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White House dubs Dem a scam victim after he fumes Rubio wouldn’t fund climate trip
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The White House dubbed Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse a scam victim after he publicly complained the Trump administration would not fund or support his junket to the COP30 climate change conference in Belém, Brazil this week.
The Trump administration largely ignored the confab of global climate change leaders; a stark contrast to former President Joe Biden sending Clinton confidant John Podesta to lead a substantial U.S. delegation to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2024.
«Sadly, Senator Whitehouse has fallen victim to the biggest scam of the century: the Green New Scam,» White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said of Whitehouse, D-R.I.
«The senator can foolishly spend time and money attending this radical ‘climate’ conference, but the Trump administration refuses to waste taxpayer dollars.»
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Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse speaks at a hearing. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Whitehouse spoke at a press conference on the House side of the Capitol Thursday with the blessing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Whitehouse held up his COP30 badge and lamented that it did not label him a representative of the «United States of America» but instead «Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment: GLOBE.»
That group was co-founded by then-Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., and the late Sen. John Heinz III, R-Pa. in the 1990s, and Whitehouse said that without support from Secretary Marco Rubio’s State Department, he relied on a House of Representatives «energy and environment coalition» to facilitate his travel.
FLARING CLIMATE PROTESTS BECOMING MORE CONFRONTATIONAL AS FREE SPEECH TESTED GLOBALLY
Whitehouse said the confab – to which California Gov. Gavin Newsom also traveled – showed a «failure of the United States to be present.»
«For the first time in history that I’m aware of, the State Department refused to support or facilitate my travel or my credentialing. My credentials don’t say United States of America,» he said, adding that it is typically State Department or executive branch protocol to support «CODELs» or congressional delegations.
«[T]he State Department refused to support this – that’s how bad the Trump administration has become.»
PROTECTING AMERICA’S OUTDOORS IS PATRIOTIC — BUT RADICAL ACTIVISM GETS IN THE WAY
Whitehouse said President Donald Trump is ignoring COP30 because he does not effectively represent the U.S. government on climate matters.
«He represents the fossil fuel industry, and specifically his big billionaire fossil fuel donors,» Whitehouse said, before pivoting to his contention at the conference that «carbon pricing» – which critics call «carbon taxes» – is crucial.
«The good things that have come out of COP[30] so far mean that the plane crashes higher up the mountain. But if you want to get the plane over the mountaintop safely, you’ve got to have carbon pricing.»
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The Ocean State Democrat said he warned European COP30 attendees to hold firm if Trump attacks their climate commitments.
Jeffries later echoed Whitehouse, saying Trump is showing an unwillingness to address «issues of importance to the American people,» including climate change and affordability.
«The Trump administration and the United States government chose not to be involved and engaged at the most recent conference, essentially ceding leadership on this issue in the world to our rival: the Chinese Communist Party — while leaving America and Americans behind,» Jeffries said.
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Meanwhile, Daniel Turner, founder of Power The Future, a Virginia group that focuses on energy policy advocacy geared toward industry effects on workers and rural communities, said Whitehouse was out of line to make such an issue of the matter.
«It was bad enough that while the nation was reeling from the Democrats’ government shutdown, Senator Whitehouse took a tropical vacation and praised the communist Chinese,» Turner said.
Turner appeared to reference a Fox Business segment in which Whitehouse filmed himself at COP30 lamenting his lonely official presence, and saying how large the Chinese official «pavilion» was.
«I will never kiss the boots of the Communist Chinese that use slave and child labor to build crappy wind and solar which drives up the price of American electricity,» Turner said, saying it showed how «out of touch ‘blue-blood, Whites-Only-Country-Club Whitehouse’ is.»
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In 2021, Whitehouse refused to apologize for his family’s membership in a Newport, R.I., club that was accused of, but denied, retaining a discriminatory membership policy.
«I think the people who are running the place are still working on that, and I’m sorry it hasn’t happened yet,» Whitehouse said at the time.
Whitehouse further defended his presence at COP30 in a statement this month, saying that Republican «corruption» is deliberately raising costs on American families to the benefit of donors from the fossil fuel industry.
«Amidst sinking approvals and a shellacking in the most recent elections, it’s no surprise the Trump administration is unwilling to defend the fossil fuel industry’s unpopular and corrupt climate denial lies on the global stage,» Whitehouse said.
«In Belém, I hope to rally our allies to stay steady on climate action, including CBAM, in the face of attacks from the fossil fuel villains running the Trump administration. There is no pathway to climate safety without CBAM, and we must protect that pathway at all costs.»
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
state department,china,energy in america,democrats senate,rhode island,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
El régimen de Corea del Norte se sumó a Rusia y respaldó la elección del nuevo líder supremo de Irán, Mojtaba Khamenei
Las autoridades de la dictadura norcoreana expresaron este miércoles su apoyo a la elección del nuevo líder supremo de Irán, Mojtaba Khamenei, tras la muerte de su padre, Ali Khamenei, durante el primer día de los bombardeos de Estados Unidos e Israel a Teherán.
Un portavoz del Ministerio de Exteriores de Corea del Norte afirmó que, “ante el reciente anuncio oficial de la Asamblea de Expertos iraní”, Pyongyang respalda “el derecho y la libertad del pueblo iraní de elegir a su propio líder supremo”, según recogió la agencia estatal KCNA.
El portavoz manifestó además su “profunda preocupación” y condenó enérgicamente lo que calificó como agresión “ilegal” por parte de las fuerzas estadounidenses e israelíes, a quienes acusó de “socavar los cimientos de la paz y la seguridad regionales, y aumentar la inestabilidad en el panorama internacional”.
En ese sentido, el funcionario del régimen liderado por Kim Jong-Un señaló que “todas las formas de amenazas retóricas y acciones militares que socaven el sistema político y la integridad territorial del país en cuestión, interfieran en sus asuntos internos y aboguen abiertamente por el derrocamiento son inaceptables bajo cualquier circunstancia y deben ser condenadas y rechazadas”.
La semana pasada, Corea del Norte calificó los ataques militares de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán como “un acto de agresión totalmente ilegal” y “la forma más despreciable de violación de la soberanía”, en medio del estancamiento de las conversaciones nucleares indirectas entre Washington y Teherán.
Pyongyang y Teherán mantienen una relación histórica de cooperación en materia de defensa y tecnología militar, y el conflicto en Medio Oriente podría reforzar la postura norcoreana de que su arsenal nuclear es fundamental para garantizar la supervivencia del régimen.
Entre otras personalidades internacionales que apoyaron la asunción política de Mojtaba Khamenei se encontró el líder del movimiento hutí de Yemen, Abdelmalek al Hutí, quien calificó el lunes el nombramiento como “una bofetada enorme” para Estados Unidos e Israel.
En una carta de felicitación publicada por medios hutíes, Al Hutí elogió la transición de liderazgo en Irán como una victoria para la Revolución Islámica. “Esta exitosa elección fortalece los cimientos del sistema islámico y asesta una bofetada a los tiranos de esta era: Estados Unidos e Israel”, expresó el líder hutí.
A su vez, enmarcó la resiliencia de Irán como parte de una lucha más amplia contra “el plan sionista para cambiar Medio Oriente” y añadió que “la firmeza y la resistencia eficaz de Irán contra la agresión conducirán a la victoria”. El politburó hutí elogió el nombramiento como “una nueva victoria para la Revolución Islámica” y celebró la sucesión como “un golpe rotundo” para los adversarios de Irán.
El comunicado subrayó “la fe, la sabiduría y el coraje” de Mojtaba Khamenei y expresó confianza en que su liderazgo fortalecerá el papel de Irán en la lucha contra la “agresión estadounidense-israelí” y la “arrogancia global”. La transición marca la primera sucesión hereditaria en la historia de la República Islámica.
El presidente de Rusia, Vladimir Putin, también expresó el apoyo “inquebrantable” de su país a Irán tras la elección de Mojtaba como sucesor en el liderazgo supremo iraní.
“Rusia ha sido y seguirá siendo un socio fiable de la República Islámica. Le deseo éxito en las tareas difíciles que enfrenta”, señaló Putin en su mensaje de felicitación difundido por la Presidencia rusa. El mandatario reafirmó la solidaridad de Moscú con Teherán y sus “amigos iraníes”.
Putin subrayó que el nuevo mandato requiere “gran coraje y dedicación” en un contexto de agresión armada. “Confío en que continuará con honor la labor de su padre y que unirá al pueblo iraní durante estas duras pruebas”, concluyó el presidente ruso.
La Asamblea de Expertos, compuesta por 88 miembros, eligió a Khamenei como sucesor, respaldado por autoridades políticas, parlamentarias y militares de Irán, que defendieron la designación como una medida para garantizar la estabilidad del país en el contexto de la guerra con Estados Unidos e Israel.
(Con información EFE)
defence,domestic politics
INTERNACIONAL
US strike on key Iran oil hub would fit Trump’s ‘energy dominance doctrine,’ expert says
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Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran’s crude exports and was once floated by President Donald Trump as a potential target could spark broader regional instability and attacks on energy infrastructure if struck by the U.S., a leading energy security expert has warned.
Reports indicate the Trump administration is weighing options that could include a direct attack on Kharg Island.
Discussing the possibility of boots on the ground amid Operation Epic Fury on «The Claman Countdown,» retired Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt also told Liz Claman striking Kharg could be in the «offing.»
«I don’t think a significant number of boots on the ground, other than the chance of an assault on Kharg Island, is in the offing,» he said March 9.
TRUMP IS REALIGNING WORLD ENERGY MARKETS, AND THE IRAN STRIKES ARE ACTUALLY HELPING
The Kharg Island Oil Terminal brings Iranian oil to the world market. The oil terminal is the world’s largest open oil terminal, with 95% of Iran’s crude oil exports coming through it. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Trump’s interest in the island dates back to a 1988 interview in which he reportedly suggested targeting Kharg in response to Iranian aggression, according to reports.
«I’d be harsh on Iran. They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look like a bunch of fools,» Trump said. «One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.»
Sara Vakhshouri, a global energy analyst, said striking Kharg aligns squarely with Washington’s «energy dominance» doctrine and spoke as U.S. and Israeli military action in Iran rattles energy markets and disrupts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
«Kharg currently acts as a strategic restraint point in the conflict,» Vakhshouri, founder and president of SVB Energy International, told Fox News Digital.
«Interrupting Iran’s main export terminal would likely trigger a major oil price spike, market instability and regional retaliation against energy infrastructure.»
TRUMP SAYS IT’S AN ‘HONOR’ TO KEEP STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPEN FOR CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES
Reports indicate President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a direct attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iranian oil exports near Strait of Hormuz. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Kharg’s significance is not only tactical but strategic, she added, arguing that it fits squarely within Trump’s long-touted doctrine.
The policy, central to Trump’s first term, prioritized maximizing U.S. oil and gas production, expanding exports and leveraging U.S. energy strength as a geopolitical tool.
«But when we talk about Kharg, the most important factor is that it fits within the U.S. energy dominance concept,» Vakhshouri said, suggesting that holding the island in reserve as a pressure point — rather than immediately striking it — may be a more strategic option.
Kharg sits in the northern Persian Gulf, roughly 15 miles off Iran’s mainland. Tankers leaving the terminal pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow choke point that handles about one-fifth of global oil trade.
KEANE WARNS IRAN STRIKE BECOMING ‘REGIONAL WAR,’ SAYS THREE GULF STATES PREPARING FOR COMBAT
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before departing Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 1, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Around 90% to 95% of Iran’s crude and petroleum exports pass through Kharg, making it the regime’s primary oil revenue hub.
«Roughly 15 to 20 million barrels may be in storage, with around 1.5 to 3 million barrels per day exported through the terminal during the sanctions, with export capacity up to 5 million barrels per day,» Vakhshouri said.
«If the export capability from Kharg were lost, this restraint could diminish, shifting the risk toward further strikes on regional energy facilities and, more importantly, prolonged disruption of oil flows and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,» she warned.
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«Putting a price ceiling on such a scenario would depend largely on Iran’s retaliatory actions,» Vakhshouri added.
«The certain outcome, however, would be prolonged volatility and uncertainty in the market, driven by fears of further retaliation or an extended cycle of disruption.»
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
war with iran,iran,middle east,donald trump,wars,energy,geopolitics
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Senate Democrats are preparing a series of war powers votes aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military operations against Iran — and forcing the administration to publicly defend its actions.
Several Senate Democrats filed war powers resolutions last week meant to handcuff Trump and his continued conflict in the Middle East. It’s a power play by the group, who say the administration has not shown enough evidence that the U.S. should have struck Iran in the first place, much less continue fighting in the region.
Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., collectively filed five war powers resolutions last week, and they’re joined by Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Tim Kaine, D-Va. Kaine has filed resolution after resolution to curb Trump’s war authority since he took office for his second term.
SCHUMER ONCE BLOCKED TRUMP’S MOVE TO FILL THE NATION’S OIL RESERVES, NOW HE WANTS THEM OPENED
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and five other Senate Democrats are planning to dominate the Senate floor with war powers votes, unless Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly testify on the war in Iran. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Those resolutions, barring an official slate of hearings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, could hit the Senate next week and grind down floor time.
«This Congress should be focused on the biggest military action since the Afghanistan war, and we’re not even holding hearings on that,» Booker told Fox News Digital.
Murphy said that the resolutions could hit the Senate floor as soon as next week, and warned that if hearings are set in motion, Democrats would be able to «call up a vote every day on war powers and force at least a short debate and vote every day.»
«There’s no excuse to hide what the administration is doing from the public,» Murphy said.
STATE DEPARTMENT DEFENDS ‘PROACTIVE’ EVACUATION EFFORTS AGAINST DEMS’ CLAIMS OF DIPLOMATIC CHAOS
Senate Democrats are planning to grind the Senate to a halt unless Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio testify publicly on the war in Iran. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
While the group wouldn’t reveal exactly what their gridlock-inducing floor strategy would look like, they contended that the chairs of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations committees had already requested that Rubio and Hegseth testify.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, R-Idaho, wouldn’t say whether he had requested Rubio to appear before his panel but blamed Senate Democrats for helping the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
«You’ll notice the Democrats are the only entity on this planet who are helping the IRGC,» Risch told Fox News Digital, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
OPERATION EPIC FURY SURVIVES SENATE CHALLENGE AS REPUBLICANS CLOSE RANKS BEHIND TRUMP
Sen. James Risch, Republican from Idaho, speaks to reporters following the weekly Senate Republicans policy luncheon, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 28, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The group argued that Rubio and Hegseth should make the case for the war in Iran to the public and that closed-door, classified briefings on the matter weren’t enough to convince them that the war was necessary.
«I was absolutely not convinced. In fact, nothing was offered to show me that we were under imminent attack,» Baldwin said. «That we were under imminent attack, or that it was reasonable to believe that we were at risk — and that’s what would trigger the president’s authority to use military force without coming to Congress first.»
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged that Democrats’ strategy would eat away at floor time but cautioned that «we’ll see how the next few days in the conflict go.»
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«I’m sure there’ll be some decisions made around that, but maybe that’ll affect whether or not they try to trigger all those,» Thune said.
Thune said that «there always are» hearings and noted that the Senate Armed Services Committee would be holding hearings soon on the annual National Defense Authorization Act.
«So they’re going to have all those folks coming through on a fairly routine basis anyway, and I’m sure this will be a subject of discussion,» Thune said.
politics,senate,democrats senate,war with iran,john thune,marco rubio,pete hegseth
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