Elon Musk blasts John Bolton as ‘staggeringly dumb warmonger’ after criticism of Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz
Business tycoon Elon Musk excoriated former National Security Adviser John Bolton after Bolton blasted President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to tap Matt Gaetz as attorney general. During an appearance on “Meet the Press NOW,” Bolton said the pick “must be the worst nomination for a Cabinet position in American history.” Musk pushed back in a post on X, calling Bolton “a staggeringly dumb warmonger,” saying that Bolton’s opposition to someone is “a great sign!” WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GAETZ HOUSE ETHICS REPORT? “Gaetz will be great,” Musk added. “Just do the opposite of whatever Bolton recommends,” Musk wrote in another post, capping his comment off with the face with tears of joy emoji. Bolton also called Gaetz “totally incompetent” for the position and described him as “a person of moral turpitude.” DEMOCRAT SENATOR REACTS TO GAETZ NOMINATION: ‘RED ALERT MOMENT’ “The Senate’s new leadership should tell the President-elect that he is endangering Republican Senators by forcing a vote in favor of Gaetz’s nomination. The leadership should insist that this nomination be withdrawn,” Bolton declared in a post. During an appearance on CNN, Bolton indicated that he thinks the Senate should unanimously vote against confirming Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump tapped to serve as director of national intelligence. Gaetz “issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday. DEMOCRATS TRASH TULSI GABBARD AFTER TRUMP TAPS HER FOR DNI POST Gaetz had just been re-elected last week. He served in the House of Representatives since 2017. Bolton also shared his scathing criticism of Gaetz on X, but the former lawmaker responded with a joke, writing, “We’ll mark John down as a ‘maybe.’”
Meet Pete Hegseth: The ‘recovering neocon’ and Pentagon critic who’s been tapped for Defense secretary
President-elect Donald Trump sent shock waves through the national security establishment when he nominated Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary. The plain-speaking former Army National Guard officer would set himself apart from other Defense secretaries with his prolific record of criticism of the institution he has been tapped to run. A culture warrior, on-air commentator and author, the paper trail of his publicly shared views will be on full display in his confirmation hearing. “I’ve been a recovering neocon for six years now,” Hegseth, a former Fox News host, told the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. He said he was a huge proponent of the Iraq War “at the time,” but “in retrospect, absolutely not.” “The hubris of the Pentagon is they want to now tell other countries how to do counterinsurgency based on what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. The trust that our political leaders and our generals would have our best interests in mind is totally broken,” he explained. “At the same time. I’m fearful of what happens when the institution gets abandoned.” TRUMP NOMINATES PETE HEGSETH TO SERVE AS DEFENSE SECRETARY In a past life, Hegseth ran Vets for Freedom, a pro-Iraq War advocacy group. He then pivoted and became CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, a restraint-minded advocacy group that was heavily focused on reforming the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He has not served any senior-level leadership roles at the Defense Department – leaving some hawks skeptical that he has the experience to lead the U.S.’s largest government agency and a fighting force of more than 1.3 million active duty troops. “He is the least well-prepared secretary to be nominated,” said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and a senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “He has superb military credentials as a junior officer, excellent academic credentials in Harvard, but he has no eye-level national security experience. He has no experience running a large organization, no experience working with Congress, and I mean, a good but very short relationship with the president.” Prior to his current role, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was head of U.S. Central Command, vice chief of staff of the Army and commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq. After retiring from the armed services, he joined the board of Raytheon. Hegseth, a 44-year-old infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard, served as the platoon leader at Guantanamo Bay. He also led a platoon in Baghdad and later served as a civil-military operations officer in Samarra. TRUMP’S PICKS SO FAR: HERE’S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT “Something that a lot of people will point to as a weakness is he’s young,” said Steve Bucci, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense during the George W. Bush administration. “He did serve very effectively as a junior officer and a combat leader, but you know, he hasn’t been part of the institutionalized process going up to be general officer and all the staff positions in between.” “That will free him to think outside the box,” Bucci mused. “Austin, a four-star, frankly, was not known for new ideas.” “It’ll drive a lot of people crazy.” Hegseth has made it clear he will work to fight “woke” programs in the Pentagon that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. He has also spoken out against women in combat roles. “I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. “It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.” Additionally, in 2019, he successfully lobbied Trump to pardon three service members convicted or accused of war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Trump may have looked ahead to sparing himself the headache this role caused him during his first administration – only Jim Mattis and Mark Esper lasted more than a year, three others served in an acting capacity. Hegseth has also called for the firing of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown. Brown has become a target of conservatives who claim he advances a “woke” agenda, and Hegseth has suggested Brown, who is Black, is a DEI hire. “That would be a huge problem,” Cancian predicted. “He’s got a very strong military record and, you know, it would put [Hegseth] at war with the military.” Democrats are expected to hammer him for lack of experience and his background as a co-host of “Fox and Friends.” “Hegseth is not remotely qualified to be Secretary of Defense,” Rep. Jason Crow, a national-security-minded Colorado Democrat wrote on X. “The SecDef makes life-and-death decisions daily that impact our 2 million troops around the globe. This is not an entry-level job for a TV commentator.” They also may bring up resurfaced sexual assault allegations he faced in 2017. Monterey, California, officials released a public statement Thursday about a 2017 police investigation into whether Hegseth acted inappropriately. Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and Trump’s lawyers brought the accusation up during the vetting process, according to Vanity Fair. Hegseth would likely be the first-ever Defense secretary nominee previously barred from a presidential inauguration. Hegseth told Ryan he volunteered in his National Guard capacity to work at President Biden’s inauguration in 2020. However, he said he was one of a number of National Guard members told to “stand down.” “I was deemed an extremist because of a tattoo by my National Guard unit in Washington D.C. and my orders were revoked to guard the Biden inauguration.” “My commander called me a day before, tepidly, and was like, Major, you can just stand down. We don’t need you, we’re good. I’m like, what do you mean? Everybody’s there. He said like, no, no ,no…he couldn’t tell me.” Hegseth said the tattoo is a Jerusalem cross rather than an extremist symbol. It was a popular symbol used during the Crusades. “Twenty years in the military I loved, I fought for, I revered … spit me out,” Hegseth
Mike Rogers in consideration for FBI chief after meeting in Mar-a-Lago with Trump transition team, sources say
FIRST ON FOX – Will the second time be the charm for one-time Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent and former Rep. Mike Rogers? Rogers, the 2024 Republican Senate nominee in Michigan who lost his election last week by a razor-thin margin, met Thursday with President-elect Trump’s transition team regarding potentially serving as FBI director in the former and future president’s second administration, sources familiar tell Fox News. The meeting took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Rogers worked as a special agent with the FBI in its Chicago office and who served as chair of the House Intelligence Committee during the final four years of his decade-long tenure in Congress, was interviewed in 2017 during Trump’s first administration to serve as FBI director after James Comey was dismissed. TRUMP TURNS TO ALLIES AND LOYALISTS TO IMPLEMENT HIS AMERICA FIRST AGENDA But Trump at the time decided to appoint Christopher Wray to the traditional ten-year term steering the federal law enforcement agency. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORITNG ON PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP’S TRANSITION FOR A SECOND TERM Trump, throughout his 2024 White House bid, campaigned in part on cleaning house at the FBI and has repeatedly claimed – without providing proof -that the bureau is chocked full of politically motivated and corrupt executives. And while not as much as others, Wray at times has been a target of Trump’s criticism. “Mike Rogers would make a ton of sense as FBI Director for President Trump. Mike’s years of service for the bureau as well as his time as House Intelligence Chairman make him highly qualified for the position, one that I’m sure he would be honored to serve in under this administration and help bring integrity back to the DOJ [Department of Justice],” a source familiar told Fox News. Rogers, a well known face on the cable news networks, in 2022 and early 2023 mulled a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and made multiple stops in crucial early nominating states, like New Hampshire and Iowa, before deciding against a White House run. He launched his 2024 Senate run in battleground Michigan in September of last year and early this year landed Trump’s endorsement. He was narrowly defeated last week by Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Another name that has been floated in media reports to potentially serve as FBI director in the second Trump administration is Kash Patel, the controversial aide and adviser who served roles at the National Security Council and Defense Department during the final two years of Trump’s first administration.
‘Should die drowning in water’: Devendra Fadnavis slams Kanhaiya Kumar over his remarks against wife Amruta
Amidst the furore over Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar’s controversial comments targeting Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife Amruta, the BJP leader lashed out at him.
Major pro-life group releases ‘Make America Pro-Life Again Roadmap’
Students for Life of Action, the legislative arm of one of the largest pro-life groups in the country, released a “Make America Pro-Life Again Roadmap” this week signaling their plans to combat abortion during the new Trump administration. In a press call on Tuesday, Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins said that despite abortion ballots being passed in seven states, the election showed that there are significant opportunities for pro-life victories in the next few years. “America had the option of choosing the most radical pro-abortion ticket in world history and soundly rejected it,” she said. “We’ve been working on this for months leading up until the election. Now that the election is over, now that we have a Republican trifecta in Washington, D.C., [and] Republican majority control of legislatures, it’s going to be time to get to work.” SENATE DEMS RACE TO CONFIRM BIDEN JUDGES AHEAD OF TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY Hawkins explained that the plan also prioritizes increasing protections for unborn babies in states, including such as Michigan, Ohio and Arizona, that have recently enshrined abortion rights in their state constitutions. “And for those who believe that states are locked down by ballot initiatives, guess again,” she said. The group is working in conjunction with state lawmakers and has already confirmed a slate of pro-life bills in 13 different state legislatures. HOCHUL SPURS BIPARTISAN OUTRAGE OVER MASSIVE TOLL REBOOT, AS DEMS WORRY TRUMP WILL BLOCK IT A major focus of the bills is chemical abortion, which now accounts for most U.S. abortions. While some of these bills would move to ban or restrict chemical abortions, some seek to simply reduce or raise awareness about their harmful effects. West Virginia state Sen. Patricia Rucker told Fox News Digital that with the help of Students for Life she will be reintroducing a “Clean Water for All” bill, which she believes will not only lessen the environmental impact of abortion pills on the state’s water supply and rivers, but also raise awareness of the dangers of chemical abortion. “It’s completely unknown. When I bring it up, most folks, I mean, you see their eyes just getting really big. They’re like, ‘I had no idea, never even thought about that,’” she said. After West Virginia Republicans further strengthened their majority in the state legislature, Rucker said she is feeling optimistic about the bill’s future. Despite recent setbacks under the Biden administration and a slew of losses at the state level, Students for Life is confident that the momentum is about to change. Kristi Hamrick, Students for Life’s vice president of media and policy, told Fox News Digital that “as we know from Roe, a legal roadblock does not mean nothing can be done.” She pointed to the 2007 Supreme Court case Gonzalez vs. Carhart that set a precedent allowing states to protect unborn babies from partial-birth abortions despite Roe v. Wade being in place at the time. She said that “the win in Carhart lays a legal foundation for how to proceed at the state and federal level.” In Arizona, where a sweeping abortion amendment was passed by voters on election day, state Rep. Rachel Jones is already working on drafting a bill which she hopes will push back. She envisions the bill as a way to help women and young girls truly understand the dangers of chemical abortion and to be aware of “all the options facing them.” “A lot of these women are making a decision based on fear,” Jones told Fox News Digital. “They’re being led to believe that’s their only option. And then some of them end up regretting that decision later. And it really affects their mental health a lot.” Jones said that even some of her Democratic colleagues have signaled openness to a bill increasing education on chemical abortion, something she said makes her optimistic that her bill can receive bipartisan support. “I think that a lot of these women were so misled because they weren’t really told all the facts,” she went on. “We’re really protecting women, and I think that’s really important right now.”
Judges delay Jan. 6 trials ahead of Trump inauguration
In light of President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming second-term, two federal judges ruled to delay criminal trials for several defendants charged with trespassing on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Politico reported on Thursday that Washington, D.C., circuit court judges Carl Nichols and Rudolph Contreras – Trump and Obama appointees, respectively – ruled to delay the trials until after Trump’s inauguration. The judges reasoned that Trump may call off the cases and issue pardons to those convicted when he assumes control of the presidency and Department of Justice. This is the first time that judges have agreed to Jan. 6 defendants’ pleas to delays in anticipation of potential Trump pardons. CNN reported that Contreras, who delayed a trial set for defendant William Pope till late February, said it would be a waste to call in a jury and expend taxpayer resources when there is a “real possibility” of a Trump pardon. “I’m focused on conservation of the resources of the parties, the court and citizens,” Contreras said. Pope has already had his felony obstruction charge dropped because of the Supreme Court’s June ruling. He is now being charged with misdemeanor violations. His trial was set for December. Nichols delayed trials for three other Jan. 6 defendants charged with misdemeanor trespassing. He issued the decision after asking federal prosecutors whether they expected the trial to continue under the Trump administration. When prosecutors could not guarantee, Nichols ruled to delay the trial to April. Marina Medvin, an attorney representing two of the defendants in Nichols’ court, said that “as soon as the prosecutor asked for a trial date, Judge Nichols confronted her on whether she could assure the court that this matter would be moving forward to trial once the new administration takes office.” “Of course, the prosecutor could make no such assurances,” she said.
Studd Muffyn Life Presents Berberine: A Natural Powerhouse Tackling India’s Metabolic Health Crisis
Ludhiana, Punjab, India, November 13, 2024: On a crisp July evening in the Himalayas, two strangers met on a light trek, unaware that this encounter would change their lives and potentially the health of thousands.
‘Your Sena is just Uddhav Sena…’ Union Home Minister Amit Shah slams Uddhav Thackeray during election rally
Shiv Sena saw a split in 2022 with Eknath Shinde leading a group of leaders and MLAs in revolt against Uddhav Thackeray, which also led to the toppling of Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Former ESPN personality Sage Steele denies Trump press secretary rumors
Sage Steele, the veteran sportscaster best known for her decade-plus career at ESPN, has shot down swirling rumors she wants to be press secretary in the new Trump administration, labeling the murmurings as “fake news.” President-elect Donald Trump has been quickly filling his incoming Cabinet since he stormed to election victory last week, but he has yet to name someone to be his top public spokesperson at the White House. Axios reported Wednesday that Steele along with CNN contributor and Bush White House official Scott Jennings, as well as Republican National Committee spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko are all “vying” for the much-coveted role. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt and former Trump administration official Monica Crowley are also “in the mix,” according to Axios. SAGE STEELE IS OFF THE SIDELINES AND SPEAKING HER MIND Trump attorney Alina Habba said Thursday that she is not considering the role of press secretary. Steele, 51, has been a public supporter of the president-elect and stumped for him on the campaign trail, appearing at an event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, last month. However, she took to X on Thursday to deny she was interested in the press secretary role. “Not sure how these rumors began about me ‘vying’ to be Press Secretary, but it’s definitely fake news! I haven’t had a single conversation with anyone about that job, and have no desire to do so!” Steele wrote. SAGE STEELE UNLEASHES ON ‘TERRIBLE’ BIDEN, SAYS HE ‘TRAILED OFF’ DURING CHAT BEFORE TAPING ESPN INTERVIEW “Honestly, it was the honor of a lifetime to be a small part of @TeamTrump during the campaign – something I NEVER imagined – but I wholeheartedly believe in @realDonaldTrump @JDVance & am excited to find ways to continue to serve. It took me years to not be afraid to speak up. That fear is gone forever, and I hope others are beginning to feel the same. LFG!” In 2023, Steele left ESPN after 15 years at the network where she hosted its flagship program “SportsCenter as well as “NBA Countdown,” among other roles. In April 2022, Steele filed a lawsuit against ESPN alleging the network violated her free speech rights after she was punished in 2021 for speaking out against parent company Disney’s COVID vaccine mandate and knocked former President Barack Obama for identifying as Black instead of biracial. They settled the lawsuit, and she left the network last August. “Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele wrote last August. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!” In March, Steele was named the first podcast host on Bill Maher’s Club Random Studios podcast network. Karoline Leavitt appears to be the leading name for press secretary after she worked as the Trump campaign’s national press secretary throughout the high-stakes election cycle. Alina Habba, Trump’s legal spokesperson and adviser, was also viewed as a frontrunner for the position but said Thursday she would “be better served in other capacities.” Other names being floated include Trump adviser and ally Jason Miller, campaign spokesperson and adviser Steven Cheung and former Trump administration official Monica Crowley. Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Lara Trump says she’d ‘love to consider’ filling Rubio’s Senate seat if asked by DeSantis
Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo that she would “seriously consider” serving in the U.S. Senate if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asks her to fill the vacancy that will arise when Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., resigns to serve as secretary of state. She told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that she “would love to serve the people of Florida” and “would love to consider” filling the seat if asked. President-elect Donald Trump tapped Rubio to fill the Cabinet-level role, and if Rubio is confirmed by his colleagues and resigns from the Senate, DeSantis will have the opportunity to select a temporary replacement to fill the seat until a special election is held. FETTERMAN HAILS RUBIO AS ‘STRONG CHOICE’ FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, SAYS HE WILL VOTE TO CONFIRM HIM Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on “Hannity” that he “would be like over-the-top excited” and that Republicans “could not do better … than Lara Trump.” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who served as the Sunshine State’s governor prior to DeSantis, said he hopes DeSantis chooses Lara Trump, according to Axios. HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS TO SEN. RUBIO’S SEAT IF HE BECOMES SECRETARY OF STATE AND WHO COULD REPLACE HIM In a post on X, he declared that she “would be a GREAT Senator and represent Floridians well!” Republicans won the Senate and House majorities during the 2024 elections. Rubio has served in the Senate since 2011. TRUMP’S FIRST CABINET PICKS DECIDEDLY NOT ISOLATIONISTS: UKRAINE, ISRAEL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF “As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda,” the senator said in a post on X, referring to Trump. “Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else. I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate so the President has his national security and foreign policy team in place when he takes office on January 20,” he noted.