Politics

Newsom, seeking federal funds for L.A. wildfire recovery, is denied meeting with key Trump officials

Published

3 months ago

December 5, 2025

Newsom, seeking federal funds for L.A. wildfire recovery, is denied meeting with key Trump officials

WASHINGTON — Gov. Gavin Newsom kept a low profile as he swung through the nation’s capital this week, holding meetings with a handful of lawmakers Friday on Capitol Hill as he renewed calls for billions in federal recovery aid following the Los Angeles fires.

For a governor who has spent recent weeks in the spotlight — trailed by cameras at the U.N. climate summit in Brazil last month and featured at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday — the muted Washington stop stood out. As he moved between offices on Friday, the halls were quiet, with many lawmakers already en route home for the weekend.

The governor’s office disclosed little before his trip about Newsom’s schedule in Washington, saying afterward that he met with five lawmakers, including three who serve on the Senate and House Appropriations committees, as well as Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Los Angeles) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks).

Newsom told The Times that the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied his request for a meeting, a setback that underscored the political friction with the Trump administration surrounding California’s $33.9-billion appeal for long-term disaster funding nearly a year after the devastating Los Angeles fires ignited.

The governor said his visit was meant to make “the universal case for support for recovery,” not just for California, but for other states that were hit with disasters, such as Texas and North Carolina.

“We’re getting to the point where we need to see action, and so that’s why we’re stepping up our efforts,” Newsom said as he left a meeting with Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), a tenured member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Newsom noted that the funding is vital for fire victims.

“They should not be revictimized through politics, or by politics or politicians,” Newsom said. “There’s nothing more American than being there for people in need. That’s foundational.”

Newsom did not say whether he attempted to request a meeting with the White House when asked by a reporter. The White House did not respond to a request seeking comment.

When asked if he thought his discussions with lawmakers had been successful, Newsom said he was glad to have been able to meet with “folks on the other side of the aisle,” and he characterized the meetings as an example of “remarkable graciousness.”

Boozman’s office called the meeting with Newsom productive, saying the senator had “emphasized the need for collaboration between states and the federal government, as well as effective public-private partnerships, to help improve forest management practices and safeguard communities.”

Newsom’s office said the governor also met with Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-New York).

During Newsom’s nearly hourlong meeting with Padilla and Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the governor’s office said discussions were not just about disaster aid, but also the fear and uncertainty experienced by immigrant communities facing federal raids while displaced by the Los Angeles fires.

Disaster relief at stake

Newsom is urging the Trump administration to send Congress a formal request for $33.9 billion in recovery aid needed to rebuild homes, schools, utilities and other critical infrastructure destroyed or damaged when the fires tore through neighborhoods beginning Jan. 7.

The governor said there is bipartisan support in Congress for long-term aid. But, he said, the Trump administration has not advanced any recovery proposal since his initial request was filed in February. That request was for nearly $40 billion, but has since been decreased by what has already been paid out, according to a letter Newsom sent to Congressional leaders Wednesday.

“Back in January, the President looked me in the eye on the tarmac at LAX and promised me, and the people of LA, that he’d ‘take care of it’ as we rebuild and recover,” Newsom said in a statement Thursday. “That commitment isn’t being met, and instead he’s leaving survivors behind. It’s time for Trump to wake up and do his job.”

The fires burned thousands of structures across Los Angeles, displacing families and uprooting businesses.

In the first six months after the fires, California received reimbursement for direct response costs and more than $3 billion in individual assistance and small-business loans.

The governor’s visit to Washington comes as Republicans in the House and Senate have launched two congressional inquiries into California officials’ response to the Palisades fire and how organizations have distributed disaster relief funds to victims. As part of the congressional inquiries, lawmakers have requested a trove of records from dozens of agencies at the local, state and federal level.

Newsom has welcomed the congressional scrutiny, saying his administration has “embraced transparency because Californians deserve nothing else.”

Williamson indictment on spotlight

Newsom has kept a low profile since news broke that his former chief of staff Dana Williamson was arrested on federal corruption charges. Newsom has not spoken publicly about the indictment, besides an interview with the Sacramento Bee, where he described his reaction to the indictment as “real surprise and shock.”

The governor told the Bee how Williamson was placed on leave last November when she informed his office of the federal investigation. He said he “wasn’t privy to the details” and that his hope was that “it would be worked out.”

Asked by The Times on Friday during a three-minute interview whether he knew anything about the ongoing investigation, Newsom said, “I really don’t.” Newsom also said he has not been interviewed by the Department of Justice regarding the investigation.

Newsom has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Williamson’s attorney McGregor Scott, a former U.S. attorney in Sacramento, told The Times in November that federal authorities had approached Williamson more than a year ago seeking help with some kind of investigation of the governor himself.

Newsom was a featured speaker Wednesday at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, where he dodged questions about whether he will run for president in 2028, but was not asked about the indictment that has reverberated through Sacramento political circles.

Asked during the DealBook event about where the Democrats went wrong in the last presidential election, Newsom reiterated harsh criticism of his party.

“The party’s knitting itself back together,” Newsom said at the event. “We got shellacked in the last election, and there’s been a lot of forensic analysis, perhaps not enough, about what happened. Donald Trump crushed us in the last election.”

Newsom added that the issues with the Democratic party go beyond what went wrong with the passing of the baton between Biden and Kamala Harris.

“We have to be more culturally normal,” Newsom said. “We have to be a little less judgmental. We have a party that, I think, needs to design and develop a compelling economic vision for the future where people feel included, to reconcile the fact that if we don’t democratize our economy, we’re not going to save democracy.”

Politics

China-linked birth tourism under scrutiny as GOP lawmakers press Trump admin for answers

Published

33 minutes ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

China-linked birth tourism under scrutiny as GOP lawmakers press Trump admin for answers

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FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pressing the Trump administration for answers over whether China is exploiting U.S. birthright citizenship and visa programs in a U.S. territory to secure long-term influence inside the United States.

In a letter sent Monday to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and 32 other GOP members raise concerns that so-called “birth tourism” and visa-waiver policies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands could be leveraged by Chinese nationals in ways that present national security risks.

Noem will leave her position at the Department of Homeland Security at the end of the month.

“American citizenship is a sacred trust—not a loophole to be exploited. When foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party can leverage birth tourism and visa-less programs to gain influence within our borders, we must restore integrity to our immigration system and defend the sovereignty of our Republic,” Roy said.

Tiffany argued that “Communist China has exploited ‘birth tourism’ by sending women to the Northern Mariana Islands solely to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children,” adding that “It is time to close this loophole, end the abuse, and protect our national security.”

TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER WOULD BENEFIT CHINA

House Republicans are pressing the Trump administration for answers over whether China is exploiting U.S. birthright citizenship and visa programs in a U.S. territory to secure long-term influence inside the United States. (GemStocks/Getty Images )

The Northern Mariana Islands is a U.S. territory in the Pacific, and like births in any U.S. state, children born there are granted American citizenship under the 14th Amendment, even though the territory operates under certain distinct immigration rules.

The lawmakers cite reports estimating that between 750,000 and 1.5 million Chinese nationals have obtained U.S. citizenship through birthright policies and birth tourism, though federal agencies have not publicly confirmed those figures. In their letter, Roy and Tiffany ask the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Interior to provide data on how many children have been born since 2009 to at least one Chinese national parent, how many have reached voting age, and how many are registered to vote in the United States.

They also ask whether any such individuals have documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party and request entry figures for Chinese nationals under Northern Mariana-specific immigration programs.

Under the 14th Amendment, individuals born on U.S. soil are generally granted citizenship at birth. The debate has centered on whether foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children will obtain citizenship — a practice commonly referred to as birth tourism.

Federal prosecutors in recent years have brought criminal cases against operators of birth tourism businesses, particularly in California, where organizers were convicted of visa fraud and conspiracy for helping foreign nationals misrepresent their travel intentions in order to give birth in the United States.

The Northern Mariana Islands have long operated under distinct immigration frameworks. In 2009, the Obama administration implemented a categorical parole program allowing certain Chinese nationals to enter without obtaining a traditional U.S. tourist visa. The Biden administration in 2024 finalized a rule creating the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) for the Northern Mariana Islands, which allows certain Chinese nationals to enter the territory visa-free for short stays.

In a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and 32 other GOP members raise concerns that so-called “birth tourism” and visa-waiver policies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) could be leveraged by Chinese nationals in ways that present national security risks. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The lawmakers argue those policies created incentives for birth tourism in Saipan, the capital of the islands, pointing to reports that births to foreign visitors increased sharply after the 2009 changes.

NOEM BACKS SAVE AMERICA ACT, SLAMS ‘RADICAL LEFT’ OPPOSITION TO VOTER IDS AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

They warn that once U.S.-born children turn 21, they can petition for lawful permanent resident status for their parents, potentially opening additional immigration pathways.

While the letter raises concerns that such individuals could eventually participate in U.S. elections, it does not cite evidence that large numbers are currently registered to vote or that the Chinese government has directed birth tourism as a coordinated strategy.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Interior did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. The State Department referred back to the Department of Homeland Security.

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The letter comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, with U.S. officials repeatedly warning about Chinese influence operations, intellectual property theft and espionage efforts targeting American institutions.

Roy and Tiffany urged the administration to end any parole or visa-waiver programs extended to Chinese nationals in the Northern Mariana Islands and to provide a full accounting of the scope of birth tourism involving PRC nationals.

The Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.

Politics

CBS News’ Justice Department correspondent Scott MacFarlane exits network

Published

1 hour ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

CBS News’ Justice Department correspondent Scott MacFarlane exits network

Scott MacFarlane, a high-profile hire for CBS News five years ago, announced Monday he is leaving the network.

MacFarlane told colleagues in an email that the departure is his decision.

“I will always value the opportunity I had to work alongside the talented and committed professionals here,” MacFarlane said. “I’m proud to have had the words ‘CBS correspondent’ next to my name and always will be.”

MacFarlane added that he looks forward to “some independence and finding new spaces to share my work in line with my personal goals.”

MacFarlane is the first significant name to depart CBS News since parent company Paramount won its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery on Feb. 27. CBS News is likely to be combined with Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN if the deal gets regulatory approval.

Journalists at CBS News have also been concerned over the moves by Bari Weiss, the contrarian opinion writer and founder of the digital news site the Free Press who was brought in as editor in chief of the division. Weiss was recruited by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison with a mandate to move CBS News to the political center.

Weiss is expected to make significant changes to “60 Minutes” and other CBS News programs in the coming months.

Executives at other TV news organizations say privately that they are seeing a heavy influx of resumes from CBS News journalists due to the upheaval at the company.

MacFarlane covered Congress and the Justice Department. CBS viewers saw him featured during extended network coverage of the State of the Union addresses and election nights.

MacFarlane was in Butler, Pa., during the assassination attempt of President Trump in July 2024. He reported the first accounts of the shooting scene and emergency responses moments after the shots were fired.

Before arriving at CBS News, MacFarlane served for eight years as an investigative reporter for WRC-TV, the NBC station in Washington, D.C.

Politics

Before-and-after satellite imagery offers a rare look at damage inside Iran

Published

13 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Before-and-after satellite imagery offers a rare look at damage inside Iran

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Fresh satellite images give a rare aerial view of the damage across Iran after U.S.-Israeli strikes and what Tehran’s retaliation left behind across the region.

Planet Labs satellite imagery captured burning ships and damaged facilities at the Konarak base in southern Iran, as well as significant destruction at Iran’s naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf, reflecting the scale of the strikes on military infrastructure.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows damage at Konarak naval base in southern Iran, left, and Iran’s Bandar Abbas naval headquarters in the Persian Gulf, right. (Planet Labs PBC)

Imagery from Vantor shows damage to facilities and vessels located in Iran’s Bushehr port in the Persian Gulf.

In addition to naval assets, satellite photos show a bunker at Bushehr air base hit by a strike, leaving a large crater and destroying several nearby small buildings.

More strikes targeted the Choqa Balk drone facility in western Iran.

Radar systems at the Zahedan air base in eastern Iran — near the country’s borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan — were also struck.

The two facilities are about 800 to 900 miles apart, underscoring the broad reach of the coordinated strikes.

Satellite imagery also reveals damage to aircraft on the tarmac at Shiraz air base, including scorch marks and debris around several parking areas.

Side-by-side photos showing damage to aircraft at Shiraz air base in Shiraz, Iran on March 6, 2026. (Vantor/Maxar/Getty Images)

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows thick smoke plumes rising above Tehran, signaling explosions and fires inside the Iranian capital.

The smoke underscores how the conflict has moved beyond isolated military sites and into the heart of Iran’s political center.

THE UNLIKELY TOOL TRUMP IS EYEING TO TACKLE RISING OIL PRICES AMID THE IRAN CONFLICT

A satellite image from Planet Labs shows a plume of smoke above Tehran, Iran, on March 1, 2026. (Planet Labs PBC)

Iran has since responded with missile and drone strikes of its own, expanding the conflict across the region.

Satellite images reveal damage to the port city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Sharjah is the third most populous after Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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The Jebel Ali Port, the region’s largest maritime hub, was also targeted, underscoring how the retaliation extended beyond military sites to key infrastructure.

The new satellite imagery comes on the heels of U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several top members of the regime, triggering a succession crisis.

President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without U.S. approval as Operation Epic Fury marches into a third week.

Amanda covers the intersection of business and politics for Fox News Digital.