Ted Cruz gets behind Rick Scott for leader, in blow to fellow Texan John Cornyn
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced his endorsement of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on Wednesday morning ahead of the 9:30 a.m. leadership elections. “This morning, I’ll be voting for Rick Scott for GOP Leader, as I did two years ago. In 2022, I helped lead the charge for Rick against McConnell & I’m proud to stand with him again. “For 12 yrs, I’ve been unequivocal that we need to change GOP Leadership—and now we finally will,” he wrote on X. The last minute endorsement comes as a blow to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who is from Cruz’s home state and also running for leader. REPUBLICANS TO HUDDLE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO ELECT MCCONNELL’S SUCCESSOR WEDNESDAY Cornyn’s office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. On Tuesday night, after a leader candidate forum led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Cruz told reporters, “We had a robust and very substantive conversation.” However, he would not say whether he was decided on his vote or if he was planning to support Cornyn. REPUBLICANS 2 SEATS AWAY FROM HOUSE MAJORITY, GIVING TRUMP LEEWAY TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., is also running for leader, alongside Cornyn and Scott. Both Thune and Scott were endorsed by their home state counterparts, Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., respectively. Scott is also publicly endorsed by Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. Thune has the support of Rounds, Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Steve Daines, R-Mont. Cornyn has been publicly backed by Sen. Josh Hawley. With three candidates vying for a 27-vote majority in the 53 member conference, it’s possible that the secret ballot election could advance to a second ballot. If one of the candidates is knocked out on the first ballot, it is very likely that some candidates, even those who have endorsed others, will choose to back a different candidate.
Melania Trump questions ‘whether Jill’s concern was genuine’ following Trump assassination attempt
Former first lady Melania Trump said she questions whether current first lady Jill Biden’s “concern was genuine” following the first assassination attempt against President-elect Donald Trump in July, due to her rhetoric about her husband in the days leading up to the incident. Trump, in an interview with French publication “Paris Match” last month, said that Biden “took the initiative to contact me directly” after “someone tried to murder my husband in Pennsylvania” during his rally on July 13. “I do question, however, whether Jill’s concern was genuine as a few days prior she referred to my husband as ‘evil’ and a ‘liar,’” Trump said. “It was obvious that the onslaught of rhetoric from Democrat leaders and the mainstream media was so deeply embedded in our nation’s consciousness it prompted an attempt to assassinate Donald.” Trump’s interview was conducted before President-elect Trump won the 2024 presidential election. TRUMP BLAMES BIDEN-HARRIS ‘RHETORIC’ FOR LATEST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, SAYS HE WILL ‘SAVE THE COUNTRY’ President-elect Trump is in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for meetings with House Republicans on Capitol Hill, and he will return to the White House for the first time since leaving in 2021 Wednesday for a meeting with President Biden. Mrs. Trump, however, will not attend the meeting at the White House. “Her husband’s return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success,” her spokesperson said. Meanwhile, in the interview, Trump said that while she was “relieved to learn my husband was safe, it was evident that the forces behind this wicked behavior won’t come to an end.” “Simply put, they want Donald out. They won’t stop. Has the concept of ‘respect’ become antiquated? Can opposing sides prioritize decency, come together, and coexist?” she questioned. “Doubtful, as the Democrat political engine peddles harsh words, vile names, and labels our nation’s 45th President ‘a threat to democracy.’” She added, “People today are so desensitized they actually joke about killing a former U.S. President.” Mrs. Trump said that “it is undeniable that this type of speech created a toxic political environment.” BIDEN-TRUMP WHITE HOUSE MEETING REVIVES PRESIDENTIAL TRADITION SKIPPED 4 YEARS AGO “This relentless vilification deepened the political divide in America, and now compromises those individuals who dare to stand-up for their own beliefs,” she said. “We are dangerously close to the edge of a different type of societal change. It is time to be introspective, rewire ourselves, and discover the root cause of this egoism. It is incumbent upon every American to begin posing these questions in order to ensure the survival of our nation. We now live in a post-respect world.” She added, “I guess nothing in politics is sacred anymore.” President-elect Trump, after the second assassination attempt against him in September, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, also blamed Democrats’ rhetoric for the violence. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in September.
Trump inauguration: DC police chief expecting ‘4,000 police officers to assist us’
An estimated 4,000 additional police officers are expected to be on hand in Washington, D.C., in January for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the city’s police chief says. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith says her agency has been “in the planning process for the inauguration since the mid-summer.” “We have reached out to several police agencies across the United States of America and the majority of them have been very, very intentional about supporting us during the inauguration,” Smith said Tuesday. “We hope we can get to 4,000 police officers to assist us in this process. We are close to that number. “We do have other agencies who are continuing to reach out to us. And as they reach out, we will accept their request to provide mutual aid support for the District of Columbia during the inauguration process,” Smith added. SECRET SERVICE TO RAMP UP SECURITY ON JAN. 6, 2025, TO AVOID ANOTHER RIOT AT THE CAPITOL The police chief also said her department has been in touch with local partners such as DC Fire and EMS and the Office of Unified Communications on a “regular basis.” “With our federal partners, we have been meeting with them on a bi-weekly basis. And sometimes on a weekly basis to determine what intelligence information that may arise, not just in D.C. but across the U.S.,” Smith said. “And we will continue with those efforts as we progress into the certification of the election as well as the inauguration.” SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH PLANS TO RESIGN, FILE REPORT BEFORE TRUMP CAN FIRE HIM: REPORT The certification of the election results is set for Jan. 6, 2025, while the inauguration will happen two weeks later on Jan. 20. The U.S. Secret Service previously announced in September that the “2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes in Washington, DC on Jan. 6, 2025, has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Secretary of Homeland Security.” “National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance,” Eric Ranaghan, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Dignitary Protective Division, said at the time. “The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants.”
Trump throws full support behind Mike Johnson before speaker election
President-elect Donald Trump threw his full support behind House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to lead the House again during a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers on Wednesday. Trump told current and incoming members that he backed Johnson “100%” hours before Republicans are set to elect their leaders for the 119th Congress, sources said. Johnson was not facing any significant challenges, but a group of conservative members are threatening to slow the process down by demanding a recorded vote rather than unanimous consent for the speaker. One member of the hardline-right House Freedom Caucus told Fox News Digital that Trump’s strong support for Johnson will likely negate any significant opposition the Louisiana Republican was facing. Trump told Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., to “stick together” in the next congressional term, two sources said. Sources said Trump also promised to “carry out the largest deportation operation in history,” sources said, which earned cheers from House Republicans. He also gave shoutouts to Elon Musk, who was in the room with him, as well as his incoming Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who he tapped to be his new U.N. ambassador, sources said. Trump also predicted the GOP could win liberal states like California and New York in the next election — and mused about running a fourth time. “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you do something else, unless you say he’s so good we’ve got to figure something out,” he joked to a gathering of House Republicans ahead of their closed-door leadership elections in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “It’s nice to win. It’s always nice to win. A lot of good friends in this room. So, you know, we had, like, historic kind of numbers, especially for the president,” Trump said. “But the House did very well, and I think we’re responsible for helping you.” REPUBLICANS 2 SEATS AWAY FROM HOUSE MAJORITY, GIVING TRUMP LEEWAY TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA Trump’s appearance came as lawmakers returned to Washington for a lame duck session before the next term. Republicans are poised to keep their narrow majority in the House and have won control of the Senate, granting them far greater ease next term at getting conservative legislation to the president’s desk. Trump went on: “We won, which is great because Republicans aren’t supposed to be winning the majority.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We won it every way — all seven swing states by a lot … New Jersey is right, just a few points. It’s got them very worried because they said, well, next time if we go up even a fraction of what we went up, you’re going to win New York, you’re going to win new Jersey, you’re going to win places that weren’t winnable. California too.”
Trump throws full support behind Mike Johnson before speaker election
President-elect Trump threw his full support behind Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to lead the House again during a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers on Wednesday. Trump told current and incoming members that he backed Johnson “100%” hours before Republicans are set to elect their leaders for the 119th Congress, sources said. Johnson was not facing any significant challenges, but a group of conservative members are threatening to slow the process down by demanding a recorded vote rather than unanimous consent for the Speaker. One member of the hardline-right House Freedom Caucus told Fox News Digital that Trump’s strong support for Johnson will likely negate any significant opposition the Louisiana Republican was facing. Trump told Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., to “stick together” in the next Congressional term, two sources said. Sources said Trump also promised to “carry out the largest deportation operation in history,” sources said, which earned cheers from House Republicans. He also gave shoutouts to Elon Musk, who was in the room with him, as well as his incoming Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and House GOP Confermce Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who he tapped to be his new UN ambassador, sources said. Trump also predicted the GOP could win liberal states like California and New York in the next election — and mused about running a fourth time. “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you do something else, unless you say he’s so good we’ve got to figure something out,” he joked to a gathering of House Republicans ahead of their closed-door leadership elections in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. “It’s nice to win. It’s always nice to win. A lot of good friends in this room. So, you know, we had, like, historic kind of numbers, especially for the president,” Trump said. “But the House did very well, and I think we’re responsible for helping you.” REPUBLICANS 2 SEATS AWAY FROM HOUSE MAJORITY, GIVING TRUMP LEEWAY TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA Trump’s appearance came as lawmakers returned to Washington for a lame duck session before the next term. Republicans are poised to keep their narrow majority in the House, and have won control of the Senate, granting them far greater ease next term at getting conservative legislation to the president’s desk. Trump went on: “We won, which is great because Republicans aren’t supposed to be winning the majority.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We won it every way — all seven swing states by a lot … New Jersey is right, just a few points. It’s got them very worried because they said, well, next time if we go up even a fraction of what we went up, you’re going to win New York, you’re going to win new Jersey, you’re going to win places that weren’t winnable. California too.”
Trump expected to ‘soon’ appoint a Ukrainian peace envoy after promises of negotiating end to war with Russia
EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Donald Trump is expected to soon appoint a Ukrainian peace envoy to lead negotiations on ending the war with Russia, multiple sources told Fox News Digital. “You’re going to see a very senior special envoy, someone with a lot of credibility, who will be given a task to find a resolution, to get to a peace settlement,” one of the sources said. “You’re going to see that in short order.” The job is not expected to be a salaried role – from 2017 to 2019, Kurt Volker had served as special representative to Ukrainian negotiations on a volunteer basis. TRUMP’S FIRST CABINET PICKS DECIDEDLY NOT ISOLATIONISTS: UKRAINE, ISRAEL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF Trump has been rolling out appointee names at lightning pace of those he wants to fill his Cabinet and advise him on top issues. He picked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security advisor and sources have told Fox News he’s settled on Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to lead the State Department. Trump has designated Steven Witkoff to be his special envoy to the Middle East. Trump has long insisted he could negotiate an end to the war with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Few details have been given about how he would do this. A report last week by the Wall Street Journal suggested Vice President-elect Vance’s controversial suggestions from the campaign trail are now being pushed by multiple advisers close to the president-elect. TRUMP TEAM REACTS TO REPORT PRESIDENT-ELECT TOLD RUSSIA’S PUTIN NOT TO ESCALATE WAR WITH UKRAINE Some advisers are reportedly encouraging Trump to push Kyiv to agree to terms that would freeze the frontlines by creating an 800-mile-long demilitarized zone and allow Russia to keep the land it has illegally seized, which amounts to roughly 20% of Ukraine. It has also been suggested that Kyiv should agree not to pursue NATO membership for 20 years, a stipulation that critics of this plan argue kowtows to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A Washington Post report on Sunday also claimed Trump had spoken with Putin, where the president-elect told the Russian leader not to escalate the war. Trump’s transition team would not confirm or deny the call. Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Trump considers New York Rep Brandon Williams for possible Labor Secretary nomination
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., is on a short list of contenders being considered for the nomination of Labor Secretary under President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration. Williams, who represents central New York, was viewed as one of the most vulnerable House Republican incumbents this election cycle because state Democratic leaders redrew his district to make it more favorable to their party. He was defeated by Democratic state Sen. John Mannion last week, but a source close to the president-elect’s transition team confirmed to Fox News Digital that Williams is now under consideration to join Trump’s Cabinet. “Brandon Williams was an exceptional member of congress who jumped into the race two years ago to challenge John Katko after he voted to impeach President Trump,” the source told Fox News Digital. “He’s a Navy veteran who served as an officer on a nuclear submarine, is a businessman and tech entrepreneur, was a political outsider, and will advance President Trump’s mission.” Citing sources, the New York Post was first to report about Williams’ consideration for Labor secretary, revealing he is on the “short version of the short list” and high-level conversations were happening on the matter Friday, days after the election. WHO COULD RUN TO REPLACE STEFANIK IN THE HOUSE? Williams serves on three House committees: Transportation and Infrastructure; Science, Space, and Technology; and Education and the Workforce. He is also a member of several caucuses, including the Republican Main Street Caucus, which focuses on “implementing pro-growth policies for small business owners, fostering economic and individual prosperity, and delivering real results for the American people,” according to its website. TRUMP TAPS FORMER NEW YORK REP LEE ZELDIN TO LEAD EPA Politico had reported on Tuesday that Williams is among names being “floated” for a position in the Trump administration, but the outlet did not specify Tuesday what that executive branch job could be. Politico reported two other possible contenders for Labor secretary: Patrick Pizzella, a former U.S. deputy Labor secretary, and Bryan Slater, the state Labor secretary under Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Trump has already selected two high-profile New Yorkers to join his Cabinet. House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was elected to a sixth term last week, will be pulled from Congress to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman who nearly ousted Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in a competitive, but unsuccessful, 2022 bid to run the Empire State, has been campaigning on behalf of Trump and was selected to join the cabinet as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Who is Pete Hegseth, the pro-Israel Fox News host picked to head Pentagon?
United States President-elect Donald Trump has picked Fox News host and military veteran Pete Hegseth, a pro-Israel and Iran hawk, to serve as his defence secretary, lauding him as “tough, smart and a true believer in America First”. The 44-year-old’s nomination to lead the world’s most powerful military has come in for criticism from the Democrats, who pointed out his “lack of experience” on the global stage. “The job of Secretary of Defense should not be an entry-level position,” Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, posted on X. So, who is Hegseth and will his inexperience come in the way of discharging his duty as the Pentagon chief? Who is Pete Hegseth? Hegseth, who served Afghanistan and Iraq, joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and now co-hosts Fox and Friends Weekend as well as serves as a host for Fox Nation. He has also authored multiple books, including The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, which have come in for praise from Trump. The War on Warriors, a bestseller, “reveals the leftwing betrayal of our Warriors, and how we must return our Military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence”, the president-elect wrote, according to the AFP news agency. Hegseth defended service members accused of war crimes and in 2019, he urged Trump to pardon US service members who had been accused of war crimes. According to The Washington Post, Hegseth’s lobbying of Trump in 2019 resulted in the pardon of two service members who were accused of murder, and the reinstatement of rank of a third who was found guilty of posing with a body in Iraq. The 44-year-old developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on his Fox News show. He also unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012. According to his Fox News bio, he has a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He also did a graduation from Princeton University. Hegseth lives with his wife and seven children in the southern state of Tennessee. What was his role in the military? After graduating from Princeton University in 2003, Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry captain in the Army National Guard, serving overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as at Guantanamo Bay. He was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for his military service, according to his official website. The 44-year-old veteran was formerly head of the Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch. What challenges lie ahead of him? Hegseth has served in the military, although he lacks senior military or national security experience. The Department of Defense has a budget exceeding $800bn, with about 1.3 million active-duty soldiers and another 1.4 million in the National Guard, the Army Reserve and civilian employees worldwide. If confirmed, Hegseth would face the daunting task of tackling an array of global conflicts – from the Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon to the Russia-Ukraine war – and the expanding alliance between Russia and North Korea to the rise of China. Smith, the Democrat, said while Hegseth’s combat experience is a plus, running the Pentagon requires a lot of other skill sets. “What’s your plan? What are you going to do? … How can you assure us that that lack of experience, you know, isn’t going to make it impossible for you to do the job?” Smith said. “I think those are questions that need to be answered over the next couple of months.” While heading the Pentagon is considered a key job in any administration, the post of defence secretary saw a tumultuous period during Trump’s first term between 2016-2020. Five men held the job during Trump’s four years. What’s his stand on the Israel-Palestine conflict and Iran? Hegseth has been pro-Israel in his coverage of war on Gaza and dubbed the two-state solution a “lip service”. He did a series – Battle in the Holy Land: Israel at War – about the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March. “My interview with Israeli PM @netanyahu today. Israel needs our support!” he posted on X in March. As an evangelical Christian, he views the Israel-Palestine conflict through a biblical lens. “This is not some mystical land that can be dismissed. It’s the story of God’s chosen people. That story didn’t end in 1776 or in 1948 or with the founding of the UN. All of these things still resonate and matter today,” Hegseth said in a 2016 interview with the Jewish Press. Hegseth has also been hawkish towards Iran, calling Tehran “an evil regime” in the wake of the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, in 2020. Will he launch a culture war? Hegseth’s choice could bring sweeping changes to the military, as he has made it clear on his show and in interviews that, like Trump, he is stridently opposed to “woke” programmes that promote equity and inclusion. Trump told Fox News in June he would fire generals he described as “woke”, a term for those focused on racial and social justice but which is used by conservatives to disparage progressive policies. In June, at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump encouraged his supporters to buy Hegseth’s book after saying, if he won, “the woke stuff will be gone within a period of 24 hours. I can tell you.” Hegseth wrote in the book released in June: “For the past three years — after President Barack Obama poured the social justice foundation — the Pentagon, across all branches, has embraced the social justice messages of gender equity, racial diversity, climate stupidity, and the LGBTQA+ alphabet soup in their recruiting pushes.” His conservative agenda could put him on a collision course with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General CQ Brown. Hegseth has accused Brown of “pursuing the radical positions
A new deterrence for Lebanon is needed to avoid a long war with Israel
Following the re-election of former US President Donald Trump, efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel have seemingly gained momentum. On Monday, US special envoy Amos Hochstein and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer met in Washington to discuss the matter. In October, Hochstein traveled to Beirut, but his visit bore no fruit, as he made clear that for the US, “both sides simply committing to [United Nations Security Council Resolution] 1701 is not enough” and that there needs to be a new “formula that brings an end to this conflict once and for all”. Casting aside UN decisions appears to have become commonplace among US officials of late, with disastrous consequences. In their latest offer, Israel and the US are demanding that Lebanon accept a new arrangement in which Israeli troops can engage in “active enforcement” of demilitarisation in southern Lebanon. In other words, Israel would have effective military control over Lebanese territory. No sovereign nation – or non-state actor – would ever agree to such terms. Neither Lebanon nor Hezbollah would give up their military deterrence. Therefore, US and Israeli insistence on these new conditions will only prolong the war. Building a new consensus around Resolution 1701 remains the only viable path towards peace. The resolution brought to an end Israel’s last war with Lebanon in 2006, acting as a mechanism to stop the hostilities and outlining measures to clear the border area of armed group presence. Although there were issues with its full implementation – which both sides were aware would happen – it effectively put an end to the fighting. Commitment to its implementation can stop hostilities this time as well. And Hezbollah must make the first move. The grim prospect of a long war On Sunday, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that after 40 days of intense fighting, Hezbollah has been defeated. “Now it is our job to continue to put pressure in order to bring about the fruits of that victory,” he reportedly said during an official ceremony. Israel seems to be convinced that it can bring Hezbollah to capitulation by force. However, going for a military solution in Lebanon means war that will not be anything like the 2006 conflict. Back then, Israel’s ground offensive faltered, and public support eroded as losses mounted. Today, Prime Minister Netanyahu has the Israeli public’s backing, buoyed by military successes that have eliminated Hezbollah’s leadership and disrupted its communications networks. Despite these losses, Hezbollah is also better prepared, better equipped, and arguably more disciplined than in 2006. It’s little wonder that Israel has not managed to gain more than a few miles of ground in since its land incursions began and the daily rocket salvoes directed at northern and central Israel continue. Barring some major change or diplomatic shift under the incoming Trump administration that would put pressure on Israel, all of this means that we are in for a very long war. An essential deterrent Hezbollah restarted hostilities with Israel in support of its ally Hamas and, up until recently, made a ceasefire with Israel contingent on a ceasefire in Gaza. The group knows that while many Lebanese understand its ongoing intervention, many are also dissatisfied, to say the least, with its actions over the past two decades. By propping the Syrian regime in the 2010s, helping maintain the rule of the corrupt Lebanese elite when the economy collapsed in 2019, and blocking the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port blast, Hezbollah has made a lot of enemies at home and abroad and has had to rely almost completely on Iran for diplomatic leverage and military prowess. Its refusal to integrate into a national defence strategy by maintaining its weapons outside of the command and control of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has also led to a colossal mismanagement of national security and left the country vulnerable to Israel’s far superior military. The devastation Israel is wreaking across Lebanon is also a major cause for concern. The longer the huge displacement from the south and east of the country continues, the more social tensions and anger towards Hezbollah will grow. At the same time, Hezbollah’s deterrent arsenal of missiles and fighters is Lebanon’s only real bargaining chip. Without Hezbollah, Israel’s Merkava tanks would almost certainly roll into Beirut and install a puppet regime, facing little resistance along the way. The Lebanese calling for Hezbollah to give up its arms for peace are either living in a fantasy world or are just terrible negotiators. That said, if Hezbollah wants to salvage any semblance of Lebanese unity, the onus is on it to come to the table with a political plan for the implementation of Resolution 1701. It also needs to prove it can work within a national framework, not just act as an Iranian proxy. Given the distrust among its detractors, for these initiatives to work they would need to happen in phases. For starters, Hezbollah would need to explain how it will formally coordinate with the LAF to form a joint deterrent force, just like it did in 2017 when they fought together against ISIL (ISIS). In addition, Hezbollah will need to accept that the national army and government speak on its behalf and that it needs to take its place in such a configuration without the threat of arms or veto power over political decisions. From there, the party will need to elaborate on Lebanon’s national defence strategy, which can’t rely solely on the woefully under-resourced LAF. That strategy needs Hezbollah’s arms – but with a clear roadmap for integration. New deterrence framework Any new defence strategy that leaves Lebanon without a deterrent against Israel’s war machine is bound to fail and reinforce the justification for Iran and Hezbollah to maintain a non-state deterrent. Talk of a new national security framework and support for the LAF at conferences like the one organised by France in late October remains irrelevant, as it comes without concrete security guarantees for Lebanon. If French
EU court rules Ukraine cannot trademark Russian warship insult
Ukraine wants to use defenders’ profane defiance on merchandise; court says political slogan does not qualify. A European Union court has ruled that Ukraine cannot trademark a profane phrase directed by border guard troops at a Russian warship in the early days of Moscow’s invasion. The European Union’s General Court said on Wednesday that the phrase: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself” cannot be trademarked on European territory because it is a political slogan. A response to threats issued by the ship, the words have become a sign of defiance and unity for Ukrainians during the war, and have featured on a variety of merchandise. “The phrase in question has been used very intensively in a non-commercial context” linked to Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, the court said in a statement. “It will therefore not be perceived by the relevant public as an indication of the commercial origin of the goods and services which it designates,” the judge added. National heroes The slogan was famously directed by a Ukrainian border guard to the Russian cruiser Moskva, which wished to capture Snake Island, a tiny islet in the Black Sea. An audio clip circulated by Ukrainian authorities featured the Russian forces aboard demanding that the soldiers on the island surrender or face destruction. Ukraine has since declared the 13 soldiers it said were killed in the incident to be national heroes. Russian forces abandoned the island several months after seizing it, saying it was a “goodwill gesture”. Ukraine said that heavy losses incurred while trying to defend the island made the Russians leave. ‘Political message’ The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has been trying to claim commercial rights for the phrase since 2022, in order to use it on merchandise, including bags and clothing. But the EU Intellectual Property Office, which is responsible for registering EU-wide trademarks, has also rejected the request multiple times since 2022. It has argued that the phrase does not meet the bloc’s requirements to be granted the request. The slogan has become a point of national pride, and has been repeated many times in public demonstrations, as well as adorning billboards and even a postage stamp. The EU General Court on Wednesday said it “observed that a sign is incapable of fulfilling the essential function of a trademark if the average consumer does not perceive, in its presence, the indication of the origin of the goods or services, but only a political message”. Adblock test (Why?)