President Trump pushes back against criticism of aircraft gifted to US by Qatari royal family
President Donald Trump continued to defend his decision to accept a $400 million jet from Qatar during an exclusive interview with Sean Hannity on Air Force One on Tuesday.
Trump has received backlash for planning to accept the jumbo Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari royal family since news of the gift broke on Sunday.
“Now, some people say, ‘oh, you shouldn’t accept gifts for the country.’ My attitude is, why wouldn’t I accept the gift? We’re giving to everybody else? Why wouldn’t I accept the gift?” the president said to Hannity.
TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET
The luxury jet, which was offered to the United States because of delays in Boeing’s production of the new Air Force One fleet, will serve as a temporary method of transportation so that the current presidential plane doesn’t have to be flown.
Trump has said AF1 is nearly 40 years old and looks “much less impressive” when compared to the planes in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
“You know, we’re the United States of America. I believe that we should have the most impressive plane,” Trump told Hannity.
TRUMP CLARIFIES OWNERSHIP OF AIRCRAFT IN DEFENSE OF QATAR’S GIFT
In addition to Boeing running behind on delivering the new fleet, the jumbo jet is a gift to the Department of Defense for “a job well done” in successfully defending Qatar “for many years,” Trump added on Truth Social a few hours after the interview.
“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done,” he wrote.
Trump has said the plane will be retired to the presidential library once Boeing delivers its new AF1 fleet.
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The president will be in Qatar on Wednesday for the next stop of his three-day visit to the Middle East, marking his first major international trip of his second term.
He spent Tuesday in Saudi Arabia meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Judge rules Trump can deport criminal illegal immigrants with Alien Enemies Act
A federal judge on Tuesday said the Trump administration can invoke the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport criminal illegal immigrant members of the Venezuelan Tren De Aragua gang, but that it has not given adequate prior notice to those subject to removal, before those deportations can take place, which would allow possible due process and habeas legal challenges.
The 43-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Stephanie Haines, a Trump appointee, conflicts with other rulings challenging the administration’s deportation efforts.
TRUMP ADMIN REVOKES 4K FOREIGN STUDENTS’ VISAS IN FIRST 100 DAYS, NEARLY ALL WITH SERIOUS CRIMINAL RECORDS
“Having done its job, the Court now leaves it to the Political Branches of the government, and ultimately to the people who elect those individuals, to decide whether the laws and those executing them continue to reflect their will,” Haines wrote.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
Trump issued an executive order on March 14, “Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of the United States by Tren De Aragua.”
Tuesday’s ruling was confined to Venezuelan aliens who are not naturalized or lawful permanent residents, 14 years or older, and have been specifically designated as part of a Foreign Terrorist Organization, specifically Tren de Aragua.
NOEM RIPS DEMOCRATS OVER SUPPORT FOR DEPORTED MIGRANT
Earlier this month, another judge stated that he would not prevent the administration from deporting individuals in the U.S. illegally but that the Alien Enemies Act could not be used as a basis to expel alleged gang members from the country.
“The question that this lawsuit presents is whether the President can utilize a specific statute, the AEA, to detain and remove Venezuelan aliens who are members of [Tren de Aragua]” U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., another Trump appointee, wrote in his order.
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“As to that question, the historical record renders clear that the president’s invocation of the AEA through the Proclamation exceeds the scope of the statute and is contrary to the plain, ordinary meaning of the statute’s terms,” the order states.
US cuts defense ties with island nation for lax counterterrorism efforts
The U.S. State Department has determined and certified Cuba as a “not fully cooperating country” (NFCC) for not helping with counterterrorism efforts after the island nation failed to turn over at least 11 fugitives in 2024 to U.S. custody.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce made the announcement on Tuesday that the certification, which falls under Section 40A of the Arms Export Control Act, will result in the prohibition on the sale or license for export of defense services to Cuba.
“In 2024, the Cuban regime did not fully cooperate with the United States on counterterrorism,” Bruce said in a statement. “There were at least 11 U.S. fugitives from justice in Cuba, including several facing terrorism-related charges, and the Cuban regime made clear it was not willing to discuss their return to face justice in our nation.”
“The Cuban regime’s refusal to engage on this important issue, as well as other recent circumstances of non-cooperation on terrorism-related law enforcement matters, made efforts to cooperate on counterterrorism issues futile in 2024,” she continued.
CHINA DENIES NEW REPORT LINKING CCP TO 4 SITES IN CUBA ALLEGEDLY USED TO SPY ON THE US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio not only certified Cuba as an NFCC, he also re-certified Iran, Syria, Venezuela and North Korea as NFCCs.
In January, the Biden administration lifted Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, reversing a move made by the Trump administration in 2021.
Former President Joe Biden said at the time that the Cuban government “has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding six-month period” as well as “provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future.”
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE BIDEN ADMIN’S CUBA DÉTENTE
Cuba was given the designation in January 2021, shortly before Biden took office. At the time, the U.S. Embassy in Cuba accused the country of “repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism in granting safe harbor to terrorists.”
The designation returned the Caribbean nation to a list that it was on from the Reagan administration to that of former President Barack Obama. In 2016, Obama became the first U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928.
WHITE HOUSE REMOVES CUBA’S STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM DESIGNATION, REVERSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVE
The Obama administration attempted to normalize relations in 2015 but encountered resistance from President Donald Trump, whose administration recently argued that Cuba has failed to cooperate on counterterrorism.
State Department officials said Cuba refused to extradite 10 suspects wanted in Colombia for a police academy bombing that killed 22 people and injured dozens more.
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Authorities also accused Cuba of harboring multiple American fugitives, including Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur. She was convicted of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1973.
In the summer of 2017, Trump imposed travel and financial restrictions on Cuba while blasting as “one-sided” Obama’s 2016 deal with the regime.
New book places blame on one key person for Harris campaign’s flop
Former President Joe Biden‘s second campaign ruined former Vice President Kamala Harris’ chances of defeating President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, according to a top Democratic consultant.
David Plouffe, former President Barack Obama’s campaign manager in 2008 and a senior advisor on Harris’ 2024 campaign, detailed how dire Biden’s run was for the Democrats in a new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”
“And it’s all Biden,” Plouffe said in the book, authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, about Biden’s choice to stay in the race so long and how the White House assured him Biden was capable of winning another election.
“He totally f—ed us.”
As a result, Plouffe said that Harris’ brief campaign against Trump turned into “a f—ing nightmare,” pointing the blame on Biden.
CRITICS PILE ON BIDEN FOLLOWING ABC INTERVIEW, BLAST HIS REFUSAL TO COMMIT TO COGNITIVE TEST: ‘DISQUALIFYING’
Plouffe is far from the only one who believes that Biden undercut his own party running again in 2024 as his faculties began to decline.
A senior White House aide described in the book that “we attempted to shield him from his own staff so many people didn’t realize the extent of the decline beginning in 2023.”
The aide, who ultimately departed the White House because they did not believe Biden should run in 2024, described Biden’s decision to run for a second term as a “disservice” to the country and Democrats.
“I love Joe Biden. When it comes to decency, there are few in politics like him,” the aide said in the book, which is slated for release Tuesday. “Still, it was a disservice to the country and to the party for his family and advisers to allow him to run again.”
Spokespeople for Biden and Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
“Original Sin” details the 2024 election cycle and how Biden’s team orchestrated a cover-up to hide just how severely his mental faculties had suffered.
The book is one of several that detail Biden’s decision to run in 2024 and assert the dramatic decline of his cognitive function.
BIDEN AIDES ‘SCRIPTED’ EVERYTHING, ALLOWED HIS FACULTIES TO ‘ATROPHY,’ NEW BOOK CLAIMS
For example, the book, “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History,” also detailed how the White House kept Biden from socializing even with those he regarded as friends and allies.
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However, that book, authored by Chris Whipple, a former producer for CBS’ “60 Minutes,” said that one White House aide suggested “walling Biden off from the world was a grave mistake.”
“‘They were afraid he might say the wrong thing or might feed the mental acuity narrative,’ he told me. ‘And so he started seeing fewer and fewer people. They allowed his faculties to atrophy. But I think, like knives, they have to be sharpened. They get sharpened by rubbing them up against steel. And they don’t get sharpened by sitting in a drawer,’” Whipple wrote.
Roberts addresses divisions between justices after several recent SCOTUS skirmishes
Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday urged Georgetown Law’s newest graduates to collaborate across ideological lines, commenting that on the Supreme Court, it’s necessary for those who disagree strongly to work past their differences.
Speaking to the dean of Georgetown Law, William Treanor, at a fireside chat Monday, Roberts lamented current political divisions, and though he was careful not to be specific, his comments came as President Donald Trump has sharply criticized judicial decisions that have set back his second-term policy agenda.
It’s “really too bad,” Roberts said of the environment facing aspiring lawyers. “We’re developing a situation where a whole group of young people is growing up having no real sense about how our system of justice works.”
He also noted that some of the harshest criticisms of Supreme Court rulings, past and present, often come from fellow justices on the bench. But he also urged the importance of keeping these relationships above the fray and maintaining a sense of decorum.
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS DOUBLES DOWN ON DEFENSE OF COURTS AS SCOTUS GEARS UP TO HEAR KEY TRUMP CASES
Though Supreme Court justices may “disagree a lot,” such differences have not strained their relationships. “We have to work together on these things that are difficult,” Roberts said. “You find a way to get along.”
“It’s a long job. If you’re sort of really at each other’s throats with bad feelings and stuff like that, it’s just not a good way to function,” Roberts said, adding that the justices work to avoid the “toxic” relationships seen in earlier generations of the court.
At times, the issues that frustrate the life-time appointed justices aren’t quite as high-minded, Roberts acknowledged. “There’s also the matter of the little things,” he said. “I mean, if you’re sitting next to somebody, and you just can’t stand the way he or she kind of taps the chair, you’re thinking, ‘OK, we’ll be here together for 20 years.’
“And you know, you’ve got to decide, am I going to tell her to stop doing that, or am I going to just get over it, or what? And on a small level, that’s kind of the way we across the board have to make those decisions and move on,” he said.
100 DAYS OF INJUNCTIONS, TRIALS AND ‘TEFLON DON’: TRUMP SECOND TERM MEETS ITS BIGGEST TESTS IN COURT
His remarks come as the Supreme Court is slated to hear a number of high-profile cases and emergency appeals filed by the Trump administration in the next few months.
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Alongside its regular docket – which already includes important cases on education, religious liberty and election redistricting – the Supreme Court has been asked to weigh in on several Trump-era executive actions. These include the ban on transgender military service, efforts to reinstate fired federal employees and the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations.
On Thursday, the court will hear arguments over Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, including whether lower courts overstepped by issuing nationwide injunctions blocking the order, as the administration claims in its appeal.
Menendez brothers resentenced making them eligible for parole after 35 years
LOS ANGELES – In a bombshell decision, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic slashed the Menendez brothers’ original life-without-parole terms to 50 years-to-life, making Erik and Lyle eligible for parole.
Judge Michael Jesic ruled Tuesday that both brothers received a reduced sentence of 50 years to life with the opportunity for parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
“I’m not suggesting they should be released [on parole]. That’s not for me to decide,” he said.
Their fate now lies in the hands of the parole board and Calif. Gov. Newsom.
MENENDEZ BROTHERS COULD GET FREEDOM UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW SIGNED BY GAVIN NEWSOM: EXPERT
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital that Erik and Kyle Menendez “will likely be freed in a matter of months,” adding that he does not expect “the parole board or Governor Newsom” to block their release.
Rahmani noted that the resentencing decision rests on whether the brothers pose “an unreasonable risk of committing another violent crime,” and he believes the evidence weighs heavily in their favor.
Pointing to Judge Jesic’s ruling, Rahmani explained that because former LA County District Attorney George Gascon initiated the resentencing request, new LA DA Nathan Hochman “couldn’t pull it back,” and the court could only deny resentencing if the risk threshold wasn’t met.
“That wasn’t the case,” he said, saying that “prison guards and other inmates testified that they were model prisoners.”
Rahmani also highlighted the unprecedented support from the Menendez family, observing that “every living family member of Jose and Kitty Menendez also supported their release, which is something that never happens. Victims do not support resentencing.”
MENENDEZ BROTHERS’ RESENTENCING MOVES FORWARD AS DA CALLS OUT ‘DECEIT, ‘NARCISSISTIC TENDENCIES’ IN PRISON
Judge Jesic made this point while handing down the reduced sentences, saying he had given a lot of thought to the sentence, while acknowledging “the horrific crimes the brothers committed.”
He added that he was “equally shocked by letters of support he received from prison officials” who spoke highly of the brothers’ actions behind bars, calling it “remarkable.”
Jesic stated the original sentence of life without parole was appropriate, but given the change in state law allowing for resentencing, Jesic said, “They’ve done enough over 35 years to get that chance.”
Rahmani stressed that such broad victim-family backing made it all but impossible for the current district attorney to derail the process.
“The bottom line is that there was too much support for the Menendez brothers, both inside and outside the courtroom, for Hochman to prevent their resentencing,” he said. It just goes to show the power of a Netflix series.“
He added that “the Menendez brothers should send Netflix and former LA County DA Gascon nice cards this holiday season.”
FREEDOM FOR THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS MIGHT COME FROM A SURPRISING SOURCE. AND THIS COULD BE NEXT
The resentencing hearing comes after the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition in May 2023 citing new evidence of sexual assault. Former Los Angeles County DA George Gascon then filed a motion for resentencing in October 2024. Both filings follow the passage of AB 600, a California law allowing for resentencing of long-convicted inmates to align with current law.
Gascon recommended resentencing the brothers to 25 years to life for each count of first-degree murder, so a total of 50 years to life for each brother. Because of their age at the time of the murders, that sentence would make them eligible for parole. Gascon cited “a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding sexual violence” and “Erik and Lyle’s continuous rehabilitative efforts.”
During the morning session on Tuesday, three Menendez family members were called to the stand by the defense to try and convince the judge that the brothers had shown remorse and had been rehabilitated.
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All three witnesses were asked whether they thought their male cousins would in fact commit another heinous crime.
“There is no chance,” Anamaria Baralt said. “I would bet my life on it.”
“They are not going to commit a [serious crime]. Because they have too many plans to give back to the world,” Tamara Goodall said.
“Absolutely. No. None. They are extremely remarkable people now,” Diane Hernandez said.
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Mark Geragos, the attorney for the Menendez brothers, said the family’s unified plea for the brothers’ resentencing is a “unicorn.”
The brothers, now 57 and 54, were dressed in blue jail garb, and flashed big grins following their resentencing, and waved to family and friends in attendance.
WATCH ON FOX NATION: MENENDEZ BROTHERS: VICTIMS OR VILLAINS?
Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared in court via video camera from the San Diego prison where they are incarcerated and were each given a chance to address the court prior to their sentencing.
Each brother spoke for about 10 minutes and offered full admission to the crimes.
Lyle Menendez spoke first and took responsibility for the cold-blooded killing of his parents in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.
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“I take full responsibility. I killed my parents. I made the choice to kill my mom and dad in their own home.”
“I made the choice to make a mockery of the justice system. I offer no excuse and I don’t blame my parents,” he said.
“I was impulsive and immature, and I bottled up my own emotions and anger. I was scared, but also filled with rage,” he continued. “Had I had the coping skills and trusted others, I would have not done this. Even after I killed him (Jose), I still heard his voice.”
“I’m deeply ashamed for what I did,” he said.
After his older brother addressed the court, Erik Menendez spoke, expressing his “profound sorrow.”
“I fired all five rounds at my parents and went back to reload. I lied to police. I lied to my family. I’m truly sorry,” he said.
“My actions were criminal, selfish and cowardly. I take full responsibility. I am truly sorry. My parents should be alive. There can never be full healing for my crime,” he continued. Geragos took a victory lap following the bombshell ruling for the killers brothers’ resentencing.
MENENDEZ BROTHERS CASE: WHAT’S NEXT FOR KILLERS AFTER DEFENSE, DA SPAR OVER RESENTENCING
“I never thought two years later we’d be standing here after 35 years with this wonderful family that I have grown to love like my own family,” Geragos said. “And now we see the pot at the end of the rainbow, so to speak.”
Following the judge’s decision, LA District Attorney Hochman shared his response to the ruling and said “Justice should never be swayed by spectacle.”
“The decision to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez was a monumental one that has significant implications for the families involved, the community, and the principles of justice,” Hochman said in a news release. “Our office’s motions to withdraw the resentencing motion filed by the previous administration ensured that the Court was presented with all the facts before making such a consequential decision.
“The case of the Menendez brothers has long been a window for the public to better understand the judicial system. This case, like all cases — especially those that captivate the public — must be viewed with a critical eye. Our opposition and analysis ensured that the Court received a complete and accurate record of the facts. Justice should never be swayed by spectacle.”
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The brothers remain in prison, but are now eligible for parole.
Both Lyle and Erik are already scheduled to appear before the board on June 13th as part of a comprehensive risk assessment report (CRA) ordered by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is considering the brothers’ clemency request – a separate potential path to freedom. Fox News is told the two types of parole hearings cannot be combined.
The parole board is expected to submit its clemency recommendation to Newsom on the June date.
Newsom can also commute their sentence at any time.
Grand jury indicts judge who allegedly helped illegal alien in her court evade ICE
A federal grand jury indicted a Wisconsin circuit court judge on Tuesday, who was arrested last month for allegedly shielding an illegal immigrant from federal agents.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and charged with obstruction of an official proceeding on April 25, after evidence became known that she had shielded an illegal immigrant from federal agents, according to a criminal complaint. She was also charged with concealing an individual to prevent discovery and arrest.
Dugan was indicted by a federal grand jury after listening to testimony regarding charges that she allegedly tried to help an illegal alien escape arrest in her courtroom.
On Tuesday, a federal grand jury convened to consider the indictment, hearing testimony that included statements from Eduardo Flores-Ruiz’s attorney, who has since withdrawn from his case, and Dugan’s court clerk.
MILWAUKEE JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN ‘TEMPORARILY RELIEVED OF HER OFFICIAL DUTIES’ BY WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT
Also giving testimony was Milwaukee County Judge Kristela Cervera, a misdemeanor judge whose courtroom is next to Dugan’s. The panel was expected to decide whether to indict Dugan ahead of her previously scheduled preliminary court hearing.
Dugan’s attorneys told Fox News, “As she said after her unnecessary arrest, Judge Dugan asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.”
Dugan is expected back in federal court on May 15, to face federal charges of felony obstruction of a federal agency and concealing a person to help them avoid arrest, which is a misdemeanor. She is expected to enter a plea on the charges during the hearing.
MILWAUKEE JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN ADDS FORMER BUSH SOLICITOR GENERAL TO DEFENSE TEAM
The FBI arrested Dugan for allegedly hiding a previously deported illegal immigrant in her jury room to stop him from being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Federal agents from ICE, FBI, CBP and DEA attempted to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his scheduled criminal court appearance before Dugan on April 18, to face three misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly beating up two people.
Dugan demanded that the officers proceed to the chief judge’s office and, after his hearing ended, escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a restricted jury door, bypassing the public area where agents were waiting in order to help him avoid arrest, per the complaint.
WISCONSIN JUDGE THREATENS COURTROOM BOYCOTT OVER HANNAH DUGAN ARREST
Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, told the court last month, “Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety.”
Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told Jesse Watters on Tuesday that she was “grateful” Dugan was indicted by a federal grand jury.
“She will be held accountable for that,” Noem said. “That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. We shouldn’t be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi previously blasted Dugan’s actions on Fox’s “America Reports.”
“We could not believe that a judge really did that,” Bondi said. “You cannot obstruct a criminal case. And really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case of all cases, and she’s protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”
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Bondi said Flores-Ruiz beat up two people, “a guy and a girl.”
“[He] beat the guy, hit the guy 30 times, knocked him to the ground, choked him, beat up a woman so badly; they both had to go to the hospital,” she said.
Bombshell report shines light on presence of CCP spies at top American university
A bombshell report out of Stanford University shed light on the influence of spies from the Chinese Communist Party that the student newspaper says have likely infiltrated the prestigious institution and other universities nationwide to gather intelligence.
The report, published by the Stanford Review, tells the story of a Stanford student working on sensitive research at the school – and given the name “Anna” to protect her identity – receiving unexpected messages from a man with the alias Charles Chen asking about seemingly harmless topics like networking opportunities.
Those messages soon took a “strange turn,” according to the outlet when Chen’s questions became more personal, asking Anna if she spoke Mandarin, encouraging her to visit Beijing on a trip he would pay for, and referencing details she had never disclosed to him.
Charles advised Anna on how to enter China briefly enough to avoid visa scrutiny from authorities, told her to only communicate through the CCP-monitored WeChat and told her to delete screenshots.
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“Under the guidance of experts familiar with espionage tactics, Anna contacted authorities,” the article explains.
“Their investigation revealed that Charles Chen had no affiliation with Stanford. Instead, he had posed as a Stanford student for years, slightly altering his name and persona online, targeting multiple students, nearly all of them women researching China-related topics. According to the experts on China who assisted Anna, Charles Chen was likely an agent of the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), tasked with identifying sympathetic Stanford students and gathering intelligence.”
Fox News Digital spoke to students involved in the article who explained that there are three major takeaways from the findings of the report.
“Number one, what we saw was a full apparatus for extracting information so they would hit the students they wanted, then two, they would administer loyalty tests and three they would demand the information be sent back,” one of the students said.
In some cases, if the students refuse to provide information to the CCP, their parents are threatened back home and sometimes interrogated by police, according to the students who spoke to some Chinese international students.
NEW REPORT WARNS OF GROWING NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO U.S. AS CHINA BUILDS AI: ‘SIGNIFICANT AND CONCERNING’
‘To be very clear, what they said is that every Chinese international student at any time can be asked by the CCP to disclose their research information,” Fox News Digital was told.
“So what that looks like is, potentially weekly calls with the Chinese ambassador back in China, where they will explain what research they’re doing and if it is particularly sensitive technologies like AI and robotics. This is where the majority of the CCP targeting is happening. They’ll ask them to send back not just public information, they’ll also send back internal lab reports, future directions of the research, recorded conversations with the professor, the methodologies, the other participants in the research, particularly if they’re Chinese international students so they can look for other ones.”
The Stanford Review story points out that the House Select Committee on China sent a letter to Stanford last year warning of the risks that China poses to STEM research.
The article also explained how concerns about a Chinese spy presence in China have “quietly persisted” for “years” and claimed that several people who were contacted were too afraid to speak publicly.
“One student who experienced espionage firsthand was too fearful to recount their story, even via encrypted messaging,” the article states.
“‘The risk is too high,’ they explained. “Transnational repression, $64 million in Chinese funding, and allegations of racial profiling have contributed to a pervasive culture of silence at Stanford and beyond.”
The authors of the article, after interviewing dozens of people in and around the university, summed up their findings by saying, “The CCP is orchestrating a widespread intelligence-gathering campaign at Stanford.”
“In short, ‘there are Chinese spies at Stanford.’”
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Fox News Digital spoke to former California GOP Congressman Michelle Steel about the report, and she explained that hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring in from China to prestigious universities. She called the situation “very dangerous.”
“President Trump is totally right,” Steel said. “China is the biggest threat to all other industries, but especially universities.”
Hudson Institute senior fellow Michael Sobolik, who recently published an article urging the U.S. to “stop giving Beijing an advantage through TikTok,” told Fox News Digital that “sunlight is the best disinfectant” in this situation.
“If Stanford is worried about foreign espionage and coercion on its campus – and it should be – then its leadership will need to call it out publicly,” Sobolik said.
“Thus far, woke politics have deterred Stanford from speaking out. That’s insane, and it rebounds to Beijing’s benefit. The CCP is one of the most racist political organizations in the world, and it hides behind the Chinese people as a shield,” he continued. “If Americans are afraid to call the party out, we implicitly advance the CCP’s narrative that there’s no difference between the Chinese people and the CCP.”
In a statement, Stanford University said it “takes its commitment to national security with the utmost seriousness, and we are acutely aware of the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to all research universities.”
“Stanford has rigorous policies and processes in place to ensure that research by its faculty and students is conducted in a manner that safeguards America’s interests. Stanford does not conduct classified or secret research,” the statement continued. “Stanford has a university-wide process for reporting threats to research security, and carefully assesses all reports. Stanford consults with federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure our policies and procedures are rigorous and protect national security.”
The university added that it is “looking into” the Stanford Review report and has reached out to federal law enforcement, adding that it is “very important to distinguish between threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, and Chinese and Chinese-American faculty and students who are at Stanford to learn and contribute to the generation of knowledge, and are valued members of our community.”
Steel and the Stanford students told Fox News Digital that while it is important not to generalize and make assumptions about all Chinese students, it is the students from China who are ultimately the victims in this situation as they are coerced and sometimes punished by the CCP.
“We really have to protect these innocent students, innocent Chinese Americans, but at the same time we really have to vet those students coming in or anybody, even diplomats, they’re coming in, we really have to vet them,” Steel said.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment on the report and received a statement denying the allegations.
“The above reports are full of false information, delusional speculation, political lies and ideological prejudice,” spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. “China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes this.”
“China-US educational cooperation has not only expanded the channels for students of the two countries and enhanced the understanding between the two peoples, but also promoted the economic prosperity and scientific and technological innovation of the United States, which is in the interests of both sides,” the statement continued.
“We urge the US to stop generalizing national security, stop slandering Chinese students, and stop stigmatizing, politicizing and instrumentalizing normal educational exchanges. Effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students studying abroad, and do not take discriminatory and restrictive measures against Chinese students.”
George Clooney’s last meeting with Biden left him ‘shaken to his core,’ authors claim
George Clooney was allegedly left “shaken to his core” after an uncomfortable face-to-face with former President Biden during a star-studded fundraiser in 2024.
In an excerpt from the upcoming book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” authors Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson detail the “terrifying” moment in which the former President of the United States failed to recognize the Oscar Award-winning actor after years of knowing each other.
“It was like watching someone who was not alive,” one insider claimed in the excerpt, which was published by The New Yorker on Tuesday. “It was startling. And we all looked at each other. It was so awful.”
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By the time the 2024 Presidential race had started, Clooney had known Biden “well for fifteen years.”
“He had last seen Biden on December 4, 2022, when Clooney was in D.C. with his wife, Amal, to be celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors,” the authors wrote. “Biden looked older, sure, but in the East Room of the White House, at the reception for the honorees, the President was playful and seemed cogent enough.”
Fast-forward to 2024, and the authors claim Clooney – who was accompanied by good friend and fellow actor Julia Roberts – immediately noticed Biden’s physical decline the moment he saw him.
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“The President appeared severely diminished, as if he’d aged a decade since Clooney last saw him, in December, 2022,” they wrote. “He was taking tiny steps, and an aide seemed to be guiding him by the arm.”
According to the book, Clooney “felt a knot” form in his stomach as the frail President approached him.
“Biden looked at him. ‘Thank you for being here,’ he said. ‘Thank you for being here.’”
“‘You know George,’ the assisting aide told the President, gently reminding him who was in front of him. ‘Yeah, yeah,’ the President said to one of the most recognizable men in the world, the host of this lucrative fund-raiser. ‘Thank you for being here.’”
The authors wrote that it “seemed clear” that Biden “had not recognized Clooney.”
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“It was not O.K.,” an insider, who had witnessed the moment, told the authors, per the excerpt. “That thing, the moment where you recognize someone you know —especially a famous person who’s doing a f—ing fundraiser for you — it was delayed. It was uncomfortable.”
“Clooney was shaken to his core. The President hadn’t recognized him, a man he had known for years. Clooney had expressed concern about Biden’s health before—a White House aide had told him a few months before that they were working on getting the President to take longer steps when he walked—but obviously the problem went far beyond his gait. This was much graver.”
Biden was showing signs of “obvious brain freezes and clear signs of a mental slide.”
“It was, to some of them, terrifying,” the authors wrote.
Representatives for Clooney, Biden, Tapper and Thompson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Clooney called on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election in a New York Times guest essay published in July 2024, arguing that his disastrous debate performance against former President Trump proved he’s too old to win a second term.
“This is about age. Nothing more. But also nothing that can be reversed. We are not going to win in November with this president,” the actor wrote. He also stated in the piece that he noticed Biden’s frailty during a Hollywood fundraiser for his campaign in June.
“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,” Clooney wrote.
In March, Clooney defended his decision to write the op-ed.
“I was raised to tell the truth,” Clooney, the son of a journalist, said when asked about the essay on “60 Minutes”. “I had seen the president up close for his fundraiser, and I was surprised, and so I feel as if there were a lot of profiles in cowardice in my party through all of that. And I was not proud of that, and I also believed I had to tell the truth.”
WATCH: GEORGE CLOONEY ACCUSES MEDIA OF CONCEALING BIDEN’S MENTAL DECLINE
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