President Trump signs executive order to boost coal industry
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency are set to announce a bevy of new actions Tuesday afternoon that will “unleash” coal energy following President Donald Trump’s expected signature on an executive order reinvigorating “America’s beautiful clean coal industry,” Fox News Digital learned.
“The American people need more energy, and the Department of Energy is helping to meet this demand by unleashing supply of affordable, reliable, secure energy sources — including coal,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a Tuesday statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“Coal is essential for generating 24/7 electricity generation that powers American homes and businesses, but misguided policies from previous administrations have stifled this critical American industry,” he said. “With President Trump’s leadership, we are cutting the red tape and bringing back common sense.”
Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday afternoon that will cut through red tape surrounding the coal industry, including directing the National Energy Dominance Council to designate coal as a “mineral,” end a current pause to coal leasing on federal lands, promote coal and coal technology exports, and encourage the use of coal to power artificial intelligence initiatives, Fox News Digital learned of the upcoming executive order.
BIDEN BLOCKS NEW MINING IN REGION THAT PRODUCES ABOUT 40% OF NATION’S COAL: ‘IT’S A DISASTER’
The Departments of Energy and the Interior and the EPA will take actions supporting the Trump executive order Tuesday, including the Interior ending the current moratorium on federal coal leasing and removing regulatory burdens for coal mines, a press release first obtained by Fox Digital shows.
COAL STILL KEY TO US ENERGY DOMINANCE, SAYS WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR
“The Golden Age is here, and we are starting to ‘Mine, Baby, Mine’ for clean American coal,” Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Interior is unlocking America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.”
The Interior Department explained that by expanding acces to coal reserves and cutting through red tape surrounding the permitting process, “the administration is removing long-standing regulatory barriers that have undermined American coal production.”
“These efforts support high-paying mining jobs and rural economies, while strengthening U.S. energy independence by reducing reliance on foreign energy sources,” the press release stated. “Coal is a critical component of a secure, stable and diversified American energy portfolio.”
MOUNTAIN STATE CRACKDOWN: WV GOV’S ORDER LEADS TO 60 SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINAL DETENTIONS
At the Department of Energy, Wright is expected to announce five initiatives to strengthen coal innovation and mineral independence, Fox Digital learned. The five actions include: Reinstating of the National Coal Council; facilitating new investment in coal-powered electricity generation; the designation of steelmaking coal as a critical material and mineral; deploying mineral extraction technology from coal ash; and commercializing coal ash conversion technologies.
The National Coal Council is a 50-member federal advisory committee that was established in 1984, but saw its charter expire under the Biden administration in 2021. The council acted as a guide for the government while navigating coal technologies and markets. Once reinstated, the council will include coal producers, users, equipment suppliers, state and local officials, and other stakeholders, according to a Department of Energy press release first obtained by Fox News Digital Tuesday.
The Energy Department’s Loan Program Office’s Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program will also make $200 billion in financing available for coal energy investments, such as upgrading energy infrastructure and building new facilities that utilize legacy energy infrastructure.
The Department of Energy also will work with the Interior Department to recommend that coal, in the context of steelmaking, be designated as critical material and a critical mineral in the 2025 Critical Materials Assessment.
“This strategic designation will help ensure the U.S. maintains a stable supply of steelmaking coal in the decades to come and underscores the vital role of steelmaking coal in bolstering national security and economic stability,” the Energy Department explained of the initiative.
NEW ENGLAND’S LAST COAL PLANTS SET TO SHUTTER, USHERING IN ERA OF GREEN ENERGY
The department is also expected to heighten its focus on coal ash, specifically employing its newly patented technology to extract critical minerals from coal ash, and commercializing the recovery of critical minerals from coal ash, which the Department of Energy said will reduce the U.S.’ reliance on China for such materials.
“The Energy Department is committed to restoring American energy dominance and strengthening America’s industrial base,” the Department of Energy said of the initiative. “Secretary Wright will continue to work with all members of the National Energy Dominance Council to eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens on coal and unleash American energy.”
While the EPA is set to announce that $5.8 million in State and Tribal Assistance Grants funds will be made available to provide grants assisting states in the implementation of EPA-approved state Coal Combustion Residual program, which comes after Zeldin’s EPA already has taken a handful of coal-related actions, such as reconsidering the Biden-era “Clean Power Plan 2.0.” plan and revising coal regulations.
“President Trump is delivering on the mandate Americans gave him last November by empowering different forms of domestic energy to drive down costs, increase domestic energy supply, and improve our grid security as we pioneer the path to become the Artificial Intelligence capital of the world,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in comment provided to Fox News Digital.
“The Obama and Biden administrations deliberately tried to regulate coal out of existence. Under my leadership, economic growth and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive choices. We are committed to supporting all forms of energy, including clean beautiful coal, and have already taken steps to bolster America’s energy dominance and make energy affordable again while ensuring we have the cleanest air, land and water on the planet,” Zeldin added.
BIDEN ADMIN ISSUES ENERGY EFFICIENCY RESTRICTIONS ON KEY POWER GRID TECHNOLOGY
Producing energy at home in the U.S. was a cornerstone of Trump’s campaign, with the then-candidate vowing that the U.S. would no longer rely on foreign nations for oil by reinvigorating the coal industry, and tapping oil in the U.S.
“We will develop the liquid gold that is right under our feet, including American oil and natural gas and we will also embrace nuclear, clean coal, hydropower, which is fantastic, and every other form of affordable energy to get it done,” Trump said in 2023.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Tuesday executive order is expected to build on Trump’s pledge to make the U.S. energy independent while also providing cheaper energy costs to Americans, and follows previous actions such as withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, terminating the liberal climate plan dubbed the Green New Deal in a January executive order, and reversing a pause on liquefied natural exports, a fact sheet on the upcoming executive order argued.
Dem unloads in bizarre rant — doubles down when the silence gets awkward: ‘So I’m lying?’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a member of the far-left group of progressive lawmakers known as “the Squad,” told congregants at a historically Black church that America needs robust immigration because “we done picking cotton.”
Crockett, who represents Texas’s 30th Congressional District, made the remarks during Connecticut-based Grace Baptist Church’s 125th anniversary celebration held over the weekend. The comments were part of Crockett’s broader attempt to slam the Trump administration for cracking down on illegal immigration.
“So I had to go around the country and educate people about what immigrants do for this country, or the fact that we are a country of immigrants. The fact is ain’t none of y’all trying to go and farm right now,” Crockett said, garnering a sheepish laugh from a few members of the audience.
ROLLING CONTROVERSY: FAR-LEFT DEM JASMINE CROCKETT FACES WEEK OF BACKLASH AMID ‘UNHINGED’ COMMENTS
“OK, so I’m lying?” Crockett shot back, noticing the awkward silence. “You’re not! You’re not! We done picking cotton! We are. You can’t pay us enough to find a plantation.”
Crockett’s weekend remarks are just the latest in a line of other questionable comments and controversies that have resulted in her facing possible censure in the House of Representatives.
One of those controversies occurred after she referred to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is paralyzed and has been confined to a wheelchair for decades, as “Governor Hot Wheels.”
While Crockett attempted to walk back her comments after they drew nationwide backlash, she has exhibited a pattern of promoting remarks about Abbott “rolling places.”
JASMINE CROCKETT CONCEALS THE MEANING OF ‘HOT WHEELS’: GUTFELD
“Rolling up to the White House to cheer on the president destroying the agency that makes sure kids in wheelchairs have equal access to education is wild,” read a social media post Crockett shared days before her “hot wheels comment.” Prior to that, during Abbott’s re-election campaign against former Democratic Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, Crockett once again blasted the Texas governor, saying, “The new nickname I have for Beto O’Rourke is the king of the clap backs! Beto is rolling around the state… Where is Abbott rolling to?”
Other questionable remarks leading up to the censure resolution included suggesting Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz should be “knocked over the head.” Meanwhile, amid a spate of violent attacks targeting Elon Musk and Tesla, Crockett mused that “all I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,” while she was speaking at a rally pushing Tesla owners to sell their cars and get rid of any stock in the company.
Another remark that has put Crockett in hot water lately included comments that Democrats need to be “OK with punching.”
“I think you punch,” Crockett said in an interview when asked how Democrats regain the momentum they lost in the 2024 election. “I think you’re OK with punching.”
JASMINE CROCKETT SETS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER TOUTING BEING BLACK AS QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER JOB
Comments criticizing the interracial marriage of Florida GOP Congressman Byron Donalds, a Trump ally, from June 2024 have also resurfaced amid Crockett’s spate of questionable statements.
“The fact that you’re sitting around talking about ‘life was better under Jim Crow,’ like, is this because you don’t understand history? Or literally it’s because you married a White woman and so you think that whitewashed you?” Crockett said on “The Breakfast Club” in June, which was first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
“I feel like they give [Donalds] his talking points and he’s like, ‘Yes, massa. I got it.'”
The censure resolution against Crockett, introduced March 26 by Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, remains under consideration by the House Committee on Ethics. In comments to Fox News’ Sean Hannity last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi added that Crockett needs “to tread very carefully,” noting that “words have consequences.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“She needs to immediately apologize and denounce [her rhetoric] because, even in her home state, violence is happening after she made these statements,” Bondi said, referring specifically to Crockett’s comments about wanting to see Musk “taken down” for her birthday amid a spate of violent attacks targeting Tesla.
“It’s dangerous,” Bondi continued. “She has to know it’s dangerous, and she’s calling for further insurrection on her birthday this weekend.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Trump slaps 104% tariff on China after Beijing misses deadline
The White House is signaling that new tariffs on Chinese imports are taking effect after China’s government missed a deadline to lift its retaliatory tariffs that were imposed in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that because China declined to lift its retaliatory tariff, the president’s additional 50% tariff levied on top of previously imposed tariffs of 20% and 34% took effect, bringing the total tariff on Chinese goods to 104%.
She added that the tariffs took effect at noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, with tariff collection set to begin on Wednesday. Leavitt said that U.S. trading partners should be coming to the administration with deals to improve trade terms.
“The president’s message has been simple and consistent from the beginning to countries around the world – bring us your best offers and he will listen,” Leavitt said during a White House press briefing Tuesday. “Deals will only be made if they benefit American workers and address our nation’s crippling trade deficits.”
EU COMMISSION PROPOSES 25% TARIFFS ON US GOODS IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP: REPORT
Leavitt said that by contrast, China’s retaliatory tariffs have prompted Trump to increase duties on Chinese imports in response, serving as an example of what other countries that follow suit can expect.
“On the other hand, countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate, and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers are making a mistake,” she said.
“President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break, and America will not break under his leadership. He is guided by a firm belief that America must be able to produce essential goods for our own people and export them to the rest of the world,” Leavitt said. “A strong America cannot be solely dependent on foreign countries for our food, medicines, and critical minerals, and America must always maintain a robust defense supply chain.”
GOLDMAN SACHS INCREASES RECESSION PROBABILITY, WARNS OF FURTHER DOWNGRADE IF MORE TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT
The Trump administration has centered its tariff strategy around the elimination of trade deficits. After touting plans for “reciprocal” tariffs, the administration’s formula for those tariffs was calculated based on the size of the U.S. trade deficit with various trading partners.
Economists tend to dismiss trade deficits as neither good nor bad, arguing they’re the result of mutually beneficial trade decisions. Ryan Young, senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, previously told FOX Business that trade balances don’t “say anything about a country’s economic health, good or bad,” and noted the U.S. has run trade deficits for over 50 years.
WILL TARIFFS REDUCE TRADE DEFICITS? EXPERTS WEIGH IN
“The U.S. has run a trade deficit every year since the 1970s, yet living standards are better by almost every measure, whether it’s income, unemployment rate, life expectancy, percentage of low-income households with air-conditioning, internet and other goods,” he said.
“If the trade deficit were harmful, much of what we see all around us every day should not exist,” Young added.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon wrote in his annual shareholder letter released Monday that trade deficits “are not necessarily good or bad” and observed, “Even if our country had no net trade deficit, it would likely be running deficits with some countries and surpluses with others.”
Secretary Hegseth sends blunt message to China over Panama Canal
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said the U.S. will take back the Panama Canal from “China’s influence” as Washington tries to reassert control over the major trade route.
“The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal’s operation or integrity,” he said during a press event from the Central American nation. “To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades.
“Together we will take back the Panama Canal from China’s influence,” he added.
SEC HEGSETH TO VISIT PANAMA AFTER TRUMP’S DEMANDS FOR CANAL’S RETURN
Panama has repeatedly rejected the Trump administration’s claims that China effectively controls the canal as it operates two major ports on either end of the waterway.
However, the Central American nation withdrew from its 2017 Belt and Road Initiative agreements with Beijing earlier this year in a signal that Panama has chosen to side with the Trump administration in this geopolitical spat.
Hegseth laid out a litany of joint exercises, operations and the general presence of the U.S. military in and around the canal in a move to counter China, though Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the Pentagon to confirm whether this signified an increase in U.S. presence in the region.
GREENLAND, PANAMA FIERCELY REJECT TRUMP’S AMBITIONS IN ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
“Our relationship with Panama, especially our security relationship, will continue to grow in the months and years ahead,” Hegseth said. “Our relationship is growing in part to meet communist China’s rising challenges.”
The defense secretary said China-based companies continue to install “critical infrastructure” in the canal, which gives China the “potential” ability to “conduct surveillance.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous, less sovereign,” he added.
“I want to be very clear. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal,” Hegseth said.
The Chinese embassy in D.C. did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump gets the last laugh after judge who halted deportations announces new decision
The federal judge who blocked the Trump administration’s use of a 1798 wartime law to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals canceled a planned Tuesday court hearing to review the case after the Supreme Court handed a win to the president.
In a minute order published Tuesday morning, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg announced that the previously scheduled Tuesday afternoon hearing would be vacated in light of the high court’s ruling, which determined, among other things, that the “appropriate venue for such proceedings is the Southern District of Texas,” or wherever plaintiffs that are subject to potential removal are currently being held.
At issue in the case was Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime immigration law, to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals, including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT
Plaintiffs filed for an emergency restraining order in D.C. District Court last month to temporarily block the administration’s use of the law – a request granted by Boasberg, who agreed that the deportations would likely cause imminent and “irreparable” harm to the affected migrants under the proposed timeline.
A federal appeals court also upheld that ruling, which put Boasberg squarely in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.
JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’
The lower court’s restraining order remained in effect until Monday night, when the Supreme Court sided with Trump in an emergency order.
Since its passage in Congress 228 years ago, the Alien Enemies Act had been used just three times: during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.
Boasberg had been tasked with reviewing the Trump administration’s use of the law to deport Venezuelan nationals.
BOASBERG CONTEMPT SHOWDOWN LOOMS AFTER SUPREME COURT HANDS TRUMP IMMIGRATION WIN
The 5-4 Supreme Court ruling established due process protections and the right to judicial review for migrants subject to deportation under the law.
Justices said in particular that migrants have the right to appear in court before they are deported, and must receive proper notice of any planned removal proceedings from the U.S. under the Alien Enemies Act.
Detainees “must receive notice after the date of this order that they are subject to removal under the Act,” justices wrote in the majority. “The notice must be afforded within a reasonable time and in such a manner as will allow them to actually seek habeas relief in the proper venue before such removal occurs.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Boasberg also ordered plaintiffs in the case to file a notice by April 16 indicating whether they believe that they still have a basis to proceed on their motion for preliminary injunction in the D.C. court, rather than the Southern District of Texas, where migrants are being held.
If so, he said, they must propose a briefing schedule, so the case can be reviewed in the D.C. court.
New Navy chief ‘regrets’ costly, high-powered missile strikes against Houthis
New acting Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. James Kilby said he regrets the Navy’s reliance on expensive, high-powered missile interceptors to counter the Houthi threat in the Red Sea and pledged to push for cheaper, more efficient solutions.
Speaking to reporters at the Sea Air Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Kilby said he was “not concerned” about the Navy’s ability to protect its people – such as the 350 sailors aboard the USS Carney missile destroyer – or its ability to safeguard commercial shipping.
He is concerned, however, about “not having better ways to more economically attrit the threat.”
In his former role as deputy commander of Fleet Forces Command, Kilby said he was “focused on a high-end laser – 500kW to one megawatt – and I have regret for that.”
TRUMP ADMIN FIRES NAVY ADMIRAL AT NATO TARGETED BY CONSERVATIVE GROUP
“I had not been thoughtful enough to think about the UAV threat, where I think a much lesser-powered weapon would have done what we needed it to do,” Kilby said.
He promised the Navy was now working to overhaul its costly defense tactics with “much more cost-effective” technologies to counter autonomous vehicles in the Red Sea, as he called on the defense industry to more quickly produce munitions for the mission.
“We have to get after our industrial base or munitions industrial base the same way we have to get after our shipbuilding industrial base,” said Kilby.
When asked if the Navy had enough munitions to counter the Houthi threat, Kilby replied, “I think we need more munitions.”
“We certainly need more depth of magazine, if we’re going to get into a protracted conflict.”
The U.S. launched a renewed offensive campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels last month, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday, “it’s about to get worse” for the Houthis.
Onlookers have long decried the disproportionate cost of taking on the Yemeni rebels. Naval missiles that run around $2 million a shot have been used to take out drones that cost the Houthis no more than $2,000. Since the March 15 offensive began, the Houthis have also downed three MQ-9 Reaper drones — each worth about $30 million.
Kilby replaced Adm. Lisa Franchetti in an acting capacity in February, after she was let go as part of a broader purge of high-level military leadership by the Trump administration. Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife were also relieved of command.
It is not yet clear whether Kilby will be nominated to serve as CNO in a permanent capacity and put forward for Senate confirmation.
However, Kilby said he would continue Franchetti’s goal of getting the Navy to a point where 80% of its ships are ready to deploy for combat at any given moment. Currently, he said, submarines are operating at 67% combat readiness, ships are at 68% and aircraft carriers are at 70%.
Kilby told Fox News Digital he was pleased that “awareness seems to be higher” regarding the nation’s shipbuilding issues, adding, “it’s going to take a national effort.”
He also said he was “super focused” with the Marine Corps commandant and deputy commandant on getting the Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program back on track.
HOUTHIS SHOOT DOWN 3RD US REAPER DRONE AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES DAILY AIRSTRIKES
The LSM program, viewed by many as crucial to moving Marines around remote islands in the Indo-Pacific in the event of conflict with China, has been plagued by delays, with work on the program stalling late last year.
The vessel is envisioned to be able to transport forces right onto a beach without any port access, where they would be able to fire anti-ship cruise missiles and collect intelligence.
Kilby said Navy and Marine Corps leadership are now looking to get approval to procure a ship to enter the testing phase of such a vessel.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We’re going to go through we’ll look at those requirements, make sure we produce a ship that can meet the needs of the Marine Corps and support their force design. But I’m thankful we’re doing it now not when our ship’s in construction. So I’m optimistic here. And we need that. You know, we need to have this expedition.”
Kilby also laid out his goals for sailor recruitment shortfalls. “I’ll take that 23,000-person gap, make it 18,000 this year and 8,000 the next year.”
Usha Vance reveals how ‘switch flipped’ after husband joined Trump ticket
Second lady Usha Vance described in a rare interview how a “switch flipped” in her and her husband J.D. Vance’s lives after he was chosen as President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying the MAGA movement had totally embraced her.
In her first interview since her husband was elected to the vice presidency, Usha Vance detailed how nearly every aspect of her life was flipped on its head after she went from being the “mostly unknown wife of a United States senator from a flyover state” to the nation’s second lady.
“The day before J.D. was selected—I did not know he was going to be selected—I was working as a lawyer, and I had the wardrobe of a person with three children who likes to do things outdoors, who has a dog, who doesn’t like things to be too precious,” she told The Free Press. “And then, a switch flipped, and it’s not like it came with a whole new wardrobe and stylist and everything.”
Usha Vance first gained the fascination of the public at the Republican National Convention in July, where she sported a cobalt-blue Badgley Mischka dress, wearing little to no jewelry or makeup.
JD VANCE HONORS HIS MOTHER AT WHITE HOUSE FOR REACHING 10 YEARS SOBRIETY
As noted by the fashion venue WWD, Usha Vance did not consult with the fashion designers behind the $495 dress she wore to the convention, and “must have purchased the frock on her own at retail,” according to a spokesperson for Badgley Mischka.
When asked by The Free Press “what it was like to be an Indian-American woman in MAGA Land—with all the blondes and Botox and facelifts, the low-cut blouses and nine-inch heels,” she laughed.
“I’m laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde,” Vance joked, adding, “that color would look totally absurd.”
Then-Sen. Vance became an effective surrogate for the Trump 2024 campaign en route to victory in November. Usha Vance, who preferred to let her hair age naturally, provided some insight into how she was received by the MAGA movement.
GREENLAND PM SLAMS UPCOMING VISIT FROM USHA VANCE AS ‘VERY AGGRESSIVE’ PROVOCATION: REPORT
“For what it’s worth, my reception into this world—and I’m not from a particularly wealthy background, not from a very fashion-oriented background personally or professionally—has been really positive,” she said. “People don’t seem to care all that much what I look like.”
The highly accomplished Vance is a lawyer who has clerked for Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the latter before he joined the highest court.
In the interview, she also delved into how her family life has been affected by the negative attention her husband receives at times.
While on a visit to The Kennedy Center, in Washington, D.C., on March 13, Usha and the vice president were expecting to have a pleasant night out together. Instead, they were faced with hecklers who disrupted the start of the concert they came to see.
“I don’t think we anticipated that anyone would really notice,” she told The Free Press.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Concertgoers recorded the incident and shared it on social media, where it quickly caught the attention of national outlets.
Usha was reportedly “perplexed” by the situation, and said it was “a really good example of reporting in search of a narrative that tends to occur.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We just go to concerts, right?” she added.
World Series champ reportedly pulled from rubble after roof collapses at nightclub
Octavio Dotel, who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, was reportedly inside a Dominican Republic nightclub when the roof collapsed.
The former MLB pitcher was later pulled from the rubble at Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, according to the New York Post.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Seven others, including singer Rubby Pérez, were also rescued, local media reported.
WORLD SERIES CHAMPION RICH DAUER DEAD AT 72
More than two dozen people died and 160 others were injured in the Dominican capital early Tuesday when the iconic nightclub where politicians, athletes and others were attending a merengue concert, authorities told The Associated Press.
Nearly 12 hours after the top of the nightclub collapsed onto patrons, rescue crews were still pulling out survivors from the debris. At the scene, firefighters used blocks of broken concrete and sawed pieces of wood to lift heavy debris as the noise of drills breaking through concrete filled the air.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse.
Jet Set issued a statement saying it was cooperating with authorities.
“The loss of human life leaves us in a state of deep pain and dismay,” it said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Dotel played for 13 MLB teams during his 15-year major league career. He made his debut with the New York Mets, and last appeared in a game with the Detroit Tigers in 2013.
The pitcher was a member of the Cardinals team that defeated the Texas Rangers in game seven of the 2011 World Series.
sports coverage on X the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter