Kenya cancels more than $2.5bn in deals with Adani after US indictment
The deals had been sharply criticised over lack of transparency and value for money. Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of the country’s main airport to India’s Adani Group after its founder was indicted in the United States. Ruto made the announcement on Thursday in his state of the nation address. Under the proposed deal worth nearly $2bn, the Adani Group was to add a second runway at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. Ruto also said he was cancelling a separate 30-year, $736m public-private partnership that an Adani Group firm signed with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum last month to construct power transmission lines. “I have directed agencies within the Ministry of Transport and within the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to immediately cancel the ongoing procurement,” Ruto said, attributing the decision to “new information provided by investigative agencies and partner nations”. Ruto’s announcement was met with thunderous applause and cheers from lawmakers in parliament, where he gave his address. The deals have drawn sharp criticism from many politicians and members of the public over concerns about a lack of transparency and value for money. Representatives from the Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US authorities said in the indictment on Wednesday that group founder Gautam Adani, one of the world’s richest people, and seven other defendants agreed to pay about $265m in bribes to Indian government officials. The Adani Group denied the allegations and said in a statement that it would seek “all possible legal recourse”. Protests The Adani Group made the airport proposal in March under a procedure that circumvents competitive bidding, but it did not become public until July through a leak on social media. A Kenyan court temporarily blocked it in September in response to a lawsuit arguing it did not offer taxpayers value for money. Senior government officials, including Ruto, had repeatedly defended the deals despite allegations made in 2023 by US short-seller Hindenburg Research – denied by the Adani Group – of improper governance practices at the company. As late as Thursday morning, Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi told senators he expected the transmission lines contract to go ahead because there was no bribery or corruption involved in its awarding. George Kamau, a Kenyan lawyer specialising in public procurement, said the Adani Group might go to arbitration to challenge the cancellations, especially of the transmission lines deal, which had already been signed. “That said, any dispute resolution framework … is likely to lean towards the state, considering the fact that the deal has been cancelled on the basis of integrity issues,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine accuses Russia of launching intercontinental ballistic missile
President Vladimir Putin says Russia tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine. Ukraine has accused Russia of firing a new kind of missile at the city of Dnipro as Moscow said it tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile in a strike on Ukraine, amid soaring tensions in the more-than-two-year war. Kyiv said on Thursday that Russia had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) along with a barrage of rockets at the city in central Ukraine. Local authorities said the attack hit an infrastructure facility and injured two civilians. In a televised address, President Vladimir Putin said Russia had tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries. A United States official was cited by the Reuters news agency as saying that Russia did not fire an ICBM, but instead launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, according to an assessment based on its initial analysis. “Today there was a new Russian missile. All the characteristics – speed, altitude – are [of an] intercontinental ballistic [missile],” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement. He said experts were examining the evidence of the attack and accused Moscow of “using Ukraine as a testing ground”. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that the strike “proves Russia does not seek peace”. “To the contrary, it makes every effort to expand the war,” he added. When asked about the attack, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was working to avoid a nuclear conflict. “We have stressed in the context of our doctrine that Russia is taking a responsible position to make maximum effort not to allow such a conflict,” Peskov said. Attacks in Russia The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated in recent days after the US granted Ukraine permission to use long-range weapons to attack targets in Russia, a decision that Ukraine had sought for months. On Tuesday, Ukraine reportedly fired US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) missiles at targets in Russia for the first time. Putin on Tuesday lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks. On Wednesday, British media reported that Ukraine launched long-range British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at targets in Russia. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the use of the missiles. Separately, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the opening of a new US missile defence base in Poland as a “provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies”. “This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger,” she said. Poland dismissed the idea that the base would be used for attack purposes. The escalation comes as Moscow’s forces have advanced deeper into the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s military announced on Thursday that its forces had captured a village close to Kurakhove, closing in on the town after months of steady advances. Ukraine’s defensive lines are also buckling under Russian pressure across the front line. Adblock test (Why?)
Massachusetts GOP slams liberal leaders after illegal immigrants accused of child rape arrested by ICE
The Massachusetts GOP (MassGOP) issued scathing remarks toward Democrats Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu after U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrests of three illegal immigrants on child rape charges. Healey and Wu have both been vocal about their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to conduct mass deportations of illegal immigrants once he returns to the Oval Office in January. This month, Healey vowed that her state police will “absolutely not” cooperate with the expected mass deportation effort by the incoming Trump administration, warning that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the blue state. Wu also took a stance against Trump during an interview on Sunday, saying her city will not cooperate with the incoming administration’s looming mass deportation operation despite the region seeing a number of illegal immigrants with criminal charges getting released back onto the streets. ICE ARRESTS 3 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN MASS.: 2 CHARGED WITH CHILD RAPE, 1 CONVICTED OF SAME CRIME IN BRAZIL Even after the two leaders made their positions on not working with Trump on immigration public, ICE on Wednesday announced the arrests of two illegal immigrants charged with forcibly raping children in Massachusetts and the arrest of a third individual who was convicted of raping a child in Brazil before fleeing to the U.S. and going into hiding after being caught and released at the U.S. border in 2022. In a news release Thursday, MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale called the positions taken by Healey and Wu “appalling and disgusting” and accused them of prioritizing the appeasement of the most radical elements of their political base over the safety of residents. “Parents across the Commonwealth are horrified that individuals charged with such serious crimes are allowed to roam free because local authorities refuse to work with ICE to remove these criminals from our streets,” Carnevale said. “Massachusetts residents have had enough. These harrowing incidents are becoming far too frequent. When our state’s top leaders go on television to proclaim that Massachusetts will protect illegal immigrants and refuse to cooperate with ICE, they send a dangerous message that invites more of this behavior into our communities. By doing so, they are complicit in the chaos that follows.” DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS “It’s time for Democrats to put politics aside and work with federal authorities to end this alarming pattern in Massachusetts,” she added. Healey’s office and Wu’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. The three suspects arrested by ICE were identified this week as 21-year-old Mynor Stiven De Paz-Munoz of Guatemala, 42-year-old Billy Erney Buitrago-Bustos of Colombia and 41-year-old Alexandre Romao De Oliveira of Brazil. ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ ICE said Wednesday that De Paz-Munoz entered the U.S. on Sept. 24, 2020, near Eagle Pass, Texas, before getting released by U.S. Border Patrol with a notice to appear before an immigration review judge. He was later arrested in western Massachusetts by Great Barrington police on Feb. 29, 2024, for rape of a child by force, rape of a child, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older. Despite ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston office lodging a detainer with the police department, De Paz-Munoz was released on bail. He has since been taken into custody. Buitrago-Bustos was admitted into the U.S. on May 4, 2016, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, though he failed to leave under the terms of his visa. TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’ After his arrest in October 2023, ERO Boston lodged an immigration arrest with the Great Barrington Police Department. Later that month, Buitrago-Bustos was arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court and held without bail. The charges were elevated to Berkshire County Superior Court on March 18, which honored the immigration detainer and released him into custody of ERO Boston on Nov. 15 after he posted bail. Romao De Oliveira is a foreign fugitive convicted of raping a child in Brazil. He was convicted in the First Criminal Court of Jaru, Rondônia, Brazil, on Feb. 10, 2022, and sentenced to serve 14 years behind bars. But according to ICE, Romao De Oliveira fled Brazil before he could serve his sentence. On April 16, 2022, Romao De Oliveira entered the U.S. near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, without admission by an immigration official and was released from custody after being served a notice to appear before a DOJ immigration review judge. MassGOP spokesperson Logan Trupiano told Fox News Digital that State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and House Minority Leader Brad Jones have filed legislation to close loopholes created by a 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision that barred state courts from cooperating with ICE detainers. As a result, the ruling facilitated the release of illegal immigrants accused of crimes on bail rather than honoring federal immigration detainers. “Filed a month ago, this critical legislation addresses the public safety risks stemming from the decision,” Trupiano said. “We urge the Democratic supermajority in the legislature to put political posturing aside, prioritize public safety and pass this important measure.” The immigration issues stretch across the U.S., and on Wednesday, House Republicans pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for an answer about how the U.S. lost track of thousands of unaccounted migrant children. He was also asked about fumbling the vetting process that allegedly allowed some minors to be sent to gang members and sometimes even a strip club. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
President-elect Trump announces Pam Bondi as his new pick for US attorney general
President-elect Trump announced Thursday evening that he’s nominating former attorney general of Florida Pam Bondi as the next attorney general of the United States. Trump’s latest Cabinet pick replaces Matt Gaetz, the former Florida representative and nominee for attorney general, who on Thursday withdrew as Trump’s pick for the top prosecutor after the “distraction” his nomination had caused due to a swirl of allegations about paying underage women for sex. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country. She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives! TRUMP’S SPEEDY CABINET PICKS SHOW HIS ‘PRIORITY TO PUT AMERICA FIRST,’ TRANSITION TEAM SAYS “For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” he continued. “I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
Democrat Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormick
Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey on Thursday announced he has conceded the race to Republican candidate Dave McCormick more than two weeks after Election Day. Casey said in a statement that he called McCormick to congratulate him. McCormick’s campaign also independently confirmed the news to Fox News Digital. “I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in the statement. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last.” “This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to the thousands of people who worked to make sure every eligible vote cast could be counted, including election officials in all 67 counties.” RNC FILES TWO LAWSUITS IN PENNSYLVANIA AMID SEN BOB CASEY REFUSING TO CONCEDE RACE The Pennsylvania State Department confirmed that all counties “have completed their initial count of all votes cast, with the exception of ballots under challenge.” “This is a major step that marks the end of counties’ initial counting processes and signals that counties begin preparing their results for official certification. Thousands of election professionals have been working tirelessly since Nov. 5 to ensure every eligible vote cast by a registered voter is counted accurately. All of Pennsylvania’s election officials deserve our thanks, as well as our continued support while they complete their duties with integrity,” the message said. The news comes after McCormick edged out Casey by just 17,000 votes to win the Senate seat, according to the most recent unofficial data from the Department of State – putting Casey well within the 0.5% margin of error required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount. That recount began Monday and was slated to end Nov. 26. The Republican Party blasted Democrats this week for Casey’s refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, taking aim at the three-term incumbent for moving ahead with a costly recount effort, despite their assessment that Casey lacked any achievable path to victory. They have also criticized the cost, noting that the recount will cost taxpayers an estimated $1 million. In his statement Thursday, Casey praised the democratic process and voters who turned out in the Keystone State. “When a Pennsylvanian takes the time to cast a legal vote, often waiting in long lines and taking time away from their work and family, they deserve to know that their vote will count,” Casey said. “That’s democracy.” Later Thursday, Casey took to X to thank his supporters. “During my time in office, I have been guided by an inscription on the Finance Building in Harrisburg: ‘All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.’” He added: “Thank you for your trust in me all these years, Pennsylvania. It has been the honor of my lifetime.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the news “hits me.” “It’s been a supreme honor to have Bob Casey as a colleague, friend, and mentor,” Fetterman said in a statement. “His legacy is a better Pennsylvania. Unassuming while delivering for PA for nearly two decades, he fought for working Pennsylvanians and unions, rural communities, seniors and people with disabilities—all of us. Bob Casey was, is, and always will be Pennsylvania’s best senator.” EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to clarify that the Pennsylvania secretary of state had not announced the end of the recount as of Friday morning.
Democrat Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormick, ending recount
Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey on Thursday announced he has conceded the race to Republican candidate Dave McCormick, putting an end to a lengthy automatic recount in the Keystone State more than two weeks after Election Day. Casey said in a statement that he called McCormick to congratulate him. McCormick’s campaign also independently confirmed the news to Fox News Digital. “I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in the statement. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last.” “This race was one of the closest in our Commonwealth’s history, decided by less than a quarter of a point. I am grateful to the thousands of people who worked to make sure every eligible vote cast could be counted, including election officials in all 67 counties.” RNC FILES TWO LAWSUITS IN PENNSYLVANIA AMID SEN BOB CASEY REFUSING TO CONCEDE RACE The news comes after McCormick edged out Casey by just 17,000 votes to win the Senate seat, according to the most recent unofficial data from the Department of State – putting Casey well within the 0.5% margin of error required under Pennsylvania law to trigger an automatic recount. That recount began Monday and was slated to end Nov. 26. The Republican Party blasted Democrats this week for Casey’s refusal to concede the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, taking aim at the three-term incumbent for moving ahead with a costly recount effort, despite their assessment that Casey lacked any achievable path to victory. They have also criticized the cost, noting that the recount will cost taxpayers an estimated $1 million. In his statement Thursday, Casey praised the democratic process and voters who turned out in the Keystone State. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “When a Pennsylvanian takes the time to cast a legal vote, often waiting in long lines and taking time away from their work and family, they deserve to know that their vote will count,” Casey said. “That’s democracy.”
With Gaetz dropping out, do Hegseth, RFK Jr. and Gabbard now have bigger targets on their backs?
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal as President-elect Trump’s nominee for attorney general amid growing fallout over sex trafficking allegations may prove problematic for Trump’s other controversial picks for top administration positions. Gaetz took his name out of consideration Thursday as Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to serve as defense secretary, was wrapping up meetings on Capitol Hill with senators. Hegseth, who was joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, is also facing sexual misconduct allegations from a 2017 encounter. Scrutiny increased late Wednesday night after police in Monterey, California, released a report about the allegations. GAETZ WITHDRAWS NAME AS ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE “The matter was fully investigated, and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday. Through his attorney, he has also acknowledged the sexual encounter but has said it was consensual. Trump’s transition team spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called Hegseth “a highly-respected combat veteran who will honorably serve our country when he is confirmed as the next secretary of defense.” WHOM WILL TRUMP PICK NEXT FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL? But with Gaetz now out of the firing line, Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who, until earlier this month, was a high-profile Fox News host, is likely to face more attention from the media and from senators. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, taking questions from reporters after Gaetz announced he was dropping out of consideration, was asked about the allegations against Hegseth. “It’s a pretty big problem given that we have … a sexual assault problem in our military,” Cramer said. The senator added he’s “not going to prejudge,” but that “it’s a pretty concerning accusation.” Trump’s transition team on Thursday afternoon blasted out an email titled, “Pete Hegseth Earns Strong Support On Capitol Hill,” which spotlighted positive quotes from 11 GOP senators, including a snippet from Cramer. And a source close to Trump’s transition team told Fox News “the transition team doesn’t think the issues Gaetz faced are a wider problem.” But scrutiny will likely also increase for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Trump’s picks for Health and Human Services secretary and director of national intelligence, as they both face potential blowback for past controversial comments. “I would be more worried if I was them,” a different source in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News when asked about Hegseth, Kennedy and Gabbard. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said there are “some things” Kennedy should “get ahead of” before courting senators on Capitol Hill. But a Republican strategist who has advised Republican senators pointed to Gaetz as a sacrificial lamb. “There’s always one” that goes down who “gives cover to the others,” the source, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said. The strategist said Hegseth, Gabbard and Kennedy “all have their work cut out for them,” but that “the [GOP] conference is going to be much happier now going forward. … Gaetz was the only one that was a non-starter.” Fox News Kelly Phares and Meghan Tome contributed to this report
Maryland governor defends $190K Trump-centric consulting contract as president-elect moves in next door
Maryland’s Democratic governor tapped one of the world’s largest risk-management firms for a short-term contract in preparation for Republican President-elect Trump moving in next door. Gov. Wes Moore hired Accenture PLC, an Irish IT and consulting firm with an estimated $60 billion in revenue, to be its eyes and ears on Trump’s return to Washington, D.C. Two days after Trump was projected to win, Maryland finalized its $190,000 contract. Consultants at Accenture have been charged with analyzing how Trump and congressional Republicans will affect Maryland, including in terms of federal monies sent across the Anacostia River as the new administration signals a major belt-tightening. MOORE: DEMS MUST EARN SUPPORT OF BLACK VOTERS The contract includes a section focused on identifying state “resources and efforts and consider potential avenues for legal challenges.” It also seeks to track Trump’s agenda and his circle’s engagements with third-party groups like the Heritage Foundation, according to the Baltimore Sun. Moore appeared to acknowledge there will be times Maryland’s interests run counter to the White House’s, but suggested his hiring of Accenture was not to create such an overtly adversarial relationship as critics have suggested. A spokesman for Moore appeared to dismiss claims the governor is trying to set up a showdown, saying there are four tenets guiding him into a new Trump era: “Defend our constitutional rights, grow our economy, and restore faith in our public servants [and] our institutions, and our democracy.” “Governor Moore is ready to work with the incoming administration to ensure these goals are accomplished, and where there is common ground to be found, he will find it. Not only as a matter of principle – but as a responsibility to the people the Moore-Miller administration represents.” The spokesman said hiring a firm like Accenture is standard practice in business, and that with the “unique role” the federal government plays in Maryland’s economy, it is important to fully understand how best to work with Trump. “With billions of dollars in potential liabilities for the state, it would be reckless of the Moore-Miller administration to not be prepared for any new policy directions taken by the federal government.” BLACK VOTERS HAVE A ‘NATURAL SKEPTICISM’: MD GOV. WES MOORE Like Virginia and the District of Columbia itself, Maryland is inextricably linked to the federal government, which also comprises just under 10% of the state’s workforce. The Old Line State houses several federal agency headquarters. NASA’s Goddard Space Center boasts its own private exit off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, the NIH campus sits in Bethesda and the FDA calls Silver Spring home. Geographically, what remains of the original federal district is also entirely former Maryland territory – as Arlington and Alexandria retroceded to Virginia in 1847. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from state House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Cumberland. Buckel told Maryland Matters that the contract is “not in the best interests of any Marylander, particularly under the unified control of our federal government by Republicans,” and suggested the contract is ill-timed given Maryland’s reported billion-dollar deficit. D.C. and Virginia have also keyed into sweeping changes the Trump administration could bring to the region. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested a meeting with Trump, according to FOX5DC, while Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was – unlike the other two leaders – a prominent Trump backer with few apparent concerns. “I look forward to having the wind at our backs as opposed to in our faces about everything that we’re doing because we’ve gone from the bottom of job growth to near the top of the country,” Youngkin said. However, in Fairfax County, which, like Maryland’s Prince Georges and Montgomery counties, is home to a high proportion of federal workers, the top municipal leader warned of repercussions. Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay told FOX5DC that Fairfax must “prepare to address the potential impacts of the new administration.” He said a second Trump term poses a “risk” and noted Trump has a stated goal of “dismantling government bureaucracy.” A representative for Accenture referred Fox News Digital back to Moore’s office.
White House confronted on friendly reception of ‘existential threat’ Trump: ‘We are now in a different place’
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that President Biden still believes that President-elect Trump is an “existential threat” to democracy. But when confronted by a reporter about Biden’s relative silence on the “threat” he thinks Trump poses since the election, Jean-Pierre replied, “We are now in a different place.” “There was an election and the American people spoke. The will of the American people were very clear,” she told reporters at the daily White House press briefing. Biden met with Trump at the White House last week and committed to a “smooth transition” as the 45th and soon to be 47th president prepares to return to office in January. TRUMP THANKS BIDEN FOR ‘SMOOTH TRANSITION’ DURING WHITE HOUSE MEETING Their cordial meeting stood in stark contrast to the heated rhetoric used before Election Day, when Biden and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris each called Trump a “fascist” and repeatedly warned that American democracy would be in danger if he prevailed. “Politics is tough and in many cases it’s not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today,” a smiling Trump said after Biden shook his hand and welcomed him back to the White House. NEARLY 200 GROUPS URGE BIDEN TO RELEASE MIGRANTS, CLOSE DETENTION CENTERS BEFORE TRUMP ARRIVES Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden’s shift in tone reflects an effort to “lead by example” to make sure the peaceful transfer of power takes place. “He feels like he is obligated. What he said still stands, but we are now in a different place. We are – the American people spoke. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power.” TRUMP’S INCOMING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF’S LOBBYING COMES UNDER SCRUTINY She reiterated that Biden’s beliefs about Trump have “not changed.” Biden’s offer to Trump to visit the White House was an invitation he himself was never accorded. Four years ago, in the wake of his election defeat at the hands of Biden, Trump refused to concede and tried unsuccessfully to overturn the results. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Breaking with longstanding tradition, Trump didn’t invite Biden to the White House. And two weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters aiming to upend congressional certification of Biden’s Electoral College victory, Trump left Washington ahead of the presidential inauguration of his successor, becoming the first sitting president in a century and a half to skip out on a successor’s inauguration. The meeting was the first between Biden and Trump since they faced off in Atlanta on June 27 in their one and only debate, a contest most viewers determined Biden decidedly lost. He withdrew from the 2024 election and endorsed Harris a month later. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics: Opening the flood Gaetz
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Who will Trump pick next for attorney general after Gaetz’s withdrawal? -Biden administration loosens immigration restrictions ahead of second Trump term -Biden blamed for Laken Riley murder while Trump brings hope for slain cheerleader’s mom Matt Gaetz, the former Florida representative and Trump nominee for Attorney General, announced Thursday that he is withdrawing as Trump’s pick for the top prosecutor, citing what he described as the “distraction” his nomination had caused due to a swirl of allegations about paying underage women for sex. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.” The news comes amid a swirl of allegations surrounding Gaetz, who for months had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee until his resignation last Wednesday from the current congressional session…Read more WARP SPEED CONFIRMATIONS: Democrats advance five more Biden judicial nominees…Read more CANCELING DEBT: Biden administration informs Congress it will forgive $5B in economic loans to Ukraine…Read more ‘MAKE OR BREAK’: Heritage launching $1M campaign targeting senators who could ‘make or break’ Trump Cabinet confirmations…Read more HELPING TRUMP: New Republican Governors Association chair says ‘focus’ is on helping Trump get ‘off to a strong start’…Read more WHITE HOUSE FOR SALE?: Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff’s lobbying interest come under scrutiny…Read more BIG FAMILIES: Trump administration staffed by parents with big families…Read more INVESTIGATE THE WASTE: Comer to create DOGE subcommittee chaired by Marjorie Taylor Greene to work with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy…Read more ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’: Ted Cruz urges White House to halt $1.25B in ‘digital equity’ funds…Read more ‘SHOCKING DEPARTURE’: FBI director, Homeland Security secretary refuse to publicly testify, Senate chairman says…Read more SKIPPING OUT ON SENATE: Hawley says Mayorkas, Wray ‘absolutely’ skipped Senate hearing due to Laken Riley verdict, calls for subpoena…Read more ‘NO STANDING’: Fetterman says ‘F— that’ amid bipartisan backlash over arrest warrants targeting Israel’s Netanyahu, Gallant…Read more ‘EFFICIENT AND ACCOUNTABLE’: GOP-led DOGE bill aims to slash outflow of federal dollars…Read more SENATE SHOWDOWN: GOP secures deal with Schumer to save coveted appellate judges for Trump…Read more 3 MORE TO GO: 3 uncalled House races to determine size of House GOP majority…Read more ‘PASSION IN MY HEART’: Democratic Pennsylvania election official apologizes for controversial comments as Senate recount begins…Read more WHAT WENT WRONG?: Harris campaign officials explain what went wrong- and what Trump did right…Read more MANHUNT UNDERWAY: Connecticut manhunt underway after suspect allegedly kills mother, infant in drive-by shooting…Read more READING THE AUTOPSY: Daniel Penny defense calls forensic pathologist to witness stand: ‘The chokehold did not cause the death’…Read more SMIRKING SUSPECT: Florida mom accused of drowning 14-year-old daughter in bathtub, authorities say…Read more DISMANTLING DEI: Conservative watchdog releases ‘toolkit’ to help parents file complaints with the Department of Education…Read more NOT GUILTY PLEA: Father of Georgia high school shooting suspect pleads not guilty…Read more WAR GAMES: Would the US win a war with China over Taiwan? US lawmakers briefed on the potential outcome…Read more LAST CALL: Caravan of 1,500 migrants forms in Mexico…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.