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Trump says transgender bathroom debate less important than other issues

US News

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December 12, 2024

Trump says transgender bathroom debate less important than other issues

President-elect Donald Trump said there were more important issues at stake than the transgender bathroom debate when pressed on the subject for his Time Person of the Year profile.

“I don’t want to get into the bathroom issue,” Trump said. “Because it’s a very small number of people we’re talking about, and it’s ripped apart our country, so they’ll have to settle whatever the law finally agrees. I am a big believer in the Supreme Court, and I’m going to go by their rulings, and so far, I think their rulings have been rulings that people are going along with, but we’re talking about a very small number of people, and we’re talking about it, and it gets massive coverage, and it’s not a lot of people.”

Trump was asked if he agreed with transgender Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del., who said they should be focused on more important issues than the transgender bathroom debate led by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., that raged in Washington over the last month.

“I do agree with that. On that—absolutely. As I was saying, it’s a small number of people,” Trump said.

President-elect Donald Trump was named Time’s 2024 Person of the Year. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

TRUMP NAMED 2024 PERSON OF THE YEAR AFTER WINNING PRESIDENCY, SURVIVING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS

Trump was specifically asked about an election campaign ad his team ran focused on the message: “Trump is for us and [Kamala] Harris is for they/them.” The ad was widely viewed as effective in making his opponent seem out of the mainstream.

“Well, it’s true, Trump is for us,” Trump responded. “I mean, Trump is definitely for us, okay? And us is the vast, vast majority of people in this country. And also, I want to have all people treated fairly. You know, forget about majority or not majority. I want people to be treated well and fairly.”

Trump also took aim at Harris’ media strategy during the Time interview, suggesting she should have done more interviews. Harris avoided formal interviews at the outset of the campaign and stepped up her media appearances in the closing weeks.

“I think they made a big tactical mistake by literally not talking to the press, even if a really friendly, I mean, and they had almost all friendly, somebody would come up with a really friendly—like you guys, maybe—but a friendly interview, and they turned everybody down,” he said. “They wouldn’t do the basic. And people, including me, would start to say, is there something wrong with her? What’s wrong? Why wouldn’t you do some basic interviews?”

Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor of the event from backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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Time officially named Trump its Person of the Year on Thursday, noting the president-elect’s political comeback and reshaping of the country.

“For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is Time’s 2024 Person of the Year,” the magazine wrote.

“Since he began running for President in 2015, perhaps no single individual has played a larger role in changing the course of politics and history than Trump,” Time wrote. “Trump is once again at the center of the world, and in as strong a position as he has ever been.”

President-elect Donald Trump gestures after speaking during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Trump was also named Person of the Year in 2016, when he first won the presidency.

Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.

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China denies new report linking CCP to four sites in Cuba allegedly used to spy on the US

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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China denies new report linking CCP to four sites in Cuba allegedly used to spy on the US

China is denying a new report linking it to four bases in Cuba that a think tank says allows the CCP to spy on the U.S.

The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a report last week detailing facilities in Cuba that it claims China may be using to gather signal intelligence (SIGINT) on the U.S.

“The cooperation between China and Cuba is aboveboard, not targeting any third party, and does not allow any malicious slander from third parties,” Chinese foreign minister Mao Ning told reporters on Wednesday.

Cuban foreign minister Carlos de Cossio claimed reports of Chinese spying hubs in Cuba originate from “Cuba’s enemies” in the U.S. “as a way of justifying the criminal policy of economic aggression. It is absolutely false.”

CSIS analyzed over a dozen “sites of interest” in Cuba and four stuck out as most likely to be supporting China and its spying ambitions.

“These sites have undergone observable upgrades in recent years, even as Cuba has faced increasingly dire economic prospects that have drawn it closer to China,” the report’s authors said.

Each of the four sites had “observable SIGINT instrumentation,” clear physical security infrastructure and other signs of intelligence collection.

One such station located on a hill overlooking Havana, Bejucal, has been suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence for years. The complex gained notoriety for housing Soviet missiles during the Cuban missile crisis.

REPUBLICANS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO FORCE THROUGH CHINA CRACKDOWNS LEFT OUT OF YEARLY DEFENSE BILL

During the 2016 presidential debates, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., called on Cuba to “[kick] out this Chinese listening station in Bejucal.”

According to CSIS findings, satellite imagery shows that the site was active as of March 2024 and had been for some time. There are at least five entrances to underground facilities at the base, but what the facilities contain could not be discerned by satellite imagery. Antennas dot the ground, including satellite antennas used for intercepting satellite communications.

With Havana situated just 100 miles off the coast of Florida, the site could potentially be used to collect data on U.S. rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

BIDEN FINALIZES CRACKDOWN ON US MILITARY TECH INVESTMENTS IN CHINA WITH ONE WEEK TO LAME DUCK SESSION

(CSIS/Hidden Reach/Maxar 2024)

The U.S. and China are locked in a space race and rocket launches that deliver U.S. satellites to space will likely garner a high level of interest within the CCP.

On another site on the opposite side of the island, east of the city of Santiago de Cuba, a large radio signal finding technology project is under construction, one capable of detecting signals between 3,000 and 8,000 nautical miles away.

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Cuba has a history of allowing U.S. adversaries to use its soil to snoop on U.S. communications. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union operated a SIGINT facility at the Lourdes Signals Intelligence Complex near Havana. That site monitored U.S. satellites and intercepted sensitive military and commercial telecommunications.

In recent decades, the alliance between China and Cuba has grown – and China has provided around $7.8 billion in development financing to the island nation.

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Child killed by drunk immigrant months after he was released from ICE holder

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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Child killed by drunk immigrant months after he was released from ICE holder

Seven-year-old Ivory Smith was killed by Venezuelan migrant Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin in a late-night drunk driving accident in north Houston just two and a half months after ICE released a hold against him, court documents revealed.

Fox 26 Houston reported that court records revealed that Chacin had previously been placed on another ICE hold earlier this year after being arrested for assaulting a family member in June.

The felony assault charge against him ended up being dropped to a misdemeanor and, after pleading guilty, Chacin was sentenced to 113 days in jail, which he had already served, and was released that same day. The ICE detainer against him was also lifted that same day for an unknown reason.

ILLEGAL MIGRANT ALLEGEDLY COMMITS 22 CRIMES IN 6 MONTHS: ‘IT WILL GET WORSE,’ EXPERT SAYS

Joel Gonzalez Chacin, 41, the suspected drunk driver accused of causing the crash that killed her, appeared in court Tuesday morning. (Harris County Constable, Precinct 4)

Fox News Digital reached out to ICE to find out why the detainer against Chacin was lifted and has not yet heard back.

Authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital that the 41-year-old migrant was intoxicated when he T-boned Christina Smith and her daughter Ivory at 2:45 a.m. Police said that Chacin took photographs of the scene of the crash “instead of helping” and then drove off. The two victims were only a few minutes from home.

Smith was severely injured in the wreck but has since been released from the hospital. Chacin was arrested for intoxicated manslaughter and has been put on a new ICE detainer.

Ivory was in second grade. According to a statement released by the family, the mother continues to “endure immense physical and emotional pain” from the accident.

TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBER, ILLEGAL VENEZUELAN MIGRANT, ARRESTED IN HOUSTON

Ivory Smith, 7, was killed, and her mother was critically injured when authorities say a man allegedly driving drunk crashed into their car. (GoFundMe)

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“No parent should have to suffer the unbearable loss of a child, especially under circumstances that could and should have been prevented,” said the family, adding, the incident is a “stark reminder that we need stronger accountability and justice to prevent further suffering for families like ours.”

“Even more troubling is the fact that this individual was released after being detained earlier this year, only to find themselves back in custody after causing irreparable harm,” the family went on. “Why do we have holds in place if they fail to keep dangerous individuals off our streets? … How can a system allow such leniency, where a person with such a record is given a chance to walk free and re-offend?”

Speaking of Ivory, the family said, “Her life, filled with innocence and joy, was taken far too soon due to the reckless actions of an individual who chose to drive under the influence.”

“We will continue to demand answers and advocate for change so that no other family has to endure the pain, loss, and injustice that we are experiencing,” they said. “Ivory’s light and legacy deserve better, and her memory will guide us as we work toward a safer future for all.”

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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‘Despicable’: Immigration activists fume at blue city mayor’s meeting with Trump border czar

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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‘Despicable’: Immigration activists fume at blue city mayor’s meeting with Trump border czar

Immigration activists in New York City on Thursday slammed Mayor Eric Adam’s meeting with incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan, accusing him of “collaborating” with the new administration.

“It’s despicable that Mayor Adams continues to shirk his responsibilities to uphold New York City’s existing policies and values as a sanctuary city by collaborating with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan,” Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement.

Adams will meet with Homan on Thursday afternoon. Adams had said that he wants to sit down with Homan and talk about cooperation on deporting violent criminals specifically. Homan has repeatedly said that public safety threats will be the priority for the expected mass deportation campaign.

TRUMP BORDER CZAR MEETING WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS DESPITE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS

Incoming border czar Tom Homan spoke with Dr. Phil about the Trump administration’s plan to deport illegal migrants. (The Dr. Phil Podcast YouTube channel.)

“I’m not going to be warring with this administration, I’m going to be working with this administration,” Adams said last week. “President Trump is the president-elect. And whomever he chooses to run his agencies. I’m looking forward to sitting down and see how do we better New York.”

“I would like to speak with our border czar and find out what his plans are. Where our common grounds are, we can work together. And I strongly believe, my history is sitting down with those across the aisle with different ways of thinking and sit down and share my ideas,” he said. “I believe I have some ideas that could deal with this issue, and we can reach what the American people have been saying to us: Secure our borders, address the people who are committing violent acts in our country and make sure that … our citizens are going to be safe.”

But he also clarified that otherwise law-abiding immigrants “should not be rounded up in the middle of the night.”

Adams also had a message for critics from the left, telling them to “cancel me.”

‘WE’VE TURNED THE CORNER’: BLUE CITY ANNOUNCES SHUTTERING OF MIGRANT SHELTERS AS NUMBERS DROP

FILE – New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks to reporters after a news conference in New York, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

“Well, cancel me, because I’m going to protect the people of this city, and if you come into this country, in this city, and think you’re going to harm innocent New Yorkers and innocent migrants and asylum seekers, this is not the mayor you want to be in a city under,” he said.

But that has not stopped the criticism from activist groups over the meeting.

“New Yorkers know that under Homan ICE will be used to divide us, cruelly targeting and demonizing immigrants, while making every New Yorker even more unsafe, Awawdeh said. “Too many of us remember the gunfire and street brawl that took place as a result of ICE’s actions in a residential Brooklyn neighborhood, in 2020, which resulted in an immigrant New Yorker being shot in the face.”

“Targeting immigrants for arrests and deportation is destructive and diverts resources away from initiatives that actually promote safety and well-being. Mayor Adams has an obligation to every New York family to maintain our public safety by refusing to participate in ICE’s cruel, politicized immigration agenda.”

“Study after study shows that cities with large immigrant populations are safer than those with fewer immigrants, and places with sanctuary policies have lower crime rates. Adams is clearly prioritizing his own political self-interest over the needs and the public safety of all New Yorkers,” Awawdeh said.

Homan, meanwhile, said last week that he was open to a meeting with Adams.

“I’m willing to meet with him, and I’m willing to meet with anybody to help make their communities safer,” Homan said on “America’s Newsroom” after being contacted by the Adams administration.

“Prioritization out of the gate is public safety threats; work with us on that. It makes your community safer. It keeps my officers safe. It keeps the community safe. Let’s work together and get this done.”

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Adams has taken a tougher approach to illegal immigration than many of his Democratic counterparts, including by suggesting that sanctuary policies be rolled back to allow for the deportation of criminals. Other Democrats have promised to either resist or not assist in deportation operations.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

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Syria’s liberated political prisons reveal grim reality of Bashar Assad’s regime of torture

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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Syria’s liberated political prisons reveal grim reality of Bashar Assad’s regime of torture

Former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brutal regime of imprisonment and torture is on full display this week as victorious rebels dig through the dictator’s now-liberated political prisons.

Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani vowed to dissolve the Assad regime’s remnant security forces as well as close prisons that had been used to house political dissidents.

Thousands of Syrians stormed Assad’s various prison facilities across the country as his regime fell in hopes of releasing their incarcerated friends and family members. Thousands were released alive, but others were found dead and still others remain missing.

U.S. prosecutors named two Syrian officials who they say ran a torture facility at Mezzeh air force base in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The U.S. alleges that their victims included political prisoners, peaceful protesters and a 26-year-old American woman who was later believed to have been executed.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

A torn portrait of Bashir al-Assad is seen inside the Presidential Palace on Dec. 10, 2024 in Damascus, Syria (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images)

The U.S. indictment names Jamil Hassan, director of the Syrian air force’s intelligence branch, who prosecutors say oversaw a prison and torture center at the Mezzeh air force base in the capital, Damascus, and Abdul Salam Mahmoud, who prosecutors say ran the prison.

The most notorious of Assad’s prison facilities was Saydnaya Prison, however, which lies just outside Damascus.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Syrian citizens have flocked to the prison in the days since Assad’s fall on Sunday, breaking open cells and scouring what images reveal to be a labyrinthine prison. While dozens were freed on Sunday, virtually no one has been found since.

Investigators, civilians, and rebels search through Sednaya Prison, hoping to uncover hidden compartments where detainees might still be held. Outside, hundreds of families anxiously wait for news of their missing or disappeared loved ones, clinging to the hope of a reunion. More than 30,000 people were killed over decades in the “human slaughterhouse” outside Damascus, where the regime sought to suppress dissent by execution. (Sandro BasiliAbaca/Sipa via AP Images)

“Where is everyone? Where are everyone’s children? Where are they?” said Ghada Assad, breaking down in tears.

Syrians are continuing to search the facility, however, searching for hidden cells as well as documents that might shed light on their family members’ fates.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

“There is not a home, there is not a woman in Syria who didn’t lose a brother, a child or a husband,” said Khairiya Ismail, 54, said of the prison and Assad’s rule.

People inspect documents they found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the “human slaughterhouse,” after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels’ overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

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An estimated 150,000 people were detained or went missing in Syria since 2011. Tens of thousands of them are believed to have gone through Saydnaya, according to the Associated Press.

Amnesty International estimated that there were between 10,000 and 20,000 people being held in the prison as of 2017. The organization also claimed that there were routine mass executions.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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FAA chief Whitaker to step down when Trump takes office

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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FAA chief Whitaker to step down when Trump takes office

Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker will step down when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Whitaker said in a memo to employees on Thursday.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump, in September called for Whitaker’s resignation and harshly criticized the FAA’s decision to impose a $633,000 fine on SpaceX.
The FAA also said Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will step down on Jan. 10, which will mean FAA assistant administrator for finance and management Mark House will be the agency’s senior acting official during the transition.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker, who has overseen the agency’s response to significant safety issues at Boeing since a midair emergency in January, will step down when President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump, in September called for Whitaker’s resignation and harshly criticized the FAA’s decision to impose a $633,000 fine on SpaceX after the agency said the company violated launch license requirements.

Trump has said he plans to oust many officials before their terms expire but had not specified plans for the FAA.

DRONE ACTIVITY NEAR TRUMP BEDMINSTER, ARMY ARSENAL SPURS NJ FLIGHT RESTRICTION: FAA

Whitaker, who was confirmed to a five-year term as FAA administrator in October 2023, will leave his position on Jan 20, the day Trump is inaugurated for his second term in the White House.

“As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger,” Whitaker said in a memo to employees on Thursday.

The FAA also said Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will step down on Jan. 10, which will mean Mark House, the agency’s assistant administrator for finance and management, will be the agency’s senior acting official during the transition.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker.

Michael G. Whitaker, who became FAA Administrator in October 2023, will step down when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Whitaker said in a memo to employees on Dec. 12, 2024. (Federal Aviation Administration)

Whitaker told Reuters last week that he was unsure if he would stay beyond Jan. 20 as conversations with the transition team continued.

His tenure has been consumed with addressing Boeing safety issues after a door panel missing four key bolts flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet at 16,000 feet.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who heads a subcommittee on aviation, said she was saddened about Whitaker’s departure and praised his oversight of Boeing. “I hope the effort he spearheaded on that front will continue,” she said.

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The FAA chief took the unprecedented step of capping Boeing’s production at 38 737 MAX planes per month in January and has insisted the company make dramatic safety improvements before he would restore authority.

Whitaker, who announced another audit of Boeing in October, has said it could take five years for the company to reform its safety culture, but noted the planemaker has deployed a new parts management system and improved training.

He has also dealt with continuing air traffic control staffing issues and a series of near-miss incidents that have raised safety concerns.

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‘Incompetence’: Rep Banks rips West Point as school apologizes for ‘error’ saying Hegseth wasn’t accepted

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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‘Incompetence’: Rep Banks rips West Point as school apologizes for ‘error’ saying Hegseth wasn’t accepted

FIRST ON FOX: The United States Military Academy at West Point is apologizing after an employee mistakenly said Pete Hegseth was not accepted by the historic military college, and now a lawmaker is seeking accountability.

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., accused West Point administrators of trying to “sabotage” Hegseth’s nomination to be President-elect Trump’s Secretary of Defense.

Banks is now demanding information on how the error was allowed to occur.

“As you know, ProPublica reporter Jesse Eisinger had been preparing to publish a story falsely claiming that nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was lying when he said that he was admitted into West Point but decided not to attend,” Banks wrote.

“To preempt the publication of a blatantly false story, Hegseth published his West Point acceptance letter, proving the veracity of his claim and leading ProPublica to kill the story. Eisinger defended his reporting, claiming that West Point OPA told him ‘twice on the record’ that Hegseth had not even applied to West Point.”

AFTER SECOND MEETING WITH HEGSETH, ERNST HINTS AT WHETHER SHE WILL OR WON’T SUPPORT CONFIRMATION

Rep. Jim Banks, pictured left, is demanding to know how West Point was able to tell a reporter in “error” that Pete Hegseth, right, was not accepted. (Getty Images)

“It is outrageous that West Point officials would so grossly interfere in a political process and make false claims regarding a presidential nominee.

“Even in the unlikely scenario of OPA mistakenly making false claims not once but twice, it is an unforgivable act of incompetence that OPA did not make absolutely sure their information was accurate before sharing it with a reporter.”

He asked the school to hand Congress “all communication and documentation regarding how West Point OPA falsely accused Hegseth of lying about his application.”

When reached for comment, West Point apologized for the error and said the academy’s records indicate Hegseth was accepted in 1999 but did not attend.

PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE WILL BE ‘STANDING RIGHT HERE IN THIS FIGHT’ AFTER MEETING WITH SENATORS

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Hegseth to be Defense secretary. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“An incorrect statement involving Hegseth’s admission to the U.S. Military Academy was released by an employee on Dec. 10, 2024. Upon further review of an archived database, employees realized this statement was in error. Hegseth was offered acceptance to West Point as a prospective member of the Class of 2003. The academy takes this situation seriously and apologizes for this administrative error,” the West Point Directorate of Communications said.

Hegseth is a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It comes as he has continued meeting with senators as part of the confirmation process to join the next Trump administration.

CONSERVATIVE GROUP COMPILES LIST OF ‘WOKE’ SENIOR OFFICERS THEY WANT PETE HEGSETH TO FIRE

Banks, an Army veteran himself, has been a staunch ally of Hegseth’s. His support will be critical next year, having won a landslide victory in November to be Indiana’s next senator.

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Eisinger, an editor at ProPublica, defended the outlet’s handling of the situation in a lengthy series of posts on X.

“No, we are not publishing a story. This is how journalism is supposed to work. Hear something. Check something. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as many times as needed. The end,” he said.

Banks told Fox News Digital, “Pete Hegseth will shake up the DOD and eliminate wokeness from our military and military academies. This upsets the bureaucrats at West Point, who now seem to be trying to sabotage his nomination.”

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

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New Hampshire capital includes Satanic symbol as part of their holiday display ‘to avoid litigation’

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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New Hampshire capital includes Satanic symbol as part of their holiday display ‘to avoid litigation’

In an effort to “avoid litigation,” New Hampshire’s capital city said it will allow The Satanic Temple (TST) to be part of the holiday display in the city’s town square.

The city of Concord, New Hampshire, said in a Facebook post Saturday that TST had received a permit allowing them to display a holiday monument near the city’s nativity scene outside the New Hampshire State House.

The city explained that under the First Amendment, and to avoid litigation, Concord had to choose whether to ban all holiday displays installed by other groups or allow the TST display.

“After reviewing its legal options, the City ultimately decided to continue the policy of allowing unattended displays at City Plaza during this holiday season and to allow the statue,” the Facebook announcement said. “It is anticipated that City Council will review next year whether permits for unattended holiday displays should be allowed at City Plaza.”

‘SATANIC TEMPLE’ MEMBERS WANT TO VOLUNTEER IN FLORIDA SCHOOLS, BUT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SAYS IT WON’T HAPPEN

TST Statue (The Satanic Temple)

“The Satanic Temple has been making requests to install its monuments at holiday displays as part of a show of unity and religious pluralism,” the city said. When excluded in locations throughout the country, TST has both threatened and brought lawsuits under the First Amendment, the post noted.

“Similar to other holiday displays it has installed around the country, the Satanic Temple received a permit for the monument to be included on Concord’s City Plaza during the month of December,” the City of Concord’s Facebook post reads.

“Not to be confused with the Church of Satan, the stated mission of The Satanic Temple is to ‘encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice and undertake noble pursuits,'” the post added.

NEW YORK SCHOOL DISTRICT ALLOWS STUDENT TO FORM BIBLE CLUB AFTER PREVIOUSLY DENYING PERMISSION

However, in an interview with The Boston Globe, Concord Mayor Byron Champlin criticized the TST display.

“I opposed the permit on the basis that the request was not made in the interest of promoting religious equity, but to drive an anti-religious political agenda leveraging the attention one can receive during this time of year,” he said.

Lucien Greaves, spokesman for The Satanic Temple, with a statue of Baphomet at the group’s meeting house in Salem, MA. (Getty Images)

The city, along with its post, shared a photo of the statue, which leaders of TST unveiled on Saturday night, according to a Facebook live posted online.

The statue is of Baphomet, a deity and occult symbol with yellow eyes, wearing a purple stole with upside crosses and a tablet with the temple’s seven fundamental tenets, Boston.com reported.

REPUBLICANS ADVOCATING FOR MORE CHRISTIANITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FACE PUSHBACK

TST cofounder and spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, told Fox News Digital that in saying that they allowed the holiday display to avoid litigation, the City of Concord was “acknowledging that they did not really have a choice but to follow the law.”

“And the law demands, as it should, that the government not insert itself in matters of religious opinion practice, or identity,” he said. “This is the very essence of religious liberty, that each of us is free to believe or disbelieve, to have and hold our religious opinions, as we see fit.”

“Even those who feel uncomfortable with Satanic imagery should nonetheless be proud, when our displays find public placement, that we live in a nation where such freedom still exists,” he added.

TST told Fox News Digital that the statue was shoved onto the pavement two-and-a-half days after its unveiling.

TST Statue (The Satanic Temple)

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Kendall Tietz is a writer with Fox News Digital.

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House passes bill under Biden’s veto threat that would give Trump more federal judge appointments

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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House passes bill under Biden’s veto threat that would give Trump more federal judge appointments

The House passed a once-bipartisan bill on Thursday that authorizes 63 new permanent district judgeships over the next 10 years, 21 of which President-elect Trump will fill during his next term.

The White House released a statement earlier this week that President Biden would veto the bill if it came to his desk.

The Senate in August passed the “Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act” or the “JUDGES Act of 2024,” which staggers the 63 new permanent judgeships the president may choose over the next 10 years. Citing how courts are burdened by heavy caseloads, the bill says the president shall appoint 11 of those permanent judgeships in 2025 and 11 more in 2027. The president would tap another 10 judges in 2029, 11 in 2031, 10 in 2033 and 10 more in 2035, the bill says.

But now key Democrats are backing away from the bill after Trump won the presidency, decrying how it wasn’t voted on until after Election Day.

“Today, the House passed the JUDGES Act to authorize additional federal judges to ensure the American people receive timely and fair justice,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “This important legislation garnered broad, bipartisan support when it unanimously passed the Senate in August because it directly addresses the pressing need to reduce case backlogs in our federal courts and strengthen the efficiency of our judicial system.”

“At that time, Democrats supported the bill – they thought Kamala Harris would win the Presidency,” he added. “Now, however, the Biden-Harris Administration has chosen to issue a veto threat and Democrats have whipped against this bill, standing in the way of progress, simply because of partisan politics. This should not be a political issue—it should be about prioritizing the needs of the American people and ensuring the courts are able to deliver fair, impartial, and timely justice.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

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Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen’s country takeover at Billboard Music Awards is ‘what we need’: host

US News

Michael Weiss

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December 12, 2024

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Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen’s country takeover at Billboard Music Awards is ‘what we need’: host

Zach Bryan leads the pack at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards with 21 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen, signaling a country music takeover.

“I just feel like this is kind of what we need, because music is music at the end of the day, and it can transcend neighborhood, religion, gender, so many things,” comedian and Billboard Music Awards host Michelle Buteau told Fox News Digital.

Bryan and Wallen are both nominated in the top artist, top streaming songs artist, and top Billboard 100 and 200 categories, as well as for top country artist and country male artist, among other nominations.

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Side by side photos of Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen

Zach Bryan, left, and Morgan Wallen dominate the 2024 Billboard Music Awards nominations. (Getty Images)

Buteau continued, “I think it’s about time. And music is one of those things, too… that bring[s] people together much like comedy. I love when a song comes on that people don’t think I’m supposed to know the words to, but I do. And then we’re singing it together. And that’s like a whole moment. And honestly, like, it always comes down to art and culture for me, period.”

Buteau, a longtime comedian who has hosted shows like “The Circle” on Netflix and appeared in films like “Marry Me” and “Babes,” said she was thrilled to be asked to host the show.

WATCH: ZACH BRYAN, MORGAN WALLEN’S COUNTRY TAKEOVER AT BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS IS ‘WHAT WE NEED’ SAYS HOST

“It’s wild when you get to watch something all the time. And then to actually be in it and have a good time and be, like, I want to do this all the time. It’s amazing. I’m like, how do I get my Ryan Seacrest on in a plus-size dress?” she said.

2024 Billboard Music Awards: Michelle Buteau

Comedian Michelle Buteau is hosting the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. (Netflix)

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Though Swift doesn’t lead the nominations at this year’s ceremony, she is the most decorated female BBMA artist of all time, another honor to go alongside her incredible two-year run on “The Eras Tour.”

“Music is music at the end of the day, and it can transcend neighborhood, religion, gender, so many things.”

— Michelle Buteau

“Honestly, can we just [take] a moment, a round of applause for Taylor? All her hard work and them good knees. I mean, it ain’t easy,” Buteau joked. “I walk my dogs and I have to bend over to pick up their situations. And I’m like, wow, you can really stretch more often. Taylor is out here doing it for everyone and everybody, all over the world.”

“She fills the room with love. So, you know, it’s not in the nominations. It’s in the feeling,” she added.

Buteau praised Taylor Swift for her hard work on “The Eras Tour.” (Erika Goldring/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

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As host, Buteau said it’s easy to stay neutral on who she’s rooting for and ultimately feels “the audiences will tell you who they respond to.”

“But also, at the end of the day, they’re just amazing artists that we’re shaking our booties to, you know what I mean? So either way, you can’t lose. Plus, we never lose. We only learn,” she added.

The BBMAs will feature performances by many of the nominees, including country stars Shaboozey, Jelly Roll and Megan Moroney, as well as Coldplay, Linkin Park, Tyla, Teddy Swims and K-pop stars SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids.

Coldplay is among the performers set to take the stage for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. (Anna Lee)

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Buteau, a mom of 5-year-old twins with husband Gijs van der Most, is ready to enjoy the show even though she’s working.

“My husband is going to ‘babysit’ so I can go work and see all these amazing performers that I only really listen to in my minivan when I’m picking the kids up. So, like, I mean, even the fact that somebody is going to be bringing me water. And a meal. And wine, are you kidding? I want,” she quipped.

WATCH: BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS HOST PRAISES TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘GOOD KNEES’ FOLLOWING END OF ERAS TOUR

Buteau did make it to Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” date in Amsterdam with her husband for Father’s Day, but didn’t make it to “The Eras Tour.”

Buteau missed out on Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour,” but did make it to Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour.” (Getty Images)

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Like many people, though, she experienced it through social media “because I can live vicariously through everybody’s Insta stories.”

“I love people covering these little cute moments of Taylor bringing her boyfriend out on stage and stuff in London, all of those things make me feel like I’m a part of it, too. And so, I really kind of, like, love a very long tour because I’m just, like, I feel like I know a lot about it,” said Buteau.

Taylor Swift in her white two piece outfit and white jacket performs on stage with backup dancer Cam and boyfriend Travis Kelce, donning a top hat

Buteau experienced “The Eras Tour” via social media, including the big moments like Travis Kelce’s surprise appearance during one of Swift’s performances in London. (Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

She added, “I have all the bracelets, I’m doing all the things. My daughter and I still sing ‘Cruel Summer’ on the way to school.”

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The 2024 Billboard Music Awards are set to air Thursday night on FOX.

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