INTERNACIONAL
EXCLUSIVE: Former ‘Apprentice’ star picked by Trump to showcase America’s 250th anniversary through art
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
WASHINGTON — Nearly two decades after hearing «You’re fired!» on NBC’s «The Apprentice,» Erin Scavino says President Donald Trump chose her to lead one of the federal government’s least-known offices as it helps tell America’s story to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Scavino, director of the State Department’s Art in Embassies program, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview inside the Art Museum of the Americas that she never imagined she’d go from reality TV to overseeing one of the Trump administration’s signature America 250 cultural initiatives.
She said she views her appointment as part of Trump’s broader effort to elevate American culture alongside American history ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
WHITE HOUSE TOUTS TRUMP’S ‘BOLD VISION’ FOR TOWERING INDEPENDENCE ARCH FOR AMERICA 250
Erin Scavino, director of the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, oversees the «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. (Courtesy Art in Embassies)
«I was a day one hire by President Trump because just like we’ve seen with the Kennedy Center, he wanted to make the performing arts great again, and he also put me at Art in Embassies to make visual arts great,» Scavino said.
Although little known to most Americans, the Art in Embassies office has existed since 1964, placing American artwork in nearly 190 diplomatic properties around the world as a form of cultural diplomacy.
Scavino said the nation’s 250th anniversary offered an opportunity to introduce the program to a broader audience.
Opening July 30 at the Art Museum of the Americas, «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» will bring together more than 30 contemporary American artists whose work explores patriotism, diplomacy, military service, immigration and national identity in what organizers describe as a celebration of the ideals that have shaped the U.S. since its founding.
The exhibition, presented through a partnership between the State Department’s Office of Art in Embassies and the American Arts Conservancy, will be free to the public through Oct. 18.
PRO-TRUMP ARTIST UNLEASHES POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT AMERICAN FLAG, TOUTS MASSIVE OLD GLORY PAINTING
Art in Embassies Director Erin Scavino unboxes a Romero Britto artwork ahead of the opening of the State Department’s «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition. (Courtesy of Art in Embassies)
The exhibition spans dozens of contemporary works exploring patriotism through photography, painting, sculpture and fashion, with each gallery approaching the American story from a different perspective.
Among the featured works is «Gallantly Streaming» by acclaimed artist Barbara Ernst Prey, a sweeping interpretation of the American flag that anchors the exhibition’s exploration of national identity.
Internationally recognized pop artist Romero Britto also reimagines the Statue of Liberty in his signature bold palette for the exhibit, layering vibrant colors against the Stars and Stripes to celebrate what Scavino described as the enduring promise of the American dream.
The exhibit will feature a powerful series of photographs by Korina Marie Moore, whose images capture moments of military service through a deeply personal lens. Rather than focusing solely on combat, Moore’s photographs spotlight the men and women who serve — from sailors gathered around a U.S. Navy vessel to service members standing watch as the Statue of Liberty rises across New York Harbor and the solemnity of Arlington National Cemetery.
THE STORY BEHIND BETSY ROSS AND THE FIRST AMERICAN FLAG AS AMERICA CELEBRATES 250TH BIRTHDAY
A sketch of designer Kate Wasserbach Moore’s America250 couture gown, inspired by Betsy Ross’ American flag, created for the State Department’s «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition. (Courtesy of Art in Embassies)
Visitors will also encounter an America 250 haute couture gown created specifically for the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration, inspired by Betsy’s Ross’ flag.
For Scavino, the exhibit represents the latest chapter in a career that unexpectedly led from «The Apprentice» to the Trump administration. Looking back on that journey, she said there has been one constant.
«The common thread throughout all of this is President Trump,» Scavino said. «That’s why I always thank him so much for these great opportunities.»
Scavino says the opportunity has opened her eyes to the people behind the offices.
President Donald Trump speaks during the wedding reception of Dan and Erin Scavino at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 1, 2026. Erin Scavino told Fox News Digital Trump delivered remarks at the couple’s wedding and later called to say he enjoyed the celebration. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
«Every time you learn about someone’s job, you’re actually understanding a whole new universe,» she said. «That’s what’s really special about the State Department.»
«People often think [the State Department is] really serious, and yes, of course, there’s so much diplomacy and so many very serious things that are going on,» Scavino said. «But there are so many interesting components, like Art in Embassies.»
«This isn’t something that was created for me,» she added. «Art in Embassies has been around since 1964 under President Kennedy… Every time you learn about someone’s job, you’re actually understanding a whole new universe.»
Scavino said one of her goals was to create an exhibition that feels welcoming to visitors who might never consider themselves «art people.»
Korina Marie Moore’s photograph «Facing Liberty» depicts two U.S. service members looking toward the Statue of Liberty. The work is featured in the State Department’s «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition. (Courtesy Art in Embassies)
«Art has become sort of a gatekeeping situation or something that’s only for the rich or the elite,» she said. «I wanted to say, ‘Hey, no. We want kids. We want grandparents. We want moms. We want families. We want dads. We want people all over the world to come to this museum because there is something for everyone.’»
Each artwork includes QR codes allowing visitors to hear directly from artists about their work and creative process, an effort Scavino said makes the exhibit more approachable.
«You don’t have to have your nose in the air saying, ‘Oh, that Monet’ or ‘That Degas,’» she said. «You’re going to see a flag. You’re going to see a sculpture. You’re going to hear Americans tell their stories.»
Scavino pointed to Romero Britto’s colorful Statue of Liberty piece, «Liberty for All,» as one example of the American dream reflected throughout the exhibit.
Romero Britto’s «Liberty for All» is featured in the State Department’s «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. (Courtesy of Art in Embassies)
«When I think about his hearts or his Statue of Liberty, it just makes me think about the American dream,» she said. «He is so patriotic and he loves this country.»
«There are so many stories that are often overlooked,» Scavino said. «We show pictures of loss. We show people that have lost their lives for this nation. We show people who are celebrating serving our country… I think that we have to honor those who have served.»
One of the exhibition’s most unexpected pieces isn’t a painting or sculpture — it’s a couture gown inspired by Betsy Ross’ American flag.
Scavino said the idea came while she was searching for a wedding dress ahead of her February wedding to fellow Trump administration official Dan Scavino at Mar-a-Lago, when she discovered designer Kate Wasserbach Moore, whose appreciation for American history sparked an unusual collaboration.
Erin Elmore, director of Art in Embassies at the State Department, arrives for her wedding to Dan Scavino, White House deputy chief of staff, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 1, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
«I cold-called her out of the blue and said, ‘Can you create a dress that looks like something one of the wives of our Founding Fathers would have worn and make it patriotic?’» Scavino recalled.
The finished design, featuring flowing red-and-white accents inspired by Betsy Ross’ flag, was created for the exhibition rather than the aisle, adding fashion to a collection that otherwise spans photography, painting and sculpture.
«To me, patriotic, red, white and blue, and also fashion—how much better does it get for a girl?» Scavino said.
Although Art in Embassies typically works overseas, Scavino said creating a major public exhibition in Washington had been one of her goals since taking over the office.
«I started with a dream because Art in Embassies is generally overseas,» she said. «I wanted to do something, to start a footprint here in the United States.»
That idea quickly gained momentum.
«The Art Museum of the Americas said yes,» Scavino recalled. «And the second surprise was that I unfortunately don’t have enough space for everyone. So many people generously wanted to participate.»
Kyler Steele’s photograph «Silence,» depicting rows of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, is featured in the State Department’s «Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy» exhibition celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. (Courtesy Art in Embassies)
For Scavino, the exhibition is ultimately less about individual works than the conversations they may inspire.
«What I love about art is it’s totally different from politics,» she said. «You can get in the door by talking about art… and maybe instead of tear down, we can come together.»
She said that’s especially important because, for many people overseas, an American embassy may be their first — and sometimes only — connection to the United States.
«Sometimes in these small nations that are so foreign to us, the only touchpoint they have to America is our embassy and our ambassador,» Scavino said. «So it is so much more important than I ever thought it would be.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Scavino hopes visitors leave with a deeper appreciation not only for the artwork, but for the stories it tells about the nation it represents.
«You only get to celebrate 250 years once,» she said. «So let art be a way of celebration.»
america 250, state department, arts, politics, washington dc, donald trump, travel
INTERNACIONAL
El Niño amenaza con encarecer alimentos, energía y logística en Centroamérica y República Dominicana durante 2027
El fenómeno de El Niño podría trasladar sus efectos a la economía de Centroamérica y República Dominicana, a través de un aumento en los precios de los alimentos y la electricidad, restricciones para el transporte marítimo y presiones sobre la actividad productiva.
El reporte “Perspectivas económicas de Centroamérica, Panamá y República Dominicana”, elaborado por Deloitte, advierte que el impacto más marcado puede concentrarse en 2027.
El fenómeno de El Niño comenzó oficialmente el 11 de junio de 2026. En julio, el Centro de Predicción Climática de la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica de Estados Unidos estimó en 81% la probabilidad de que alcance una intensidad “muy fuerte” entre octubre y diciembre. Si se confirma, estaría entre los eventos más intensos registrados desde 1950.
La principal consecuencia climática prevista para la región es la sequía. La fase cálida del fenómeno ENOS, sigla de El Niño-Oscilación del Sur, suele asociarse con menores lluvias, temperaturas más altas y estrés hídrico, sobre todo en la vertiente del Pacífico y el Corredor Seco.
La menor disponibilidad de agua puede afectar tanto a la agricultura como a la generación de energía y la operación logística de Panamá.
Menor oferta de granos básicos
El reporte identifica a la producción agropecuaria como una de las primeras vías de consecuencias del fenómeno hacia los hogares.
La sequía puede reducir la oferta de granos básicos en el Corredor Seco, mientras que el encarecimiento de fertilizantes y diésel puede elevar los costos de producción y trasladarse a los precios finales de los alimentos.
El impacto sobre la canasta alimentaria podría extenderse hasta 2027, de acuerdo con las proyecciones incluidas en el estudio. El café también aparece entre las actividades expuestas a los efectos del menor régimen de lluvias y las temperaturas más elevadas.
El informe incluye entre los temas a seguir la persistencia de aumentos en alimentos y energéticos, junto con la evolución del conflicto en Medio Oriente y su incidencia sobre los precios internacionales del petróleo.
La sequía amenaza la energía hidroeléctrica y la operación del Canal de Panamá
La sequía también amenaza la generación hidroeléctrica. Si caen los niveles de agua disponibles para las plantas, los países deberán compensar parte de esa producción con fuentes térmicas, que implican mayores costos por el uso de combustibles.
El documento señala que una menor generación hidroeléctrica puede presionar las tarifas eléctricas al alza. El aumento de ese costo tendría efectos sobre los presupuestos familiares y sobre empresas que dependen de electricidad para sus procesos productivos.
A la vez, los gobiernos podrían enfrentar una mayor carga fiscal si aplican subsidios energéticos o programas de apoyo para contener el impacto de las tarifas. El reporte considera esos desembolsos como uno de los factores que podrían modificar el escenario económico de la región durante 2026 y 2027.
En Panamá, las condiciones de sequía pueden afectar los niveles de agua necesarios para la operación del Canal. El análisis contempla posibles restricciones de calado y dificultades logísticas como una de las cuatro vías principales por las cuales El Niño puede repercutir en la economía regional.
Las limitaciones sobre el calado de los buques podrían incidir en la actividad del Canal de Panamá y en las cadenas de suministro. El reporte sitúa a la logística y al transporte entre los sectores que deben monitorearse ante una eventual profundización del fenómeno.
La advertencia adquiere relevancia para una economía en la que el comercio y el transporte figuran entre las actividades que lideran el crecimiento.
El reporte diferencia dos etapas. Durante 2026 prevé la consolidación del fenómeno, alertas para el sector agrícola, ajustes tarifarios y las primeras posibles restricciones al tránsito marítimo. Para 2027, en cambio, anticipa que los efectos más fuertes pueden manifestarse sobre los embalses, las cosechas y el Canal de Panamá.
En todos los casos, el documento plantea que los efectos del clima se combinarán con otros factores económicos, como la evolución de las remesas, los precios de los combustibles, el desempeño de Estados Unidos y la trayectoria de la inflación.
sequía,Canal de Panamá,agricultura,energía hidroeléctrica,transporte marítimo
INTERNACIONAL
White House unloads on violent ‘criminal alien’ nabbed after investigators uncover election offense
DETAILS: Non-citizen BUSTED over voter registration
Federal prosecutors charge a Honduran national with voter fraud in California after he allegedly registered to vote under an alias and cast ballots in multiple elections. Fox News’ Matt Finn reports on the federal indictment details, revealing the suspect received a voter registration card using a gym membership. The case highlights ongoing debates surrounding voter identification laws.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A Bahamian national who arrived in the U.S. during President Gerald Ford’s administration and was living with a green card while racking up a violent rap sheet before investigators found he voted illegally in the 2020 election, sparking the deportation process, officials say.
The case of Anthony Tyrone Higgs is only the latest in a slew of arrests connected to illegal votes cast in recent elections, as the Trump administration engages in a broader crackdown on election integrity-related crimes.
«This alien was a guest in our country who forfeited his right to be in the U.S. when he committed these violent crimes and voted in the 2020 election,» White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis exclusively told Fox News Digital on Friday.
ICE ARRESTS PERUVIAN NATIONAL ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY VOTING IN 2024 ELECTION AS DHS CITES SIMILAR CASES
ICE agents assemble in Minnesota, left; Anthony Tyrone Higgs, inset right. (Charly Triballeau/Getty Images; DHS)
«Any non-citizens who vote illegally in our elections will be arrested and removed. American elections are only for Americans.»
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of DHS, confirmed in a statement that Higgs had illegally voted in the 2020 election.
FORMER KANSAS MAYOR WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO ILLEGAL VOTING TURNS HIMSELF IN TO ICE
HSI’s Atlanta office arrested Higgs in Decatur, Georgia on September 3, and he is currently in the custody of ERO, the ICE subdivision that handles migrant removal operations.
Higgs was admitted into the U.S. in October 1976 as a Lawful Permanent Resident – commonly dubbed a Green Card holder. The Trump DHS has since placed him in proceedings to revoke his immigration status due to his lengthy rap sheet.
TRUMP DOJ UNLEASHES LARGEST DENATURALIZATION EFFORT IN DEPARTMENT HISTORY — AND SAYS IT’S ‘ONLY THE BEGINNING’
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
«This criminal alien from the Bahamas has a rap sheet for multiple violent crimes, including armed robbery, domestic violence, and assault on a police officer,» DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said.
«On top of all of that, he illegally voted in the 2020 election,» he added.
MORE THAN A QUARTER-MILLION NONCITIZENS MAY BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN 4 KEY STATES, DHS ALLEGES
A Homeland Security Investigations logo is displayed ahead of Super Bowl LIX security operations in New Orleans on Feb. 5, 2025. An HSI special agent has since been indicted on multiple felony charges in Alabama. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Higgs’ record also includes resisting arrest, two counts of grand larceny and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Of the voting-related charge, Mullin said that just one noncitizen casting a ballot is enough to cancel out an American citizen’s vote.
«Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of ICE, this criminal will be removed from our country and can never interfere in our elections again,» he continued.
DHS also provided several other recent cases of illegal immigrants or ineligible voters committing or being charged with election-related crimes.
In August, Colombian illegal immigrant Carlos Jaramillo-Grajales was sentenced to three years in prison following an ICE investigation that led to a guilty plea in a case where he was found to have committed identity theft to illegally vote in elections for more than 20 years, according to the agency.
«Federal immigration laws serve to safeguard our nation’s borders and protect the integrity of our government,» said Gregory Kehoe, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
«Those who seek to circumvent, exploit, or break these laws will be prosecuted fully,» he said in an August statement.
In New Jersey, a Slovakian national was found to have illegally voted in the 2022 midterms, according to HSI – which also cited the case of an Australian national accused of illegally casting ballots in both 2022 and 2024 in Louisiana.
Mauritanian national Mahady Sacko was busted by an ICE and FBI partnership in Democrat-run Philadelphia, and charged with voter fraud.
SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER
Sacko allegedly voted illegally multiple times going back to 2008. He was already under an order of removal, DHS said in a statement, stating that he «exhausted all appeals» and an immigration board upheld his removal order as of 2002 but he remained in the country.
Returning to the case of Higgs, Mullin added in a statement: «Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of ICE, this criminal will be removed from our country and can never interfere in our elections again.»
voter fraud concerns, deportation, illegal immigrants, migrant crime, politics, voting, immigration, donald trump, white house
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s presence at Friday’s 9/11 remembrance at Ground Zero drew criticism from some in the city, including one former police officer who said the mayor «probably should have skipped it» and another mourner who called his appearance «disrespectful» and «very offensive.»
Mamdani has faced criticism over his associations with controversial political and online figures, as well as his decision to appoint Ramzi Kassem as his administration’s chief counsel. Kassem previously represented a Guantánamo detainee linked to an al Qaeda terrorist plot.
Former New York Republican Gov. George Pataki, 9/11-era FDNY Commissioner Thomas von Essen and others called on Mamdani to skip the ceremony.
«He showed up anyway. It does bother us,» Walter Matuza, whose father Walter was killed that day, told Fox News Digital.
MAMDANI HEADS TO 9/11 MEMORIAL DESPITE 110,000-SIGNATURE PUSH FROM VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO STAY AWAY
New York first gentleman William Hochul Jr., New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Mikie Sherrill (Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images)
Matuza said he was part of the group of victims’ families that initiated the petition to keep Mamdani away.
He cited Mamdani’s association with streamer Hasan Piker, who once said America «deserved 9/11,» as well as Mamdani’s appointment of Kassem.
MAMDANI UNDER FIRE AFTER SYMBOLIC 9/11 PEN GOES TO FORMER AL QAEDA DEFENSE LAWYER
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announce a new memorial honoring victims of 9/11 inside 1 Police Plaza in New York, N.Y., Sept. 9, 2026. (Cristina Matuozzi/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)
Matuza, of Staten Island, said his father was one of dozens at Carr Futures brokerage who died after American Airlines Flight 11 struck the north tower just above their 92nd floor offices.
Mike, a former New Jersey police officer, told Fox News Digital he recalled watching the terror unfold on television from across the Hudson – and later came to Manhattan to help relieve exhausted NYPD officers stuck at their posts.
«Based on the rhetoric that he’s used in the past. Yeah, he probably should have skipped it,» Mike said of Mamdani.
He added that Mamdani’s appointment of Kassem also troubled him, saying the mayor could’ve handled the situation in a «whole different way.»
FAMILIES OF 9/11 VICTIMS’ MESSAGE TO MAMDANI: ‘PLEASE DO NOT COME’ TO MEMORIAL CEREMONY
«But, he did it and unfortunately people aren’t going to forget it.»
Another mourner called Mamdani a «communist» when asked about his appearance on Friday, adding that the memorial was «not supposed to be a political event.»
Steven, who traveled all the way to New York from Hobe Sound, Florida, to attend the remembrance, lambasted Mamdani’s presence as «disrespectful» and «offensive.»
ZOHRAN MAMDANI URGED TO SKIP NEW YORK CITY’S 9/11 MEMORIAL: ‘VILE ANTISEMITE’
«I’ve been following that over the past couple weeks and I saw that I think they had upwards of 700,000 New Yorkers requesting him not to be here. I mean, as the mayor, I would assume he has the right to be here…. But who he represents and the people he’s affiliated with… I feel that he should stay away. I don’t feel that his presence here is wanted, and I think he should honor that as a human being.»
The petition had garnered more than 110,000 signatures at the time, according to the petition’s tally.
Steven called Kassem’s appointment «hideous» and added that the youngest generation who does not remember or did not live through 9/11 are suffering from «incorrect information» and do not understand the reality of the terror attack.
He said he will educate his children on 9/11 so that they do not go down the same ideological road.
Attendee John told Fox News Digital that Mamdani does have a right to attend.
John said he lost friends including at now-Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s Cantor-Fitzgerald firm – which lost more than 650 people; the most of any company in the Twin Towers that day – and that as long as Mamdani is respectful to the fallen Americans being remembered, he is «fine» with the Democrat attending.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment.
In a prior statement, the mayor said he is proud of New York and «love[s] this city [and] country.»
«[W]hat I want this week to be a focus on is on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11, and a focus also on the first responders who gave everything they could to this city and to the people who came together to try and help their fellow New Yorkers.»
During the ceremony, footage captured Mamdani approaching and greeting his 9/11-era predecessor, Republican Rudolph Giuliani.
SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER
The two could be seen appearing to exchange brief pleasantries before Giuliani turned and sat down and an aide began speaking to the incumbent mayor.
All living former presidents reportedly attended the ceremony, as President Donald Trump instead visited the Pentagon’s remembrance before departing for County Clare, Ireland from nearby Andrews Air Force Base.
zohran mamdani, september 11, new york city, politics, new york, republicans elections, democrats senate
El espinoso camino del PJ hacia la unidad: los focos de conflicto en el interior que complican el armado nacional
Mitos, señales y secretos de La dama regresa, la película con la que Isabel Sarli volvió al cine tras 15 años de duelo
El Niño amenaza con encarecer alimentos, energía y logística en Centroamérica y República Dominicana durante 2027
Así fue el accidente de Lewis Hamilton que obligó a detener el reloj en la FP3 del Gran Premio de España
En medio de la tensión por Malvinas, Milei suspendió su visita al Reino Unido
Proverbio turco del día: “Escuchá 100 veces, pensá 1000 veces y hablá 1 sola vez”
El día que Owen Wilson se emocionó por el abrazo que le dio Lionel Messi tras un partido
La desafiante aventura de Carolina Baldini en moto por Europa: desde Edinburgo a Liverpool en dos ruedas
Berni se diferenció de Kicillof en la aplicación de la baja de la edad de imputabilidad
Cuánto cuesta comprar una pick up en la Argentina y cuáles son los modelos más baratos en septiembre
DEPORTE3 días agoEl día que Owen Wilson se emocionó por el abrazo que le dio Lionel Messi tras un partido
- CHIMENTOS3 días ago
La desafiante aventura de Carolina Baldini en moto por Europa: desde Edinburgo a Liverpool en dos ruedas
- POLITICA3 días ago
Berni se diferenció de Kicillof en la aplicación de la baja de la edad de imputabilidad
