US NATIONAL NEWS

Biden, Macron vow unity against Russia, discuss trade row

Published

4 years ago

December 1, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron vowed to maintain a united front against Russia on Thursday amid growing worries about waning support for Ukraine’s war effort in the U.S. and Europe. Biden also signaled he might be willing to tweak aspects of his signature climate legislation that have raised concerns with France and other European allies.

Biden was honoring Macron with a grand state dinner Thursday evening — the first of the U.S. president’s COVID-19 shadowed presidency for a foreign leader. But following up on Biden’s upbeat comments might not go as smoothly as that fancy affair. Republicans who are about to take control of the House have shown less willingness than Biden to spend billions on Ukraine, and Democratic lawmakers said Thursday they were not about to jump back into the climate legislation.

In fact, for all the positive statements, Macron’s visit to Washington has been tempered by his criticism of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the challenges both leaders face amid the mounting costs of keeping military and economic aid flowing to Kyiv with no end in sight for the Russian invasion.

Despite the differences, Biden and Macron sought to underscore that the U.S.-France alliance remains solid and that the West must hold steadfast against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

“Today, we reaffirm that, as I said, we’re going to stand together against this brutality,” Biden said. “Putin thinks that he can crush the will of all those who oppose his imperial ambitions by attacking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, choking off energy to Europe to drive up prices, exacerbating the food crisis. That’s hurting very vulnerable people not just in Ukraine but around the world and he’s not going to succeed.”

Both leaders at an outdoor welcoming ceremony paid tribute to their countries’ long alliance. But they acknowledged difficult moments lay ahead as Western unity shows some wear nine months into the war in Ukraine.

In Washington, Republicans are set to take control of the House, where GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has said his party’s lawmakers will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine. Across the Atlantic, Macron’s efforts to keep Europe united will be tested by the mounting costs of supporting Ukraine in the war and as Europe battles rising energy prices that threaten to derail the post-pandemic economic recovery.

Macron stressed that the issue has ramifications far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

“What is at stake in Ukraine is not just very far from here, in a small country somewhere in Europe,” he declared. “But it’s about our values. And about our principles.”

“Our two nations are sisters in the fight for freedom,” he said.

Biden indicated he would be willing to talk with Putin if the Russian leader demonstrated that he seriously wanted to end the invasion. But the U.S. president, as always, conditioned such talks on support by NATO allies.

“I’m prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if in fact there is an interest in him deciding that he’s looking for a way to end the war,” Biden said. “He hasn’t done that yet.”

In addition to their talk of Ukraine — what White House officials said was at the top of the agenda — the two leaders discussed Macron’s and other leaders’ concerns about the recently enacted clean energy law.

Macron has made clear that he and other European leaders are opposed to incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act that favor American-made climate technology, including electric vehicles.

Biden acknowledged “glitches” in the legislation but said “there’s tweaks we can make” to satisfy allies.

“The United States makes no apology. And I make no apologies since I wrote it for the legislation we’re talking about,” Biden added about the legislation.

However, Macron said that while the Biden administration’s efforts to curb climate change should be applauded, the subsidies would be an enormous setback for European companies.

“We want to succeed together, not one against the other,” Macron added. He said the U.S. and France would “resynchronize” their clean energy efforts to ensure there’s no “domino effect” that undermines clean energy projects in Europe.

On Capitol Hill, despite Biden’s talk of possible changes in the law, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, one of the bill’s main architects, said, “Congress passed a law to rev up the American electric automobile industry, create good-paying American jobs and tackle climate change at the same time. I have no intention of reopening it.”

The European Union has also expressed concern that tax credits in the law would discriminate against European producers and break World Trade Organization rules.

The leaders, with aides, met for about three hours after taking part in a formal ceremony with hundreds of people gathered on the South Lawn on a sunny, chilly morning. There was a 21-gun salute and review of troops, and ushers distributed small French and American flags to the guests.

Both Biden and Macron in their public comments sought to keep the focus on the situation in Ukraine.

The state visit should provide a boost to Macron diplomatically that he can leverage back in Europe. His outspoken comments help him demonstrate that he’s defending French workers, even as he maintains a close relationship with Biden. The moment also helps Macron burnish his image as the European Union’s most visible and vocal leader, at a time when Europe is increasingly concerned that its economy will be indelibly weakened by the Ukraine war and resulting energy and inflation crises.

To that end, Biden praised Macron as “not just the leader of France” and for being “very outspoken and very very commanding in Europe.” In his public comments, Macron repeatedly referred to the U.S. president as “dear Joe.”

Still, at moments, Macron’s rhetoric has rankled U.S. and Ukrainian officials, with calls for Ukraine and Russia to meet at the negotiating table. White House officials have publicly maintained that it is solely up to Ukraine’s leadership to decide when it’s appropriate to engage the Russians and have stressed the war could end immediately if Putin ended his invasion.

Macron also raised eyebrows earlier this month in a speech at a summit in Bangkok when he referred to the U.S. and China as “two big elephants” that are on the cusp of creating “a big problem for the rest of the jungle.” His visit to Washington came as both the U.S. and France are keeping their eyes on China after protests have broken out in several mainland cities and Hong Kong over Beijing’s “zero COVID” strategy.

The state visit marked a return of a White House tradition of honoring close foreign allies that dates back to Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, came to the U.S. bearing gifts carefully tailored to their American hosts, including a vinyl record and CD of the original soundtrack from the 1966 film “Un Homme et une Femme,” which the Bidens went to see on their first date, according to the palace.

Among the gifts Biden and first lady Jill Biden presented the Macrons was a mirror framed by fallen wood from the White House grounds and made by an American furniture maker.

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted Macron for a lunch at the State Department before the evening state dinner in an enormous tented pavilion constructed on the White House South Lawn.

Florida

DeSantis’ Political Star Rises as Florida GOP Holds Statewide Offices Amid National Defeats

Published

19 hours ago

November 5, 2026

FNN NEWS

Republicans retain Florida’s statewide leadership despite Democratic gains in the Legislature, giving the outgoing governor a platform in the debate over the GOP’s future.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to Florida’s Republican victories Wednesday as evidence that his governing approach helped withstand a national Democratic surge, highlighting the state as a remaining Republican stronghold after major defeats elsewhere.

Speaking a day after the election, DeSantis described the national Republican losses as approaching an “extinction-level event.” He contrasted those setbacks with Florida, where Republicans retained the governor’s office, all three Cabinet offices and the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot. abcnews.com

The results give DeSantis a platform to promote his record as Republicans assess their future. However, narrower statewide margins and Democratic legislative gains complicate any claim of an unqualified Republican mandate.

Florida Holds Statewide Republican Leadership

Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly for governor, while U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody defeated Democratic challenger Angie Nixon. Republicans also won the races for attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.

The sweep left Florida Democrats without a statewide victory despite a more favorable national environment for their party. floridaphoenix.com

DeSantis, who was not on the ballot, argued that Florida Republicans benefited from the record established during his administration. His assessment places the state’s performance at the center of a broader question: What can Republicans learn from the places where they retained power?

DeSantis’ Political Star Gains Visibility

DeSantis’ remarks offered a defense of his governing approach as Republicans confronted the election’s consequences.

He credited Florida’s resilience to policy achievements and voter trust, while emphasizing that his immediate focus remained completing his term. wusf.org

Florida’s results strengthen his opportunity to participate in the national leadership debate. They do not, by themselves, establish that Republican voters have chosen him to lead the party or that he will launch another presidential campaign.

The distinction matters: Electoral success in Florida provides a political argument, while a national campaign would require support extending well beyond the state.

Texas Defeats Increase Florida’s Importance

DeSantis singled out Texas as a particularly consequential Republican setback. Once a dependable foundation of GOP strength, Texas delivered Democratic victories in the governor’s race, a U.S. Senate contest and other statewide offices.

He warned that those losses could weaken Republicans nationally for years. www.orlandoweekly.com

Against that backdrop, Florida’s Republican sweep gives its leaders greater prominence. The state’s emerging role as a Republican “Southern Star” is an interpretation of that contrast, rather than a designation DeSantis used.

For the outgoing governor, Florida offers evidence of political durability during a difficult election. For the national party, it offers a case to examine alongside the states where Republican support collapsed.

DeSantis Credits Amendment 3 With Turnout

DeSantis also credited voter-approved Amendment 3, the property tax measure, with attracting voters who subsequently supported Republican candidates.

He said implementation would require further legislative action and discussed protecting homeowners’ savings from being offset by other local charges. cbs12.com

His explanation remains an assessment of the election. Determining how much the amendment affected turnout and individual races would require additional analysis.

Democratic Legislative Gains Temper GOP Celebration

Florida’s statewide sweep did not prevent Republican losses elsewhere on the ballot.

Democrats gained seats in the Legislature and ended the Republican supermajority in the state House. Their leaders argued that the close statewide contests demonstrated Florida remained competitive and warranted greater national investment. floridaphoenix.com

Republicans therefore emerged with continued governing authority but less room for complacency. Retaining statewide offices and losing legislative ground are both part of the election’s outcome.

2018 Offers Democrats a Benchmark

Florida Democrats’ 2018 results provide a historical comparison between narrowly losing a statewide contest and winning governing authority.

Republican Ron DeSantis won the governor’s race with 4,076,186 votes, or 49.6%, while Democrat Andrew Gillum received 4,043,723 votes, or 49.2%. DeSantis prevailed by 32,463 votes, approximately 0.4 percentage points. results.elections.myflorida.com

In the agriculture commissioner’s race, Democrat Nikki Fried won 4,032,954 votes, or 50.04%, defeating Republican Matt Caldwell, who received 4,026,201 votes, or 49.96%. Fried’s winning margin was 6,753 votes, approximately 0.08 percentage points. uselectionatlas.org

2018 statewide race	Candidate	Party	Votes	Percentage
Governor	Ron DeSantis — winner	Republican	4,076,186	49.6%
Governor	Andrew Gillum	Democratic	4,043,723	49.2%
Agriculture commissioner	Nikki Fried — winner	Democratic	4,032,954	50.04%
Agriculture commissioner	Matt Caldwell	Republican	4,026,201	49.96%

Table lists the two leading candidates in each race. Governor’s percentages include votes cast for other candidates. results.elections.myflorida.com

Those results give substance to the discussion about investment and competitiveness. Campaign funding can support organization and outreach, but these election totals alone do not establish how much national spending influenced either outcome.

Gillum nearly captured the governor’s office; Fried secured a statewide Cabinet seat. That difference remains central to evaluating political progress: Smaller losing margins can indicate opportunity, while victories determine who exercises authority.

A Stronger Platform, With Challenges Ahead

Florida’s results give DeSantis a stronger position from which to argue that his approach deserves attention within the Republican Party.

Yet the election also supplied a warning for his party at home. Republicans preserved statewide leadership while Democrats demonstrated greater strength in legislative contests.

As Donalds prepares to succeed him, DeSantis leaves with Florida’s Republican governing structure intact. Whether that record becomes the foundation for a larger national role will depend on how Republican voters and leaders respond to the party’s defeats.

Politics

Voters Give Democrats Congressional Majorities as Affordability and Iran War Shape Trump Rebuke

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2026

FNN NEWS

Chuck Schumer raises both fists beside Hakeem Jeffries, with American flags behind them

Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer prepare for a shift in congressional power, with voters demanding economic relief and stronger presidential oversight while Trump retains his veto.

WASHINGTON (FNN) — Democrats won control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump and positioning congressional Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer to challenge his administration during the final two years of his presidency.

The victories extended into traditionally Republican territory, with economic anxiety and opposition to the Iran war helping reshape the electoral map. Reuters reported Democratic breakthroughs in states including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.

The results put Democrats in position to control both chambers when the new Congress convenes in January. Several contests remained unresolved Wednesday, leaving the final size of their majorities unsettled.

Jeffries positioned for historic House speakership

The Democratic House victory puts Jeffries, a New York congressman, in line to become the first Black speaker of the House.

His elevation is not automatic. Winning a congressional majority gives Democrats the opportunity to elect the speaker, but Jeffries must secure the necessary support in a House floor vote.

Jeffries will also face the task of uniting moderate and progressive Democrats around an agenda that can survive divided government. Reuters reported that his priorities include addressing affordability and reversing Republican cuts to Medicaid.

“We’re going to fight to make sure that we make this country affordable for every single American,” Jeffries told supporters, according to NPR.

Senate victory expands Democrats’ leverage

The Senate result gives Democrats influence over legislation, presidential nominations and committee investigations.

Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, described the outcome as a “generational remake of the Senate map,” according to reporting published by WTTW. His leadership position in the incoming Congress remains subject to the Democratic caucus’s selection process.

Democratic Senate victories included Republican-held seats in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and South Carolina, according to Roll Call. The gains give the party an opportunity to scrutinize administration nominees and shape the chamber’s agenda.

A majority, however, does not eliminate every procedural obstacle. Under existing Senate rules, ending debate on most legislation generally requires 60 votes, making Republican cooperation important for many proposals.

Affordability crisis moves to the center of the agenda

The election creates pressure on Democrats to demonstrate that congressional control can produce practical relief.

Jeffries has outlined priorities involving affordable housing, education, health care and retirement security. Those subjects reflect the household expenses that helped drive the campaign and will shape expectations for the incoming majority.

But passing bills through Congress and delivering changes in law are separate challenges. Democrats will need agreement between their chambers, a workable approach to federal spending and, in many cases, negotiations with the White House.

Their political test will extend beyond opposition to Trump: Voters will be able to judge whether the new majority advances credible proposals and explains the costs, benefits and obstacles involved.

Iran war raises questions about congressional authority

Opposition to the Iran war helped fuel the Democratic gains, according to Reuters. The outcome increases pressure for congressional scrutiny of military objectives, spending and the administration’s strategy.

For lawmakers seeking to prevent wars they consider unnecessary, Congress has constitutional tools that extend beyond public criticism.

The Constitution gives Congress authority to declare war, raise and support armed forces, and control appropriations. The president serves as commander in chief, creating a division of responsibilities rather than placing every military decision in one branch.

A Democratic Congress could hold hearings, examine the administration’s legal justifications and consider legislation governing military operations or funding. Such measures would face their own legal, procedural and political constraints; an election result alone does not end a conflict.

Trump retains veto power

Trump will remain president, and the change in congressional control does not remove his constitutional authority to veto legislation.

A veto can be overridden only with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. Democratic majorities therefore do not, by themselves, guarantee enactment of their legislative agenda.

Trump signaled resistance to the incoming majority’s proposals after the election, sharing an image of a cap bearing the word “VETO,” according to WTTW’s reporting.

The result sets up negotiations and potential confrontations over spending, domestic programs and national security. Congress can also conduct oversight without first obtaining the president’s agreement to new legislation.

“No king”: Voters seek stronger checks and balances

The election offered evidence of substantial public demand for Congress to exercise greater independence.

About seven in 10 voters said Congress was not doing enough to provide checks and balances on the president, according to the AP Voter Poll. The finding also carries a caution for Democrats: Dissatisfaction with Republican governance does not necessarily translate into unconditional support for the opposing party.

The phrase “no king in America” expresses a principle underlying the constitutional system: Presidential authority exists alongside the powers of Congress and the courts. The same constitutional limits apply regardless of which party controls an institution.

For Jeffries, Schumer and the incoming majorities, the task will be to translate electoral success into accountable government — addressing economic concerns, examining military commitments and exercising congressional authority within the Constitution.

Central Florida News

FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando

Published

1 week ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

Kash Patel seated onstage in a gray suit and dark tie, speaking with one hand raised against a black and turquoise background.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.

The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.

Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.

FBI priorities and violent crime

Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.

Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.

The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.

Photo by Florida National News

Cooperation across jurisdictions

Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.

Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.

Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.

Patel highlights partnerships in X post

“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.

Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.

In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.

The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..

Global threats and local policing

The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.

The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.

IACP President David B. Rausch, left, gestures over an open notebook while FBI Director Kash Patel listens from a gray armchair onstage.

FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.

Training and professional development

Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.

Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.

The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.

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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com