Category: fox-news/politics/foreign-policy

Vindman’s call to release Trump–MBS transcript reopens old questions in US–Saudi relationship

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Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., is demanding that President Donald Trump release a 2019 call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying the American people "deserve to know what was said" in the aftermath of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Vindman, a retired Army colonel who once served on Trump’s National Security Council, said the call was one of two that deeply concerned him — the other being the 2019 conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that triggered Trump’s first impeachment. 

Standing beside Hanan Alter Khashoggi, the slain journalist’s widow, Vindman said Trump "sidelined his own intelligence community to shield a foreign leader" and that transparency is owed to both the Khashoggi family and the country.

"The Khashoggi family and the American people deserve to know what was said on that call," Vindman said Friday. "Our intelligence agencies concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Mr. Khashoggi’s husband. When the president sidelined his own intelligence community to shield a foreign leader, America’s credibility was at stake."

TRUMP SECURES RELEASE OF AMERICAN TRAPPED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR YEARS OVER ONLINE POSTS

Vindman’s name is already polarizing in Trump-era politics. 

He and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, became central figures in the first impeachment, when their internal reporting of Trump’s Ukraine call led to accusations from conservatives that they had undermined an elected president. To Trump’s allies, Eugene Vindman’s demand to release the 2019 Saudi call feels like a replay of that fight — another attempt by a former National Security Council insider to damage the president under the banner of transparency.

Still, his comments land at a revealing moment. Washington’s embrace of Mohammed bin Salman underscores a familiar trade-off in U.S. foreign policy: strategic security and economic interests over accountability and human rights.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "The U.S.-Saudi friendship is now a partnership for the future. President Trump's historic agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from defense to investment, will create quality jobs for Americans and will grow our economy. No virtue-signaling. No lecturing. Only results for the American people."  

Trump’s latest visit with bin Salman brought sweeping defense and investment deals, even as questions over 9/11 and Khashoggi’s murder continue to test that balance. The United States granted Saudi Arabia major non-NATO ally status, formally elevating the kingdom’s defense and intelligence partnership with Washington and clearing the way for expedited arms sales and joint military programs.

Bin Salman also pledged nearly $1 trillion in new Saudi investments across U.S. industries, including infrastructure, artificial intelligence and clean energy. The commitments were announced alongside a Strategic Defense Agreement that includes purchases of F-35 fighter jets, roughly 300 Abrams tanks and new missile defense systems, as well as joint ventures to expand manufacturing inside Saudi Arabia.

Administration officials said the initiatives would create tens of thousands of American jobs and strengthen the U.S. industrial base.

During his appearance with Trump at the White House, reporters shouted questions about Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in the Sept. 11 attacks and the 2018 killing of  Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul — marking a rare moment of public pressure on the crown prince, who typically avoids unscripted exchanges with the press.

Trump accused the press of trying to "embarrass" his guest, but the crown prince offered what sounded like regret for the killing of Khashoggi, even as he denied involvement.

"A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about," Trump said. "Whether you like him or don’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it … We can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that."

ABC reporter Mary Bruce had told bin Salman that U.S. intelligence determined he’d signed off on the killing and that 9/11 families were "furious" about his presence in the White House. "Why should Americans trust you?"

"It’s been painful for us in Saudi Arabia," bin Salman said of the killing, calling it "a huge mistake." "We’ve improved our system to be sure that nothing happens like that again," he added.

TRUMP DESIGNATES SAUDI ARABIA AS MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY DURING CROWN PRINCE WHITE HOUSE VISIT

A 2021 report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence stated: "We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." Bin Salman has repeatedly denied approving the killing, though he said in 2019, "It happened under my watch, I take full responsibility as a leader."

The question of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks remains one of the most sensitive and unresolved issues in the U.S.-Saudi relationship. While 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals, the U.S. government has never concluded that the Saudi state or senior Saudi officials had prior knowledge of or directed the attacks.

Families of 9/11 victims condemned bin Salman after he invoked Osama bin Laden during his White House remarks, saying the al-Qaeda leader used Saudi nationals to drive a wedge between Washington and Riyadh.

"We have to focus on reality," the crown prince said. "Reality is that Osama bin Laden used Saudi people in that event for one main purpose: to destroy the American–Saudi relationship. That’s the purpose of 9/11."

"The Saudi crown prince invoking Osama bin Laden this afternoon in the White House does not change the fact that a federal judge in New York ruled a few short months ago that Saudi Arabia must stand trial for its role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that murdered 3,000 of our loved ones," said Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, a group representing victims’ families.

In August 2025, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels issued a landmark ruling bringing Saudi Arabia under U.S. federal jurisdiction for a 9/11 trial. The court found evidence of a network of Saudi officials inside the U.S. who allegedly provided logistical support to the hijackers, citing "prior planning" and "constant coordination." Among the materials described in the ruling was a drawing seized from a Saudi government operative showing an airplane with flight-path equations — evidence prosecutors said suggested advance knowledge of the attacks.

Saudi Arabia has denied any role, calling the allegations "categorically false." 

But for bin Salman, who came to Washington seeking to highlight new security and economic ties, the families’ sharp rebuke was a reminder that the 9/11 case still looms large in the public eye, even as the Trump administration deepens its partnership with Riyadh.

Democrats opposed John Bolton for years — until they sought him as an ally against Trump

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When federal agents raided the home and office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of a classified documents investigation, some Democrats and liberal commentators framed the development as another example of what they claim is President Donald Trump’s political weaponization of the justice system.

The reaction marked a striking contrast with Democrats’ long history of opposing Bolton. For years, they denounced him as a hardline foreign policy hawk who manipulated intelligence and pushed the U.S. into war. But when Bolton broke with Trump, Democrats began citing him as a key witness and relying on his public comments to bolster their case against the former president.

Democrats first sought to block Bolton’s 2005 nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accused him of being untruthful in a Senate questionnaire, noting that he had been interviewed as part of a joint State Department and CIA investigation into Iraq’s pursuit of nuclear materials from Niger.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., alleged that Bolton played a role in the disputed claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium — an accusation that appeared in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address but could not be confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

JOHN BOLTON BLASTED BY TRUMP ALLY ROGER STONE, WHO FACED BIDEN FBI RAID: 'KARMA IS A B----'

That same year, Carl W. Ford Jr., then head of intelligence at the State Department, described Bolton as a "serial abuser" of power who pressured analysts to alter assessments. One analyst, Christian Westermann, reportedly resisted including claims of Cuban biological weapons in a 2002 speech Bolton wanted to deliver.

Senate Democrats delayed Bolton’s nomination for months, citing concerns that he sought to shape intelligence findings to fit administration policy goals.

When Trump appointed Bolton as national security adviser in 2018, Democrats again criticized him, citing his past support for the Iraq War and his calls for a hardline approach towards Iran and North Korea.

"Bolton is a dangerous radical," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., accused him of politicizing intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq conflict. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., argued Bolton had been consistently "wrong on security" throughout his career.

Trump himself later grew frustrated with Bolton’s hawkish approach, including his opposition to peace talks with the Taliban and advocacy for military action in Iran. The two split in 2019, with Trump announcing Bolton’s departure on social media and Bolton insisting he had already offered to resign.

TRUMP–BOLTON FEUD BACK IN FOCUS AFTER FBI RAID: 'NEVER HAD A CLUE … WHAT A DOPE!'

Following Bolton’s break with Trump, Democrats began highlighting him during Trump’s first impeachment trial over Ukraine.

"There’s no denying the central relevance of John Bolton’s testimony," then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said as House impeachment managers pressed for him to appear.

Bolton’s memoir later claimed Trump sought to withhold military aid from Ukraine, a move Bolton privately described as a "drug deal." At the time, MSNBC commentators suggested his testimony could have been decisive in the outcome of the trial.

Ultimately, Bolton declined to testify, angering some Democrats who accused him of reserving details for his book rather than presenting them under oath.

Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has become a regular guest on networks such as CNN and MSNBC, where he continues to weigh in on foreign policy and national security.

Although many Democrats once opposed his nomination and criticized his record, they have at times pointed to his comments when they align with their critiques of Trump and other Republicans.

The latest raid underscores how Bolton remains a polarizing figure — one Democrats long opposed but have also leaned on in moments when his testimony or commentary could be used against Trump.

Democrats opposed John Bolton for years — until they sought him as an ally against Trump

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

When federal agents raided the home and office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of a classified documents investigation, some Democrats and liberal commentators framed the development as another example of what they claim is President Donald Trump’s political weaponization of the justice system.

The reaction marked a striking contrast with Democrats’ long history of opposing Bolton. For years, they denounced him as a hardline foreign policy hawk who manipulated intelligence and pushed the U.S. into war. But when Bolton broke with Trump, Democrats began citing him as a key witness and relying on his public comments to bolster their case against the former president.

Democrats first sought to block Bolton’s 2005 nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., accused him of being untruthful in a Senate questionnaire, noting that he had been interviewed as part of a joint State Department and CIA investigation into Iraq’s pursuit of nuclear materials from Niger.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., alleged that Bolton played a role in the disputed claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase yellowcake uranium — an accusation that appeared in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union address but could not be confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

JOHN BOLTON BLASTED BY TRUMP ALLY ROGER STONE, WHO FACED BIDEN FBI RAID: 'KARMA IS A B----'

That same year, Carl W. Ford Jr., then head of intelligence at the State Department, described Bolton as a "serial abuser" of power who pressured analysts to alter assessments. One analyst, Christian Westermann, reportedly resisted including claims of Cuban biological weapons in a 2002 speech Bolton wanted to deliver.

Senate Democrats delayed Bolton’s nomination for months, citing concerns that he sought to shape intelligence findings to fit administration policy goals.

When Trump appointed Bolton as national security adviser in 2018, Democrats again criticized him, citing his past support for the Iraq War and his calls for a hardline approach towards Iran and North Korea.

"Bolton is a dangerous radical," said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., accused him of politicizing intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq conflict. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., argued Bolton had been consistently "wrong on security" throughout his career.

Trump himself later grew frustrated with Bolton’s hawkish approach, including his opposition to peace talks with the Taliban and advocacy for military action in Iran. The two split in 2019, with Trump announcing Bolton’s departure on social media and Bolton insisting he had already offered to resign.

TRUMP–BOLTON FEUD BACK IN FOCUS AFTER FBI RAID: 'NEVER HAD A CLUE … WHAT A DOPE!'

Following Bolton’s break with Trump, Democrats began highlighting him during Trump’s first impeachment trial over Ukraine.

"There’s no denying the central relevance of John Bolton’s testimony," then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said as House impeachment managers pressed for him to appear.

Bolton’s memoir later claimed Trump sought to withhold military aid from Ukraine, a move Bolton privately described as a "drug deal." At the time, MSNBC commentators suggested his testimony could have been decisive in the outcome of the trial.

Ultimately, Bolton declined to testify, angering some Democrats who accused him of reserving details for his book rather than presenting them under oath.

Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has become a regular guest on networks such as CNN and MSNBC, where he continues to weigh in on foreign policy and national security.

Although many Democrats once opposed his nomination and criticized his record, they have at times pointed to his comments when they align with their critiques of Trump and other Republicans.

The latest raid underscores how Bolton remains a polarizing figure — one Democrats long opposed but have also leaned on in moments when his testimony or commentary could be used against Trump.

Trump dares AOC to try to impeach him: ‘Make my day’

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President Donald Trump dared progressive "Squad" member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to try and impeach him over the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, after she had suggested such a measure.

"Stupid AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the ‘dumbest’ people in Congress, is now calling for my Impeachment, despite the fact that the Crooked and Corrupt Democrats have already done that twice before," Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

Trump said the "reason for her ‘rantings’ is all of the Victories that the U.S.A. has had under the Trump Administration." 

"The Democrats aren’t used to WINNING, and she can’t stand the concept of our Country being successful again," he wrote. 

AOC, OTHER ANGRY DEMOCRATS, CALL FOR TRUMP IMPEACHMENT OVER ATTACK ON IRAN

Trump said Ocasio-Cortez's "test scores" will show that "she is NOT qualified for office but, nevertheless, far more qualified than Crockett, who is a seriously Low IQ individual, or Ilhan Omar, who does nothing but complain about our Country, yet the Failed Country that she comes from doesn’t have a Government, is drenched in Crime and Poverty, and is rated one of the WORST in the World, if it’s even rated at all. "

The president was referring to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the Texas Democrat who called Trump "the mo-fo" who is "occupying the White House" during a 21-minute social media video rant about the U.S. strikes in Iran. He was also referring to another progressive, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who recently claimed Trump is turning the United States into one of the "worst countries" in the world. The congresswoman originally came to the U.S. as a refugee from Somalia.  

"How dare ‘The Mouse’ tell us how to run the United States of America!" Trump wrote. "We’re just now coming back from that Radical Left experiment with Sleepy Joe, Kamala, and ‘THE AUTOPEN,’ in charge. What a disaster it was!" 

Trump said Ocasio-Cortez should be forced to take the same cognitive test that he completed at Walter Reed Medical Center as part of his annual physical. 

ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT: LIVE UPDATES

DEMOCRATIC SEN. FETTERMAN SHUTS DOWN AOC'S CALL FOR TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT AFTER IRAN STRIKES

"As the Doctor in charge said, ‘President Trump ACED it,’ meaning, I got every answer right," Trump wrote. "Instead of her constant complaining, Alexandria should go back home to Queens, where I was also brought up, and straighten out her filthy, disgusting, crime ridden streets, in the District she ‘represents,’ and which she never goes to anymore." 

Trump addressed how Ocasio-Cortez is reportedly weighing a primary run against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in 2028. Ocasio-Cortez won re-election in November and next defends her House seat in the 2026 midterms. The congresswoman has come under fire for perceived inaction against a notorious "Red Light" prostitution strip and illegal street vendors plaguing her migrant-heavy district in New York City.

"She better start worrying about her own Primary, before she thinks about beating our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, whose career is definitely on very thin ice!" Trump wrote. "She and her Democrat friends have just hit the Lowest Poll Numbers in Congressional History, so go ahead and try Impeaching me, again, MAKE MY DAY!" 

Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday condemned what she called Trump's "disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers."

"He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations," the democratic socialist wrote on X. "It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment." 

Venezuelan opposition promises reparations to Laken Riley’s family, other victims of Tren de Aragua violence

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FIRST ON FOX: Venezuelan opposition leader and U.S.-recognized President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia promised to offer "reparations" to Laken Riley's family and other Americans affected by the crimes of street gang Tren de Aragua. 

In a letter to Riley’s family, González and fellow opposition leader María Corina Machado wrote, "Laken’s life, full of potential and promise, was tragically cut short by an individual who should have never been allowed to cross your border."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with González and Machado in January, reaffirming that Urrutia is the "legitimate president" of Venezuela. The Biden administration had previously referred to Urrutia as the "president-elect" before leaving office.

In their letter, the opposition leaders called Riley’s murder a "direct consequence of Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which has fostered an environment where criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua can flourish with impunity."

FEDERAL JUDGE POSTPONES DHS’S ATTEMPT TO END TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELANS

Urrutia vowed that, if officially installed as president, he would "hold accountable all those responsible for the devastation they have wrought, both within Venezuela and internationally."

"We intend to establish a comprehensive framework for reparations, both for the countless Venezuelans harmed by this narco-state and also for victims abroad, including your family."

Gonzales also noted that the "vast majority of Venezuelans who have sought safety in the United States are committed to upholding the law and contributing to your nation’s economy and society."

"They long for the day they can return home to reunite with their families and work toward a free and prosperous Venezuela. We look forward to welcoming them back," they added. 

"Please accept this letter as a message of our deepest condolence and a solemn promise: Laken will never be forgotten. She will be remembered as an innocent victim of tyranny and a powerful catalyst for the change we are determined to bring about." 

WH MAY REVERSE DECISION TO KILL BIDEN-MADURO OIL DEAL, APPLY TARIFFS INSTEAD TO AVOID HURTING US FIRMS

The Trump administration was allowed to move forward with a plan to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime immigration law dating back to 1798, to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals believed to be affiliated with Tren de Aragua. Legal battles over the deportation effort intensified when a federal district court temporarily blocked the policy – prompting Trump allies to call for the impeachment of Judge James Boasberg.

According to United Nations estimates, roughly 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country over the past decade, escaping economic collapse marked by hyperinflation, which peaked at 130,000% in 2018, and widespread poverty.

Since taking power in 2013, Nicolás Maduro’s regime has been plagued by allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, money laundering and drug trafficking. While many nations recognized González’s election victory in July, Maduro has refused to relinquish power.

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Maduro has issued an arrest warrant for González, who fled into exile in Spain last September.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February 2024. The suspect, José Ibarra – a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally – was arrested and charged with her murder. The killing sparked nationwide outrage and led to new immigration legislation that Trump signed into law shortly after taking office this year.

Obama officials, Trump critics target Hegseth’s Ukraine ‘concessions’ as ‘biggest gift’ to Russia

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Obama officials and Trump critics are up in arms after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a return to the Eastern European country's pre-war borders with Russia is "unrealistic." 

Hegseth, speaking to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Belgium on Wednesday, said "returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective." He also called for Europe to offer Ukraine security guarantees after the war – not the U.S. 

Trump administration critics accused the secretary of giving up leverage before the start of peace negotiations with Russia. 

"Putin is gonna pocket this and ask for more," Brett Bruen, director of Global Engagement under the Obama White House, told Fox News Digital. 

RUSSIAN MISSILES RAINED DOWN ON KYIV JUST AHEAD OF TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT'S VISIT

Hegseth said Wednesday that "durable peace" for Ukraine must "ensure that the war will not begin again."

"The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops," he said. 

"If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission and not covered under Article 5. There also must be robust international oversight of the line of contact. To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine."

While it is little surprise the Trump administration does not currently support Ukraine’s NATO membership, or believe Ukraine can take back all of its territory including Crimea, critics argue that Hegseth vocalizing these beliefs just as President Donald Trump fired the opening salvo in peace negotiations took them off the table as leverage. 

"Why would you unilaterally surrender on some of those key strategic issues? Even if Trump ultimately wants to give ground, at least get something in return," Bruen said. 

‘NO BETRAYAL’ IN TRUMP MOVE TOWARD UKRAINE WAR NEGOTIATIONS, HEGSETH SAYS

"Anyone with any diplomatic experience would have said it is critical that we use this as part of our negotiation, as President Trump wants to have with Moscow. But the idea that we're simply going to announce all of the things that we are not going to do goes against 70 years of our diplomacy and our military strategy." 

Michael McFaul, ambassador to Russia under the Obama administration, asked why the Trump administration appeared to be giving Russian President Vladimir Putin wins for free. 

"Why is the Trump administration giving Putin gifts – Ukrainian land and no NATO membership for Ukraine – before negotiations even begin?" he asked on X. "I've negotiated with the Russians. You never give up anything to them for free."

Alexander Vindman, a Trump impeachment witness and former Europe director at the National Security Council – who continues to be a fierce Trump critic – characterized Hegseth's comments as "complete capitulation to Putin" that justifies Russia's wars of aggression going back to Georgia in 2008.

"This will embolden Putin and undermine the interests of peace in Ukraine and Europe. A major blow to U.S. national security," Vindman asserted.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., chimed in that Hegseth's comments show, "Trump's foreign policy has always been Russia First. Never America and its allies first." 

The defense secretary also called on Europe to "take ownership of conventional security on the continent."

HEGSETH WARNS EUROPEANS 'REALITIES' OF CHINA AND BORDER THREATS PREVENT US FROM GUARANTEEING THEIR SECURITY

"European allies must lead from the front," Hegseth said. "Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximize our comparative advantages in Europe and Pacific, respectively."

His comments came just before Trump called both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv. 

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. 

The Putin conversation came one day after the release of American Marc Fogel, who had been detained by the Kremlin, which Trump said he saw as a sign of "good faith" by the Russians. 

Trump, meanwhile, has begun pressuring Ukrainians to turn over access to rare Earth minerals in exchange for security aid. Bessent presented Ukraine with a draft deal exchanging aid for minerals on Wednesday in Kyiv, according to Zelenskyy. 

"We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations," Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday of his call with Putin. "We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately." 

He announced that he would asked Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to lead negotiations. 

Trump also said his call with Zelenskyy went "very well." 

"​​It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!"

House tees up 17 bills related to Iran/Israel for this week

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FOX is told to expect a "robust foreign policy week" after this weekend’s events between Iran and Israel. 

The House is ditching its original plan for "appliance week" and putting 17 bills on the floor "to hammer" Iran or show support for Israel.

GOP GOV CLASHES WITH ABC'S STEPHANOPOULOS OVER TRUMP IN HEATED INTERVIEW

Eleven bills will be on the suspension calendar, meaning they require a 2/3 vote to pass. One of those bills would ratchet up sanctions on Iran. 

Six bills would head to the Rules Committee. Included in that batch is a bill to condemn Iran for the attack

What about aid for Israel?

WHITE HOUSE CASTS BLAME ON TRUMP AS BIDEN HIT OVER 'DON'T' FOREIGN POLICY

"That’s still being negotiated between the speaker and the White House," said a senior House Republican source. 

FOX is told it’s still possible aid to Israel is tied to assistance to Ukraine. 

Finally, FOX is told that the plan is to send the impeachment articles for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday. But FOX is told that could change based on events in Israel. 

House tees up 17 bills related to Iran/Israel for this week

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

FOX is told to expect a "robust foreign policy week" after this weekend’s events between Iran and Israel. 

The House is ditching its original plan for "appliance week" and putting 17 bills on the floor "to hammer" Iran or show support for Israel.

GOP GOV CLASHES WITH ABC'S STEPHANOPOULOS OVER TRUMP IN HEATED INTERVIEW

Eleven bills will be on the suspension calendar, meaning they require a 2/3 vote to pass. One of those bills would ratchet up sanctions on Iran. 

Six bills would head to the Rules Committee. Included in that batch is a bill to condemn Iran for the attack

What about aid for Israel?

WHITE HOUSE CASTS BLAME ON TRUMP AS BIDEN HIT OVER 'DON'T' FOREIGN POLICY

"That’s still being negotiated between the speaker and the White House," said a senior House Republican source. 

FOX is told it’s still possible aid to Israel is tied to assistance to Ukraine. 

Finally, FOX is told that the plan is to send the impeachment articles for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday. But FOX is told that could change based on events in Israel. 

Senate voted in favor of $95 billion international spending bill, there may be another around the corner

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Members of the House and Senate usually like to gab.

But word of a cryptic, major national security threat against the U.S. cast a pall on Congress this week.

Loggorrheic lawmakers suddenly turned mute when they were sworn to secrecy considering the gravity of Russia potentially deploying a weapon in outer space.

"I can’t discuss this. I’m sorry," lamented Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla.

"Absolutely no comment," said Rep. Richie Torres, D-N.Y.

WARNING ABOUT 'THREAT' TO US HAS 'SOMETHING TO DO WITH OUTER SPACE': CHAD PERGRAM

"We should be concerned. It’s serious," offered. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., "That’s all I can say right now."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was practically verbose when he chatted up reporters about the threat.

"I’m going to be very precise and I’m not going to take questions," said Johnson.

But Johnson lent little detail into the disconcerting reports.

"Steady hands are at the wheel," said Johnson. "There’s no need for alarm."

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said the White House "confirmed that, in their view, the matter was ‘serious.’"

This consternation is cast against the backdrop of the Senate approving a $95 billion international security bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. In other words, if there’s a pressing threat from Russia, this could impact Ukraine.

An eye-popping 70 senators voted in favor of the bill just before daybreak Tuesday morning. Twenty-two Senate Republicans voted yes. Three senators who caucus with the Democrats voted nay.

HOUSE VOTE ON FOREIGN AID FUNDING IN LIMBO

Twenty-two GOP yeas is not quite half of the 49 member Senate Republican Conference. But that’s still a substantial showing. And 70 votes is a robust figure from the Senate. Seventy yeas would make the bill hard to ignore in the House - under other circumstances.

"I think the House will face a moment of truth. This is a historical moment," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. "You can also be sure our allies are watching, whether in NATO or East Asia, to see whether the United States surrenders, or betrays a partner." 

Democrats demanded that Johnson take up the foreign aid bill. But he immediately resisted. 

"We are not going to be forced into action by the Senate who in the latest product they sent us over does not have one word in the bill about America's border. Not one word about security," said Johnson.

Even though Johnson – and Senate Republicans – mauled a bipartisan Senate compromise for the border.

"What is he afraid of to put national security first to help our country, to push back and push back against (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin, and to make sure that our country is protected?" asked House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.

It’s not often that House members can bypass the leadership and deposit a bill on the floor. But there is a way to do it. The gambit is called a discharge petition.

Here’s how it works:

A discharge petition requires a solid number of 218 House members to sign up to go over the head of the Speaker. The number is locked in at 218, regardless of the side of the House. The House has 435 members at full population. It’s currently at 431 members. Thus, the discharge petition provision wants at least half of the body to favor sidestepping the leadership.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee said he was "absolutely" for a discharge petition.

When asked if most Democrats would sign on, Nadler replied, "yeah, I do."

But not so fast.

Many Democrats might push to advance the foreign aid package. But there are plenty of progressives who aren’t in favor of the bill at all because of concerns for Palestinians.

RUSSIAN NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES IN SPACE COULD THREATEN INTERNATIONAL SATELLITES, US MILITARY COMMS: SOURCES

"I can’t support that bill with aid to Israel," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. "There’s also a lot of concerns about the restrictions on the aid to Gaza that the Senate put into the bill, including suspending aid to UNRWA, which is the only agency that can deliver aid in Gaza."

Moreover, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., thought it was "premature" to execute a discharge petition. He wanted the House to try to work through the issue and get it on the floor another way.

So certainly more Democrats favor of a discharge petition. But no one knows what might constitute that particular universe of votes. Therefore, a discharge petition certainly needs substantial GOP support.

A successful discharge petition will require the support of advocates for Ukraine and moderate Republicans. Someone in that wheelhouse is Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. When asked if he was open to signing a discharge petition, Bacon replied "not now." He added he wouldn’t "lean too far forward" just yet.

The Nebraska Republican said "one or two" Democrats talked to him about signing the discharge petition. But he added a caveat.

"I'm interested in finding something we could all agree on," said Bacon.

But that’s just the start.

"I’d never sign a discharge petition when we are in the majority," said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., suggested that that signatories weren’t team players for the GOP.

"A discharge petition would be a betrayal on the part of anyone signing it," said Gaetz.

This is why there have only been two successful discharge petitions in the House in the past 22 years.

One was on the House’s version of the famous "McCain-Feingold" campaign finance law, named originally after late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., in 2002. The other was on a measure to renew the Export-Import Bank.

So, this enterprise is challenging. And while it’s an intriguing parliamentary maneuver, the odds – and history – work against discharge petitions.

The House is now out of session until February 28. The Senate is done until the week after next. Another (yes, another) deadline to avert a government shutdown looms on March 1. A bigger one is barreling down the tracks for March 7. And the Senate must wrestle with an impeachment trial for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the end of the month.

In short, a resolution to the international aid bill isn’t coming soon – if ever.

The threats loom – be a weapon from space for Russia. Threats at the border. Threats from China. The war in Ukraine. Instability in the Middle East.

The Senate finally acted – after a months-long circumnavigation into the border talks.

But there is no viable plan right now to pass the foreign aid package in the House.

It was long said that the Senate is where the House’s hot coffee cools.

In this case, the Senate served the House hot coffee.

And in today’s environment, it’s cooling instead in the House.

Democrats win seat, Republicans win impeachment, two presidents clash over NATO

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If the second attempt to impeach the Homeland Security chief had taken place a short time later, the Republicans would have failed again.

Instead, they managed to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas–the first sitting Cabinet secretary to draw that sanction–by a single vote.

But after a victory in George Santos’ old district, the Democrats would have had the extra vote to stop the impeachment.

TRUMP’S NATO COMMENTS TRIGGER FIERCE MEDIA AND EUROPEAN OPPOSITION: HOW SERIOUS IS HE?

Tom Suozzi beat Republican Mazi Pilip in Tuesday’s special election on Long Island, unleashing a tidal wave of punditry about his winning formula–openly tackling such issues as illegal migration and crime rather than avoiding them.

I always caution against drawing sweeping conclusions in one-off local races, and this election in a snowstorm is no exception. 

The underlying factor was Santos, the outlandish, lying, fabricating lawmaker who won the seat with a made-up resume, was expelled by the House and is under indictment. Voters felt hosed by the Republican publicity hound, and maybe the Dems were more motivated to vote.

Sure, Suozzi deserves credit for seizing on illegal migration and crime rather than avoiding such explosive issues – and doggedly distancing himself from President Biden. But he also has to run again in the fall.

NATO CHIEF SAYS TRUMP CRITICISM 'DOES UNDERMINE THE SECURITY OF ALL OF US'

Trump, for his part, blamed Pilip, "running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ‘straddle the fence,’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America…I STAYED OUT OF THE RACE, ‘I WANT TO BE LOVED!’" 

A subtle Valentine’s Day message?

The move against Mayorkas, the first against a Cabinet officer in 150 years, is about the politics of symbolism. Republicans know full well the Democratic-controlled Senate is not going to convict him. This was about keeping the spotlight on one of the GOP’s best issues.

But if the press saddled Johnson with a humiliating defeat last week, it has to credit him with a big win now.

Both episodes shed light on the fractious politics of the Hill. Just when it looked like the Senate might pass a bipartisan border security bill–which included military aid to Ukraine and Israel–Donald Trump ripped it and the package was dead.

YOU DON'T NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM TO SECURE THE BORDER: MARC THIESSEN

Now the Senate appears ready to pass a stand-alone military aid bill by a filibuster-proof majority. But Johnson says he won’t bring it up for a House floor vote.

That would bury it, unless a handful of Republicans join with Democrats to force a vote through a discharge petition.

Think about it: the United States, unable to help two major allies because of election-year politics, especially Ukraine, which remains under siege by Vladimir Putin.

And that’s why Biden took the rare step of delivering a televised speech on Tuesday.

His predecessor gave him an opening by saying he wouldn’t protect any NATO member who didn’t pay its fair share in military costs. And if that were the case, Putin and Russia could "do whatever the hell they want."

Biden, in his speech, accused Trump of siding with the Russian dictator, calling the comments "dumb," "shameful," "dangerous" and "un-American."

Put aside whether Biden is right or Trump is trying to pressure delinquent allies. Joe Biden passed up a softball Super Bowl interview. So why is he getting in front of the cameras now?

One, he’s trying to get push Congress to pass the military aid bill.

Two, he’s trying to change the subject from his own questionable memory in that wake of that stinging special counsel’s report.

Three, he is finally heeding the advice of those who say he needs to do more television to prove his competence and dim the focus on every gaffe or misstatement.

What’s fascinating is the spin of each party when it comes to backing their candidate.

Democrats are hitting the airwaves saying Biden is sharp and laser-focused in private, and counsel Robert Hur has no business airing his personal criticism of the president’s mental acuity.

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Republicans are saying Trump would not actually abandon NATO and that he doesn’t mean what he’s saying.

And everyone is getting sustained exposure to a system that generally favors political maneuvering over actual results.