Supreme Court upholds looming TikTok ban
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok just two days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect. “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. “For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.” There were no noted dissents. At issue was the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed by Congress last April with wide bipartisan support. The law gave TikTok nine months to either divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from U.S.-based app stores and hosting services. In passing the law, Congress cited concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok. TikTok, ByteDance and several users of the app swiftly sued to block the ban in May, arguing the legislation would suppress free speech for the millions of Americans who use the platform. After a lower court upheld the ban, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok’s emergency request to either block or pause implementation of the law under a fast-track timeline just nine days before the ban was slated to go into effect. SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF BLOCKING US BAN ON TIKTOK: WHAT TO KNOW During oral arguments, lawyers for the Biden administration reiterated the argument that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a “grave” national security risk for American users. U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar cited risks that China could weaponize the app, including by manipulating its algorithm to prioritize certain content or by ordering parent company ByteDance to turn over vast amounts of user data compiled by TikTok on U.S. users. TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE TikTok’s lawyers, meanwhile, sought to frame the case primarily as a restriction on free speech protections under the First Amendment, which the company has argued applies to TikTok’s U.S.-based incorporation. Noel Francisco, TikTok’s lawyer, argued that the U.S. government has “no valid interest in preventing foreign propaganda,” and reiterated TikTok’s position that the platform and its owners should be entitled to the highest level of free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution. Francisco also argued TikTok cannot divest from its Chinese parent company, citing portions of its source code and intellectual property that are housed in China. First Amendment protections must be considered under strict scrutiny, which requires the government to sustain a higher burden of proof in justifying a law’s constitutionality. More specifically, laws that deal with First Amendment protections must be crafted to serve a compelling government interest, narrowly tailored to achieve that interest. It’s a difficult legal test to satisfy in court. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit used it last month in considering the divestiture law, and still voted to uphold it— outlining a way that the Supreme Court could have theoretically considered the case under strict scrutiny and still opted to uphold the law. During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, several justices appeared skeptical of the company’s core argument, which is that the law is a restriction of speech. “Exactly what is TikTok’s speech here?” Justice Clarence Thomas asked in the first moments of oral arguments in an early sign of the court’s apparent doubt that the law is in fact a First Amendment violation. ‘HIGHLY QUALIFIED’: FORMER STATE AGS URGE SENATE TO CONFIRM BONDI TO LEAD JUSTICE DEPARTMENT The Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority have been historically deferential to Congress on matters of national security. The divestiture law in question passed Congress last year under the guidance of top Justice Department officials, who worked directly with House lawmakers to write the bill and help it withstand possible legal challenges. But it also comes at a time when President-elect Trump has signaled apparent support for the app in recent months. In December, Trump hosted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and later told reporters that his incoming administration will “take a look at TikTok” and the divestiture case. Attorneys for the president-elect also filed a brief with the Supreme Court last month, asking justices to delay any decision in the case until after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. The brief did not signal how Trump might act, but cited his request for the court to pause the ban from taking effect until Trump’s inauguration. Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.
Elon Musk slated to speak at Trump pre-inauguration rally: report
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is slated to speak at President-elect Donald Trump’s pre-inauguration rally on Sunday, according to a new report. Musk, who is poised to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) once Trump takes office, will provide remarks during Trump’s “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., NBC News reports. Other speakers on the agenda for the event include Vice President-elect JD Vance, conservative media personality Megyn Kelly, as well as members of Trump’s immediate family. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DOGE AND ITS QUEST TO SLASH GOVERNMENT WASTE, SPENDING The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Musk, who donated millions of dollars to Trump’s presidential campaign, has cozied up to Trump and spoken at official events with the incoming president. For example, Musk delivered remarks at a Trump campaign rally in October at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Musk is also expected to influence the incoming administration and is spearheading efforts with tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to slash government spending under DOGE. GOP REP-ELECT OUTLINES HOW DOGE, TRUMP AGENDA WILL GET COUNTRY ‘BACK ON TRACK’: ‘NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL’ DOGE, which is not a federal government agency, aims to eliminate government spending, waste and streamline efficiency and operations. It is seeking to cut $2 trillion from the federal government budget through efforts to slash spending, government programs and the federal workforce. ‘EFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLE’: GOP-LED DOGE BILL AIMS TO SLASH OUTFLOW OF FEDERAL DOLLARS However, Musk recently said eliminating $2 trillion from the federal budget might be too ambitious, and that it was more realistic to cut $1 trillion. “I think we’ll try for $2 trillion. I think that’s like the best-case outcome,” Musk said during tech trade show CES this month in Las Vegas. “But I do think that you kind of have to have some overage. I think if we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting $1 [trillion].”
Top border lawmaker pushes to declare bloodthirsty gang a terrorist organization: ‘Take the gloves off’
FIRST ON FOX: A Republican congressman, whose district covers part of the southern border, is introducing legislation that would take a step closer to declaring Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mexican cartels foreign terrorist organizations. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is introducing the “Security First Act” which would require the secretary of state to consider designating Mexican drug cartels and TdA as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). An FTO designation allows for targeted action against members, including financial penalties. It is illegal for anyone to provide support or resources to an FTO, and financial institutions must report those funds to the Treasury. According to the State Department, designations also deter donations and support efforts to curb financing. GOP GOVERNOR TAKES AGGRESSIVE ACTION AGAINST BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN STREET GANG: ‘GROWING THREAT’ Gonzales’ bill would also increase funding to Operation Stonegarden, which is a federal grant to provide resources to states and local law enforcement for border security. It would also demand a report on technology needed at the border to stop terrorists entering the U.S., and another report on Customs and Border Protection hiring practices. The crisis at the southern border saw a sharp increase in the presence of TdA, a gang that is believed to have originated in Venezuelan prisons and moved north. Border officials told Fox last year that they see the gang as a top priority, as its presence has been felt in states like Texas, Colorado and New York. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced in September that he was declaring TdA an FTO and establishing a database to verify if arrestees are TdA members. Now, Gonzales wants to see more action from the incoming administration on the bloodthirsty gang. “It’s time to call them what they are, they’re terrorist organizations, and they terrorize our community,” he said. “I’m grateful President Trump is in there, and it’s time for us to not only take the gloves off, but put some teeth in the legislation. So that way we throw the book at these guys.” BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN STREET GANG SPARKS FEAR IN US AMID MIGRANT SURGE: WHAT TO KNOW While the bill does not itself declare TdA an FTO, and would require the secretary of state to consider it, Gonzales said he is confident that it would be in line with the administration’s thinking. “Those of us that live along the border, you know, we don’t need a commission to to tell us that we’re being terrorized, but some people do, but I feel very confident with this administration, with the way Trump has handled things and talked about it, is they would go along with that route,” he said. Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice, said this week at her confirmation hearing that she is in favor of designating Mexican cartels as FTOs. “I personally went to Mexico. I personally dealt with these cartels when I was a state prosecutor. And they are a grave and violent threat to our country,” she said. Gonzales also stressed that the threat from the gang is not merely a border issue. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “They’re not staying in Texas. One thing that I suspect is TDA is in all 50 states. So this isn’t a border issue. This is an American issue,” he said. “And how do we get TDA out of all 50 states? You label them as a terrorist organization, and you turn law enforcement loose to go after and scoop them up.” Gonzales has a record of bipartisanship over border security, often sponsoring bills that pick up Democratic support. He says that he is hopeful this bill will have a similar effect given a change in the temperature on immigration among some Democrats — who have recently put their support behind bills like the Laken Riley Act. “I think you’re seeing the shift on that,” Gonzales said. “House Democrats have seen, Democrats in general have seen, they lost the Senate, they lost the House, they lost the White House, and a big part of that is because of their positions on the border and on border security.” This bill already has the backing of sheriff groups in the area. “The Security First Act will be a tremendous tool in bolstering the functionality and effectiveness of Operation Stonegarden, as well as designating cartels as terrorist organizations, and using new and updated technology to police and patrol areas of our southern border that are difficult to reach in a vehicle. We are in support of this bill,” Clint McDonald, a retired sheriff and Executive Director of the Southwestern Border Sheriff’s Coalition and Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition, said in a statement.
Trump, China’s Xi speak on phone ahead of inauguration
President-elect Trump confirmed Friday that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping days before Trump will be inaugurated into office. “I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A.,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!” China’s state news agency Xinhua had first reported the call, which comes three days before Inauguration Day. TIKTOK CEO TO ATTEND INAUGURATION WITH FRONT-ROW SEAT AT TRUMP’S INVITE Trump had extended an invitation to Xi to attend the inauguration ceremony on Monday. Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital last month Trump hopes to create “an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too.” Xi declined to attend, but he is sending one of his top representatives, Vice President Han Zheng, to Washington, D.C. in his stead. China’s foreign ministry made the announcement Friday morning before the two leaders spoke, the South China Morning Post reported. “We stand ready to work with the new US government to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly pursue a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship, and find the right way for the two countries to get along,” the ministry said. XI JINPING WARNS TRUMP US WOULD ‘LOSE FROM CONFRONTATION’ WITH CHINA AS RENEWED TRADE WAR LOOMS On the campaign trail, Trump threatened to slap steep tariffs on Chinese-made products, renewing fears of a trade war once he assumes office. Now questions abound whether Trump will keep that promise amid deteriorating U.S. relations with Beijing. China has been threatening U.S. allies like the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan in the South China Sea. They’ve been accused of sending Chinese nationals to spy on U.S. military bases and sent what was believed to be a surveillance balloon across the U.S. While Trump ushered in an era of steep trade competition and increased support for Taiwan in his first term, President Biden did not necessarily warm the relationship. REPUBLICANS PROPOSE BILL THAT WOULD DOUBLE TARIFFS ON CHINESE IMPORTS AND END FAVORED TRADE STATUS Trump increased duties by at least 10% during his first term on over $300 billion worth of goods. Biden did not lift those tariffs. That was on top of export controls on a variety of items that started under Trump and furthered under Biden. If Trump successfully raises tariffs to 60%, it could reduce China’s exports by $200 billion and cause a one percentage point drag on GDP, said Zhu Baoliang, a former chief economist at China’s economic planning agency, at a Citigroup conference. Last year, China exported about $500 billion worth of goods to the U.S., about 15% of all of its exports. Officials with the Trump transition team have reportedly been in talks with the Chinese government ahead of Trump’s inauguration. Trump said earlier this month that he thought he and Xi would “probably get along very well.” Xi had called Trump in November to congratulate him on his election win and had warned the U.S. would “gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation” with China.
‘Ab CBI aayegi’: Mahua Moitra’s complaint to return Rs 1200 for ice cream sparks debate online, check reactions
TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s complaint about spoiled ice creams sparks humor, trolling, and discussions on delivery platform experiences online.
Delhi assembly poll 2025: Former CM’s ‘Kejriwal Patra’ jibe at BJP after manifesto release
Soon after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched its first part of manifesto for the upcoming Delhi assembly poll, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a jibe at the party, saying this is “Kejriwal Patra”, not “Sankalp Patra”.
BJP releases first part of manifesto for Delhi assembly poll, promises to give women Rs 2,500 per month and…
Bharatiya Janata Party’s National President and Union Minister J P Nadda launched the party’s Delhi Assembly election manifesto, also called the ‘Sankalp Patra’ on Friday, with the party promising to give Rs 2,500 to every woman in Delhi every month through Mahila Samridhi Yojana.
DeSantis’ chosen Rubio replacement Moody wants to tackle inflation, spending, border: ‘Audit the Fed!’
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who is slated to become a U.S. senator, is calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve, pledging to vocally oppose government spending, and declaring that she will fight to bolster the border and remove individuals who enter the U.S. illegally. With Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., poised to soon leave office to serve as Secretary of State in the new Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Moody as his pick to replace Rubio in the U.S. Senate. And with even some Democrats planning to support confirmation, Rubio is likely to sail through the confirmation vote. “Here’s a priority of mine in the Senate: our inflation has been fueled by the Federal Reserve. We must audit the Fed!” Moody declared in a post on X. DESANTIS ANNOUNCES CHOICE FOR SENATE APPOINTMENT AFTER RUBIO’S EXPECTED RESIGNATION “As Florida’s next U.S. Senator, I will work tirelessly to reduce the bloat of Washington and speak out loudly against government spending,” she noted in another post. “Like we’ve done in Florida, this country needs to cut spending and get fiscally responsible. I look forward to working with DOGE, and I will work hard to leave the next generation of our country on a much stronger financial footing.” When discussing her role in confirming judges and justices, she specifically mentioned Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. “As a former judge, I will take my role confirming judges and justices seriously to ensure that, like Justices Thomas and Alito, they share the values and concepts of law as our Founding Fathers understood them,” she said in a tweet. “I will work through the Senate confirmation process to ensure those who get confirmed are strong nominees and know that it is their duty to interpret the Constitution as it is written.” WHO IS ASHLEY MOODY? MEET THE SENATE’S NEWEST MEMBER FROM FLORIDA Sharing Moody’s post, DeSantis called Alito and Thomas “the gold standard.” “In the U.S. Senate, I will support President @realDonaldTrump and fight for legislation that strengthens the border, builds the wall, and removes those who entered unlawfully,” Moody noted in a tweet. DESANTIS TOUTS FLORIDA’S ‘FUTURE WAY OF THINKING,’ VOWS STATE WILL ‘DO OUR DUTY’ TO HELP INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN DeSantis responded, declaring, “Make Illegal Immigration Illegal Again.”
Comer requests Trump DOJ prosecute James Biden for making ‘false statements’ during impeachment inquiry
EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer is requesting President-elect Trump’s Justice Department investigate and prosecute President Biden’s brother, James Biden, for allegedly making false statements to Congress, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter that Comer, R-Ky., sent to Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, encouraging the DOJ to “hold James Biden accountable for lying to Congress to protect his brother, the soon-to-be-former President Biden.” House Republicans in June sent criminal referrals for James Biden and Hunter Biden to the Justice Department recommending they be charged with making false statements to Congress about “key aspects” of the impeachment inquiry of President Biden. HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY Specifically, Comer at the time said the alleged false statements implicated President Biden’s “knowledge and role in his family’s influence-peddling schemes” and that they appeared “to be a calculated effort to shield Joe Biden from the impeachment inquiry.” Comer, along with House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., led the impeachment inquiry into President Biden and found that he engaged in “impeachable conduct,” “abused his office” and “defrauded the United States to enrich his family.” FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE’S TEXT MESSAGES INDICATE MEETING WITH JOE BIDEN Comer, in his letter to Bondi this week, pointed to Biden’s “full and unconditional pardon” for his son, Hunter Biden. “President Biden’s latest scheme to cover his family’s grift cements his legacy as leading the most corrupt political family to attain the presidency in American history,” Comer wrote to Bondi. “But it also appears incomplete. President Biden has displayed to the American people that his son is beyond accountability in a court of law for his crimes.” FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN IN 2017 SENT ‘BEST WISHES’ FROM ‘ENTIRE BIDEN FAMILY’ TO CHINA FIRM CHAIRMAN, REQUESTED $10M WIRE But Comer said he wanted to “remind incoming Department of Justice leadership of Hunter Biden’s main accomplice in his influence peddling schemes (aside from Joe Biden himself), whom the House Committees on Oversight, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means previously identified to Attorney General Merrick Garland as having misled Congress regarding Joe Biden’s participation in his family’s influence peddling and deserving of prosecution under federal law: James Biden, the President’s younger brother.” Comer reminded Bondi that he and House Republicans referred James Biden to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution, saying the president’s brother “made materially false statements to the Oversight and Judiciary Committees.” BIDEN COMMITTED ‘IMPEACHABLE CONDUCT,’ ‘DEFRAUDED UNITED STATES TO ENRICH HIS FAMILY’: HOUSE GOP REPORT “The nature of both his and Hunter Biden’s false statements is not lost on the Committees: every instance implicates Joe Biden’s knowledge of and role in his family’s influence peddling,” Comer wrote. “James Biden’s denial of Joe Biden’s meeting with James Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter Biden’s business associate for a Chinese transaction, Tony Bobulinski — despite evidence being placed in front of him and being given multiple opportunities to amend his response — appears to be a clumsy attempt to protect Joe Biden from the reality that Joe Biden has indeed met with his family’s business associates.” JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN ‘LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY’ FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS Comer and House Republicans in June said James Biden “stated unequivocally during his transcribed interview that Joe Biden did not meet with Mr. Tony Bobulinski, a business associate of James and Hunter Biden, in 2017 while pursuing a deal with a Chinese entity, CEFC China Energy.” “Specifically, James Biden stated he did not attend a meeting with Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Tony Bobulinski on May 2, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,” Comer, Jordan and Smith said in their criminal referral to Attorney General Merrick Garland last year. “These statements were contradicted not only by Mr. Bobulinski, but Hunter Biden.” They also noted that Bobulinski “produced text messages that establish the events leading up to and immediately following his meeting with Joe Biden on May 2, 2017.” In his letter to Bondi, Comer blasted President Biden, claiming he obstructed the committee’s impeachment inquiry and that in itself was “impeachable conduct.” SPECIAL COUNSEL WEISS BLASTS BIDEN IN FINAL HUNTER PROSECUTION REPORT “The legacy President Biden leaves behind is having led the most dishonest and corrupt administration in American history,” Comer wrote. Biden, last month, made the decision to grant his son a “Full and Unconditional Pardon” covering nearly 11 years of conduct, including conduct related to both convictions Special Counsel David Weiss obtained. Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony firearm offenses stemming from Weiss’ investigation. The first son was also charged with federal tax crimes regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. Before his trial, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea. Weiss released his highly anticipated report on his yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden last week and blasted Biden for having “unfairly” maligned Justice Department public servants and casting doubt on the U.S. justice system with “wrong” claims that his probe was political. “President Biden repeatedly told—or used White House personnel to tell—the American people he would not pardon his son. That was a lie,” Comer wrote to Bondi. “President Biden continues to lie, now falsely claiming ‘[n]o reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong.’” Comer added, “Though President Biden’s saccharine (and wholly ironic) rantings of political persecution and weaponized prosecution of Hunter Biden are specious, they are inapplicable to the non-prosecution of his brother, James Biden, who has lied to the United States Congress and has faced no accountability to date.” “I write to encourage the Department under your leadership to hold James Biden accountable for lying to Congress to protect his brother, the soon-to-be-former President Biden,” Comer continued. “No one should be above the law, regardless of his last name.”
Trump promised mass deportations. Here’s one way they could quietly happen.
The new administration could use the existing system of federal agents, local police and jails to funnel more people into the deportation pipeline.