Zelenskyy moves to ‘clean up’ Ukraine’s energy sector as corruption scandal rocks leadership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced new efforts to “clean up” the nation’s energy sector amid a corruption scandal and near-constant attacks from Russia. Zelenskyy met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Sunday morning, saying he called on lawmakers to revamp the leadership at the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate and the State Energy Supervision Inspectorate, in addition to other efforts to expunge Russian influence in the sector. “In full coordination with law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies, ensure the renewal of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency and to promptly complete the competition for the position of Head of ARMA so that the new Head of the Agency can be selected by the end of this year,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. He further called on lawmakers to “promptly conduct an audit and prepare for sale the assets and shares in assets that belonged to Russian entities and to collaborators who fled to Russia. All such assets must operate one hundred percent in Ukraine’s interests – to support our defense and to contribute to Ukraine’s budget.” TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STAYS SILENT AS MASSIVE UKRAINE CORRUPTION SCANDAL ROCKS ZELENSKYY’S INNER CIRCLE The new energy initiative also comes after a former associate of Zelenskyy’s was accused of being the mastermind behind a $100 million embezzlement scheme involving nuclear energy. Tymur Mindich, who was once Zelenskyy’s business partner, was identified by Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs as being the orchestrator of a scheme involving top officials and Ukraine’s state nuclear power company. Prior to the scandal, some feared Mindich’s growing influence over Ukraine’s lucrative industries that he had access to because of his ties to Zelenskyy. Mindich allegedly exerted control over loyalists who then pressured contractors for Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear power company, demanding kickbacks to bypass bureaucratic obstacles. The requested kickbacks were reportedly as high as 15%. Zelenskyy himself was not implicated in the investigation. FORMER ZELENSKYY ASSOCIATE ACCUSED IN $100 MILLION EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEME The new effort comes as Zelenskyy says that his team is “working to ensure another start to negotiations” on ending the war with Russia. “We are also counting on the resumption of POW exchanges – many meetings, negotiations, and calls are currently taking place to ensure this. I thank everyone who is helping. Thank you to everybody who stands with Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote. Ukraine’s president further said that he is preparing for a full week of diplomacy with Greece, France and Spain, as well as renewed negotiations over prisoner of war exchanges with Russia. Zelenskyy will meet with officials in Greece on Sunday to discuss natural gas imports, while talks with France on Monday and Spain on Tuesday will center on bolstering Ukrainian air defenses. Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Skies at stake: Inside the US-China race for air dominance
From new stealth bombers to AI-enabled drones, the U.S. and China are reshaping airpower for a Pacific showdown – each betting its technology can keep the other out of the skies. The U.S. is charging ahead with its next-generation F-47 fighter, while China scrambles to catch up with jets designed to match the F-35 and F-22. After a brief program pause in 2024, the Air Force awarded Boeing the contract in March for the F-47, a manned sixth-generation fighter meant to anchor America’s next air superiority fleet. The first flight is expected in 2028. At the same time, the B-21 Raider, the stealth successor to the B-2, is deep into testing at Edwards Air Force Base. The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 Raiders – each built to survive inside heavily defended Chinese airspace. The Pentagon is also betting on Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCAs – drones designed to fly alongside fighters as “loyal wingmen.” Prototypes from Anduril and General Atomics are already in the air. Officials say CCAs will let one pilot control several drones at once. China outpaces the rest of the world in the commercial drone market, but that doesn’t necessarily give it the advantage from a military perspective. “I’m not sure that’s really true. In terms of high-end military drones that are really important to this fight, the U.S. still has a pretty significant edge.” said Eric Heginbotham, a research scientist at MIT’s Center for International Studies. He pointed to the Air Force’s stealth reconnaissance platforms – the RQ-170 and RQ-180 – and upcoming “loyal wingman” drones designed to fly with fighters as proof that the U.S. still leads in advanced integration and stealth technology. HIGH STAKES ON THE HIGH SEAS AS US, CHINA TEST LIMITS OF MILITARY POWER China’s airpower modernization has accelerated as the U.S. reshapes its force. Beijing has zeroed in on three priorities – stealth, engines and carriers – the areas that long held its military back. The Chengdu J-20, China’s flagship stealth fighter, is being fitted with the new WS-15 engine, a home-built powerplant meant to rival U.S. engines. “It took them a while to get out of the blocks on fifth generation, especially to get performance anywhere near where U.S. fifth gen was,” Heginbotham said. “The J-20 really does not have a lot of the performance features that even the F-22 does, and we’ve had the F-22 for a long time.” Meanwhile, China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, was commissioned this fall – the first with electromagnetic catapults similar to U.S. Ford-class carriers. The move signals Beijing’s ambition to launch stealth jets from sea and project power well beyond its coast. Together, the J-20, the carrier-based J-35, and the Fujian give China a layered airpower network – stealth jets on land and at sea backed by growing missile coverage. Chinese military writings identify airfields as critical vulnerabilities. PLA campaign manuals call for striking runways early in a conflict to paralyze enemy air operations before they can begin. Analysts believe a few days of concentrated missile fire could cripple U.S. bases across Japan, Okinawa and Guam. “The U.S. bases that are forward deployed – particularly on Okinawa, but also on the Japanese mainland and on Guam – are exposed to Chinese missile attack,” said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “In our war games, the Chinese would periodically sweep these air bases with missiles and destroy dozens, in some cases even hundreds, of U.S. aircraft.” Heginbotham said that missile-heavy strategy grew directly out of China’s early airpower weakness. “They didn’t think that they could gain air superiority in a straight-up air-to-air fight,” he said. “So you need another way to get missiles out – and that another way is by building a lot of ground launchers.” The two militaries are taking different paths to the same target: air dominance over the Pacific. The U.S. approach relies on smaller numbers of highly advanced aircraft linked by sensors and artificial intelligence. The goal: strike first, from long range, and survive in contested skies. China’s model depends on volume – mass-producing fighters, missiles, and carrier sorties to overwhelm U.S. defenses and logistics. “U.S. fighter aircraft – F-35s, F-15s, F-22s – are relatively short-legged, so they have to get close to Taiwan if they’re going to be part of the fight,” Cancian said. “They can’t fight from Guam, and they certainly can’t fight from further away. So if they’re going to fight, they have to be inside that Chinese defensive bubble.” Both sides face the same challenge: surviving inside that bubble. China’s expanding missile range is pushing U.S. aircraft farther from the fight, while American bombers and drones are designed to break back in. Heginbotham said survivability – not dogfighting – will define the next decade of air competition. “We keep talking about aircraft as if it’s going to be like World War II – they go up, they fight each other. That’s not really our problem,” he said. “Our problem is the air bases themselves and the fact that aircraft can be destroyed on the air base.” US NAVY SEA HAWK HELICOPTER, F/A-18F SUPER HORNET FIGHTER JET GO DOWN IN SEPARATE SOUTH CHINA SEA INCIDENTS China, he warned, is preparing for that reality while the U.S. is not. “They practice runway strikes in exercises, they’re modeling this stuff constantly,” Heginbotham said. “Unlike the United States, China is hardening its air bases. The U.S. is criminally negligent in its refusal to harden its air bases.” Cancian’s war-game findings echo that vulnerability. He said U.S. surface ships and aircraft would likely have to fall back under missile fire in the opening days of a conflict. “At the initial stages of a conflict, China would have a distinct advantage,” Cancian said. “Now, over time, the U.S. would be able to reinforce its forces, and that would change.” The Pentagon’s fiscal 2026–27 budget will determine how fast the U.S. can build out its F-47s,
Michelle Obama says America ‘not ready’ for woman president: ‘We saw in this past election’
Former first lady Michelle Obama said Americans are “not ready” to elect a woman to the White House, citing former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential election loss to President Donald Trump. Obama made the comments to a crowd of women at the Brooklyn Academy of Music while promoting her new book, “The Look.” “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” she said on Friday. MICHELLE OBAMA RELEASING STYLE BOOK AFTER LOOKS ‘CONSTANTLY DISSECTED’ IN WHITE HOUSE “That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not,” she continued. The former first lady went on to say that she does not believe men in America are comfortable with a woman leading them. “You know, we’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it,” Obama said. HARRIS REVEALS CRUDE HYPOTHETICALS ON ABORTION, VIAGRA REHEARSED BEFORE TRUMP DEBATE In her book, which was released on Nov. 4, Obama touches on her journey with fashion, hair and beauty, as well as her time in the White House as the first Black woman to serve as first lady. She wrote that women in politics are often judged based on their physical appearance instead of their ability to lead. “During our family’s time in the White House, the way I looked was constantly being dissected — what I wore, how my hair was styled. For a while now, I’ve been wanting to reclaim more of that story, to share it in my own way. I’m thankful to be at a stage in life where I feel comfortable expressing myself freely — wearing what I love and doing what feels true to me. And I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned along the way,” Obama wrote on Facebook in June while promoting her book ahead of its release. “‘The Look’ is about more than fashion. It’s about confidence. It’s about identity. It’s about the power of authenticity. My hope is that this book sparks conversation and reflection about the ways we see ourselves — and the way our society defines beauty,” she added.
Laura Loomer teases Georgia move after President Trump says he wants Marjorie Taylor Greene primaried
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer set off a fresh wave of speculation Saturday by openly teasing a possible move to Georgia after President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a blistering late-night Truth Social post. Loomer, a staunch Trump ally with roughly 1.8 million followers on X, posted that the president told her he wanted Greene “primaried,” then asked her audience a pointed question. “Should I move to Georgia?” she asked. Her post, paired with Trump’s Truth Social message calling Greene a “ranting lunatic,” immediately triggered questions about whether Loomer is positioning herself as a potential challenger in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. TRUMP DROPS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ENDORSEMENT, CALLS HER A ‘RANTING LUNATIC,’ HINTS AT BACKING PRIMARY RIVAL Greene has not responded to Loomer’s posts. Loomer and Greene have publicly attacked each other throughout the year, with their exchanges escalating sharply since summer. In August, the two clashed over Loomer’s criticism of Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg, sparking a days-long volley of insults. Saturday’s posts show Loomer revisiting and escalating those accusations. She described Greene as “no friend to MAGA,” accused her of disloyalty dating back to 2021 and brought up claims about Greene’s political alliances during the 2022 midterms. TRUMP GIVES EX-ALLY GREENE NEW NICKNAME AFTER DROPPED ENDORSEMENT, SAYS SHE BETRAYED ‘ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY’ Several of Loomer’s follow-up posts Saturday referenced Greene receiving public support from Democrats, adding fuel to an already volatile public feud. Trump’s public break with Greene, which he delivered in a lengthy statement late Friday, removed one of the Georgia Republican’s most valuable political assets, the president’s personal endorsement. In his post, Trump said Greene had become consumed with “complaining,” claimed she had “turned left” politically and said conservative voters in Georgia were already considering a primary challenge. He added that he would give “Complete and Unyielding Support” to the “right person” who enters the race. Trump did not name any potential challengers. While Loomer has not announced a campaign, her suggestion of a possible move to Georgia came within hours of Trump’s statement and quickly fueled speculation online that she could test the waters. If Loomer relocates and enters the 2026 primary, it would pit two highly visible right-wing firebrands against each other in one of the most closely watched House districts in the country. Georgia’s 14th District remains deeply conservative, meaning the primary is typically the decisive contest. A high-profile rivalry amplified by Trump’s public intervention would almost certainly attract national attention, campaign money and intense media coverage. For now, Loomer has offered no formal announcement, only the question.
Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman denies viewing pornography on flight after viral photos surface online
Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman is firing back after photos went viral appearing to show him viewing explicit images on a tablet while aboard a flight, prompting swift online backlash. Images posted to X Friday appeared to show the California congressman, 71, staring at a tablet with his mouth agape while scrolling through photos of women in their underwear. “Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today?” one X post said. JAY JONES MURDER TEXTS LATEST CASE OF DEMOCRATS CIRCLING THE SCANDAL WAGONS The post had amassed 12.4 million views as of Saturday evening. Sherman denied the allegations, and a spokesperson for the congressman told Fox News Digital the pictures appeared because of his algorithm on X, formerly Twitter. “This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter, and, unfortunately, Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don’t ask for or subscribe to,” a spokesperson for Sherman told Fox News Digital in an email. Sherman similarly told Punchbowl News the images appeared on his X feed under the “For You” section of X, a page that shows recommended content. “This was on Twitter. These pictures came up on ‘For You’,” Sherman told Punchbowl News, adding he viewed a variety of posts during his cross-country flight. “If you have to fly across the country, you look at a lot of stuff on your tablet,” he said. FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: MAJOR PENTAGON CONTRACTOR EXECUTIVE CAUGHT IN CHILD SEX STING OPERATION “If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah.” When asked whether he thought the content was appropriate to view on a plane, Sherman told Punchbowl News, “Is it pornography? I don’t think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No.” The images quickly drew widespread reactions across social media. Donald Trump Jr. responded to the viral post with, “Yikes!!!!” EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS RAISE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP CONDUCT AS HE DENOUNCES DEMOCRATS Firing back at Donald Trump Jr., Sherman posted an edited version of the photo showing his iPad screen replaced with the words, “Release the Epstein files.” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also weighed in, writing, “I don’t want to hear a single peep from anyone in/around Congress, or the media, [about] how I stroll through an airport ever again.” Mace recently demanded the resignation of Charleston Airport CEO Elliot Summey and threatened legal action after airport officials accused her of mistreating staff. X did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Border czar Tom Homan slams Catholic Church, says a ‘secure border saves lives’
Border czar Tom Homan slammed the Catholic Church on Friday, saying its opposition to mass deportations undermines U.S. law enforcement and costs lives. “The Catholic Church is wrong,” Homan said. “I’m sorry. I’m a lifelong Catholic. I’m saying it not only as a border czar — I’ll say it as a Catholic. They need to spend time fixing the Catholic Church, in my opinion.” Homan made the remarks at the White House when asked about the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which this week condemned President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and warned of “a climate of fear and anxiety” around immigration enforcement, according to Reuters. HOMAN BLASTS CRITICS, HAILS BORDER PATROL CHIEF GREG BOVINO AS ‘PATRIOT’ AFTER FIERY CHICAGO TEAR GAS HEARING The bishops’ statement followed recent comments from Pope Leo, who called for “deep reflection” on how migrants are being treated under Trump, whose administration has aggressively carried out mass deportations, according to Reuters. Homan urged the Church to “fix itself” before criticizing U.S. immigration policy and accused faith leaders of hypocrisy, noting that the Vatican imposes harsh penalties for trespassing on its grounds. “So, according to them, the message we should send to the whole world is that if you cross the border illegally, which is a crime, don’t worry about it,” Homan said. TOM HOMAN CALLS OUT ‘MORNING JOE’ HOST FOR ACCUSING ICE AGENTS OF DISAPPEARING PEOPLE “If you get ordered removed by a federal judge after due process, don’t worry about us, because there should not be mass deportations. Is that the message you send to the whole world?” Homan said the Trump administration’s immigration policy “saves lives” and is more humane than the Biden administration’s approach. He argued that desperate migrants often rely on violent cartels to smuggle them across the border in hazardous conditions, claiming that more than 4,000 migrants died during those journeys, while thousands of Americans died from fentanyl smuggled across the border. “Secure border saves lives. I wish the Catholic Church would understand that,” Homan said. “We have a right to secure our borders, just like they have a right to secure their facility. You can’t enter their facility without getting arrested. The penalties for entering their facility are much worse than ours.” Homan added that the U.S. has “the most secure border in the history of this nation” because of strict enforcement under ICE.
Sen. Fetterman shares graphic photo after heart rhythm scare, says doctors ‘put me back together’
Sen. John Fetterman shared a graphic recovery photo Saturday, two days after a fall near his Pennsylvania home sent him to a Pittsburgh hospital with a facial injury caused by a ventricular fibrillation flare-up. Fetterman, D-Pa., posted the close-up selfie on X Saturday, showing a stitched gash across his cheek as he held an iced coffee. “Twenty stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home,” he wrote, thanking doctors at UPMC for “putting me back together” and supporters for their well-wishes. He posted the image just two days after he was hospitalized early Thursday. FETTERMAN’S BRUTALLY CANDID ACCOUNT OF BATTLING DEPRESSION, FEELING SUICIDAL, BEING THROWN OUT OF HIS HOUSE A spokesperson said the senator was out for a morning walk near his home in Braddock when he suddenly became light-headed, collapsed and struck his face. Doctors later determined the fall was triggered by a flare-up of ventricular fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm that can cause dizziness or sudden loss of balance. Fetterman remained at UPMC for observation and medication adjustments before being discharged and returning home. His office said he is “doing well” and recuperating with his wife, Gisele, and their children. He tried to joke about the incident in a statement Thursday, saying, “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!” FETTERMAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER FALL NEAR HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA The stitched-up selfie quickly spread across social media Saturday, drawing a wave of sympathy, political commentary and fresh attention to Fetterman’s health, something he has addressed openly since suffering a debilitating stroke during his 2022 Senate campaign. Fetterman became one of the most outspoken lawmakers during the ongoing shutdown fight, breaking with most Democrats this week to vote with Republicans to reopen the federal government.
Indiana Senate Republicans reject Trump-backed redistricting push, decline to meet in December
Indiana Senate Republicans are refusing to return for a December redistricting session sought by President Donald Trump, a decision first reported Friday by the Indiana Capital Chronicle and one that marks a notable break from Trump’s political operation as states prepare for the 2026 midterms. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said in a written statement there were not enough votes within the GOP caucus to reopen Indiana’s congressional map, according to the Chronicle. Lawmakers had been expected to reconvene Dec. 1 for what would have been an unusual mid-decade attempt to redraw all nine congressional districts. “Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state’s congressional maps,” Bray said, according to the Chronicle. “There are not enough votes to move that idea forward.” Gov. Mike Braun had called for lawmakers to meet in November to take up redistricting and argued that Republicans should add additional GOP-leaning districts before Democrats in other states complete their own mapping changes. TRUMP-BACKED MAP VICTORY IN MISSOURI COULD TRIGGER REDISTRICTING BATTLES IN THESE STATES He urged lawmakers to “show up and do the right thing,” according to a statement released by his office. Indiana’s current map, drawn by Republicans in 2021, gives the GOP a 7-2 congressional advantage. Redistricting supporters had wanted lawmakers to craft a map in which all nine districts favored Republicans based on 2020 Census data. The push came after months of pressure from Trump allies, including strategist Marty Obst, who now leads the group Fair Maps Indiana. Obst told the Chronicle that Bray “blocked the special session” and warned that “decisions have consequences.” JUDGE SET TO CHOOSE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP IN FIGHT THAT COULD RESHAPE HOUSE CONTROL Eight Republican state senators had publicly opposed redistricting, while 13 had expressed support, the Chronicle reported. Undecided senators were targeted with a wave of television, digital and mail advertising campaigns from pro-redistricting groups. Democrats quickly praised Bray’s announcement. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder said in a statement to the Chronicle that “Washington insiders pressured the governor to rig Indiana’s congressional maps,” calling the collapse of the effort a “win for all of us.” Public polling cited by the Chronicle suggested that Indiana voters also leaned against revisiting the maps. University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson told the Chronicle that surveys indicated roughly a 2-to-1 margin opposing a mid-decade redraw. Turning down Trump’s request makes Indiana the first Republican-led state to formally reject his redistricting push. The president has encouraged similar efforts in several states, with varying results. Some of the effort’s loudest supporters signaled they would continue pressing the issue. State Sen. Liz Brown called the move “cowardly” on social media, according to screenshots published by the Chronicle, and vowed to raise redistricting again when lawmakers return for Organization Day next week. The White House, Bray’s office and Braun’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump issues fresh pardons for Jan 6 defendants, including woman accused of threatening FBI on social media
President Donald Trump has granted fresh pardons to two Jan. 6 defendants facing charges on other issues. Suzanne Kaye, a Jan. 6 defendant, was also sentenced to 18 months in prison for allegedly threatening to shoot FBI agents in social media posts. The Biden administration’s Department of Justice stated that on Jan. 31, 2021, the day before Kaye was set to meet with FBI agents regarding a tip that she was at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, she posted videos on social media in which she said she would “shoot” FBI agents if they came to her house. The FBI learned of Kaye’s social media posts on Feb. 8, 2021, and arrested Kaye at her Florida home on Feb. 17, 2021. A White House official told Fox News Digital that Kaye is prone to stress-induced seizures and suffered one while the jury read its verdict in 2023. The official said that the case was one of disfavored political speech, which is protected under the First Amendment. TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY U.S. Special Attorney Ed Martin posted about the pardon on Saturday, thanking Trump in a post on X. “The Biden DOJ targeted Suzanne Kaye for social media posts — and she was sentenced to 18 months in federal lock up. President Trump is unwinding the damage done by Biden’s DOJ weaponization, so the healing can begin,” Martin wrote. Jan. 6 defendant Daniel Wilson remained incarcerated after Trump pardoned convicted rioters, because he had pleaded guilty to firearms charges. A White House official told Fox News Digital that the president made the decision to grant Wilson an additional pardon because the firearms were discovered during a search of Wilson’s home related to the Capitol riot. Despite being included in the sweeping pardon granted to Jan. 6 defendants by Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, Wilson remained incarcerated due to the firearms charge and was set to be released in 2028. Prior to his sentencing on Jan. 6-related charges, for which he received five years in prison, Wilson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of an unregistered firearm. While the Trump administration Justice Department initially said that the firearm charge should not count under the Jan. 6 pardon, it later reversed course, citing “further clarity,” without going into details about what caused the shift. TRUMP ISSUES SWEEPING PARDONS FOR 2020 ELECTION ALLIES — WHAT THE MOVE REALLY MEANS In his original pardon, Trump declared that pursuant to his authority under Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution, he was commuting the sentences of those “convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.” That pardon included Wilson’s Jan. 6 charges, but not the firearms-related ones. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee involved in Wilson’s case, rejected the expanded definition of what exactly Trump was pardoning, saying it stretched the bounds of the order too far. In her opinion, Friedrich criticized the use of the phrase “related to” from Trump’s original pardon to expand its meaning. “The surrounding text of the pardon makes clear that ‘related to’ denotes a specific factual relationship between the conduct underlying a given offense and what took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021,” Friedrich wrote in her opinion. An appeals court later supported her objections, saying that Wilson had to remain behind bars during the appeal process. Wilson previously identified himself as a member of the Oath Keepers and the Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers militia, according to Politico. “Dan Wilson is a good man. After more than 7 months of unjustified imprisonment, he is relieved to be home with his loved ones,” Wilson’s attorneys, George Pallas and Carol Stewart, told Politico in a statement. “This act of mercy not only restores his freedom but also shines a light on the overreach that has divided this nation.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Justice and Wilson’s legal team for comment.
Trump ends shutdown, faces backlash and makes surprise Epstein move amid chaotic week
The 42nd week of his second administration was another busy one for President Donald Trump. This week, Trump signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in history, backed using H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, announced plans to order the Justice Department to evaluate ties between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and other U.S. figures and issued pardons to those accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election. Here’s a look at what happened. On Wednesday evening, Trump signed legislation that the House and Senate passed earlier in the week to fund the government again as consequences of the lapse in funding started to mount, such as missed paychecks for federal workers and airline delays due to air traffic controller staffing shortages. TRUMP CANCELS $4.9B FOREIGN AID, PUSHES DC DEATH PENALTY, TOUTS KIM TIES The bill maintains funding for the government consistent with fiscal year 2025 spending levels through Jan. 30 to provide a window for lawmakers to nail down a longer appropriations measure for fiscal year 2026. The measure also allocates spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which more than 42 million Americans rely on, through September. The program supports non- or low-income individuals or families to purchase groceries with a debit card. Additionally, the measure reverses layoffs the Trump administration set into motion earlier in October and pays employees for their absence. Trump also conducted a sit-down interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that aired Monday and Tuesday, in which he said bringing foreign workers to the U.S. on H-1B visas is important to “bring in talent” to the U.S. After Ingraham claimed that the U.S. has talent at home, Trump disagreed. “No, you don’t. No, you don’t. You don’t have, you don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn,” Trump said. “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m gonna put you into a factory where we’re gonna make missiles.’” LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN HISTORY NEARS LIKELY END AS HOUSE MOVES ON FUNDING BILL H-1B visas permit U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers for up to six years. It’s an issue that has remained controversial among MAGA supporters. Those who back the program claim it is critical to U.S. competitiveness, but opponents say that the visa holders are taking away jobs from Americans. Trump’s statements earned him criticism from those who make up his base. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., rebuked Trump’s statements afterward and said that she is “America First and America Only.” “I believe in the American people,” Greene said. “I am one of you. I believe you are good, talented, creative, intelligent, hardworking, and want to achieve. I am solidly against you being replaced by foreign labor, like with H1Bs.” TRUMP SIGNS BILL ENDING LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN US HISTORY In response to the criticism, the White House pointed to the Trump administration’s announcement in September that would require a $100,000 annual fee for companies seeking to obtain an H-1B visa. Plus, the White House noted that the Department of Labor launched Project Firewall in September in an attempt to ensure employers don’t abuse the H-1B visa process. Separately, Trump also defended previous statements supporting allowing up to 600,000 Chinese students to come to the U.S. in his interview with Ingraham and asserted they must study in the U.S. so U.S. colleges don’t “go out of business.” Former Trump U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said doing so would be a “massive mistake.” “That would be a huge gift to China and a threat to the United States,” Haley said in a post on X Thursday. Additionally, Trump announced Friday he would order the Justice Department and the FBI to probe financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with others, including former President Bill Clinton and Larry Summers, the former treasury secretary, among others. The announcement came after Democrats and Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released thousands of documents Wednesday related to Epstein, including emails that mention Trump. However, the documents do not allege wrongdoing from Trump and simply show Epstein mentioning him. “This is another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, with all arrows pointing to the Democrats,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. “Records show that these men, and many others, spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his ‘Island.’ Stay tuned!!!” Clinton has denied that he ever visited Epstein’s island and wrote in his 2024 memoir, “Citizen,” that he wished they’d never met. A spokesperson for Summers did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Late Sunday, the Trump administration announced the president had issued pardons for more than 70 people accused of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results. But presidential pardons only apply to federal charges, and those involved don’t have any federal charges leveled against them, meaning the move is primarily a symbolic gesture. Those pardoned include Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and the president’s former personal lawyer who claimed that the 2020 election was “stolen” from Trump. Giuliani is caught up in a case in Arizona in which he faces state charges for election interference for those statements. Other prominent figures pardoned include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell.