INTERNACIONAL
Rubio heads to Rome with Trump’s Iran clash looming over Pope, Meloni talks

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Secretary of State Marco Rubio previewed a high-profile trip to Rome from the White House briefing room Tuesday, delivering sharp warnings to Iran and flashing easy command of the podium that drew praise from conservative allies online.
«The trip is really not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage, and other secretaries of State have done that in the past,» Rubio said at the White House press conference on Tuesday of his trip to Italy.
The briefing came two days before Rubio is set to visit the Vatican and Italy for meetings amid heightened tensions between President Donald Trump, Pope Leo and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the U.S.-Iran conflict. Rubio used the briefing to defend the administration’s posture toward Tehran, downplay the timing of the Italy visit and signal that Washington is not backing off its pressure campaign.
RUBIO TO VISIT ITALY, VATICAN AMID TROOP DRAWDOWN CALL, TENSION WITH TRUMP, POPE LEO: REPORTS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks out to speak to reporters at the James Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House in Washington on May 5, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
«The message to Iran … these guys are facing real catastrophic destruction to their economy, generational destruction to their economy, generational destruction to the wealth of their country imposed on themselves by the actions that they’re taking,» said Rubio of Iran on Tuesday.
«They should check themselves before they wreck themselves in the direction that they’re going,» Rubio quipped, referencing Ice Cube’s rap song, «Check Yo Self.»
Rubio, a Catholic, is expected to meet with Pope Leo on Thursday morning, at a time when the pontiff has criticized the Trump administration’s Middle East peacemaking efforts.
RUBIO OVERHAULING ‘BLOATED’ STATE DEPARTMENT IN SWEEPING REFORM
«There has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,» the pope said in April. «There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population.»

Rubio emphasized that the move to give military support to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz near Iran is a «defensive operation,» saying the US will only fire if fired upon. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
RUBIO’S TRUMP ADMIN JUGGLING ACT GROWS AS MEME-WORTHY ROLE LIST BECOMES REALITY
The comments were seemingly in reference to one of Trump’s Truth Social posts, where he wrote, «A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will… God Bless the Great People of Iran!»
Trump told reporters on Wednesday in the Oval Office he only has one message for the Pope.
«I can tell you this, that as far as the Pope is concerned, and it’s very simple. Whether I make him happy or I don’t make him happy, Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. And he seemed to be saying that they can. And I say they cannot, because if that happened, the entire world would be hostage. And we’re not going to let that happen,» he said.

The Vatican announced it will not participate in President Trump’s Gaza recovery board. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
TRUMP MEETS WITH ITALIAN PM GIORGIA MELONI AT HIS MAR-A-LAGO RESORT
Rubio will also meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been distancing herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.
The meeting comes as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on NATO allies to align with the U.S. against Iran, including ordering the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany — a drawdown expected to unfold over the next six to 12 months.

Rubio will travel to Italy on Wednesday for meetings with Pope Leo and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. (Maria Grazia Picciarella/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Meloni said Tuesday she would not support any effort to reduce the U.S. military presence in Italy, drawing a contrast with Trump’s broader push to reposition American forces in Europe.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Italy remains a key U.S. security hub in Europe, hosting nearly 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025.
Rubio heads to his high-profile meetings fresh off of social media commenters and conservative leaders applauding how well he stepped in for Karoline Leavitt behind the podium after she took maternity leave late last month. The secretary joked with reporters, fielded questions in multiple languages and delivered pointed warnings to Iran, giving supporters a glimpse of the presence he will likely carry into the Rome trip.
«Marco Rubio is showing the nation & the world what we’ve known about him for decades,» said Republican Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez on X. «Rubio is one of the most eloquent, articulate, & incredibly capable statesmen of our times.»
«President Trump made an EXCELLENT choice in him. He proves it every single day,» he added.
white house, war with iran, iran, state department, marco rubio, italy, pope leo xiv
INTERNACIONAL
Interna en el régimen iraní: el líder supremo se oponía al acuerdo con Estados Unidos impulsado por el presidente Pezeshkian

La firma del acuerdo entre Irán y Estados Unidos para poner fin a la guerra en Medio Oriente dejó al descubierto diferencias en la cúpula del régimen iraní. El líder supremo, Mojtaba Khamenei, reconoció este jueves que no compartía la estrategia que condujo al entendimiento con Washington y que terminó autorizándolo únicamente después de recibir garantías del presidente Masud Pezeshkian y del Consejo Supremo de Seguridad Nacional.
La declaración representa una inusual admisión pública de desacuerdo dentro de las estructuras de mando de la República Islámica en un momento clave, apenas un día después de que los presidentes Donald Trump y Pezeshkian formalizaran el memorando que abrió una etapa de negociaciones para cerrar definitivamente el conflicto.
En un mensaje dirigido a la población iraní, Khamenei explicó que inicialmente no respaldaba el acuerdo alcanzado con Estados Unidos.
“Yo, por principio, tenía una opinión diferente”, afirmó. Sin embargo, sostuvo que decidió dar luz verde al proceso después de que el mandatario iraní y los máximos responsables de seguridad asumieran compromisos concretos para proteger los intereses nacionales.
Según relató, Pezeshkian le garantizó personalmente que Irán no aceptaría condiciones que considerara perjudiciales durante las conversaciones con Washington.
“Si la parte estadounidense intentaba plantear exigencias excesivas, no se sometería”, indicó el líder supremo al describir las garantías que recibió antes de otorgar su consentimiento.

Lejos de presentar el acuerdo como un acercamiento político a Washington, Khamenei buscó marcar distancia y transmitir que el régimen seguirá considerando a Estados Unidos como un adversario estratégico.
“Las negociaciones presenciales futuras no implicarán la aceptación de la postura del enemigo”, afirmó.
Khamenei también aprovechó el mensaje para cuestionar directamente a Donald Trump. Según su versión, fue la Casa Blanca la que presionó para concretar el entendimiento después de meses de enfrentamientos.
“Fue el presidente estadounidense quien, en un acto de desesperación, utilizó toda clase de presión para lograrlo”, sostuvo.
Las declaraciones muestran un intento de equilibrar dos mensajes distintos dentro de Irán. Por un lado, respaldar una decisión adoptada por el gobierno y los organismos de seguridad. Por otro, evitar que el acuerdo sea interpretado por los sectores más duros del régimen como una concesión política ante Washington.
La intervención de Khamenei también tuvo relevancia porque se trata de su primera reacción pública sobre el pacto desde que asumió el cargo en marzo, tras la muerte de su padre, el ayatollah Ali Khamenei, durante los ataques estadounidenses e israelíes del 28 de febrero que desencadenaron la guerra regional.
Desde entonces, el nuevo líder supremo no ha realizado apariciones públicas y se ha limitado a difundir mensajes a través de los canales oficiales del Estado.
El memorando firmado por Estados Unidos e Irán establece el cese permanente de las operaciones militares, contempla compromisos relacionados con la situación en el Líbano y prevé la reapertura del estrecho de Ormuz para el tránsito marítimo internacional.
El documento también abrió un período de 60 días destinado a negociar un acuerdo definitivo sobre el programa nuclear iraní y el levantamiento de sanciones económicas.
Esas futuras conversaciones constituyen uno de los puntos más sensibles para Teherán. Aunque el memorando contempla negociaciones sobre cuestiones nucleares, Khamenei dejó claro que no considera que el proceso implique una modificación de la postura estratégica de la República Islámica frente a Estados Unidos.
La firma del acuerdo puso fin a la guerra, pero también dejó expuestas las tensiones entre quienes consideran necesario avanzar en una negociación con Washington y quienes continúan viendo ese camino con desconfianza.
(Con información de Reuters, AFP, EFE y Europa Press)
Middle East
INTERNACIONAL
Dems raked in millions from employees at firms newly identified as ‘Chinese military companies’

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Democrats, among them some of the most recognizable names in politics, have accepted millions of dollars in campaign contributions from top employees at firms the Pentagon recently designated as «Chinese military companies» operating in the U.S.
The Department of War on June 8 designated Alibaba, Baidu and BYD as «Chinese military companies,» meaning that the three firms, in the eyes of the U.S. government, are providing assistance to the People’s Liberation Army through its military-civil fusion strategy or other means. Senior employees at these companies, including executives, have donated roughly $2.6 million to Democratic political committees since 2020, a Fox News Digital review of campaign finance filings has found.
Notable individuals and organizations that received contributions from top staffers at these firms include Sen. Adam Schiff, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, former President Joe Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic National Committee.
Donors to Democratic committees from the trio of firms include executives, top-level lawyers, lobbyists and, to a much lesser extent, rank-and-file employees working in areas such as engineering or management. The staffers made some contributions to Republicans as well, though the overall sum was far lower than what Democrats received.
PLATNER’S ANTI-CORPORATE CRUSADE HITS AWKWARD SNAG AS RECEIPTS TELL ANOTHER STORY
Rep. Nancy Pelosi speaks to members of the media after a classified briefing on TikTok at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The review included direct contributions, earmarked contributions and donations to joint-fundraising committees reported in campaign finance filings. It did not identify corporate donations from Alibaba, Baidu or BYD to the federal committees.
«American politicians should no longer accept campaign cash from any Chinese companies. Politicians who have been taking campaign cash from companies like Baidu, Alibaba and BYD now realize they were supported by blacklisted Chinese Military Companies,» Michael Lucci, CEO of the national security organization State Armor, told Fox News Digital. «The reason the Pentagon’s list of sanctioned CCP companies keeps expanding is because the Chinese Communist Party imposes a ‘civil-military fusion’ mandate upon all Chinese companies, forcing them to assist in modernizing China’s military with the goal of defeating America.»
«They all end up working to support the PLA. They should all be cut off from U.S. politics,» he added.
The Pentagon’s Chinese military company designation via its 1260H list does not function as a traditional sanction, as Americans can continue to do business with the company.
Biden-linked committees and joint fundraising vehicles were by far the biggest beneficiaries of the funds, taking in roughly $850,000 from employees at the trio of firms between 2020 and 2024. The DNC, meanwhile, had a haul of around $500,000 while Harris-linked committees brought in roughly $140,000.
TOP CALIFORNIA DEM RUNNING FOR OFFICE TIED TO CHINESE SCHOOL ACCUSED OF US DIPLOMA SCANDAL

Former first lady Dr. Jill Biden gave an update on former President Joe Biden’s cancer on Saturday, saying that the 83-year-old will live with cancer for the rest of his life, he maintains a busy schedule but has slowed down. (Grant Baldwin/Getty Images)
Various state Democratic parties also received five-figure support from employees at Baidu, BYD and Alibaba. Newsom, per state campaign finance records, accepted $50,000 from an executive at BYD, an electric-vehicle manufacturer that his administration later awarded a contract.
Fox News Digital reached the offices of Biden, Harris, Schiff, Pelosi, Newsom and the DNC on Sunday for comment and has not heard back as of publishing.
Pentagon officials are legally required to release a list of what it determines to be Chinese military companies every year. The first such list was released in June 2021 under President Joe Biden.
The Pentagon’s 1260H list identifies Chinese companies the Defense Department says are «Chinese military companies» operating directly or indirectly in the United States. Required by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the list is intended to warn U.S. businesses and investors about firms tied to China’s military-civil fusion strategy, though inclusion does not automatically trigger sanctions.
New defense laws, however, have given the list more bite in recent years.
The Pentagon will be barred from directly contracting with companies on the list starting June 30 and is currently banned from contracting with companies who lobby on behalf 1260H-listed firms. In 2027, the ban will be expanded to prevent indirect procurement of goods manufactured by Chinese military companies through supply chain intermediaries.
WALL STREET BANKS HELPED CHINESE MILITARY-LINKED FIRM RAISE BILLIONS DESPITE RED FLAGS, LAWMAKERS FIND

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during her «107 Days» book tour at the Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in downtown Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
While Alibaba, Baidu and BYD only recently earned formal designations as Chinese military companies, their links to the CCP have been widely reported for years.
The Wall Street Journal, for instance, reported in 2017 that Alibaba was assisting the Chinese government in its surveillance efforts against dissidents, and Chinese state media reported in 2018 that the firm had a large CCP presence within it. Some sources within the company told Reuters in 2019 that the firm had developed an app designed specifically to increase ideological alignment with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Alibaba, however, has come out strongly against its inclusion on the Pentagon’s list of Chinese military companies.
NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS RAISE CONCERNS AFTER MICROSOFT PROGRAM EXPOSED AS POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR CHINESE SPYING

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping represent the world’s two most powerful economies. (Brendan Smialowski – Pool/Getty Images)
«There’s no basis to conclude that Alibaba should be placed on the Section 1260H List,» a company spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. «Alibaba is not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy. We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company.»
That statement also appears in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made by Alibaba shortly after it was added to the Pentagon’s list.
«Inclusion in the CMC List will not affect the Group’s ability to conduct business as usual in the United States or anywhere in the world because the Group does not do business related to U.S. military procurement,» the SEC filing adds. «The CMC List does not impose any other export controls or sanctions, nor does it prohibit any persons (other than the U.S. Department of Defense) from business dealings with the Group or transacting in the securities of the Company.»

A person walks past a sign at Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. headquarters in Hangzhou, China, on May 8, 2021. Alibaba is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on May 13. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)
RICKETTS, FETTERMAN TEAM UP FOR CRACKDOWN ON CHINA’S ATTEMPTS TO PURCHASE US FARMLAND
As early as 2015, outlets like Bloomberg News were reporting that the Chinese government was heavily subsidizing BYD. Wang Chuanfu, the founder and CEO of the firm, is a member of the Chinese Communist Party and an ally of Xi.
BYD did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.
In Baidu’s case, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology named the company as part of the country’s «national team» for AI development in 2017, with it later appointed by the CCP’s National Development and Reform Commission to lead China’s first national lab on deep learning technologies, according to state media. The firm, which primarily operates a search engine, reportedly assists the Chinese government in carrying out censorship.
«We categorically reject the inclusion of Baidu on the list, and there is no credible justification for adding Baidu to the list,» a Baidu spokesperson told Fox News Digital «The suggestion that Baidu is a military company is entirely baseless. We will not hesitate to use all options available to us to have the company removed from the list.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The Pentagon has defended its additions to the list.
«After the Department conducted its due diligence, it identified 188 entities that meet the statutory requirement for inclusion on the most recent 1260H List,» a Department of War spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
joe biden, pentagon, fund raising, xi jinping, democrats senate
INTERNACIONAL
Elecciones parciales en Inglaterra: la batalla electoral que podría terminar con Keir Starmer como primer ministro

Territorio laborista y riesgos
Para cambiar la política y a Reform
Starmer le ofrece un cargo en el Gabinete
¿Una coronación?
El riesgo de la ultraderecha
Hacia la izquierda
El plan de Andy
POLITICA23 horas agoPatricia Bullrich: “El Presidente considera que Adorni dio una explicación razonable”
POLITICA1 día agoEl Gobierno envía señales de que Adorni tiene las horas contadas para evitar que sesione el Senado
DEPORTE2 días agoLa secuencia del golazo de Messi para Argentina ante Argelia en el debut en el Mundial 2026 y los récords que rompió


















