INTERNACIONAL
Distress call captures tanker under fire, Iran shuts Hormuz trapping thousands of sailors
Trump warns Iran it ‘can’t blackmail’ US with Hormuz closure
Fox News reports on heightened tensions in the Middle East as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reaffirms strict control over the Strait of Hormuz and fires on passing ships. President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, states the US naval blockade will remain in full force. White House correspondent Alex Hogan provides updates on the escalating diplomatic and military standoff.
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Hundreds of commercial tankers are stranded on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran shut the critical chokepoint on April 18, halting traffic and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and «traumatic experiences» on board.
The Strait of Hormuz is considered an international waterway under international law, through which ships have the right of transit passage, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for global energy markets, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Iranian gunboats opened fire on a tanker the same day, while a projectile struck a container vessel, damaging cargo.
STARMER AND MACRON ACCUSED OF ‘PLAYING AT BEING RELEVANT’ WITH STRAIT OF HORMUZ PLAN
U.S. Central Command said Tuesday that «U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers are among the assets executing a blockade mission impacting Iranian ports.» (CENTCOM)
Audio released by maritime monitoring group TankerTrackers appears to capture the moment a vessel and its crew came under fire while approaching the strait, including a distress call from a crew member.
«Sepah Navy! Motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… you are firing now. Let me turn back!» the crew member can be heard saying in the recording, according to TankerTrackers.
Iranian state media confirmed that shots were fired near vessels to force them to turn back, while the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India said the foreign secretary was deeply concerned.
Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping line, told Fox News Digital that it had activated a crisis team as its crews remain stuck on board vessels in the region.
«We have been working from Friday afternoon until today with the entire crisis team to bring the vessels out — in vain, unfortunately,» said Nils Haupt, senior director of group communications at Hapag-Lloyd AG.
«These events can easily lead to traumatic experiences. There is also a significant risk from sea mines, which has made insuring vessels for passage through the Strait nearly impossible.»
LISA DAFTARI: HORMUZ WHIPLASH PROVES TEHRAN CAN’T HONOR ANY DEAL IT SIGNS
«The crews are well, but they are becoming increasingly impatient and frustrated. It is very unfortunate that we could not leave today,» he added. «Many ships are still stuck in the Persian Gulf.»
«Our six ships are anchored near the port of Dubai, and all crews hope for an improvement in the situation,» Haupt said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on April 18 that the strait would remain closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, warning ships not to move from anchorage or risk being treated as «enemy» collaborators.
Iran has previously argued that restrictions on its oil exports and shipping amount to «economic warfare,» framing actions in the Strait of Hormuz as a response to foreign pressure on its economy, according to statements from Iranian officials and state media in past incidents.
«Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and any violating vessel will be targeted,» the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
TRUMP ORDERS A BLOCKADE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN SOAR
Fishing boats dot the sea as cargo ships, in the background, sail through the Arabian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz off the United Arab Emirates, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo)
The United States imposed the blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait, with U.S. Central Command saying the measures are being enforced «impartially against all vessels.»
Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels have been stuck for weeks following the initial closure after the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28.
«For us, it is critical that our vessels can pass through the strait soon,» Haupt said.
«We offer all crew members unlimited data so they can video call loved ones and access entertainment. Crews are strong, but after weeks on board there is growing monotony and frustration.»
«One crew experienced a fire on board from bomb fragments. Others have seen missiles or drones near their vessels,» he added.
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«They are resilient, but each additional day makes the situation more difficult, more monotonous, and more stressful.»
President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed not to close the strait again but after the closure, Trump called the situation «blackmail» and said the U.S. would not back down.
conflicts, middle east, war with iran, saudi arabia, iran
INTERNACIONAL
From London synagogues to New York preschools — antisemitic attacks escalating on both sides of the Atlantic
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Tens of thousands rallied in London Sunday alarmed at the massive increase in violent attacks against the country’s Jewish population. Marchers made clear their anger towards the inaction of the British government.
Thousands rallied in London Sunday, alarmed by the massive increase in violent attacks against the country’s Jewish population. Marchers made clear their anger toward the British government’s inaction.
Speaking a few days before the rally, U.K. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch told Fox News Digital, «Zero tolerance for antisemitism means treating this epidemic of violence as a genuine national emergency.» Badenoch has called for stronger enforcement, including deporting foreign preachers who are spreading hate in mosques and other institutions. «Antisemites will not be welcomed or tolerated. Britain has been a haven for Jews for centuries. It must remain so.»
Her warning comes as the United Kingdom raised its national terrorism threat level to «severe,» the second-highest classification, meaning an attack is considered highly likely. The move reflects what security officials describe as a worsening threat environment amid a spike in antisemitic incidents, arson attacks and targeted violence.
EVEN BEFORE GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL HATE CHANTS, UK JEWS WARNED OF ALARMING RISE IN ANTISEMITISM
People attend a rally organized by the Campaign Against Antisemitism opposite Downing Street in London on April 30, 2026, following the stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green neighborhood. Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged increased security funding for Jewish sites and called for unity against antisemitism. (Carlos Jasso/AFP)
«There’s an unholy alliance of the hard Left and Islamist extremists behind some of the spread of antisemitism,» Badenoch warned. «What do people think chants such as ‘from the river to the sea’ or ‘globalize the intifada’ mean if they do not mean the erasure of the world’s only Jewish state and violence against Jews everywhere?»
British security officials have long noted that Islamist extremism remains one of the United Kingdom’s primary terror threats, with MI5 warning that radicalization networks and extremist ideology continue to pose serious risks.
Jewish leaders and analysts say expressions of support for terrorist groups such as Hamas, combined with public glorification of violence, have contributed to an environment in which anti-Jewish hostility is becoming increasingly normalized.
Despite mounting criticism over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s handling of antisemitism as incidents continue to reach new highs across the U.K., Starmer, speaking at the No10 Tackling Antisemitism Forum last week, said: «Our Jewish communities [are] feeling frightened, angry and asking whether this country, their home, is safe for them.»
He added: «In recent months, as antisemitic incidents have risen, we have acted decisively to strengthen the safety of Jewish communities,» announcing an additional £25 million in funding for increased patrols and enhanced security to prevent serious harm before it occurs.» Despite those assurances, critics say the response is still falling short, warning that Jewish communities remain exposed and the situation is continuing to escalate.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the Hatzola Northwest independent ambulance base after yesterday’s terrorist incident, on April 30, 2026 in Golders Green, England. A 45-year-old British-Somali man was arrested yesterday, after stabbing two Jewish men, Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, in a terrorist attack in Golders Green. Both victims are in stable condition, and the suspect was caught by police after being tasered. The government has since pledged £25 million to improve security for the Jewish community following the incident. (James Smith/Sam Snap/Getty Images)
Jonathan Sacerdoti, a London-based commentator and writer, told Fox News Digital that authorities have demonstrated the ability to deploy large scale policing when necessary, but many Jewish residents are questioning whether that same urgency is being applied to protecting them.
«Considering they’re able to police massive anti-Israel protests every two weeks for the last two and a half years,» Sacerdoti said, «they ought to be able to do the same to protect Jews.»
He added that security funding alone cannot solve what he sees as a deeper problem.
ANTISEMITISM IS BECOMING ‘NORMAL,’ WITH JEWISH TEENS PAYING THE PRICE
Leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch speaks at an antisemitism rally in the United Kingdom. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
«Jews should not need a volunteer security organization,» he said. «The state should protect us itself.»
For many Jewish families across the United Kingdom, the impact is no longer abstract. It is being felt in everyday life.
Rabbi Albert Chait, senior rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation in Leeds, said one of the most troubling signs is how normalized constant security has become for Jewish children.
«You know what the worst thing is, in my opinion?» Chait said. «The fact that my children do not ask why there is police outside their school. They do not question why there is paid security on the gate and on the street. They do not even question it because that is just normal day to day activity.»
ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE ESCALATES AS DEADLY WEAPON ATTACKS SURGE IN 2025: REPORT
Members of the Jewish community view the scene of an antisemitic arson attack in the Golders Green neighborhood of north London on March 24, 2026. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the Community Security Trust, antisemitic incidents in Britain reached approximately 3,700 in 2025, among the highest totals on record, prompting increased funding for security at synagogues, schools and Jewish institutions.
As Britain confronts what many are increasingly describing as a national crisis, similar warning signs are becoming more visible in the United States.
This past week in Queens, New York, multiple Jewish homes, a synagogue and a Jewish community center housing a preschool were vandalized with swastikas and antisemitic graffiti, raising alarm among residents.
From swastikas scrawled in school bathrooms and subway stations to antisemitic graffiti targeting synagogues and Jewish institutions, symbols of hate are appearing with growing visibility in everyday American life.
New York City officials say four suspects allegedly spray-painted swastikas and other antisemitic symbols on synagogues, homes and cars in Queens, New York, earlier this week. (New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin/X)
«One of the sites houses a pre-K program, where young children, their families and staff were greeted with swastikas and other hateful vandalism,» Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York told Jewish Insider. «This is not normal, and we need city leaders to act now.»
For many observers, the parallels are difficult to ignore.
What Britain is experiencing, rising antisemitic violence, normalized hostility, and ongoing debates over ideology and enforcement, is no longer confined overseas.
It is increasingly being reflected in American communities.
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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch speaks during a «face down» antisemitism rally in Whitehall, central London, following a series of arson attacks and two people being stabbed in Golders Green, north-west London on April 29. Picture date: Sunday May 10, 2026. (Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images)
And as the crisis unfolds, Badenoch’s warning carries implications far beyond the United Kingdom.
«I have never seen the level of racism, discrimination, intimidation and attacks that have been directed at the Jewish community,» she said. «If other minority communities were facing similar levels of violence, there would be a national emergency.»
anti semitism, hate crime, hamas, united kingdom
Pero el telescopio chino en el lugar, el observatorio Cesco en la provincia de San Juan, no capta ninguna señal. Después de que el gobierno de Estados Unidos presionara repetidamente a las autoridades argentinas sobre el tema, estas detuvieron la finalización del proyecto. Al carecer de piezas clave, el telescopio yace ahora desarmado y su gigantesca antena apunta ciegamente al cielo.
A medida que Estados Unidos ve cada vez más a Pekín como un rival en el espacio, las estrellas sobre Sudamérica se han convertido en puntos álgidos de una lucha geopolítica, en la que altos funcionarios estadounidenses intentan detener proyectos astronómicos en los desiertos andinos por temor a que China los utilice con fines militares.
El gobierno de Donald Trump afirma estar aplicando una versión actualizada de la Doctrina Monroe, en parte para contrarrestar la creciente presencia de China en el hemisferio occidental. China es un socio comercial clave para muchos países de América Latina e intenta establecer vínculos científicos y de seguridad. Sus relaciones en la región podrían ser tema de conversación en las conversaciones oficiales de esta semana en Pekín entre el presidente Trump y Xi Jinping, líder de China.
El año pasado, Chile, país vecino de Argentina, detuvo un proyecto de observatorio astronómico chino en el desierto de Atacama tras la fuerte insistencia del embajador de Estados Unidos. Y en el caso del proyecto del radiotelescopio chino del observatorio Cesco –que sería el más grande de su tipo en Sudamérica–, las autoridades han retenido en la aduana algunas piezas finales clave durante unos nueve meses.
Según un documento del jefe de gabinete del gobierno argentino, las violaciones de procedimiento en la renovación del acuerdo con China impidieron que el proyecto siguiera adelante. El gobierno argentino se negó a comentar si la diplomacia estadounidense influyó en la decisión.
Pero funcionarios estadounidenses, algunos de los cuales hablaron bajo condición de anonimato para discutir asuntos diplomáticos delicados, dijeron que el gobierno de Estados Unidos había expresado repetidamente su preocupación a las autoridades argentinas sobre el radiotelescopio chino, al temer que pudiera utilizarse para rastrear satélites estadounidenses y comunicarse con los chinos.
La campaña comenzó durante el gobierno de Joe Biden y continuó bajo el mandato del presidente Trump.
Los astrónomos argentinos, que han pasado la mayor parte de sus vidas observando estrellas a años luz de distancia, han recibido un curso intensivo de política terrenal.
Los científicos esperaban con ansias compartir el telescopio con China y otras naciones. Luego se enteraron de que los esfuerzos de Estados Unidos por frenar a China habían llegado a los desiertos de Sudamérica y amenazaban su exploración de la inmensidad del espacio.
“Hemos quedado en este agujero negro de la politica”, dijo la astrónoma Ana María Pacheco, de 61 años.
El radiotelescopio, dijo, habría ayudado a compensar la relativa escasez de este tipo de instrumentos en el hemisferio sur en comparación con el hemisferio norte.
El Departamento de Estado no respondió a las solicitudes de comentarios.
En 2015, mientras China expandía su presencia por Sudamérica, el ejército chino construyó otra instalación, una estación de control de misiones espaciales y satelitales de 50 millones de dólares en la provincia de Neuquén, en el desierto patagónico de Argentina. Argentina cedió a China el uso del terreno donde se construyó la estación, sin pago de renta, por 50 años.
Para los partidarios de una línea dura contra China en Washington, esa base patagónica se convirtió en un símbolo de cómo Argentina era arrastrada a la órbita de China, y la antena del lugar se erige como una advertencia de 450 toneladas.
El gobierno de Trump ha forjado un estrecho vínculo con Javier Milei, el presidente de derecha de la Argentina, y lo ayudó con un salvavidas de 20.000 millones de dólares antes de las cruciales elecciones intermedias del año pasado.
Durante su campaña presidencial, Milei expresó hostilidad hacia China. Pero tras ser elegido en 2023, suavizó su tono, tal vez al enfrentarse a la realidad de que la economía china está entrelazada con la de Argentina a través del comercio, la infraestructura, los proyectos mineros y la asistencia financiera, al igual que en otros países latinoamericanos.
Las autoridades estadounidenses afirman que están conscientes de que será difícil desplazar a China de América Latina. Aun así, consideran que el bloqueo del radiotelescopio de San Juan –construido en colaboración entre la Universidad Nacional de San Juan y el Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de China– es una señal de que la diplomacia estadounidense puede contribuir a frenar ciertos aspectos de las ambiciones espaciales de China, y tal vez también sus ambiciones militares.
La Embajada de China en Buenos Aires dijo en un comunicado que Estados Unidos estaba buscando “una excusa para contener y reprimir a China”. Aseguraron que el proyecto tenía como objetivo promover el progreso científico tanto en Argentina como en China, con beneficios para toda la humanidad. Afirmaron que el posicionamiento de Estados Unidos “resulta a la vez ridículo y lamentable”.
Cuando el proyecto del observatorio chileno se suspendió el año pasado, la embajada china en Santiago dijo en un comunicado que Estados Unidos también utiliza telescopios en Chile y lo acusó de una “pura y dura manifestación de hegemonismo”.
Estados Unidos tiene una presencia astronómica significativa en Sudamérica, y la NASA utiliza varias estaciones espaciales para rastrear satélites.
El observatorio argentino de San Juan, donde se encuentra el controvertido telescopio chino, fue inaugurado en la década de 1960 en colaboración con las universidades de Yale y Columbia. Argentina cuenta con algunos de los cielos más despejados y sin nubes del mundo, y las instituciones alemanas, rusas y brasileñas construyeron telescopios que ahora salpican los terrenos del observatorio. Se ha iniciado la construcción de un nuevo telescopio en colaboración con la Universidad de Texas.
Pero la iniciativa con China puso a prueba los límites de este cosmopolitismo astronómico.
El Radiotelescopio China-Argentina fue una inversión de 32 millones de dólares que comenzó hace unos 15 años. Cuenta con una antena de 40 metros de ancho: una gigantesca antena parabólica que permite a los científicos captar ondas de radio invisibles del espacio para cartografiar el nacimiento de estrellas y galaxias lejanas. Gracias a este tipo de telescopios, los astrónomos captaron la primera imagen de un agujero negro en 2019.
En 2023, 100 camiones que transportaban los enormes componentes de hierro del telescopio subieron por estrechas carreteras de montaña hasta el observatorio. Junto con la maquinaria llegó un equipo de técnicos chinos que se instaló en Barreal, la localidad más cercana, donde caballos y vacas deambulan junto a casas de baja altura.
Desde los inicios del gobierno de Biden, altos funcionarios de seguridad nacional de la Casa Blanca y diplomáticos del Departamento de Estado estaban al tanto del proyecto. En agosto de 2021, Jake Sullivan, el asesor de seguridad nacional, y Juan Gonzalez, el principal asesor de la Casa Blanca para América Latina, plantearon el tema durante una visita a Buenos Aires, dijo Gonzalez.
Los funcionarios estadounidenses le dijeron a Alberto Fernández, entonces presidente de Argentina, que les preocupaban varios proyectos chinos, entre ellos el radiotelescopio, un puerto en Ushuaia, en el extremo sur, y la base en Neuquén, dijo.
El presidente argentino dijo que se aseguraría de que los proyectos no se utilizaran con fines militares, dijo Gonzalez, pero un contrato de arrendamiento de 50 años sobre el terreno en Neuquén significaba que China tenía un sólido argumento legal para seguir utilizando ese emplazamiento.
Los funcionarios estadounidenses, en conversaciones diplomáticas, presionaron más en torno al proyecto del radiotelescopio en San Juan.
El gobierno de Trump mantuvo la presión. En febrero de 2025, el secretario de Estado Marco Rubio discutió la “colaboración espacial” con Gerardo Werthein, el entonces ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Argentina, según un resumen de la llamada elaborado por el Departamento de Estado.
Esa primavera, expertos del laboratorio Sandia en Albuquerque, dirigido por el Departamento de Energía, viajaron a Buenos Aires para informar a los funcionarios argentinos sobre los posibles riesgos que planteaba el telescopio chino, dijeron funcionarios estadounidenses.
A instancias del Departamento de Estado, la oficina del representante comercial de Estados Unidos incluyó una cláusula en un nuevo acuerdo comercial bilateral que intentaba limitar la capacidad de Argentina para trabajar con China en proyectos espaciales.
El documento establece que Argentina debe cooperar con “expertos técnicos del gobierno de Estados Unidos para implementar medidas de control suficientes en las instalaciones espaciales operadas por otros países a fin de garantizar su uso exclusivamente civil”.
El acuerdo de Argentina con China para construir el telescopio expiró el verano pasado. Poco después, las autoridades aduaneras congelaron algunas piezas clave de la antena en el puerto de Buenos Aires.
En noviembre, el gobierno de Estados Unidos trasladó en avión a científicos de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan al laboratorio Sandia en Albuquerque para impartirles una capacitación de tres días sobre “preocupaciones relacionadas con el doble uso en instalaciones de investigación espacial civiles”, según una invitación a la que tuvo acceso The New York Times.
Marcelo Segura, coordinador del proyecto del radiotelescopio chino en la Universidad Nacional de San Juan, dijo que él y su equipo intentaron convencer a los funcionarios estadounidenses de que el telescopio chino se utilizaría únicamente con fines civiles.
“No fue así”, dijo Segura, quien había estudiado chino para discutir el trabajo del telescopio con sus colegas chinos.
Los blancos componentes metálicos del telescopio yacen inactivos como un esqueleto gigante. En el sótano del telescopio, sobre las mesas, aún se encuentran palillos, latas de salsa de ostras y latas de té verde que dejaron los trabajadores chinos. Un letrero en chino en la pared ofrece orientación sobre cómo actuar ante un encuentro con pumas.
Una situación similar se observa al otro lado de la frontera, en el desierto de Atacama, en Chile. Allí, las autoridades construyeron una carretera a través del paisaje lunar hasta un pico elevado destinado a un observatorio espacial chino.
Iba a incluir 100 telescopios destinados a ayudar a monitorear asteroides y explosiones extragalácticas, según la Universidad Católica del Norte, que estaba a cargo del proyecto. A los científicos chilenos se les permitiría usar el telescopio dos noches al mes, dijeron funcionarios de la universidad.
Esa carretera ahora no lleva a ninguna parte. Las autoridades chilenas bloquearon el proyecto del observatorio tras repetidas presiones por parte de funcionarios estadounidenses.
Bernadette Meehan, embajadora de Estados Unidos en Chile bajo el mandato del presidente Joe Biden, dijo que planteó el tema del observatorio a los más altos niveles del gobierno chileno.
“Para el gobierno de Estados Unidos era muy importante que no se permitiera el proyecto”, dijo Meehan, calificándolo como una de sus prioridades más urgentes.
Las relaciones sólidas con lugares como Chile y Argentina, dijo, son cruciales para “protegerse contra los esfuerzos de China por buscar una mayor influencia estratégica”.
—-
Daniel Politi colaboró con reportería desde Buenos Aires, y John Bartlett desde Santiago, Chile.
Emma Bubola es una reportera del Times que cubre Argentina. Reside en Buenos Aires.
Edward Wong cubre los asuntos globales, las políticas internacionales estadounidenses y el Departamento de Estado para el Times.
Daniel Politi colaboró con reportería desde Buenos Aires, y John Bartlett desde Santiago, Chile.
The New York Times, data-cc, data-cc-nyt
BREAKING: Biden-Hur audio released
Audio between former President Joe Biden and Special Counsel Robert Hur was released by Axios from October 2023 interviews as the former commander-in-chief seems to struggle with answers.
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President Joe Biden’s lawyers are expected to object to the Justice Department’s release of redacted written transcripts and audio recordings of Biden’s 2017 interactions with his book ghostwriter, according to a new court filing.
«President Biden, through counsel, has advised the Department that he intends to seek to intervene to prevent any such disclosures,» Assistant Attorney General Civil Division Brett Shumate wrote in a filing from a Freedom of Information Act request from the Heritage Foundation’s Mike Howell. «The Department does not oppose intervention.»
There is a Tuesday deadline for Biden’s lawyers to respond to the DOJ’s release for a response to Howell’s FOIA request, which would come shortly after Tuesday if there was no objection.
Shumate noted the release of 70 hours of redacted recordings would be delayed until June 15 if Biden objects before the deadline.
BIDEN INTERVIEW AUDIO REVEALS WHO BROUGHT UP BEAU’S DEATH — AND IT WASN’T HUR
Audio from former President Joe Biden’s 2017 interview with a ghostwriter was obtained by Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation during the Biden administration. (Getty Images)
«Defendant intends to disclose the written transcript and audio recordings at issue in this matter, with redactions, to Congress, pursuant to a request from the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, as well as to Plaintiffs,» the filing in Howell’s FOIA lawsuit with the DOJ read.
The interactions came between Biden and his ghostwriter for the 2017 book: «Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose.» The audio and transcript were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents after the Obama administration ended, which included storing them in his garage and at the Penn Biden Center.
«President Biden cooperated fully with special counsel Hur, and agreed to provide audiotapes of conversations with his biographer for a book about his deceased son on the condition that they would not be made public,» Biden spokesperson TJ Ducklo told Politico in a statement Sunday. «The DOJ themselves have said these tapes serve no public interest.
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS RELEASE OF JACK SMITH REPORT’S SECOND VOLUME
Former President Joe Biden’s spokesman TJ Ducklo told Politico of the intentions of objecting to Tuesday’s release of audio and transcripts of Biden’s 2017 conversations with a ghostwriter. (Fox News)
«What’s happening now isn’t about transparency. It’s about politics,» Ducklo continued. «If this Administration were genuinely committed to transparency, they would release Volume 2 of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on Donald Trump’s own alleged mishandling of classified documents. That report contains information Americans actually deserve to see.»
Fox News reached out to Ducklo for independent confirmation on this report and has not yet heard back.
The FOIA requester remains in pursuit of the documents.
CONSERVATIVES REACT TO LEAKED BIDEN AUDIO ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘THIS IS PAINFUL’
Special Counsel Robert Hur described President Joe Biden as «a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,» reflecting the impression Biden left on debate viewers. (Getty Images)
«These tapes will further prove the massive lie regarding Biden’s fitness for office and the fact Biden revealed classified information,» Howell, president of Heritage’s Oversight Project, told Politico. «The shenanigans aren’t over: At the last possible second, and after every delay tactic possible, the autopen is objecting to the American People receiving transparency. «
Hur concluded his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, noting longstanding DOJ policy of not indicting a sitting president and saying a jury would be sympathetic to the oldest sitting American president, 82, because he was a «well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.»
«It appears that after lengthy negotiation covering several months — at no point seeking to intervene into this case on a timely basis — President Biden has changed position and now seeks to even enjoin release of the portions of transcripts that match exact phrases quoted in the Hur Report,» Shumate’s filing Friday read.
GREGG JARRETT: BIDEN, THE ‘MARIONETTE PRESIDENT; AND THE CASE OF THE RUNAWAY AUTOPEN
«The potential intervention by former President Biden and the new development of a discretionary release to the House Judiciary Committee in response to their March 23, 2026 letter, raises a number of issues»:
«As Plaintiffs understand the matter, President Biden would need an order barring release in this case and an order enjoining the Department from producing to the House Judiciary Committee all by June 15, 2026.»
The DOJ also accuses Biden’s lawyers of slow-walking responses and rejecting deadlines.
BIDEN WHITE HOUSE AIDES FACE OVERSIGHT DEADLINE AMID THREAT OF SUBPOENAS
«President Biden’s lead counsel was unable to provide any information about President Biden’s submissions arguing that such discussion was somehow premature (whereas, in reality it is 16 months late) and incredibly indicating that despite the June 15, 2026 production date, the motion to intervene would not be filed until mid-next week and that President Biden would seek up to three days after a ruling granting a motion to intervene to submit a proposed schedule for substantive relief,» the filing read.
«That is no way to conduct litigation and smacks of kicking the can down the road to justify delaying the June 15, 2026 production by some form of administrative injunction.»
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The DOJ issued a new warning of Tuesday’s deadline, regardless.
READ THE COURT FILING – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:
«The public deserves to hear the tapes and read the transcripts as redacted by President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Justice,» Shumate’s filing concluded. «Plaintiffs regret that they are currently unable to assist the Court in this process due to the repeated failure of counsel for President Biden to engage with Plaintiffs on this matter, putting off even initial substantive conversations until next week.»
joe biden, justice department, politics
Si tenés cápsulas de café vacías, poseés un tesoro: la idea para aprovecharlas en casa y no tirarlas a la basura
From London synagogues to New York preschools — antisemitic attacks escalating on both sides of the Atlantic
Cuál es el instrumento financiero que creció más de 80% en solo un mes y capta cada vez más ahorristas
Alerta en la Selección: Molina se desgarró a 32 días del Mundial
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