President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, declaring the Nicolás Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, trafficking and other criminal activity.

‘Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,’ Trump said on Truth Social. ‘It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.

‘The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,’ he continued. ‘For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.

‘Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,’ Trump added. ‘The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.’

Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker called the ‘Skipper’ off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating U.S. tensions with the nation. The tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The ‘Skipper’ is a vessel that secretly ferries oil in defiance of sanctions, while also being part of an armada of roughly 1,000 tankers that quietly navigate global sea routes to move oil from sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the administration.

The so-called ‘ghost ships’ sail under foreign flags to obscure their origins, repeatedly change names, shift ownership through shell companies, disable transponders to evade tracking and conduct mid-sea transfers to mask their cargo.

The ‘Skipper’ was loaded with an estimated 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December before transferring an estimated 200,000 barrels just before its seizure, Reuters reported.

The oil on the tanker is likely worth $60 million to more than $100 million, based on current average oil prices. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for any additional comment on the estimated price tag of the oil but did not immediately receive a reply. 

The U.S. military has carried out strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats near Venezuela since September as part of Trump’s mission to end the flow of drugs into the nation.

There have been at least 22 strikes on suspected narcotraffickers near Venezuela, killing 87, since September.

The boat strikes are viewed as part of a U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela likely aimed to not only curb the flow of drugs, but also to oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation. 

Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

Gutting the filibuster was once a taboo notion among Senate Republicans, but the idea is gaining traction thanks to President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to throw out the longstanding procedure.

The Senate filibuster is the 60-vote threshold that applies to most bills in the upper chamber, and given the nature of the thin majorities that either party has commanded in recent years, that means legislation typically has to be bipartisan to advance.

It proved a key barrier to reopening the government and advancing several other Republican priorities in recent weeks, like the GOP’s Obamacare fix that was torpedoed by Senate Democrats.

For years, it’s been viewed as a tool of the minority party in the Senate meant to prevent majorities from ramming through partisan legislation that both Republicans and Democrats have taken advantage of.

But near-monthly prodding from Trump and recent frustration with the 43-day government shutdown has some Republicans rethinking their position on the filibuster.

‘It’s something I’m giving serious consideration to now,’ Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital.

Marshall previously told Fox News Digital, ‘Never, never, ever, never, none,’ when asked if he would consider changing the rules after Trump called on Republicans to nuke the filibuster in October.

Just a few months later, Marshall is reconsidering his position.

‘I think between the last government shutdown and the threat of this one, it makes me pause,’ he said. ‘It seems like the appropriations process is being slowed down. It feels like, with healthcare, that the Democrats, really the Democratic Party, doesn’t want to get anything done. So eliminating the filibuster ends all that.’

He echoed Trump, who on Monday told reporters that he wanted Senate Republicans to ‘knock out’ the filibuster.

‘You wouldn’t have January 30th looming, because you have the 30th of January looming, you know that, right? And if we knocked out the filibuster it would be just a simple approval,’ he said. ‘But you have some Republicans — they’re unable to explain why, you know if you ask them why they’re unable to explain, they cannot win the debate, but they should knock out the filibuster.’

The likelihood that such a change crosses the floor in the Senate is low, given that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has routinely remained rooted in his position that the filibuster shouldn’t be touched.

Still, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., a member of Thune’s leadership team, said that his position had also changed on the filibuster.

Mullin told Fox News’ Will Cain that during a recent meeting with Senate GOP leadership, he asked the room if they truly believed that Senate Democrats wouldn’t try to get rid of the procedural safeguard when they regained a majority again.

‘If we believe that they’re going to do it, then why don’t we just go ahead and get it done,’ he said.

Other Republicans are more skeptical about the odds of the filibuster getting axed. Some, like Mullin, think it could be narrowly tailored to only apply to spending bills, while others see the move as fantasy. 

‘That’s not gonna happen,’ Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

And Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said that lawmakers weren’t even ‘using the tools we have right now’ to pass Republicans’ agenda.

Kennedy has pushed for another round of budget reconciliation, given that Republicans have two more attempts at the grueling process, to tackle the growing affordability issues in the country.

He argued that’s how Republicans passed Trump’s signature legislation, the ‘one, big beautiful bill,’ earlier this year.

‘Yes, you can’t do everything, but you can do a lot, and that’s what I would be concentrating my energies on,’ Kennedy said. ‘And I’ve said respectfully to the president that I don’t think the United States Senate is going to give up the filibuster or the blue slip. He obviously disagrees, and I respect that reasonable people disagree sometimes, but I’m a pragmatist. I deal with the world as it is, not as I want it to be.’

First lady Melania Trump is giving Fox News an exclusive first look at her upcoming film, ‘MELANIA,’ set to hit theaters worldwide next month.

The 104-minute film is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30, 2026, appearing in theaters across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and more. Amazon will also launch a documentary series in the coming months. 

‘History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration,’ the first lady told Fox News. ‘For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.’

Fox News exclusively obtained the trailer, which opens with the first lady walking into the U.S. Capitol rotunda ahead of her husband’s second inauguration. She looks to the camera in her now-iconic inauguration outfit, and says: ‘Here we go again.’

The trailer jumps from the first lady and president at the inauguration; to standing together outside of Mar-a-Lago; behind-the-scenes of the inauguration showing Baron Trump and Mrs. Trump’s father; to a series of images of the first lady; Air Force One; the presidential seal and more.

The infamous Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) lion roars and takes over the screen. 

The trailer then shows Mrs. Trump entering a room where President Trump stands at a podium during a meeting and is rehearsing a speech.

‘My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker,’ Trump said. 

The first lady breaks in and says: ‘Peacemaker and unifier.’ 

The trailer shows the first lady getting out of a vehicle, sporting a pair of black stiletto boots, and jumping to the East Wing residence, where she stands in her stunning white and black inaugural ball gown, and smiles at the camera. 

The trailer invites the audience to ‘witness history in the making.’ 

The trailer also shows the first lady reviewing materials with staff and more. 

It cuts to a scene of Mrs. Trump asking a security detail ‘is it safe?’ and the agent confirming ‘it is safe,’ before the film cuts to sirens and the motorcade driving through a city. 

’20 days to become first lady of the United States,’ the trailer says. 

‘Everyone wants to know,’ Melania Trump says. ‘So here it is.’ 

The trailer ends with Mrs. Trump calling ‘Mr. President’ to say ‘congratulations.’ 

‘Did you watch it?’ President Trump says through the phone. 

‘I did not.  Yeah, I will see it on the news,’ Mrs. Trump says. 

The film is set to hit theaters around the globe on January 30. 

The first lady said that the story ‘has never been told, and because the subject matter is historically consequential, it was imperative for me to produce a film of the highest cinematic standard, suitable exclusively in theaters worldwide.’

‘The 20 days of my life, preceding the U.S. Presidential inauguration, constitutes a rare and defining moment—one that warrants meticulous care, integrity, and uncompromising craftsmanship,’ she said. ‘I am proud to share this very specific moment of my life—20 days of intense transition and planning—with moviegoers and fans across the globe.’

Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady was involved ‘in every aspect’ of the film — from her ‘creative vision,’ to working as a producer on the film and to ensuring the post-production marketing is executed properly. Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady has been very ‘hands on’ from start to finish. 

‘She is giving the audience unprecedented access to her life — and to any first lady’s life — during this 20-day period,’ a source familiar with the planning of the film told Fox News Digital. 

The film takes the audience through the first lady’s life leading up to the inauguration — from her home in Trump Tower in New York City, to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, and behind-the-scenes access in Washington D.C. 

Mrs. Trump first had the idea for the film in November 2024, after President Trump won the election. 

Marc Beckman, Mrs. Trump’s agent and exclusive senior advisor, led negotiations on her behalf with Amazon, specifically with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, beginning on Nov. 18, 2024. 

Fox News Digital has learned that Disney sought to obtain the exclusive rights to the film, as well as Netflix and Paramount. Amazon and MGM had the highest bid, purchasing the license for the film for $40 million — the largest documentary deal in history.

‘I’m honored to be working with Amazon — they’ve been great partners from the minute we started to negotiate the deal, through production and now as we gear up for the film’s release,’ Beckman told Fox News Digital.

‘Speaking of the deal, there has been so much speculation in the press on the bidding and how we ended up with Amazon, that we’re at a point where it’s worth clarifying a few things,’ Beckman said.

First, Beckman told Fox News Digital that some bidders were ‘interested only in a film, and others only in a series.’

‘Amazon ended up bidding on both, and checked all the boxes we were looking for, as they could also deliver a theatrical film release,’ Beckman explained.

Beckman stressed that he negotiated the deal on behalf of the first lady while dealing with ‘all the studios directly.’

‘I’ve seen reporting that Amazon paid nearly three times the nearest other bid, and that’s just false,’ Beckman said. ‘It was an incredibly competitive bidding process with multiple rounds of bids.’

Beckman added: ‘Yes, Amazon had the highest bid, but they also bid on the most product — series and film.’

Filming began in December 2024. The film is executive produced by Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director. 

The film itself is produced in a ‘highly cinematic’ way. Sources familiar with the production told Fox News Digital that the first lady did not want the film to look like a documentary, but rather an ‘elevated film.’ 

The launch of the film comes a year after the release of her first-ever book, ‘Melania.’ The memoir presents an intimate portrait of Melania Trump and includes personal stories and family photos she had not previously shared with the public. 

‘Melania’ has been at the top of the New York Times’ best-selling list since its release to the public. 

Upon the release of the memoir last year, the first lady told Fox News Digital that writing her story was ‘an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows.’

‘Each story shaped me into who I am today,’ she said. ‘Although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth.’ 

‘Melania’ is the first lady’s first book. She released the original book along with a special collector’s edition that includes photos hand-selected by the first lady, many of which she photographed herself of her home and of various trips she has taken around the world. 

A new report released Wednesday from Polaris National Security details what the group says are 100 foreign policy achievements from President Donald Trump’s second term. The document is organized chronologically, starting with his return to office in January and tracking each major foreign policy move through the present day.

The report, titled ‘100 Trump Foreign Policy Wins From 2025 the Media Wants You to Miss,’ is an advocacy and policy analysis document that reflects the authors’ evaluation of U.S. foreign policy developments over the past year. 

‘Since January, the Trump administration has moved with historic pace to restore America’s strength and security,’ the report states, arguing that the administration has emphasized deterrence, alliance burden-sharing and direct engagement with adversaries.

Venezuela and Western Hemisphere strategy

The report groups several Venezuela-related actions into what it describes as a broader U.S. policy shift in the Western Hemisphere. It highlights expanded counter-narcotics operations off Venezuela’s coast, including airstrikes on maritime vessels linked to organizations such as Tren de Aragua and the National Liberation Army. The campaign, called Operation Southern Spear, is described as underscoring a commitment to ‘defending the homeland from the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs ravaging American communities.’

The administration also raised the U.S. reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, citing a public announcement from Attorney General Pam Bondi accusing Maduro of central involvement in narcotics trafficking. Venezuela has rejected the allegations. Polaris links these actions to the 2025 National Security Strategy, calling it ‘the most significant hemispheric reorientation of U.S. foreign policy in decades.’ 

Cale Brown, chair of Polaris National Security and former State Department principal deputy spokesperson, said the administration’s posture marks a reset on the global stage. ‘President Trump has taken the world stage by storm, reasserting American strength after four years of weakness,’ he said.

Gaza ceasefire and hostage releases

A substantial section of the Polaris report focuses on the October Gaza ceasefire, which it calls a central diplomatic breakthrough involving the United States, Israel and Hamas. According to the document, the agreement ‘secured an immediate ceasefire and the return of all surviving hostages,’ including Americans, with one hostage still unaccounted for. It also outlines plans for prisoner exchanges, Gaza’s demilitarization, an international stabilization force, transitional governance and large-scale reconstruction.

The report also highlights a November U.N. Security Council vote in which a U.S.-led Gaza resolution passed 13–0, with Russia and China abstaining. The resolution is described as providing ‘an international legal framework for the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.’

Additionally, the administration’s prohibition on U.S. taxpayer funding for UNRWA is noted, citing U.S. concerns over alleged ties between some personnel and Hamas. UNRWA denies institutional involvement in terrorism, while U.S. officials say the move was based on national security considerations.

Iran nuclear strikes 

The report cites U.S. military strikes carried out in June against Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and bunker-buster munitions, framing the mission as proof that the United States ‘will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.’ Iran denies pursuing a military nuclear program.

Nathan Sales, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and former State Department counterterrorism coordinator, said the administration views regional diplomacy primarily through the lens of countering Tehran. ‘The Trump administration gets that the Iranian regime is the fundamental source of violence and instability across the Middle East,’ Sales said.

However, some analysts say the administration’s record presents sharp contrasts. Foreign policy analyst and editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk Lisa Daftari said that while Trump has delivered on several strategic priorities — including strong support for Israel, terrorist redesignations, aggressive action against drug cartels and renewed momentum behind the Abraham Accords — other moves warrant closer scrutiny.

‘This record is tempered by concerning diplomatic overtures that urge caution. The characterization of Syria’s president as ‘young, attractive tough guy’ appears premature given unverified claims about severing ties with terrorist organizations—particularly troubling in light of recent attacks on U.S. servicemen. Similarly, the administration’s approach to Turkey and Saudi Arabia suggests a willingness to extend trust and strategic concessions that may exceed what these relationships warrant, potentially squandering leverage on critical issues like the Abraham Accords. Whether these calculated diplomatic gambles yield strategic gains or prove costly remains an open question. The true measure of this foreign policy doctrine will ultimately depend on how these relationships and decisions unfold in 2026.’

NATO defense spending commitments

The report also points to commitments made at the NATO summit in The Hague, where alliance members pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, far above the longstanding 2% benchmark. The document says the pledge followed sustained U.S. pressure for ‘fairer burden-sharing among allied nations.’

Armenia–Azerbaijan peace pledge

The report highlights an August agreement signed at the White House by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan aimed at ending the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The declaration includes commitments on border security, regional transit routes and economic cooperation involving the United States.

The top congressional Republicans weighed in on the slayings of longtime Hollywood director Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 68, dubbing the incident a ‘tragedy.’

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joined the wave of condolences flooding from the political world in the wake of the Reiners’ deaths, which police are currently investigating as a homicide. 

‘Well, that whole incident, episode, is a tragedy, and my sympathies and prayers go out to their family and their friends,’ Thune said. 

The Reiners were found in their Brentwood-area home in California on Sunday, where they reportedly had suffered multiple stab wounds. The couple were found by their daughter, according to People magazine. 

In the hours since, police arrested the Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, 32, under suspicion of murder, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. He is being held without bail after it was previously set at $4 million. 

Johnson said, ‘The shocking news that apparently their son committed the murders is not only an unspeakable family tragedy, it’s another reminder of just the senseless violence and evil that is so rampant in our society.’

‘So our prayers go out to the Reiner family, the survivors, and everybody who’s affected by this,’ he told reporters.

Reiner was best known for his long, legendary list of films, including ‘The Princess Bride,’ ‘This Is Spinal Tap,’ ‘When Harry Met Sally…,’ and several others. He appeared in front of the camera for several projects, including as Michael ‘Meathead’ Stivic on the long-running sitcom, ‘All in the Family.’ 

Singer Reiner was a prolific photographer whose list of works included taking President Donald Trump’s photo for the cover of his book, ‘The Art of the Deal.’

The commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), whose area of operations includes the Caribbean waters where the strikes against the alleged drug boats have been conducted, retired Friday as scrutiny surrounding the attacks mounts. 

Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who became the head of Southern Command in November 2024, announced suddenly in October that he would retire from the military as operations heated up in the region that the administration claims is part of President Donald Trump’s crusade against the influx of drugs into the U.S.  

The Trump administration designated drug cartel groups like Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa and others as foreign terrorist organizations in February, and bolstered its naval assets in the region in recent months under Holsey’s leadership — including signing off on the unprecedented step of sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the region.

‘We have worked hard and tirelessly to build relationships and understand requirements across the region,’ Holsey said during the retirement ceremony, according to a news release. ‘To be a trusted partner, we must be credible, present and engaged.’

Holsey commissioned in 1988, and flew both SH-2F Seasprite and SH-60B Seahawk helicopters. Holsey’s previous assignments include serving as the deputy commander of Southern Command, as well as deputy chief of Naval personnel and the commander of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson’s carrier strike group.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan Pettus also took over the reins from Holsey Friday, after previously serving as the command’s military deputy commander. His experience includes more than 2,700 hours as a pilot in the Air Force’s F-15E Strike Fighter jet and the A-10 ‘Warthog’ aircraft, has participated in combat missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve, among others. 

Holsey’s retirement less than a year into his tenure leading the combatant command is highly unusual. In comparison, former SOUTHCOM commander, Army Gen. Laura Richardson, served in the role from 2021 to 2024.

Holsey did not give a reason for his departure in October, and didn’t share any additional details Friday. 

However, Holsey had raised ‘concerns’ about the strikes, attracting the ire of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, The New York Times reported. Hegseth already believed that Holsey wasn’t cracking down on the alleged drug traffickers more aggressively, and Holsey’s concerns prompted the relationship between the two leaders to unravel even further, the Times said. 

As a result, Hegseth pressured Holsey to step down, according to the Times. 

The Pentagon referred Fox News Digital to Hegseth’s original post on social media in October after news of Holsey’s retirement broke, where the secretary of war thanked Holsey for his service. 

‘The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead,’ Hegseth said in the post. 

Meanwhile, the strikes have attracted increased scrutiny from Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill. While some lawmakers have always challenged the legality of the strikes — particularly after revelations in recent weeks that a second strike was conducted against a vessel after the first one left survivors in September — the Trump administration has routinely stated it has the authority to conduct those attacks. 

For example, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a war powers resolution on Dec. 3 to bar Trump from using U.S. armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela.

In total, the Trump administration has conducted more than 20 strikes in Latin American waters since September targeting alleged drug smugglers in an effort to combat the flow of drugs into the U.S. Additionally, Trump has signaled for months that strikes on land could be next, and the U.S. seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday. 

‘We’re knocking out drug boats right now at a level that we haven’t seen,’ Trump said Dec. 3. ‘Very soon we’re going to start doing it on land too.’

The Senate advanced the annual defense policy bill on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on Monday, teeing up final passage later in the week.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 is one of the must-pass legislative packages that Congress deals with on an annual basis, and it unlocked billions of dollars in funding for the Pentagon and several other defense-related items.

Lawmakers pushed the colossal authorization package through a key procedural hurdle on a 76-20 vote. Senators will get their chance to tweak the package with several amendment votes in the coming days.

The roughly $901 billion package, which is about $8 billion over what President Donald Trump requested earlier this year, typically acts as a bookend for Congress, capping off the year as one of the few must-pass items on the docket. And, given that there is no government funding deadline to contend with, the NDAA is getting primetime treatment in the Senate.

Still, there are myriad items that lawmakers hope to tackle before leaving until the new year, including a fix to expiring Obamacare subsidies, confirming nearly 100 of Trump’s nominees, and a potential five-bill funding package that, if passed, would go a long way toward warding off the specter of another government shutdown come Jan. 30.

Scattered throughout the colossal package’s roughly 3,000 pages are several provisions dealing with decades-old war authorities, strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, Ukraine, lifting sanctions, and Washington, D.C.’s, airspace.

This year’s NDAA would scrap the 1991 and 2002 authorizations of use of military force (AUMFs) for the Gulf War and Iraq War, respectively. Lawmakers have found rare bipartisan middle ground in their desire to nix the AUMFs, which have been used by previous administrations to engage in conflicts in the Middle East for decades.

Then there is a policy that includes several requirements to fulfill the Pentagon’s travel budget, one of which would force the agency to hand over all unedited footage from the Trump administration’s strikes against alleged drug boats.

It’s a pointed provision that underscores the bipartisan concern from Congress over the administration’s handling of the strikes, particularly in the wake of a double-tap strike on Sept. 2 that has seen several lawmakers demand more transparency and access to the footage.

There is also a provision that has stirred up controversy among Senate Republicans and Democrats alike that would roll back some safety standards in the Washington, D.C., airspace. It comes on the heels of the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this year.

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the top ranking Democrat on the panel, are pushing to have the provision stripped with their own amendment, which would codify the safety tweaks made after the midair collision.

Cruz said alongside family members of the victims of the crash, which killed 67, that the provision didn’t go through the ordinary clearances.’ 

‘Normally, when you’re adding a provision to the NDAA that impacts aviation, you would request clearance from the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee,’ Cruz said. ‘No clearance was requested. We discovered this provision when the final version of the bill dropped out of the House and it was passed.’

There are also several provisions that deal with Ukraine, including an extension of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which would authorize $400 million each year to buy weapons from U.S. defense companies.

There’s a provision that would prevent the U.S. from quietly cutting off intelligence support to the country by requiring at least 48-hours notice detailing why, how long it would last and the impact on Ukraine.

There’s also a provision that would beef up reporting requirements for all foreign aid flowing to Ukraine from the U.S. and other allies supporting the country in its conflict with Russia.

Erika Kirk announced Monday that she had a productive conversation with Candace Owens, signaling a possible thaw in their rift following weeks of public tension in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

Kirk shared the brief update in a statement on X and hinted that more details would come. 

President Donald Trump’s former Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, is sounding the alarm about China infiltrating America’s healthcare systems. 

Concern about China’s ability to infiltrate United States technology was underscored by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last week between four state attorneys general and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, aimed at ramping up protections against Chinese infiltration of communications equipment and services utilized by the United States. 

On Monday, the Protecting America Initiative (PAI), a conservative nonprofit aimed at fighting the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts ‘to sabotage America,’ launched a campaign to highlight the nation’s vulnerability to China as it relates to medical technology. 

Earlier this year, both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) both warned of a ‘backdoor’ in a popular brand of patient monitoring devices. CISA found the so-called backdoor allowed the device to download remote files and send them to an IP address associated with a Chinese university. All schools in China operate under a law requiring them to support national intelligence work when called upon.

‘Americans rely on their doctors who take an oath to keep us safe, and first, do no harm. But when critical medical devices are made by Chinese companies, that puts our safety at risk. Chinese medical devices open the door for the CCP to access sensitive health data. President Trump and his administration always put America First and will safeguard our patients and our privacy from Beijing’s infiltration,’ PAI Senior Advisor Chad Wolf told Fox News Digital. ‘It’s time to remove Chinese medical devices from U.S. hospitals and close the data backdoor, because patient privacy and national security are non‑negotiable.’

In June, Florida’s Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier took legal action against the Chinese medical device manufacturers probed by the FDA and CISA, accusing the company of selling ‘compromised’ medical devices that allegedly include a ‘backdoor’ that bad actors can manipulate. 

In addition to patient data and privacy concerns, Uthmeier was also concerned about the medical device manufacturer, and those distributing its products, selling patient health monitors as approved by the FDA and other international standards, even though they were not.

China’s expanding presence in American medical supply chains has also been a concern among experts.

‘China’s growing role within the U.S. medical device supply chains is largely due to the combination of Beijing’s industrial policy and the shifting landscape of American healthcare,’ the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. focusing on foreign affairs and national security, wrote in an October report.

‘The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimated that in 2019, 9.2 percent of U.S.-imported pharmaceuticals and medical equipment came from China — a percentage that ‘likely understates’ American reliance on China for medical products, NIH warned,’ the report continues. ‘This understatement is in part due to the complex nature of medical supply chains — China is both a supplier of raw materials used in medical products and the final point of assembly for goods bound for the United States, obscuring its reach into the American medical system. This percentage also does not account for the value-add or criticality of these goods, particularly those related to biodefense and managing long-term acute health issues.’

FDD claims that China has ‘exploited’ the United State’s ‘reliance’ on it by selling and exporting deliberately compromised technology, leading to doctors ‘unwittingly and unwillingly’ playing ‘Russian roulette with patient treatment plans.’

Real America’s Voice chief White House correspondent Brian Glenn and outgoing Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia revealed that they are engaged.

‘She said ‘yes’’ Glenn wrote in a post on X, adding the ring emoji while sharing a photo of himself with the congresswoman.

Greene shared Glenn’s post and wrote, ‘Happily ever after!!!’ along with a red heart emoji. ‘I love you @brianglenntv!!!’ she added.

‘Congratulations!’ Republican Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio replied to both of the posts.

GOP Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee shared Glenn’s post and wrote, ‘Congratulations! I can perform the ceremony in Tennessee for free.’

After President Donald Trump trashed Greene on Truth Social last month and suggested he would back a primary challenger, the lawmaker announced that she would resign from office, noting that her last day will be January 5.

Greene, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2021, will be leaving office in the middle of her third term.