Category: USA Politics

A phased-in minimum wage hike in Los Angeles that will mandate up to $30 per hour for hotel workers, signed into law by mayor Karen Bass, is already causing problems for the hotel industry and putting the squeeze on the working-class demographic that minimum wage laws are purportedly intended to help.

“The bottom line is the city of Los Angeles has forced a wage and benefits package on hotels that is utterly unaffordable at a time when Californians and Americans are laser focused on affordability,” Hotel Association of Los Angeles (HALA) President Dr. Jackie Filla told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. 

HALA recently commissioned a study that found hotels have eliminated or expect to eliminate 6% of positions, roughly 650 jobs, since the Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect in September 2025.

Mayor Bass signed the ordinance into law May 27, 2025, after it was approved by the Los Angeles City Council. The measure is often referred to as the “Olympic Wage” in reference to the sporting event being held in Los Angeles in 2028 and will raise pay for hotel and LAX airport workers up to $30 per hour by 2028. 

POLITICIANS PUSH JOB-KILLING MINIMUM WAGE HIKES WHILE IGNORING THE DEVASTATING ECONOMIC REALITY

The law has already resulted in a pay increase to $22.50 per hour in July 2025, and will continue to increase incrementally until it hits $30 in July 2028. Filla says she is urging elected officials from the city council to the mayor to make “amendments” to the ordinance to ease the burden on the hospitality industry.

“We are at the very beginning of the series of these increases and hundreds of hotel workers have already lost their jobs,” Filla said. “Even more are seeing their hours reduced. We’ve seen restaurant closures within hotels, parking is already getting more expensive, and improvements and the creation of new buildings altogether are being delayed or canceled. So taken together, these impacts should really sound alarm bells for our local policymakers.”

In many instances, the workers who lose their jobs are working-class or blue-collar individuals and Filla pointed out that many managers and general managers started off as cooks or dishwashers and advanced through executive training programs which now are less available due to financial shortfalls. 

The study put out by HALA found that a significant number of the jobs lost have been labor-intensive positions like food and beverage, housekeeping, and parking.

MAYOR BASS FACING BLOWBACK OVER EXPLOSIVE REPORT THAT SHE ALTERED WILDFIRE REPORT TO DOWNPLAY CITY’S ROLE

The study also found that 62% of hotels expect staff hours to decrease in 2026, with three-quarters anticipating reductions of at least 10%.

The impact extends beyond hotel payrolls to subcontractors operating on hotel properties, according to HALA, and hotels reported that two-thirds of third-party providers plan to raise prices to offset wage increases, and one in five plan to cancel hotel contracts altogether.

“Unlike typical layoffs that are occurring in other industries right now, these job losses, and it is 6% of jobs lost in a short period of time, were entirely policy-driven, caused by the mayor and city council,” Filla said. “And what is especially troubling about this is it didn’t have to happen. Hotels actually want to maintain and grow their workforce heading into these major events, but these dramatic cost increases. Just make that impossible.“

Fox News Digital reached out to Bass’s office for comment.

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who has repeatedly tried to impeach President Trump  and has been thrown out of Trump’s State of the Union addresses multiple times, spoke on camera with Fox News Digital about the results of his recent primary election that resulted in a runoff.

Green cited $1.5 million in spending against his campaign by the crypto-industry as a major driver behind the closeness of his race. 

“They made it clear that I was a target, and they had a fake poll that showed that they were going to win by some large margin. I think, actually, they called a victory party last night assuming that it was over. Of course, I and others knew that it would be a runoff,” Green said the day after his primary this past week.

HOUSE GOP MOVES TO CENSURE DEM WHO DISRUPTED TRUMP ADDRESS FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR

At the same time, Green also slammed his opponent, former Harris County Attorney-turned-Texas Congressman Christian Menefee, over his alleged lack of experience and failure to show up for votes early in his congressional career. Texas’s redistricting changes pitted the two incumbents against each other in the 18th Congressional District race they have been battling in. 

Green told Fox News Digital that he wanted to have a debate immediately with Menefee ahead of the runoff election. 

“I’m challenging Mr. Menefee to a debate. I think we should have a debate right away,” Green said. “But I also challenge him to come to work. In his first month in Congress, after having sworn that he was going to come here and represent the people and vote, you know, the 18th Congressional District has been about an absence of a vote, so having sworn to do this, within his first month he missed a week, an entire week without voting.”

DEM REP COMPARES HIMSELF TO MLK JR, ROSA PARKS AFTER GETTING BOOTED FROM SECOND STRAIGHT TRUMP ADDRESS

Green bragged that in 20 years he has made over 97% of his votes in Congress. He also alleged that Menefee was not present at a classified briefing on Iran.  

When asked if he was concerned his objections to Trump may be a factor that could cost him his race, the longtime Texas Democrat doubled down, saying he would do it “again and again and again.”

“If it cost me an election, I would do it,” Green continued. “I just think that this president is a racist. I hope you pick that up. Yeah, he’s a racist ad we have to challenge him. We shouldn’t have a racist in the White House.” 

Debate on Capitol Hill continues to rage over whether President Donald Trump started a “war” with the strikes he carried out against Iran last weekend, a key consideration for whether the president must look to Congress for authority to continue Operation Epic Fury.

Where Republicans see a narrowly-tailored attack designed to prevent a U.S. adversary from securing nuclear capabilities, Democrats see a conflict that could easily spill into a broader conflict.

“Congress is not supposed to be an after-the-fact spectator, the Constitution makes plain,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital.

“President Trump has not said, like in Venezuela, ‘this is a police operation,’ that it’s ‘an arrest,’” Kaine said, comparing the strikes to the January capture of Nicolás Maduro.

OPERATION EPIC FURY SURVIVES SENATE CHALLENGE AS REPUBLICANS CLOSE RANKS BEHIND TRUMP

Democrats like Kaine have blasted Trump for dragging the U.S. into a conflict that, in their view, looks a lot like a war — something only Congress has the power to declare. It is that determination that makes them believe lawmakers should use the War Powers Act of 1973 to curb Trump’s powers in Iran.

That law prevents the president from continuing hostilities against a foreign power that extends past 60 days.

Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., see no reason to invoke the War Powers Act, given the scope of the current conflict.

A measure to kill a Democrat-led war powers resolution aimed at handcuffing Trump’s military operations in Iran passed on Wednesday in a 53-47 Senate vote.

“I mean, even if you disagree with this, I just don’t think you can dispute [that] they’re complying with the statute. The president has the authority under Article II to do what he has done so far,” Hawley said, referring to the Constitution’s military power granted to the country’s commander in chief.

Last Saturday, the U.S. conducted a series of strikes in collaboration with Israel, targeting the country’s military leadership and killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Trump administration has framed the attack as a necessary campaign to halt Iran’s work towards obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Although Hawley supports the administration’s work so far, he has a firm red line in mind for where the conflict would require Congressional say-so.

“Ground troops would be a different deal,” Hawley said. “But [Trump] just said, ‘We’re not going to do ground troops,’ so, I just say to my Democrat friends — I think they’re just looking for something to vote against the president on.”

REPUBLICANS HAND TRUMP THE WHEEL ON IRAN — BUT ONE RED LINE EMERGES

Democrats remain unconvinced.

Some Democrats noted that the language the administration has used suggests it views the conflict as something more than isolated strikes.

“The president and the secretary of state have called it a war. So have the generals. If we’re at war, Congress has to provide authorization,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said.

Other Democrats, like Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., attacked the administration’s stated reason for the attack.

“There was no imminent threat to the United States. There were threats to Israel, but in terms of an imminent threat, there was not one.  Consequently, this is the president’s war of choice,” Warner said.

NIKKI HALEY SLAMS DEMOCRATS WHO SAY IRANIAN REGIME ‘WAS NO THREAT TO AMERICA’: ‘ABSURD’

“You have to come before Congress,” Warner added.

To Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the consideration should deal less with technicalities and more with consideration of the cost that could come with Trump’s attacks.

“The American people make the decision on going to war because it’s their sons and daughters that will lose their lives. I still think that’s the case, regardless of who the president might be,” Durbin said.

President Donald Trump cut short Kristi Noem’s tenure at the Department of Homeland Security after weeks of internal turmoil. Now headed to a new envoy post, the onetime conservative star faces a pressing question: Can she stage a political comeback?

Noem was fired as the nation’s immigration chief after a turbulent stretch marked by internal clashes and two contentious congressional hearings where even some Republicans pressed her over leadership missteps. Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will replace her effective March 31, while Noem shifts to a newly created envoy role the president says he’ll detail this weekend.

An administration source told Fox News “it was time” to move on from Noem, citing internal feuding, staff mismanagement and controversies — including a $200 million ad campaign and fallout in Minnesota — that “overshadowed” Trump’s immigration agenda.

“Kristi’s drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force,” the source said. 

KRISTI NOEM OUSTED FROM HOMELAND SECURITY POST AMID RECENT TURMOIL

Trump said Noem will be named “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a newly created role he described as part of a broader Western Hemisphere security initiative. The White House has not yet detailed the scope of the position.

The reassignment comes as speculation grows in South Dakota over whether Noem could mount a primary challenge against Sen. Mike Rounds in 2026 — a move that would test whether her standing with Trump and GOP voters has truly eroded. 

Rounds, who is seeking a third term, secured Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” last year and is backed by Senate Republican leadership — a formidable barrier to any challenger. “He will never let you down,” Trump wrote in his endorsement, calling Rounds an “America First Patriot.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Rounds’ office for comment.

Noem would enter any race with statewide name recognition and a deep political network, having served eight years in Congress before winning two terms as governor.

But some Republican operatives question whether her abrupt exit from DHS weakened her standing within Trump’s inner circle at a critical political moment. One GOP strategist involved in Senate races, who acknowledged that Noem was once a MAGA rock star, described a potential Senate bid at this time as a “suicide mission.”

The clock is already ticking. South Dakota’s filing deadline is March 31 at 5 p.m. CT, and candidates must gather roughly 2,200 petition signatures in just over three weeks to qualify for a June 2 primary. 

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The speculation has drawn national attention. The Atlantic reported that pollsters in South Dakota were surveying a potential Rounds-Noem matchup, with one Republican source telling the magazine that the senator would “handily win” if challenged.

Rapid City’s ABC affiliate reported on the rumors of Noem’s ambitions in February, saying Republicans in her home state are watching to see if she would challenge Rounds.

Still, Noem has a fair share of powerful allies back home. Gov. Larry Rhoden, Noem’s successor in Pierre, commented Thursday that “Kristi is a dear friend and the toughest person I know.”

“When she shut down the border in record time, others were shocked, but I wasn’t. I knew what she was capable of.”

“She’ll deliver in her next role just as capably. I thank her for everything she’s done to keep South Dakota — and all America — strong, safe, and free,” Rhoden said.

As governor, Rhoden worked with Noem’s DHS to make South Dakota one of the first states to enter a 287(g) agreement allowing state-level cooperation with ICE. Under the arrangement, the South Dakota Highway Patrol has been authorized to assist with immigration enforcement, and National Guard personnel have supported administrative functions — a record that could bolster her standing with conservative primary voters as speculation about her next move intensifies.

Fox News’ Peter Doocy contributed to this report.

Kristi Noem will reportedly join President Donald Trump and 12 Latin American leaders at his resort in Florida for a “Shield of the Americas” summit Saturday after her ouster as the Secretary of Homeland Security and appointment by President Donald Trump to be special envoy for the new coalition of nations. 

On Thursday, Trump announced Noem would be exiting her role as Homeland Security secretary and would be appointed a Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a summit for which will be held at the president’s resort in Doral, Florida, on Saturday. The new coalition of 13 countries has been formed to advance strategies that will tackle mass illegal immigration, narco-terrorist gangs and cartels. 

“After years of neglect, President Trump established the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere. His efforts have been a tremendous success – our southern border is secure, Latin American countries are working with us to defeat the cartels, and illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro is facing justice for his crimes in the Southern District of New York – ushering in historic economic cooperation with Venezuela,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly ahead of the summit. 

“The President has successfully strengthened our relationships in our own backyard to make the entire region safer and more stable, and this weekend’s ‘Shield of the Americas’ Summit will encapsulate all of his work to Make America, and our partners, Strong Again,” she continued.

CAPITOL HILL DEMS HAIL TRUMP’S DHS OUSTER OF NOEM AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING

Members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will also be at the Saturday summit. 

The leaders from other nations who will be present are Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele Ortez, Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz Pereira, Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Panama’s José Raúl Mulino Quintero, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Chile’s Jose Antonio Kast, the Dominican Republic’s Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, Ecuador’s Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín, Guyana’s Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honduras’ Nasry “Tito” Asfura, and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña.

‘IT WAS TIME’: DESPITE RARE CRITICISM, SOME HILL REPUBLICANS WELCOME KRISTI NOEM’S OUSTER

Noem confirmed Friday, speaking from Nashville, that she will be at the summit, according to the Associated Press. Noem reportedly added that the president will announce “a big agreement” detailing “how we’re going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere.” 

On Friday, Hegseth led a strategic conference in Doral with representatives of 17 different Caribbean, Central American and South American countries throughout the Western Hemisphere. During the conference, they signed a joint security declaration, reaffirming their commitment to peace and sovereignty in the region. According to a source familiar with the plans for the summit, the president plans to celebrate this achievement with attendees.

“Secretary Noem helped usher in the most secure border in history, deported hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens, and executed record-setting counter-drug operations against cartels. All of this great experience positions Noem well to ensure American preeminence in the entire Western Hemisphere in her new role as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said. “This historic new security initiative, led by Secretary Noem, will advance cutting-edge strategies to defeat narco-terrorist cartels and stop illegal mass migration to make America and the entire Western Hemisphere safer.”

On Thursday, Rubio said he looked forward to working with Noem as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, and echoed the comments from the White House about her experience.

“Kristi has achieved incredible results as Secretary of Homeland Security and will be a tremendous asset in our effort to promote security and prosperity in the Western Hemisphere,” Rubio said on X after Trump named Noem to her new post. 

Democratic lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s redistricting gambit is backfiring as Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Senate advanced new congressional maps that could chip away at the House GOP’s majority.

The Virginia Senate voted 21-16 along party lines on Wednesday to pass a set of new congressional maps that would leave just one Republican district in play.

Republicans currently hold five.

To Republicans like Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., that’s too drastic a swing for a state that only has 11 districts to begin with. Even in light of similar redistricting pushes in Texas, California and other states, Wittman believes Virginia’s case is unique.

DOJ URGES SUPREME COURT TO BLOCK CALIFORNIA MAP, CALLS NEWSOM-BACKED PLAN A RACIAL GERRYMANDER

“This partisan power grab is not reflective of Virginia. Virginia is a 6-5 congressional delegation: six Democrats, five Republicans. And now they want to go to 10 Democrats, one Republican — 92%,” Wittman said.

“They’re going to disenfranchise most Virginians, if not all of them, that are Republican or independent.”

Despite the size of the change the maps would bring, Democrats believe it’s just the latest continuation of a fight that Trump started.

“You have to fight fire with fire,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., told Fox News Digital.

“The voters that I’m talking to feel that we can’t just sit back and be victims of redistricting. I don’t think this would be happening unless [Trump] pushed for redistricting in Texas and other red states,” Subramanyam said.

When asked if he thinks the changes would go too far, Subramanyam said he thinks Republicans will have a chance to press their case at the ballot box.

“If Republicans can win over the hearts and minds of Virginians, they will have a good cycle. It’s a very volatile map in that sense, and so I know many have argued that this is actually fair. I would say that it’s certainly a map where, if Republicans campaign well and their message resonates, they can win too,” Subramanyam said.

Since Trump urged lawmakers in Texas to push through a map change in July 2025, state legislatures across the country have explored ways to squeeze out a congressional advantage where control of the House hangs by a two-seat thread.

TEXAS FILES EMERGENCY SUPREME COURT PETITION AFTER TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAP BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES

Virginia’s map change, on its own, would give Democrats a path to flipping control of the chamber in November.

But the maps aren’t a sure thing. Their implementation turns on pending legal battles about whether the shakeup complies with the state’s constitutional requirements, according to a complaint filed late last year.

On Friday, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the redistricting consideration could continue while it deliberates over a final ruling on whether the maps are permissible.

To become official, maps will also require a statewide constitutional referendum. Under current law, Virginia’s constitution outlaws gerrymandering, the practice of drawing congressional districts to purposefully benefit a political party.

Subramanyam said the referendum gives voters a chance to express their will.

“It will come down to the voters. One good thing in Virginia is that people will have a say and can vote on the referendum in April. Folks in Texas, like where my family still lives, didn’t have a choice,” Subramanyam said, noting that Texas’s redistricting push didn’t require a constitutional amendment and was decided purely by the legislature.

Wittman believes the fact Virginia is looking to upend its own constitution should make the reshuffle a foregone conclusion.

When asked whether he sees Virginia’s redistricting question as a consequence of the redistricting in Texas, Wittman said the two situations differ because of existing state law.

JEFFRIES SAYS GOP ‘DONE EFF’D UP IN TEXAS,’ VOWS THEY WON’T WIN FIVE SEATS: ‘THEY CAN’T IGNORE IT’

“Each state has their own constitution as to how they put together their congressional districts. Virginia’s is very clear. A super majority of voters — 66% of the voters — said we want a bipartisan redistricting commission. That’s Virginia,” Wittman said, referring to the 2020 vote in Virginia that outlawed gerrymandering.

“Texas is doing what Texas and its constitution allow,” he added.

Upon teeing up that referendum, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger framed the action as a way to give Virginians a voice in a national debate over congressional redistricting.

“Virginia voters deserve the opportunity to respond to nationwide attacks on our rights, freedoms and elections… I trust Virginia voters to respond,” Spanberger said in a statement.

Voters in the state will consider whether to “temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections” on April 21.

A student group affiliated with Turning Point USA is facing criticism for hosting an event at a Maryland high school in December, with one woman saying that Child Protective Services had been notified.

A local community member, who was identified as Nancy, expressed “serious concern” about the December TPUSA-affiliated event at a February 12 board meeting. The woman spoke after a student from the high school who serves as president of the Calvert County Club America.

That student said his group placed restrictions on the event after receiving “hate” online, including restricting access for adults they did not know who were not volunteers or parents of attendees. He also stated that all students who attended had parental permission.

“We have been accused of many things. We have been accused of grooming children… an allegation that a random unnamed man was president of our group and had certain felony charges. I’m the president of the group. I’m 17, I’m a minor. I can’t groom children because I am a child. I don’t have any felony charges or convictions,” the student said, adding an invitation to discuss any questions.

ERIKA KIRK WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO FIRST AMERICAFEST SINCE HUSBAND’S DEATH, ENDORSES JD VANCE FOR PRESIDENT

The student clarified that CCCA is affiliated with TPUSA but is its own 501(c)(3) organization and is not part of the state’s public school system.

Nancy spoke next, raising her issues with the TPUSA event. 

“While community building opportunities for students are important, this event raises serious concerns related to student safety, parental rights and governance oversight,” the woman stated, claiming that parents and legal guardians were not permitted to attend the event.

“Excluding parents and guardians from a student-focused event creates a lack of transparency and undermines established best practices for youth safety,” she continued, going on to say that such events should be subject to supervision and background checks.

“Students are widely recognized as vulnerable population, they are in critical developmental stages, and especially susceptible to influence,” she added.

DEFIANT TPUSA LEADER WON’T QUIT DESPITE CHAPTER FACING HARASSMENT, HOSTILITY AFTER KIRK ASSASSINATION

“All Board of Education members in this room are mandated reporters under state law, as I am. Based on the circumstances surrounding this event, a report was made to Child Protective Services,” the woman added as she concluded her remarks.

Controversy over the event comes as TPUSA continues to grow its influence on high school and college campuses across the country since the assassination of the group’s founder, Charlie Kirk.

His wife, Erika Kirk, told Fox News’ Shannon Bream in December that the organization intends to resume its normal presence on college campuses in particular.

TURNING POINT USA HOLDS AMERICAFEST CONFERENCE FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION

“We are not afraid,” she said, adding that the TPUSA team will continue to host “Prove Me Wrong”–style debates as part of its campus outreach.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an outdoor event on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The gathering marked the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour,” and at first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

The charismatic TPUSA founder rose to prominence through his signature political debates on college campuses. Moments before the fatal shot, he sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” fielding open-mic questions from thousands in attendance.

Fox News’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, going on to call out a reporter for supposedly trying to stir up tension during a press conference.

Rubio made the statement during a joint appearance with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. A reporter referenced Fico’s previous criticism of the U.S. operation against Maduro and asked whether he stood by it, leading Rubio to address the issue first while he was answering other questions from the same reporter.

“I think you asked him a question in order to, like, see if you can get him against us, or something… A lot of countries didn’t like what we did in Venezuela. That’s OK. That was in our national interest,” Rubio said. 

“I’m sure there’s something you may do one day that we don’t like, and we’ll say we didn’t like that you did this,” Rubio continued, while turning to Fico. “So what? That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be friends, we’re not going to be partners.”

TRUMP ANNOUNCES VENEZUELA TURNING OVER MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF OIL TO US GOVERNMENT ‘IMMEDIATELY’

“We have very close allies that didn’t like what we did in that regard. I can tell you what, it was successful. It was necessary, because the guy was a narco-terrorist, and we made him a bunch of offers,” the secretary continued. 

“And look what’s happened in Venezuela in the six weeks since he’s been gone,” Rubio said, acknowledging that the country still has “a long way to go.”

“There’s still much work that needs to be done, but I can tell you Venezuela is much better off today than it was six weeks ago. So we’re very proud of that project. And I know some will disagree… I think everyone can now agree that Venezuela has an opportunity at a new future that wasn’t there six weeks ago,” he added.

Rubio’s statement comes days after President Donald Trump recounted the military’s strength during the operation to capture Maduro. Trump, speaking in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, honored U.S. special forces and their families for their roles in the operation.

STATE DEPT CONFIRMS ‘LIMITED NUMBER’ OF PERSONNEL IN CARACAS WORKING TO RESUME VENEZUELA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

“It was in a matter of minutes before (Maduro) was on a helicopter being taken out of there. They had to go through steel doors,” Trump said Friday afternoon. “The steels were like it was like paper-maché. You know what paper-maché is? That’s weak paper.”

U.S. special operations forces carried out the successful capture of Maduro and his wife on sweeping narcotics charges. Trump celebrated that there wasn’t single U.S. casualty during the operation, despite Maduro being housed on a heavily-armed military base.

“These guys blasted through every door,” Trump continued Friday. “They got up to him before he got to the big safe. But that wouldn’t have worked either, because they had equipment that was going to knock that out in a matter of minutes, but he never got there. It went so fast.”

Maduro was whisked off on a helicopter, and brought to the U.S., where he faces federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and weapons-related offenses. He is being held in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Members of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion in aid for Gaza, the president announced Sunday.

Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, saying the funding would be formally pledged during a Feb. 19 meeting in Washington, D.C. The Board of Peace was chartered in January and currently includes nearly 20 countries.

“On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that Member States have pledged more than $5 BILLION DOLLARS toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts, and have committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force and Local Police to maintain Security and Peace for Gazans,” Trump wrote.

“Very importantly, Hamas must uphold its commitment to Full and Immediate Demilitarization. The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,” he added.

TRUMP SEEKS DAVOS SIGNING CEREMONY FOR GAZA BOARD OF PEACE

Israel formally joined the Board of Peace last week ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.

ISRAELI BOBSLED TEAM APARTMENT ROBBED AHEAD OF WINTER OLYMPICS, COMPETITOR SAYS

Leaders from 17 countries participated in the initial Gaza Board of Peace charter signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia.

A handful of other countries were also invited by the White House to join, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China, among others. Poland and Italy on Wednesday said they would not join.

Trump has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Michael Murphy, a guided-missile destroyer, as his envoys meet with Iranian officials in Oman.

Other U.S. naval assets, including the USS Bulkeley, USS Roosevelt, USS Delbert D. Black, USS McFaul, USS Mitscher, USS Spruance and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., are positioned across key waterways surrounding Iran, from the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea.

Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.

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