INTERNACIONAL
Trump admin labels Israel ‘model US ally’ ahead of major military aid talks
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Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth released the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), a Pentagon blueprint that elevates Israel as a «model ally» and translates President Trump’s national security doctrine into concrete military policy.
«Israel has long demonstrated that it is both willing and able to defend itself with critical but limited support from the United States. Israel is a model ally, and we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to secure peace in the Middle East,» the NDS states.
The document is now influencing parallel debates over the future of U.S. security assistance to Israel and whether the next Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, should continue delivering traditional U.S. military aid to Israel, amid dissenting voices that portray the alliance as a burden rather than a strategic asset.
DIRECT AID TO ISRAEL SHOULD BE PHASED OUT TO ‘REDUCE US LEVERAGE,’ INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE GROUPS ARGUE
According to the strategy, Israel proved its ability and willingness to defend itself following the Oct. 7 attacks, demonstrating that it is not a passive partner but an operational force that supports U.S. interests in the region. The strategy emphasizes empowering capable allies rather than constraining them, building on President Trump’s earlier push for regional integration through the Abraham Accords.
Israeli F-15 fighter jets accompanied two U.S. B-52 bombers through Israel’s airspace on Sunday. (Israel Defense Forces)
Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said the strategy reflects a broader American shift toward partnerships that strengthen both U.S. security and domestic industry.
«U.S. defense assistance to Israel in the MOU is spent in dollars here in America to support our industry,» Ruhe told Fox News Digital. «And like in the national security strategy, it then enables Israel to go and do more to protect U.S. interests.»
He said a future agreement would likely extend beyond funding alone. «A new MOU would also likely be broader and include things that are more 50-50 partnership, like joint research and development, co-production, intelligence sharing and things like that to reflect the changing partnership going forward,» Ruhe said.
The strategy also highlights the importance of revitalizing the American defense industrial base, noting that allies purchasing U.S. systems help strengthen domestic production while enabling partners to shoulder greater responsibility for regional security.
Avner Golov, vice president of the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, said the document makes clear that Israel is viewed not merely as a recipient of aid, «Israel is in the fight. We are protecting ourselves by ourselves. We just need the tools to do that. And by doing so, we enhance not only America’s standing in the Middle East, but also worldwide and contribute to the American economy.»
That framing comes as Israel and the United States prepare for negotiations over the next 10-year MOU, which governs U.S. military assistance to Israel. The current agreement, signed in 2016, provides $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing, along with $500 million a year for missile defense cooperation.
The Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, recently visited Israel as the official guest of the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Cooper and Zamir held an extended one-on-one meeting. This was followed by a meeting attended by additional commanders. The IDF says the meeting serves as another expression of the relationship between the commanders and constitutes an additional step in enhancing the close strategic relationship between the IDF and U.S. military and in strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit.)
The debate follows tensions during the Biden administration, when the White House paused the delivery of certain U.S. weapons to Israel in May 2024, including a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. At the time, Netanyahu warned that Israel «will stand alone» if Washington halted weapons deliveries, reflecting concern that limits or delays in U.S. military support could undermine Israel’s readiness and deterrence.
Experts have noted that U.S. leaders have not always approved every Israeli weapons request and that roughly 70% of Israel’s military imports come from the United States, underscoring the strategic calculus behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent push for greater independent production.
Golov criticized that approach, arguing it risks prioritizing optics over readiness. «I believe that is a short-term vision,» Golov said. «In the long term, Israel must first be prepared for the next round of escalation. If we are not ready, we will face another war. If we are prepared, perhaps we can deter it.»
PENTAGON WARNS FUTURE WARS MAY HIT US SOIL AS ‘DIRECT MILITARY THREATS’ GROW
President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, on Oct. 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
«Israel must remain the strongest army in the region, and that is also a fundamental American interest,» Golov said.
Ruhe said the debate reflects lessons learned from nearly two years of war. «You’ve got this sort of topsy-turvy world now where the Israelis are saying we don’t want to take any more U.S. money, and the Americans are saying, no, you’re going to take our money,» he said.
According to Ruhe, the conflict exposed vulnerabilities created by heavy dependence on U.S. supply chains and political delays.
«The war of the last two years showed that Israel can’t afford to be as dependent on the U.S. or continue to maintain the same defense partnership that it has because that creates a dependence,» he said. «Israel becomes vulnerable to U.S. shortages in weapons output or politically motivated embargoes and holdups that can impact Israel’s readiness.»
At the same time, Ruhe noted that Israel remains reliant on the United States for major platforms.
«Even Israel will say we’re utterly dependent on the U.S. for those big-ticket platforms,» he said, pointing to aircraft such as the F-15 and F-35 that Israel has already committed to purchasing.
For that reason, Ruhe argued that maintaining stable funding under the next MOU may be the most practical path forward.
«It’s actually much easier for Congress just to go ahead and approve that money,» he said, explaining that predictable funding reduces annual political battles on Capitol Hill.
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An Israeli fighter jet taking off to launched airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. (IDF)
Golov said Israel’s long-term objective should not be reducing ties with Washington, but deepening them. «I don’t want to reduce dependency,» he said. «I want to increase contribution to America.»
He described the emerging vision as a fundamental shift in how the alliance is structured. «We are moving from a 20th-century aid model to a 21st-century strategic merger,» Golov said. «Israel is the only partner that delivers a 400% return on investment without asking for a single American soldier.»
Golov said the proposed framework is built around three pillars: an industrial defense ecosystem, a joint technology ecosystem and a regional ecosystem connecting Israeli innovation, Gulf infrastructure and American power.
He emphasized that maintaining U.S. security assistance during the transition period is critical.
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This picture taken from Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip shows Israeli military vehicles along the border with the Palestinian territory on April 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. ((Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images))
«We need a final ten-year ‘bridge’ with the current security aid MOU,» Golov said. «A sudden cut would be a dangerous signal of American retreat to our enemies and may hinder IDF preparedness.»
«I don’t know who the next president of the United States will be,» he added. «This is where our enemies can read it in a very dangerous way.»
iran,israel,national security,treaties,middle east
INTERNACIONAL
El cardenal nicaragüense Leopoldo Brenes reorganiza a los sacerdotes de Managua mientras se agrava la tensión con la dictadura
El cardenal Leopoldo José Brenes anunció este domingo el traslado de 23 sacerdotes en la Arquidiócesis de Managua, una reorganización forzada por la expulsión de religiosos que ha dejado múltiples parroquias sin titulares en Nicaragua. La medida se produce en medio de la escalada represiva de la dictadura de Daniel Ortega y Rosario Murillo contra la Iglesia católica, que ha convertido al país centroamericano en uno de los escenarios más graves de persecución religiosa del continente.
Brenes explicó en un comunicado que las nuevas asignaciones pastorales responden al “bien espiritual y la debida atención pastoral de las comunidades parroquiales” de la capital nicaragüense. Entre los movimientos destaca la designación del sacerdote Kevin Mayorga, recientemente ordenado, para ocupar la parroquia Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas, que quedó vacante tras el destierro del padre Héctor Treminio en enero de 2024.
La reorganización incluye parroquias cuyos titulares fueron obligados al exilio por presión gubernamental, como la parroquia Nuestra Señora de las Américas, antes dirigida por el padre Fernando Téllez Báez, quien abandonó Nicaragua en diciembre de 2023 ante amenazas policiales. Brenes también nombró un nuevo director del Seminario Mayor La Purísima: el sacerdote Hanz Bendixen, que ejercía como párroco de la iglesia San Ignacio de Loyola.
El alcance de la persecución religiosa en Nicaragua se refleja en cifras contundentes. Según el informe “Fe bajo fuego” de la ONG Colectivo Nicaragua Nunca Más, al menos 261 religiosos han sido desterrados del país desde 2018, incluidos cuatro obispos, cerca de 140 sacerdotes, más de 90 religiosas, una decena de seminaristas y tres diáconos. Entre los expulsados figuran el presidente de la Conferencia Episcopal, Carlos Enrique Herrera, y los obispos Silvio Báez, Rolando Álvarez e Isidoro Mora.
La relación entre la dictadura de Ortega-Murillo y el Vaticano ha alcanzado niveles de ruptura sin precedentes. En marzo de 2023, el fallecido papa Francisco calificó como “dictadura grosera” al régimen nicaragüense, apenas un mes después de que Álvarez fuera condenado a 26 años y cuatro meses de prisión por “traición a la patria”. El obispo de Matagalpa fue posteriormente desterrado a Roma en enero de 2024, tras permanecer más de 500 días en prisión, la mayoría en régimen de aislamiento.
Ortega respondió a las críticas vaticanas con medidas de represalia directas. Disolvió y expropió a la Compañía de Jesús, orden religiosa a la que pertenecía el papa Francisco, y ha calificado reiteradamente a la Iglesia católica como “mafia” y antidemocrática. En marzo de 2022, el nuncio apostólico Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag fue expulsado del país, punto de inflexión que marcó el deterioro definitivo de las relaciones diplomáticas entre Managua y la Santa Sede.
La persecución no se limita a expulsiones. La investigadora Martha Patricia Molina ha documentado 1.030 ataques contra católicos entre abril de 2018 y enero de 2025, que incluyen agresiones físicas, profanaciones, confiscaciones de propiedades eclesiásticas y la prohibición de más de 18.800 procesiones religiosas. En enero pasado, el régimen confiscó el Seminario Mayor de Filosofía San Luis Gonzaga de la Diócesis de Matagalpa, desalojando a 30 seminaristas, y se apropió del Centro Diocesano de Pastoral La Cartuja.
EFE/ Jorge Torres
La dictadura también ha cerrado 5.609 asociaciones sin fines de lucro, de las cuales 1.294 eran de carácter religioso, según el informe de Nicaragua Nunca Más. Al menos 54 medios de comunicación, 22 de ellos religiosos, han sido clausurados por el Instituto de Telecomunicaciones estatal.
El Grupo de Expertos en Derechos Humanos sobre Nicaragua de la ONU denunció en julio de 2024 que la dictadura mantiene ataques “sistemáticos” contra la Iglesia católica y ha cometido crímenes de lesa humanidad, entre ellos deportación forzosa, encarcelación arbitraria, tortura y persecución por motivos religiosos. Los expertos consideran que estos ataques obedecen a que el régimen percibe a la Iglesia como amenaza directa a su control totalitario sobre la sociedad nicaragüense.
Mientras tanto, los sacerdotes que permanecen en Nicaragua enfrentan restricciones severas: vigilancia policial constante, prohibición de referirse en homilías a temas como derechos humanos o democracia, revisión de teléfonos celulares y obligación de presentar informes semanales sobre sus actividades a las autoridades, según denuncias de organizaciones defensoras de derechos humanos.
christianity,dorado,gente,hablando,mitra,religion and belief,religiosos
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President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed former Sen. John E. Sununu of New Hampshire, a longtime GOP Trump critic, over one of his first-term ambassadors, former Sen. Scott Brown, in a crucial Senate race that’s one of a handful that may determine the Senate majority in the midterm elections.
Sununu, who was praised by Trump as an «America First Patriot» who «will work tirelessly to advance our America First Agenda,» is seen by top Senate Republicans as the strongest candidate to flip the seat held by longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is retiring at the end of this year rather than seek re-election to a fourth six-year term.
«John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN — ELECT JOHN E. SUNUNU,» Trump emphasized, in a post on social media.
Sununu is a former three-term representative who defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire’s 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch.
DEMOCRATS EYE NARROW PATH TO CAPTURE SENATE MAJORITY, BUT ONE WRONG MOVE COULD SINK THEM
Former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on Sept.15, 2025 in Rye, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News Digital)
«I want to thank the President for his support and thank the thousands of Granite Staters who are supporting me,» Sununu said after landing Trump’s endorsement.
The endorsement will further boost Sununu, who enjoys a polling and fundraising advantage over Brown.
After Trump’s endorsement, the Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, said on X that «John Sununu is the clear choice to be New Hampshire’s next US Senator, and President Trump’s critical endorsement has put an end to the primary.»
TIM SCOTT TELLS MAGA VOTERS TRUMP ‘IS ON THE BALLOT’ AS GOP FIGHTS TO GROW SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026
But Brown, as of now, has no intentions of dropping out.
«I’ve always believed that the people of New Hampshire are the ultimate authority on our future, and they deserve a choice between candidates seeking to earn their support,» he said in a statement.
And apparently questioning Sununu’s MAGA credentials, he added, «I am running to ensure our America First agenda is led by someone who views this mission not as a career path, but as a continuation of a lifelong commitment to service.»
Former Sen. Scott Brown, who launched a Republican Senate campaign in New Hampshire in June, is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on July 4, 2025, in Exeter, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )
Brown emphasized, «My priorities for New Hampshire remain clear: a stronger economy, a secure border, reliable and affordable energy and better health care for our veterans. This mission has always been about you, not me. Let’s keep working!»
Sununu is a brand name in New Hampshire politics. His father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor who later served as chief of staff in then-President George H.W. Bush’s White House. And one of his younger brothers is former Gov. Chris Sununu, who won election and re-election to four two-year terms steering the Granite State.
FIRST ON FOX: SUNUNU LAUNCHES BID TO RETURN TO SENATE
But Sununu has a long history of backing Trump rivals. He served as national co-chair on the 2016 Republican presidential campaign of then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who declined to support Trump as the party’s nominee.
And Sununu, along with then-Gov. Chris Sununu, endorsed former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, as she battled Trump for the nomination.
And on the eve of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, the former senator wrote an opinion piece titled «Donald Trump is a loser,» that ran in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s largest daily newspaper.
Brown endorsed Trump ahead of his 2016 New Hampshire primary victory, which launched him toward the GOP presidential nomination and ultimately the White House. Brown later served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during Trump’s first term.
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, seen speaking at a press conference in Washington, DC on November 9, 2025, is retiring at the end of this year. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Some in New Hampshire’s MAGA base immediately rejected the president’s endorsement of Sununu, calling it a «slap in the face to grassroots supporters» who have long backed Trump.
«The Sununu family openly mocked, degraded, and worked against the America First movement, the President himself, and the policies that energized New Hampshire voters,» a group of MAGA activists posted on X. «We will continue and intensify our campaign opposition to the Sununu operation.»
Brown formally launched his Senate campaign in June, after over six months of reaching out to grassroots supporters in the state. He raised roughly $1 million during his first three months as a candidate.
Sununu jumped into the race in late October, with the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.
FIRST ON FOX: BROWN SHOWCASES HEALTHY FUNDRAISING HAUL
NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott said at the time that Senate Republicans were «all-in» for Sununu.
Since then, Sununu has landed the backing of a majority of the Republicans in the Senate, as well as from GOP leaders in New Hampshire.
The seat in New Hampshire, along with an open Democrat-held seat in Michigan are two of the NRSC’s top targets this year as they aim to expand their 53-47 majority in the chamber. Georgia, where the GOP views Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff as very vulnerable, is the NRSC’s other top target.
Sununu more than doubled Brown’s fundraising haul during the past three months, and the latest public opinion polls in New Hampshire indicate Sununu with a double-digit lead over Brown in the GOP primary, which won’t be held until September.
Democratic Senate candidate in New Hampshire, Rep. Chris Pappas, is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on July 4, 2025, in Portsmouth, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)
Pappas, a four-term congressman who represents the eastern half of the state, outraised both Sununu and Brown combined during the 4th quarter of 2025 fundraising.
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And the latest polls indicate Pappas topping Sununu by single digits and Brown by double digits in hypothetical general election matchups.
Pappas is the clear front-runner for his party’s nomination, in a race that also includes Karishma Manzur, a member of the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s rules committee.
donald trump,senate elections,midterm elections,republicans elections,campaigning,new hampshire
Trump ramping up pressure on Iran as tensions grow
Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl reports the latest on tension with Iran from West Palm Beach, Florida. National Security Institute’s Andrew Borene also joins ‘Fox News Live’ to discuss escalating military pressure in the Middle East.
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Iran’s regime released staged images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attempt to show strength and boost a military under strain, according to opposition groups operating outside the country.
The photographs, published by Iranian state media Jan. 31, marked Khamenei’s first public appearance in weeks and showed him praying at the tomb of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as regime officials issued new threats against the U.S. and Europe.
Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the images were aimed less at reassuring the public than at boosting morale among the regime’s weakening security forces.
«The images of Ali Khamenei were pure propaganda,» Safavi told Fox News Digital. «He wanted to show that he is not afraid of dying, but at the same time he is desperately trying to boost the morale of his demoralized forces.»
TRUMP SAYS IRAN CALLED ‘NUMEROUS’ TIMES TO MAKE DEAL AS CARRIER ENTERS MIDDLE EAST WATERS
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei makes first public appearance in weeks with fresh U.S. threats. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader Credit/Associated Press)
Safavi said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains the backbone of the regime’s power but is showing signs of strain after weeks of suppressing nationwide protests.
«These images are intended to project strength and shore up the repressive forces,» he said. «But underneath, the regime is reeling from the reality that its criminal clique cannot break the will of the people and Khamenei knows the situation will never return to what it was before Dec. 28.»
The release of the photos coincided with calls from the European Parliament to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
HUNDREDS RALLY OUTSIDE IRANIAN UN AMBASSADOR’S FIFTH AVENUE RESIDENCE CALLING FOR REGIME CHANGE
The supreme leader attended prayers at the founder’s tomb as officials issued fresh threats against the U.S. and Europe, opposition groups said. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/Associated Press)
«The IRGC is the backbone of this regime,» Safavi said. «Its disintegration can only occur after a fundamental shift in the balance of forces and with the presence of organized resistance on the ground. Only then do defections at lower levels of the military become meaningful.»
Tehran reacted angrily to the European move with Iranian lawmakers appearing in IRGC uniforms in a highly choreographed show of solidarity, according to reports.
A banner reading, «The Revolutionary Guard is the largest anti-terrorism organization in the world,» was displayed at the speaker’s podium, and the IRGC flag was prominently featured, according to the Times of Israel.
US MILITARY WARNS IRAN IT WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY ‘UNSAFE’ ACTIONS AHEAD OF LIVE-FIRE DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Iranian regime projects strength through staged images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at prayers, opposition groups say. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/Associated Press)
«We saw the same thing when the U.S. designated the IRGC a foreign terrorist organization in 2019,» Safavi said.
«More than half of these lawmakers are former IRGC commanders,» he added. «The IRGC dominates Iran’s economy and permeates the executive, legislative and judicial branches, as well as educational institutions.»
After the U.S. dispatched a naval strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln to the region, Khamenei also warned Sunday in comments reported by Iranian state media that any military action would trigger a wider regional conflict.
«We are not the ones who start a war,» Khamenei said . «But if America attacks or harms Iran, the Iranian nation will deliver a strong blow — and any war started by America will spread across the region,» he said per reports.
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President Donald Trump said Sunday that if Iran does not reach a deal on its nuclear program, «we’ll find out» whether Khamenei’s warning proves correct.
«Doing business with Iran means doing business with the IRGC,» Safavi said. «The IRGC is the regime — even the clerics.»
iran,ali khamenei,middle east,donald trump,world protests,terrorism
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