China pledges aid to Ukraine as US officials warn Beijing is quietly fueling Russia’s war
China offered new humanitarian energy assistance to Ukraine — even as a senior U.S. official said Beijing has the power to stop Russia’s invasion and has chosen not to. “China could call Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said during a Friday panel on U.S. foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference, moderated by Bloomberg. “China could stop buying Russian oil and gas,” he added. “You know, this war is being completely enabled by China.” NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS UKRAINE PEACE DEAL COULD BE ‘ON THE CUSP’ AS NATIONS NEAR FINALIZATION OF SECURITY PACT Whitaker’s remarks came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the conference and pledged what both sides described as humanitarian energy assistance to help Ukraine cope with ongoing Russian strikes on its power infrastructure. Sybiha said on social media that he was grateful for China’s decision to provide an additional energy aid package. Readouts from both Kyiv, Ukraine, and Beijing described the meeting as focused on peace efforts, bilateral ties and support for Ukraine’s energy system, which repeatedly has been targeted by Russian missile and drone attacks. China has not publicly disclosed the size or scope of the aid package. Beijing repeatedly has said it seeks a “constructive” role in ending the crisis and maintains that it is not a party to the conflict. Chinese officials have denied supplying lethal military assistance to Moscow and argue they support dialogue and a political settlement. U.S. officials, however, increasingly frame China as Russia’s most important external enabler. Whitaker said in Munich that China is providing “crucial support” for Russia’s aggression. Russia relies heavily on China for critical parts and components used in drones and other war equipment, Western officials say, even as Beijing publicly distances itself from direct weapons transfers. ZELENSKYY CLAIMS US GAVE UKRAINE AND RUSSIA A DEADLINE TO REACH PEACE AGREEMENT China and Russia have deepened their partnership since the start of the war, expanding trade and financial cooperation. Moscow increasingly has relied on Chinese technology, industrial goods and financial channels as Western sanctions tightened. China is once again the largest buyer of Russian crude oil shipments. Tracking data show that roughly 1.65 million barrels per day of crude were offloaded at Chinese ports in January — the highest level since March 2024 and the second-highest monthly total since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The purchases provide Moscow with a critical revenue stream as Western governments attempt to constrain Russia’s war financing through sanctions and price caps. The juxtaposition at Munich was stark: Beijing offering to help repair Ukraine’s energy grid while simultaneously remaining a major buyer of the oil that funds the Russian war machine Western officials say is destroying it. Beijing rejects the accusation that it is enabling the war, arguing instead that sanctions and military escalation will not resolve the conflict and that it supports negotiations. By maintaining diplomatic channels with Ukraine and offering humanitarian support, Beijing preserves a foothold in potential post-war reconstruction discussions, even as its economic ties with Moscow deepen. For European governments weighing additional measures against Chinese entities accused of supplying dual-use goods to Russia, Beijing’s humanitarian outreach complicates the diplomatic picture. For Washington, however, the framing at Munich was direct: China has the economic and technological influence to change Russia’s calculus.
ICE sweeps up convicted pedophiles, traffickers in massive holiday weekend sting: ‘Worst of the worst’
FIRST ON FOX: As federal immigration operations continue across the country, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), continues to nab child sex predators residing in the country as illegal immigrants. Child grooming, sex and lewd acts with minors, including some under 14, possession of child pornography, domestic assault, assault with a deadly weapon, stalking and drug trafficking were among some of DHS’s “worst of the worst” arrests from Presidents Day weekend. “Over President’s Day weekend, the brave men and women of ICE arrested heinous criminal illegal aliens across the country convicted for sex crimes against children, rape, and drug trafficking,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “These violent criminals will never be allowed to harm children and innocent Americans again.” Meanwhile, according to McLaughlin, “nearly 70%” of ICE arrests are of illegal immigrants either charged, or convicted, of a crime in the United States. “Nothing will stop ICE law enforcement from removing them from American communities,” the DHS assistant secretary concluded. ICE ASSAULTS SPIKE 1,500% AS DEMS DRAW ‘HARD RED LINE’ TO UNMASK AGENTS IN DHS BATTLE Over the weekend, several of those illegal alien criminals arrested by ICE had previous charges related to child sex abuse. Efren Guzman-Lopez, who is originally from Guatemala, was picked up in Texas following a conviction for indecency with child-sexual contact and child grooming. Another criminal illegal alien convicted of sex offenses with a child, specifically lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, was picked up this weekend in California. The individual originally from Mexico, Javier Millan-Salgado, was also listed on the sex offender registry, according to DHS. Multiple individuals in California were picked up this weekend for having “sex with a minor” as well, according to DHS, while a criminal illegal alien in Missouri, Pedro Jucub, was arrested for “sexual misconduct” with a child under the age of 15. These criminal illegal aliens were from Guatemala and Mexico. Others were arrested for acts of sexual abuse and sexual assault, including in New York and Salt Lake City. ICE RAMPS UP DEPORTATION PUSH BY BOOSTING CAPACITY TO 92,600 BEDS WITH $38.3B EXPANSION Drug trafficking, assault and domestic violence were the remaining trends among DHS’s “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens picked up over the Presidents Day weekend. Those on DHS’s list charged or convicted of drug trafficking included criminal illegal aliens from Honduras and Mexico. They were picked up in various states across the Midwest, Southwest and the East Coast. Alfredo Vargas and Wilfrido Varelas-Rubio , both from Mexico, were each convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in Iowa and in Montana, respectively, before being picked up by ICE this weekend. A man from Honduras, Ever Rivera-Molina, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine in Texas prior to his arrest by ICE. On the East Coast, in Raleigh, North Carolina, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico arrested by ICE, Hermilio Salgado-Castro, was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Saul Alonzo Portillo-Lopez, living in Texas when he was arrested over the weekend, had previously been convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, according to DHS’s “worst of the worst” list from the weekend. Felony assault, domestic violence, stalking and assault with a deadly weapon were also among the crimes committed by those on ICE’s list. Gerson Valverde, a criminal illegal alien from Nicaragua, was arrested following a conviction for felony assault, felony aggravated family offense, and misdemeanor stalking in Saratoga County, New York. Francisco Gamez-Martinez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by ICE this weekend after being convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Lakeland, Florida. DHS has set up a website at WOW.DHS.Gov, where Americans can learn about the public safety threats being arrested in their communities. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” the website’s homepage reads. “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations – starting with the worst of the worst – including the illegal aliens you see here.”
Trump slams Maryland governor, launches federal effort to protect Potomac after historic sewage spill
President Donald Trump ordered an all-of-government effort to protect the District of Columbia’s water supply and slammed Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as a sewage pipe interceptor rupture in Cabin John has released an estimated 240 million gallons into the Potomac River. The break was first noticed on security cameras off the Clara Barton Parkway just north of the District line Jan. 19, and within several days, crews from DC Water were able to segregate much of the spill into the paralleling Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, according to local reports. The pipe takes wastewater from several towns in the John F. Dulles International Airport area all the way to Washington, where it is processed farther downstream at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Anacostia, D.C. “There is a massive ecological disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the gross mismanagement of local Democrat leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland,” Trump said in a Truth Social post late Monday. TRUMP SAYS HE COULD SEND THE NATIONAL GUARD TO MARYLAND TO ADDRESS CRIME “This is the same Governor who cannot rebuild a bridge. It is clear local authorities cannot adequately handle this calamity,” Trump said, referring to the newly elongated timeline and reported projected multi-billion-dollar cost-projection overruns for the rebuilding of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on the Baltimore Beltway. The catastrophe affects the region’s other Francis Scott Key Bridge in Georgetown, D.C., as Trump alluded to the explosion in E.coli counts downriver from the spill. “I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation’s Capital City,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “While State and Local Authorities have failed to request needed Emergency Help, I cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership’ to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone.” Moore spokesperson Ammar Moussa blasted Trump in response, saying he has his “facts wrong — again.” “Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak. For the last four weeks, the Trump Administration has failed to act, shirking its responsibility and putting people’s health at risk,” Moussa said. “Notably, the president’s own EPA explicitly refused to participate in the major legislative hearing about the cleanup last Friday.” “Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here,” Moussa said. BRIDGE COLLAPSE AID BECOMES ECONOMIC WEAPON IN ESCALATING TRUMP-MOORE FEUD Trump also cited the Palisades fire in California, saying that Democratic officials have a “war on merit” with “real consequences.” He also noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is currently subject to a partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. “FEMA, which is currently being defunded by the Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response,” he said, as many of those workers may go unpaid. Maryland state Del. Linda Foley, D-Potomac, whose district is just upstream from the spill, said at an Annapolis, Maryland, hearing that it has been characterized to her as “one of the worst ecological disasters in the eastern part of the United States.” Moussa said that Maryland, by contrast, has taken action — pointing to the shellfish fishery closure downstream to the Nice Bridge — and told Fox News Digital that Annapolis sent personnel “within hours” to help coordinate the response and protect drinking water in Montgomery County. “The Potomac isn’t a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment.” Moore’s Department of the Environment did issue an emergency closure for shellfish harvesting downstream of the spill, as ecological effects are being felt all the way at the Harry Nice Bridge where U.S. 301 crosses between Bel Alton, Maryland, and Dahlgren, Virginia, nearly 60 miles south of Washington. Rather than most cases where a state line runs down the center of a waterway, Maryland controls nearly all the Potomac — save for the part where the District of Columbia briefly covers the Old Line State’s historical boundaries. MARYLAND BRIDGE REBUILD COSTS SOAR TO $5.2B, MORE THAN DOUBLE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OFFICIALS PROVIDED The unique boundary also is why eccentricities like Lady Bird Johnson Island, on the “Virginia side” of the Potomac near the Pentagon, are actually in the District of Columbia. David Gadis, CEO of DC Water, wrote in an open letter that the Potomac River is a “shared treasure” and that “any event that threatens its health understandably causes concern, frustration, and a sense of loss.” “Our immediate priorities have been containment, environmental monitoring, and stabilization – working closely with federal, state, and local partners to assess water quality, ecological impacts, and necessary remediation,” he wrote.
Trump border czar leaves door open to ICE deployment in other sanctuary cities as feds leave Minneapolis
Tom Homan, the border czar appointed by President Donald Trump to crack down on illegal immigration, believes the administration may still deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in other sanctuary cities as federal agents wind down their presence in Minnesota. Homan said he thinks that possibility depends entirely on whether cities with policies shielding illegal immigrants decide to cooperate with federal immigration efforts. “I think it depends on the situation,” Homan said in an interview with CBS on Sunday. “I’ve said from day one that, you know, we need to flood the zone and sanctuary cities with additional agents. The number of agents depends on the situation on the ground [and] how many known criminal targets are out there.” GRAHAM TEASES TRUMP PLAN TO END SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES ‘FOREVER’ Homan’s comments come as the administration looks to redirect its immigration enforcement goals while, at the same time, taking its focus off of Minneapolis by ending Operation Metro Surge. Several cities voiced opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown from the outset of his second term, making it an official position of obstructing the administration’s work. In some cases, cities limited their partnerships with ICE by denying them access to holding facilities, refusing to share intelligence, or instructing local law enforcement to disregard their operations. Minneapolis was one of them. But the Twin Cities began to draw special attention from Trump and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem last year when links surfaced between the state’s Somali immigrant community and as much as $9 billion in state benefits fraud. In response, the administration began deploying a heavy ICE presence to Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge and framed it as a way to push back on illegal alien criminals in the city. In its first press release on the operation, DHS revealed that ICE had arrested five Somalis and six Hispanic aliens with criminal backgrounds. “Today, ICE announced they have arrested some of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including child sex offenders, domestic abusers and violent gang members during Operation Metro Surge,” DHS said in a statement on Dec. 4. TIM WALZ DEMANDS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ‘PAY FOR WHAT THEY BROKE’ AFTER HOMAN ANNOUNCES MINNESOTA DRAWDOWN ICE’s presence in Minneapolis soon became a lightning rod for Trump’s crackdown on immigration, sparking widespread protests and alarm from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. In particular, Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee alongside Kamala Harris, blasted what he saw as a lack of communication with local authorities and use of excessive force. “The forcefulness, lack of communication and unlawful practices displayed by your agents will not be tolerated in Minnesota,” Walz said in a letter to Noem in December. Operation Metro Surge ended last week in the wake of two deadly confrontations between immigration enforcement and civilians that brought renewed scrutiny on DHS and also derailed congressional considerations for the agency’s 2026 funding, thrusting it into a partial shutdown on Friday. Despite the administration’s tensions in Minnesota, Homan believes officials in sanctuary cities can avoid future clashes by steering clear of repeating Minneapolis’ policies. NOEM DEPLOYS TO BOTH BORDERS, SAYS ICE WON’T BE DETERRED BY SANCTUARY OFFICIALS WHO ‘WANT TO CREATE CONFLICT’ “I’m hoping other sanctuary cities look at what happened in Minnesota,” Homan said. He believes there’s still room for agreement even amid heightened criticisms of ICE. “A lot of politicians are out there on the left [are] saying ‘OK, ICE, we agree. You should be focusing on public safety threats. You should focus on illegal aliens who have committed serious crimes in this country,’” Homan did not describe what cities might be a focus for future ICE operations.
Trump blasts Newsom’s UK pact, warns foreign leaders as 2028 buzz builds
President Donald Trump derided California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s international outreach as “inappropriate” Monday. Trump’s warning was to British leaders against partnering with the Democratic governor after Newsom signed a clean energy agreement with the United Kingdom during a European diplomacy tour. “The U.K.’s got enough trouble without getting involved with Gavin Newscum,” Trump said in an interview with Politico, adding that it was “inappropriate for them to be dealing with him.” The president’s remarks came after Newsom stepped onto the global stage at the Munich Security Conference, signing cooperation agreements with Ukraine and the United Kingdom while sharply criticizing the president’s foreign policy approach — moves likely to intensify speculation about the governor’s future presidential ambitions. NEWSOM’S DAVOS DETOUR: 5 CRINGE MOMENTS THAT OVERSHADOWED HIGH-PROFILE SUMMIT Newsom has long been viewed by political strategists and analysts as a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028. His appearances at global forums combined with high-profile criticism of Trump have only intensified that speculation. The second-term Democrat used the high-profile security summit to position California as a “stable and reliable” alternative to the federal government, telling an international audience that the current administration is merely “temporary” and will be “gone in three years.” “Donald Trump is on his knees for coal and Big Oil, selling out America’s future to China,” a Newsom spokesperson told Fox News Digital in response to the president’s criticisms. “Governor Newsom will continue to lead in his absence. Foreign leaders are rejecting Trump and choosing California’s vision for the future.” But it was Newsom’s blunt assessment of world leaders’ attempts to work with the 47th president that drew the most attention. Addressing European heads of state and diplomats, Newsom claimed that foreign leaders “rolling over” for the White House make themselves “look pathetic on the world stage.” The governor doubled down on a jab he first debuted at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, telling reporters he “should have brought a bunch of knee pads” for world leaders who he believes have bowed down to the president’s “transactional” diplomacy. Newsom specifically took aim at what he called the “complicity” of allies who have sought to appease the President following recent controversies over Arctic sovereignty and NATO funding. “I can’t take this complicity of people rolling over,” Newsom said during a sideline appearance. “I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away … it’s just pathetic.” NEWSOM WARNS ‘PATHETIC’ FOREIGN LEADERS TO GROW A BACKBONE IN BIZARRE TAKEDOWN LIKENING TRUMP TO A T.REX Newsom’s diplomacy tour included the signing of a clean energy memorandum with U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, which the governor’s office said would facilitate nearly a billion dollars in new investment. That agreement followed a Saturday pact with the Lviv region of Ukraine, which Newsom said would involve California companies in the “rebuilding and resiliency” of the war-torn nation — specifically in defense, energy, and digital technologies. The State Department historically has encouraged “subnational diplomacy,” particularly on trade, and governors from both parties routinely lead overseas economic missions. Such agreements are typically structured as nonbinding memoranda of understanding and do not carry the force of federal treaties. However, Newsom’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference, a high-profile gathering of global defense and diplomatic leaders, paired with his direct criticism of Trump’s policies underscores how domestic political rivalries are increasingly spilling onto the global stage. Foreign policy traditionally has operated under the principle that the U.S. should speak with one voice in its dealings abroad. Newsom’s remarks, delivered before foreign heads of state while signing agreements of his own, presented an alternative vision of American leadership at a time when Washington is navigating disputes over NATO funding, Arctic sovereignty and the war in Ukraine.
Obama calls Los Angeles homelessness an ‘atrocity,’ criticizes ‘losing’ political strategy
Former President Barack Obama criticized the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, calling it an “atrocity” given the billions of dollars elected officials have thrown at the problem over the years. Obama was speaking with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen when he touched on criticism local residents and business owners have voiced for years. “I think it is morally — ethically speaking — it is an atrocity that in a country this wealthy, we have people just on the streets, and we should insist on policies that recognize their full humanity — people who are houseless — and be able to provide them with the help and resources that they need,” Obama said. DAVID MARCUS: I’VE SEEN ENOUGH HUMAN SUFFERING IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS TO KNOW TRUMP’S NEW POLICY IS RIGHT “We should recognize that the average person doesn’t want to have to navigate around a tent city in the middle of downtown,” he added. “That’s a losing political strategy.” Obama noted that building support for programs and resources to assist those living on the streets needs to come with some level of accountability for those being offered the help. “We’re not going to be able to generate support for it if we simply say, ‘You know what, it’s not their fault and so they should be able to do whatever they want,’ because that’s a losing political strategy,” he said. FORMER OBAMA OFFICIAL FREAKS OUT AT CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT OVER HER RECORD AMID HOUSING CRISIS DEBATE “That doesn’t mean that we care less about those folks,” he added. “It means if we really care about them, then we got to try to figure out how do we gain majority support and be practical in terms of what we can get through at this moment in time and build on those victories,” he added. Fox News Digital has reached out to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. California has spent billions to combat homelessness. In his State of the State address last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom touted a 9% statewide drop in homelessness. In January, he announced new investments to create more shelters and services. “No one in this country should be without a place to call home. In California, we’re proving there is a solution,” Newsom said in January. “The strategies we’ve put in place are working, and they’re turning this crisis around — but we’re not done. We won’t stop until everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.” Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos told Fox News Digital that the governor agrees with Obama and was working to create a model to combat the problem that should be replicated nationwide. “That’s why Governor Newsom is the first governor in California history to make addressing homelessness a statewide priority,” she said. “He is turning around a crisis that was decades in the making by building supports and systems of care to help people exit homelessness for good.” “That’s also why, for the first time in decades, California saw a 9% decrease in unsheltered homelessness in 2025,” she added. “California is a creating a model that should be replicated nationwide — building more housing, reforming mental health systems, removing encampments, and creating stronger support and accountability.”
Montana governor launches sanctuary crackdown, probes capital city over ICE limits
A western state’s governor and attorney general are launching an investigation into potential violations of a statewide ban on sanctuary cities and sanctuary-jurisdictional policies, pledging zero tolerance for failure to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told Fox News Digital that he and Attorney General Austin Knudsen, both Republicans, will investigate the capital city of Helena under SB 200, which permits civil legal action and enforcement of fines against jurisdictions found in violation. “In Montana, we don’t tolerate defiance and we support our law enforcement officers,” Gianforte told Fox News Digital. DEM GOVERNOR IN DEEP-RED STATE CALLS FOR ICE PULLOUT, TRIGGERING CLASH OVER ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY “While the attorney general’s initial investigation will focus on the city of Helena, we’re really sending a message to all local governments across the state: If you are found to be in violation of state law, there will be penalties.” In response to Helena City Commissioners’ vote to prevent local coordination with federal immigration enforcement, Gianforte and Knudsen announced the decision will be investigated as a potential violation of the sanctuary city ban originally authored by state Rep. Kenneth Holmlund, R-Miles City. Gianforte said he has “serious concerns” about the resolution’s compliance with state law and said that under the sanctuary city ban, no state or local agency may refuse to cooperate with DHS. THIS IS HOW TRUMP CAN BREAK DEFIANT SANCTUARY CITIES In a letter to Knudsen formally requesting his office’s cooperation, Gianforte laid out how “securing the border has been a top priority of President Donald J. Trump after the previous administration let nearly 11 million illegal immigrants enter freely into the United States under their watch.” He referenced Trump’s mass deportation efforts and said that it is unfortunate to see “recent events” elsewhere in the U.S. that have put immigration agents in danger. In that regard, he described a recent Helena City Council vote as ordering local officers not to get involved in actions to assist other agencies nor to detain or stop a person based on suspicion of immigration law or status infractions. JD VANCE, ICE FLIP SCRIPT ON SANCTUARY CITY LEADERS AS ‘CHAOS’ ERUPTS ACROSS MN: ‘THIS IS DANGEROUS’ “This resolution is clearly designed to obstruct federal law enforcement operations,” Gianforte said. Knudsen told the Flathead Beacon that Helena appears to be “thumbing its nose to the Montana Legislature” and must understand it does not make state law. “I encourage [the city] to retain counsel [and] get a lobbyist…” he said in part. A spokeswoman for the city of Helena told Fox News Digital it had not received any formal communication on the matter from Gianforte, and added that “as a general practice, the City does not provide comment on pending or potential litigation matters.” “[Helena’s] resolution was drafted with careful consideration of applicable local, state, and federal law, and the City believes the resolution is consistent with those legal requirements,” she said. “The City remains committed to upholding all applicable federal and state laws. Knudsen’s office signaled it is only officially looking at Helena, but local reports also pointed to concerns about Missoula — the state’s second-largest behind Billings. A spokesperson for Missoula told the Montana Free Press it has never been and is not currently a sanctuary city, while adding that its police officers do not inquire about immigration status in public interactions.
‘At some point, you age out’: Obama urges Democrats to pass torch to younger candidates
Former President Barack Obama says the Democratic Party needs to elevate a younger generation of candidates if it wants to win at the ballot box in the 2026 midterm elections and beyond. Obama, who was 47-years-old when first elected president in 2008, is warning that older politicians can “age out” and lose a crucial connection to a younger electorate. “I’m not making a hard and fast rule here, but I do think that Democrats do well when we have candidates who are plugged into the moment, to the zeitgeist, to the times and the particular struggles that folks are thinking about as they look towards the future, rather than look backward toward the past,” Obama said in an interview with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen that was published this weekend. 87-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER FACES PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM YOUNGER RIVAL There’s been plenty of discontent this decade among younger Democrats with some of their party’s aging politicians who have resisted bowing out and passing the torch. NEW DEMOCRATIC GROUP PUSHES FRESH FACES AS PARTY’S BRAND SINKS TO HISTORIC LOWS That sentiment was amplified by former President Joe Biden’s decision to run for re-election in 2024 before dropping out of the race amid serious questions about the then-81-year-old president’s physical and mental acuity after a disastrous debate with now-President Donald Trump. “I’m a pretty healthy 64, feel great, but the truth is, half of the references that my daughters make about social media, TikTok and such, I don’t know who they’re talking about,” Obama said in the interview. “There is an element of, at some point, you age out. You’re not connected directly to the immediate struggles that folks are going through.” Younger Democrats primary challenging older incumbents is grabbing attention in this year’s midterm elections. AS CONGRESS GROWS OLDER, DEBATE HEATS UP OVER WHEN TO STEP ASIDE Myla Rahman is aiming to use Rep. Maxine Waters‘ 35 years in Congress as political ammunition as she challenges the longtime Democratic congresswoman. The nonprofit executive, Los Angeles native and cancer survivor, who is 34 years younger than the 87-year-old lawmaker, highlighted generational change as she launched a primary challenge last week against Waters. “People are sick and tired of the same old thing,” Rahman told the California Post in an interview. Waters, who has been in Congress since 1991, hasn’t faced a serious primary challenge in over a decade in California’s solidly-blue 43rd District, which is anchored in South Los Angeles. Waters isn’t the only long-serving House Democrat from California facing challenges from younger rivals. So are Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman and Mike Thompson. In Massachusetts, 47-year-old Rep. Seth Moulton is spotlighting the generational argument as he tries to oust 79-year-old Sen. Ed Markey in the Democratic primary. Former South Carolina governor and former ambassador Nikki Haley made plenty of headlines during her 2024 bid for the Republican presidential nomination when she proposed mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over age 75, which would have included the now 79-year-old Trump. Trump ended up winning the 2024 election, defeating then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who was 18-years younger than her rival for the White House. And Trump’s victory was fueled in part by a better-than-expected performance among younger voters. Obama said he’s hoping to energize younger voters through his presidential center, which is scheduled to open later this year in Chicago. “That spirit, that energy, it’s out there, and you can feel it, but it’s bottled up,” he said. “We haven’t given enough outlets for young people to figure out, ‘How do I become a part of that?’ That’s this enormous, untapped power that we have to get back to.”
Schumer pushes bill to give Pride flag same status as US, military flags
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is making a push to have the Pride flag considered on the same level as the U.S. flag in the eyes of the federal government. Schumer announced plans to introduce legislation that would make the flag, a symbol of the LGBTQ movement, a congressionally authorized flag. The distinction would enshrine the flag with similar protections as the U.S. flag, military flags, POW/MIA flags and others recognized by Congress. His move comes after the Trump administration removed a Pride flag from a national monument outside the Stonewall Inn earlier this month. A clash between police and patrons at a gay bar in the 1960s is widely considered the birth of the gay rights movement. TRUMP ADMIN RIPS MAMDANI, LOCAL DEMS AS ACTIVISTS OVERRIDE GOV’T MOVE AT NYC MONUMENT: ‘FOCUSED ON THEATRICS’ “Stonewall is sacred ground and Congress must act now to permanently protect the Pride flag and what it stands for,” Schumer said. “Trump’s hateful crusade must end.” The flag has since been reinstalled atop the pole outside the Stonewall Inn, and Schumer’s legislative push would prevent it from being taken down in the future. President Donald Trump has not explicitly targeted the Pride flag but previously signed an executive order restricting what types of flags may be displayed on federal property to ensure only the U.S. flag is prominently flown. SCHUMER SAYS DEMS WILL FIGHT VOTER ID PUSH ‘TOOTH AND NAIL,’ BALKS AT DHS ROLE IN ELECTIONS The Pride flag was taken down from the monument following an internal memo from the Department of the Interior ordering “non-agency” flags at national parks be removed. The directive, signed by National Park Service Acting Director Jessica Bowron in late January, included certain exceptions to the rule, including historical flags, military flags and federally recognized flags from tribal nations. COLLINS BOOSTS REPUBLICAN VOTER ID EFFORT, BUT WON’T SCRAP FILIBUSTER The Stonewall National Monument, first designated by former President Barack Obama in 2016, falls under the agency’s supervision. The Pride flag atop a large flagpole outside the famous gay bar did not fall under the list of protected flags and pennants. “The very core of American identity is liberty and justice for all — and that is what this legislation would protect: each national park’s ability to make its own decision about what flag can be flown,” Schumer said. “Attempts to hurt New York and the LGBTQ community simply won’t fly, but the Stonewall Pride flag always will.”
ICE assaults spike 1,500% as Dems draw ‘hard red line’ to unmask agents in DHS battle
Senior Trump administration officials defended the use of masks and other facial coverings by federal immigration enforcement officers, citing a sharp increase in assaults and violent threats against agents amid the administration’s hard-line immigration crackdown. White House border czar Tom Homan on Sunday defended the use of masks and other facial coverings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as necessary to protect agents from a rise in assaults and violent threats reported by the Department of Homeland Security. “I don’t like the masks, either,” Homan said in an interview Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” Still, he said, “these men and women have to protect themselves.” His remarks come as Democrats in Congress have sharply criticized ICE agents’ actions in recent months, including the deployment of officers to major U.S. cities — Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis — as part of Trump’s broader immigration enforcement effort. MINNESOTA DRAGS TRUMP’S ICE TO COURT IN EFFORT TO PAUSE IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged Republicans earlier this month to order the unmasking of ICE agents, describing the step as one of many “guardrails” needed to protect the public and earn their support in resolving the DHS shutdown. Jeffries last week told reporters in the Capitol that unmasking federal agents is a “hard red line” for Democrats as Congress debated funding for DHS and ultimately failed to come to an agreement, the Associated Press reported. The Trump administration has cited concerns about the number and severity of threats against ICE officers and has vowed to aggressively prosecute individuals who target agents or solicit violence. Homan pointed to DHS reports from January citing a 1,500% increase in assaults against ICE personnel. Violent threats against ICE officers have also soared by a staggering 8,000%, according to data shared by the Department of Homeland Security in October. The release from DHS ticked through a number of violent threats that have been made against ICE personnel and their family members, including a voicemail left for the spouse of a Texas-based immigration officer. “I don’t know how you let your husband work for ICE, and you sleep at night … I hope your kids get deported by accident,” the voicemail said. “How do you sleep? …. Did you hear what happened to the Nazis after World War II? Because it’s what’s going to happen to your family.” MINNESOTA AG KEITH ELLISON DENIES DON LEMON, ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS VIOLATED FACE ACT AS DOJ MULLS CHARGES “From bounties placed on their heads for their murders, threats to their families, stalking, and doxxing online, our officers are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence and threats against them and their families,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement at the time. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the time frames it used to measure the 1,500% and 8,000% increases in assaults and threats, respectively. The Justice Department has vowed to aggressively prosecute individuals found to be targeting immigration officers or soliciting violent behavior. Federal prosecutors in October announced the arrest of Eduardo Aguilar, an illegal immigrant living in Dallas, for allegedly posting TikTok videos soliciting individuals to “murder ICE agents,” according to a copy of the federal criminal complaint reviewed by Fox News Digital. Aguilar also allegedly offered a reward of $10,000 “for each ICE agent,” according to information shared by the Justice Department. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison. GOP SEN. CASSIDY BREAKS WITH TRUMP OVER DEADLY SHOOTING BY BORDER PATROL AGENT IN MINNEAPOLIS Months earlier, Alan W. Filion, a California teenager, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for allegedly placing 375 “swatting,” hoaxing, or doxxing calls that involved ICE and other federal officers. Fillon’s “serial doxxing” campaign involved falsely reported bomb threats or imminent mass shootings at public schools and religious institutions across the country, according to the Justice Department — prompting an emergency response from myriad federal agencies and first responders, and diverting their ability to respond to real crises. The Justice Department has cited Fillon’s case as a benchmark of sorts for how it will prosecute other individuals found to be weaponizing law enforcement response systems. The remarks come as Democrats continued to assail ICE as the DHS funding shutdown drags on. Schumer blasted ICE on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday as “rogue” forces that appear almost “trained to be nasty and mean and cruel, and go way beyond what ordinary police departments do.” “They need to be reined in, and they need to stop the violence,” Schumer added.