INTERNACIONAL
Inside Stefanik’s exit and how the Trump endorsement that never came was ‘biggest piece’ of the ‘puzzle’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s surprise announcement on Friday night that she is dropping out of the race for New York governor and leaving her seat in Congress was partly due to lack of full support from President Trump, Fox News Digital has learned.
«The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy, including in the Oval Office with the Miracle on Ice Team last week,» a GOP source close to the situation told Fox News Digital. «I think [that] played the largest role in this decision.»
Stefanik’s original thought process when she jumped into the race last month, according to the source, was that she would have a «clear shot» at current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. But once Trump ally and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his candidacy earlier this month, «it became clear that was not going to happen.»
«When you start to add these things up, and you see a contested primary, you see an assumed ally in the president who passes on endorsing, and it does not seem that you’re going to have the wind to your back in this cycle. I think [it] all played into this,» the source said.
STEFANIK EXITS NY GOVERNOR RACE, WILL NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION TO US HOUSE
President Donald Trump holds hands with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., as Trump honors the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team in the Oval Office of the White House Dec. 13, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty)
Stefanik’s decision to also leave Congress was based on a feeling that it was time to «move on,» the source said.
«I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state for our campaign to Save New York,» Stefanik posted on X Friday afternoon.
«However, as we have seen in past elections, while we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York.»
Stefanik has been a staunch ally of President Trump during her time in Congress, including defending him during both of his impeachments. Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a high-profile cabinet-level position, before the nomination was pulled to protect the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House and amid worries Republicans could lose Stefanik’s seat to the Democrats in a special election.
FBI TO BE UNDER HARSH NEW MICROSCOPE AS STEFANIK SCORES VICTORY IN ANNUAL DEFENSE BILL
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., talks at a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing. (AP/Mariam Zuhaib)
After Blakeman joined the race for governor, Trump opted to stay neutral, telling reporters at the White House after Blakeman announced his candidacy that «Elise is fantastic and Bruce is.»
«Two fantastic people, and I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running, and I hope there’s not a lot of damage done,» the president added.
Hochul’s re-election campaign released a statement on Friday shifting its attention to Blakeman.
«Elise Stefanik has finally acknowledged reality: If you run against Governor Kathy Hochul, you are going to lose,» Hochul’s campaign said in a press release Friday. «As Donald Trump raises costs on New Yorkers and targets this state relentlessly, Governor Hochul has cut middle-class taxes, put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, and fought this administration and won when New York has come under attack.
«The fact is, ‘100% MAGA’ Bruce Blakeman traveled all the way to D.C. to celebrate Trump’s tariffs, he ran Long Island’s safety net hospital into the ground by appointing corrupt cronies to run it and let violent crime in Nassau County spike to its highest level in a decade. Governor Hochul’s message to him or whichever lackey Trump picks to run against her is simple: Bring it on.»
The source confirmed to Fox News Digital that «multiple county leaders are reaching out to Congressman Mike Lawler» as a potential candidate, adding it is «premature» to assume the New York GOP is «coalescing around Blakeman.»
«Very fluid. Many folks are taking time to regroup.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman celebrates his re-election at the Nassau Republican GOP headquarters on election night at the Coral House in Baldwin Nov. 4, 2025. (Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
The source did say that Blakeman «can be a strong candidate» and that the «Mamdani effect» is something Hochul will still have to combat in a general election.
«I wish Congresswoman Stefanik nothing but success as she pursues her priorities and continues her service to our nation,» Blakeman posted on X Friday. «At this pivotal moment for New York, it is essential that Republicans and all New Yorkers come together in unity.»
Lawler responded to the news in a post on X, saying that Stefanik «has been a terrific Congresswoman» and «would have been a great governor.»
«As her friend and colleague, I respect her decision and wish her and her family all the best as she moves forward,» Lawler added.
The White House directed Fox News Digital to the social media reactions from the president and his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump responded to Stefanik’s announcement, writing, «Elise Stefanik, a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State, has just announced she won’t be running for Governor. Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!»
Leavitt also posted praise of Stefanik on social media.
«Elise Stefanik has been an incredible advocate for the people of her district in Upstate New York, and she will always be a true friend to President Trump,» Leavitt posted on X. «On a personal note, Elise is my former boss. She is a great leader, and an even better person. We love you, @EliseStefanik!»
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report
politics,new york,elections,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Aprueban discutir proyecto que crea registro nacional de pacientes diabéticos en Panamá
La Comisión de Trabajo, Salud y Desarrollo Social de la Asamblea Nacional prohijó el anteproyecto de ley que crea el Consejo Nacional de Diabetes, instituye un Registro Nacional de Personas con Diabetes, modifica normas vigentes y establece nuevas obligaciones en materia de educación nutricional y financiamiento.
En términos legislativos, el prohijamiento implica que la comisión acoge formalmente la iniciativa y la convierte en proyecto de ley para iniciar su discusión en primer debate.
A partir de ahora, corresponde abrir el periodo de consultas, recibir opiniones de instituciones, gremios médicos y organizaciones de pacientes, introducir posibles modificaciones y, de ser aprobado en comisión, enviarlo al pleno para segundo y tercer debate.
La propuesta, presentada por el diputado Eduardo Gaitán y respaldada por varios copatrocinadores, parte de un diagnóstico claro: Panamá enfrenta una alta carga de diabetes y carece de una estructura permanente de evaluación y seguimiento de las políticas públicas en esta materia.
En su exposición de motivos se advierte que la enfermedad afecta a aproximadamente el 14% de la población adulta del país, lo que equivale a unas 200 mil personas, y subraya las dificultades de acceso a glucómetros, medicamentos y tecnologías diagnósticas.
El eje central del proyecto es la creación del Consejo Nacional de Diabetes como órgano asesor adscrito al Ministerio de Salud. Según el articulado, este Consejo tendría funciones de coordinación interinstitucional, recomendación técnica y evaluación de políticas públicas orientadas a la prevención, tratamiento y control de la enfermedad.
Estaría integrado por representantes del Ministerio de Salud, la Caja de Seguro Social, el Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas, la Universidad de Panamá, el Ministerio de Educación, asociaciones de pacientes y gremios médicos especializados, con un sistema de rotación en el caso de organizaciones civiles.
El proyecto también instituye el Registro Nacional de Personas con Diabetes como base de datos obligatoria, interoperable y administrada por el Ministerio de Salud, con el fin de garantizar seguimiento clínico, trazabilidad y planificación sanitaria.
El sistema deberá ser interoperable, seguro y ajustado a la normativa de protección de datos personales, permitiendo dar seguimiento a la evolución de la enfermedad, medir niveles de control metabólico, identificar comorbilidades y registrar complicaciones como retinopatías, enfermedad renal crónica o amputaciones.
Con esta información, el Estado debiera mejorar la distribución de medicamentos e insumos, anticipar la demanda de servicios especializados y diseñar políticas basadas en datos reales y actualizados, no en estimaciones fragmentadas.
En paralelo, la iniciativa modifica la Ley 136 de 2020 para reforzar la obligación estatal de fomentar el autoanálisis de glucosa, actualizar protocolos conforme a guías internacionales y garantizar el suministro continuo de medicamentos y tecnologías como infusores subcutáneos de insulina. Además, incorpora la capacitación obligatoria y continua del personal de salud en el manejo integral y psicosocial de la diabetes.
Uno de los apartados más sensibles es el relativo a la educación nutricional y la restricción de bebidas azucaradas. El texto prohíbe la venta, distribución o promoción de estas bebidas en centros educativos públicos y privados e incorpora de forma obligatoria la educación nutricional y física en el currículo nacional desde la primaria como estrategia preventiva de enfermedades no transmisibles.
También refuerza los mecanismos de transparencia y rendición de cuentas sobre el uso del impuesto a bebidas azucaradas, incluyendo informes públicos anuales y audiencias de rendición de cuentas.
El proyecto va más allá al establecer que el Presupuesto General del Estado deberá destinar anualmente un monto no menor al 1% del Producto Interno Bruto para la ejecución de la ley y el cumplimiento de las normas relacionadas. Esta disposición abre un debate fiscal relevante, dado el impacto que una asignación de esa magnitud tendría sobre las finanzas públicas.
El contexto sanitario respalda la preocupación. Según estimaciones recientes de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, más de 830 millones de personas viven con diabetes en el mundo y la enfermedad es responsable de millones de muertes anuales por complicaciones asociadas.
En la Región de las Américas, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud ha advertido que la prevalencia continúa en aumento, impulsada por el envejecimiento poblacional, el sobrepeso, la obesidad y el sedentarismo. La diabetes tipo 2 representa la gran mayoría de los casos y concentra buena parte del gasto sanitario por sus complicaciones crónicas.
En Panamá, la diabetes figura entre las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad asociadas a enfermedades no transmisibles, junto con hipertensión y enfermedades cardiovasculares. Las autoridades sanitarias han señalado que el control metabólico deficiente incrementa la carga sobre hospitales y programas de hemodiálisis, así como el costo de medicamentos de alto impacto presupuestario.
Tras el prohijamiento, el proyecto deberá superar el primer debate en comisión, donde podrían introducirse ajustes técnicos o presupuestarios. Si obtiene dictamen favorable, pasará al pleno para segundo debate —etapa de discusión artículo por artículo— y luego a tercer debate para su aprobación final.
Posteriormente, corresponderá al Órgano Ejecutivo sancionarlo o vetarlo. El alcance del texto, especialmente en materia presupuestaria y tributaria, anticipa un debate intenso en el hemiciclo.
corresponsal:Desde Panamá
INTERNACIONAL
Pelosi’s war powers flip-flop exposed in resurfaced Obama-era clip contradicts Trump criticism on Iran
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A clip of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resurfaced online where she flatly defended the then-Obama administration’s decision to strike Libya — without the congressional authorization she believes President Donald Trump should have secured before conducting his own strikes over the weekend.
«You’re saying that the president did not need authorization initially and still does not need any authorization from Congress on Libya?» a reporter asked Pelosi at a press event back in 2011.
«Yes,» Pelosi answered plainly.
The unambiguous answer contrasts sharply with Pelosi’s view of Trump’s strikes against Iran on Saturday.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at the 2026 California Democratic Party State Convention in San Francisco, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
In a joint effort targeting Iranian military leadership, the U.S. and Israel killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, citing an imperative to halt Iran’s pursuit of developing a nuclear weapon.
Pelosi swiftly condemned the operation.
«President Trump’s decision to initiate military hostilities into Iran starts another unnecessary war which endangers our servicemembers and destabilizes an already fragile region,» Pelosi said in a post to X.
«The Constitution is clear: decisions that lead our nation into war must be authorized by Congress.»
Pelosi, alongside other Democrats, is pursuing a war powers resolution that would limit Trump from taking further military action against Iran without express congressional approval.
Trump’s strikes bear similarity to President Barack Obama’s decision to strike Libya in 2011 under Operation Odyssey Dawn.
In that operation, Obama ordered a series of strikes against Libya in March 2011, looking to deter Muammar Gaddafi from attacking civilian protesters.
FETTERMAN PRAISES TRUMP’S IRAN OPERATION AS ‘HISTORIC’ MOMENT FOR AMERICA AMID PARTY DIVISIONS
Sept. 14, 2012: President Barack Obama, accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks during a Transfer of Remains Ceremony, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP)
Gaddafi, known as the «Mad Dog of the Middle East,» was the ruler of Libya from 1969 to 2011. He had a long and complicated relationship with the U.S. — at times aligning with national objectives and, at others, governing in a manner the U.S. couldn’t ignore.
The final straw came in the Libyan revolt of 2011, when demonstrations broke out in Benghazi and other cities. Like recent uprisings in Iran, Gaddafi met the threat to his rule with crushing force, marching his forces toward several Libyan cities that had resisted his power.
In what he described as attempts to uphold international law, Obama said the U.S., in partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), had taken the strikes to protect Libya’s civilians to protect Libya’s civilians.
GOP REP MASSIE JOINS DEMOCRATS IN OPPOSITION TO US IRAN STRIKES
«We struck regime forces approaching Benghazi to save that city and the people within it,» Obama said in remarks after the attacks.
The strikes did not kill Gaddafi.
Gaddafi was killed later that year at the hands of revolutionaries in October.
Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi gestures to supporters as he speaks in Tripoli, Libya. As rebels swarmed into Tripoli late Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011. (Associated Press)
While Obama said he had consulted a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers, he did not pursue a declaration of war before carrying out his strikes.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
«So, for those who doubted our capacity to carry out this operation, I want to be clear: The United States of America has done what we said we would do,» Obama said.
Pelosi’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether she saw any key differences between the attacks carried out by Obama and those now ordered by Trump.
Related Article
barack obama,war with iran,iran,nancy pelosi
Healing after war: Inside Israel’s equine therapy program
Alex, 35, a disabled IDF veteran, says the psychological wounds of war have been more enduring than his physical injuries. Thanks to the Transcending Trauma Project, founded by Dr. Anita Shkedi, he is getting some help. (Director: Yaron Yarkoni.)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As sirens sound again across Israel amid escalating Iranian attacks, the country is confronting not only a new battlefield but old psychological wounds. In a stable in central Israel, Danny, is getting some healing.
On October 7, Danny (not his real name) said he was called up from home. Within days, he said, his unit was evacuating bodies from Kibbutz Kissufim under live fire. He spent six months in the war, moving between combat zones in Gaza and evacuating severely wounded soldiers. «We were shot at while evacuating the dead,» he recalled. «I saw the wounded arrive in pieces. These are things I will never forget.»
Since coming home, he says he is constantly on edge — sensitive to noise, tense, struggling to resume normal life. Once a week, he comes to work with a large dark horse named King. «There’s something that waits for me here,» he said. «It’s the one day I can relax and leave the chaos behind. There’s something waiting for me here.»
An Israeli veteran stands beside his horse during a session at the Brothers of Jonathan charity’s equine therapy center, where organizers aim to build resilience and prevent chronic PTSD. (Anita Shkedi)
His story is one of many emerging from a country that is facing a mental-health crisis with many of its troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. A recent Reuters report citing Israel’s Defense Ministry said it has witnessed «a nearly 40% increase in PTSD cases amongst its soldiers since September 2023, and predicts the figure will increase by 180% by 2028.» It also said that some 60% of all wounded troops suffer from PTSD, according to those figures.
Alex, 35, is another veteran who found his way to the same stable. Standing beside a horse named Donna, he prepares for another therapy session. A victim of another one of Israel’s war he was stabbed seven times during Operation Cast Lead in 2009. He says the assault altered the course of his life.
«Pain you can get used to,» he says. «But post-trauma — you cannot get used to.»
He has been coming here for two months. «With Donna I feel the quiet and peace that I can’t feel at home when I’m alone and my thoughts go elsewhere,» he says. «The treatment with the horses is changing my life. Every week more and more, and I don’t want it to end.
«The Transcending Trauma Project was founded by Dr. Anita Shkedi, a pioneer in therapeutic horseback riding in Israel since the 1980s. After years in the field, she came out of semi-retirement following the Oct. 7 attacks to launch the program under a new charity she created, Brothers of Jonathan.
The initiative provides equine-assisted therapy to reservists, soldiers, veterans, Nova music festival survivors and family members struggling with the psychological aftermath of war.
‘SHEEPDOG’ SHINES LIGHT ON THE WAR AFTER WAR, AS VETERANS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH LIFE BACK HOME
A participant in the Transcending Trauma Project works with a horse during a therapy session at a rehabilitation stable in Israel. The initiative was launched after the October 7 attacks to help those struggling with trauma. (Anita Shkedi)
For Shkedi, the project is deeply personal.
Her son, Jonathan Boyden, was mortally wounded during a rescue mission in Lebanon in 1993 and died weeks later from his injuries. For years, she said, she felt she had never fully honored his memory. «When he was alive and serving in the army, he always said to me, ‘Do something and help the injured soldiers,’» she recalled. «So I put everything together and felt this was the right thing to do — to start a charity called Brothers of Jonathan and help people in the way I know best, which is with the horse.»
Since launching in late 2023, the program has delivered more than a thousand therapy sessions and now operates with a growing waiting list. From the outset, Shkedi said her goal was not only treatment but prevention. «Right from the beginning, I was interested in prevention — if we can get to people early, maybe we can prevent symptoms of trauma from turning into chronic PTSD,» she said. «We need to save this generation.»
Many participants arrive in what she describes as «survival mode,» stuck in cycles of fear, anxiety and hypervigilance. But she warns that another psychological wound is emerging alongside classic PTSD symptoms.
«There will be a high level of moral injury — shame and guilt — alongside fear, anxiety and depression,» Shkedi said. «When that combines with PTSD, it is very shattering for a person.»
MARINE-TURNED-PSYCHOLOGIST’S BRAIN BREAKTHROUGH IS HELPING VETERANS STILL FIGHTING INSIDE
A former IDF soldier bonds with a horse as part of a structured, trauma-informed therapy program designed to help veterans and civilians process the psychological aftermath of war. (Anita Shkedi)
In the stable, she says, something shifts.
«Traumatized people need a safe place. Sometimes home is not a safe place,» she explained. «When they come to the horses, they attach easily. The environment becomes safe for them — and they start to feel safer inside.»
The therapy is structured and trauma-informed. Participants learn first to regulate themselves alongside the horse and eventually to guide and care for the animal.
«We don’t get rid of trauma. Trauma has happened,» Shkedi said. «Our job is to build resilience and post-traumatic growth — to help people move from co-regulation to self-regulation.»
For some, she said, the bond has been lifesaving.
«We have had people who were struggling with suicidal thoughts. The fact that they can attach themselves to the horse has really helped them.»
Looking ahead, Shkedi hopes to expand. «The dream is to have a place in Israel where people can come 24/7,» she said. «A place that says: you are safe here.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
An Israeli veteran participates in an equine-assisted therapy session at the Transcending Trauma Project in central Israel. Organizers say the program supports soldiers and survivors coping with post-traumatic stress. (Anita Shkedi)
As the war continues and more soldiers rotate home, she believes the psychological toll is only beginning to surface.
«We are not just here for people to ride a horse,» she said. «We are here to help them move forward.»
Related Article
israel,wars,military,veterans,health
Javier Milei contra el ‘fetiche industrialista’, la reforma que no pasa por el Congreso
Aprueban discutir proyecto que crea registro nacional de pacientes diabéticos en Panamá
Pago voluntario de Créditos ANSES: paso a paso para generar el VEP
Un aficionado argentino, asesinado tras recibir un disparo en una brutal pelea entre ultras
“La república islámica de Irán es el Estado más terrorista y malvado del mundo”, aseguró el embajador argentino en Israel
Pelosi’s war powers flip-flop exposed in resurfaced Obama-era clip contradicts Trump criticism on Iran
Destrozaron a Andrea del Boca por el terrible pecado que tuvo en Gran Hermano: “La quiero presa”, apuntaron contra la actriz por un detalle en la cocina
Evangelina Anderson contó qué pasará con sus hijos ante el próximo desafío de Martín Demichelis en España
¡Tensión en vivo! Aníbal Pachano y Nancy Pazos protagonizaron un cruce explosivo en la mesa de Mirtha Legrand
Las predicciones más importantes en la vida de cada signo del horóscopo en marzo, según Jimena La Torre: «Será un cambio rotundo»
CHIMENTOS2 días agoDestrozaron a Andrea del Boca por el terrible pecado que tuvo en Gran Hermano: “La quiero presa”, apuntaron contra la actriz por un detalle en la cocina
- CHIMENTOS2 días ago
¡Tensión en vivo! Aníbal Pachano y Nancy Pazos protagonizaron un cruce explosivo en la mesa de Mirtha Legrand
- CHIMENTOS3 días ago
Las predicciones más importantes en la vida de cada signo del horóscopo en marzo, según Jimena La Torre: «Será un cambio rotundo»
