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President Donald Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants on Monday night, after promising at his inaugural parade to sign an executive order on the matter. 

Sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Trump signed off on releasing more than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol. The order requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately on receipt of the pardons.

‘Tonight I’m going to be signing on the J6 hostages, pardons to get them out,’ Trump said at the parade at Capital One Arena in Washington. ‘I’m going to the Oval Office and we’ll be signing pardons for a lot of people.’

Those pardoned include Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman, who faced a sentence of 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy. Tarrio’s attorney told the Associated Press he expects Tarrio to face release Monday evening. 

Trump previously promised that he would be ‘acting very quickly’ on his first day in office to pardon to the so-called ‘hostages.’  

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Trump’s pardon ‘shameful,’ and said to remember the ‘courage’ of law enforcement ‘heroes’ who ‘ensured that democracy survived.’ 

‘The President’s actions are an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution,’ Pelosi, who didn’t attend Trump’s inauguration Monday, said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. 

‘It is shameful that the President has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power,’ Pelosi said. 

The pardon was one of more than 200 executive orders Trump was expected to sign on Inauguration Day. Other directives he signed on Monday include withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement that the U.S. initially entered under former President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015. 

Trump previously withdrew the U.S. from the agreement during his first term in 2020. 

On Monday morning, then-President Joe Biden issued a series of pardons just hours before Trump’s swearing in at the U.S. Capitol. Those pardoned by Biden include former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Gen. Mark Milley, whom Trump has accused of committing treason. Others Biden pardoned were those involved in the Jan. 6 Select Committee investigation that conducted a probe into the attack. 

‘The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,’ Biden said in a statement. ‘Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.’

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

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President Trump’s youngest son Barron, 18, stepped into the spotlight at his father’s inauguration on Monday.  

Standing at a towering 6’9′, many attendees and viewers remarked about how mature the younger Trump has become since his father first took office back in January 2017.

At 10 years old, Barron Trump was often the victim of cruel jokes and rumors from his father’s critics. His mother, Melania Trump, attempted to shield him from unwanted scrutiny, though sometimes to no avail.

On Monday, the first son commanded respect from onlookers as he stood by his father’s side during the inaugural ceremonies. Here’s a look at how Barron Trump has grown up since 2017.

2017

At 10 years old, Barron Trump became the first son to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy, Jr. in 1961.

Barron, who turned 11 in March of 2017, also lived at Trump Tower in New York at the same time, attending Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side.

Beginning in 2016, rumors swirled about Barron Trump possibly having autism, which comedian Rosie O’Donnell amplified. In 2024, Melania Trump said that the rumors deeply impacted her son, who was bullied at school.

‘I was appalled by such cruelty,’ Melania Trump wrote in her memoir. ‘It was clear to me that she was not interested in raising awareness about autism. I felt that she was attacking my son because she didn’t like my husband.’

‘There is nothing shameful about autism (though O’Donnell’s tweet implied that there was), but Barron is not autistic,’ she added. ‘Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused.’

2018

Barron turned 12 years old in March 2018 and continued to be a common target for Trump’s enemies.

Actor Peter Fonda called for officials to ‘rip Barron Trump from his mother’s arms and put him in a cage with pedophiles.’ He later apologized for the remarks.

‘I tweeted something highly inappropriate and vulgar about the president and his family in response to the devastating images I was seeing on television,’ Fonda said in the statement shortly after. ‘Like many Americans, I am very impassioned and distraught over the situation with children separated from their families at the border, but I went way too far.’

2019

Barron was 13 years old when his family permanently relocated to Mar-a-Lago in 2019. That year, Trump said he would have a ‘hard time’ allowing his son to play football.

‘I just don’t like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football — I mean, it’s a dangerous sport and I think it’s really tough,’ Trump said at the time. ‘I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn’t solved the problem.’

During a 2019 House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing, Stanford law professor Pamela Karlan remarked that then-President Trump could ‘name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron.’

Melania Trump was upset that her young son was mentioned at the hearing.

‘A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics,’ the first lady tweeted at the time. ‘Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.’

2020

As Trump was fighting for his re-election bid in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the United States, Barron Trump continued to attend school and stayed out of the public spotlight. In 2020, ‘Jeopardy’ host Ken Jennings apologized for a joke he told about Barron in 2017. 

‘Barron saw a very long necktie and a heap of expired deli meat in a dumpster,’ Jennings tweeted at the time. ‘He thought it was his dad & his little heart is breaking.’

‘Hey, I just wanted to own up to the fact that over the years on Twitter, I’ve definitely tweeted some unartful [sic] and insensitive things,’ Jennings wrote in 2020. ‘Sometimes they worked as jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on screen.’

2021

Barron Trump was 14 years old when his father left office in January. He lived with his mother at Mar-a-Lago full-time and stayed out of the spotlight.

In July 2021, he was seen leaving Trump Tower with Melania Trump.

2022

Barron Trump was 16 when FBI agents raided his father’s Florida estate. He kept a low profile during this year, but he was seen in public with both of his parents at the funeral of Ivana Trump, Trump’s first wife, in July 2022.

In November 2022, his father announced his bid for the presidency.

2023

As President Trump’s campaign kicked up again in 2023, Barron was still absent from the public spotlight. In August of that year, his father’s mugshot was released.

2024

Barron Trump matriculated at New York University (NYU) in the fall of 2024. He graduated from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach in May, and was seen attending classes at NYU’S Stern School of Business.

In November, he also voted for the first time, casting a ballot for his father in Florida.

2025

Barron looked sharp as he attended his father’s inauguration on Jan. 20 Later during the day, he waved to the crowd after his father mentioned his role in the 2024 campaign.

‘I have a very tall son named Barron. Has anyone ever heard of him?’ Trump said to cheers, as the first son waved at attendees.

‘He knew the youth vote. You know, we won the youth vote by 36 points… He said, ‘Dad, you got to go out, do Joe Rogan, do all these guys,’’ Trump recalled. ‘We did, we did. And Joe Rogan was great.’

The 18-year-old also wowed attendees when he shook hands with President Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris, with some social media users speculating that he may pursue a political career in the future.

‘Barron Trump just shook hands with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,’ one X user wrote. ‘This kid will be our President one day. Bet on it.’

‘Barron Trump is a natural,’ another said of Barron. ‘Totally owned the moment.’

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Curto and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump arrived at the Commander-in-Chief Ball shortly after 10 PM ET on Monday, and shared his First Dance with first lady Melania Trump – his first of three ball appearances that night.

Shortly after the band played ‘Americans, We,’ Trump was introduced by an emcee at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Mount Vernon Square, D.C.

The event is geared toward service members. 

For his first dance, Trump and first lady Melania Trump danced to a contemporary rendition of Julia Ward Howe’s 1861 Civil War anthem ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’

The song was the clarion call of the Union Army of the Potomac – and the opposite number to the Confederate Army’s ‘Dixie.’

In brief remarks, Trump told the crowd the election was a ‘tremendous win’ and that a big reason he won was ‘my relationship with you (the American people).’

At the military themed ball, he praised his Pentagon chief nominee Pete Hegseth.

Trump also spoke at two other balls later in the night, another located at the Washington Convention Center and the final one located at Union Station.

The Liberty Ball was sandwiched between the Commander-in-Chief Ball and the Starlight Ball.

While the Commander-in-Chief ball was geared towards service members, the Liberty Ball is set to include a wide-range of Trump supporters. It is being headlined by Trump’s address, but, also similar to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, will include some musical performances as well. Those performances will include country singer Jason Aldean, rapper Nelly, and the Village People.

At the Liberty Ball – also held at the convention center – Trump shared another first dance with Mrs. Trump.

Several members of the Trump family then took the stage, along with Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. They danced to ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers.

Trump told the Liberty Ball crowd it had been ‘a hell of a day.’

The balls follow a jam-packed day of events that included President Trump’s formal swearing-in ceremony, an inaugural parade at Capital One Arena, an Oval Office signing ceremony, and much more.

During the day’s events Trump signed a slew of executive orders related to border security, diversity, equity and inclusion, Jan. 6, energy and the climate, and the federal workforce. 

The number of orders he signed outnumbered how many Trump signed during his first day in office in 2017, as well as the number that President Biden signed during his first day as president.

The Liberty Ball is set to include a wide-range of Trump supporters. It is being headlined by Trump’s address, but, also similar to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, will include some musical performances as well. 

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President Donald Trump pulled the security clearances of more than 50 national security officials who said Hunter Biden’s laptop had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.’

A total of 51 former national security officials released a public letter in 2020 claiming that even though the laptop did not have ‘any evidence of Russian involvement,’ it looked like a ‘Russian information operation.’

The letter came after the New York Post reported they had emails showing Hunter Biden coordinated for Joe Biden to meet with a top executive at Ukrainian energy company Burisma months before pressuring Ukrainian officials to oust a prosecutor investigating the company. 

Included on the list are former director of National Intelligence James Clapper Jr., former directors of the Central Intelligence Agency Michael Hayden, John Brennan, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. 

Fox News Digital previously reported that federal investigators with the Department of Justice were aware that Hunter Biden’s laptop was not manipulated and contained ‘reliable evidence.’ 

Republican lawmakers including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have previously suggested withdrawing the security clearances of these officials. 

The order was one of more than 200 executive orders Trump approved on Inauguration Day, joining directives like withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement that the U.S. initially entered under former President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015. 

Trump previously withdrew the U.S. from the agreement during his first term in 2020. 

Other executive orders Trump signed on day one include rescinding nearly 80 executive orders and memoranda issued under Biden, issuing a regulatory and hiring freeze upon the federal government, preventing ‘government censorship’ of free speech, and directing every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis. 

David Spector contributed to this report. 

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Celebrities have taken to social media to celebrate Donald Trump being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Monday.

Actress Candace Cameron Bure shared photos of President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Jan. 20 on Instagram.

‘Happy Inauguration Day!!! God Bless America,’ she captioned several photos of the president and first lady, Vice President Vance and his wife, Usha, and a video of Carrie Underwood’s performance.

Bure also took to her Instagram story to honor President Trump, Vice President Vance and share that it was ‘an exciting day.’

Actor Dean Cain shared a photo of himself in Washington, D.C., on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption, ‘What a day!!’

Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, took to her Instagram story on Monday morning to share an old photo of Trump with ‘Today’ written alongside it. Jason is gearing up to perform at the Liberty Ball on Monday night.

Brittany shared photos with her husband ahead of his big performance on Monday night.

‘INAUGURATION NIGHT,’ she began her caption. ‘What a ride it’s been! Today has made all the scrutiny worth it. Wouldn’t change a thing.’

Actor James Woods took to X on Monday and wrote, ‘I am in tears. God bless America and President Trump.’ 

Not all of Hollywood was celebrating Trump’s return to the Oval Office. Jamie Lee Curtis took to Instagram early Monday morning to share a photo with the message, ‘Chances I won’t use the word f–k in a sentence today,’ with an embroidered pie chart. The choices were ‘none’ and ‘also none but in yellow.’

The caption read, ‘Just in case you need this today. Let it out and then let’s get to work. There’s plenty to do. xo’

She also shared a photo on her Instagram story with a message about Inauguration Day by Loryn Brantz.

‘In a time of hate, love is an act of resistance. In a time of fear, faith is an act of resistance. In a time of misinformation, education is an act of resistance. In a time of poor leadership, community is an act of resistance. In a time like this, joy is an act of resistance. Resist, resist, resist,’ the message read.

Former ‘Jeopardy!’ host Mayim Bialik took to Instagram on Monday to share her thoughts on Trump’s inauguration.

‘Yes I watched the Inauguration. There’s a lot I want to say but am not saying. For now, what I do

Early Monday morning, Underwood performed ‘America the Beautiful’ at the 60th presidential inauguration ceremony, which was held this year inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

The country music star was forced to improvise after no musical cue would start.

Underwood, positioned in front of former President Biden, quickly ascertained that the accompanying instrumental track was not working, leaving her to improvise.

‘If you know the words, help me out here,’ she prefaced before singing a cappella. After her performance, she clapped for those before her who’d sung along before turning around and shaking Biden’s hand.

She then shared a moment with Trump and JD Vance before leaving the room.

Last week, Underwood, who has kept herself away from the political scene, confirmed she would perform at Trump’s inauguration.

‘I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,’ the country superstar said in a statement.

‘I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.’

Fox News Digital’s Caroline Thayer contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump’s second inaugural address was a policy-oriented message ‘of hope and unity,’ experts said.  

Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, called Trump’s address ‘substantive’ when it came to outlining the president’s agenda for the next four years. 

‘Trump was policy-specific from beginning to end,’ Roberts said. ‘And I think that that’s something that’s going to be remembered as a distinguishing characteristic of the speech, because people, Americans waking up tomorrow watching the news, reading the news, will remember that Trump articulated a playbook.’

‘The golden Age of America begins right now,’ Trump said as he delivered his inaugural address on Capitol Hill Monday.

‘From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,’ he continued. ‘We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply put America first.’

Trump notably bashed ‘the vicious, violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department’ as well as the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of both foreign and domestic issues while both the former president and vice president looked on. Trump specifically noted the North Carolina hurricane disasters and the recent wildfires ravaging Southern California. 

‘We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people,’ Trump said.

Trump’s policy-specific speech was ‘very important right now because of all of the policy failures of the Biden-Harris regime,’ Roberts told Fox News Digital on Monday. ‘And I know from the kind of work that Heritage does, not just in D.C. but in states around the country, that Trump’s base and a lot of the independent voters who voted for him this time around [were] looking for a policy plan, and he articulated it.’

‘President Trump has officially kicked off a new chapter for America,’ Jessica Anderson, president of the conservative super PAC Sentinel Action Fund, told Fox News Digital on Monday. ‘His speech was one of hope and unity as he set the tone for the next four years of prosperity, security and strength.’

Both Roberts and Anderson noted that Trump’s address also was a turning point in definitively announcing that a new administration was taking over the White House. 

‘As President Trump made clear, he is not going to waste any time getting to work for the American people, and he has already teed up dozens of executive orders on everything from securing the border to properly defining gender,’ Anderson said. 

‘It was not gratuitous in his criticism of his political opponents,’ Roberts said. ‘But you didn’t have to do much reading between the lines to understand that the sheriff is back in town. He’s going to take this country back.’

Trump’s speech also emphasized his top priority in making America ‘a nation that is proud, prosperous and free,’ echoing sentiments of the New Frontier theme. 

‘We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under God,’ Trump said. ‘So to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you and I will win for you. We are going to win like never before.’ 

Roberts said, ‘I think Trump put his finger on something that’s, right now, going to be an underappreciated part of his legacy, and that is a president of American innovation.’

‘In other words, making America great again is bringing American manufacturing and economic vitality back to a level where the innovation is so tremendous you can’t even comprehend as you sit here what it’s going to be.’

Roberts said such an invocation of the ‘real spirit of America’ in Trump’s speech indicated ‘bringing American manufacturing and economic vitality back’ during his second administration, which was a theme that Roberts said both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy incorporated into their own inaugural addresses.

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President Trump was inaugurated for a second time on Monday. 

The inauguration kicked off the day on a historic note, with the ceremony moved indoors due to freezing temperatures. Notable moments played out throughout the day, including Trump’s fiery speech shortly after being sworn in, to an audio mishap that inadvertently turned into a collaborative singing effort. 

Here are the top five moments from Trump’s second inauguration. 

Trump ushers in ‘Golden Age of America,’ bashes Biden-Harris admin in inaugural speech 

‘The golden Age of America begins right now,’ Trump said shortly after being sworn in. ‘From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.’

Trump started out his first speech officially as president by saying the U.S. would now be ‘the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.’

The president assailed the Biden-Harris administration as the former president and vice president looked on. Trump specifically slammed the ‘vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government’ and said the country has been operating under ‘a radical and corrupt establishment.’

‘While the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair, we now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home,’ Trump said.

Trump criticized the Biden administration’s handling of various national disasters, including hurricane damage in North Carolina and recent wildfires in California. 

‘Jan. 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day,’ Trump said. ‘It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.’

President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, did their first dance together as POTUS and FLOTUS Monday night at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The dance featured a nifty spin move by the President.

First lady Melania Trump donned a white, strapless gown with black detailing following a full day of inauguration festivities. She coupled the dress with a black choker.

The ball is one of two others that Trump made an appearance in: the Liberty Ball and Starlight Ball.

Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, also joined Trump and Melania onstage for a quick dance, before they exchanged partners with military servicemembers.

From the best to worst dressed: Melania Trump, Sen. John Fetterman draw eyes over fashion choices 

First lady Melania Trump donned a weather-appropriate outfit for her husband’s second inaugural ceremony. Melania was pictured wearing a custom Adam Lippes double-breasted navy coat with a matching boater hat designed by Eric Javits while on her way to a service at St. John’s Church on Inauguration Day, according to Page Six. 

Social media users flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to post compliments on the first lady’s inaugural getup, with many saying she looked ‘elegant’ and ‘classy.’

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, on the other hand, had a slightly more warmer-weather-style outfit for the inauguration ceremony. Fetterman was seen sporting gray gym shorts, a dark hoodie and sneakers as he arrived at Capitol Hill.

The senator’s attire also drew attention given the chilly temperatures on Monday. Trump’s second inauguration notably marked the coldest presidential inauguration ceremony in more than 40 years.

Trump’s awkward kiss attempt with Melania 

Trump tried to kiss Melania shortly before his swearing-in after initially entering the Capitol Rotunda, leading to an awkward air-kiss encounter. 

Trump and Melania were surrounded by former presidents and their wives along with Cabinet nominees, foreign dignitaries and other high-profile guests upon entering the building. Trump leaned in to give Melania a kiss on the cheek when Melania’s hat got in the way.

They ultimately settled on an air kiss.

Carrie Underwood sings a cappella following music mishap

Country singer Carrie Underwood showed she was a true professional during her rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’ after a hiccup with the music. 

Underwood was welcomed with a round of applause as she was introduced. Once on stage, Underwood patiently waited for the instrumentals to start, which ultimately never came.

‘If you know the words, help me out here,’ she finally said before launching into an a cappella version of the song.

Members of the audience, including the former president and vice president, joined in singing the song.

Underwood wrapped up her performance by shaking Biden’s hand and sharing a moment with Trump and Vice President Vance before leaving the room.

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World leaders have been rushing to get on Donald Trump’s good side since his reelection as US president, arguably none more so than Ukraine.

In his annual New Year address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had “no doubt that the new American president is willing and capable of achieving peace and ending Putin’s aggression,” in comments that embody his approach to winning over Trump.

Just days later, Zelensky told an American podcaster that Trump won as he was a “much stronger” candidate than Kamala Harris, adding, “He showed that he can do it intellectually and physically.”

Zelensky isn’t alone among prominent Ukrainians in trying to butter up Trump. In November, a Ukrainian MP from Zelensky’s party even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize, according to a letter seen by the Kyiv Independent.

Such tactics have long been favored by foreign powers. Think of how China took Trump to the Forbidden City or the UK government enlisted the royals during his last term in the White House.

Years on, the stakes could not be higher for Ukraine. Kyiv enters 2025 on the backfoot in its war against Russia, with Ukrainian forces struggling to hold back Russian advances in the east, where they are vastly outnumbered. Its chances of retaking occupied Russian territory anytime soon look increasingly slim.

Under outgoing President Biden, the US became the single largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine and Kyiv remains keenly aware that it needs to stay on Trump’s side to secure future support.

‘Peace through strength’

“He must at least try to get him on Ukraine’s side in order to secure the best possible outcome for Ukraine, which depends enormously on American support.”

Trump has repeatedly stressed the need to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, suggesting that negotiations could be on the horizon. His envoy’s plan to end the war contains much that will please the Kremlin.

Zelensky has said he wants to “work directly” with the new president and appears more willing to – or perhaps has no choice but to – make battlefield concessions.

“Of course, Ukraine would want to recapture all land it lost. However, after three years of this exhausting war, recapturing all land is nowhere in sight. With a heavy heart, Ukrainians are slowly coming to accept this,” Hosa said.

Zelensky has frequently described Trump as strong, an apparent effort to appeal to a president-elect who has made “peace through strength” a rallying call.

“Trump could be crucial. I think this is the most important thing for us. His qualities are like that. He can be decisive in this war. He can stop Putin,” Zelensky told United News, Ukraine’s wartime TV network, earlier this month.

Aligning interests

Another factor is that unlike previous US administrations, Trump fundamentally believes he can have good relations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has long expressed his admiration for Putin while other world leaders have shunned him and has pledged to meet with him “very quickly” after he takes office.

For his part, Putin – who was condemned as a “butcher” by Biden – seems open to building ties with Trump. Following Trump’s election win, Putin offered his congratulations, calling him a “courageous man.” During his year-end news conference in December, he said he was ready to meet with him.

Lutsevych believes that the Ukrainian government is trying to present Kyiv’s defeat over Moscow as something that would strengthen America’s “power projection” on the world stage.

“This is the game; whether Trump will believe this is a viable strategy is another question,” she said.

And Zelensky has offered other benefits. In October last year, he pitched the idea of swapping out some US forces based in Europe with Ukrainian troops once Russia’s war in Ukraine is over. He argued that the wartime experience of Kyiv’s forces could be put to good use, bolstering NATO – the military alliance which Ukraine has been offered assurances it will join – and helping to ensure security in Europe, something that is likely to appeal to a US leader who has demanded Europe do more on defense.

Zelensky has also appealed to Trump’s business-focused mind. His so-called ‘Victory Plan,’ unveiled in October last year, includes a significant deal with the US on minerals – a critical resource Ukraine is rich in.

According to a report in the New York Times, the signing of the minerals deal was pushed back twice, with the possible motive of allowing Trump to take credit for it when he takes office.

Lutsevych posited that Kyiv would be making a lucrative offer to the US, in economic terms. “We’ve seen that in this ‘Victory Plan,’ that it includes critical minerals, it includes investments… [Ukraine is] basically trying to say that it can be profitable for America.”

But while flattering Trump is a common tactic, his unpredictability means there are few guarantees it will work.

Trump’s welcome by then-British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, back in 2019 did not stop him from firing off a series of angry tweets moments before stepping off his plane, describing London Mayor Sadiq Khan as a “stone cold loser.” He then labeled then-British Prime Minister Theresa May as “foolish.”

Hosa believes there is evidence Zelensky’s approach is paying off, with Trump acknowledging it would take longer than 24 hours to end the conflict – a claim he made in July 2024 – in a sign of his shifting attitude.

“He [Zelensky] faced a choice: flatter Trump or be forced to capitulate to Putin,” Hosa said.

“Flattery is a small price to pay for a better outcome than that.”

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More than 80 people were killed in the country’s northeast over the weekend following the government’s failed attempts to hold peace talks with the National Liberation Army, a Colombian official said.

Twenty others were injured in the violence that has forced thousands to flee as Colombia’s army scrambled to evacuate people on Sunday, according to William Villamizar, governor of North Santander, where many of the killings took place.

Among the victims are community leader Carmelo Guerrero and seven people who sought to sign a peace deal, according to a report that a government ombudsman agency released late Saturday.

Officials said the attacks happened in several towns located in the Catatumbo region near the border with Venezuela, with at least three people who were part of the peace talks being kidnapped.

Thousands of people are fleeing the area, with some hiding in the nearby lush mountains or seeking help at government shelters.

“We were caught in the crossfire,” said Juan Gutiérrez, who fled with his family to a temporary shelter in Tibú after they were forced to leave behind their animals and belongings. “We had no time to grab our things. … I hope the government remembers us. … We are helpless here.”

Colombia’s army rescued dozens of people on Sunday, including a family and their pet dog, whose owner held a pack of cold water against the animal’s chest to keep it cool as they evacuated by helicopter.

Defense Minister Iván Velásquez traveled to the northeast town of Cúcuta on Sunday where he held several security meetings and urged armed groups to demobilize.

“The priority is to save lives and guarantee the security of communities,” he said. “We have deployed our troops throughout the entire region.”

Officials also prepared to send 10 tons of food and hygiene kits for approximately 5,000 people in the communities of Ocaña and Tibú, the majority of them having fled the violence.

“Catatumbo needs help,” Villamizar said in a public address on Saturday. “Boys, girls, young people, teenagers, entire families are showing up with nothing, riding trucks, dump trucks, motorcycles, whatever they can, on foot, to avoid being victims of this confrontation.”

The attack comes after Colombia suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, on Friday, the second time it has done so in less than a year.

Colombia’s government has demanded that the ELN cease all attacks and allow authorities to enter the region and provide humanitarian aid.

“Displacement is killing us here in the region,” said José Trinidad, a municipal official for the town of Convención, located in the North Santander region. “We’re afraid the crisis will worsen.”

Trinidad called on insurgent groups to sit down and hammer out a new agreement so “us civilians don’t have to suffer the consequences that we’re suffering right now.”

The ELN has been clashing in Catatumbo with former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a guerrilla group that disbanded after signing a peace deal in 2016 with Colombia’s government. The two are fighting over control of a strategic border region that has coca leaf plantations.

In a statement Saturday, the ELN said it had warned former FARC members that if they “continued attacking the population … there was no other way out than armed confrontation.” The ELN has accused ex-FARC rebels of several killings in the area, including the Jan. 15 slaying of a couple and their 9-month-old baby.

Army commander Gen. Luis Emilio Cardozo Santamaría said Saturday that authorities were reinforcing a humanitarian corridor between Tibú and Cúcuta for the safe passage of those forced to flee their homes. He said special urban troops also were deployed to municipal capitals “where there are risks and a lot of fear.”

The ELN has tried to negotiate a peace deal with the administration of President Gustavo Petro five times, with talks failing after bouts of violence. ELN demands include that it be recognized as a political rebel organization, which critics have said is risky.

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Carrying her small daughter, an Israeli mother stood amid a crowd of people next to the helipad of the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, which on Sunday received the three former hostages released in a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas.

“How good is it that you’ve come home,” read a sign in Hebrew held by the young daughter.

The helicopters, which took off from southern Israel, near the Gaza border, carried Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari – the first of 33 hostages set for release during the first phase of the deal that went into effect Sunday morning.

The three women were kidnapped by Hamas during its attack on October 7, 2023, which killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 others captive.

Footage shared by the Israeli government shows the three women arriving at the hospital, draped in Israeli flags and embracing their families.

In exchange, Israel is expected to release 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 69 women and nine minors, the youngest of them 15 years old.

Near the Sheba hospital, a group of Israelis played music and sang patriotic songs on Sunday night. As medical vehicles carried the hostages from helicopters to the medical facility, dozens chased the vans, chanting their names.

“Thank you, thank you,” one woman cried as she was embraced by another.

Earlier in the so-called Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, a wave of applause overtook the plaza once the hostages were announced to be in the custody of the Red Cross.

People hugged, waved flags and cried at the news. For many Israelis, it was a moment they had dreamt of throughout the 15 months of war in Gaza.

“Romi is coming back! Emily is coming back! Doron is coming back!” a group chanted in the square.

Confirmation of the handover for the crowd came on a large television screen in the square, which was broadcasting Al Jazeera with Israeli commentary playing in the background.

‘Everybody is crying’

Among those waiting for the hostages’ release was 29-year-old Shay Dickman, who stood at the center of the square carrying banners of all three women. She is a cousin of Carmel Gat, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and killed in captivity. Another cousin of hers was released in the short-lived ceasefire-and-hostages deal of November 2023.

Tania Coen-Uzzielli, director of Tel Aviv Museum of Art, had been watching the square – where Israelis gather daily to express solidarity with the hostages – from her nearby museum every day.

She said that previously, she had sometimes felt that the return of the hostages was “wishful thinking.” Their release brings “unbelievable” emotions, she said.

Coen-Uzzielli said she could feel “the pulse” of the plaza every day, as it is right next to her museum.

“Everybody is crying,” she said.

Mai, another woman, who declined to give a second name, said, “We can breathe a little more again” after months of waiting. “And we are going to be here until the very last one comes back.”

The first phase of the agreement is expected to last six weeks, during which time 30 other hostages are to be gradually released.

The war has been devastating to Palestinians living in the besieged enclave. The military offensive launched by Israel in response to Hamas’ October 7 attacks has killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians and injured 110,750 more, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The war has also displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million people, flattened swathes of the territory in an Israeli bombing campaign and triggered a spiraling humanitarian crisis.

Israel has not committed to ending the war, but has said it will take part in negotiations to progress the ceasefire to its next phases. Mediators in Cairo, including Egypt, Qatar and the United States, will monitor the implementation of the deal.

Coen-Uzzielli, the art museum director, said she hopes that the remaining hostages are freed and that the war finally comes to an end.

“I really hope that an international force will influence the ultimate decision to continue the release of the hostages and to stop this tragic war,” she said.

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