DeSantis excoriates FL House leadership amid Republican civil war, accusing them of ‘revolt against’ voters
Florida Republicans are embroiled in a civil war — Gov. Ron DeSantis has excoriated state House leadership, accusing them of revolting against voters who sent them to the legislative chamber and pursuing a “swamp-centric agenda,” while Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has lambasted DeSantis, asserting that the governor has “become the swamp.” With massive majorities in both chambers of the legislature and control of the governorship, Republicans dominate the political landscape in the Sunshine State. But in a recent post on X, the governor asserted that “the FL House leadership is at war with the voters who provided the supermajority in the first place.” “They do not want to see Florida continue on the conservative path,” DeSantis told Fox News Digital during an interview on Wednesday. “They’re doing things to empower the left.” “Republican voters are wondering, what the hell is going on in the Florida House of Representatives,” he said. DESANTIS REBUKES REPUBLICANS FOR BACKING BILL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION TASK FORCE: ‘ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING’ “I think that what they’re doing is a formula for Florida to return to becoming a swing state. The reason why we went from a purple state to a red state under my tenure is because we drew sharp contrasts with the left and we defeated the left on issue after issue,” DeSantis declared. “The House is run based on fear and retribution,” he said. Perez, a Republican, pushed back in a lengthy statement provided to Fox News Digital on Friday morning. “Unfortunately, what we’ve seen in Florida is a Governor who’s turned into exactly what he promised to fight — he’s become the swamp. His latest attacks are nothing more than a distraction from the gross financial mismanagement happening under his watch. We’re talking about thousands of missing state vehicles, $160 million unaccounted for at AHCA [Florida Agency for Health Care Administration], and a growing list of problems across agencies and boards — all controlled by the Governor,” Perez declared in the statement. “While the Florida House remains the most conservative body in the Legislature — passing a budget billions lower than the Governor’s, approving larger tax cuts than the Governor, and pushing bold conservative policies like repealing gun laws and passing E-Verify — the Governor seems uninterested in a conservative Legislature. He wants a compliant one. After seven years in office, it’s clear he doesn’t want people asking hard questions, especially after neglecting his duties while running for president,” he continued. “We are proud to advance conservative reforms, but we won’t cover up mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. The Governor’s comments about retribution are deeply hypocritical. His entire governing style is based on fear and intimidation — if you don’t do what he says or have a difference of opinion he views that as treason. All he does is attack people who disagree with him. I’ve repeatedly indicated my willingness to work with the Governor and all he’s done is insult and attack Members of the House,” Perez added. SUNSHINE STATE DEM ANNOUNCES SWITCH TO NO AFFILIATION: ‘DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN FLORIDA IS DEAD’ DeSantis — a former U.S. congressman who was a House Freedom Caucus founding member — notched a dominant gubernatorial re-election victory in 2022. He mounted a presidential bid in 2023, but ultimately dropped out and endorsed Donald Trump in 2024 after Trump, a GOP juggernaut, scored a huge win in the Iowa GOP presidential caucus. Before he leaves office, the governor wants a constitutional amendment to lower, or even abolish, property taxes, placed before voters. “Property taxes are local, not state. So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them,” DeSantis noted earlier this year in a post on X. “We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%,” he noted, adding, “I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation.” The governor explained to Fox News Digital that “the philosophical underpinning is, do you have private property or not?” He noted that if someone owns property outright but still has to pay property taxes, “you’re basically paying rent … to the government.” DeSantis pointed out that property taxes “basically tax unrealized gains,” commensurate with increased property value assessments by local government. “And so you have to pay taxes at a higher basis, even though you never sold the house for that much. There’s never been a market transaction that says your house is worth that much,” he said. ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES? DESANTIS ENDORSES THE IDEA AND EXPLAINS HOW IT COULD BE DONE IN FLORIDA The governor is committed to seeing a property tax proposal presented to voters before he leaves office. DeSantis indicated that if he feels the state legislature would not consider putting the matter before voters, a citizens’ initiative could be the path to get it on the ballot. But that would require the collection of vast quantities of signatures, and the governor suggested that it would be easier if the legislature acts, though he does not know that lawmakers will do so. “Why would we not … just do it, right?” he said after noting the GOP’s dominance in the state legislature. “I think that they’ve just taken the position that they really don’t give a damn in the Florida House what their voters think,” he declared. Perez said in his statement to Fox News Digital, “As for property taxes, the Governor introduced the topic months ago, yet has failed to offer a plan, language, or even a basic explanation. Property taxes in Florida are controlled at the local level, but if he wants to bring a constitutional proposal forward, the House is ready to put it on the floor tomorrow. This Legislature has debated bold reforms to property taxes for two decades. “The truth about late-term Ron DeSantis is that he talks a big game but waits for others to do the work. [Georgia Gov. Brian]
Trump says he wasn’t ‘trolling’ about acquiring Greenland, Canada as 51st state
President Donald Trump isn’t “trolling” when it comes to efforts to acquire Greenland and make Canada the 51st state. Trump has discussed acquiring Greenland, Canada and Panama for months — and has regularly referred to Canada as the 51st U.S. state. Despite skepticism from some, Trump said in an interview with Tine magazine published Friday that he is serious about these proposals. When asked by Time’s Eric Cortellessa whether Trump was “trolling a bit” in suggesting Canada join the U.S., Trump replied, “Actually, no, I’m not.” VANCE SOLIDIFIES DOMINANCE DRIVING EUROPEAN FOREIGN POLICY AHEAD OF GREENLAND TRIP Cortellessa then asked whether Trump intended to “grow the American empire,” prompting Trump to double down on the significance of acquiring these key pieces of territory. “Well, it depends as an empire, it wasn’t, these are not things that we had before, so I’d view it a little bit differently if we had the right opportunity,” Trump said. “Yeah, I think Greenland would be very well off if they I think it’s important for us for national security and even international security.” Trump also claimed that the U.S. is “losing” money supporting Canada, and that the only solution on the table is for it to become a state. “We’re taking care of their military,” Trump said. “We’re taking care of every aspect of their lives, and we don’t need them to make cars for us. In fact, we don’t want them to make cars for us. We want to make our own cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state.” TRUMP REMAINS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ODDS OF ACQUIRING GREENLAND: ‘I THINK IT’LL HAPPEN’ The Time piece was published a day after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that Trump routinely discusses Canada becoming a state, claiming that Trump brings it up “all the time.” Carney has previously shut down any notions that Canada will become a U.S. state. Meanwhile, Trump has emphasized that Greenland is key for national security purposes. While the Danish territory has said it is seeking independence from Copenhagen but isn’t inclined to join the U.S., Trump has voiced a strong desire to secure Greenland amid increase Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic. “If you look at Greenland right now, if you look at the waterways, you have Chinese and Russian ships all over the place, and we’re not going to be able to do that,” Trump told reporters in March. “We’re not relying on Denmark or anybody to take care of that situation. And we’re not talking about peace for the United States, we’re talking about world peace, we’re talking about international security.”
Trump brands Harvard ‘antisemitic’ and a ‘threat to democracy’ amid funding battle
President Donald Trump slammed Harvard University as an “[antisemitic], far-left institution” and a “threat to democracy” amid growing tensions between his administration and the university. “Harvard is an [antisemitic], far-left institution, as are numerous others, with students being accepted from all over the world that want to rip our country apart. The place is a liberal mess, allowing a certain group of crazed lunatics to enter and exit the classroom and spew fake ANGER AND HATE,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Harvard is a threat to democracy…” In the same post, Trump also expressed his frustration that William Burck, the attorney representing Harvard, was a legal advisor to the Trump Organization. According to The Hill, Burck was fired after Trump posted on Truth Social. JEWISH HARVARD STUDENTS SPEAK OUT AFTER UNIVERSITY SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER FUNDING FREEZE Harvard has become a target of Trump’s broader crackdown on universities, much of which is in response to last year’s anti-Israel unrest that erupted on campuses across the country. On April 11, the Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University President Dr. Alan Garber and Harvard Corporation Lead Member Penny Pritzker outlining the institution’s failures and a list of demands from the White House. In the letter, the administration accused Harvard of failing to uphold civil rights laws and to foster an “environment that produces intellectual creativity.” The Trump administration threatened to pull federal funding if Harvard did not reform governance and leadership, as well as its hiring and admissions practices by August 2025. The letter emphasized the need for Harvard to change its international admissions process to avoid admitting students who are “hostile” to American values or support terrorism or antisemitism. Harvard refused to comply with the demands, with Garber saying that “no government… should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” The university later filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its “unlawful” freezing of funds. HARVARD PRESIDENT SAYS HE HAS ‘NO CHOICE’ BUT TO FIGHT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard, and is reportedly looking to slash another billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. While Harvard appeared to be quick to reject the Trump administration’s proposal, the New York Times reported that the university’s leaders and major donors pushed for the school to make a deal. “For weeks leading up to the April 11 letter, the corporation took a very different stance toward the Trump administration. At the urging of some of its biggest donors, the corporation frantically tried to cut a deal with Mr. Trump,” the NYT reported. In December 2023, Harvard was criticized over its handling of antisemitism and anti-Israel unrest on its campus following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre and the war that followed. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. — a Trump ally — grilled the university’s then-President Claudine Gay over whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” constituted bullying and harassment. Gay famously said that it depended on the “context,” a sentiment echoed by the other Ivy League presidents who were questioned. Less than a month after the hearing, Gay resigned from her position. However, she remains employed by the university.
Pope Francis held line on gender ideology, had welcoming posture to LGBT community
The late Pope Francis sought to make the Catholic Church more welcoming to transgender and LGBTQ people, often causing stir among traditional conservative Catholics, even as he remained a staunch critic of what he called “dangerous” gender ideology. While he maintained traditional Catholic teachings on gender and sexuality in official documents, the pontiff’s actions often told a different, ambiguous story. “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis once said to The Associated Press in 2023. It was the first time a pope addressed the legal side of homosexual laws around the world, and LGBTQ activists praised him for it. POPE FRANCIS DINES WITH TRANSGENDER WOMEN FOR VATICAN LUNCHEON Francis also called the criminalization of homosexuality “unjust,” adding that some Catholic bishops in other countries may be proponents of outlawing it for cultural reasons. “These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said. “Tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.” Also in 2023, the controversial Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans — a declaration by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) — issued guidance for priests to bless same-sex couples. The blessings are meant for individuals, not the union itself, according to Pope Francis. The document states that “one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.” “At the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing,” it reads. POPE FRANCIS: ‘GENDER IDEOLOGY’ IS ONE OF THE ‘MOST DANGEROUS IDEOLOGICAL COLONIZATIONS’ Francis further raised concerns among conservatives when, in 2023, the Vatican ruled transgender people can be baptized and become godparents, provided their participation would not cause “confusion” or scandal. In March of that year, Pope Francis hosted a group of transgender women — many of whom are sex workers or migrants from Latin America — to a Vatican luncheon for the Catholic Church’s “World Day of the Poor.” The pontiff and the transgender women formed a close relationship after the pope came to their aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were unable to work. They met monthly for VIP visits with the pope and received medicine, money and shampoo any day, according to The Associated Press. POPE FRANCIS WARNS CHURCH CANNOT BECOME ‘PROGRESSIVE’ OR ‘CONSERVATIVE’ ‘POLITICAL PARTY’ Meanwhile, Pope Francis called gender ideology “one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations” in a March 2023 interview with Argentinian newspaper La Nación. “All humanity is the tension of differences. It is to grow through the tension of differences,” the pope said. “The question of gender is diluting the differences and making the world the same, all dull, all alike, and that is contrary to the human vocation.” The pontiff at the time attributed the increase in gender fluidity to well-meaning people who “do not distinguish what is respect for sexual diversity or diverse sexual preferences from what is already an anthropology of gender, which is extremely dangerous because it eliminates differences, and that erases humanity, the richness of humanity, both personal, cultural, and social, the diversities and the tensions between differences.” Fox News Digital’s Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
‘We are one’: AOC campaign video swirls 2028 presidential rumors
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has crisscrossed the United States with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, and Americans are speculating about whether the New York Democrat is launching a shadow campaign for president. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign account posted a video on X this week that invigorated those rumors as the four-term Democrat from New York City and a progressive leader proclaimed, “We are one.” “I’m a girl from the Bronx,” Ocasio-Cortez said on a campaign-style stage in Idaho. “To be welcomed here in this state, all of us together, seeing our common cause, this is what this country is all about.” FiveThirtyEight founder and prominent pollster Nate Silver signaled earlier this month that Ocasio-Cortez is the leading Democrat to pick up the party’s presidential nomination in 2028. In a draft 2028 pick with FiveThirtyEight’s Galen Druke, Silver chose Ocasio-Cortez as his top choice to lead the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket. POLLSTER NATE SILVER CALLS OCASIO-CORTEZ MOST LIKELY TO BE 2028 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE “I think there’s a lot of points in her favor at this very moment,” Druke said, adding, “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broad appeal across the Democratic Party.” Americans are reposting Ocasio-Cortez’s video across X, pointing to the video as proof of her 2028 presidential ambitions. “Get ready America. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will almost undoubtedly run for president in 2028,” political reporter Eric Daugherty said in response to the video. SCHUMER SINKS, AOC SOARS IN NEW POLL AS LIBERAL VOTERS DEMAND HARDER LINE ON TRUMP As rumors swirl over Ocasio-Cortez’s ambition for higher office, back at home in New York, a Siena College poll found Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s favorability is down, at 39% among New York state voters questioned in the poll, which was conducted April 14-16. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez’s favorability soared to 47%. The longtime senator from New York faced pushback from the Democratic Party in March for supporting the Republican budget bill backed by President Donald Trump that averted a government shutdown and stirred up outrage among congressional Democrats who planned to boycott the bill. That growing disapproval among Democrats was reflected in the poll, and the shifting perception comes as DNC vice chair David Hogg, through his political arm, Leaders We Deserve, faced blowback from the DNC this week for investing $20 million into electing younger Democrats to safe House Democrat seats. Ocasio-Cortez raked in a massive $9.6 million over the past three months. The record-breaking fundraising haul was one of the biggest ever for any House lawmaker. Ocasio-Cortez’s team highlighted that the fundraising came from 266,000 individual donors, with an average contribution of just $21. “I cannot convey enough how grateful I am to the millions of people supporting us with your time, resources, & energy. Your support has allowed us to rally people together at record scale to organize their communities,” Ocasio-Cortez emphasized in a social media post. Colin Reed, a Republican strategist, said Ocasio-Cortez “shouldn’t be discounted” by Democrats “who are standing in her way” of running for whichever office she decides to seek – whether as a U.S. senator or President of the United States. While Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are garnering national attention as they jetset across the country, Reed said their passion and energy might invigorate the progressive portion of the Democratic Party, but “her ideas are way too outside the mainstream to ever be electable at a nationwide level.” “Ultimately, in a Democratic base there’s always going to be a percentage of voters who are drawn to that message. The issue they run to is it’s just not the majority of Americans. The majority of Americans don’t want to transform our country into some sort of ‘European-style government rules all’ vision. That’s why America was founded in the first place – to get away from oppression, from an overbearing, overreaching government,” Reed said. As Democrats struggle to land on a consistent message and search for a clear party leader following Republicans’ November wins, there is an opportunity within the party to dominate the national Democratic narrative, Reed explained. “Chaos loves a vacuum, and right now, there is a vacuum in leadership in the Democratic Party, and thus chaos is ruling the roost,” Reed said. “As long as those two are out there, they’re going to get attention because nobody else is doing anything. The house of cards will come crumbling down, especially when you’ve got two folks out there, Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, holding themselves out as climate warriors as they jet around the country on private jets spewing untold carbon emissions into the air. That hypocrisy is one that’s tough for a lot of folks’ stomachs,” Reed added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by deadline.
Trump says he’ll be ‘leading the pack’ to war with Iran if deal prospects whither away
President Donald Trump may prefer a diplomatic solution to stop Iran’s creep toward a nuclear weapon, but claimed he’ll be “leading the pack” to war with the regime if talks falter. “I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran,” he told Time Magazine in an interview published Friday, while claiming that President Joe Biden had allowed Iran to “become rich.” Asked whether he was worried Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might drag him into a war with Iran, Trump said no. “By the way, he may go into a war. But we’re not getting dragged in.” “You asked if he’d drag me in, like I’d go in unwillingly. No, I may go in very willingly if we can’t get a deal. If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack,” the president explained. FETTERMAN CALLS FOR BOMBING IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES: ‘WASTE THAT S—‘ Trump was asked about reports that he’d stopped Netanyahu from striking Iran after an Oval Office meeting earlier this month. “That’s not right,” he said. “I didn’t stop them. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack. I hope we can. It’s possible we’ll have to attack, because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, but I didn’t say no. Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped.” IRAN RAMPS UP STATE EXECUTIONS AMID NUCLEAR TALKS WITH US A team of U.S. officials will meet with Iranian counterparts in Oman on Saturday to continue negotiations aimed at stopping Tehran’s nuclear advancement. Trump has said that his red line is Iran having a nuclear weapon. Enriching uranium well beyond civilian-use levels to 60%, Iran is just shy of the 90% levels needed for a weapon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week Iran could use a specified amount of low-level enriched uranium for civil nuclear programs, but it would have to be imported. During a phone call on Tuesday, Netanyahu told Trump he “does not rule out” a diplomatic approach to Iran, but only one that would “leave no trace” of Iran’s nuclear program, according to Israeli media. Trump is set to travel to the Middle East next month, to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and expressed optimism that he could broker a normalization deal between Israel and the Saudi Kingdom. “I think Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham Accords,” Trump said. “I think it will be full very quickly.”
Ex-GOP congressman George Santos sentenced to 87 months in prison in federal fraud case
Former New York GOP Rep. George Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal court Friday in connection with his wire fraud and identity theft case. The 36-year-old former representative served in Congress for close to a year before being ousted in 2023 by his House colleagues. Santos had not yet been convicted of a crime at that point, but had been indicted on 23 counts related to wire fraud, identity theft, falsification of records, credit card fraud and other charges. Santos sobbed as he received his sentence, according to the Associated Press. U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert asked Santos during his sentencing, “Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS FACES SEVEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR FEDERAL FRAUD, IDENTITY THEFT She continued on to say that he appears to feel that “it’s always someone else’s fault,” according to the outlet. Santos is expected to arrive at prison by July 26th, a source confirmed to Fox News. “Today, George Santos was finally held accountable for the mountain of lies, theft, and fraud he perpetrated,” John Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement released. “For the defendant, it was judgment day, and for his many victims including campaign donors, political parties, government agencies, elected bodies, his own family members, and his constituents, it is justice.” Santos pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges in August as part of a plea deal. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen individuals to fund his campaign. He further agreed to pay nearly $600,000 in penalties. Federal prosecutors were seeking an 87-month custodial sentence, according to court filings. Santos’ legal team had previously asked the court for a two-year sentence in a court filing earlier this month. “I’m doing as well as any human being would be doing given the circumstances,” Santos told the Associated Press Thursday ahead of his sentencing. “I will be in court tomorrow, ready to face the music.” The government submitted a list of Santos’ recent social media posts in an April 17 filing ahead of his sentencing, with prosecutors arguing that “Santos’s recent behavior continues to demonstrate that he remains unrepentant for his crimes.” GEORGE SANTOS ENDS CONGRESSIONAL RUN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS INTO INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN The posts, pulled from his X account, included tweets saying, “No matter how hard the DOJ comes for me, they are mad because they will NEVER break my spirit.” Santos responded to the filing in a letter with the court filed on April 21, writing that he was “profoundly sorry for the criminal conduct” to which he had pleaded guilty and that he believes “that the Department of Justice’s demand for an 87-month sentence, and its effort to weaponize my speech as proof of incorrigibility, is an overreach that I have both a constitutional right and a civic duty to protest.” EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS OFFERING CAMEO VIDEOS WITH HIS DRAG QUEEN ALTER EGO “True remorse isn’t mute; it is aware of itself, and it speaks up when the penalty scale jumps into the absurd,” Santos wrote. “This distinction seems lost on the prosecution, who would rather slap a “keep quiet or else” sticker on me and steam-press whatever spirit I’ve got left.” Santos was elected to Congress in 2022 after he flipped a district covering parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP. During his campaign, he made several false claims about his background, including that he had attended New York University and worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis during World War II. Santos attempted to relaunch his political career last year by running as an Independent in a neighboring district to re-enter the House. The Associated Press, Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Ex-GOP congressman George Santos faces up to 87 months in prison in federal fraud case
Former New York GOP Rep. George Santos faces up to 87 months in prison ahead of his sentencing in federal court Friday in connection with his wire fraud and identity theft case. The 36-year-old former representative served in Congress for close to a year before being ousted in 2023 by his House colleagues. Santos had not yet been convicted of a crime at that point, but had been indicted on 23 counts related to wire fraud, identity theft, falsification of records, credit card fraud and other charges. Santos pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges in August as part of a plea deal. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen individuals to fund his campaign. He further agreed to pay nearly $600,000 in penalties. EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS FACES SEVEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR FEDERAL FRAUD, IDENTITY THEFT Federal prosecutors are seeking an 87-month custodial sentence, according to court filings. Santos’ legal team had previously asked the court for a two-year sentence in a court filing earlier this month. “I’m doing as well as any human being would be doing given the circumstances,” Santos told the Associated Press Thursday ahead of his sentencing. “I will be in court tomorrow, ready to face the music.” The government submitted a list of Santos’ recent social media posts in an April 17 filing ahead of his sentencing, with prosecutors arguing that “Santos’s recent behavior continues to demonstrate that he remains unrepentant for his crimes.” GEORGE SANTOS ENDS CONGRESSIONAL RUN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS INTO INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN The posts, pulled from his X account, included tweets saying, “No matter how hard the DOJ comes for me, they are mad because they will NEVER break my spirit.” Santos responded to the filing in a letter with the court filed on April 21, writing that he was “profoundly sorry for the criminal conduct” to which he had pleaded guilty and that he believes “that the Department of Justice’s demand for an 87-month sentence, and its effort to weaponize my speech as proof of incorrigibility, is an overreach that I have both a constitutional right and a civic duty to protest.” EX-LAWMAKER GEORGE SANTOS OFFERING CAMEO VIDEOS WITH HIS DRAG QUEEN ALTER EGO “True remorse isn’t mute; it is aware of itself, and it speaks up when the penalty scale jumps into the absurd,” Santos wrote. “This distinction seems lost on the prosecution, who would rather slap a “keep quiet or else” sticker on me and steam-press whatever spirit I’ve got left.” Santos was elected to Congress in 2022 after he flipped a district covering parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP. During his campaign, he made several false claims about his background, including that he had attended New York University and worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis during World War II. Santos attempted to relaunch his political career last year by running as an Independent in a neighboring district to re-enter the House. The Associated Press, Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump says China’s Xi called him amid ongoing confusion over trade talks
Did they or didn’t they? President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that he has spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping “many times” but did not say if any of those communications took place since he imposed stiff tariffs on the communist nation. Asked for details about those communications, Trump responded by saying “I’ll let you know at the appropriate time.” TRUMP HINTS AT CUTTING CHINA TARIFFS ‘SUBSTANTIALLY’ FROM 145% Trump’s latest comments, which took place before he boarded Marine One to travel to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral, come after days of back and forth between the countries over whether they are in direct talks about reducing the tariffs – and whether Trump and Xi have spoken directly to one another since the tariffs were rolled out. Trump’s tariffs on China, which have rattled global stock markets and upended supply chains, have ballooned to 145% while China has responded by slapping a 125% tariff on its U.S. imports. In a newly published TIME article published Friday morning, Trump is quoted as saying that Xi personally called him to discuss trade matters. “He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump is quoted as saying, without providing specifics about the timing or content of the call. When asked what Xi said, Trump sidestepped his response by saying “We all want to make deals. But I am this giant store. It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay.” CHINA ACCUSES US OF ‘BULLYING’ THE WORLD WITH TARIFFS AT UN MEETING “You have to understand, I’m dealing with all the companies, very friendly countries,” he said, when asked about trade adviser Peter Navarro, saying 90 deals in 90 days is possible. “We’re meeting with China. We’re doing fine with everybody. But ultimately, I’ve made all the deals.” The TIME interview took place on Tuesday, with Trump saying publicly on the same day that things were going “fine with China” and that the final tariff rate on Chinese exports would come down “substantially” from the current 145%. Trump also told reporters earlier in the week that “everything’s active” when asked if he was engaging with China, although his treasury secretary had said there were no formal negotiations. Those comments led to Beijing on Thursday denying any suggestion that it was in active negotiations with the administration. Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said during a daily briefing on Thursday that, “For all I know, China and the U.S. are not having any consultation or negotiation on tariffs, still less reaching a deal.” “China’s position is consistent, and we are open to consultations and dialogues, but any form of consultations and negotiations must be conducted on the basis of mutual respect and in an equal manner,” Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong said. Asked Thursday about China denying there were any conversations ongoing with the United States, Trump said, “We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we’ve been meeting with China,” before adding, “it doesn’t matter who they is.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump said Tuesday that the hefty tax rate of 145% Americans must currently pay for Chinese imports will likely be reduced significantly. While Trump said the rate “won’t be zero,” he expressed optimism over a potential trade deal with China. “One hundred forty-five percent is very high, and it won’t be that high,” Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office. “It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.” Fox News’ Greg Norman, Bonny Chu and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Kashmiris unite against Pahalgam attack, but will India’s response squander their sympathy?
Protesting against the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 25 Hindu tourists and one local Muslim pony rider were killed, Kashmiris organised protests, candlelight vigils, and shutdowns to mourn victims and condemn the attack.