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Long-suffering Syrians have been rejoicing in the streets after one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships suddenly crumbled in a few short weeks.

For half a century, the Assad family ruled over Syria with an iron fist, with long-documented reports of mass incarceration torture, extra-judicial killings and atrocities against their own people.

A civil war that started during the 2011 Arab Spring ravaged the country and turned it into a breeding ground for extremist group ISIS, while sparking an international proxy war and refugee crisis that saw millions displaced from their homes.

On Sunday, after 13 years of civil war that fractured the country, rebel fighters declared Damacus “liberated” in a video statement on state television, sending Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia.

Video showed prisoners being freed from Assad’s notorious detention facilities, rebels and civilians were seen ransacking the presidential palace, with footage revealing his luxurious lifestyle and large car collection.

Many in the country are hopeful that Syria could finally be free, but there’s huge uncertainty over what comes next.

Here’s what we know.

What happened?

An armed rebel alliance charged across Syria over 11 days, sweeping through major cities and reigniting a conflict that had been largely static since a 2020 ceasefire agreement.

A new rebel coalition, led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise attack and took control Syria’s largest city Aleppo on November 30, a seismic move that met little resistance from the Syrian army.

Syrian and Russian jets had targeted rebels in Aleppo and Idlib but opposition forces seized a second major city of Hama and quickly advanced on Homs – the gateway to the capital Damascus.

As Homs fell, rebels encircled and marched into Damascus, declaring Assad overthrown and the city “liberated.”

Who are the rebels?

Syria’s rebel coalition is a new grouping called the “Military Operations Command.” It’s made up of various Islamist and moderate factions who, despite their differences, are united in fighting the Assad regime, ISIS and Iran-backed militias.

They’re led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the head of militant group HTS, a former al Qaeda affiliate in Syria that used to go by the name Al-Nusra Front.

HTS officially cut ties with al Qaeda and has been the de facto ruler in Idlib.

But HTS is only one of numerous armed groups operating in Syria. Other groups controlling territory in the country include the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, elements of which Turkey views as a terrorist organization.

The United States, Turkey, the United Nations and several other Western nations continue to designate HTS as a terrorist organization, and the US has placed a $10 million bounty on Jolani.

In his first public remarks since the rebel-led coup, Jolani declared victory on Sunday for the “entire Islamic nation.”

The rebel leader has sought to diminish the shadow of his extremist roots, and one commander insisted in a state TV address on Sunday that “all sects” would be protected.

But millions of Syrians, including those from minority Christian and other religious communities, remain haunted by a legacy of persecution suffered at the hands of extremist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS.

Who is Bashar al-Assad?

Assad is the second generation of an autocratic family dynasty that held power in Syria for more than five decades.

A former ophthalmologist who studied in London, Assad took power in an unopposed election following the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, who had led the Baath Party since seizing power in 1970.

Like his father, Assad tolerated little dissent and throughout the 13-year civil war, he and his forces have been accused of severe human rights violations and brutal assaults against civilians, with reports of using starvation as a weapon of war, enforced disappearances and killings, and the deliberate bombing of civilian buildings like schools and hospitals.

Among Assad’s worst atrocities was the 2013 sarin gas attack in the city Ghouta, which killed more than 1,400 people and was labeled a war crime by the then-UN Secretary General.

Assad’s notorious detention facilities were black holes where anyone deemed an opponent of the regime disappeared, with widespread reports of torture and inhumane conditions. In 2017, an Amnesty International report claimed as many as 13,000 people had been hanged from 2011 to 2015 at Saydnaya Prison.

Why did this come about and what’s next?

Rebels capitalized on a weakened government whose key allies are heavily preoccupied with other conflicts.

Russia’s grinding war in Ukraine since 2022 has sucked in manpower and resources, leaving little jets and troops for key ally Syria.

Iran has been hamstrung as its war with Israel escalated in the past year. Its main proxy Hezbollah has been decimated by Israeli attacks and airstrikes.

The anti-regime coalition is now disbanding Assad’s military, laying out its vision for a post-Assad Syria.

But experts wonder if the next phase will be a new dawn for a people strangled by a brutal autocracy – or whether sectarianism will bring a different type of authoritarian rule.

US President Joe Biden described the fall of the Assad regime as an “historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future” but cautioned it was also a moment of risk and uncertainty in the region.

Iran’s ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari warned that the fallout from the collapse of Assad’s regime will be beyond American control and could lead to a conflict involving regional countries and Turkey.

Questions are now focused on what a new governing system in Syria would look like, and how it will work given the disparate groups and interests involved, and whether the reordering of power will only lead to further instability.

For now, Syrians across the world are celebrating the stunning and unexpected political turn that caught much of the world off guard.

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An arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne last week is being investigated as terrorist incident, Australian officials said Monday, as the government announced it was establishing a new task force to combat antisemitism.

The Adass Israel Synagogue in the city’s south – one of Australia’s most significant Jewish centers – burst into flames early on Friday sending worshippers fleeing during overnight prayers.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton on Monday said the “horrific, callous and targeted” attack was “likely a terrorist incident” and would be investigated by a joint counter-terrorism team including Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

Patton said police were searching for three suspects in connection with the firebombing but would not go into detail about their identities or whether they were known to police.

There was no evidence to suggest there would be any more attacks against other synagogues in Melbourne, said Patton, who added that officers would continue to patrol areas with a large Jewish population.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday’s fire at the Melbourne synagogue was the third antisemitic attack in recent months.

The Australian Federal Police had established a special task force called Operation Avalite to respond to the attacks, which include a fire at a Jewish minister’s Melbourne office and vandalism targeting cars in a Jewish area of Sydney.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the national force would play a greater role in policing threats, violence and hatred toward the Jewish community.

“Unfortunately, in Australia today those of Jewish ethnicity and religion are being targeted because of who they are,” he said. “The AFP will not tolerate crimes that undermine Australia’s security or our way of life.”

On the weekend, the Albanese government committed an extra 32.5 million Australian dollars (close to $21 million) to increase security at Jewish community sites across the country, including synagogues and schools.

Jewish communities across Australia have called out a drastic increase in antisemitic attacks since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 and Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Melbourne attack as “an abhorrent act of antisemitism,” and linked the firebombing to the Australian government’s support of a United Nations resolution calling on Israel to end all hostilities in Gaza.

“Unfortunately, it is impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israeli position of the Labor government in Australia, including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel ‘to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible,’” the Prime Minister’s Office statement said on Friday.

The statement also pointed to Australia’s decision to stop former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked from entering the country for a speaking tour. Australia’s home affairs minister said Shaked was denied a visa over fears her presence would undermine social cohesion.

Of the UN vote, Albanese said Monday that Australia cast its vote along with 157 nations – including most of its Five Eyes partners – and that its position on the conflict hadn’t changed.

“Australia has had for a long period of time … a bipartisan position for a two-state solution in the Middle East … that is still my government’s position,” he said.

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A commander of South Korea’s special forces has apologized for ordering his troops to storm parliament last week after martial law was declared, saying he placed them in “grave danger.”

Col. Kim Hyun-tae, commander of South Korea’s 707 Special Task Force, described himself to reporters at a Monday briefing as an “incompetent and irresponsible commander” when he authorized troops to storm the National Assembly during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law.

“I ordered the deployment to the National Assembly. As the on-site commander for the 197 troops involved, I was the first to arrive by a helicopter. I instructed them to seal the building, engage in physical confrontations at the front and rear gates, break windows, and enter the premises,” he said.

“If such orders had been given in combat, everyone would have died,” he added. “These troops are the most tragic victims of this situation. They are not guilty. Their only fault lies in following the orders of an incompetent commander. Please forgive them.”

Kim also blamed the country’s former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun for “exploiting” soldiers during the chaotic night.

South Koreans watched in disbelief when President Yoon declared martial law in a shocking televised announcement late Tuesday. Defying the military decree, protesters gathered outside to demand Yoon’s resignation.

In a night of high drama, lawmakers forced their way past nearly 300 troops deployed outside the National Assembly building, and unanimously voted to block the decree, which the president was legally bound to obey – effectively reversing the president’s unilateral order.

One of the defining scenes to emerge from the night was a video of journalist-turned-politician An Gwi-ryeong grabbing a soldier’s gun as lawmakers faced off against troops who had blocked their way into the parliament building.

Kim pleaded for understanding and forgiveness for his soldiers, who he said were merely following his commands.

“Right now, my troops are suffering immensely, and their families – wives and children – are watching this unfold in agony,” he said.

Kim added he would accept full responsibility for his actions and face any legal consequences: “I will bear the burden for everything they have done.”

South Korea’s national police are investigating Yoon, former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun and other top officials for alleged treason. Kim Yong-hyun was detained by prosecutors on Sunday.

The night of extraordinary events sent shock waves across the country and the world.

The declaration of a military emergency, though lasting six hours, was met with shock and anger across the country, which remains deeply scarred by the brutality of martial law imposed during decades of military dictatorship before it won a long, bloody fight for democracy in the 1980s.

While Yoon survived an impeachment vote in an opposition-led parliament on Saturday, his political survival hangs in tatters. His party said they will seek Yoon’s resignation and urged the president to be suspended from duties to protect the country from “grave danger.”

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President-elect Donald Trump’s allies are expected to ramp up criticisms against Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst as she stalls on offering support to Trump’s secretary of defense pick, Pete Hegseth. 

‘It’s really this simple: If you oppose President Trump’s nominees, you oppose the Trump agenda and there will be a political price to pay for that. We are well aware that there are certain establishment Senators trying to tank the President’s nominees to make him look weak and damage him politically, and we’re just not going to allow that to happen,’ a top Trump ally told Fox News Digital. 

​​Trump nominated Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, as secretary of defense last month, saying ‘with Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.’ Hegseth was a host on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ before Trump’s nomination. 

Hegseth has since been on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators to rally support as he battles allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing. 

Ernst sits on the ​​Senate Armed Services Committee, which will hold the secretary of defense nominee’s confirmation hearing, and met with Hegseth last week. Ernst, however, has withheld committing to voting in favor of Hegseth.

​​’Pete Hegseth and I will continue our constructive conversations as we move forward together in this process. We plan to meet again next week. At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,’ Ernst said last week after meeting with Hegseth.

Hegseth added in his own comment on the meeting with Ernst, that he had a ‘substantive conversation with Senator Ernst, I appreciate her sincere commitment to defense policy, and I look forward to meeting with her again next week.’

Reports surfaced last week alleging Trump had lost faith in his nominee as Democrats slammed the choice and some Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, remarked the allegations against Hegseth were ‘disturbing.’ 

Trump bucked the claims last week when he doubled down on his support of Hegseth in a Truth Social post, while Vice President-elect JD Vance also said the Trump team is ‘​​not abandoning this nomination.’

​​’Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. ‘He will be a fantastic, high ​​energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!’

Ernst is a ​​retired Iowa National Guard lieutenant colonel,​ and spoke before the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday where she addressed her advocacy for survivors of military sexual assault. 

‘I am a survivor of sexual assault, so I have worked very heavily on sexual assault measures within the military, so I’d like to hear a little more about that, and I’d like to hear about the role of women in our great United States military,’ Ernst said, according to Politico. 

She added that she was ‘excited’ to meet with Hegseth, ‘but there will be a very thorough vetting before he moves forward.’

Hegseth will head back to Capitol Hill this week to rally support for his nomination as conservatives and Trump supporters intensify their criticisms against Ernst and other colleagues who have stalled on supporting Hegseth despite voting to confirm Biden nominees nearly four years ago. 

‘If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!’ Don Trump Jr. wrote on X.

‘Joni Ernst sucked as a Senator long before this. The rest of the country is just now finding that out. However, defeating an incumbent US Senator takes high name ID, connections, and funding potential,’ talk show host Steve Deace wrote on X. ‘I’m one of the few people in Iowa with all three. I don’t want to be a Senator, but I am willing to primary her for the good of the cause if I’m assured I have Trump’s support going in. Or I am willing to throw my support and network behind someone else President Trump prefers to primary Joni Ernst instead.’

A conservative nonprofit, Building America’s Future, told the Daily Caller it is spending half a million dollars in ads supporting Hegseth as SecDef, while calling on voters to rally their respective senators to support the nominee. 

‘America needs a Defense Secretary who knows what it means to fight, and understands the price of freedom. Pete Hegseth is a patriot, a decorated combat veteran and a warrior who will stop at nothing to keep America safe,’ the ad says. 

‘The Deep State is trying to stop his nomination, but Pete isn’t backing down. Call your senator today and urge them to confirm Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense,’ the ad continues. 

Ernst has previously found herself at odds with the Republican Party and Trump, including in comments both during the first Trump administration and over the summer where she spoke favorably of transgender individuals serving in the military. Under the Trump administration in 2018, the 45th president officially authorized the Pentagon to ban transgender individuals from joining the military, with limited exceptions, after making the pledge to do so in 2017.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ernst’s press office on Sunday but did not immediately receive a response. 

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report. 

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The fall of Syria’s President Bahsar al-Assad is a blow to Russia, terror-monger Iran, and their Hezbollah cronies in Lebanon. But Syria’s next chapter is starting with uncertainty. President-elect Trump’s goal is restoring peace to the Middle East – and the road now runs through Damascus. 

‘Not our fight,’ Trump stated. Quite canny of him, for in 2019, he wisely left outposts of about 900 U.S. forces both at An Tanf, a junction near Iraq’s border, and along the oil fields at Deir Al Zour, blocking a return of the defeated ISIS caliphate.

Fingers crossed that the end of Assad won’t be the beginning of ISIS 2.0.

Assad was terrible. Remember his use of chemical weapons against his own people? In 2013, the Assad regime launched rockets carrying the deadly nerve agent sarin into the Ghouta district of Damascus, killing more than 1,400 people, according to the U.S. Department of State, and used them again in 2017. Trump ordered airstrikes on Syrian chemical weapons sites with U.S. B-1 bombers, along with France and Britain, in 2018.

‘There is not a single household in Syria that the war has not touched. Praise be to God, today Syria is recovering,’ said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani in his speech at the Umyyad mosque yesterday.

What remains to be seen is if these rebels – who took just 11 days to depose Assad – want to launch a recovery in Syria, or return to their al Qaeda roots. Syria’s economy is weak, unemployment is high and Syria is still coping with the 2023 earthquake that killed 5500 and affected many more. This could go either way.

Uncertain as the situation is, for now, the geopolitics are quite satisfying. Russia’s Vladimir Putin takes a big loss. He couldn’t keep his client Assad in power, and with Aleppo, Damascus and Homs in rebel hands, Russia’s air base at the international airport near Latakia and naval base on the Mediterranean coast at Tartus are more or less on lockdown. Syria was a major investment for Putin and, in a way, his training ground for Ukraine.  With Assad gone, it’s all blown up.

As for the Iranians, they’ve lost a member of their so-called axis of resistance. Their supply corridor into Hezbollah in Lebanon is now choked off. Syria was ‘a playground for Iran’s ambitions,’ Golani said, but no more. A senior Iranian running terror militias was killed by HTS forces in Aleppo on Nov. 28. Decimated by Israel and pinned down by U.S. deterrent forces, there was not much Iran could do for Assad. 

The bad news? Syria is now in the hands of a UN-designated terrorist group. Golani, age 42, has been a slick operative for years, admiring the 9/11 attacks but carving out his own base in northern Syria after opting not to ally with various al Qaeda leaders. You get the feeling that Golani calculated he’d do better on his own in Syria, instead of paying allegiance to some big-name al Qaeda outsider. It’s a little worrying that he calls himself ‘Golani’ in reference to Israel’s takeover of the Golan Heights in 1967, when his grandfather fled before Israel’s armies. 

For now, much depends on how Golani handles his victorious forces. If prudent, he will keep them behaving as liberators. And he will stay away from the Golan Heights, newly reoccupied by Israel Defense Force troops.

Of course, the big concern is keeping a lid on ISIS. In the west, the Syrian Defense Forces, allied with the U.S., are ‘sitting on top of a prison system with approximately 10,000 ISIS fighters incarcerated in it,’ retired Gen. Frank McKenzie told ABC News on Mar. 31. U.S. commanders have warned for years that the camps seethe with resentment. If released, the ISIS detainees and their kin could filter out to strengthen other ISIS groups, potentially increasing the risks of terror attacks in the U.S. and Europe – a ‘whole new chapter of ISIS violence,’ in McKenzie’s words.

My mind is on the U.S. forces in Syria. Although small, they are very capable forces, and closely monitored by U.S. Central Command airpower as part of the enduring ‘defeat ISIS’ mission. U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs carried out a low ‘show of force’ flight in Syria on Dec. 3, to shoo enemies away, while others – probably Special Forces – were destroying mortars and armored personnel carriers after a rocket and mortar attack near Military Support Site Euphrates. All year, U.S. air forces have consistently launched airstrikes against both Iran-backed militia teams and at ISIS clusters in Syria. 

Hopefully, the departure of Assad is a new beginning. But Syria has a long way to go, and Trump’s team just got yet another crisis to resolve.

The passion of U.S. presidents across party lines is peace in the Middle East. There hasn’t been a single one since Nixon who didn’t strive to his utmost, from Carter’s Camp David Accords through Biden’s frantic attempts at a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump wants peace in the Middle East, too, but the difference is that, given his first term success with the Abraham Accords, he can get it. But that road now runs through Damascus.

 

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President Biden said during a Sunday afternoon press conference that the U.S. will support Syria’s neighboring nations and help bolster stability in the region after dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country amid an ongoing civil war. 

‘At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. A fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country. It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty,’ Biden said Sunday during a press conference from the White House.

Biden detailed that following Assad’s departure in the face of rebel forces, the U.S. will support Syria’s neighboring countries – such as Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel – ‘should any threat arise from Syria during this period of transition.’ Biden said this effort will include senior administration officials meeting with world leaders, and the president also speaking directly with leaders in the neighboring nations. 

‘Second, we will help stability, ensure stability in eastern Syria. Protecting any personnel, our personnel, against any threats, and will remain our mission against ISIS will be maintained, including security of detention facilities where ISIS fighters are being held as prisoners,’ Biden continued of the U.S. plan of action after the collapse of the Assad regime. ‘…. Third, we will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward an independent sovereign’ Syria. 

Bashar al-Assad fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus on Saturday. Assad, whose government used chemical weapons repeatedly on its residents, reportedly fled with his wife and children. 

Biden said the U.S. did not have confirmation on Assad’s whereabouts, noting that ‘there’s word that he’s in Moscow.’ 

Syria has been in the midst of a nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels attempted to overthrow Assad and his family’s dynasty, which had ruled the country for the last 50 years. 

‘The United States will do whatever we can to support [Syrians], including through humanitarian relief, to help restore Syria after more than a decade of war and generations of brutality by the Assad family,’ Biden said. 

‘And finally, we will remain vigilant. Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses. We’ve taken note of statements by the leaders of these rebel groups in recent days. And they’re saying the right things now, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,’ Biden continued Sunday. 

The president noted that the U.S. will also continue efforts to secure American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria for more than a decade. 

‘We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago. We remain committed to returning him to his family,’ Biden said. 

Ahead of reports of Assad fleeing, President-elect Trump warned that the U.S. should not get involved in the civil war. 

‘Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!’ he wrote.

Trump added on Truth Social early Sunday morning: ‘Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.’

‘Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success,’ his post continued. ‘Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted the fall of Assad’s regime on Sunday, saying it was a ‘direct result’ of Israel’s attacks on Iran and Hezbollah, while noting the situation overall is ‘fraught with significant dangers.’ Israel is in the midst of a more than year-long war after Hamas launched attacks on the nation on Oct. 7, 2023. 

‘This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad’s main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression,’ Netanyahu said Sunday. 

‘We send a hand of peace to all those beyond our border in Syria: to the Druze, to the Kurds, to the Christians, and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel. We’re going to follow events very carefully. If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that’s our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel,’ Netanyahu added. 

Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

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President-elect Donald Trump has released a new fragrance line for men and women to commemorate his historic election victory, and he found an unwitting model to help sell it.

An online ad for the fragrance features a viral photo of Trump and Jill Biden, with the first lady seemingly smiling at him at the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday.

‘Here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING,’ Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

‘A fragrance your enemies can’t resist,’ reads the tagline.

Trump sat between French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, during the ceremony, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Britain’s Prince William.

The first lady and her daughter, Ashley, were also seated in the same row as Trump.

Noticeably missing from the festivities was President Biden, who declined an invitation to attend the ceremony held five years after a devastating fire wrecked the centuries-old Paris landmark. The White House cited a ‘scheduling conflict.’

On Election Day last month, social media erupted when the first lady was photographed wearing a red pantsuit to cast her ballot. The wardrobe selection raised eyebrows, as the color red is synonymous with the Republican Party.

Many took to X to joke that the first lady voted for Trump in the wake of speculation the Bidens were not thrilled with the way the president was forced to end his re-election bid in July.

The first lady caused another social media firestorm when many noted what seemed to be an icy reception for Vice President Harris at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a remembrance ceremony on Veterans Day. Harris was Trump’s opponent in the 2024 presidential race.

As Harris took her seat for the wreath-laying ceremony, Biden appeared to look straight ahead through dark sunglasses.

‘Jill Biden refused to even look at Kamala,’ wrote the popular X account ‘End Wokeness.’

Conservative author David Harris Jr. has suggested there seems to be a ‘rift’ within the party after Harris’ blowout loss to Trump.

On his fragrance website, the ‘Fight, Fight, Fight’ collection is for ‘Patriots who never back down, like President Trump.’

‘This scent is your rallying cry in a bottle,’ the description reads. ‘This limited edition cologne embodies strength, power, and victory.’

The perfume and cologne bottles feature Trump’s image and raised fist from the July 13 assassination attempt on him at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally that claimed the life of Corey Comperatore, 50, a firefighter and father of two daughters.

Trump was hit in the right ear, and two other men, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were also wounded by gunfire.

The perfume and cologne start at $199 and $298 for a buy one, get one for 50% option.

Two of the fragrances are already sold out, according to the website.

‘Great Christmas gifts for the family. Go to gettrumpfragrances.com/. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!’ Trump wrote.

This is the latest product the president-elect has sold this year. He also sold ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles and a line of $400 sneakers during his presidential campaign.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the first lady for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

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President-elect Trump announced that Alina Habba would be joining his White House team as the counselor to the President on Sunday evening.

‘Alina has been a tireless advocate for Justice, a fierce Defender of the Rule of Law, and an invaluable Advisor to my Campaign and Transition Team,’ Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. ‘She has been unwavering in her loyalty, and unmatched in her resolve – standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles, and countless days in court.’

The president-elect noted that there are not many who understand the weaponization of the ‘injustice’ system as well as Habba.

‘As a first generation American of Middle Eastern Heritage, she has become a role model for women in Law and Politics, most recently being named Chaldean Woman of the Year,’ Trump continued. ‘Congratulations to Alina, her husband Gregg, and her three beautiful children, Chloe, Luke, and Parker.’

Habba responded on X, saying, ‘Honor of my life to serve the 45th and 47th President of the American people.’

Along with appointing Habba, Trump announced that he was nominating Christopher Landau to serve as Deputy Secretary of State, who will work alongside Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio.

Together, Trump said, the two will promote the nation’s security and prosperity through an America-first foreign policy.

‘Chris served as my Ambassador to Mexico, where he worked tirelessly with our team to reduce illegal migration to the lowest levels in History,’ Trump said. ‘He is also one of our Country’s great lawyers and clerked for both Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court.’

Trump wrote in another post that Michael Needham will serve as the counselor of the Department of State, having served with Rubio for many years.

Michael Anton, Trump added in another post, will serve as the director of policy planning in the State Department.

‘Michael served me loyally and effectively at the National Security Council in my First Term. He has an extensive background in Government, the private sector, and academia,’ he wrote. ‘He spent the last eight years explaining what an America First foreign policy truly means.’

And finally, while making a barrage of posts to Truth Social, Trump congratulated Chairman Brian Schimming for getting elected to another term to lead the Wisconsin GOP.

‘Brian has been with us from the very beginning and has been key to our many Republican Victories in the Badger State, including our HISTORIC WIN in 2024,’ Trump said. ‘Brian is MAGA all the way, and I look forward to continuing working with him to grow our America First Movement in 2026, and beyond!’

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Lara Trump announced via X that she would be stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) citing that during her time the RNC had three distinct goals, and they had all been accomplished.

She started her journey as co-chair of the RNC in March 2024, but it has been widely discussed that she is considering her potential options as father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump once again takes the reins at the White House.

‘With that big win, I kind of feel like my time is up,’ she said. ‘What I intended to do has been done.’

Trump only began her journey as co-chair in March and was pivotal in Republicans retaking control of the Senate while maintaining a narrow House majority.

There has been talk that she may be considered as a replacement for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as Trump has said he will be tapped to be the next Secretary of State.

Last month she told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that she ‘would love to serve the people of Florida’ and ‘would love to consider’ filling the seat if asked.

On Sunday, Trump discussed with Howard Kurtz how much of an honor it would be to even be considered.

‘Certainly, we’ve all had the opportunity over the past nine years to fully involve ourselves in politics, to understand the American people, what they want, and we’ve all been residents of the state of Florida now for over three years,’ she said. ‘If that’s something that’s put in front of me, it would be a true honor.’

Maye Musk, mother of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is one of many pushing for her to replace Rubio.

‘The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets,’ she posted on X. Lara Trump is 42.

Elon Musk seemingly agrees with his mother’s sentiments as he responded to her X post saying, ‘Lara Trump is genuinely great.’

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on ‘Hannity’ that he ‘would be like over-the-top excited’ and that Republicans ‘could not do better … than Lara Trump.’

Ultimately, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is reportedly being considered to replace Pete Hegseth, will choose Rubio’s replacement. 

Michael Whatley will remain RNC chairman.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., is considering a run for New York governor – and he’s raising his national profile with a tidal wave of criticism against leaders in his own party.

Torres has been vocally opposed to the blue stronghold’s progressive criminal justice policies and has criticized how Gov. Kathy Hochul has managed the Empire State, raising eyebrows about a potentially bruising primary in 2026.

‘Hochul has a history of coded stereotyping, falsely claiming that young black Bronxites have never heard of the word ‘computer.’ She knows as much about me and communities of color as she knows about governing effectively. Absolutely nothing,’ he wrote on X last week.

He was also one of the first Democrats to come out and blame the progressive left for Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to President-elect Trump, saying at the time, ‘Donald Trump has no greater friend than the far left, which has managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party.’

When reached for comment, Torres’ spokesperson told Fox News Digital that he is weighing a gubernatorial bid ‘and plans to make a final decision by mid-2025.’

The congressman himself gave insight into his thinking when he recently went after New York City Mayor Eric Adams for employing a staffer who had been accused of ripping down posters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas.

‘If I were at the helm of NYS or NYC government, antisemites need not apply. Tearing down posters of the hostages is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated,’ Torres wrote on social media.

In late November, he accused both Adams and Hochul of being ‘complicit’ in a stabbing spree that left three New Yorkers dead. 

That same month, he lambasted New York’s policies as bad for business.

‘There are regulations in place that make it impossible to do business… and have made it impossible to build,’ Torres said during a Citizens Budget Commission meeting, according to the New York Post.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., who chaired the New York State Republican Party for over a decade, said it was not shocking to see Torres attacking Hochul while mulling his own gubernatorial bid.

‘Richie Torres is vocalizing many of the same criticisms Republicans have raised about the dysfunction in Albany. So it’s not surprising that she’s facing a challenge from her own party,’ Langworthy said.

However, he dismissed Torres’ critiques of progressivism as ‘posturing in the face of Hochul’s failures and the undeniable success’ of Trump’s platform.

Torres had been a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) until earlier this year, when he left over disagreements about Israel. 

When asked about Torres’ criticism, Hochul said at a recent press conference that she was ‘a little busy’ doing her job.

‘Those who have government jobs who aren’t focused on their jobs, and are focused on an election almost two years off, I would think their constituents would have a problem with that,’ she said.

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