The White House News

Illinois’ Democratic attorney general and a court-appointed monitor are among those warning Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson that his administration’s proposed cuts to police resources may land the crime-wracked city in litigation.

During a status hearing last week, monitor Maggie Hickey told Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that cuts to the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD’s) Constitutional Policing division could “could be a devastating blow to the future of CPD reforms” under a legally-mandated consent decree, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

State Attorney General Kwame Raoul separately warned Johnson that adopting cuts proposed in his new budget would place Chicago “at significant risk of being held in contempt of court for failing to comply with the consent decree.”

In 2017, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, then-Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and then-Illinois Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan entered into the consent decree after the Justice Department reportedly found evidence of systemic civil rights violations within CPD.

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Verbal warnings for use-of-force and requirements to render first aid were among the other agreed upon terms besides the funding. The decree came after Madigan sued Chicago for oversight of its police department, which effectively mooted a separate plan from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions — who reportedly opposed consent decrees — according to NBC News.

In his letter to the mayor, Raoul credited Police Superintendent Larry Snelling with working diligently to deliver on the decree’s commitments to the state and the court, and overseeing a simultaneous decrease in gun violence and homicides.

“I am writing to you today because of my grave concern over your proposed budget cuts to the CPD — the deepest of which target units within CPD responsible for implementing the consent decree’s reforms. I strongly urge you to reconsider these proposed cuts,” Raoul wrote in a letter to Johnson obtained by the Sun-Times.

“Now is not the time to undermine the progress the department is making through unwise budget cuts.”

He told the mayor that while the progress in Chicago may be frustratingly slow, it remains “quiet and steady” through his work in Springfield.

In comments to Fox News Digital, Raoul signaled CPD itself is working in earnest toward the decree’s goals.

“Superintendent Snelling and his leadership team at CPD are building momentum toward effective, constitutional policing and, ultimately, a safer Chicago.”

“I have had positive conversations with the corporation counsel and believe the right leadership team is in place at CPD,” Raoul said.

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“Now is the time to build on their momentum, not to pull the rug out from under CPD’s progress. Certainly, the city at large is facing budgetary concerns; however, targeting court-ordered reform work for budget cuts is simply not an option.”

Both Snelling and Raoul separately pointed to the police department’s handling of the Democratic National Convention in August as an example of the strides it has made in effective policing.

“We have to make sure the allocation of resources reflects the trends we have seen,” Snelling said.

“As evidenced during the DNC, no matter what challenges we are presented with, we will get the job done with the highest levels of dedication and professionalism,” he said at a City Council meeting on Friday.

Snelling added that the buck stops with him when it comes to police accountability and that he will not back away from public criticism.

“I don’t fear it,” he said.

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After resources were used to create a robbery task force earlier this year, the number of such crimes has gone down by 1,400 over previous statistics, he added.

Snelling responded to an alderman’s question by saying he convinced Johnson to reverse one of the cuts: a nine-job bloc for mental health clinicians in precincts currently lacking them.

“The consent decree is extremely important,” CPD Chief Angel Novalez added at the meeting, noting he meets with Pallmeyer and the court monitor’s team on a regular basis.

Johnson’s budget includes a reduction of about 450 police vacancies in areas the Chicago Sun-Times reported would greatly affect the consent decree’s reforms.

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office, as well as the CPD which referred back to a stream of Snelling’s City Council testimony.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan for a short-term bill to kick the government funding debate into early next year is getting a rocky reception from various corners of the House GOP.

“That’s not my preference at all,” Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., President-elect Donald Trump’s former Interior secretary, told Fox News Digital. 

Zinke said a short-term bill that kicks the fiscal year (FY) 2025 government spending fight into early next year could impede Trump’s goal of immediately implementing his agenda in the first 100 days of the new administration. 

“You’ve always heard the first 100 days is extremely important, and it is. But to be bogged down in the first 100 days dealing with the issues of last Congress, I think it unfortunately doesn’t provide the runway,” Zinke said.

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Johnson told “Fox News Sunday,” “We’re running out of clock. Dec. 20 is the deadline. We’re still hopeful that we might be able to get that done, but if not, we’ll have a temporary measure, I think, that would go into the first part of next year and allow us the necessary time to get this done.”

He said a short-term extension of this year’s funding, called a continuing resolution (CR), would benefit Republicans by kicking the spending fight into a period when the GOP controls both Congress and the White House.

Other Trump allies, like Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., are also advocating for a short-term bill to give Republicans full control over this year’s fight.

However, several rank-and-file Republicans like Zinke suggested that dealing with the previous administration’s issues could hinder Trump’s aim of a productive first 100 days.

On the other side of the House GOP, hardliners who previously opposed a CR on principle signaled they would not budge this time, either.

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“I really have to read things before I say whether I’m going to vote on them or not,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital. “I have never really voted for any CR, so it’s hard for me to support in the first place.”

House and Senate negotiators have done little bicameral work to fund the government for the current fiscal year. Instead, congressional leaders chose to extend the previous deadline of Sept. 30 through late December.

It has caused frustration among some House Republicans who have pushed for Congress to fulfill its duties of setting new fiscal spending directives for FY 2025. 

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“We should have got our business done before,” Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, told reporters on Monday evening.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., suggested kicking the debate into next year could hamper Trump’s ability “to hit the ground running,” but saw little other choice left, given the short amount of time before the Dec. 20 deadline.

Others, like Zinke and Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, are still pushing for a full spending package addressing the current fiscal year’s spending.

“The smartest thing that I believe that we can do as a conference would be to do an end-of-the year package to clean the entire decks for President Trump when he comes in,” Miller said. 

“If we were able to put an end-of-the-year package together and finish the appropriations process, which is our main job in Congress, then the president can get going in January with his agenda and his legislation.”

One senior GOP lawmaker pointed out that a partial government shutdown is a “high probability” if Republicans can’t all get on board with a CR, assuming Democrats do not support one either.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, said when asked about Johnson’s tentative plan, “You know I’m not a fan of CRs in any form.”

Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs says the border state, which voted for President-elect Donald Trump in the presidential election this month, will not be aiding the incoming administration with its “misguided” plan to launch a mass deportation operation.

Hobbs was asked by ABC News about whether the Trump administration will bring a reset on the border, and she responded by focusing on current partnerships with the federal government to secure the border. 

“I am very hopeful that that partnership can continue, and that the incoming administration will listen to, not only my administration, but the experts here on the ground, the people that are doing the work about what is most needed, and what we can continue to do that will be most helpful in securing our border,” she said.

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She then added, “What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those.”

Trump made launching a mass deportation operation a key part of his 2024 presidential campaign, and his transition team has already started making plans on the logistics of the operation. On Monday, Trump said he was open to declaring a national emergency and using military assets to make it happen.

When pressed on the deportations, Hobbs’ was asked if state police and National Guard would help with deportations.

“We will not be participating in misguided efforts that harm our communities, and I’ve been incredibly clear about that,” she said.

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She cited the diversion of resources and law enforcement as one of the reasons she opposes those operations.

“I think the diversion of law enforcement from the work that they do every day to keep our communities safe, people hiding in fear – we saw that under previous state policies here – and it it harms communities. It tears families apart. And we’re not going to…that’s not going to happen on my watch,” she said.

She is the latest Democratic official to promise not to assist the Trump administration with deportations. Earlier this week, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the sanctuary city would not be cooperating with the deportation operation, after Mass. Gov. Maura Healey has promised to use “every tool in the toolbox” to protect residents.

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Officials elsewhere across the U.S. have made similar claims, but Hobbs’ comments are significant since it is not only a border state, but also a swing state that voted for Trump in the recent election.

Trump’s team have indicated they will carry out the plan, even without the support of those Democratic officials.

Tom Homan, who was appointed to be the “border czar” by President-elect Trump, said recently that those officials should get out of the way.

“If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ he said.

FEMA Director Deanne Criswell vowed to request an inspector general investigation into orders that FEMA employees avoid homes of Trump supporters during relief efforts for Hurricane Milton.

Criswell made the commitment during her testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday. Criswell has insisted that orders to avoid pro-Trump homes originated from a lone employee and were not part of a wider directive.

Committee Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., asked Criswell whether FEMA’s ongoing internal investigation included officials above Marn’i Washington, the employee confirmed to have issued the order.

“The investigation includes those that were deployed in this particular incident, and we have found no evidence that there is anything beyond this one employee’s specific direction,” Criswell said.

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“Why shouldn’t this be an independent investigation by at least somebody like the [inspector general]?” Perry pressed.

“The actions that this employee took are unacceptable–,” Criswell said before getting cut off.

“I know that, you know that,” Perry interjected.

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“And I would welcome an investigation by the IG,” Criswell said.

“But you haven’t requested – will you request one?” Perry asked.

“I will request one,” Criswell confirmed.

Criswell’s claims contradict Washington, who asserts that she is being scapegoated by the agency for a wider policy of avoiding pro-Trump homes in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Washington emphasized to Fox News that FEMA prioritizes “avoidance” and “de-escalation” in situations where some employees may feel unsafe, and that is not necessarily politically targeted at Trump supporters. This could include other situations, like urban areas where there are unleashed dogs, she said.

Washington told Fox News’ Trace Gallagher that discriminating against people explicitly because of political leanings would violate the Hatch Act, but said “unfortunately, again, the passionate supporters for Trump, some of them were a little bit violent.”

President-elect Donald Trump’s new pick to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is being blasted for tattoos that some allege are symbols of White supremacy and Christian nationalism.

Hegseth, 44, is a former Fox News host and retired Army major who served in the infantry and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Like many current and former military members, Hegseth has an array of tattoos with Christian and American symbolism.

One of the tattoos garnering the most attention is a symbol on Hegseth’s chest known as the “Jerusalem Cross,” which consists of one large cross surrounded by four smaller crosses.

Hegseth, an evangelical Christian, has said that the cross is a symbol of his Christian faith, but his detractors have said the Jerusalem Cross is an indicator of extremism, White supremacist and Christian nationalist sentiment. Some have even mistaken it for the Nazi swastika.

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According to Hegseth, concern over the tattoo caused his leadership in the District of Columbia National Guard to pull him from a mission to guard the inauguration of President Biden and ultimately factored into his decision to retire from the military.

According to Father David Grenier, a Catholic priest and member of the religious order the Holy Land Franciscan Friars, which uses the Jerusalem Cross as its symbol, the cross originated in Eastern Christianity sometime in the fifth and sixth centuries and was later adopted by crusaders and the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1291.

The cross, which adorns Grenier’s habit, continues to be used by his order today. The cross is also the emblem of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Catholic order, the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.

He explained to Fox News Digital that the Jerusalem Cross has a dual meaning of representing the five wounds of Christ’s crucifixion and the gospel being taken to every corner of the world. In the latter interpretation, he said that the large cross represents Jerusalem from which the gospels reach the north, south, east and west, which are represented by the four smaller crosses.

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While he said that he cannot speak to why Hegseth chose to tattoo the Jerusalem Cross on himself, he is not familiar with the cross being used to represent Christian supremacy sentiments. On the contrary, he said that the cross symbolizes the message of salvation being taken to all people. He also said that it is a fairly common practice for Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem to tattoo a Jerusalem Cross on themselves as a sign that they have visited the holy city.

“That was something that was happening, not necessarily for everyone, but for many people who traveled,” he said. “And even today, when they go to the Holy Land to have the Jerusalem cross tattooed on their body.”

One of those modern pilgrims with a Jerusalem Cross tattoo is Father Mike Schmitz, a podcaster, youth speaker and one of the most well-known Catholic priests in America.

In a video explaining his tattoo, Schmitz said that it serves as a reminder that “I never, ever, no matter what–I never want to be able to take off Jesus.”

“If you are baptized, you’ve been clothed in Christ. You can’t take Him off. Same with me. I’ve been clothed in Christ in my baptism, and I can’t take him off, even if I wanted to. But there is some kind of expression of that. Now it’s on my arm,” he said.

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Similarly, Jennifer Greenberg, an evangelical author and composer, told Fox News Digital that the Jerusalem Cross is also very common in evangelical circles.

She said she was “shocked” to see the cross being compared to a swastika online, which compelled her to respond in a viral X post.

“To see something so beautiful and so precious, such a symbol of rich Christian heritage equated with Nazism, you know, white supremacy, it was just really disgusting,” she said.

According to Greenberg, the cross continues to be worn by pastors and to adorn Bibles and Christian books.

She also pointed out that Hegseth’s other controversial tattoos, “Deus Vult” and “Join or Die,” are common Christian and American symbols and are not associated with extremism.

The “Join or Die” tattoo, which depicts a chopped-up snake, is a political cartoon first published in 1754 in Benjamin Franklin’s Philadelphia newspaper. The cartoon was intended to encourage the various American colonies to unite over a common cause and became one of the most well-known symbols of the Revolutionary War.

However, perhaps more controversial is the Deus Vult tattoo, Latin for “God wills it.” This saying was a common battle cry during the Crusades, but, as Greenberg explained, it is also a common saying in Christianity indicating trust and abandonment of oneself to God’s providence.

“What they were saying is, ‘God, no matter what happens to me, if I die in battle, if I’m terribly injured, no matter what happens, may your will be done,’” she said. “I think it makes a lot of sense that someone like Pete Hegseth, being a veteran, would resonate with that kind of symbol because, as a veteran, as a soldier, he would have gone into battle. He would have walked between landmines, and this would have been a comforting thought for him. No matter what happens to me, God, let your will be done.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made no secret of his feelings toward President Biden after Donald Trump was elected this month, publicly revealing he’d ignored the current U.S. president’s counsel and threats to withhold aid. 

“The U.S. had reservations and suggested that we not enter Gaza,” Netanyahu revealed to the Israeli Knesset on Monday. 

The U.S., he said, also was hesitant about Israel’s plans to enter Gaza City, Khan Younis and “strongly opposed entry into Rafah,” threatening to force Israel to fight without U.S. aid.

“President Biden told me that if we go in, we will be left alone,” Netanyahu said. “He also said that he would stop shipments of important weapons to us. And so he did. A few days later, [U.S. Secretary of State Antony] Blinken appeared and repeated the same things and I told him – we will fight with our nails.”

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The U.S. ultimately withheld a single shipment of 2,000-pound bombs, allowing all other weapons transfers to go on. 

“I made clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gotten into Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem,” Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett in an interview at the time.

The move prompted blowback from supporters of Israel in Congress and Biden eventually moved forward with the shipment.

Netanyahu also claimed the U.S. wanted Israel not to respond to Iran’s missile attacks on Tel Aviv in October. 

“Again, we were told by our friend that there is no need to respond. And I said that sitting and not reacting is not acceptable, and we responded.”

He confirmed that Israel had struck Iranian nuclear facilities in its counter-attack.

“It’s not a secret, it has been published,” Netanyahu said. “There is a specific component in their nuclear program that was hit in this attack.”

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Netanyahu emphasized the importance of Israel making its own decisions. 

“We must preserve Israel’s independence. We decided to enter – and we occupied Rafah, the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing.”

Netanyahu had immediately congratulated Trump following his victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election, deeming it “history’s greatest comeback.” 

At the Knesset meeting Monday, Netanyahu said he would work with Trump on how to move forward on combating Iran through its proxies, its ballistic missiles and its nuclear program. 

“Our ability to act against these three threats will be evaluated in the near future together with the incoming administration in Washington,” he said.

The Biden administration is working to secure a cease-fire in Lebanon in its final months in power. Amos Hochstein, Biden’s envoy to the Middle East, suggested a peace deal was “within our grasp.” 

“This is a moment of decision-making. I am here in Beirut to facilitate that decision, but it’s ultimately the decision of the parties to reach a conclusion to this conflict. It is now within our grasp,” he said.

But Netanyahu struck a different tone – suggesting his nation would continue to carry out attacks on Hezbollah even if they had reached a cease-fire “on paper.” 

“The most important thing is not [the deal that] will be laid on paper,” Netanyahu said. “Even if there is a paper [setting out an agreement], worthy though it may be, we will be required, in order to ensure our security in the north (of Israel), to systematically carry out operations – not only against Hezbollah’s attacks, which could come. Even if there is a cease-fire, nobody can guarantee it will hold. So it’s not only our reaction, a preventive reaction, a reaction in the wake of attack, but also the capacity to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening.”

“We will not allow Hezbollah to return to the state it was in on Oct. 6, 2023.”