Kash Patel, nominee for FBI director, made waves Thursday by suggesting there are scenarios where federal law enforcement need not secure a warrant before conducting surveillance, Fox News reported. Despite objections to this notion from civil rights advocates, some legal experts agree it's appropriate.
Patel was grilled in Congress after President Donald Trump picked him to head the agency. One of the questions he was asked pertained to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
This portion of the law is controversial because it doesn't require a warrant before allowing the government to spy on suspects. However, Patel will have the FBI scrambling as he believes that the permission can only remain with the utmost caution.
Patel acknowledged that there are "those that have been in government service and abused it in the past." For this reason, Patel believes it is necessary to "work with Congress to provide the protections necessary for American citizens dealing with these matters."
In April, Congress renewed Section 702, which allows for warrantless surveillance and compels communications companies to turn over electronic data. Some are surprised at Patel's willingness to keep this rule intact, given its potential for abuse of Constitutional rights.
However, Patel's approach to the issue is pragmatic. "Having a warrant requirement to go through that information in real-time is just not comported with the requirement to protect American citizenry," Patel said.
"I'm all open to working with Congress on finding a better way forward. But right now, these improvements that you've made go a long way," he added, suggesting they proceed with caution.
The battle between protecting Americans' Fourth Amendment rights and promptly gathering intelligence will not be settled quickly. Still, former district attorney Phil Holloway believes Patel is on the appropriate side of the argument, given his position.
"Some lawmakers have absolutely called for the necessity of a warrant in these situations. And so it makes sense that the senators would ask the nominee to run the FBI whether or not he has an opinion on it. But, ultimately, it's not his call," Holloway said, noting that it's up to Congress.
Trump was the victim of what can be called a misuse of FISA, if not an outright abuse. According to the Associated Press, the FBI spied on his 2016 campaign based on the false Steel dossier that suggested Trump was colluding with Russia.
Even though the government obtained warrants, the underlying evidence was ridiculously flimsy. This suggests there is further opportunity for abuse if surveillance can occur without even the pretense of a warrant.
Patel's approach is more nuanced. "What Kash Patel is saying is that there may be some situations that may be in that gray area where you shouldn't have to get a warrant," Dave Aronberg, a state attorney from Palm Beach County, Florida, told Fox News Digital.
"And I am encouraged by his comments because I do think that law enforcement needs flexibility when it comes to national security matters, especially with the very real threat of terrorism here on our shores," Aronberg added. Of course, the stated purpose is always for something grave like terrorism, but giving up a portion of any right can invite government overreach.
Patel's answer was likely constructed to appease those who would vote on his confirmation. However, Americans still must be vigilant that their rights are not trampled on, even if the person doing it is supposedly on their side.
Convicted murderer Marion Bowman Jr. will not ask the South Carolina governor for clemency after his final appeal was rejected, the Associated Press reported. The 44-year-old will die by lethal injection Friday night but maintains his innocence.
On Tuesday, the final word came down from the Supreme Court that the justices would not hear Bowan's appeal. The only option left is for Gov. Henry McMaster to stop the execution, but Bowman has shockingly declined to ask for such a favor.
"Marion has steadfastly maintained his innocence of Kandee Martin’s murder, yet he has already spent more than half of his life on death row. He cannot in good conscience ask for a supposed mercy that would require him to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit," Bowman's attorney, Lindsey Vann, said in a written statement.
"After more than two decades of battling a broken system that has failed him at every turn, Marion’s decision is a powerful refusal to legitimize an unjust process that has already stolen so much of his life," Vann added. Bowman will become the third Black man to die by lethal injection in the last four months after the state resumes its executions delayed due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs.
Bowman was convicted of killing 21-year-old killing Kandee Martin in 2001. The pair were reportedly friends, and Bowman admitted that he sold Martin drugs but that he would sometimes accept sexual favors when she didn't have money.
In the murder trial, evidence against Bowman mostly came from family and friends who were promised clemency in exchange for their cooperation. One friend said Bowman was angry because Martin owed him money, while a second testified Bowman thought Martin was wearing a recording device to get him arrested on a charge.
According to the Post and Courier, the most damning testimony came from those involved in committing or covering up the crime. Bowman's cousin, James Tawain Gadson, had been drinking for hours before getting into the car with Martin and her killer.
He testified that Bowman shot her and tried to leave her body in the woods. Friend Travis Felder said he later helped Bowman put Martin's body back into the trunk of her car before lighting it on fire.
Felder testified that Bowman admitted to killing Martin. "I killed Kandee Martin. … I ain’t got you involved with it, don’t worry about it. Everything is taken care of," he told Felder.
Bowman was found guilty of Martin's murder after the jury convicted him in 2022, and he has been on death row since. He has tried every avenue available to him to get his sentence overturned and has insisted he did not kill Martin.
In his final appeal, Bowman claimed his defense was inadequate due to the racism of his attorney. The lawyer allegedly "came to the jail and said, ‘son, you need to plead guilty. You are charged with killing a white girl and you and your family are Black,'" Bowman's filing said.
The South Carolina Supreme Court called that claim "meritless" and rejected the appeal. Bowman's other angle was to challenge the fact that the ingredients in the drugs used in lethal injection were not disclosed under the state's shield law and that the dosage might not be appropriate given Bowman's 389-pound size.
The American Civil Liberties Union joined with a lawsuit against South Carolina over the nondisclosure of the ingredients of the drugs. The organization contends that other details are provided for other execution methods, including the type of ropes in hanging and the voltage used in the electric chair. All of these arguments have been rejected as Bowman's conviction and sentence stand.
The crime was horrendous, and it appears Bowman was the perpetrator of it after being convicted by a jury of his peers. If justice was indeed served in the courtroom, he has nobody to blame but himself for his fate.
Former Sen. Bob Menendez will spend 11 years behind bars after being found guilty on 16 counts of bribery, conspiracy, extortion, and obstruction of justice, The Hill reported. The disgraced New Jersey Democrat also has the distinction of being the only U.S. senator to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent while in office.
Menendez was a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and used his position to dole out favors. He and his wife, Nadine Nadine Menendez, accepted kickbacks including gold bars, thousands of dollars in cash, and other luxury gifts in exchange for the senator's influence.
One of those favors included sharing state department secrets with Egyptian businessmen to be passed to the nation's officials. Others included protecting a monopoly on halal meat certification and intervening to shield two other businessmen from legal troubles.
A New York jury convicted Bob Menendez along with three New Jersey businessmen. Nadine Menendez will stand trial as well, but hers has been delayed several times due to her undergoing treatments for breast cancer.
Federal prosecutors recommended 15 years in prison for Bob Menendez due to his "extraordinary abuse of power and betrayal of the public trust" while in office. "The defendants’ crimes amount to an extraordinary attempt, at the highest levels of the legislative branch, to corrupt the nation’s core sovereign powers over foreign relations and law enforcement," the sentencing memorandum said.
The crimes normally carry up to 30 years in prison, but prosecutors factored in the 71-year-old's advanced age when making the recommendation. During sentencing, Bob Menendez tried to leverage his years as a politician for less time behind bars.
"You really don’t know the man you are about to sentence," he said to U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein in his plea for leniency. An attorney for Bob Menendez tried to say that the senator, who resigned in disgrace after being convicted, was punished enough by becoming a "national punchline" after being dubbed "gold bar Bob."
The judge was not swayed but rather chastised the former senator for his fall from grace. "You were successful; powerful. You stood at the apex of our political system," Stein told Bob Menendez.
"Somewhere along the way, and I don’t know when it was, you lost your way, and working for the public good became working for your good," the judge added. Rather than take responsibility, Bob Menendez said his was a "political prosecution."
Throughout his career, Bob Menendez has been no friend to Republicans and certainly not to President Donald Trump. However, he invoked his nemesis Wednesday following sentencing.
"President Trump was right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core," Bob Menendez claimed, echoing Trump's objections to his actual political prosecutions.
"I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system," he said. Bob Menendez has promised to appeal his conviction.
Some stunning remarks from Menendez outside court: “President Trump was right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.” pic.twitter.com/woFgHgFGqM
— Molly Crane-Newman (@molcranenewman) January 29, 2025
Nothing is shocking about a New Jersey politician being a convicted criminal. However, what Bob Menendez did was worse than the garden variety corruption as it involved working for a foreign government in a roundabout way, and he deserves every day of his sentence.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is attempting to stall President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, Fox News reported. The strategy has backfired for James, whom some are accusing of disregarding public safety.
At Trump's direction, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have initiated several raids this week on illegal immigrants. James is more worried about the potential criminals being removed than the people of New York who are impacted by their presence.
"My office is aware of the increased presence of ICE across New York City. I am monitoring the situation to ensure our laws are being respected and people's rights are not being violated," James said in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. She also included guidance from her office for how local officials should handle the raids.
My office is aware of the increased presence of ICE across New York City.
I am monitoring the situation to ensure our laws are being respected and people's rights are not being violated.
We have sent guidance to law enforcement, and it must be followed:https://t.co/B4OGuUj35E
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) January 28, 2025
Following Tuesday's raids, Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams was eager to cooperate. Adams said he would "not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice — just as we have done for years" after the raids were conducted.
This is in stark contrast to the stance James took. Part of her guidance included a reminder that local law enforcement officers are "not ordinarily permitted to detain people at the request of federal civil immigration authorities alone without a judicial warrant" in New York.
It seems James is counting on red tape to keep her so-called "sanctuary state" status. "In accordance with the federal and state constitutions, New York law permits arrest and detention only when law enforcement officials have probable cause to believe that an individual has committed a crime or offense," the guidance said.
"A judicial warrant, signed by an Article III or federal magistrate judge, would demonstrate the necessary probable cause, and justify the arrest and detention. Absent a judicial warrant, however, further detention is permissible only upon a separate showing of probable cause that the individual committed a crime or offense, or that an exception to the probable cause requirement applies," it added.
This demonstrates her displaced concern while the people of her state suffer the ill effects of thousands of unvetted people flooding the state. This is something that hasn't gone unnoticed by people like Sgt. Joseph Imperatrice.
Imperatrice, Blue Lives Matter NYC founder, slammed James for prioritizing illegal immigrants over citizens. "The number one goal of any person in office is the safety of their constituents," Imperatrice told Fox News Digital.
"And I believe that, across the board, our politicians need to get on the same page, work together, understand each other and why we're doing what we're doing. We cannot have people coming into our country committing violent felonies and then speaking out about it when it could have been prevented," he added.
"The second you break our rules or commit a violent felony or any type of felony, your rights should be rescinded. And that's where we all need to get on the same page to work for a safer America and a safer New York City," Imperatrice continued.
"We need to listen to the communities we serve since they're the ones that pay our taxes to be able to pay for the salaries of our first responders, and they're the ones that vote for our politicians. Their voices need to be heard," he said. Imperatrice added that "we need to come together to work on making New York City and America safe."
It's essential to ensure all laws are applied appropriately, including when deporting illegal immigrants. However, James has made it clear that she's on the side of the criminals while the rest of New York suffers from the crimes.
GOP Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski sided against President Donald Trump in his announced interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark, the Daily Caller reported. Murkowski said in a joint statement with a member of Demark's parliament that Greenland is "not for sale."
Murkowski and Aaja Chemnitz, the representative for Greenland in the Danish Parliament, released a joint statement on Monday. The Alaska Republican shared it to X, formerly Twitter.
"As legislators representing Greenland in Denmark and the United States, we see a better path forward. The future will be defined by partnership, not ownership. To ensure our alliance reaches its full potential, Americans must view Greenland as an ally, not an asset," Murkowski captioned it.
As legislators representing Greenland in Denmark and the United States, we see a better path forward. The future will be defined by partnership, not ownership. To ensure our alliance reaches its full potential, Americans must view Greenland as an ally, not an asset.…
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) January 27, 2025
Murkowski sided against Trump in the statement, rejecting his proposal and making her digs. "In recent weeks, as President Trump has suggested the U.S. should purchase Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark, attention has rapidly turned to what the future may hold," the joint statement began.
"The appeal of Greenland is easy to understand. It is strategically located for defense, shipping, and more. It is also a storehouse for all sorts of minerals, the building blocks of society that will determine who leads—and controls—the industries of the future," it went on.
"Of course, a businessman turned president would be interested," the lawmakers sniped. "But Greenland is not for sale. The question has been asked and firmly answered by the government of Greenland, Naalakkersuisut," the statement added.
“As legislators representing Greenland in Denmark and the United States, we see a better path forward. The United States, like Denmark, should recognize that the future will be defined by partnership, not ownership," the statement went on.
"To ensure our alliance reaches its full potential, Americans must view Greenland as an ally, not an asset. Open for business, but not for sale," it added.
As The Hill reported, Trump expressed a desire to expand America's territory, including a possible acquisition of Greenland. The land mass is strategically located in the Arctic but is currently part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump reportedly had a confrontational call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. He supposedly threatened tariffs and other sanctions, though the administration has not commented on whether it was a contentious discussion.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said Trump continues to be interested in Greenland for the sake of national security. It's situated in the sweet spot between Russia and China and could deter both adversarial nations from a hot conflict.
"President Trump has been clear that the safety and security of Greenland is important to the United States as China and Russia make significant investments throughout the Arctic region. The President is committed to not only protecting U.S. interests in the Arctic but also working with Greenland to ensure mutual prosperity for both nations," Hughes said in a statement.
Murkowski has sided against her president and her party with this stance. Whether there is any actual negotiation for Greenland or not, she has shown herself to be disloyal at the height of Trump's popularity.
President Donald Trump made numerous changes to the decor of the Oval Office for his new term in office, removing many of the art pieces placed there by Joe Biden during his tenure and bringing back some of the pieces that were displayed during his first term, along with new ones and family photos.
It's a process that all presidents undergo so that the office reflects past presidents and other figures they respect and admire, as well as some personal touches.
Trump kept the Resolute Desk, as has every president since 1880 other than Johnson, Nixon and Ford.
He also kept a bust of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. while swapping out John F. Kennedy Jr.'s bust for one called "The Bronco Buster," which also appeared during his first term.
He switched out a portrait of progressive hero Franklin D. Roosevelt for one of first President George Washington, while keeping one of Benjamin Franklin up to emphasize science.
Not surprisingly, all of Biden's family photos were replaced by Trump's, including photos of his three older children in formal evening wear and one of First Lady Melania Trump with their son Barron when he was a baby.
He also brought back the bust of Winston Churchill which had been controversial previously--there were claims that Barack Obama removed it out of animus to the UK, but he only relocated it to the nearby White House Treaty Room.
Trump gets to decide everything about how the room is decorated, even the curtains.
He brought back a collection of military flags for each branch as part of his decor from his first term. Biden had apparently gotten rid of them.
While presidents do use the Oval Office to work, it is also a public place often shown in photos.
Trump used the office to sign a large number of executive orders on Inauguration Day, his first day in office.
The orders and his Oval Office decor choices have something in common--the attempt to erase Biden and his influence.
It's a new era of conservatism led by Trump, a pendulum swing back to the right after swinging far to the left over the last four years.
It's a chance to right the obvious and not-so-obvious wrongs of the Biden administration, at least for the next four years.
Less than one week into his second term in office, President Donald Trump is pulling no punches when it comes to his take on the current situation in wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles.
During a frequently contentious roundtable discussion on Friday night, Trump took L.A. Democrat Mayor Karen Bass to task over local government's management of the crisis and suggested that her inaction is causing unnecessary delays for residents eager to begin the process of rebuilding their lives, as the Daily Mail reports.
After touring the devastation of the Pacific Palisades area, Trump took part in a roundtable session with Bass, Rep. Brad Sherman, and other area officials, with a group of frustrated, displaced homeowners also in attendance.
It was not long before the event took a tense turn, as Newsweek reports, with Trump taking issue with Bass' characterization of the current level of access residents have to what remains of their homes.
The mayor referenced the ability of Angelenos to quickly begin the process of rebuilding, an assertion Trump countered by noting concerns he heard from “at least eight groups of homeowners” that delays of up to 18 months were likely before any such action could commence.
Though Bass attempted to negate Trump's claim and said that her city was moving “as fast as we can,” but that properties would need to be declared “safe” for residents to gain access, the president said, “But the people are willing to clear out their own debris. It doesn't cost a lot. You should let them do it, because by the time you hire contractors, it's gonna be two years.”
Trump continued, “You have emergency powers just like I do. I'm exercising my emergency powers. You have to exercise them also...I mean you have a very powerful emergency power, and you can do everything within 24 hours,” and though Bass insisted that residents could return to their homesites “within a week,” the president remained unsatisfied, saying, “That's a long time, a week.”
It was not only Bass who drew a very public rebuke from Trump on Friday night, but with Sherman also called to account for contributing to the conditions the president believes are exacerbating the current crisis, as RealClearPolitics explains.
As he called for enhanced federal assistance to those impacted by the fires, Sherman stated, “Mr. President, without your help, they're only going to get $43,000 from the federal government even if they have a half-million-dollar in insurance loss.”
Trump countered, “Well, you know, you did something, Brad, where every insurance company in the country left California. That's why you have no insurance, because you made it so impossible. People that think like you made it so impossible.”
Sherman snapped back, “I don't know. I don't know what you know about my thinking.”
The president held firm, saying, “I'll tell you this, I've never seen a state where almost nobody has insurance. And I said, 'what happened?' And they said, like, six months ago, they all left. And two years ago, they had different, you know, quadrants. But they left. And you have very little insurance here. I mean, I've never seen anything like it.”
Despite the fraught nature of the firehouse roundtable, Trump has committed to helping California in its recovery from the historically catastrophic recent events, pledging collaboration even with those who have been hostile toward him in the past.
Speaking alongside frequent foe Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) shortly after his arrival in California, Trump said, “We're looking to get something completed, and the way you get it completed is to work together. He's the governor of this state. And we're gonna get it completed, they're gonna need a lot of federal help.”
Congress will question several of President Donald Trump's nominees next week before giving the final okay on his picks, Fox News reported. Some of those have faced the most opposition to their appointments, including Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The president's appointments fall under the preview of the Senate's "advice and consent" powers. In order for Trump's nominees to be confirmed, they need a majority in the Senate.
The current balance is 53-47 in favor of Republicans, but Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary, faced opposition from three Republicans. Vice President J.D. Vance was forced to come to his rescue last minute, as commentator Benny Johnson shared, which could conceivably spell trouble for the rest of Trump's picks.
🚨BREAKING: Vice President JD Vance casts the decisive vote, confirming Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, 51-50
pic.twitter.com/RGmKfQHVb7— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 25, 2025
Trump hasn't even been in office a week, but he is already making enemies in Washington, D.C. by shaking up the status quo. He has chosen Patel to be the net FBI director, Gabbard for National Intelligence director, and Robert F. Kennedy for Department of Health and Human Services director.
Each faces opposition because they're not the usual choices for such positions. Patel is in the crosshairs because he has promised a shakeup at the FBI and has railed against the phony Russiagate scandal pushed during the first Trump administration.
As part of a congressional probe into the scandal, Patel helped craft the 2018 memo outlining abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allowed the government to spy on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Patel agrees with Trump about the problem of the "deep state," or unelected government employees who actively worked against Trump.
Gabbard similarly ruffled feathers as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Hawaii as a Democrat. She has since become a Republican and has faced harsh criticism for her reluctance to send Americans to die in more foreign wars.
While opponents insist that Gabbard is a threat to national security, a letter signed by at least 250 veterans heartily endorsed her. The signors included former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller and retired General Michael Flynn.
Patel and Gabbard will both face questioning on Thursday. Patel will go before the Senate Judiciary Committee for review, while Gabbard will answer to the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Kennedy, arguably Trump's most controversial pick, will be questioned Wednesday by the Senate Finance Committee, as it holds jurisdiction over the department. On Thursday, Kennedy will go before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for a less grueling courtesy hearing.
As a pro-abortion form Democrat, Kennedy could face opposition from Republicans. He'll also have difficulty with Democrats by virtue of being associated with Trump, but also because of his unconventional views on health and vaccine safety.
Moreover, Kennedy became a pariah among Democrats last year after he dared to challenge then-President Joe Biden in the 2024 race, The Hill reported. He likely compounded those troubles by defecting as an independent, which Democrats frown upon.
Trump's picks will face several hurdles, but there's a decent chance he'll get all of his picks confirmed. Thankfully, the GOP has a majority, and Trump has a mandate with the American people.
Fox News host Pete Hegseth's nomination for Defense Secretary is headed to the Senate for a vote after clearing the final obstacle Thursday, Fox News reported. Hegseth's confirmation could come as soon as Friday evening.
President Donald Trump nominated the 44-year-old for the position that was difficult to staff during his last administration. Hegseth is an Army National Guard veteran who did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq during his service.
He passed his final procedural hurdle on Thursday when the motion to invoke cloture passed 51-49. This gives the Senate 30 hours to debate the pros and cons of his confirmation before a final vote.
Hegseth faced opposition from Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, while Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky supported him. This last stand came after yet another attempt to smear Hegseth emerged at the eleventh hour.
Hegseth has been subjected to coordinated opposition efforts to paint him in the worst possible light. The latest came as an attack from his former sister-in-law who alleged that he abused Samantha Hegseth, his second ex-wife, while they were married.
Danielle Hegseth claimed that Samantha Hegseth sometimes feared for her life during the marriage and felt that his drinking was a problem. Danielle Hegseth clarified that she never witnessed any abuse, and Samantha Hegseth denied it ever happened.
The drinking was arguably the only allegation with any legs. "He drinks more often than he doesn’t," Samantha Hegseth reportedly told the FBI. The women are only related by marriage, as Danielle Hegseth is the ex-wife of Pete Hegseth's brother.
This attack in the press came as Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker found that a "confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate." Wicker confirmed his support for Hegseth and chastised the whispering campaign.
"It is disturbing that a sensitive, longstanding process used by committee leadership to vet presidential personnel is being litigated in the press by anonymous sources with ulterior motives," Wicker said. The Mississippi Republican noted that he already had three briefings about the FBI's findings from the background checks.
Hegseth endured several other allegations prosecuted in the court of public opinion. Thankfully, none panned out to anything that would preclude him from serving in Trump's Cabinet.
Democrats tried to hang a sexual assault allegation around his neck, though Hegseth was never charged with any such crime. He was also accused of drinking on the job, which is a moot point as Hegseth has pledged to give up alcohol if he's confirmed.
Previous remarks about women in combat also came back to haunt Hegseth during his confirmation hearings. His objection to women in combat was supposed to disqualify him, though Hegseth has softened his stance since then.
Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the Senate to reject Hegseth's nomination, though the Associated Press reported it could happen as soon as Friday evening. "Hegseth is so utterly unqualified, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forward," the New York Democrat said.
Trump is winning big as Hegseth is on the brink of becoming the next Secretary of Defense. This is good news for the Americans who voted for Trump to bring the most qualified people to Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump is warning Russian President Vladimir Putin that he must end the war with Ukraine or face stiff penalties from the U.S., the UK Daily Mail reported. Trump made this known in a post to his Truth Social Wednesday.
Trump got right down to business following his inauguration Monday, including trying to wrap up the conflict that's been going on for three years. "If we don’t make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries," Trump warned.
"Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better," Trump added.
During Trump's first term, he was accused of having too cozy of a relationship with Putin. However, it was under then-President Joe Biden's watch that Putin invaded Ukraine, and Congress has been scrambling to funnel taxpayer dollars there ever since.
Trump is fed up with this ludicrous arrangement and is ready to get tough. "I’m not looking to hurt Russia," Trump began his post.
"I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process," the president went on.
"All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!" Trump implored Putin.
Trump has also said he is in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about cutting off arms supplies for this conflict. "We're talking to Zelensky. We're going to be talking with President Putin very soon, and we'll see what, how it all happens," Trump told reporters when asked about the conflict.
The Russia-Ukraine war spanned most of Biden's presidency, with Congress funneling some $65.9 billion to Ukraine since February 2022 when the conflict began. Then, shortly before Trump took office, Putin was reportedly in talks with the newly elected president to end the conflict.
According to Fox News, Putin claimed to be coming from a place of strength but did confirm he was open to an agreement. "We have always said that we are ready for negotiations and compromises," Putin said.
"Soon, those Ukrainians who want to fight will run out. In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight," the Russian president added.
"We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises," Putin said. With the Russian president so willing to speak like this before Trump was officially in the White House, it seems only a matter of time until he caves.
Trump won the hearts and votes of the American people because he is a strong leader like no other. What Biden couldn't do in three years will likely be wrapped up shortly with Trump at the helm.