US NATIONAL NEWS
President Joe Biden Affirms U.S. Commitment to Ukraine
To strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, President Biden announced a series of decisive actions:
- “I have directed the Department of Defense to allocate all of its remaining security assistance funding that has been appropriated for Ukraine by the end of my term in office,” President Biden declared. This includes authorizing $5.5 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority to ensure that U.S. equipment for Ukraine is fully utilized and U.S. stockpiles are replenished.
- The Department of Defense will provide $2.4 billion in security assistance through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, enhancing Ukraine’s air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and long-range strike capabilities. This also includes the refurbishment of an additional Patriot air defense battery and the provision of additional Patriot missiles.
- In a significant move to bolster Ukraine’s air force, President Biden has directed the Department of Defense to expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, supporting the training of 18 additional pilots next year.
- To undermine Russian efforts, the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Secret Service have coordinated to disrupt a global cryptocurrency network involved in Russian sanctions evasion and money laundering.
Looking ahead, President Biden will convene a leader-level meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany next month, reinforcing the international coalition supporting Ukraine’s defense.
“Through these actions, my message is clear: The United States will provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win this war,” President Biden concluded, emphasizing the U.S.’s commitment to Ukraine’s success in the face of Russian aggression.
US NATIONAL NEWS
UFC Star Conor McGregor Criticizes Irish Government Over Immigration During White House Visit
WASHINGTON (FNN) — UFC superstar Conor McGregor strongly criticized the Irish government’s handling of illegal immigration during a press conference at the White House on Monday. His comments came ahead of a St. Patrick’s Day meeting between Ireland’s Prime Minister and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking from the White House briefing room, the 36-year-old former mixed martial arts champion accused Ireland’s leaders of neglecting public concerns about immigration.
“The Irish government has abandoned the voices of the Irish people,” McGregor declared. “Rural towns in Ireland are being overrun by immigrants.”
McGregor warned that the country’s cultural identity was at risk, adding:
“Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness.”
His remarks drew swift backlash from Ireland’s Prime Minister, who condemned the comments as divisive and harmful.
McGregor’s outspoken stance on immigration has ignited public debate, with supporters praising his defense of Irish culture and critics accusing him of spreading inflammatory rhetoric.
US NATIONAL NEWS
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Clashes with AP Reporter Over Trump’s Tariffs and Taxes
WASHINGTON (FNN) – Tensions escalated between The Associated Press (AP) and Trump’s White House Tuesday during a heated exchange between White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and AP reporter Josh Boak.
During the briefing, Mr. Boak questioned President Trump’s economic policies, claiming his proposed tariffs amounted to tax hikes on Americans. However, Ms. Leavitt pushed back on that assertion.
“He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people,” Ms. Leavitt said firmly.
She further defended President Trump’s economic agenda, emphasizing his commitment to eliminating:
- Taxes on tips
- Taxes on overtime
- Taxes on Social Security benefits
“He is committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later,” she added.
Mr. Boak pressed further, asking, “Have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on companies; they get charged on the imports.”
In response, Ms. Leavitt countered, “And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again.”
The confrontation revealed the ongoing rift between the White House and the AP, particularly after the AP was barred from some press events for refusing to adopt the White House’s requested terminology of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ in its widely used AP Stylebook.
Despite this strained relationship, Ms. Leavitt still called on the wire service during Tuesday’s press briefing, which led to the fiery exchange.
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What’s Next for AP?
The AP has yet to respond to the White House’s renewed pressure on terminology changes. Media analysts predict the standoff could intensify as the administration continues its push to redefine traditional media language.
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J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
News@FloridaNationalNews.com
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