ABC News host quits X, goes silent on his $15M mistake regarding Trump
ABC News host George Stephanopoulos ignored the news about his network’s massive settlement with President-elect Donald Trump on his Sunday show.
Fox News Digital first reported on Saturday that ABC News and Stephanopoulos agreed to a settlement to avoid a costly trial over Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the network and anchor.
News of the settlement, however, failed to appear on ABC’s “This Week.” Instead, Stephanopoulos focused on stories about unidentified drones over New Jersey, ongoing conflicts in Syria and Trump’s cabinet picks.
He also deleted his X account over the weekend.
LIBERALS UNLOAD ON ABC’S SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP, DEFEND GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: ‘KNEE BENT, RING KISSED’
Stephanopoulos was the focus of the lawsuit after he asserted that Trump was found “liable for rape” in a civil case during a contentious interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., last March.
After playing a clip of Mace discussing being a victim of rape, Stephanopoulos asked her, “How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?”
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape,” Stephanopoulos said, alluding to the legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.
Stephanopoulos repeated that claim ten times during his spat with Mace, despite the fact that a jury actually determined Trump was liable for “sexual abuse,” which has a distinct definition under New York law.
The “This Week” host was initially defiant against the lawsuit when asked about it in May, adding he would not be “cowed out of doing my job because of a threat.”
“Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss,” Stephanopoulos told late-night host Stephen Colbert.
According to the settlement, ABC News will pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a “Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past.” Additionally, the network will pay $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees.
Stephanopoulos and ABC News also had to issue statements of “regret” as an editor’s note at the bottom of a March 10, 2024, online article, about comments made earlier this year that prompted Trump to file the defamation lawsuit. The note reads, “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”
TRUMP HOPES TO KEEP WINNING WHEN HE TAKES ABC NEWS, CBS NEWS TO COURT OVER ALLEGED ‘DISHONEST REPORTING’
ABC News said the network was “pleased” to have concluded the case.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” an ABC News spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
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Top Trump adviser sounds alarm on national security gaps exposed by drones
President-elect Trump’s
pick for National Security Adviser said Sunday that the increase in drone sightings over New Jersey and other parts of the U.S. have highlighted gaps in airspace security that need to be shuttered.
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., was a guest on CBS News’ Face the Nation, where he said Americans were becoming more and more frustrated with the administration’s failure to clarify what information they have on the drone reports.
“What the drone issue points out are kind of gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department,” Waltz said.
He also spoke to CBS about recent remarks from Trump calling for an Iron Dome – Israel’s missile defense system – for the U.S.
“That needs to include drones as well, not just adversarial actions like hypersonic missiles,” Waltz said.
Iron Dome is a mobile air defense system developed with U.S. backing for Israel, that is designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells that endanger populated areas.
In recent weeks, the outgoing Biden administration had downplayed rising concerns over a growing number of possible drone sightings, saying most of those being reported involve manned aircraft. The administration has also stressed that there is no evidence of any national security threat, even saying the drones are not being operated by foreign countries.
But despite the administration’s efforts, President Biden’s fellow Democrats have called for more transparency and more attention to the public’s concerns.Reuters contributed to this report.
Bipartisan federal lawmakers are pressing House leaders to include counter-drone and drone-detection technology for state and local law enforcement agencies as part of a year-end continuing resolution pertaining to unmanned aircraft systems.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., urging them to “swiftly take action” on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) legislation.
Specifically, Garbarino and Houlahan are calling for the legislation to include permissions for state and local law enforcement to protect their communities “from this emerging threat” in a continuing resolution.
“In recent weeks, there has been a sudden surge in sightings of unknown drones over New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other east coast states,” Houlahan and Garbarino wrote. “Although the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have claimed that there is not an immediate national security threat, senior officials from both departments have also been extremely clear in numerous appearances before Congress that the federal government does not have the resources to handle every drone threat alone.”
Johnson is a sponsor of the original legislation, which reauthorizes the existing authorities that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have to not only detect, but mitigate drone threats, which are about to expire.
If approved, the bill will expand the authorities within the federal government to protect critical infrastructure like seaports, sports, stadiums, airports and landmarks.
The bill will also create a pilot program allowing a select number of state and local law enforcement agencies to detect and mitigate drone threats, in coordination with federal agencies, while also using training and equipment approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DHS.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ dismissal of the drone activity and said that to suggest it wasn’t unusual activity was ridiculous.
“Is this a mass hysteria of some sort?” ABC News host George Stephanopoulos asked the former governor. The ABC News host also just spoke to Mayorkas, who said the public had no reason to be concerned about the drones and that they hadn’t seen any unusual activity.
Dozens of drones have been spotted flying throughout New Jersey over the last few weeks, as government officials have yet to determine where they’re coming from or who operates them.
“Here’s why, George,” Christie said. “Because of answers like the secretary just gave. They’re not answering the questions.”
“To say this is not unusual activity, it’s just wrong. I’ve lived in New Jersey my whole life. This is the first time that I’ve noticed drones over my house. And I was in a restaurant in Monmouth County on Friday night, had people at the bar coming up to me and saying, ‘Gov. Murphy won’t tell me anything. The president won’t tell me anything,’” Christie said.
Read more about what Christie said about the drones.
This is an excerpt from a story by Hanna Panreck.
Boston law enforcement officials arrested two men after they allegedly flew a drone “dangerously close” to Logan Airport from a now decommissioned health campus on an island in Boston Harbor, according to police.
Boston police said 42-year-old Robert Duffy of Charlestown and 32-year-old Jeremy Folcik of Bridgewater, Massachusetts were arrested on Saturday and charged with trespassing, though additional charges could possibly come forward.
At about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, a Boston police officer who specialized in real-time crime surveillance detected an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) flying “dangerously close” to Logan International Airport, police said.
Using UAS monitoring technology, the officer was able to track down the drone’s location, altitude, flight history and operator’s location, pinning him on Long Island, an island in Boston Harbor.
Due to the drone’s proximity to the airport’s airspace, police were able to coordinate with other resources including Homeland Security, State Police, Federal Communications Commission, and air traffic controllers to address the situation.
Also aiding was the Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit, which was dispatched to the island. When they arrived, the officers located three individuals inside the decommissioned Long Island Health Campus.
But when officers attempted to contact the individuals, all three allegedly fled on foot. Two of the individuals were apprehended and identified as Folcik and Duffy.
During the investigation, police said, a drone was discovered inside a backpack carried by Duffy.
The search for the third suspect, who police said they believe fled the island in a small boat, is ongoing.
Both Duffy and Folcik are scheduled to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court, police noted, and further charges could be filed pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
“The Boston Police Department reminds recreational drone operators of the importance of adhering to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety guidelines,” police said. “Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions. Even small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk.”
Small drones were spotted over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio,
over the weekend, according to base officials.
Wright-Patterson AFB Chief of Public Affairs Bob Purtiman confirmed to Fox News on Sunday that “small unmanned aerial systems” were spotted over and in the vicinity of the Air Force base between Friday and Saturday.
“To date, installation leaders have determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities, or assets,” Purtiman said. “We are taking all appropriate measures to safeguard Wright-Patterson and its residents. Our units continue to monitor the airspace and are working with local authorities to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities, and assets.”
He also encouraged individuals who spot anything suspicious, including drone or unmanned aerial system activity, to contact local police or Security Forces personnel.
The news comes as concerns continue to grow over the increase in drone sightings across places like New Jersey and New York. In the Garden State, drones have been reported in the area of military research facilities and Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Concerns over mysterious drones flying over New Jersey and other parts of the North Eastern U.S. are continuing to grow, but now people in California are reporting an increase in possible unmanned aircraft along the West Coast.
In a new video shared with FOX 11 in Los Angeles, possible drones are seen flying near Long Beach on Friday night.
The video came after the station received another cell phone video earlier in the week showing a possible drone flying in Temecula, near Camp Pendleton.
Over the past several weeks, drone sightings in New Jersey have increased, with some sightings being reported over Trump’s Bedminster golf course, and others near military research facilities.
Several lawmakers have called for an investigation into the matter, even demanding U.S. agencies like the Department of Homeland Security deploy advanced drone-detection and tracking technology.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling on the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology after increasing reports of the unmanned aircraft in parts of New York and New Jersey continue to come in.
The Associated Press reported that Schumer called on the Department of Homeland Security to deploy technology that improves the ability to identify and track drones to their landing locations, according to briefings from his office.
“I’m calling for [Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas] to deploy special drone-detection tech across NY and NJ,” Shumer said in a post on X. “And I’m working to pass a bill in the Senate to give local law enforcement more tools for drone detection.”
The New York senator’s calls come as the public becomes growingly concerned that the federal government has not been able to provide clear explanations on who is operating the drones and why they have not been stopped.
National security officials have stated the drones do not appear to be operated by foreign governments, and have even noted the aircraft in question are in fact manned.
Last week, President-elect Trump posted on social media, “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so. Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says federal authorities are deploying a “state of the art” drone detection system to New York amid unexplained drone sightings.
Mysterious drone sightings over New York, New Jersey and elsewhere have concerned residents for more than two weeks. There has been no explanation from President Biden’s administration.
“In response to my calls for additional resources, our federal partners are deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system to New York State. This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations. We are grateful to the Biden Administration for their support, but ultimately we need further assistance from Congress. Passing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act will give New York and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today,” Hochul said Sunday.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., called out the Biden administration during a press conference Saturday about the recent drone sightings that have stumped U.S. officials.
The unidentified drone sightings,
which have been observed flying above U.S. military installations and New Jersey homes since mid-November, have caused concern in the Garden State.
The aircraft have also been spotted in Connecticut. On Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called for the drones to be “shot down” if necessary.
On Saturday, U.S. officials held a phone conference with reporters and appeared to downplay concerns about the drones, saying there was no evidence linking the aircraft to foreign adversaries.
Speaking from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, Smith said he asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas why the drones’ origins are still unknown.
“I asked Secretary Mayorkas at a briefing, a Zoom briefing, why we can’t follow them, find out where they’re going,” the Republican told reporters. “They’re coming from somewhere. … You can’t seem to do that.
“Why can’t we follow them and find what their origin is? Many of them seem to be coming from the ocean.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Andrea Margolis
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the U.S. is not aware of any “foreign involvement with respect to the the sightings in the northeast.”
Mayorkas made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on ABC News with host George Stephanopoulos. President Biden’s administration has faced criticism for a lack of transparency regarding the drone sightings.
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie called for more authority for state police to bring drones down amid controversy over mysterious sightings across the state.
Christie made the comments during an appearance on ABC News on Sunday.
President-elect Trump dragged Christie into the drone controversy this weekend after poking fun at the famously rotund figure this weekend. Trump posted an image to social media showing drones over New Jersey delivering McDonald’s to Christie.
A New Jersey mayor is calling out White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby for his latest remarks on the purported drones flying through U.S. airspace.
“That is ridiculous. I would invite Mr. Kirby to Mine Hill. Come on out, Mr. Kirby, and let’s go on out one night at about 9:30, 10:00,” Mine Hill Township Mayor Sam Morris told ABC News Thursday.
“Mr. Kirby just called the security people at Picatinny Arsenal liars, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department liars, and the state police in New Jersey liars,” he elaborated on “The Evening Edit” Friday.
Kirby said Thursday that a number of the purported drone sightings spotted over New Jersey for the past several weeks appear to be piloted aircraft.
“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby told reporters at the White House press briefing. “The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they’re working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin.”
“Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to, and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities, corroborate any of the reported visual sightings,” he said. “To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully. The United States Coast Guard is providing support to the state of New Jersey, and has confirmed that there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels. And importantly, there are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted airspace.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox Business’ Madeline Coggins
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., says the Biden administration’s reaction to mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey is “not good enough.”
Himes made the comments during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Jacquie Heinrich. He argued that the lack of an explanation is leading Americans to speculate on their own about the nature of the drones.
Himes went on to criticize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in particular, saying they could make it clear to Americans just how many aircraft fly over New Jersey on a daily basis.
“Just putting information out there that could fill that vacuum would be helpful, but we haven’t seen that,” Himes said.
U.S. national security officials sought to dispel concerns about the mysterious drones flying over the Northeast in a recent call with reporters, one going as far as describing nationwide uneasiness as “a slight overreaction.”
The call, attended by Fox News Digital Saturday,
was hosted by senior Biden administration officials, including representatives from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD).
The senior officials remained tight-lipped about the origins of the drones, which are still being investigated. The mysterious aircraft were first spotted flying above northern New Jersey in mid-November and have been repeatedly seen by thousands of residents over the past few weeks.
During the call with reporters, an FBI official said his agency has received 5,000 tips since the first mysterious drone was seen flying above the Garden State in November. Of those 5,000 tips, fewer than 100 warranted further investigation, the official said.
The FBI official added that investigators have found no evidence of large-scale unmanned drone activity despite the recent uptick in drone activity in recent weeks.
“We’re doing our best to find the origin of that specific … those drone activities,” the official said. “But I think there has been a slight overreaction.”
Echoing comments from the FBI representative, a DHS official noted that, while his agency is not dismissing all tips about the drones as non-credible, “the amount of actual drone activity is likely less than what’s being reported.”
A DOD official added that the agency has gathered “no intelligence or observations that would indicate that [the drones] were aligned with a foreign actor or that they had malicious intent.”
“But, you know, just to simply tell you, we don’t know,” the representative said. “We have not been able to locate or identify the operators or the points of origin.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Andrea Margolis
Monmouth County, New Jersey Sheriff Shaun Golden explained his “frustration” over the mixed messages on drone sightings during an appearance on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.’
Golden said he sent a letter to New Jersey members of Congress calling for legislation that would allow state police to “take down” drones if necessary.
“Right up to President Trump, he said, ‘If they’re not ours, shoot them down.” If this was a national security drill we miserably failed,” Golden said. “Drone technology is emerging so much faster, particularly in the defense field. It’s matter of national security, and it’s a matter of public safety here in New Jersey.”
Golden noted that only federal authorities are currently allowed to take down the drones, which he says adds to local police’s frustration.
“These things are definitely sophisticated, fast, they turn their lights off at times. So we need to get a handle on what it is and who’s running it. We’re from Jersey, we can take the truth,” he added.
Former CIA Operations officer Laura Ballman says the mysterious drone sightings are ‘extremely unsettling’ as the public seeks answers on ‘Fox News Live.’
Drone sightings across New Jersey have unsettled residents for weeks with no official explanations being offered. Ballman argued that circumstances around the drone sightings suggest it may be a U.S. operation.
“Deducing the statements from [National Security spokesman] John Kirby that these drones are not operating illegally, coupled with several op-eds that have been out there in the last 24 hours about the need to look at our detection systems, makes me think perhaps this is actually a classified exercise to test either evasion technology or detection technology in urban areas,” Ballman said.
Ballman went on to say she would be “shocked” if the drones were related to the CIA, saying it is “not their mandate to operate in the United States.” She added that she is “troubled” by why the U.S. government has not been forthcoming with information regarding the drones.
U.S. national security officials sought to dispel concerns about the mysterious drones flying over the Northeast in a recent call with reporters, one going as far as describing nationwide uneasiness as “a slight overreaction.”
The call, attended by Fox News Digital Saturday, was hosted by senior Biden administration officials, including representatives from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD).
The senior officials remained tight-lipped about the origins of the drones, which are still being investigated. The mysterious aircraft were first spotted flying above northern New Jersey in mid-November and have been repeatedly seen by thousands of residents over the past few weeks.
Russian soldiers killed by North Koreans after enlisting them for help, Ukraine says
Russian paramilitary soldiers were accidentally targeted and killed by North Korean troops in a recent bout of friendly fire, according to Ukrainian officials.
In a statement published on Saturday, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) detailed how Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) soldiers have recently assisted Russian troops in the Kursk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian officials estimate that around 11,000 DPRK personnel are stationed in Russia.
“The aggressor state of Russia has begun to use DPRK soldiers in assault operations in the Kursk region, in particular, as part of the combined units of the marines and airborne troops of the Russian Armed Forces,” the statement read.
“The North Korean troops suffer sanitary and irreversible losses as a result of a successful fire attack by the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces,” the DIU added. “In particular, at one of the positions in the Kursk region, the DPRK army was effectively targeted by FPV drones.”
ZELENSKYY FEARS DANGER IF UKRAINE LOSES UNITY, DEFEAT IF US CUTS FUNDS, 1,000 DAYS AFTER WAR BEGAN
The DIU noted that, in a recent incident, the language barrier between Russian and North Korean troops ultimately led to the death of eight soldiers in the Akhmat special forces unit, which is a paramilitary group in Chechnya.
“When using the DPRK troops on the battlefield, the language barrier remains problematic to control and coordinate actions,” the statement said.
TRIUMPHANT TRUMP AT NOTRE DAME SIGNALS AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE BACK
“Because of this problem, North Korean soldiers opened ‘friendly fire’ on the vehicles of the so-called Akhmat battalion,” the DIU added. “As a result, they killed eight Kadyrovite soldiers.”
This latest development in the Russo-Ukrainian war came as the Russian military continued to pummel Ukraine’s power grid, taking advantage of freezing conditions to devastate the country’s largest energy company.
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In one of the largest-ever mass attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, Russian forces fired nearly 100 missiles, including cruise missiles, and 200 drones across Western Ukraine on Friday, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Trump’s cost cutters drop hints about what’s first on the chopping block
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are dropping hints about where the co-leads of President-elect Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will focus its efforts on trimming federal spending when the new administration takes over in January.
Musk, the wealthiest person in the world who is known for his ambitious goals, has set an aim to slash $2 trillion in federal spending under the initiative, while Ramaswamy, a billionaire in his own right, has said entire agencies will be “deleted” under DOGE’s recommendations.
FOX Business compiled a list of what the successful entrepreneurs see as opportunities for improvement – and what they say they won’t touch:
IRS: Simplifying U.S. tax code policy
“In 1955, there were less than 1.5 million words in the U.S. Tax Code. Today, there are more than 16 million words,” DOGE posted to its X account on Nov. 15. “Because of this complexity, Americans collectively spend 6.5 billion hours preparing and filing their taxes each year. This must be simplified.”
DOGE CAN FIND THE $2 TRILLION IN SPENDING CUTS MUSK WANTS, BUT THE SAVINGS COULD TAKE A WHILE
Department of Defense (DOD): The Pentagon’s chronic audit failing
Two days after the previously cited post, DOGE flagged that the Department of Defense had failed its 7th straight audit last month, noting that the DOD once again cannot fully account for its budget – which was $824 billion.
When Musk saw the news about the Pentagon’s latest failed audit, we wrote on X, “Sounds like a job for @DOGE!”
In a subsequent post, Ramaswamy noted that the Department of Education (DOE) just failed its third consecutive audit and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “showed significant deficiencies.” He also threw red flags about AmericCorp’s budget, calling all the findings, “Utterly unacceptable” before adding, “Time for DOGE.”
Congress: $516B Authorized for expired programs
“In FY2024, U.S. Congress provided $516 billion to programs whose authorizations previously expired under federal law,” the DOGE X account posted on Nov. 16. “Nearly $320 billion of that $516 billion expired more a decade ago.”
Federal workforce: Ending government employees’ working from home option
DOGE and its co-leads have vowed repeatedly to end telework for federal employees, and flagged the Biden administration’s last-minute deal extending 42,000 Social Security Administration (SSA) employees work-from-home privileges for another five years – after President-elect Trump leaves office.
ERNST VOWS TO WORK WITH DOGE TO REVERSE BIDEN ADMIN’S TELEWORK EXTENSION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Ramaswamy says a majority of federal workers do not show up to the office, and pointed to the fact that the U.S. government owns thousands of vacant buildings, which he called, “nuts” and “a job for DOGE.”
SEN. ERNST LAUNCHING SERIES OF BILLS TO MOVE FEDERAL WORKERS OUT OF DC
Musk separately pointed to a report from Sen. Joni Ernst indicating that “If you exclude security guards & maintenance personnel, the number of government workers who show up in person and do 40 hours of work a week is closer to 1%!.”
He added, that’s “Almost no one.”
Expediting government projects
In an X post on Dec. 5, DOGE pointed to a slew of federal projects that were delayed for years due to red tape. Musk and Ramaswamy say deregulation is a key part of DOGE’s purpose, which is in line with Trump’s agenda.
Ramaswamy pointed to particular issues with how construction is being hindered by regulations.
Modernizing and finding cost-effective government IT systems
“The Federal government spends 80% of its annual $100 billion IT budget on maintaining outdated systems,” DOGE posted on X. “Not only are older systems more expensive to maintain, but they are also more vulnerable to hackers.”
Musk and Ramaswamy both wrote posts saying updating tech is a priority, with Ramaswamy saying, it is on DOGE’s “to-do list.”
National Institutes of Health (NIH): Returning money to taxpayers
In response to a DOGE post that in 2023 NIH spent $759 million on workforce diversity and outreach, over $611,000 on “Evaluating Microaggressions among Latinx Individuals with Obesity,” and $87,944 on the “Role of the estrous cycle and nucleus accumbens signaling on incubation of oxycodone craving in female rats,” Ramaswamy wrote, “Return this $$ to the taxpayers.”
EXPERT SAYS MEDICAID, MEDICARE REFORM IS CRITICAL AND CAN SAVE $2.1 TRILLION
Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as nominee to serve as director of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Ramaswamy signaled cost-savings can be anticipated across the board under RFK’s watch.
Federal agencies: Fraud losses
In response to a report that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion each year due to fraud, Musk replied on X, “Drop the @DOGE hammer.”
Foreign aid: Investment transparency
“Here’s an easy one for @DOGE!” longtime budget-cutting evangelist, former presidential candidate, and retired Congressman Dr. Ron Paul wrote on X. “ELIMINATE foreign aid! It’s taking money from the poor and middle class in the US and giving it to the rich in poor countries – with a cut to the facilitators in between! Americans don’t want their government to borrow more money to spend on foreign aid. Besides, it is the immoral transfer of wealth and is unconstitutional.”
Musk responded, “@DOGE will address this with full transparency for the American people.”
Protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits
Most of the largest spending program in the federal government is Social Security, followed by Medicare and Medicaid, along with other mandatory obligations. While several options for adjustments have been floated to address the sustainability of these programs over the years, Ramaswamy said in a recent interview that touching entitlements is not DOGE’s role.
Ramaswamy told Axios at the Aspen Security Forum earlier this month that it would be premature to discuss any of the aforementioned entitlements through DOGE, saying such cuts would be “a policy decision that belongs to the voters” and their representatives in Congress.
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However, Ramaswamy signaled that DOGE will be looking to stop sending taxpayer dollars to people who are wrongly pocketing funds under the programs.
He told the outlet, “Right now, there are hundreds of billions of dollars flowing out the door of all of those programs ending up in the hands of people who, even under the statute, should not be receiving those payments.”
ICE arrests previously caught illegal immigrant wanted for murder
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Philadelphia arrested a Senegalese illegal immigrant who is wanted for murder in Brazil.
Gora Tourie Fall, a 34-year-old citizen of Senegal, was arrested during a targeted enforcement operation on Dec. 10, in Philadelphia, ICE officials said in a statement.
Fall was caught and released by the Biden-Harris administration’s Border Patrol in Eagle Pass, Texas, in April 2021, officials stated.
Officials said Fall was later issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and then released on parole.
DRUNK IMMIGRANT KILLED 7 YEAR OLD MONTHS AFTER HE WAS RELEASED FROM ICE DETAINER
ICE says they were made aware of Fall’s outstanding arrest warrant in Brazil in May.
Fall is now being held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the arrest but did not immediately receive a response.
Nearly 100 illegal immigrants on the terror watch list have been released into the United States during the Biden administration, and Border Patrol agents have encountered migrants on the watch list from dozens of different countries, a House report from August revealed.
ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS ‘VIOLENT’ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED, OPEN TO MEETING WITH TRUMP OFFICIALS
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, of the more than 250 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist (sic) who were encountered by Border Patrol at the southwest border between fiscal years 2021 and 2023, DHS has released into American communities at least 99, with at least 34 others in DHS custody but not yet removed from the United States,” reads the report by Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, a copy of which was first obtained by Fox News Digital.
The staff interim report also found that immigration judges granted bond to at least 27 migrants on the watch list who entered illegally and that Border Patrol has encountered tens of thousands of migrants from countries that could present national security risks, including 2,134 Afghan nationals, 33,347 Chinese nationals, 541 Iranian nationals, 520 Syrian nationals and 3,104 Uzbek nationals.
“That does not include the untold numbers of potential terrorists that evaded Border Patrol to enter the United States as part of nearly 2 million ‘gotaways’ since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration,” the report says.
DA TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCUSED IN NUNGARAY MURDER CASE
The report, citing information provided to committee staff in June, also found that Border Patrol encountered migrants on the terror watch list from 36 different countries, including places with an active terror presence. Those countries include Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan and Yemen.
“With national security experts and immigration officials increasingly concerned about the threat of terrorism originating from the border, it is clear that policymakers must take all necessary steps to secure the border and stop the flow of illegal aliens. However, the Biden-Harris Administration has refused to address the national security nightmare created by its radical, open-borders agenda,” the report reads.
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Another scathing report released by the committee in October added that more than 1.7 million migrants have been encountered at the U.S. border and have come from countries that officials believe pose a national security threat to the U.S.
The report says the number of “special interest aliens” (SIAs) came from a congressional staff briefing by Department of Homeland Security officials. SIAs are those who have come from countries identified by the U.S. government as having conditions that promote or protect terrorism or potentially pose some sort of national security threat to the U.S.
Chiefs give injury update after Patrick Mahomes gets crushed while making a pass
The Kansas City Chiefs picked up another win on Sunday, this time against the Cleveland Browns on the road, but it didn’t come without an injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Carson Wentz took over in the final minutes of the fourth quarter after Mahomes got crushed while making a pass.
On a 4th-down play looking to extend a drive, Mahomes jumped on his pass attempt to one of his receivers just as Browns defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson was diving to tackle him.
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As Tomlinson made the tackle, he had Mahomes’ ankle wrapped up underneath him, and it didn’t help that Mike Hall Jr. also hit Mahomes above his waist to bend him backwards as well.
The nasty-looking hit saw Mahomes in immediate pain as he started to limp off the field, trying to stay off his right ankle.
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After the game, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided an update on the situation with this franchise signal-caller.
“His right ankle has been hurt,” he said to reporters. “It’s not broken, but it’s sore. He’ll get started on the rehab part of it as we go. We’ll just have to see how he does down the road here.”
NFL Network reported that Mahomes is considered week-to-week at the moment after his preliminary diagnosis, which included negative X-rays.
However, like Reid said, the Chiefs will know just how long Mahomes may be out following further testing on Monday.
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Mahomes finished the 21-7 win with 159 yards on 19-of-38 passing, with Xavier Worthy as his top target with six catches for 46 yards. DeAndre Hopkins caught five passes for 36 yards.
Socialist apparel brand to launch disturbing ‘most-wanted CEO’ playing cards
A socialist apparel brand called Comrade Workwear is planning to release a set of “most wanted CEOs” playing cards soon, following the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Comrade Workwear founder James Harr announced the plans in a TikTok video on Saturday. Crediting a follower for the idea, Harr explained that the playing cards would be a pastiche of the “most-wanted Iraqi playing cards” that U.S. intelligence officials developed in 2003.
“This is what I’m thinking for the back of the cards….basically, each suit is going to be, like, certain types of industries,” Harr explained in the video. “So clubs are going to be, like, pharmaceuticals and chemical companies. The heart is going to be, like, retail and real estate. Things that you need to survive.”
“Diamonds are going to be for tech and finance and media and the spades are for oil and war.”
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Harr also developed cards for specific CEOs and encouraged feedback from TikTok users, expressing that he wanted to launch the venture soon.
“Tell me if you guys dig this because I want to put them out like ASAP,” he concluded. “So let’s get some feedback.”
The business owner’s reaction to Thompson’s Dec. 4 death echoed that of many social media users. In a TikTok video, Harr described the New York City murder as “good news,” called the assassin his “f–king hero.”
In a different video, the socialist businessman also described the general excitement around Thompson’s death as “awesome,” but urged his followers to focus on “the system,” instead of individual executives.
“There is no amount of dead CEOs that is going to change the nature of capitalism,” Harr said in a video. “And no matter how awesome it is that, you know, what’s happening, we do need to maintain the knowledge that this energy that we’re having… that’s not going to change anything systemically.”
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Comrade Workwear’s website lists its company’s mission as “creat[ing] opportunities for education, community development, and organizing towards liberation.”
“I believe that at the intersection of art and self-expression lies a powerful opportunity for leftists to bring conversations typically confined to the corners of the internet into the public sphere,” the brand’s website reads. “Apparel is a canvas that brings these dialogues into the streets, into our daily lives, and into shared spaces.”
“Whether to bring levity or to spark meaningful discourse and learning, Comrade aims to use our art and clothing to advance the cause of building socialism in our lifetime.”
In a statement to FOX Business, Harr described the playing cards as “a way to help us bond over our class position as workers and learn about the companies and their leaders that are ultimately profiting off our suffering.”
“The media wants us to condemn the violence of the assassination of a healthcare CEO, but they won’t acknowledge the daily violence that the working class suffers because of the decisions of CEOs and boards of directors,” Harr said.
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“I’m not suggesting anyone should cause any physical harm to anyone but I do want people to know who is making their life harder, who is stealing from them, who is deciding that a couple more percentage points of profit is worth the life of your loved ones.”
Taylor Swift remarks on 49ers’ star QB: ‘He put me through a lot last February’
Brock Purdy was maybe one or two plays away from helping the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl championship over the Kansas City Chiefs with an apparently nervous Taylor Swift in attendance.
Swift, who is dating Chiefs star Travis Kelce, made an appearance at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday and was asked whether the song “Paper Rings” was about Purdy.
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“I don’t mind Brock Purdy. He put me through a lot last February. I was very stressed for a second,” Swift said while signing an autograph for a child.
Purdy was 23-of-38 with 255 passing yards and a touchdown pass. The touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings in the fourth quarter put the 49ers up three points with 11:22 left in the game.
The teams traded field goals to force overtime, and San Francisco went up three early in the overtime frame. However, Patrick Mahomes got the last laugh and his 3-yard pass to Mecole Hardman gave Kansas City its championship.
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Swift and Kelce celebrated on the field with a few kisses.
Swift’s song “Paper Rings” was off of her “Lover” album, which was released in 2019.
For what it’s worth, Purdy was still at Iowa State when “Lover” was released to the masses. He took over as the 49ers’ starting quarterback during the 2022 season and won his first 10 regular-season starts.
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Purdy has suffered through an injury this season. He has 3,174 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes in 13 games.