Trump confirms US will sign minerals agreement with Ukraine next week
President Donald Trump on Thursday said an 80-page minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine in one week.
While Trump announced during a press event from the Oval Office alongside Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that the deal would be signed next Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later amended that it would likely be signed on April 26.
Details on the agreement still remain relatively unknown, though recent reporting by Bloomberg has suggested the U.S. has eased back its demands of repayment for its aid in Ukraine’s fight against Russia from $300 billion to $100 billion.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE US-UKRAINE MINERAL DEAL SO FAR
Though Zelenskyy has said that he does not view aid given to Ukraine prior to Trump entering office as a debt, he has acknowledged that Ukraine will need to pay for military aid going forward and on Wednesday said that “good progress” had been made following meetings last week between the Trump administration and a Ukrainian delegation.
When pressed by reporters on Thursday about details of the deal, Bessent said that “substantially [its] what was agreed upon previously” – signaling that, in essence, the U.S. has been granted some sort of “rare earth” rights in exchange for continued military support.
US SAYS ZELENSKYY HAS AGREED TO SIGN MINERAL DEAL: ‘WE’LL SEE IF HE FOLLOWS THROUGH’
Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that a memorandum of understanding could be signed at any moment, a crucial step in order for the official minerals deal to be signed.
Bessent referenced this memorandum on Thursday during his comments and said this is what Zelenskyy was supposed to sign during his White House visit in February, but noted that “we went straight to the big deal.”
This “big deal” is what Fox News Digital was told Zelenskyy refused to sign and led to the Oval Office blow-up that played out on live television.
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Trump, when pressed by reporters, had little information on who would sign the deal or where a signing could take place, though previous reporting has suggested that neither Zelenskyy nor Trump is needed to actually sign the deal.
The agreement would most likely be signed by Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko as well as Bessent as the Secretary of the Treasury.
Conservatives sound alarm over Trump admin’s REAL ID rollout
Conservatives are speaking out against the Trump administration’s plans to finally enact long-expected REAL ID laws in a bid to crack down on illegal immigration.
“If you think REAL ID is about election integrity, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X earlier this week.
Responding to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s video announcing the May 7 REAL ID deadline, the former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin questioned in a lengthy post: “Or what?? Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country.”
Palin continued: “Other administrations delayed this newfangled, burdensome REAL ID requirement. Are you curious why its implementation is imperative now?? And who came up with this?”
NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’
The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, but the federal government has yet to implement it 20 years later. It requires all U.S. travelers to be REAL ID compliant when boarding domestic flights.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last week that REAL ID would go into effect May 7, and that no other state-issued ID cards would be accepted for air travel.
TSA senior official Adam Stahl said in the announcement that REAL ID “bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists.”
While an overwhelming majority of Republicans appear to have few issues with the change, some on the right have cried foul.
Massie argued in an X post, “As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission? REAL ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?”
REAL ID DEADLINE FOR TRAVELERS, SOME FEDERAL BUILDING ACCESS QUICKLY APPROACHING
Massie targeted President Donald Trump more directly in response to another X user who asked whether he was opposed simply because of his differences with the commander in chief. The Kentucky Republican has been known for multiple public spats with Trump.
“REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?” Massie wrote.
Former presidential candidate and ex-House Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, wrote on X, “Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem announced Friday that the notorious PATRIOT Act-era REAL ID scheme would go into effect at the end of the month. REAL ID is one of the greatest threats to Americans’ civil liberties in decades.”
Kentucky state Rep. TJ Roberts, a Republican, agreed with Paul on social media, writing, “Repeal REAL ID!!”
New Hampshire state Rep. Joe Alexander, a Republican, added on the accusations, calling REAL ID a “violation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution,” and writing, “the Federal Government should not be mandating ID for its citizens to travel between states. Just say NO.”
Cato Institute senior fellow Patrick Eddington told Fox News Digital, “I’m not aware of a single post-9/11 instance of an alleged or actual terrorist being apprehended, much less successfully boarding an airliner, with false ID credentials – which is the entire-stated rationale for REAL ID.”
Eddington argued it imposed unconstitutional burdens on people who are seeking to travel by air versus train.
“If you got word that your mother had just had a stroke and her prognosis was uncertain, and you wanted to quickly fly home to be with her but couldn’t because you didn’t have a REAL ID-compliant ID card, that would be one very real-world example of a tangible harm this insane law could cause on literally a daily basis,” he said.
“The REAL ID Act effectively institutes a form of mass surveillance and verification that doesn’t discriminate between those who have given reason for suspicion and those who haven’t, which is why it should never have been enacted in the first place.”
Meanwhile, Trump ally Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., targeted critics in his own public statement.
“The REAL ID Act was passed way back in 2005, 20 years ago!!!! It’s about time everyone stop dragging their feet. Quit scrolling through social media, quit complaining, get your info together, and get down to the DMV to get your REAL ID,” Alford said Wednesday.
The DHS has argued that implementing REAL ID now will help the Trump administration further its goals in cracking down on illegal immigration.
A DHS memo obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this week argued in favor of its implementation, that REAL ID “closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks.”
Trump administration allies have also pointed out that it is carrying out a directive by Congress that’s long been stalled, but that the current White House took no part in deciding.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and TSA for further comment. Massie’s spokesman said he was not available for an interview when reached by Fox News Digital.
Trump leaves little doubt about whether US will strike trade deal with Europe
The U.S. and the European Union will absolutely strike a trade deal amid looming tariffs, according to President Donald Trump.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Washington comes amid a pause in harsh tariffs against the European Union and other countries that could go into effect in June. But Trump said the U.S. and the EU would lock down a deal before then.
“There will be a trade deal, 100%,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. “Of course there will be a trade deal, they want to make one very much, and we’re going to make a trade deal. I fully expect it, but it’ll be a fair deal.”
When asked whether she viewed the U.S. as a reliable trading partner, Meloni said that she wouldn’t be visiting the White House unless that were the case. Meloni also voiced optimism about securing a trade deal with the U.S., and said her goal is to invite Trump to meetings on behalf of Italy and Europe to advance those talks.
“I think the best way is that we simply speak frankly about the needs that every one of us has and find ourselves in the middle for that’s useful for all,” Meloni told reporters on Thursday.
Trump said that the U.S. had held discussions on trade with Japan on Wednesday and that discussions with “numerous” other countries are ongoing. Still, he said the U.S. is not in a rush to hash out trade agreements immediately.
“We’re moving along on trade very well,” Trump said Thursday. “The United States was ripped off and taken advantage of by every country in the world, practically. I mean, they have to say practically, but just about everyone. That’s not going to happen anymore, but we’re going to make fair deals.”
Trump also shut down questions regarding whether U.S. allies would align themselves closer to China in response to the tariffs. But Trump said he wasn’t worried about that happening.
“Nobody can compete with us,” Trump said.
ITALY’S MELONI GOES TO WASHINGTON FOR TARIFF HUDDLE WITH TRUMP
Trump has cozied up to Meloni, who visited Mar-a-Lago in January. He has previously praised Meloni’s leadership skills, and issued high praise again for her on Thursday.
“I think she’s a great prime minister,” Trump said. “I think she’s doing a fantastic job in Italy. We were very proud of her.”
The White House has said that more than 75 countries have reached out seeking to negotiate trade deals with the U.S., after the Trump administration unveiled historic tariffs on April 2.
The original tariff plan slapped 20% duties on goods from the European Union, but Trump announced on April 9 a 90-day pause on those tariffs where duties would be reduced to 10% as countries work to hash out trade deals with the U.S.
WHO IS GIORGIA MELONI? TRUMP HOSTS ITALIAN PM AT MAR-A-LAGO
Meloni has said Italy isn’t on board with the tariffs imposed on the EU, and is prepared to “deploy all tools” to protect Italian businesses.
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Vice President JD Vance is also slated to meet with Meloni in Rome during a trip to Italy and India that will kick off on Friday. He is expected to discuss “shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country,” according to a statement from his office.
UFO footage captured by US Navy shows mysterious aircraft launching from sea, expert says
A group of unidentified flying objects spotted by Navy sailors is raising eyebrows after witnesses reported watching the oddly-shaped aircraft rise from the ocean before jetting off in a synchronized fashion last year.
The four aircraft were spotted by sailors aboard USS Jackson while off the coast of California last year, Jeremy Corbell, co-host of the “Weaponized” podcast, told Fox 11.
“[This] is a machine that is able to outpace, outmaneuver, and outperform anything that we know of that’s been made by technology and terrestrial nations,” Corbell said.
VIRAL CIA FILE ABOUT ALIENS ATTACKING SOLDIERS TAKES OFF WITH UFO INTRIGUE
The UFOs reportedly emerged from the Pacific Ocean and were spotted by sailors before showing up on the ship’s radar, an unnamed witness told Corbell.
Footage recorded by the Navy warship and obtained by Corbell shows the four aircraft grouping together before racing off in unison.
“Everybody on the ship knew they were seeing something extraordinary,” Corbell said. “So obviously people thought it was important to document and then finally witnesses came forward.”
PENTAGON SOLVES ONE OF ITS HIGHEST-PROFILE UFO MYSTERIES
The Navy and Corbell did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Corbell noted the footage shows the objects do not have a wing or tail, raising questions regarding the aircraft’s ability to fly. However, Corbell does not believe the unidentified objects are nefarious or operated by a foreign adversary.
“I’d rather these things be from another planet than an adversarial nation, because if it was an adversarial nation then their ability to weaponize that technology would be unprecedented,” Corbell said. “Luckily, we don’t see a fingerprint for that.”
However, military officials claim the sighting was never recorded.
FORMER DEFENSE OFFICIAL MAKES EARTH-SHATTERING UFO REVELATION AS UNEXPLAINED DRONES LEAVE MILLIONS ON EDGE
“[The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office] has no record of this alleged UAP incident,” a Pentagon spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.
The flying objects draw striking similarities to the infamous “Tic Tac”-shaped aircraft sighting by USS Nimitz off the coast of Southern California in 2004. The incident drew national attention in 2017, exposing previously unknown programs within the Department of Defense relating to UFO research.
In 2020, the Pentagon released three unclassified Navy videos from November 2004 and January 2015.
UFO HEARING: EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS GOVERNMENT ‘CABAL’ IS HIDING ‘THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE’
“The aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as ‘unidentified’,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Last year, a Pentagon official testified to Congress that the Pentagon had solved a well-known mystery surrounding a flying object spotted by USS Theodore Roosevelt in 2016.
The UFO spotted flying at high speeds above the Atlantic Ocean was nothing out of the ordinary, but instead a trick of the eye causing objects to appear as if they were moving much faster, referred to as a “parallax,” according to Dr. Jon Kosloski, the director of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
RUSSIAN UFO ENGAGEMENTS, SECRET ‘TIC TAC’ REPORT AND 3 KEY FIGURES SLIP UNDER RADAR AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING
“Through a very careful geospatial intelligence analysis and using trigonometry, we assess with high confidence that the object is not actually close to the water, but is rather closer to 13,000 feet,” Kosloski said.
As for the four aircraft spotted by Navy sailors last year, Corbell believes there is no cause for alarm.
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“This UFO phenomenon has been here for a long time, this is not something new, it’s nothing to worry about,” Corbell said. “It is something that we need to face head on and that’s what Congress is trying to do, is get people to get past the stigma so we can know and understand what is this technology, who is operating it and what is the intent.”
Pollster makes bold prediction about who the Democratic candidate will be in 2028
FiveThirtyEight founder and prominent pollster Nate Silver has a bold take: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is most likely the next Democratic presidential candidate.
In a video posted to his “Silver Bulletin” website on Wednesday, Silver and political podcaster Galen Druke came up with draft picks for the Democratic Party’s next presidential nominee and settled on AOC being the strongest contender.
“My first pick of the first-round draft is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Druke said.
“F— you! That was going to be my f—ing first pick!,” Silver responded, adding, “We both are on the AOC bus.” Earlier, he said his first pick likely had at best a “20% chance” to be the nominee, indicating it was far from a confident prediction.
BERNIE SANDERS AND AOC TAKE AIM AT TRUMP AND MUSK, AS WELL AS DEMOCRATS, AT WESTERN RALLIES
Druke went on to argue why the progressive lawmaker was his top choice, stating there are “a lot of points in her favor at this very moment,” pointing in part to having the highest net favorability of any Democrats asked about in a recent Yale survey.
“So that means that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broad appeal across the Democratic Party and there’s a lot of people who could potentially get on board with her. But I think equally important is the fact that she has very fervent support,” he said.
Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have drawn large crowds and plenty of press attention during their “Fight Oligarchy” tour in recent weeks.
Druke said the “Squad” member would do well grabbing attention in what he expects to be a crowded primary.
2028 WATCH: HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY EVENTUALLY JUMP INTO THE NEXT WHITE HOUSE RACE
“Like, the media is kind of obsessed with her, and they’re going to follow her every move, which means she will be able to keep the attention on her throughout the primary process,” he said.
“I agree with everything,” Silver said. “She was going to be my first pick, and I can’t conceal that now, right? Because of some of the polling, because she has this kind of progressive lane — probably not to herself, because she is younger and media savvy.”
He referenced Ocasio-Cortez’s strength against party leaders like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — more evidence that she will be the one to beat in 2028.
“I mean, look, in polls, if she were to run — try to primary Chuck Schumer, she is now ahead in those polls and New York Democrats are actually a pretty moderate lot,” he said.
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Ocasio-Cortez further cemented herself as one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent voices in March when she criticized Schumer for supporting the House-passed funding measure to avoid a government shutdown.
Silver expressed some caveats over his pick, wondering if she’s too young to even consider running for president at this point. Ocasio-Cortez will turn 39 in 2028, and it remains to be seen if she runs for a higher office in New York like governor or U.S. Senate in the interim.
“She’s very young. I don’t know that she’s sure to run,” he said, adding, “And I also think you’re going to have a lot of concerns about ‘electability.'”
Her reps did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Supreme Court will hear arguments for Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next month in the case challenging President Donald Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, in what is likely to be one of the most highly anticipated cases to be reviewed by the high court since Trump took office.
The justices said Thursday that they would hear arguments on the consolidated cases on May 15, roughly four weeks from now.
The Trump administration in March asked the Supreme Court to intervene and allow a narrow version of the president’s executive order ending birthright citizenship to proceed. Trump signed the order on his first day in office and was immediately met with a flurry of lawsuits across the country.
The administration’s appeal concerns three nationwide injunctions brought in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state.
TRUMP ADMIN APPEALS RULING BLOCKING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
All three states had issued nationwide injunctions blocking the birthright citizenship ban from taking force — a move that lawyers for the Trump administration argued in their Supreme Court filing was overly broad.
Acting U.S. Solicitor General Sarah Harris asked the justices to limit the scope of the rulings to cover only individuals directly impacted by the relevant courts.
“These cases — which involve challenges to the President’s January 20, 2025 Executive Order concerning birthright citizenship — raise important constitutional questions with major ramifications for securing the border,” Harris wrote in their appeal.
To date, no court has sided with the Trump administration’s executive order seeking to ban birthright citizenship, though multiple district courts have blocked it from taking effect.
NINTH CIRCUIT REJECTS TRUMP’S BID TO REINSTATE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER
Implementation of Trump’s executive order was initially set for Feb. 19. The policy would have affected hundreds of thousands of children born in the U.S. each year.
The order sought to reinterpret the 14th Amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
Under the Trump administration’s proposed interpretation — later blocked by federal courts — children born to illegal immigrants or to those who were here legally but on temporary non-immigrant visas, are not citizens by birthright.
More than 22 U.S. states and immigrants’ rights groups quickly sued the Trump administration to block the change to birthright citizenship, arguing in court filings that the executive order is both unconstitutional and “unprecedented.”
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The states have also argued that the 14th Amendment does, in fact, guarantee citizenship to persons born on U.S. soil and naturalized in the U.S.
The U.S. is one of roughly 30 countries where birthright citizenship applies.
Gabbard declassifies Biden counterterrorism strategy involving Big Tech
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified a Biden-era plan to counter domestic terrorism that called for greater information-sharing with tech companies and a legislative push to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Developed in 2021 after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the plan outlined a government-wide effort to track how foreign actors use disinformation to radicalize Americans and urged coordination with private industry on domestic threats. It also called for measures to curb in-prison radicalization and study extremism within the military.
Among its proposals was a plan to “develop awareness training for active service military members, DOD employees and contractors, and those service members separating or retiring from the military on the threat posed by domestic terrorism, the potential targeting of those with military training by violent extremist actors, and relevant reporting mechanisms.”
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN OVER NUKES AS DNI GABBARD CLAIMS TEHRAN IS NOT BUILDING BOMBS
The strategy had a four-part goal: “Understand and Share Domestic Terrorism-Related Information,” “Prevent Domestic Terrorism Recruitment and Mobilization to Violence,” “Disrupt and Deter Domestic Terrorism Activity” and “Confront Long-Term Contributors to Domestic Terrorism.”
The Biden administration plan encouraged “teaching and learning of civics education that provides students with the skill to fully participate in civic life,” and promoted “literacy education for both children and adult learners and existing proven interventions to foster resiliency to disinformation.”
It also called for advancing “inclusion” in the Covid-19 response and addressing “hate crime reporting barriers faced by disadvantaged communities by promoting law enforcement training and resources to prevent and address bias-motivated crimes; improve federal hate crimes data and analysis to eliminate hate crimes underreporting; mitigate xenophobia and bias.”
DEMS WHO HAVE SPOKEN PASSIONATELY AGAINST DOMESTIC TERRORISM GO SILENT AS TESLA TORCHERS ARE CHARGED
Former President Joe Biden’s administration launched the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism in 2021, identifying domestic terrorism as a major national security threat in the wake of the Capitol riot.
Gabbard declassified the strategy after prompting from conservative groups like America First Legal.
The group wrote to Gabbard earlier this month, asking her to declassify the strategy amid concerns of “weaponization” of power by “censoring disfavored speech on the Internet by labeling such speech ‘misinformation,’ ‘disinformation,’ ‘hate speech,’ ‘domestic terrorism.'”
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Biden’s summer 2021 counterterrorism strategy garnered criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which said it “reflects the government’s ever-expanding authority to surveil and monitor American communities; law enforcement guidance that permits profiling on the basis of race, religion, or national origin; and the use of abusive tools such as the watchlisting system against people for constitutionally protected speech and association.”
Police chief squashes spring breakers’ plans as fun in the sun comes to an end
A popular Florida spring break destination is finished hosting hordes of college students each year, according to the town’s top law enforcement official.
“Panama City Beach can no longer be a Spring Break town,” Panama City Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said on the department’s Facebook page Sunday. “That time is over. Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges. I’m not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works.”
In the coming weeks, Talamantez said, police will have “serious discussions” with stakeholders in city leadership roles “about the future of the Spring Break season.”
US COLLEGE STUDENTS ARRESTED ABROAD FIGHT TO GET HOME AFTER PASSPORTS SEIZED: ‘DONE NOTHING WRONG’
“And let me be clear, our law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community,” he said. “It’s unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day.”
In the post, Talamantez thanked those who visited the town and did not cause trouble.
“To the future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and leaders who came here for a break, you’re appreciated,” he said. “You made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect. Most of you went home without problems, and that’s exactly how it should be.”
AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS ON SPRING BREAK RELEASED FROM JAIL AFTER ALLEGED DISPUTE WITH UBER DRIVER
He had stern words for troublemakers, though.
“If you came with guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city, we saw you. You thought you could blend in and get away with it,” he said. “You were wrong. Our officers were ready, and many of you ended up in handcuffs.
“Some of you fired shots over petty arguments and social media drama. And when the cuffs went on, the tough act disappeared. Our officers didn’t see hardened criminals. They saw scared kids crying in the interview room. TikTok doesn’t show that part, but our body cameras do.”
The city has long been a hot spot for college students looking to catch some sun in March and April, but also for the trouble that comes along with thousands of visitors.
IOWA STUDENT’S PASSPORT SEIZURE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RAISES RED FLAGS FOR AMERICANS TRAVELING: WHAT TO KNOW
For several years, the police department has used various strategies to deter spring break crime.
In 2023, police deployed K-9s to combat drug use and leaned on surveillance cameras in an attempt to keep revelers under control.
In 2022, police arrested more than 160 people during a spring break incident when hundreds trashed a Walmart. They seized 75 guns from that case alone.
“The crowd that has been here this weekend, there is no words that can describe the way they have behaved themselves, conducted themselves, and the amount of laws they have broken,” Talamantez said at the time.
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That same year, spring breakers were so raucous police closed two miles of city streets.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Panama City Beach Police Department.
Menendez brothers’ defense team faces potential setback at resentencing hearing
The Menendez brothers’ defense team faced a potential setback Thursday as the District Attorney’s office launched a last-minute legal maneuver aimed at delaying the resentencing hearing.
The potential setback centered on District Attorney Nathan Hochman filing a conditional motion to postpone the resentencing hearing, citing the need to review newly completed psychological evaluations.
According to court documents, filed on April 16, just one day before the high-stakes hearing, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office requested that the hearing be delayed until the court obtains copies of the Comprehensive Risk Assessment (CRA) for the brothers that were completed by state prison and parole officers.
Judge Michael Jesic emphasized the importance of accessing the CRA reports from the Governor’s Office on Lyle and Erik Menendez before moving forward.
“There’s no way I’m going to make a decision this week without knowing what’s in those reports,” he said.
Defense attorney, Mark Geragos, warned that if the resentencing hearings were delayed further, he would move to recuse the District Attorney’s Office from the case.
Deputy District Attorney Habib Bailan said that the CRA report on the brothers is “a piece of the puzzle” about whether they are rehabilitated.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Gov. Newsom’s office for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
The Menendez brothers’ defense attorney accused District Attorney Nathan Hochman of repeatedly disrespecting and traumatizing the brothers’ extended family.
“He has abused the victims privately, he has abused the victims publicly,” attorney Mark Geragos said Thursday, referencing an incident the previous Friday when graphic crime scene photos were unexpectedly displayed in court.
“You were all here when they flashed grisly crime scene photos on the screen,” he told reporters. “It took me a second—normally it would be the DA who jumps up and objects to that. Instead, it fell upon the defense to do so.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Hochman’s office for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos launched a sharp critique of the prosecution’s conduct as the resentencing hearing for Lyle and Erik Menendez began on Thursday.
Geragos accused District Attorney Nathan Hochman of harboring personal bias due to his background—specifically, attending Beverly Hills High School and growing up in the same community where the 1989 murders occurred.
Geragos invoked Marsy’s Law, which protects victims’ rights, claiming it was violated when graphic crime scene images were shown in court last week. He said Anamaria Baralt, the brothers’ cousin, had never seen those photos in 35 years until they were unexpectedly displayed on Friday.
He condemned the prosecution’s tactics as a “dog and pony show,” saying: “None of these shenanigans would have happened if this wasn’t the Menendez brothers.”
Lyle appeared visibly fidgety, while Erik, seated beside him, grew emotional, eventually burying his face in his hands. The two sat side-by-side on the livestream.
Judge Michael Jesic responded by acknowledging the severity of the images shown, stating that although he has become “numb” to homicide photos after years in his occupation, he took the responsibility for allowing them to be presented.
“I would not want my family to see these images,” Jesic said.
He also defended Deputy DA Habib Balian, saying he had known him for years and believed there was no ill intent in showing the photos, though he admitted the situation was complex.
Defense attorney Ben Friedman argued, “It’s not about the murder—it’s about what they’ve done in the last 35 years.”
Jesic agreed on the complexity, noting, “It’s so complicated. Stuff is going to come out that’s upsetting to the family, but it’s necessary in the scope of things.”
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Though the hearing has yet to begin, Lyle and Erik Menendez appeared via livestream from prison, seated against a stark white wall.
Erik wore a plain blue prison-issued crewneck, while Lyle appeared in a blue button-down.
Lyle, 57, and Erik, 54, were 21 and 18, respectively, when they murdered their parents in 1989. The Menendez brothers’ sentencing hearing is set to begin today at 9:30 a.m. in Los Angeles, Calif. The hearing is expected to last through Friday.
Fox News’ Melissa Chrise contributed to this report.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman says he does not support the resentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers who have spent more than 30 years in prison for killing their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
The brothers were convicted and sentenced in 1996, but have argued that they committed the crimes in self-defense after years of abuse by their father.
Before leaving office, previous district attorney George Gascón said reexamining the case was appropriate given a renewed understanding of and empathy for sexual abuse victims.
Here’s a look at the timeline of the case:
August 1989: Jose Menendez, an executive at RCA Records in Los Angeles, and his wife Kitty Menendez, are shot and killed in their Beverly Hills mansion.
March 1990: Lyle Menendez, then 21, is arrested. Eighteen-year-old Erik Menendez turns himself in a few days later. They are accused of first-degree murder.
July 1993: The Menendez brothers go on trial, each with a separate jury. Prosecutors argued that they killed their parents for financial gain. The brothers’ attorneys don’t dispute the pair killed their parents, but argued that they acted out of self-defense after years of emotional and sexual abuse by their father.
January 1994: Both juries deadlock.
October 1995: The brothers’ retrial begins, this time with a single jury. Much of the defense evidence about alleged sexual abuse is excluded during the second trial.
March 1996: Jurors convict both brothers of first-degree murder.
July 1996: The brothers are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
May 2023: Attorneys for the Menendez brothers ask the court to reconsider the conviction and sentence in light of new evidence from a former member of the boy band Menudo, who said he was raped by Jose Menendez when he was 14. In addition, they submit a letter that Erik wrote about his father’s abuse prior to the killings.
September 2024: Netflix releases the crime drama ” Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, ” a nine-episode series about the killings.
Oct. 4, 2024: Gascón says his office is reviewing new evidence in the case.
Oct. 16, 2024: Multiple generations of family members of the Menendez brothers hold a news conference pleading for their release from prison. The relatives say the jurors who sentenced them to life without parole in 1996 were part of a society that was not ready to hear that boys could be raped.
Oct. 24, 2024: Prosecutors schedule a news conference to announce their decision on whether to recommend resentencing.
Nov. 18, 2024: California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he would not decide on granting the brothers clemency until after the newly elected district attorney has a chance to review the case.
Nov. 25, 2024: A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge holds a hearing regarding the request for resentencing but says he needs more time to make a decision, pushing it back to Jan. 30 and 31 instead of Dec. 11 as originally planned.
Dec. 3, 2024: Nathan Hochman is sworn into office as the new district attorney of LA County.
Jan. 17, 2025: Due to the fires in the LA region, Hochman pushes the resentencing hearing back to March 20 and 21.
Feb. 21, 2025: Hochman says his office will oppose a new trial for the Menendez brothers. He cast doubt on the evidence of sexual abuse, including the letter Erik wrote to his cousin about his father’s abuse, and said it was not pertinent to the case.
Feb. 26, 2025: California Gov. Gavin Newsom orders the state parole board to conduct a “comprehensive risk assessment” to determine whether the brothers have been rehabilitated and if they would pose a danger to the public if released.
March 10, 2025: Hochman says his office won’t support resentencing the brothers because they have repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman argued that the Menendez brothers should remain behind bars, saying that they haven’t “fully come clean” in the 1989 murder of their parents.
“We believe and the California courts confirm that, in order for someone to be rehabilitated, they need to fully come clean with the entire breadth of their criminal conduct,” Hochman told reporters Thursday prior to the high-stakes hearing. “In this case, the Menendez brothers, for the past 30 years, have not come clean with that information.”
Defense for Erik and Lyle Menendez will reportedly highlight their rehabilitation efforts and self-help group attendance as the brothers, who are currently serving life in prison, make a bid for a lesser sentence.
“For instance, they have perpetrated the lie, a lie of self-defense,” Hochman added. “It wasn’t their original story. It was actually their fourth story on why they brutally killed their parents.”
The Menendez brothers’ defense attorney, Mark Geragos, told reporters he does not expect the judge to accept the prosecution’s filing to delay the hearing.
“I think it’s appalling, for lack of a better term, how the DA has treated this case,” Geragos told reporters outside the Los Angeles courthouse.
“I don’t know why in this case this particular DA…has decided he has some other interest to vindicate that has nothing to do with the victims,” he said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office for comment.
Prosecutors in the Menendez brothers’ case have filed a conditional motion to postpone today’s highly anticipated resentencing hearing, citing the need to review newly completed psychological evaluations.
According to court documents, filed on April 16, just one day before the high-stakes hearing, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office requested that the hearing be delayed until the court obtains copies of comprehensive risk assessments for the brothers that were completed by state prison and parole officers.
The district attorney’s office argued that the new reports contain critical, updated information about the brothers’ rehabilitation and potential risk to the public—details the court should evaluate before making any decisions on resentencing.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman and three deputy prosecutors argued that relying solely on past risk assessments would be “unfair to the parties and the Court.”
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told Fox News in response that the comprehensive risk assessment is ongoing and will be completed on June 13, 2025.
Per California legal regulations, one component of it has been released to the involved parties for their review 60 days before the clemency hearing and is subject to correction, his office said. Newsom’s office said it notified Judge Michael Jesic of the status of this report, which is not a stand-alone risk assessment, and offered to share it with the court if he requests it.
It was not immediately clear if the DA’s filing would affect Thursday’s hearing, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. local time.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Family members of Lyle and Erik Menendez were seen arriving at the Van Nuys Courthouse in Los Angeles on Thursday, showing their support as the brothers face a resentencing hearing.
Among them were their cousins Anamaria Baralt and Tamara Goodall, both of whom have been outspoken advocates for the brothers’ release. They’ve expressed pride in the Menendez brothers’ rehabilitation and remain hopeful for a favorable outcome.
Their aunt, Terry Baralt
, a longtime supporter, was notably absent due to a recent medical emergency. She was found unresponsive in a hotel room on April 13 and remains in critical condition. According to the family, her hospitalization was triggered by the emotional toll of seeing graphic crime scene images during an earlier court proceeding.
The majority of the brothers’ extended family support the resentencing effort, with more than 20 relatives publicly advocating for their release.
Milton Andersen, the older brother of Kitty Menendez was a vocal opponent of the brothers’ release. He rejected their abuse claims and believed the murders were financially motivated. Andersen died from cancer in March 2025 at 91, just weeks before the resentencing hearing.
The Menendez brothers will appear in Los Angeles court at 9:30 a.m. local time for their resentencing hearing.
Erik and Lyle Menendez – who are serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez – are fighting to be released after 35 years behind bars.
In a filing late Wednesday, prosecutors urged the court to obtain a copy of a recently completed risk assessment conducted on the brothers by the California Board of Parole Hearings at the request of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The filing by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office urges the judge to delay the sentencing if the court cannot get a copy of the report in time for the hearing.
The status of that filing is still unclear.
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