INTERNACIONAL
Pence says Trump needs to bring the ‘hammer’ down on Putin with immediate new sanctions
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Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that President Donald Trump needs to bring the «hammer» down on Russian President Vladimir Putin with additional secondary sanctions.
After meeting with Putin at a high-stakes summit in Alaska, Trump shifted from advocating for an immediate ceasefire deal to a broader «peace agreement» between Ukraine and Russia.
In an appearance on CNN’s «State of the Union» on Sunday, Pence described Trump’s style in dealing with dictators as the «velvet glove» approach but said he thinks «the hammer needs to come, and it needs to come immediately.»
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, joined by United Kingdom and European leaders. Pence said Trump, at the same time, needs to «pick up the phone and ask» Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., «to immediately pass the secondary sanctions bill that is supported virtually by everybody in the United States Senate.»
PUTIN APPEARS TO BE VISIBLY ANNOYED AS REPORTERS BARRAGE HIM AND TRUMP WITH QUESTIONS
Former Vice President Mike Pence attends the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson – Pool/Getty Images)
«The combination of engagement, but also making it clear to Putin that we are prepared to take actions that would literally break his economy even while we redouble our commitment to the security of Ukraine,» Pence said.
«The last thing we want to see is for Putin to use this latest delay as a reason to continue this war all the way until the winter hits and the fighting season essentially passes in that part of the world,» he added later on. «We can’t allow Vladimir to run out the clock on the war in this year and this season. We literally have to do both things, and that is: the sanctions ought to be on the president’s desk, available for his signature while negotiations begin. That’s the most important way that we will ensure that there’s real progress toward the peace agreement.»
Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president during his first term, reiterated how Putin attacked Georgia under President George W. Bush, attacked Crimea under President Barack Obama, and invaded Ukraine after «that disastrous withdrawal» from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden.
«Putin’s made it no secret to the fact that he wants to reassert the old Soviet sphere of influence, what we used to call the evil empire in Eastern Europe,» Pence told CNN’s Jake Tapper. «I think Putin only understands strength, so while the president and his diplomatic team engage in this re-approach with Putin, and there seems to be interest, in my judgment, Putin is not going to stop until he’s stopped.»
Pence said Trump «should be commended for pursuing peace in Ukraine,» noting that the president has already secured peace agreements in Africa, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
«I think he deserves credit as leader of the free world for not giving up on Ukraine,» Pence said, claiming «there are many voices in and around the administration that would have cut Ukraine loose months ago.»
President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
DEMOCRATS DOUBT TRUMP WILL SECURE UKRAINE CEASE-FIRE IN ALASKA SUMMIT WITH PUTIN
Pence said he wanted to commend the president for «trying to make progress,» but said he would have liked to have seen a ceasefire deal. Still, he said that «no deal is better than a bad deal.»
Based on U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s description of the talks, Pence said it appeared there «was at least an ascent in Putin and Trump’s meeting to the United States providing security guarantees, and clearly, the president didn’t forfeit anything having to do with America’s national security or with the security of our allies in Eastern Europe in the midst of this war.»
Witkoff told CNN that the Trump administration is «intent on trying to hammer out a peace deal that ends the fighting permanently – very, very quickly, quicker than a ceasefire.» He also said that Trump could not agree to «any sort of land swap» on behalf of the Ukrainians. At the summit, Putin pushed for the Ukrainians to withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for Russian forces freezing the fronts in other areas.
«At the end of the day, it’s important to remember the bad guy here is Putin. Putin launched an unprovoked brutal invasion more than three years ago,» Pence said. «Now more than ever, America and our allies need to stand strongly with Ukraine and create the conditions for a just and lasting peace.»
President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Minutes before Pence spoke to CNN on Sunday morning, Trump posted to TRUTH Social, teasing: «BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!»
Trump also criticized the media’s reporting about his meeting with Putin.
«It’s incredible how the Fake News violently distorts the TRUTH when it comes to me,» Trump wrote on social media earlier Sunday. «There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden’s stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!»
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«If I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal,» Trump added. «That’s why they are the FAKE NEWS! Also, they should talk about the 6 WARS, etc., I JUST STOPPED!!! MAGA.»
donald trump,ukraine,mike pence,vladimir putin,russia
INTERNACIONAL
Qué pasará si Estados Unidos lanza una invasión terrestre en Irán: analistas opinan y la respuesta no es buena
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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., said an alleged Iranian state actor recently targeted him with a phishing scheme disguised as a television interview request, in what he described as an apparent effort to access his personal email account.
«A skilled impersonator created something appearing just like Newsmax to attempt to do an interview with me,» Fine told Fox News Digital in an interview, explaining that his staffer began interacting with the message in email, as the office normally does, before realizing «the links didn’t work.»
The phishing scheme was allegedly designed to gain access to his personal Google account, Fine explained.
TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON’ IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS IN US
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The incident comes after President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran in February, sparking an ongoing battle that the president has said will end in a matter of weeks as tensions continue flaring. The Trump administration argued Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities posed an urgent threat ahead of the U.S. and Israel launching joint strikes.
Fine said he did not «think the timing was coincidental» and that the alleged cyberattack occurred «literally the day after combat operations began.» The episode underscores heightened concern among U.S. intelligence officials about potential cyber and physical threats tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict, particularly against high-profile political figures.
The FBI confirmed earlier in March that an Iran-linked hacker group known as the «Handala Hack Team» breached Director Kash Patel’s personal email account. A bureau spokesperson said in a statement at the time that while the compromised information was «historical in nature» and contained no government data, the FBI had taken all «necessary steps to mitigate potential risks.»
According to Fine, he learned about the alleged cyberattack aimed at him when U.S. Capitol Police contacted him and said the outreach likely originated from an Iranian state actor.
Fox News Digital reviewed a copy of the correspondence, showing its email was spelled «news-max.org.»
Correspondence to Fine, also reviewed by Fox News Digital, confirmed that USCP said they had information that the outreach to Fine’s office could have originated from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and that the police wanted to set up a call with the FBI Cyber Task Force to further examine the matter.
DHS REMAINS UNFUNDED AS IRAN SLEEPER CELL FEARS SPIKE NATIONWIDE AMID SECURITY WARNINGS
FBI Director Kash Patel listens during the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
«They proactively reached out to us,» Fine said, adding that he then reported the incident to the FBI and was told by the bureau that agents were «familiar with these actors in Iran.»
The FBI declined to comment. A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that when the incident happened, the FBI was able to connect with Fine and opened an investigation into the matter. The status of the probe is publicly unknown.
Fine emphasized that he felt targeted by Iran and noted a broader surge in threats against him, including verbal threats and what he said was a recent separate incident of an impersonator approaching his home.
«I was clearly targeted. It wasn’t random,» Fine said, asserting that he was «the most visible Jewish Republican politician in America.»
A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran. (AFP/Via Getty Images)
MYSTERY DRONES FLY NEAR DC-AREA MILITARY BASE AS IRAN TENSIONS ESCALATE
Fine said that while he does not believe the alleged attackers could have gathered much information from his Google account based on his limited use of it, «the worst-case scenario is … they might be able to track my actual location,» which he said made him fear for his life.
Fine described the incident as «very stressful.»
Fine, a self-described «Hebrew Hammer» known for his staunchly pro-Israel positions, has advocated aggressive military action in Gaza and praised Trump’s joint offensives with Israel in Iran.
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Fine, in a statement shortly after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, characterized the mission as one rooted in saving western civilization.
«We are with you, Mr. President. We will cut off the head of the snake of Muslim terror, Bring lasting peace to the Middle East, And save the Iranian People. Bombs away,» Fine said. «The Muslim terrorists that run Iran have just indiscriminately fired rockets not just at the Jews of Israel, but 700,000 Americans who live there, 180,000 Christians who live there, at the ‘Dome of the Rock,’ the third holiest site in Islam, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of Jesus’s crucification. We are fighting back against this evil.»
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsmax, Google and USCP on Tuesday for any additional comment.
iran, war with iran, fbi, congress
INTERNACIONAL
Exclusive: Sara Netanyahu warns of surging antisemitism and importance of Jewish-Christian alliance
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EXCLUSIVE: Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned about the growing dangers of antisemitism and attempts to undermine the relationship between Christian and Jewish communities.
Her remarks followed her four-day visit to the U.S. for the «Be Best» First Ladies’ Summit, attending at the invitation of First Lady Melania Trump.
In exclusive comments to Fox News Digital, she said extremist elements on both the far left and right continue to promote antisemitism despite the historical record of where it leads and are seeking to undermine Israel and divide support within the Christian community.
«Israel has never had a prime minister like my husband, who during every visit to the United States makes it a point to meet with leaders of the Christian community, embrace them, listen to them, and maintain a close and genuine relationship as true partners and friends,» she told Fox News Digital.
CHRISTIAN PASTORS, INFLUENCERS JOIN 1,000-STRONG ISRAEL MISSION BACKING JEWISH STATE, FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM
Sara Netanyahu, giving a speech at the State Department in Washington D.C. in March 2026. (GPO)
«Their courage in standing firm against the enemies of Israel is worthy of appreciation. They are our [unofficial] ambassadors, and I hope our partnership will continue to grow and strengthen,» she added.
Netanyahu said that in July, Israel hosted the president’s close adviser and White House Faith Office head, Paula White-Cain, for a special event attended by both her and the prime minister, which was broadcast to millions of Christian viewers worldwide.
Following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, killing of 1,200 people in Israel, antisemitism surged globally, including in the U.S.
Sara Netanyahu was raised in Israel by her parents, Shmuel and Hava Ben-Artzi. Her father, a Bible scholar and educator, instilled in her an appreciation for the Jewish people’s historical connection to the land of Israel.
Pastor Paula White-Cain, spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump meets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at Daystar’s «Together As One» event in Jerusalem, as part of a visit organized by Niv Jacobi, President of The Meaning Channel. (Felipe Volokita, The Meaning Channel.)
«The Holocaust was a moment in history that cannot and will not be repeated,» Netanyahu told Fox News Digital, against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israel military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose leaders have repeatedly threatened to commit genocide against the Jewish state.
Post-Oct. 7 attacks include the May 2025 killing of two Israeli Embassy staff in Washington by Elias Rodriguez, who allegedly shouted «Free Palestine!» upon arrest, and a June attack by Mohamed Sabry Soliman that wounded 12 at a pro-Israel rally, later killing one victim.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUES HARVARD OVER ALLEGED FAILURE TO PROTECT JEWISH AND ISRAELI STUDENTS, SEEKS BILLIONS
Incidents also rose after Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28, described by Netanyahu as a preemptive move against Iran and its terror proxies.
President Donald Trump (L) poses for a photo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and his wife Sara Netanyahu during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago estate, in Palm Beach, Florida, United States on July 26, 2024. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Investigators said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, accused of attempting a March 12 attack on a Michigan synagogue, was radicalized by Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, a federal probe last month found some faculty «legitimized and amplified antisemitism» during protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Encampments spread on campuses, often demanding divestment from Israel-linked institutions and Jewish organizations.
On March 20, the Trump administration sued Harvard, alleging it failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students and enabled antisemitism.
«We are in an existential war — a war of good versus evil — against a force that seeks to destroy Israel and the world,» she said.
«Leaders of the Iranian regime have publicly burned the flags of Israel and the United States. They have called Israel the ‘Little Satan’ and America the ‘Great Satan.’»
She continued, «Israel has never had a better friend than Donald Trump. Together with the [Israeli] prime minister, they are reshaping the Middle East and creating an opportunity for a new future for the entire free world,» she added.
Sara Netanyahu meet with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at the U.S. Senate, March 2026. (Niv Jacobi )
During her U.S. visit, Netanyahu met with multiple first ladies, delivered a speech at the U.S. State Department, held talks with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., engaged with technology and AI companies and hosted a large meeting with parents of children serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
MELANIA TRUMP WELCOMES HUMANOID ROBOT TO WHITE HOUSE FOR HISTORIC AI SUMMIT
Netanyahu attended the «Be Best» First Ladies’ Summit, a global technology conference of first ladies hosted by Melania Trump, focused on expanding access to distance-learning technologies for children and teenagers.
Netanyahu, a child psychologist who works three times a week at the Jerusalem municipality, has immersed herself in the issue.
First Lady Melania Trump with Sara Netanyahu at The Be Best initiative in Washington D.C., March 2026. (Shmulik Almany )
The visit also carried economic implications, leading to expanded dialogue with Microsoft and Meta at the global level.
Netanyahu told Fox News Digital that companies expressed interest in advancing investments worth tens of millions of dollars to implement advanced AI models for remote learning among children and youth — particularly in Israel, where educational continuity has been disrupted by the security situation.
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«Israel is a leading country among advanced Western nations — in morality, values and certainly technology. Israeli innovation impacts people around the world every day in fields such as cybersecurity, fintech and agriculture. We contribute our knowledge and build strategic partnerships that bring Israel closer to its allies,» she said.
«There is strong appreciation for Israel worldwide, and when countries recognize our contributions, they choose partnership over extremism and hatred,» Netanyahu concluded.
anti semitism, israel, melania trump, national security, benjamin netanyahu
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