Hundreds of veterans to descend on DC to march in support of Pete Hegseth’s confirmation
FIRST ON FOX: Two former Navy SEALs are planning to bring hundreds of veterans to Washington, D.C., next week to march in support of Pete Hegseth’s confirmation for defense secretary. Hegseth, a former Army National Guardsman, will take the hot seat before the Armed Services Committee for a hearing on Tuesday ahead of a confirmation vote. The group, organized by Bill Brown and Rob Sweetman, are planning to pack “as many veterans into the hearing room” as possible. They plan to have veterans meet outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building at 4 a.m., before the building opens at 7 a.m. and the hearing kicks off at 9:30 a.m. The pair got to know Hegseth through his participation in the yearly New York City SEAL Swim in the Hudson River, organized by Brown. A group of veterans will also meet at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 9 a.m. to march in support of Hegseth. Brown is inviting all veterans to bring American flags and join their group. PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN’T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE ‘ERROR’ DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE “There’s something really powerful about having a physical presence of support, other than just social media,” said Sweetman. His organization, 62Romeo, helps veterans transitioning out of the military get their sleep back on track and is helping to sponsor the event. Sweetman expects at least 100 SEALs to join and hundreds of other veterans. Brown said he and others began organizing the march over the “total dismay that a lot of us in the military, a lot of us who served our country and war and overseas, have with the current leadership in the Pentagon.” Jurandir “J” Araujo, Hegseth’s first commander when he was stationed at Guantanamo Bay prison in 2004, who’s planning to help rally support, told Fox News Digital that back then he used to tell his colleagues that Hegseth would be president one day. “I immediately noticed his dedication and commitment to the mission, and not only to the mission but to his men.” “As a young second lieutenant and platoon leader, Pete cared about not only training and instructing his men, but being a part of their daily lives,” said Araujo. “He was always very caring about his troops, and their satisfaction with what they were doing there. “I always saw something in him that was special,” Araujo went on. “I gave him the call sign as a lieutenant of double-A, which means all-American.” “I made a point to tell the first sergeant, I said, you know, I said, “Lt. Hegseth, prepare yourself because this guy is gonna be president one day.” Hegseth’s nomination has been rocked by allegations that the former Army National Guardsman and Fox News host drank too much and behaved inappropriately with women. A recently unearthed police report from 2017 revealed a sexual assault allegation against him that Hegseth thoroughly denies. Others have taken issue with his past comments arguing that women should not serve in combat roles. Some still have said they don’t believe he has the experience for the job, having retired as a major. The veterans coming to support him in D.C. are not deterred by the allegations. “The Lt. Hegseth that I knew, and the Pete Hegseth that I know today is a man of integrity,” said Araujo. “That’s what I gauge my measurement on, as far as leadership and the ability to lead men and this country. “His view on women in combat is the same as mine,” said Brown. “The focus should be what’s going to make us the most lethal and combat-efficient force we can be.” “We’re not little guys, we’re big muscly dudes. Most women are going to have a hard time, with my plates, with my gear, dragging me out of harm’s way. It’s just the truth… Pete was speaking out of love.” Both Brown and Sweetman said they were infuriated over the Afghanistan withdrawal and spurred to action when the Pentagon failed its seventh audit in a row. They hope Hegseth will hold those responsible for the withdrawal accountable and cut out waste at the Pentagon. “There’s gross corruption, fraud, wasting, abuse in the Pentagon,” said Brown. “No one’s been held accountable for the travesty in Afghanistan.” “We are hemorrhaging money with some of the defense contractor initiatives,” said Sweetman. “There are no checks and balances on some of these large contracts, with some of the larger companies that are embedded with the government, and so we’re looking at a huge budget that a lot of it is unaccounted for, specifically when we talk about the audits. How come you don’t know where the money is going?” Angelo Martinez served with Hegseth in Cuba, when he was a young soldier and Hegseth was his platoon commander. Martinez is now a staff sergeant, and has been in the Army for 21 years. “I had the pleasure, or maybe not, of meeting many personalities or officers,” he said. ‘GREATEST WARRIORS’: HEGSETH RAILS AGAINST ‘MISCONSTRUED’ NARRATIVE THAT HE’S AGAINST WOMEN IN MILITARY “The difference between him and other officers, and there’s very few of them that treat other people, meaning the enlisted soldiers, as, not saying equal, but they will look at you as an equal person.” “A lot of officers kind of look above us as U.S. enlisted soldiers, and he’s one of the few people that took the time to get to know the soldier, understand you, listen to you, listen to your viewpoints and stuff like that. He was one of the few that cared.” “I’m actually on my way out of the military, and I joke that I hope one of the last few things I do here is I can take down the other secretary of defense and hang [Hegseth] up on my wall,” Martinez said. The NCO said he believed the fact that Hegseth didn’t retire as a colonel or a general was a plus, recalling times in Cuba when he and his platoon were on duty while
Fox News Politics Newsletter: FEMA’S Got the Bill
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… -Garland intends to release Jack Smith report on Trump election case -Gaetz mulls bid for Florida Governor -Senator Fetterman open to potential Greenland acquisition The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse California for costs associated with hiring more firefighters and controlling the raging wildfires that have ripped through Southern California. News of the Fire Management Assistance Grants trickled in Tuesday, and by the evening the White House put out a statement from President Biden confirming the move. FEMA confirmed the measures on Wednesday, in an announcement laying out some details about the grants. The funding will provide federal reimbursements for up to 75% of “eligible firefighting costs” incurred by the state, as California seeks to shore up its firefighting force and put out the wildfires that have killed at least two people and driven thousands from their homes. Eligible costs include expenses for field camps, equipment, materials, supplies and mobilization or demobilization efforts attributed to fighting the fires …Read more DOUBTFUL LEGACY: Majority of Americans say President Biden will be remembered as a below-average president: Gallup …Read more ‘FURTHER THE PUBLIC INTEREST’: AG Merrick Garland intends to release Jack Smith report on Trump election case …Read more STILL THINKING: Biden says pre-emptive pardons for Trump targets still under consideration …Read more ROAD BLOCK: Dems accused of ‘stonewalling’ Tulsi Gabbard confirmation after GOP calls for quick hearing …Read more MAGAFEST DESTINY: Trump flexes his muscles with repeated talk of American expansionism …Read more ‘DRIVING THE WHALES CRAZY’: Trump signals he could oppose new wind energy production during second term …Read more TRUMP TRIAL: President-elect files emergency petition to SCOTUS to prevent sentencing in New York …Read more FIRST ON FOX: Bipartisan lawmakers introduce bill in warning to Putin-allied government …Read more SENATE STEP FORWARD: Dems expected to help advance Laken Riley Act …Read more ‘NEED TO GO’: Fetterman open to potential Greenland acquisition, declares support for Laken Riley Act …Read more BRING BACK DEATH PENALTY: Top Republicans roll out bill that would undo 9/11 plea deals …Read more ‘I SAW IT FIRSTHAND’: Ex-Dem rep calls presidential race ‘unwinnable,’ had concerns about Biden …Read more ‘REVIEWING THE OPPORTUNITY’: Gaetz mulls bid for Florida governor …Read more PARTISAN FLASH POINT: NC Supreme Court blocks election results for one of its own seats amid legal challenge …Read more DRUG DEALERS BEWARE: VA seeks murder charges for fentanyl deaths …Read more TARIFF THREAT: Mexico disperses migrant caravans heading to U.S. ahead of Trump inauguration …Read more ‘TERRIBLE JOB’: Flashback: Trump repeatedly called out Newsom on wildfires in first term …Read more NAME GAMES: Mexico president turns tables on Trump with map idea of her own …Read more ‘TRUE DISASTER’: Trump pins blame for ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires on Newsom …Read more ‘I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED’: ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ actress says JD Vance’s family was ‘generous’ on set …Read more ‘RAPE GANG SCANDAL’: UK lawmakers reject inquiry despite Musk appeals …Read more DIRECT HIT: U.S. hits underground Houthi weapons depots …Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Alaska sues Biden administration for ‘irrational’ restrictions on Trump-era oil and gas drilling mandate
The Biden administration was sued by the state of Alaska over claims they violated a Trump-era law by narrowing the scope of a mandated oil and gas lease. During President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in 2017, he signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which required the government to allow for at least two oil and gas drilling lease sales in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) by December 2024. With the deadline quickly approaching, the Biden administration announced in December plans to move forward with an oil and gas lease sale of 400,000 acres within the northwest portion of the program area. But the lease, which was the smallest amount required under the Trump-era law, contained some restrictions. In a lawsuit filed on Monday, the state of Alaska sued the Biden administration on claims that they are violating the statutory mandate of Congress by limiting drilling in the region. TRUMP PLANS TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ REVERSE BIDEN’S ‘RIDICULOUS’ BAN ON NEW OIL AND GAS DRILLING ALONG US COAST “Interior’s continued and irrational opposition under the Biden administration to responsible energy development in the Arctic continues America on a path of energy dependence instead of utilizing the vast resources we have available,” Alaska’s Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter set aside an area of ANWR, known as “Area 1002,” for the potential future exploration and development of natural resources. The state of Alaska claims that by limiting drilling in the region, the Biden administration “negates Congress’ express call for oil and gas leasing and development on the Coastal Plain.” BIDEN MOVING TO BAN OIL AND GAS LEASES FOR 20 YEARS IN NEVADA REGION, JUST WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP INAUGURATION “Congress did not authorize a new direction for ANWR. President Biden’s Administration ignored the law and took this unlawful detour without even presenting their final decision to the public for comment,” Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor said in a statement. The Biden administration issued restrictions on the lease, such as surface use and occupancy, which the complaint claims could “make any development economically and practically impossible.” The lawsuit was filed just days before the lease sale is expected to take place on Jan. 9. The Department of Interior told Fox News Digital it would not be commenting on the lawsuit.
Virginia government grinds to a halt as hospitals, residents hit by colossal water plant failure
A water treatment plant failure threw North America’s oldest continuous lawmaking body into crisis this week, as lawmakers were effectively shut out of the Virginia State Capitol for safety reasons. Throughout the rest of Richmond, residents were dealing with a lack of water, and hospitals had to employ tanker trucks to provide the water needed not only to quench patients, but to provide heat and sanitization of medical implements, according to one state lawmaker. The right-leaning group Virginia Project said the crisis may be the reason for the legislature to take an immediate interest in infrastructure funding, before offering a Confederate-era suggestion: “Perhaps the waterless legislature should retreat to Appomattox,” a social media post from the group said, referring to the community about 100 miles southwest of the Capitol: where the Richmond-based Confederate States of America surrendered to the Union in April 1865. YOUNGKIN TO DRAFT SANCTUARY CITY BAN, MAKING STATE FUNDING CONTINGENT ON COOPERATION Others, like Virginia Republican Party chair Richard Anderson, placed blame on the recently-departed Democratic mayor who is now running for lieutenant governor. “[The crisis is] a direct result of inept leadership by former Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond–who presided over his city’s crumbling infrastructure,” Anderson said. “Stoney as LG? Never.” The crisis hit less than one week after the current Democratic mayor, Dr. Danny Avula, took office. Avula, previously a pediatrician at Chippenham Hospital in neighboring Chesterfield County, said he has been hands-on since the water system first failed. Avula said he spent much of Tuesday night at the city plant and announced Wednesday morning that some of the pumps are beginning to come back online. “We’re starting to see that reservoir level fill up. It’s really encouraging. Right now the reservoir level is at 7ft for some context. [Our] reservoirs typically run at about 18ft.” Avula’s work drew him bipartisan praise, including from one prominent Republican. YOUNGKIN INVITES NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO SETTLE IN VA OVER DC, MD State Sen. Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg, the Senate GOP Caucus Chair, said he’s never seen a legislative session begin in such chaos in his 21 years in the Capitol. “Kudos to the new mayor for his tireless efforts to resolve this inherited crisis,” he said on X, formerly Twitter. State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, told Fox News Digital the water outage doubly affected his work, as both the Capitol and his district office in nearby Mechanicsville both felt the effects. McDougle said the outage’s reach has gone beyond Richmond’s limits and into Henrico and Hanover counties to the north and east. Constituents have been reaching out to his office for help. McDougle praised Gov. Glenn Youngkin for being “extremely aggressive in trying to find solutions to the problem that was created in the city,” and offered the same for officials in suburban counties. “[We are] trying to make sure that we’re getting water to infrastructure like hospitals, so that they can continue to treat patients and to get water available to citizens so that they can take care of their families. “But this has been a real effort on behalf of the state government and local jurisdictions trying to assist Richmond.” He said Avula does not deserve blame for the crisis, as he only took office days ago. “It’s a shame this had to be on his first week,” McDougle said. “But we need to really investigate and get to the bottom of how [the Stoney] administration could have let this become such an acute problem that would impact so many people.” Schools in McDougle’s district were shut down Wednesday, and the legislature was gaveled out until Monday — after concerns from leaders and staff that the fire-suppression system in the iconic Capitol could malfunction without enough water flow. McDougle remarked that while exercising caution is wise, Virginia’s spot as the oldest continuous legislature obviously predated utilities, and that the people’s work can and should be done in whatever way possible while the Capitol is out-of-order. Another state lawmaker put the blame at the foot of Richmond’s longtime Democratic leadership. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Del. Wren Williams, R-Stuart, said Richmond has been a city “plagued by systemic neglect and a lack of accountability.” “Now, Stoney wants to be our commonwealth’s next lieutenant governor. Despite the city’s growing infrastructure needs, Democrats in Richmond allowed critical issues like water contamination and aging pipes to fester, leaving residents vulnerable to unsafe drinking water and deteriorating public health,” Williams said. He previously proposed a bill that would have allowed state agencies to study utility upgrades and provide engineering support. With Democrats marginally in control of the legislature and hoping to prevent Youngkin’s deputy Winsome Sears from succeeding him in November, Williams said the crisis is emblematic of Democrats’ “larger failure… in Virginia, where promises of progress and equity often ring hollow when the real work of maintaining essential services is neglected.” Richmond businessowner Jimmy Keady echoed Williams, telling Fox News Digital the crisis isn’t just a failure of infrastructure but of past city leadership: “For nearly 48 hours, businesses have forced to close. Residents were left without clean water, and hourly workers lost wages,” Keady said. “The political implications are just as severe,” added Keady, who is also a political consultant. He noted Virginia’s legislature is only in session for a few months, and referenced how lawmakers must explicitly pass resolutions to extend business beyond a term’s end date. “By losing nearly 11% of this short session, Virginia lawmakers are losing valuable time to pass legislation that will address growing problems throughout our commonwealth, such as economic growth, rising medical costs, and — sure enough — aging infrastructure.” Richmond’s water supply is primarily sourced by the James River. Fox News Digital reached out to Stoney’s campaign and House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Avula could not be reached. In remarks late Wednesday, Youngkin praised public and private partners around the capital region that have helped residents deal with the lack of water, from Avula
Texas Medical Board director retires after uproar over his Planned Parenthood employment
Conservative lawmakers claimed credit for Dr. Robert Bredt’s retirement after it came out he also worked at a Planned Parenthood-affiliated lab.
Swalwell slammed on social media for questioning how Trump will lower grocery prices
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., sparked online backlash with a post in which he questioned President-elect Donald Trump’s ability to bring down grocery prices. Social media users were quick to point out that food prices spiked under President Biden’s leadership. “I don’t care if Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland. I just want to know what he’s going to do to lower the cost of groceries,” Rep. Swalwell wrote on X. MAGAFEST DESTINY? TRUMP FLEXES HIS MUSCLES WITH REPEATED TALK OF AMERICAN EXPANSIONISM But social media users noted that the congressman’s party had control of the House, Senate and White House while Americans struggled to afford food. While they later lost control of the House after the 2022 midterm elections, the Democrats held on to the Senate. 3 WAYS TRUMP CAN DELIVER AN ECONOMIC ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR AMERICA Swalwell later appeared to double down on his assertion that Trump will not lower grocery prices. “Guys, it’s so obvious. Trump has no idea how to lower your cost of groceries. So he’s going to distract you by sending your kids to die fighting Canada,” Swalwell tweeted. However, this only brought more fury the congressman’s way, with social media users questioning why the congressman is not more worried about the fires raging in his state that has so far left two dead and forced thousands to flee their homes. AMERICANS FORCED TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND TO ESCAPE DEADLY WILDFIRES NOW FACING NEW THREAT On Tuesday, President Biden released a statement on the deadly wildfires and announced that FEMA had approved a grant to help fight the inferno. “I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire,” Biden said in a statement. The Trump team has not responded to a request for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Tren de Aragua believed to be behind murder of immigration official near border
Police in the Mexican state of Chihuahua believe that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua may be behind the murder of a Mexican immigration official just south of the U.S. border. The Mexican immigration agent, Luis Alberto Olivas, was pushed down a hill and stoned to death by two Venezuelan migrants identified as David J.V. and Carlos Arichuna S.M. on Dec. 30. The murder took place by a military checkpoint close to Ciudad Juárez, just south of El Paso, Texas. According to Border Report, Mexican authorities believe that at least one of the Venezuelans is suspected of being a member of Tren de Aragua (TdA), which is a transnational criminal organization that facilitates much of the drug and human trafficking in the area. TREN DE ARAGUA ARE IDEOLOGICAL TERRORISTS DISGUISED AS A STREET GANG WARNS FORMER MILITARY OFFICER Chihuahua Public Safety Director Gilberto Loya told Border Report that one of the alleged killers “has the tattoos that we have identified as probably linked to Tren de Aragua” and that police have shared this information with other agencies and are “waiting for the next binational meeting to have it checked in [American] databases.” The tattoo in question depicts an owl, a symbol that according to Mexican investigative journalist Luis Chaparro is “often found on Tren de Aragua members” and often indicates a human smuggler “guide.” According to local news source “El Diario MX,” the two possible Tren de Aragua members threw stones at Olivas’ chest, pushed him, causing him to fall six meters down a hill, and then smashed his head with a large stone, killing him. TRUMP DIGS INTO BIDEN ADMIN FOR SELLING OFF BORDER WALL AT ‘FIVE CENTS ON THE DOLLAR’ CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE TdA has been active on the U.S. southern border in recent weeks. On Dec. 31, the Texas Department of Public Safety caught four confirmed TdA members trying to sneak into the U.S illegally. The individuals were identified as Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco, 18. Ocando-Mejia had tattoos on his shoulders indicating he may hold rank or leadership within the gang. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has led many efforts to secure the border and clamp down on TdA, responded to the arrests by saying: “Our top priority is the safety and security of Texans, including against the growing threat of Tren de Aragua.”
Senate Dems to join Republicans to advance anti-illegal immigration bill named after Laken Riley
A number of Senate Democrats say they will vote to advance a bill that would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants found guilty of theft – increasing the bill’s chance of passing in the upper chamber. At least eight Senate Democrats are expected to vote to advance the bill in the upper chamber, giving it the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster if all Republicans vote in favor. It would then begin debate on the bill, and eventually a vote on final passage, where it would only need 51 votes to pass and send it to the president’s desk. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Gary Peters, D-Mich., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Angus King, I-Maine, Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., have all said they will support advancing the bill. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he is likely to support advancing the bill. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., previously voted for the bill in the House. LAKEN RILEY ACT PASSES HOUSE WITH 48 DEMS, ALL REPUBLICANS “You know, I plan, I plan to support it. Because if you’re a criminal, you should be held accountable,” Rosen said. Hickenlooper’s office said he will vote to let the bill proceed to amend it, but “he does not support the Laken Riley Act in its current form.” A senior GOP staffer told Fox News Digital that they believe they have the votes to proceed to a full debate. Kelly echoed those comments. “Yeah I think it will,” he said when asked by Fox if it will get more than 60 votes. The Laken Riley Act, which passed the House on Tuesday with 48 Democrats voting in favor, is named after a nursing student killed by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant on the University of Georgia’s campus last year. It not only requires the feds to detain illegal immigrants guilty of committing theft, burglary or shoplifting until they are deported, but also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration. Riley’s killer, Jose Ibarra, had previous arrests, including for theft, but had never been in ICE detention. HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS REVIVE TRUMP-BACKED PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON NONCITIZEN VOTING It was the first bill introduced in the House in the new Congress and indicates how tackling illegal immigration, both at the border and in the interior, is likely to be a top priority for Republicans and some Democrats. President-elect Trump won his presidential campaign in part by focusing on the border crisis which had plagued the Biden administration before a recent, sharp drop in numbers. Trump has pledged to carry out a “historic” mass deportation campaign and his team have indicated they intend to push back against “sanctuary” cities that refuse to comply with ICE. A number of the Democrats saying they will support the bill have a looming re-election fight. Sens. Shaheen, Peters and Hickenlooper are all up for re-election in 2026 and illegal immigration could again be a crucial issue as it was in many races in 2024. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Trump eyes an end to new windmill production under second term, says they are ‘driving the whales crazy’
President-elect Donald Trump is envisioning a future without new wind energy projects under his administration, arguing that this power source is economically impractical and is causing harm to marine life. Trump has long criticized using wind farms as a main form of energy production, but his latest remarks suggest that his incoming administration could place major restrictions on the future production of new wind-powered energy projects. “It’s the most expensive energy there is. It’s many, many times more expensive than clean natural gas,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday. “So we’re going to try and have a policy where no windmills are being built.” The federal government currently offers several different ways to obtain subsidies for windmill production, which Trump pointed to as one of the main issues with the energy source. TRUMP HITS BIDEN ON LAST-MINUTE ENERGY CRACKDOWN, PROMISES DAY 1 REVERSAL “The only people that want them are the people getting rich off windmills, getting massive subsidies from the U.S. government,” he added. “You don’t want energy that needs subsidy.” The incoming president has also claimed potential interference with sea mammals is an issue, specifically in Massachusetts. ENERGY INDUSTRY INSISTS US IS THE BEST PLACE FOR OIL DRILLING DESPITE BIDEN’S BAN “You see what’s happening up in the Massachusetts area, where they had two whales wash ashore in I think a 17-year period,” Trump said during the news conference. “Now they had 14 this season. The windmills are driving the whales crazy, obviously.” Trump finds consensus with some environmental groups on the issue. “That’s the only thing out there that’s changed, and it’s changed dramatically,” said Constance Gee of Green Oceans, a group that strives to protect ocean life, according to WCVB 5. “There is so much ship traffic out there. It’s so loud. There’s piledriving. There’s sub-bottom profiling with sonar.” The National Marine Fisheries Service, however, says that there is no evidence currently connecting wind turbines and whale deaths. Trump’s latest comments were criticized by a Democratic ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, who said the incoming president “is completely out of touch.” “Trump is against wind energy because he doesn’t understand our country’s energy needs and dislikes the sight of turbines near his private country clubs,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement. Wind energy is currently the largest source of renewable energy in the U.S., according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). However, such energy production has received growing opposition from members of the GOP in recent years, who have expressed concerns over its potential adverse effects. “Like the canary in the coal mine, the recent spate of tragic whale deaths shed new light and increased scrutiny to the fast-tracking of thousands of wind turbines off our coast,” Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said in March 2023. Over the past four years, President Joe Biden has made major investments in the offshore wind industry as part of his green energy push, approving the nation’s first 11 commercial scale offshore wind projects.
FLASHBACK: Trump has long history of warning Newsom over ‘terrible’ wildfire prevention
President-elect Trump, during his first administration, put Gov. Gavin Newsom on notice for his handling of repeated wildfires in the state, years ahead of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires currently raging. “The Governor of California, @GavinNewsom, has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met that he must ‘clean’ his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him. Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers,” the former and upcoming president posted to X in 2019. “Every year, as the fire’s rage & California burns, it is the same thing-and then he comes to the Federal Government for $$$ help. No more. Get your act together Governor. You don’t see close to the level of burn in other states,” the thread continued. Trump’s message to Newsom came as the Kincade Fire raged in Sonoma County from Oct. 23 to Nov. 6, 2019. CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES “We’re successfully waging war against thousands of fires started across the state in the last few weeks due to extreme weather created by climate change while Trump is conducting a full on assault against the antidotes,” Newsom said in response to Trump’s message, the Washington Post reported at the time. Just roughly two weeks before Trump will be inaugurated as the nation’s 47th president, he again took aim at Newsom’s wildfire prevention leadership in the state, pinning blame for the LA County fires on Newsom and his environmental policies. “Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,”Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday. “He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!” Newsom’s director of communications Izzy Gardon told Fox Digital in response to Trump’s Truth Social: “We’re focused on protecting lives and battling these blazes – not playing politics.” “There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction. The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” Gardon added. PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; CELEBRITIES FLEE RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD Trump has a long history of putting Newsom’s handling of wildfires under the microscope across his first four years in the White House, including in January 2019 when he threatened to cut off federal funds to California if reforms were not made to the state’s forest management services. “Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!” he posted to X that year. PACIFIC PALISADES INFERNO FORCES THOUSANDS TO FLEE CALIFORNIA HOMES; GOV. NEWSOM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!,”he added in 2018 on X. Newsom and other Democrats have historically pushed back that wildfires in the state are due to climate change and global warming. ACTOR STEVE GUTTENBERG HELPS PALISADES FIRE FIRST RESPONDERS AS FLAMES RAGE, ‘IT’S A GHOST TOWN’ “You don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation,” Newsom shot back at Trump in 2019, for example, after the president slammed him for his wildfire leadership. California Republicans, however, have echoed Trump that Newsom and other Democrats in the state “failed” in addressing forestry management. “The Democrats who control this state, have been in charge of the legislature, and hold every statewide office have failed to take care of forestry management in California,” Assemblyman James Gallagher said on Fox News in 2020. “We have overgrown forests with brush piles 10 feet high and dead and dying trees and it’s a tinderbox waiting for a spark.” The California governor pledged in 2019 to reform California’s approach to wildfire prevention, but a 2021 NPR investigation reported the governor overstated the efforts. “The investigation found Newsom overstated, by an astounding 690%, the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns in the very forestry projects he said needed to be prioritized to protect the state’s most vulnerable communities,” Scott Rodd wrote of the findings in 2021. “Newsom has claimed that 35 ‘priority projects’ carried out as a result of his executive order resulted in fire prevention work on 90,000 acres. But the state’s own data show the actual number is 11,399.” The state pushed back on the report, saying their efforts on wildfire prevention were hampered by the pandemic, “along with an unprecedented wildfire season which pulled our already strained wildfire crews away from prevention work to firefighting work.” “The notion that the Newsom administration is retreating on wildfire response – in dollars or actions – is wholly inaccurate,” the governor’s office said after the investigation’s findings were released. The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan has since achieved and begun working on 100% of its 99 key actions, with the state also hiring an additional 3,000 new firefighters to CAL FIRE since 2019. At least four wildfires are currently raging in Los Angeles County, tearing through the Pacific