Europe must lead on Ukrainian security guarantees, Greek foreign minister says: ‘We are the neighbors’
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told Fox News Digital in an interview that he believes Europe should take the lead on Ukraine’s security guarantees. Gerapetritis, who was in the U.S. to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the most important order of business was to “stop the hostilities.” “The day after will give the opportunity for considerations about reconstruction and about the security guarantees,” he said. “We are the neighbors, and we have to take the responsibility for these,” Gerapetritis went on. “We need backing up from the United States, it’s important that the United States remain, involved, but, of course, Europe should have the major stake.” EUROPEAN LEADERS ON EDGE AS PROSPECT LOOMS OF TRUMP PULLING 20K TROOPS FROM CONTINENT The interview took place Friday just as a high-tempered spat in the Oval Office broke out and peace negotiations were brought to an abrupt halt when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly brought up the need for the U.S. to offer Ukraine security guarantees to stop a future Russian attack. President Donald Trump and his administration have insisted that it must be Europe who commits to Ukraine’s defense if Russia were to invade again, but Zelenskyy has insisted European security guarantees are pointless without the U.S. However, Trump officials have told Zelenskyy to read between the lines on the proposed mineral deal: if the U.S. has major financial interests in Ukraine, it will not allow a war with Russia to threaten them. Zelenskyy, after being escorted out of the White House on Friday following his spat with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, said Sunday he would still be willing to sign the mineral deal. Gerapetritis boasted that Greece had boosted its defense spending to 3% of GDP, surpassing NATO’s 2% target. “We have urged all our allies to increase their spending,” he said. “We need to go into a collective defense of Europe.” However, Greek-owned oil tankers have been a key enabler of Russia’s oil trade. The Kyiv School of Economics has identified 126 vessels that originated with Greek owners and now make up Russia’s “shadow fleet,” ships it uses to export oil and hide from western sanctions. EUROPEAN UNION SPENT MORE ON RUSSIAN FOSSIL FUELS THAN UKRAINE AID IN 2024 Gerapetritis said Greece is working with the rest of the European Union on addressing the issue. “We are imposing not only the sanctions imposed by the European Union, but also, [our own] national sanctions. We are having a very strict monitoring mechanism. The truth is that we need to close any gaps concerning potential bypasses … We’re working on these with allies within the European Union.” Amid increasingly hostile words between the U.S. and Europe, Gerapetritis planned to use his visit to patch up the transatlantic alliance. “It is important that the, transatlantic relations remain, intact. Remain strong. United, we do have a lot more leverage to actually, deal with multiple crises, which is the new normality. So we have to stay together.” Ukraine was top of mind for Gerapetritidis’ meeting with Rubio on Friday, though the foreign ministers planned to discuss a slew of security issues. One topic of discussion was expected to be thwarting China’s influence, and Gerapetritis boasted of a new alliance with India to do just that. New Delhi is hoping to reach European markets by establishing a corridor that runs through Greece, as a way to counter the Port of Piraeus, which China has used as a gateway to Europe through Greece. “This major plan is, I think, an excellent project. In order to diversify the routes concerning transport, concerning data, concerning energy,” he said. “We are very likeminded with the United States when it comes to foreign and security policy.” In Syria, which, like Greece, is home to many Orthodox Christians, Gerapetritis remains skeptical of the new government, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, and said sanctions should be lifted slowly and with the ability to snap them back into place if the governing entity returns to its terrorist roots. “We suggest that we need to have a release on these sanctions. But that should take place mostly on a gradual basis. We need to see how it goes.” Gerapetritis said he would also be discussing Iran with Rubio. “Iran and its proxies are operating in the broader region. We have the Houthis operating in the Red sea. This is a serious danger for the maritime security. And we’re very concerned with maritime security globally,” he said.
‘Moderate’ Dem giving rebuttal to Trump’s joint address promoted staffer who boosted Farrakhan
FIRST ON FOX: The Democratic senator who is being billed as a “moderate” and was tapped to give the rebuttal to President Trump’s Tuesday address to a joint session of Congress is still employing a staffer who faced backlash last year for her public support of Minister Louis Farrakhan. Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who will deliver the rebuttal to Trump, employed a deputy political director during her campaign last year who posted on Facebook in 2017 about her “full week” of “supporting the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan” at the Nation of Islam’s “Saviours’ Day Convention.” The staffer, Dr. Terra DeFoe, posted a photo of herself standing next to Farrakhan and wrote, “Great time with my Brothers at Savior’s Day Convention.” Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, has been vocal about what he thinks of Jews, comparing them to termites and saying they are “Satanic.” He has also praised Adolf Hitler as a “great man” and has become one of the most controversial religious figures in the United States due to his derogatory comments about Israel. ‘MY SQUAD’: NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF LEFT-WING GROUP ATTENDS NOTORIOUS ANTISEMITE’S ANNUAL GATHERING In 2019, two years after DeFoe attended the Nation of Islam convention, she invited Troy Muhammad onto her talk show. Muhammad, who serves as a “State Representative for Minister Louis Farrakhan and Minister of Muhammad Mosque No. 1” and was pictured in DeFoe’s 2017 Facebook post, was described by DeFoe in the introduction as a “valued community leader in Detroit.” The interview, which lasted nine minutes, according to an archived copy, did not include any questions about Farrakhan’s controversial antisemitic comments. After the conclusion of Slotkin’s successful Senate campaign, DeFoe was given the position of regional director starting in January 2025, according to Legistorm. Federal Election Commission records show that DeFoe was paid tens of thousands of dollars from the Slotkin campaign between June 2024 and December 2024, weeks before she was promoted to the regional director position. PRO-FARRAKHAN PASTOR LEADING TARGET DEI BOYCOTT CALLS BLACK TRUMP SUPPORTERS ‘COONS’ AND ‘RUNAWAY SLAVES’ After Fox News Digital exclusively reported on DeFoe’s ties to Farrakhan last May, multiple Jewish activists called for Slotkin’s staffer to be fired. “StopAntisemitism is dismayed to learn that Representative Elissa Slotkin still employs a Farrakhan supporter who has openly praised one of America’s most notorious antisemites. Farrakhan uses antisemitic slurs, and pushes Jew-hating rhetoric, yet Rep. Slotkin has refused to fire this staffer, despite public outcry,” Liora Rez, StopAntisemitism’s executive director, told Fox News Digital on Monday. “How can a Representative who enables this kind of extremism be considered a moderate? Rep. Slotkin’s silence needs to be addressed,” she continued. “If she won’t take a stand against antisemitism within her own team, why should her constituents trust her to stand up for American values at all?” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Tudor Dixon, who ran for governor of Michigan as a Republican in 2022, told Fox News Digital in a statement, “No one will be fooled by Elissa Slotkin’s sudden ‘moderate’ rebrand.” “There’s nothing moderate about defending open borders, higher taxes, EV mandates, and coddling criminals. Elissa Slotkin is a far-left progressive who continues to surround herself with activists that are completely disconnected from the average American.” Fox News Digital reached out to Slotkin’s office and DeFoe multiple times but did not receive a response.
NY Gov Hochul now says she will lead ‘resistance’ against Trump, after saying the opposite weeks ago
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul now says she will be “leading the resistance” against President Donald Trump, just weeks after telling reporters the opposite. Hochul said she would “fight back hard” during an interview with NPR’s “Morning Edition” on Monday when asked about New York City’s congestion pricing toll that the Trump administration moved to block last month. “We offered up an olive branch, [we said] ‘We’ll work with you on infrastructure. Let’s redo Penn Station,’” Hochul said. “Those areas were common ground. But once you draw first blood on us, we’re coming back hard. And I will be leading the resistance on policies like these where you’re hurting New Yorkers directly. This is our decision, not yours.” Less than two weeks ago, however, the Democratic governor told reporters just the opposite. KATHY HOCHUL DOES APPARENT ABOUT-FACE ON NATURAL GAS AS NYC UTILITY SIGNALS MAJOR RATE HIKES “I’ve been asked countless [times] ‘are you leading the resistance?’ – No, I’m governing the great state of New York,” Hochul said when asked about her stance toward the Trump administration, according to the New York Post. The Trump administration last month ordered a stop to the controversial congestion toll program, which launched Jan. 5 with the goals of thinning traffic and funding mass transit by imposing a $9 toll on most vehicles entering Manhattan’s core south of Central Park. NEW YORK GOVERNOR LAMENTS FEDERAL WORKERS BEING ‘UNCEREMONIOUSLY’ FIRED BY TRUMP ADMIN, OFFERS THEM JOBS Later that month, Hochul met with Trump at the White House for a one-on-one meeting, in which the governor made a case for the program. But Hochul later said the meeting likely did not persuade Trump to change his mind about the program. On Monday, Hochul also said that it’s up to Democratic governors to be the “firewall” against the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress who threaten to slash federally funded social programs. Hochul said that Democratic governors must heed the call “to stand up against this destruction of policies that are helping people and have been in place for decades.”
Far-left Dems plan protests, disruption at Trump’s speech to Congress: report
Democratic lawmakers are planning widespread protests at President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday night, but party members are debating how far to go. Many far-left Democrats are advocating for major disruptions at the event, ranging from outright walkouts to using noisemakers to drown out Trump’s speech, Axios reported Tuesday. Some of the more moderate ideas floated reportedly include carrying egg cartons to highlight costs, carrying protest signs, and coordinating outfits. “The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way — productively — to express our outrage,” one lawmaker told Axios. Other Democrats discussed plans to storm out of the chamber if Trump crosses certain rhetorical lines, such as discussing gender-confused youths. THEME OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS REVEALED Democratic leaders reportedly encouraged members in closed-door meetings this week to keep their protests civil, however, with many arguing that major outbursts would only help Trump. “There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands,” another lawmaker told the outlet. TRUMP SET TO CONTINUE UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF ACTIONS, ADDRESS CONGRESS IN 7TH WEEK BACK IN OFFICE More traditional protest plans include the Democratic Women’s Caucus encouraging members to wear pink, as well as women with the Congressional Black Caucus discussing plans to wear black. Other members have mulled wearing blue and yellow to show solidarity with Ukraine. Protests at State of the Union speeches and other major presidential events have grown more common and severe in recent years. While Trump’s Tuesday address is not technically a State of the Union address, it follows essentially the same format. The president is scheduled to speak before all members of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. TUNE IN: LIVE COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TONIGHT ON FOX NEWS White House officials exclusively told Fox News Digital that the speech, themed “The Renewal of the American Dream,” will feature four main sections: accomplishments from Trump’s second term thus far at home and abroad; what the Trump administration has done for the economy; the president’s renewed push for Congress to pass additional funding for border security; and the president’s plans for peace around the globe. Trump’s joint address “will be must-see TV,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years, and the renewal of the American Dream is well underway,” Leavitt said. “In his joint address to Congress, President Trump will celebrate his extraordinarily successful first month in office while outlining his bold, ambitious and commonsense vision for the future.” The president will review his administration’s “accomplishments from his extraordinarily successful first month in office, both here at home and abroad,” White House officials said. Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Major Trump tariff move likely to benefit this heartland American city
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., praised the likely decision by Honda to manufacture its popular Honda Civic model in Indiana instead of Mexico. The move by the major automaker was triggered by President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on Mexico, which are set to go into effect on Tuesday after a month-long pause after a temporary agreement with the country, Reuters reported. The outlet reported that production is likely to start in 2028 for over 200,000 vehicles, but the announcement has yet to be made public by the company. “President Trump has taken the ‘kick me’ sign off the backs of our workers and manufacturers. This report is great news for Hoosiers and all Americans—and it’s only just the beginning,” Banks said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. HERE’S HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CHINA COULD IMPACT DRUG PRICING AND OTHER HEALTHCARE COSTS “The America First agenda is going to be racking up countless wins over the next four years,” the senator added. The report is presumably good news for the Greensburg, Indiana, plant of the Japanese company, which has over 3,000 employees and opened in 2008, according to its website. Greenburg itself has a population of just over 12,000 people, according to the United States Census Bureau data from 2023. WISH-TV reported that Honda only has one plant in Indiana right now. “It’s called the ‘TRUMP EFFECT,’” the White House’s rapid response account tweeted Monday. Trump’s tariff policies on Mexico, Canada and China have made waves in recent weeks as proponents argue it’s a critical step in boosting American manufacturing and stopping illicit fentanyl trafficking, whereas opponents worry it will unnecessarily raise the price of goods. The president also announced that reciprocal tariffs all over the globe will take place on April 2. TRUMP SAYS TARIFFS WILL GO INTO EFFECT MARCH 4 AFTER ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ FENTANYL LEVELS “To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun!” Trump said on Truth Social on Monday. As for Banks, he recently praised the reciprocal tariffs, saying they will likely serve as a benefit to the United States. “The globalist approach to trade threw our workers under a bus driven by their foreign competitors,” Banks tweeted on Feb. 13. “President Trump’s America First trade plan corrects this injustice that our industries and workers have faced for decades. The reciprocal tariffs announced today will bring back fairness and prosperity and stop Americans from being taken advantage of.” TRUMP WHITE HOUSE RIPS AUTO STATE GOVERNOR WHO ATTACKED PRESIDENT’S TARIFF PLANS: ‘DEADLY STATUS QUO’ Honda is not the first automaker to reconsider its approach to tariff policies. Nissan’s CEO said last month that the company may move some production out of Mexico to accommodate the changes, although he did not say if it would be in the U.S. instead. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
BIG update on Noida’s Jewar airport: Proposal for connectivity to several states approved; know details here
One of the most prominent of the passed proposals is related to the connectivity of the airport. It was decided that 250 buses will run from the airport to 26 districts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and several other states.
‘Don’t take my soft-heartedness into…’: Punjab CM Mann has THIS to say after walking out of meeting with farmer leaders
Earlier, protesting farmers claimed that Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had got “angry” and “provoked” them during a meeting with him in Chandigarh. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal described him as unusually angry, noting that he had never witnessed such an outburst, even in high-level negotiations.
West Texans, Mennonites at center of measles outbreak choose medical freedom over vaccine mandates
In rural West Texas, measles has sickened nearly 150 people, most of them unvaccinated. A school-age child has died. The virus is spreading among Gaines County’s Mennonite community, where government mandates are not trusted.
Voucher bills want to prioritize low-income families and be open to all students. Those goals might be at odds.
Neither of the Legislature’s voucher bills require private schools to accept certain students, which some warn could block the neediest children from access.
House Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he plans to attend Trump’s speech: ‘dignified Democratic presence’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has noted that he plans to attend President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night address before a joint session of Congress. “Given my responsibilities in the House, I plan to attend the speech, along with other members of the Democratic leadership, to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration,” Jeffries said in a message to colleagues. Trump’s speech will come less than two months into his second presidential term. SEVERAL DEMOCRATS TO BOYCOTT TRUMP’S ‘PEP RALLY’ SPEECH TO CONGRESS “The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions,” Jeffries noted. “However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied,” he continued. Some Democratic lawmakers have announced that they will skip the event. TRUMP TO DELIVER FIRST ADDRESS OF HIS SECOND TERM TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS “The State of the Union is that the President is spitting in the face of the law,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asserted in a Monday post on X. “He is letting an unelected billionaire fire cancer researchers and wreck federal agencies like the Social Security Administration at will. I won’t be attending tomorrow’s Joint Address.” Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up pages of Trump’s speech in 2020 after the president delivered his State of the Union address. THEME OF TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS REVEALED CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Our focus remains on driving down the high cost of living for everyday Americans and pushing back against the far-right extremism that Republicans have unleashed on the country,” Jeffries said. “Thank you all for your continued leadership on behalf of the people and in defense of the American way of life.”