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FIRST ON FOX: The massive explosion that rocked Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port in the southern coastal town of Bandar Abbas has exposed the "deep vulnerabilities" of the Islamic Republic’s vital sectors as its concerns over internal unrest mount. 

Iranian authorities this week have faced mounting accusations of negligence and an attempt to "cover up" death toll figures and the strong suspicion it was using a civilian port to import explosive materials for the military.

But what remains largely unknown is the extent of the damage, the economic impact and how it will directly affect Iranians already discontent with the Iranian regime. 

IRAN ACCUSED OF 'COVERING UP' DEATH TOLL IN PORT EXPLOSION AMID CONCERNS OF UPRISING

"Rajaee Port is Iran's primary hub for maritime exports and imports, particularly for oil-based products," Saeed Ghasseminejad, a senior advisor on Iran and an expert on its economy with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. 

Ghasseminejad explained that the southern port accounted for 52% of Tehran’s oil trade in terms of volume, 77% of its industrial metals and 85% of all container shipments, though he pointed out it is not Iran's only major port. 

A MASSIVE EXPLOSION AT AN IRANIAN PORT LINKED TO MISSILE FUEL SHIPMENT KILLS 5, INJURES OVER 700

"At this stage, there is no credible damage assessment," Ghasseminejad added, noting all guesses at this point about the extent of the damage were speculation based on images of the damage to the containers and the administrative buildings in the port. 

But he noted that "if the damage proves to be extensive and severe, it could place the regime under significant economic and logistical pressure."

Just two days after the explosion, Tehran claimed port operations had returned to normal. Iran says the explosion killed 70, but some sources estimate the toll could be closer to 250.

Drone footage of the port showed substantial damage, including the destruction of the nearby administrative buildings and a crater left by the explosion.

Officials with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) also told Fox News Digital that eyewitnesses have suggested it could take up to 20 days to extinguish ongoing fires, some of which are believed to be in the shipping containers. 

"A clearer picture should emerge in the coming weeks," Ghasseminejad said. "It is unlikely that the port is back to its normal operation and full capacity given the damage to the administrative buildings, the infrastructure, and the fact that hundreds of people working at the port are unfortunately dead, missing or injured. 

"The regime has the incentive to lie as it wants to show it has control over the situation, but a lot of sources inside Iran in the business community differ." 

The Iranian regime was accused of "covering up" the death toll this week by the NCRI, which has spoken to eyewitnesses at the port, in a move to counter internal dissidence. It also took steps to limit access to information for not only local residents but media outlets, and it downplayed the severity of the incident. 

"Regardless of the final assessment, the explosion underscores the deep vulnerabilities in Iran’s critical infrastructure and the regime's incompetence," Ghasseminejad said, "vulnerabilities that are even more acute in sectors vital to the regime’s survival, such as crude oil export terminals and gas production facilities. 

"The regime is now both incompetent and weak, a deadly combination."

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — There may only be a few days before the College of Cardinals gathers inside the Sistine Chapel to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church, and, for the first time in history, an Asian pope is a real possibility.

Of the 23 cardinals from Asia eligible to vote, one name comes up again and again, that of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, sometimes called the "Philippine Francis."

The 67-year-old had a close relationship with Pope Francis and served as his envoy to Asia during the 2015-16 special Jubilee Year, during which he made a brief stop in Taipei, Taiwan. Tagle also accompanied Francis on his first international trip to Asia in 2014, when the pontiff visited South Korea.

TAIWAN ON EDGE AFTER POPE FRANCIS'S DEATH, CLOSELY WATCHING VATICAN-CHINA RELATIONS

Pope Francis achieved several "firsts" in Asia, including becoming the first pontiff to visit Myanmar in 2017 and Mongolia in 2023. Thomas Tu, a Vatican diplomacy expert at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University, told Fox News Digital that while Mongolia is home to only about 1,400 Catholics, it now hosts a cardinal, but he is Italian-born and just 50 years old, making his election as pope unlikely.

Another Asian candidate is Burma's Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, 76, from a country where Catholics represent just about 1% of the population. Meanwhile, over the last several days, reports from South Korean newspapers are suggesting South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, 74, is among the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis.

Catholicism is growing rapidly in South Korea, according to Taipei-based Tu, who told Fox News Digital both Buddhists and Protestants have been converting at surprising rates. 

"Unlike in Brazil, where Catholics are losing members to Evangelicals, Korea’s Catholic Church is attracting new followers," Tu said. Then-Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik is widely credited with helping persuade Pope Francis to make South Korea the first stop on his Asian travels in 2014. Heung-sik was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022.

Francis may one day be rated as among the most influential popes of all time. Pope John Paul II made history by becoming the first pope from Poland and his pontificate lasted 26 years (1978-2006). Francis was head of the Catholic Church for a much shorter time, almost exactly 12 years, but the late pope appointed 80% of the cardinals who will vote for his successor. 

The late Holy Father also enlarged the number of cardinals and, for the first time in history, the upcoming conclave will see European cardinals in the minority. However, some experts warn against assuming the next pope will be "Francis the Second," as many of these new cardinals are considered more conservative.  

CONCLAVE TO PICK NEXT POPE TO BEGIN MAY 7, VATICAN SAYS

The home nation of Asian cardinals doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of Catholics there. In Japan, Catholics make up fewer than 0.5% of the population, but there is a Japanese cardinal who is reasonably active on social media. The largest Asian block of cardinals hails from majority-Hindu India, which has six to the predominately Catholic Philippines’ five. 

Still, many Vatican watchers believe Cardinal Tagle remains the most likely Asian candidate, although his progressive stances may prove divisive. Tagle has publicly criticized the church for using "harsh words" in past criticisms of LGBTQ Catholics and remarried divorcees and advocates for a more flexible approach. This stance is in line with Pope Francis’ 2015 papal declaration that said the church needs to "avoid judgments which do not take into account the complexity of various situations."

Should Tagle beat the odds and become the next pope, his election would energize the church’s progressive wing, as he would likely continue the liberal-leaning direction charted by Francis. His emphasis on serving the poor has won him admiration across Asia and beyond, as has his relatable style. Tagle reportedly prefers being called by his nickname "Chito," rather than by his formal title. 

Thomas Tu shared a personal story about Tagle’s compassion, recalling an incident before the cardinal received his red hat. After a young seminarian died suddenly, Tagle chose to join the group of senior seminary members and personally visit the grieving family, later giving a moving sermon in which he "compared the church to a mother, similar to the one who had lost her son," Tu said. "Tagle just has a way of reaching people that is special."

Few dispute that the election of the next pope will be among the most consequential moments for the Catholic Church in decades. And, for the first time, candidates from Asia are now part of serious conversations about the future direction of the faith.

British counterterrorism officers arrested several Iranian men over an alleged plan to attack an undisclosed location in London, the London Metropolitan Police announced Sunday.

Five men between the ages of 29 and 46 were taken into custody on Saturday in various parts of England on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

Four of the men are Iranian citizens, while investigators are still working to determine the nationality of the fifth.

In a separate investigation, three other Iranian men, aged 39, 44 and 55, were arrested in London on suspicion of a national security offense.

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All the suspects are being questioned at police stations but have not yet been charged. Police are searching several properties in London, Manchester in northwest England and Swindon in western England.

Police said the attack plot targeted a single location, which the agency said is not being revealed "for operational reasons."

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the police force’s Counter Terrorism Command, said investigators are still working to establish a motive "as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public."

IRAN ACCUSED OF 'COVERING UP' DEATH TOLL IN PORT EXPLOSION AMID CONCERNS OF UPRISING

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the arrests were "serious events that demonstrate the ongoing requirement to adapt our response to national security threats."

"The government continues to work with police and intelligence agencies to support all the action and security assessments that are needed to keep the country safe," she said.

In October, the head of Britain’s MI5 domestic security service, Ken McCallum, said his agents and police have identified 20 "potentially lethal" plots backed by Iran since 2022, with most targeting Iranians in the U.K. who oppose the country’s authorities.

McCallum said at the time there was the risk "of an increase in, or broadening of, Iranian state aggression in the U.K." if conflicts in the Middle East intensified.

The U.K.’s official terror threat level stands at "substantial," which falls in the middle of a five-point scale, meaning an attack is likely.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A car crashed into the entrance of Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the Philippines on Sunday, killing two people and injuring several others, according to officials.

A man and a young girl were killed and four others were injured in the crash that involved a black SUV. The Philippine Red Cross, which responded to the scene, said the girl was four-years-old, but Secretary of Transportation Vivencio Hizon said she was five-years-old.

NAIA said a "vehicular accident" happened on Sunday when the car crashed through the airport's outer railing and into the walkway near the entrance of Terminal 1.

VANCOUVER DRIVER PLOWS INTO CROWD OF PEOPLE ATTENDING FILIPINO FESTIVAL, KILLING MULTIPLE VICTIMS

"We understand the concern this incident has caused, especially as images have circulated on social media," the airport's operator, New NAIA Infra Co., said in a statement. "We urge the public not to speculate and to wait for verified updates, which will be issued as soon as they become available."

Initial reports indicate that the SUV was parked near the terminal entrance when the driver accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes and accelerated after a car suddenly passed in front of him, according to local media.

People injured in the incident were receiving medical treatment. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was taken into custody by police, according to the airport's operator.

The Land Transportation Office said it has suspended the driver’s license for 90 days while the investigation is ongoing.

Images shared by local media showed some people lying on the ground. Shattered glass was seen across the terminal's entrance and the front of the black SUV was visibly damaged from striking the airport doors.

HEGSETH SAYS US TO BOOST TIES WITH PHILIPPINES AS DETERRENCE AGAINST CHINA: 'PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH'

Dozens of emergency personnel were seen at the airport surrounding the vehicle, which was later removed from the scene.

The airport operator said it is working with the authorities to investigate the incident.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly confirmed she rejected U.S. military assistance from President Donald Trump, who was looking to help the country fight drug trafficking and violent cartels.

Responding to a Wall Street Journal report Friday that detailed the offer, Sheinbaum confirmed "it's true."

Trump reportedly called Sheinbaum and asked, "How can we help you fight drug trafficking?"

She told Trump the country will "never accept" the presence of the U.S. Army in its territory.

CONSERVATIVE GROUP’S ROADMAP SHOWS HOW TRUMP CAN USE MILITARY TO THWART CARTELS 

"No, President Trump, our territory is inalienable, sovereignty is inalienable," Sheinbaum said. "We can collaborate. We can work together, but with you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States Army on our territory."

SINALOA CARTEL TAKES ROOT IN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS: WHERE ARE THEY?

In a written statement to Fox News Digital Saturday, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly highlighted coordinated efforts with Mexico to address border security.

"President Trump has worked with President Sheinbaum to advance border security collaboration with Mexico to the highest levels ever," Kelly wrote. "This robust cooperation and information sharing is delivering tangible results, including the removal of numerous cartel leaders to the U.S. to face justice and creating the most secure border in history."

Since taking office, Trump has continued to use CIA drones to conduct surveillance flights over the country in coordination with the Mexican government.

He has also formally named drug cartels "foreign terrorist" groups.

CIA USES DRONES TO SNIFF OUT CARTELS AND FENTANYL LABS IN MEXICO

However, Kelly said Mexico must do more to protect Americans from dangerous foreign terrorist organizations and "the drugs and violence they flood into communities on both sides of the border."

"We will continue exploring ways to enhance our efforts across the region to dismantle these transnational criminal organizations," she wrote. "We will make America safe again."

The Heritage Foundation, a top conservative group, released a report in January detailing how Trump could use the military to confront the border crisis.

It argued that Mexican cartels are continuing to grow, illegal immigration and narcotics smuggling have accelerated and U.S.-Mexico security cooperation has deteriorated.

However, the report noted direct military action against cartels should be a "last resort," preferring joint military action with Mexican coordination, Fox News Digital previously reported.

"In the appropriate context, unilateral U.S. military action may be employed to disrupt cartel activity and prompt cooperation from a resistant Mexican government," the group wrote.

The foundation claimed Mexico was unlikely to change its stance when Sheinbaum was elected despite the escalating threat from cartels.

Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anthony Albanese claimed victory as the first Australian prime minister to clinch a second consecutive term in 21 years on Saturday and suggested his government had increased its majority by not modeling itself on U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

"Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future," Albanese told supporters in a victory speech in Sydney.

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"We do not need to beg or borrow or copy from anywhere else. We do not seek our inspiration overseas. We find it right here in our values and in our people," he added.

His center-left Labor Party had branded Albanese's rival Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, "DOGE-y Dutton" and accused his conservative Liberal Party of mimicking Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency.

Dutton had earlier conceded his alliance of conservative parties had been defeated at the election and that he had lost his own parliamentary seat that he had held for 24 years.

Dutton's plight parallels that of Canada's opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat after Trump declared economic war on the U.S. neighbor to the north. Poilievre had previously been regarded as a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd his Conservative Party back into power for the first time in a decade.

Analysts argue that mirroring Trump switched from a political positive for Australian conservatives to a negative after Trump imposed global tariffs.

Trumpet of Patriots, a minor party inspired by Trump policies with an advertising budget funded by mining magnate Clive Palmer that eclipsed the major parties, attracted only 2% of the vote.

Zareh Ghazarian, a lecturer in politics at Monash University, in Melbourne, questioned the significance of the "DOGE-y Dutton" lable in the election result.

"We won't know. But I'm not sure it had a massive impact," Ghazarian said. "It is a huge win for Labor and it's a massive rebuke for the Liberal Party."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Albanese on his election to a second three-year term.

"Australia is a valued ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our shared values and democratic traditions provide the bedrock for an enduring alliance and for the deep ties between our peoples,' Rubio said in a statement.

"The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with Australia to advance our common interests and promote freedom and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally," he added.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a fellow center-left leader, congratulated Albanese on his victory.

"The U.K. and Australia are as close as ever – which goes to show that long-distance friendships can be the strongest," Starmer said. "I know that we will continue to work together on our shared ambitions, including on trade, investment and energy, working towards a better life for working people in the U.K. and Australia."

Labor held a narrow majority of 78 seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives, the lower chamber where parties form governments.

Australian governments are usually elected for at least a second term, but are expected to lose seats at the second election. But Labor is on track to increase its majority in its second term.

Energy policy and inflation have been major issues in the campaign, with both sides agreeing the country faces a cost of living crisis.

The Liberal Party blamed government waste for fueling inflation and increasing interest rates, and has pledged to cut more than one in five public service jobs to reduce government spending.

While both said the country should reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Dutton argues that relying on nuclear power instead of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind turbines would deliver less expensive electricity.

Labor argued Dutton’s administration would slash services to pay for its ambitions to build seven government-funded nuclear generators. Australia currently has no nuclear power.

Opposition senator Jacinta Nampijnpa Price would have been responsible for cutting 41,000 public service jobs in Dutton's administration. She attracted media attention last month when she told supporters her government would "make Australia great again."

Price told reporters at the time she didn’t recall using the words reminiscent of the Republicans’ "Make America Great Again" slogan.

Price, who said she was photographed wearing a MAGA cap "in jest at Christmas time," on Saturday blamed the news media for focusing on Trump in the election campaign.

"You made it all about Donald Trump," Price told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "We really couldn’t care less about the way Donald Trump is governing for America. We were concerned with the way Australia is being governed under an Albanese government."

The election took place against a backdrop of what both sides of politics describe as a cost of living crisis.

Foodbank Australia, the nation’s largest food relief charity, reported 3.4 million households in the country of 27 million people experienced food insecurity last year. That meant Australians were skipping meals, eating less or worrying about running out of food before they could afford to buy more.

The central bank reduced its benchmark cash interest rate by a quarter percentage point in February to 4.1% in an indication that the worst of the financial hardship had passed. The rate is widely expected to be cut again at the bank’s next board meeting on May 20, this time to encourage investment amid the international economic uncertainty generated by Trump’s tariff policies.

On Friday, May 2nd in 1973, New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster approached a car that had been pulled over by police for a broken taillight on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Inside were three armed members of the radical Black Liberation Army.

Gunfire erupted, and in the shoot-out, Officer Foerster was hit four times and killed. Now, decades later, the officer's cold-blooded execution is spurring new calls for justice.

One of the militants in the car, Joanne Chesimard, has lived a life on the lam. In 1979, she escaped from a New Jersey prison and, in the decades since, she has been living freely in Cuba.

"She should be serving a life sentence," says the current head of the state police, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan

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"I want her yesterday, and I have Trooper Foerster's handcuffs ready to go on her when she lands on that tarmac, wherever she is."

There are new calls to extradite her and the estimated 70 fugitives from U.S. justice, including convicted murderers, airline hijackers and others who continue to enjoy safe haven in Cuba.

President Donald Trump has called on the Cuban regime to cough up Chesimard and the others.

"Return the fugitives from American justice, including the return of the cop-killer Joanne Chesimard," he declared in 2017.  Now the Trump administration is taking tougher measures against Cuba that could eventually result in the fugitives being back on U.S. soil. In January, the administration slapped new sanctions on the Cuban regime, and it is considering tougher actions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denouncing the Communist government's protection of American criminals.

"The Cuban regime continues to provide safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States," he said in a statement to Fox News.

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"The brutal killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster will never be forgotten, and we will never stop fighting for justice."

President Obama normalized relations with the Cuban government in 2015, and while a few fugitives have been returned, terrorists were not among them. In 2018, James R. Ray, a lawyer wanted for murder in Montclair, New Jersey, was extradited by Cuba back to the state. He was convicted and died in jail while awaiting sentencing in 2023.

In his first term, President Trump scrapped the Obama agreements, and he has since put Cuba back on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, which President Biden had removed.

"I understand it's a sovereign nation and that there's no extradition policy, but here's somebody who has murdered a New Jersey State Trooper who lives free, and that just is painful for law enforcement, not only in New Jersey, but across the country," says Colonel Callahan. "Anything that I can do to bring her back to serve out the rest of her sentence is what I'm going to do."

"It's disgusting that some killer like this would be just roaming the streets in Cuba," says Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla. "It makes you mad. It makes you mad that Cuba harbors these terrorists and these fugitives."

Scott is sponsoring a Senate bill, "The Frank Connor and Trooper Werner Foerster Justice Act," demanding the fugitives' return. Rubio first introduced the legislation before he was named secretary of state.

Scott is calling for even stronger measures against the Communist nation.

"We have to make sure there's no money that goes there. They're clearly a state sponsor of terrorism," Scott says." Trump did the right thing by putting them back on."

BID TO CLEAR THE LAST LIVING JIMMY HOFFA SUSPECT: 'TRULY UN-AMERICAN'

The bill is also named for another victim, Frank Connor. In 1975, Connor, a New York City banker, was having lunch in the historic Fraunces Tavern when a bomb exploded, killing him and three others, and wounding more than 50 people. The device had been planted by the Puerto Rican terrorist group "Armed Forces for National Liberation" (FALN), which was responsible for a wave of terrorist bombings in New York City in the 1970s.

The FALN's chief bombmaker, Willie Morales, also escaped a U.S. prison to find safety in Fidel Castro's Cuba.

"We have convicted terrorists who we do have the power to get back," says Connor's son, Joe, who has been in the forefront of the push to return the fugitives. He says President Trump can achieve that.

"Trump absolutely can use economic power," he says. "We have these convicted terrorists 90 miles from home, we have the economic leverage on Cuba to bring them back. Cut the deal, bring these guys back, and then we will talk about how we are going to assist Cuba in the future."

"It would really mean something, that there is justice for my dad."

In January, Secretary of State Rubio honored Connor and the other Fraunces Tavern victims on the anniversary of the FALN attack.

"We must also recommit ourselves to demanding that wanted U.S. fugitives under the Cuban regime’s protection be brought to justice. We owe the victims and the American people our unwavering commitment to holding the Cuban regime accountable."

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy marked the anniversary of Foerster’s murder by saying, "As we honor his memory, our commitment to justice has never wavered. More than half a century later, we continue to pursue his murderer’s repatriation to New Jersey to face the consequences of her actions."

Colonel Callahan notes that in its 104-year history, the state police force has lost 78 troopers in the line of duty, but that Foerster’s death and Chesimard’s freedom remain "an open wound."

"There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not trying to do something about bringing her back here," he says.

 Fox News Producer Maria Paronich contributed to this story.

A small English town north of bustling Manchester just saw two controversial pro-Gaza candidates flip seats held by the mainstream Labour Party. Both candidates ran as independents in the May 1 local elections.

Maheen Kamran, 18, won the Burnley Central East seat on the Lancashire County Council, while Azhar Ali won the position of county councillor for the Nelson East ward. The Telegraph noted that their victories could be part of a growing trend, following a slew of pro-Gaza candidates—including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn—winning seats in last year’s general election.

Ali is a former Labour Party member who was suspended from the party and lost its backing over allegations of antisemitism during an election last year. Labour initially supported Ali after he claimed that Israel "allowed" Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre to occur as a pretext to invade Gaza, according to the BBC. He later apologized for making what he called a "deeply offensive, ignorant and false" claim. Labour withdrew its support for Ali and later suspended him from the party.

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The Board of Deputies of British Jews did not accept Ali’s apology, calling his comments "disgraceful and unforgivable."

"It is clear to us that Mr. Ali is not [apologizing] out of a genuine sense of remorse. Despite what he says in his apology, we do not see how we could possibly engage with him at this time, and we believe other leading Jewish communal groups will feel similarly," the organization wrote in a 2024 statement.

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Meanwhile, Kamran has taken radical stances of her own. She voted in favor of ending the "free mixing" of Muslim men and women in public spaces. 

"Muslim women aren’t really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men. I'm sure we can have segregated areas, segregated gyms, where Muslim women don't have to sacrifice their health," Kamran told PoliticsHome.

In the same interview, Kamran said she entered politics because she believes there is a "genocide" taking place in Gaza. While critics of Israel’s military actions use the term "genocide," supporters of the Jewish state often argue that Israel has the capability to destroy Gaza’s population but has chosen not to, thereby disputing the genocide claim.

Ali and Kamran’s victories come as mainstream parties lose influence in local elections. The right-wing populist Reform UK Party saw major gains in the latest election, according to the Telegraph. Meanwhile, despite its control of 10 Downing Street, Labour suffered losses in the recent local elections. 

The Trump administration on Friday officially designated two of Haiti’s most powerful gang networks, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and specially designated global terrorists (SDGTs).

The move is aimed at disrupting the gangs' operations and supporting efforts to restore order in the troubled Caribbean nation.

The announcement was made in a formal statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared that "the age of impunity for those supporting violence in Haiti is over."

"These gangs have killed and continue attacking the people of Haiti, Haitian security forces and multinational security support (MSS) mission personnel and are committed to overthrowing the government of Haiti," Rubio said. "Their ultimate goal is creating a gang-controlled state where illicit trafficking and other criminal activities operate freely and terrorize Haitian citizens."

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The designations bring serious legal consequences. Individuals or entities that provide material support to Viv Ansanm or Gran Grif could face criminal charges, loss of immigration benefits or removal from the U.S.

Viv Ansanm formed in September 2023 through an alliance between Haiti’s two main gang factions, G-9 and G-Pép. The coalition has carried out coordinated attacks on Haitian infrastructure, including prisons, government buildings and the Port-au-Prince international airport. These attacks were part of a broader campaign that helped force the resignation of former Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

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Gran Grif operates mainly in the Artibonite region, a vital agricultural area. The State Department said the gang has been responsible for 80% of civilian death reports in that area since 2022. In February 2025, Gran Grif was linked to an attack that killed a Kenyan officer with the MSS mission.

According to NPR reporting from 2024, Viv Ansanm was spearheaded by Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue, a former police officer turned gang leader. 

Chérizier helped unify rival gangs under a shared goal of opposing the Haitian government. In an interview with NPR, he defended the gang’s actions and blamed Haiti’s political elite for fostering the lawlessness. Though he acknowledged the violence, he claimed the government had enabled the conditions leading to it.

"These designations play a critical role in our fight against these vicious groups and are an effective way to curtail support for their terrorist activities," Rubio said. He also warned that U.S. citizens and lawful residents who engage in transactions with these groups are exposing themselves to sanctions and prosecution.

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Rubio praised the Haitian National Police and international partners for their efforts in pushing back against the gangs. "We commend the extraordinary bravery of the Haitian National Police and all international partners supporting the MSS mission for their ongoing efforts to establish stability and security in Haiti," he said.

He called on Haitian political leaders to focus on restoring peace. 

"We urge all of Haiti’s political leaders to prioritize the security of the Haitian people, find solutions to stop the violence and make progress toward the restoration of democracy through free and fair elections," Rubio said.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution or BfV, on Friday classified the country’s popular Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as "extremist."

"Central to our assessment is the ethnically and ancestrally defined concept of the people that shapes the AfD, which devalues entire segments of the population in Germany and violates their human dignity," the BfV said, explaining its decision. "This concept is reflected in the party’s overall anti-migrant and anti-Muslim stance." 

The AfD slammed the decision, calling it a "blow against democracy," claiming it was "clearly politically motivated," which the BfV denied.

The U.S. also criticized the designation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming it is "tyranny in disguise."

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"Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition," Rubio posted on X. "That’s not democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise. What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes. Germany should reverse course."

Elon Musk wrote on X: "Banning the centrist AfD, Germany's, most popular party, would be an extreme attack on democracy." 

AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said, "The AfD will continue to take legal action against these defamatory attacks that endanger democracy." 

Vice President JD Vance met with Weidel before the election and said that free speech was under attack in Europe. 

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The BfV also classifies the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party (NDP), the Islamic State and other Islamist groups, and the far-left Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany as "extremist."

The classification allows the intelligence agency to closely surveil the AfD, which came in second in Germany’s February elections, winning a record number of seats in parliament.

Germany’s intelligence agency is more legally constrained than other European countries in its ability to surveil political parties, which requires the "extremist" designation, because of its history under Nazi and Communist rule. 

The designation also allows the intelligence service to intercept party communications.

The "extremist" designation followed a 1,100-page report by the intelligence agency, and a court case loss for AfD in challenging the BfV’s previous classification of the political party as one suspected of extremism. 

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who heads the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), will be confirmed as chancellor next week following the elections in a coalition government with the center-left Social Democrats. 

Both Merz and the Social Democrats ruled out governing with the AfD. 

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CDU, along with its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), won Germany’s elections in February after garnering 28.6% of the vote, according to Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). 

The AfD secured 20.8% of the vote. Meanwhile, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) won just 16.4% of the vote, its worst result since World War II.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf and Reuters contributed to this report.

U.S. officials have finalized new economic sanctions against Russia, including banking and energy measures, to intensify pressure on Moscow to embrace U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end its war on Ukraine, according to three U.S. officials and a source familiar with the issue.

The targets include state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom and major entities involved in the natural resources and banking sectors, said an administration official, who like the other sources requested anonymity to discuss the issue.

US-UKRAINE INCHING TOWARD MINERAL DEAL AMID LAST-MINUTE ROADBLOCKS

The official provided no further details.

It was far from clear, however, whether the package will be approved by Trump, whose sympathy for Moscow's statements and actions have given way to frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spurning of his calls for a ceasefire and peace talks.

The U.S. National Security Council "is trying to coordinate some set of more punitive actions against Russia," said the source familiar with the issue. "This will have to be signed off by Trump."

"It’s totally his call," confirmed a second U.S. official.

"From the beginning, the president has been clear about his commitment to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," said National Security Council Spokesman James Hewitt. "We do not comment on the details of ongoing negotiations."

The U.S. Treasury, which implements most U.S. sanctions, did not respond to a request for comment.

An approval by Trump of new sanctions, which would follow the Wednesday signing of a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal that he heavily promoted as part of his peace effort, could signify a hardening of his stance towards the Kremlin.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 the United States and its allies have added layer upon layer of sanctions on the country. While the measures have been painful for Russia's economy, Moscow has found ways to circumvent the sanctions and continue funding its war.

Trump "has been bending over backwards to give Putin every opportunity to say, 'Okay, we're going to have a ceasefire and an end to the war,' and Putin keeps rejecting him," said Kurt Volker, a former U.S. envoy to NATO who was U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations during Trump's first term. "This is the next phase of putting some pressure on Russia."

"Putin has been escalating," he continued. Trump "has got the U.S. and Ukraine now in alignment calling for an immediate and full ceasefire, and Putin is now the outlier."

Since assuming office in January, Trump has taken steps seen as aimed at boosting Russian acceptance of his peace effort, including disbanding a Justice Department task force formed to enforce sanctions and target oligarchs close to the Kremlin.

He also has made pro-Moscow statements, falsely blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for starting the conflict and calling him a "dictator."

Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, has advocated a peace strategy that would cede four Ukrainian regions to Moscow, and has met Putin four times, most recently last week.

But three days after that meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Putin's maximalist demands for a settlement and Moscow’s forces have pressed frontline attacks and missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, claiming more civilian casualties.

Reuters reported in March that the United States was drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief but Trump in recent weeks has expressed frustration with Putin's foot-dragging on ending the invasion and last Saturday held a "very productive" one-on-one meeting in the Vatican with Zelenskiy.

The next day, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that he was "strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions and Tariffs on Russia" that would remain until a ceasefire and final peace deal.

Volker said that Russia has been earning hard currency that funds its military through oil and gas sales to countries like India and China and that it would be "very significant" if Trump slapped secondary sanctions on such deals.

Secondary sanctions are those where one country seeks to punish a second country for trading with a third by barring access to its own market, a particularly powerful tool for the United States because of the size of its economy.

The chimney that will let the world know when cardinals have chosen a successor to Pope Francis was installed Friday on the roof of the Sistine Chapel.  

Firefighters were seen putting up the fixture ahead of the conclave set to begin next Wednesday. 

During a conclave, cardinals vote through a secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is required for the election. After each round of submissions, ballots are read aloud and then burned. The ashes are used to notify audiences around the world and onlookers in St. Peter’s Square of the election’s status. 

Black smoke from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican indicates a new round of voting is set to happen. White smoke signals a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is selected. 

JD VANCE EXPLAINS WHY MEETING POPE FRANCIS HOURS BEFORE HIS DEATH WAS ‘A SIGN FROM GOD’ 

The Sistine Chapel has been closed to the public for more than a week now as the Vatican is preparing for the conclave. 

Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88. 

CONVICTED CARDINAL ANNOUNCES HE WON’T BE PART OF CONCLAVE TO CHOOSE POPE FRANCIS’ SUCCESSOR 

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that morning. 

"He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." 

Fox News' Gabriele Regalbuto and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. 

The right-wing Reform UK Party saw a series of electoral wins early Friday after it secured parliamentary, mayoral and several local election seats in what leader Nigel Farage said is proof that Reform UK is "now the opposition party to this Labour government."

Farage, who predicted earlier this year in an interview with Fox News Digital that there would be a "political revolution," said the centurylong, two-party system that has dominated British politics was "now dead" after both the liberal Labour Party and Conservative Party saw losses in a Thursday election. 

Reform UK secured a fifth parliamentary seat after Sarah Pochin flipped the Runcorn & Helsby constituency, which is, according to Reform leaders, considered Labour "heartland."

BRACE FOR A 'POLITICAL REVOLUTION' IN EUROPE, UK'S NIGEL FARAGE SAYS AFTER VANCE'S SPEECH IN MUNICH

"Victory in Runcorn & Helsby proves we are now the opposition party to this Labour government," Farage said on X. "With this and other results tonight, it’s clear that if you vote Conservative you will get Labour. But if you vote Reform, you get Reform."

The race for the Runcorn & Helsby seat was the most closely watched race and required a full recount, after which it was confirmed that Reform secured the seat by just six votes.

Farage championed the victory as "a small margin" but "a huge win."

The Labour Party – which is led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer – currently holds 403 seats in Parliament, followed by the Conservative Party, which holds 121. Liberal Democrats hold 72 seats, while Independents hold 14. The remainder of the 40 other seats are divided between 11 other parties, including Reform. 

ENGLAND SPORTS GOVERNING BODY BANS TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM WOMEN’S SOCCER FOLLOWING UK COURT RULING

Andrea Jenkyns also snagged the mayorship for Greater Lincolnshire, which has for years been dominated by the Conservative Party.

Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, reportedly told Times Radio on Friday, "It’s certainly a political earthquake because up and down the country in some 650 elections, give or take, voters have voted and the votes are coming in against the main two parties."

According to Farage, the rise in Reform UK supporters suggests the Conservative Party – which he was a former member of but left in the 90s and eventually started the Brexit Party before changing the name to Reform UK in 2021 – is losing support.

"You're witnessing the end of a party that's been around since 1832," he told reporters, according to a Reuters report. 

FIRST ON FOX: The United Nations’ UN80 Task Force is examining multiple suggested methods for reorganizing the institution, according to a leaked, confidential document shared with Fox News Digital. The six-page paper cites multiple inefficiencies and areas of improvement needed to combat "geopolitical shifts and substantial reductions in foreign aid budgets" which are "challenging the legitimacy and effectiveness of the organization."

The effort is "eight and a half years late," Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital: "If [Secretary-General António] Guterres really comprehends that the system needs a major overhaul, he should step down and facilitate an early U.N. Secretary-General election." Dugan said that "the person with the fresh mandate" should overhaul the U.N.

WATCHDOG ORG CALLS FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST UN APPOINTEE ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM

The UN80 Task Force document notes that "overlapping mandates, inefficient use of resources, and inconsistent delivery of services" are among the problems with proliferating agencies, funds and programs, and notes ways to integrate, consolidate, and coordinate among reformed entities to maximize the benefit for those who rely on the U.N. 

As another means of reducing outlays, the task force also recommended reducing the quantity of high-level posts, establishing single entities to coordinate Peace and Security, Humanitarian Affairs, and Human Rights, and "reduc[ing] the number of U.N. development system entities." 

Dugan said the document "looks more like a whiteboard stream of consciousness approach that you find on the first day of a business retreat." He said that it lacks mention of human resource improvements, finding ways of recruiting "the very best in the world," or "identifying performance measurements or metrics against the leaders of the organization, branches, [or] offices." 

Dugan said that the task force is also missing the important confidence-building measures needed to increase buy-in from members, to keep them "impressed and enthusiastic" about U.N. programs. "They’re assuming that they are the leaders that are the right people at the right time." Dugan said this is "a real shortcoming." 

"I don’t think they have the confidence of the world community or the talents or the resources to hold out another year and a half under this regime of Secretary Guterres," Dugan said. Rather than utilize the "Noah’s Ark management mentality" of attempting to "weather the storm," Dugan said that the U.N. must "get very creative very quickly with what they have at hand." 

Dugan noted that the U.N. has gone through a "fall-off in relevance" with its lack of involvement in "real world dynamics between member states." He urged the organization to identify "the multilateral collateral, meaning we’ve got to identify what’s good, and then we have to get rid of what’s damaged after eight years."

DOGE USAID BUDGET CUTS HIT UN IN ‘WORST LIQUIDITY CRISIS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT’

In response to concerns shared by Dugan, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, said that the memo "is the result of an exercise to generate ideas and thoughts from senior officials on how to achieve the Secretary-General’s vision" and is one "of the three work streams that we are working on."

Dujarric pointed to a speech Guterres delivered in March when introducing the UN80 Initiative, in which he called for an "ambitious reform agenda to strengthen how we work and deliver." Guterres said this involves increasing transparency and accountability, being more effective and cutting costs, and decentralizing decisions to serve those who rely on the U.N.

Dujarric also mentioned a speech Guterres gave eight years ago in September 2017, when he lamented the Byzantine bureaucracy that hampers progress at the U.N., and said that he was "pursuing sweeping management reform – to simplify procedures and decentralize decisions, with greater transparency, efficiency and accountability."

For Dugan, Guterres’ failure to attempt those "sweeping" reforms prior to 2025 is an indication that regime change is needed. He reiterated that "the Secretary-General’s ‘Trust me’ window dressing is no longer convincing us to pay full retail." 

U.S. contributions to the U.N. may also take a hit. In April, a White House Office of Management and Budget passback to the State Department indicated the desire to end funding for international organizations, including the U.N. 

Other countries are also falling short with contributions. In March, Guterres’ spokesperson Farhan Haq told Fox News Digital that member states’ non-payment of dues had forced the closure of one staff entrance to the U.N. headquarters in New York City at the time.

FIRST ON FOX : Fox News Digital has learned that the U.S. could withhold funding for the war against Islamist terror in Somalia until Europe, the African Union (A.U.) and the United Nations (U.N.) pay more of their "fair" share toward the cost of striking out and keeping the peace in the conflict-torn country. 

These plans to "prohibit" the use of U.S. funds are key details, shown first to Fox News Digital, of a new bill to be introduced by three prominent Republican senators.

In line with President Donald Trump’s administration’s widespread moves to tighten fiscal controls in the U.S. and overseas, Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are to introduce "the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025." 

This is "to safeguard U.S. taxpayer funds and hold the U.N. and A.U. accountable in African peace operations," Risch told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP SAYS HE ORDERED AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS LEADERS IN SOMALIA

The bill also seeks to mandate the U.S. to oppose any U.N. Security Council action which enables such funding.  

The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. In just the past five weeks, U.S. Africa Command reported that it has carried out four airstrikes; three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabaab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets.

Chairman Risch told Fox News Digital, "The Trump Administration has taken decisive action to counterterrorist groups across Africa, and I’m very supportive."

However, officials from the European Union, according to Risch, plan to skew payments for the AUSSOM peacekeeping and stablization operation more toward the U.S.; in other words, make the U.S. pay more than it should, he said.

"At the U.N., our European partners are looking to skirt their financial commitments to AUSSOM in Somalia by switching to a new imbalanced funding mechanism that pushes the burden on Americans," he stated.

US–RUSSIA FLASHPOINT LOOMS OVER PUTIN'S PLANS FOR AFRICAN NAVAL BASE

"We can’t let that stand," Risch continued. "This bill will prohibit U.S. contributions to AUSSOM under this new funding scheme, until the A.U. and the U.N. can prove that they are using the funds they have responsibly, and prevent Americans from being locked into perpetually funding a broken system."

Risch said, "President Trump has ushered in a new era of American foreign policy where American taxpayer dollars will be used only to secure a safe and prosperous America. For far too long, our allies have taken America for a ride, and profited off of America paying the lion’s share for global security. Europe must continue to shoulder this burden."  

The other two senators sponsoring the bill, Cruz and Scott, also serve on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Scott told Fox News Digital, "The United States will not allow our tax dollars to be exploited by the U.N. while our partners refuse to pay their fair share, much less for a mission that fails to spend these dollars responsibly or transparently. I am proud to join my colleagues on the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act to ensure Americans’ interests are put first, and their tax dollars spent wisely."

The specific aims of the bill that have been shown to Fox News Digital are:

FIRST ON FOX : Fox News Digital has learned that the U.S. could withhold funding for the war against Islamist terror in Somalia until Europe, the African Union (A.U.) and the United Nations (U.N.) pay more of their "fair" share toward the cost of striking out and keeping the peace in the conflict-torn country. 

These plans to "prohibit" the use of U.S. funds are key details, shown first to Fox News Digital, of a new bill to be introduced by three prominent Republican senators.

In line with President Donald Trump’s administration’s widespread moves to tighten fiscal controls in the U.S. and overseas, Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are to introduce "the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025." 

This is "to safeguard U.S. taxpayer funds and hold the U.N. and A.U. accountable in African peace operations," Risch told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP SAYS HE ORDERED AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS LEADERS IN SOMALIA

The bill also seeks to mandate the U.S. to oppose any U.N. Security Council action which enables such funding.  

The East African country of Somalia has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. In just the past five weeks, U.S. Africa Command reported that it has carried out four airstrikes; three against ISIS terrorists and one against al-Shabaab. At least one of these strikes, the command stated, was against multiple targets.

Chairman Risch told Fox News Digital, "The Trump Administration has taken decisive action to counterterrorist groups across Africa, and I’m very supportive."

However, officials from the European Union, according to Risch, plan to skew payments for the AUSSOM peacekeeping and stablization operation more toward the U.S.; in other words, make the U.S. pay more than it should, he said.

"At the U.N., our European partners are looking to skirt their financial commitments to AUSSOM in Somalia by switching to a new imbalanced funding mechanism that pushes the burden on Americans," he stated.

US–RUSSIA FLASHPOINT LOOMS OVER PUTIN'S PLANS FOR AFRICAN NAVAL BASE

"We can’t let that stand," Risch continued. "This bill will prohibit U.S. contributions to AUSSOM under this new funding scheme, until the A.U. and the U.N. can prove that they are using the funds they have responsibly, and prevent Americans from being locked into perpetually funding a broken system."

Risch said, "President Trump has ushered in a new era of American foreign policy where American taxpayer dollars will be used only to secure a safe and prosperous America. For far too long, our allies have taken America for a ride, and profited off of America paying the lion’s share for global security. Europe must continue to shoulder this burden."  

The other two senators sponsoring the bill, Cruz and Scott, also serve on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Scott told Fox News Digital, "The United States will not allow our tax dollars to be exploited by the U.N. while our partners refuse to pay their fair share, much less for a mission that fails to spend these dollars responsibly or transparently. I am proud to join my colleagues on the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act to ensure Americans’ interests are put first, and their tax dollars spent wisely."

The specific aims of the bill that have been shown to Fox News Digital are:

China is "evaluating" an offer from the U.S. to hold talks on tariffs, according to a Friday statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry. This shift in tone could leave the door open for the world’s two largest economies to deescalate the trade war that has left global markets in turmoil.

"The U.S. has recently taken the initiative on many occasions to convey information to China through relevant parties, saying it hopes to talk with China," the ministry said in a statement, according to a Reuters translation. The ministry also said that Beijing was "evaluating this."

However, while Beijing appears to be open to negotiations, the Chinese Commerce Ministry warned that it would not be forced into making a bad deal. According to the Reuters translation, the ministry said that "attempting to use talks as a pretext to engage in coercion and extortion would not work."

TRUMP SAYS CHINA'S XI CALLED HIM AMID ONGOING CONFUSION OVER TRADE TALKS

On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria" that he believed Beijing was looking to reach an agreement with the U.S.

"I am confident that the Chinese will want to reach a deal. And as I said, this is going to be a multi-step process. First, we need to de-escalate. And then the over time we will start focusing on a larger trade deal," Bessent said.

TRUMP WAGERS US ECONOMY IN HIGH-STAKES TARIFF GAMBLE AT 100-DAY MARK

President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs last month. He slapped a 145% tariff on Chinese imports. Meanwhile, Beijing put a 125% tariff on U.S. imports. However, the country recently waived the tariff on a host of American-made products. 

There were already exemptions for some pharmaceuticals, microchips and aircraft engines, but China added an exemption for ethane imports, according to Reuters.

Beijing’s change in messaging regarding the tariffs comes in stark contrast to its April 23 comments during a U.N. Security Council Arria-formula meeting on "The Impact of Unilateralism and Bullying Practices on International Relations." At that meeting, China accused the U.S. of using tariffs to bully the rest of the world.

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"Under the guise of reciprocity and fairness, the U.S. is playing a zero-sum game, which is essentially about subverting the existing international economic and trade order by means of tariffs, putting U.S. interests above the common good of the international community and advancing hegemonic ambitions of the U.S. at the cost of the legitimate interest of all countries," Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong said in his opening remarks.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the meeting was "a waste of U.N. Security Council members’ time." The spokesperson also slammed the meeting as an example of China’s manipulation of "the multilateral system to support its economic, political, and security interests."

Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) James Gilmore is urging the Trump administration to repurpose funds cut from USAID to counter the growing global influence of China and Russia.

Gilmore agrees with President Donald Trump that making cuts to foreign funding requires a "scalpel, not a hatchet," but asserts that more can be done to strategically reform foreign aid.

"The decisions we make today will create the world of tomorrow. If we start by abandoning foreign assistance, that new world will be run by China and our adversaries," Gilmore told Fox News Digital. "Now more than ever, the U.S. needs to build up our military and national security strength while deploying a robust ‘soft’ power strategy and political initiative to counter China and Russia's growing global influence."  

PETE MAROCCO, MASTERMIND BEHIND DISMANTLING OF USAID PROJECTS, LEAVES STATE DEPARTMENT

However, Gilmore stressed in a recent op-ed that "every dollar" of foreign aid must make America safer and stronger, and align with U.S. national strategy. He views aid spent in this way as an investment.

Additionally, Gilmore told Fox News Digital that he is concerned about rising isolationism among Republicans, especially as America’s adversaries use soft-power tactics to spread their influence.

"When America pulls back from global leadership, instability blooms, and our enemies take advantage," Gilmore warned in his op-ed, adding that in the absence of American leadership "weak states become breeding grounds for terrorism and drug cartels."

FORMER USAID OFFICIAL WARNS CHINA IS ALREADY LOOKING TO FILL VOID LEFT BY PAUSED PROGRAMS

Both China and Russia have invested in economic development efforts in recent years, particularly in Africa. The continent took a major hit when several USAID programs, including those aimed at combating hunger and disease, were shut down.

In February 2024, Russia claimed to have sent more than 220,000 tons of free grain to six African nations, according to Reuters.

A few months later, in November 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Africa his country’s "total support" in fighting terrorism and extremism, the BBC reported. 

China has also made major investments in economic development across the globe. According to a 2024 report from the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, China has increased its development spending by 525% over the last 15 years.

In September 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $51 billion in funding over the course of three years, Reuters reported. 

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Gilmore told Fox News Digital that the key to countering Chinese and Russian aggression is victory in Ukraine. He views the ongoing war as a "pivot to the future," and said the U.S. cannot let Russia win.

"Ukraine is on the frontline of a new global war between democracies and authoritarian regimes that is being waged with both military and soft power," Gilmore told Fox News Digital.

"If Ukraine is conquered by force, Putin will continue his long-term goal of reassembling the Russian empire, and compromising the safety, independence and of Europe, and challenge Europe's friendship with the U.S.  A defeat of Ukraine will require more investment of resources to defend our allies."

Estonia's top diplomat thinks Russia's war on Ukraine goes well beyond the front lines.

"This is not about Europe. I think that for Putin and for Russia, the U.S. is the main enemy, like historically," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told Fox News in an exclusive interview in Estonia's capital, Tallinn. 

"He has a plan to restore the Soviet empire, and this is exactly what he's doing. Ukraine is just one example," he added. 

Nine years ago, Tsahkna, then serving as Estonia's defense minister, watched as 120,000 Russian soldiers massed just across the border, ready to invade his country in just 48 hours. 

WARNING TO TRUMP NUCLEAR NEGOTIATORS ABOUT DECEPTIVE IRAN VERSION OF ‘ART OF THE DEAL’

"Now these troops are gone. They were sent to Ukraine, and they are literally dead," Tsahkna spoke from the foreign ministry Wednesday, where he now serves as Estonia's top diplomat. 

"At the moment, I don't expect any kind of the full-scale military aggression against NATO because Russia is running out of power in Ukraine, to be honest," Tsahkna added. "Economically, they're very weak, but of course, we see that Russia is preparing again." 

Estonia is not taking any chances.

To ward off any potential invasion on NATO’s eastern flank, Estonia recently announced it would spend over 5% of its GDP on defense next year, a goal President Donald Trump has requested from all NATO countries. 

EUROPE STEPS UP TO FUND ITS OWN DEFENSE, PROVIDE SECURITY FOR UKRAINE AFTER TRUMP THREATS

On Wednesday, Estonia officially welcomed the arrival of six HIMARS satellite-guided rocket systems made in the United States. It’s a weapon that has been used in Ukraine effectively, destroying targets up to 186 miles away. 

"We have created, as Estonians, the rule that if the U.S. is investing $1, we are adding $10 on top of that. And all this going back to [sic] goes back to the U.S. economy, and we are getting the capabilities," Tsahkna said. 

In recent weeks, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Poland announced they would withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel land mines. Russia, which is not party to the treaty, has deployed mines in the roughly 20% of Ukraine it now occupies. 

Estonia is a small country of 1.3 million people located in Eastern Europe, with an area about twice the size of New Jersey, It shares a 214-mile border with Russia.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, Estonia has cut off all energy imports from Russia. Today, it receives 80% of its natural gas from the United States. 

Not all countries have been as defiant. The 27-nation European Union, of which Estonia is a member, has only cut 60% of its energy imports from Russia. Last year, the European Union spent more on Russian oil and gas than aid to Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute. 

The Kremlin is also waging war on another front as well. "Russia is using religion of the church as a tool for their own political goals," Tsahkna said. 

The foreign minister also weighed in on Russia's proposed three-day ceasefire surrounding its May 9 celebrations marking the end of World War II. "This is not that serious," Tsahkna replied.

RUSSIA DECLARES 3-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE FOR WWII VICTORY DAY

Since late 2023, nearly a dozen undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland have been cut. Russia is suspected but "it’s very hard to say exactly," Tsahkna said. Over 14 people from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet have been arrested. China is suspected of carrying out at least one act of sabotage as well. 

NATO deployed warships off the coast of Estonia in January, and since then no cables have been cut, officers told Fox while on two ships in the Gulf of Finland Tuesday. 

When asked about the prospects of a ceasefire and eventual end of hostilities in Ukraine, Tsahkna replied with a warning: 

"President Trump has said very clearly that he wants to have peace. The Ukraine [sic] people want to have a [sic] peace – and I think that this is something that Putin doesn't want."

Tsahkna does not believe Putin would ever use nuclear weapons, calling such a move "political suicide." 

"He's just brutal, but also sometimes, from the Western part of the world, we are too weak," Tsahkna added. "Putin is playing with our fears."

The parents of the American hostages still held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza have called on President Donald Trump to use his reputation for being "tough" and apply pressure on not only known enemies but one of his closest allies: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There are 59 hostages still in Gaza, at least 24 of whom are assessed to be alive, including American-Israeli Edan Alexander, now 21 years old after having spent two birthdays in Hamas captivity.

Itay Chen, 19, Omer Neutra, 21, Judy Weinstein Haggai, 70, and her husband, Gadi Weinstein, 73, are all believed to have been killed by Hamas in it's attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and whose bodies were taken into Gaza.

"I believe that the president is a very tough person, and he should be tough with the enemies and with friends as well," Adi Alexander, who is Edan's father, told Fox News Digital in a direct reference to Israel.

PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE AFTER 471 DAYS OF HAMAS CAPTIVITY – PLEASE SAVE THE REMAINING HOSTAGES

"We asked of the president to keep everybody accountable," Alexander, who sat next to his wife, Yael, described after the second phase of a ceasefire, which was supposed to begin in March but failed and Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip to the immense frustration of mediators. 

In addition, the families urged Trump to keep Netanyahu "on a short leash" and to "get him back to negotiate as soon as possible and stop this thing."

Trump this week marked his 100th day in office, and the families of the five Americans still held hostage urged him to reflect on his strategy and apply pressure on both Israel and Hamas, through both economic and diplomatic means, to secure the release of all 59 hostages.

"With the election results, we had such high hopes," Ruby Chen, father to Itay, told reporters during a press event on Wednesday. "We know he cares about the topic, and we saw, even before the inauguration, his comments on the topic with the ‘hell to pay’ and ‘all the hostages need to come out.’"

"But I think the 100-day mark that we are at this moment, I think it's a good time to reflect and say that the job's not done," said Chen, sitting next to his wife, Hagit Chen.

Trump sparked international concern in February when he suggested the Gaza Strip should be turned into the "Riviera of the Middle East," and fears have mounted that as Washington continues to discuss potentially displacing Palestinians and Israel continues aggressive military operations, Hamas may be unwilling to give up its leverage: the hostages. 

AN AMERICAN FATHER'S PLEA: PRESIDENT TRUMP, PLEASE BRING MY SON AND THE OTHER HOSTAGES HOME FROM GAZA

Calls within the Gaza Strip are increasing from Palestinians to return all the hostages so a day-after plan can be discussed as Palestinian civilians continue to feel the consequences of the brutal war.

"It's easy rhetoric to say that Hamas won't hold their side of the deal," Orna Neutra, mother to Omer, told reporters. "If they don't hold their side of the deal, then [Netanyahu] can return to hostilities. 

"But let's allow them to release all hostages and see if that happens or not instead of just saying they won’t do it," she added, noting it could be another leveraging point for the Trump administration.

The families of the hostages are careful not to get overly involved in the heated political topics, but instead they have highlighted the importance of and need for a solid strategy to first secure the release of all remaining hostages, and then figure out a day-after plan. 

Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has suggested that Hamas could become politically active in the Gaza Strip, but they need to fully disarm.

"I think the best approach will be just to call for both parties to rise above politics, although it will be very difficult with Hamas, which is politically struggling to survive in this region, but definitely to call on [the] Israeli government to rise above politics," Alexander said. "Do not think about politically surviving and prioritize human life."

The families pointed to polling from Israel that shows nearly 70% of Israelis favor ending military operations against Hamas in order to return all the hostages more than 573 days since they were abducted, including some 48% of Netanyahu’s coalition base. Some 39% of his conservative base apparently oppose the strategy, and another 13% are unsure.

While there is evident frustration among the families of the hostages, who have made clear the Israeli government has not offered anywhere near the same level of support or communication provided by both the Biden and Trump administrations, they said that, ultimately, the adversary is the terrorist organization that captured, in some instances killed, and continues to hold captive their loved ones. 

"Just to be clear, Hamas is the enemy," said Neutra, who sat next to her husband, Ronen. "Hamas committed these atrocious crimes. They're holding on to our family members. We don't want to see them continue to be a threat to Israel.

"But it's about priority, and it's about being in the situation for 19 months now," she added.