of user data compiled by TikTok on U.S. users.

TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

TikTok’s lawyers, meanwhile, sought to frame the case primarily as a restriction on free speech protections under the First Amendment, which the company has argued applies to TikTok’s U.S.-based incorporation.

Noel Francisco, TikTok’s lawyer, argued that the U.S. government has "no valid interest in preventing foreign propaganda," and reiterated TikTok's position that the platform and its owners should be entitled to the highest level of free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution. 

Francisco also argued TikTok cannot divest from its Chinese parent company, citing portions of its source code and intellectual property that are housed in China.  

First Amendment protections must be considered under strict scrutiny, which requires the government to sustain a higher burden of proof in justifying a law's constitutionality. 

More specifically, laws that deal with First Amendment protections must be crafted to serve a compelling government interest, narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

It's a difficult legal test to satisfy in court. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit used it last month in considering the divestiture law, and still voted to uphold it— outlining a way that the Supreme Court could have theoretically considered the case under strict scrutiny and still opted to uphold the law.

During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, several justices appeared skeptical of the company's core argument, which is that the law is a restriction of speech.

"Exactly what is TikTok's speech here?" Justice Clarence Thomas asked in the first moments of oral arguments in an early sign of the court's apparent doubt that the law is in fact a First Amendment violation. 

POTENTIAL TIKTOK BAN: WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA APPS ARE POPPING UP IN APP STORES?

The Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority have been historically deferential to Congress on matters of national security.

The divestiture law in question passed Congress last year under the guidance of top Justice Department officials, who worked directly with House lawmakers to write the bill and help it withstand possible legal challenges.

But it also comes at a time when President-elect Trump has signaled apparent support for the app in recent months.

In December, Trump hosted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and later told reporters that his incoming administration will "take a look at TikTok" and the divestiture case. 

Attorneys for the president-elect also filed a brief with the Supreme Court last month, asking justices to delay any decision in the case until after Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.

The brief did not signal how Trump might act, but cited his request for the court to pause the ban from taking effect until Trump's inauguration. 

Fox News' Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.

As a fellow New Yorker, I had paid attention to Donald Trump for years, long before he got involved in politics.  

When he ventured a comment about foreign policy, people scoffed at him. What did Trump know! National security was the exclusive domain of the experts, not real estate developers or reality TV stars. 

But looking back, Trump was right about all the major foreign policy issues. It was the credentialed elites who got things wrong! 

Here are Trump’s top six:

OUR LONG NATIONAL BIDEN NIGHTMARE IS ALMOST OVER. TRUMP INVICTUS IS NOW LIBERATED

For decades, the consensus opinion was if the U.S. assisted China’s economic growth, it would become a friendly trading partner, and play by the rules – just like Japan, South Korea and the European nations. Trump disagreed. Experts laughed when he claimed China had ripped us off for decades. "China raided our factories, offshored our jobs, gutted our industries, stole our intellectual property, and violated their commitments under the World Trade Agreement." 

As recently as 2019, Joe Biden scoffed at the idea that China could overtake the U.S. as a world leader, telling a crowd in Iowa City, "China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man." The experts were wrong, Trump was right.

Well before he ran for president in 2015, Trump realized recent advances in oil and gas production would be a strategic game changer for the U.S. and the world. When President Barack Obama left office, oil was at $120/barrel and experts warned the world was running out of oil.  

TRUMP CAN POWER THE US INTO THE FUTURE WITH A MUSCULAR NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY

Trump’s embrace of the U.S. energy industry increased American production and pushed oil down to $40/barrel. Not only did it spur extraordinary American economic growth, it also devastated the economies of Russia and Iran, because they needed oil prices above $90/barrel to fund their governments. When their energy export revenues fell by nearly two-thirds in the Trump years, Russia and Iran were forced to tighten their belts; they couldn’t afford costly wars. 

Biden reversed Trump’s energy policies, and oil prices predictably rose back up to $100 per barrel. Iran used these windfall profits to fund its nuclear program and arm its proxies to attack Israel. Russia used its new-found wealth to attack Ukraine. There is a reason Russia invaded Ukraine during the Obama and Biden presidencies, but not during Trump’s. In the Trump years, they didn’t have the money to pay for expensive wars. 

Democrats and Republicans supported the Afghan and Iraq wars for 20 years. Trump disagreed. As early as 2003, he called the Iraq war "a mess." Turns out he was right. We shed American blood and spent trillions on two unwinnable, forever wars. 

THE THREAT FROM RADICAL ISLAM IS NOW INSIDE OUR GATES. BIDEN IGNORED IT. TRUMP MUST ACT

Trump pulled out of Obama’s flawed Iran nuclear deal, because it made Iran rich and didn’t stop its nuclear weapons program. He ordered the assassination of Gen. Qassam Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Forces. Instead of fruitless endless negotiations, Trump set out to bankrupt Iran with his energy policy and oil sanctions. 

By the time Trump left office Iran was nearly bankrupt, and its proxy armies weakened.  But President Biden threw Iran a lifeline. He reversed course on American energy production, paid Iran billions and refused to enforce sanctions. Iran used this $100 billion windfall to fund Hamas and Hezbollah in renewed proxy wars against Israel. 

For decades, American leaders said we had to settle the Palestinian problem as the first step to a wider Arab-Israel peace. But time and again, the Palestinians refused to negotiate seriously, so peace proved elusive. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Trump took the opposite approach, and focused on Arab-Israeli peace as the first step. His energy policies lowered global oil prices. Arab leaders realized they could no longer count on oil export revenues alone to fund their government. They needed to diversify their economies, which required peace with Israel. 

Trump also recognized that the younger generation of Arab leaders, schooled in the West and comfortable with more open societies, would be amenable to dramatic social change and to developing economic ties with Israel. The Abraham Accords were the first peace agreements between Israel and the Sunni Gulf states – ever. Trump succeeded where all the experts had failed for decades. 

American presidents going back to John F. Kennedy complained that our NATO allies were not paying their fair share for our common defense. Obama called them "freeloaders." Our allies always made excuses, claiming they couldn’t afford to pay the 2% of GNP they had promised, and relied on America to foot the bill for their defense.

Trump hectored, scolded and threatened them until our NATO allies finally increased their defense spending. Turns out they DID have the money after all.  

For years, Washington bureaucrats, politicians and experts have been wrong about the major foreign policy problems confronting the nation. It took an outsider who saw things from a different perspective. Instead of endless rounds of fruitless diplomacy and an open checkbook, Trump used a combination of trade, economics and common sense to reestablish American security. And his second term will be even better.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KT McFARLAND

CIA nominee John Ratcliffe is telling senators on Wednesday about how he’ll reshape the intelligence community in what he calls "the most challenging national security environment in our nation’s history." 

Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during President-elect Trump's first term, is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The committee will then vote on his nomination before a full Senate vote to confirm him as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. 

Ratcliffe ticked off the nation’s biggest threats – China, the border, the Russia-Ukraine war and risk of nuclear fallout, Iran, North Korea and "increasing coordination among America’s rivals."

At a time when intelligence and law enforcement agencies have found themselves front and center in the political realm, a source familiar with Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital he’s focused on "depoliticizing" the agency, and "eliminating any distractions" to its core mission of obtaining intelligence. 

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH'S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

Ratcliffe is also expected to push for more aggressive spying operations, particularly on Beijing, where CCP operatives have been spying on the U.S. for years. 

"With Trump and Ratcliffe, the days of China pillaging American companies, infecting American infrastructure, and otherwise targeting and abusing the American people are over. The jackals can only scavenge in the lion's domain for so long before they get their heads ripped off," the source said. 

Ratcliffe signaled plans in his opening statement to increase the agency’s capacity to obtain human intelligence "in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult."

"We will produce insightful, objective, all-source analysis, never allowing political or personal biases to cloud our judgment or infect our product," Ratcliffe will say in his opening statement. 

"We will conduct covert action at the direction of the president, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do. To the brave CIA officers listening around the world, if all of this sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to find a new line of work."

RUBIO TO PITCH FOREIGN POLICY CREDENTIALS TO SENATE AS HE VIES TO BECOME AMERICA'S TOP DIPLOMAT

Ratcliffe said he would try to recruit agents that could be described as "a Ph.D. who could win a bar fight," but promised to fully investigate anomalous health incidents like Havana Syndrome. 

Ratcliffe also hopes to increase coordination with the CIA and the private sector – potentially through rotations that allow CIA agents to do a stint in the private sector or allowing private employees at AI and tech companies to join the CIA in mid-career appointments, according to the source. 

Ratcliffe's hearing is expected to have a more policy-heavy focus than some of Trump's more controversial nominees like Pete Hegseth, picked to lead the Defense Department. Hegseth faced senators on the Armed Services Committee on Tuesday where he was questioned on his drinking, sexual assault allegations and reports of financial mismanagement. 

Trump's choice to oversee all intelligence agencies, Tulsi Gabbard, has also been met with skepticism by some in the Senate over her past opposition to U.S. surveillance laws and seeming closeness to U.S. adversaries, in particular a meeting she took with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. She's since walked back her opposition to a surveillance program known as Section 702.

Gabbard's hearing is not yet on the books, neither is Trump's nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel. 

Trump's national security nominees are in lockstep on at least one thing – the threat of China – and the need to update technologies and defenses to thwart the CCP's chronic attacks on U.S. infrastructure. 

"We have to stop trying to just play better and better defense," Mike Waltz, Trump's national security adviser pick, recently told FOX Business. "We need to start going on offense."

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The Biden Administration has been blasted by the incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., for "waiting" until the outgoing President had only 13 days left in office before declaring rebel actions in Sudan, a country torn apart by 21 months of bitter war, to be "genocide."

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that members of the Sudanese rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces or RSF, "have committed genocide in Sudan." 

In a statement, Blinken said, "The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities. We are sanctioning RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, known as Hemedti, for his role in systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people."

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN ACCUSED OF ‘TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE’ TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF WAR-TORN, FAMINE-STRICKEN SUDAN

Blinken made his rulings, he stated, because "the RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians, have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and (have) deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence."

The Secretary continued, "Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies."

Blinken added that the African nation is suffering through "a conflict of unmitigated brutality that has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe, leaving 638,000 Sudanese experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history, over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and tens of thousands dead."

Risch has held out that the situation in Sudan has been catastrophic for well over a year, and called into question the timing of Blinken’s declaration. In a statement earlier this week, he wrote, "It has been nearly a year since I introduced a resolution calling the atrocities in Sudan what they are: a genocide. Additionally, I first called for Global Magnitsky sanctions to be imposed against the RSF and Hemedti 263 days ago – and yet these sanctions still have not been leveraged."

BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE ‘OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,' AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSION

Risch spoke to Fox News Digital, declaring, "The Biden Administration waited until it has less than two weeks in office to sanction RSF-affiliated companies and Hemedti for their crimes and to call atrocities in Sudan a genocide."

Risch said, "This neglect to address the crisis in Sudan weakened America’s influence in the region and the world years ago. If the Biden Administration backed its rhetoric with action, Sudan would be in a better position today, more lives would be saved, and the foreign proxies exacerbating this conflict would be kept at bay."

Risch added, "This war must end. Further instability in Sudan will only breed terrorism and regional turmoil, threatening global security. The U.S. and our allies must seek to end the killing and atrocities, end the malign actions by proxies, manage migration pressures from mass displacement and protect strategic interests like the Red Sea corridor."

UAE, OTHER COUNTRIES REMOVED FROM INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING WATCHLIST

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Thomas Perriello, said "Making an atrocity determination is an immense responsibility that the Secretary takes seriously.  Such determinations are based on a careful review of the facts and the law. It requires information not only of certain acts but also that those acts were done with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial part, a racial, ethnic, national, or religious group. Information demonstrating intent is often difficult to find and assess."
 
"Since the start of the conflict the United States has taken repeated action to promote accountability of the RSF for its atrocities conduct. The U.S. already had sanctioned five RSF leaders, including two of Hemedti’s brothers. We also determined in December 2023 that members of the RSF committed ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. So the designation of Hemedti and the genocide determination reflect a consistent effort to document and call out atrocities, acknowledge the suffering of victims and survivors, and pursue justice and accountability."

In his declaration, Blinken announced new sanctions stating, "We are also sanctioning seven RSF-owned companies located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one individual for their roles in procuring weapons for the RSF."

The Treasury Department also sent out a statement, virtually simultaneously to the one from State, saying "the RSF's ability to acquire military equipment and generate finances continue to fuel the conflict in Sudan." Treasury stated one particular company in the UAE, owned by a Sudanese national  "has provided money and weapons to the RSF."  

Other UAE companies sanctioned this past week have been accused by the Treasury Department of handling financial transactions, of being "an essential part of the RSF’s efforts to finance its operations", and of importing IT and security equipment .

One gold company in the UAE has been sanctioned because it has allegedly "purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and subsequently transported it to Dubai." Additionally, Treasury claimed "the RSF’s procurement director and brother of RSF leader Hemedti maintained access to (the gold company’s) bank account in the UAE, which held millions of dollars."

"The United States continues to call for an end to this conflict that is putting innocent civilian lives in jeopardy," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo stated. "The Treasury Department remains committed to using every tool available to hold accountable those responsible for violating the human rights of the Sudanese people."

In response to Fox News Digital questions involving UAE registered companies an official from its foreign ministry fired back, stating. "The UAE’s primary focus in Sudan remains on addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. We continue to call for an immediate cease-fire and a peaceful resolution to this man-made conflict. In this regard, the UAE has already made absolutely clear that it is not providing any support or supplies to either of two belligerent warring parties in Sudan."

The official continued, "the UAE takes its role in protecting the integrity of the international financial system extremely seriously. We remain committed to combating financial crime globally, enhancing international cooperation and developing strategies to address emerging risks."

Tulsi Gabbard, who is President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in his next administration, has reversed course on a controversial item after lobbying from Republican senators. 

Gabbard revealed on Friday that she believes section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) "is crucial for gathering foreign intelligence on non-U.S. persons abroad."

She previously opposed FISA section 702 re-authorization while serving as a Democrat in the House of Representatives. 

'DELAYING AND OBSTRUCTING': TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN HITS BACK AS DEM CALLS FOUL ON TRUMP CONFIRMATION HEARINGS

"We have a very important responsibility to strike a balance between national security to keep the American people safe, while also protecting our constitutionally protected freedoms," she said on the House floor in 2018. "Let us make this critical choice. Vote to keep our country safe. Vote to uphold our constitutional rights that so many have fought and died to protect."

In her statement, provided by a Trump transition spokesperson, Gabbard said, "This unique capability cannot be replicated and must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans."

"My prior concerns about FISA were based on insufficient protections for civil liberties, particularly regarding the FBI's misuse of warrantless search powers on American citizens. Significant FISA reforms have been enacted since my time in Congress to address these issues. If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans' Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people," she said. 

The change in Gabbard's beliefs on the key national security issue was first reported by Punchbowl News. 

It comes after multiple Republican senators made the case to her of the importance of FISA's section 702. 

REPUBLICANS BLAST 'JOKE' SENTENCING OF TRUMP 10 DAYS BEFORE SWEARING IN

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, told Fox News Digital in a statement: "Tulsi Gabbard has assured me in our conversations that she supports Section 702 as recently amended and that she will follow the law and support its reauthorization as DNI."

One GOP aide shared that during his meeting with Gabbard, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., emphasized how important the authority granted by section 702 is, and how important her navigation of it would be. 

In a podcast appearance earlier this week, Lankford told the Wall Street Journal's Kim Strassel that there were some issues "that people aren't talking about" as it relates to Trump's picks. One of them, he said, was Gabbard and her stance on section 702. 

"She has voted against what's called 702 authority every time that she was in Congress and voted against it. Well, now she's going to be the spokesman for 702 authority. It's a legitimate question just to say, ‘Okay, how are you going to handle this?’" he asked. 

LAKEN RILEY ACT OVERCOMES FILIBUSTER IN SENATE AS DEMS GIVE GOP HELPING HAND

Lankford suggested that this is something that matters to other Republican senators. "I don't hear anyone really coming up publicly and saying, 'I'm adamantly opposed'" to Trump's nominees, he explained. 

But, "What I hear is a lot of people saying, ‘Hey, I want to give a fair hearing. I want people to be able to answer questions publicly.’" 

While most GOP senators are supportive of FISA, some have been vocal critics. "Voting to reauthorize FISA 702 without a warrant requirement is difficult to defend. So are those casting such votes—especially if they purport to care about the Fourth Amendment," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X ahead of the most recent FISA re-authorization. 

Another top critic, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said in 2023, "Using 702, Americans’ communications content and metadata is inevitably swept up and kept in government databases without a warrant. Law enforcement agencies then access Americans’ communications without a warrant." 

NEW GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO DEMS 'SEEKING TO DELAY' PETE HEGSETH DOD CONFIRMATION

These Republicans may not be as happy about Gabbard's change of heart. However, there isn't any indication that it would harm their support for her as of yet. 

One Republican senate source cast doubt on Gabbard's new stance, noting that she has been "a life-long skeptic of intelligence gathering." They suggested it is unlikely that she has "completely changed her mind." 

A GOP Senate source confirmed to Fox News Digital that conservative senators are encouraged by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and his apparent desire to confirm Trump nominees on the day he is sworn into office. 

The group is eager to have all national security nominees confirmed on Trump's first day, they added. 

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The United States should increase and promote both official and unofficial contacts with Taiwan’s government and the Taiwanese military during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, regardless of the inevitable Beijing response of "anger" and "hurt feelings," analysts say. 

Exchanges between U.S. officials, scholars, as well as members of think tanks, foundations, and institutes, will be crucial for accurate information to be relayed to both the American and Taiwanese public and their respective governments, say experts.

On Thursday, a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute met with Taiwan President William Lai, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung. 

TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA

"We deeply appreciate the bipartisan support from our American friends and welcome delegations from the U.S. and like-minded nations," Lin told Fox News Digital in exclusive comments. 

The foreign minister added, "These visits demonstrate concrete support for Taiwan and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, essential for global security and prosperity." 

Speaking from Taipei, David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, told Fox News Digital, "We met with the President, Vice President, Foreign Minister, and other government leaders to advance President Reagan’s legacy and our shared values of freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, and peace through strength." 

Describing Taiwan as "a vibrant democracy and key economic partner of the United States," Trulio added that visits to Taiwan – by U.S. civil society groups, foundations, think tanks, and official U.S. government officers – serve as "valuable opportunities to maintain relationships with Taiwan’s leaders, address challenges and opportunities, and visibly promote shared values." 

The Reagan Foundation, comprised of national security and business leaders, met with representatives from all three of Taiwan’s main political parties, as well as top Taiwanese government officials, during a weeklong visit to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that has never been governed by Communist China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and never misses a chance to make bombastic statements against what it calls "secessionist forces." 

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2024 New Year’s address included claims that "reunification" was a "historical inevitability," despite the two sides being separately ruled for more than 70 years. Beijing refuses to pledge to use only peaceful means to achieve "unity" with Taiwan and says it reserves the option of using military force.

While Foreign Minister Lin did not directly reference pre-U.S. election comments by then-Republican candidate Trump that "Taiwan should pay us for defense," he did not sidestep the issue. In comments to Fox News Digital, Lin said, "Taiwan has increased its defense spending by over 80% since 2016, reaching US$20 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. In 2025, if the special budget for military procurement is included, Taiwan’s total military spending is expected to account for 20% of the central government’s annual budget—higher than that of the U.S."

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This is the Reagan Foundation’s second time leading a delegation to Taiwan in as many years. A recent poll conducted by the foundation showed roughly 70-75% of Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike – would support strong measures should China make the ill-advised choice to use military force against Taiwan. For example, a significant majority agreed that should there be an attack, the U.S. should immediately recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. 

The current reality is that China faces significant domestic challenges and is not in a position of strength. In 2022, despite threats of "dire consequences," then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and the Chinese response was hardly "dire." The following year, after Republicans took control of the House, the then-President Tsai Ing-wen met with then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy during a stop in California, a historic first meeting between a Taiwanese president and a U.S. House speaker on U.S. soil. 

China responded with three days of war games and a simulated blockade of the island, but those exercises and maneuvers demonstrated no new capabilities that the U.S. or Taiwanese defense departments were not aware of already. Speaking after meeting with McCarthy in 2023, President Tsai told the media, "To preserve peace, we must be strong," clearly paraphrasing former President Ronald Reagan. 

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"China can and will huff and puff over visits, especially ones involving in-office U.S. government personnel," Liam Keen told Fox News Digital via email. "But we cannot allow the theatrics of mock blockades and firing rockets into the sea to in any way deter closer U.S.-Taiwan exchanges." Keen, who is part of the U.S.-based NGO Formosan Association for Public Affairs, noted his organization strongly supported and was instrumental in helping the Taiwan Travel Act get passed in Congress and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. 

The Taiwan Travel Act – which China predictably harshly criticized – removed many previous restrictions on travel to Taiwan by U.S. officials. Keen noted that "The act passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate. I think China calling it a ‘red line’ only emboldened sponsors of the law such as Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and [former] Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio., which is exactly the right way to respond to bullying by the Chinese Communist Party."

Foreign Minister Lin told Fox News Digital that Taiwan’s government looked forward to working with the new U.S. administration. "Strengthening economic partnerships is also crucial," he said. "Taiwanese businesses, such as TSMC with its $65 billion investment in Arizona, are increasingly investing in the U.S." Lin noted that Taiwanese President Lai has emphasized the importance of Taiwan’s global role, with Lin quoting Lai as saying, "The more secure Taiwan is, the more secure the world will be." 

War between the U.S. and China over Taiwan would be catastrophic for both superpowers and the globe. Aside from horrific human losses, Bloomberg Economics estimated in 2024 that the "price tag" of such a war could be around $10 trillion; 10% of global GDP – "dwarfing the blow from the war in Ukraine, COVID pandemic and global financial crisis." Increased contact between the United States and Taiwan to build trust, and transmit accurate, bias-free information is a major key to ensuring such a conflict never happens. 

The Trump transition team is accusing Democrats in the Senate of "stonewalling" Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation to the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI). 

A hearing has yet to be set for President-elect Trump's DNI pick, despite Republicans pushing for Gabbard's nomination to be one of the first considered due to national security concerns. The potential delay in her hearing was first reported by Axios. 

Committee rules dictate that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence can't hold a hearing unless all necessary paperwork is received at least a week beforehand, the office of Intel Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. 

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Per Warner's office, the committee has yet to receive pre-hearing questions from Gabbard or an ethics disclosure. They also haven't gotten a copy of her FBI background check.

However, a spokesperson for Gabbard and the Trump transition team pushed back on this. According to the transition, the paperwork that was due on Dec. 18 was submitted, the FBI background check has been done, and an additional round of paperwork is due on Thursday and will be finished by then. 

The FBI did not respond immediately to Fox News Digital's question about whether the background check had been provided to the Intel Committee. 

RFK JR. TO MEET WITH SLEW OF DEMS INCLUDING ELIZABETH WARREN, BERNIE SANDERS

The transition team also noted that Gabbard has a top-secret security clearance from her Army service, meaning her background check was expedited. 

The spokesperson for Gabbard asserted that Warner was directing Democratic members of the committee not to set up meetings with her until he had done so, drawing out her meeting process. According to them, Warner's office was emailed on Nov. 27 but did not reply until Dec 29. 

"After the terrorist attacks on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, it's sad to see Sen. Warner and Democrats playing politics with Americans' safety and our national security by stonewalling Lt. Col. Gabbard's nomination, who is willing to meet with every member who will meet with her as this process continues," said transition spokesperson Alexa Henning. 

"It is vital the Senate confirms President-elect Trump's national security nominees swiftly, which in the past has been a bipartisan effort. We are working in lockstep with Chairman Cotton and look forward to Lt. Col. Gabbard's hearing before Inauguration Day." 

TRUMP, GOP SENATORS TO HUDDLE AT CAPITOL, WEIGH STRATEGY ON BUDGET, TAXES AND BORDER

The only Democrat to bypass this supposed directive was Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., the transition team said. The two met last month at the Capitol. 

Gabbard's team added that Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Angus King, I-Maine, only responded after Warner's team finally confirmed their meeting. 

Warner's office denied issuing any such directive to Democratic members. "That is flat-out untrue. Vice Chairman Warner has encouraged every senator on the Committee to meet with the nominee (as he has), carefully evaluate her experience, record and statements for themselves, and reach their own conclusions about whether she has the qualifications and background for this critical role," spokesperson Rachel Cohen told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

The intel vice chairman met in person with Gabbard on Tuesday. "I had a session with Ms. Gabbard, I went in with a lot of questions. I've still got a lot of questions," Warner said afterward.

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"This is an extraordinarily serious job that requires maintaining the independence of the intelligence community. It also means maintaining the cooperation of our allies. We've got a lot of our intelligence from our allies on a sharing basis, and if those – that information is not kept secure, it raises huge concern. So I've got, you know, we've got a number of questions out for her. This is the beginning of a process." 

A spokesperson for the new Intel chairman, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Fox News Digital in a statement, "Chairman Cotton intends to hold these hearings before Inauguration Day. The Intelligence Committee, the nominees, and the transition are diligently working toward that goal."

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that the committee has yet to prompt Gabbard for her written responses to the advance policy questions, and emphasized that she can't respond to something not yet received. 

Mental health disorders are on the rise in the military, now accounting for more hospitalizations than any other ailment, according to a new Defense Department health report. 

Diagnoses of mental health disorders are up 40% over the past five years, from 2019 to 2023, according to a Defense Health Agency report. It found that anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) doubled over the five-year period. 

In 2023, active-duty service members experiencing a mental health disorder made up 54.8% of hospital bed stays, more than every other affliction combined.

From 2019 through 2023, 541,672 active-duty service members across all branches were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder, according to the report. About 47% of those were diagnosed with more than one mental health disorder. In 2023, there were 1.3 million U.S. active duty troops.

The sobering report follows the New Year's Day vehicle attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people, revealing that the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an Army veteran with multiple deployments.  

That same day in Las Vegas, Col. Matthew Livelsberger, an active member of the Army Green Berets, shot himself in the head in a Cybertruck full of explosives. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF HONOR TO SEVEN ARMY VETERANS

"As service members continue to experience increased rates of mental health disorders after the COVID-19 pandemic, help-seeking behaviors to address psychological as well as emotional well-being should be prioritized to maintain force readiness," the report read. 

The Pentagon could not immediately be reached for comment on what's behind the uptick in diagnoses and whether U.S. forces are mentally prepared to go into combat if needed. 

Female service members, those who are younger and those in the Army, were most likely to be diagnosed. 

The Navy led all other branches in depressive disorders, bipolar disorders and personality disorders.

Active duty female service members were diagnosed with PTSD twice as often as their male counterparts. 

The medical data came from records accessed via the Defense Medical Surveillance System and Theater Medical Data Store. It analyzed ambulance encounters, hospitalization or outpatient visits to a psychiatric facility, and other factors to define a mental health diagnosis. 

Meanwhile, military suicides ticked up again last year, following a dark trend the Pentagon has struggled to combat. 

HERE'S HOW MANY US SERVICE MEMBERS ARE SPENDING THE HOLIDAYS AWAY FROM HOME DEPLOYED OVERSEAS

Overall, there were 523 reported suicides in 2023, the most recent data available, up from 493 in 2022. The number of active-duty troops who died by suicide increased to 363 from 331 the previous year, up 12%. 

Suicide is by far the biggest killer of service members, killing more than training accidents, illnesses, homicides or combat, according to the Defense Department (DOD). In addition to the sheer number, the rate of suicides per 100,000 also went up last year. 

Suicide deaths by active-duty service members have been on the rise since 2011.

Another troubling sign from the data is how many suicide victims sought help: 67% had a primary care encounter in the 90 days before their death; 34% had been to an outpatient mental health center; 8% had been discharged from an in-patient mental health facility; and 18% were on psychotropic medication at the time of their death. 

Within a year prior to their death, 44% of military suicide victims reported intimate relationship problems, and 42% reported a behavioral health diagnosis.