President-elect Trump on Wednesday tapped former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to become U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in his new administration. 

Trump described Whitaker, who is from Iowa, as ‘a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.’

‘Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability – He will put AMERICA FIRST,’ Trump said in a statement. ‘I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to promote PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, Freedom, and Prosperity around the World.’

‘Matt is also the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, and is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A., MBA and J.D., where he played football, and received the Big Ten Medal of Honor,’ Trump added. 

The appointment Wednesday comes at a significant juncture for the alliance. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for the Kremlin’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows President Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with American-supplied long-range missiles.

The new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles early Tuesday at a military facility in Russia’s Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, adding that air defenses shot down five of them and damaged one more. Ukraine’s military claimed the strike hit a Russian ammunition depot.

Putin first announced changes in the nuclear doctrine in September, when he chaired a meeting discussing the proposed revisions. He has previously warned the U.S. and other NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons to hit Russian territory would mean that Russia and NATO are at war.

Whitaker served as Acting Attorney General from November 2018 to February 2019.

That was after Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at Trump’s request amid Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian collusion by the Trump campaign. Whitaker was Sessions’ chief of staff and was critical of the probe. 

Trump later nominated Bill Barr as the permanent replacement to head the Justice Department following Sessions’ departure.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The first lady of Brazil turned heads when she dropped an f-bomb directed at Tesla CEO Elon Musk during an official event over the weekend.

At the time, Brazil’s first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, was speaking about misinformation on social media during a pre-G-20 social event on Saturday. The G-20 summit began on Monday in Rio de Janeiro.

Lula da Silva, who is married to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stopped mid-speech when she heard a ship’s horn blaring in the distance.

‘I think it’s Elon Musk,’ the first lady joked in Portuguese. ‘I’m not afraid of you, by the way.’

‘F— you, Elon Musk,’ Janja added in English, prompting cheers from the audience.

The clip, which was posted on X, drew the attention of Musk, who responded with laughing emojis.

‘They will lose the next election,’ the entrepreneur wrote.

Brazil banned X in September, prompting outrage across the world. Brazilian Supreme Court’s Justice Alexandre de Moraes imposed the ban, citing misinformation on X, which the judge felt was not adequately moderated on the platform.

The country lifted the ban a month later, and de Moraes wrote that the decision ‘was conditioned, solely, on [X’s] full compliance with Brazilian laws and absolute observance of the Judiciary’s decisions, out of respect for national sovereignty.’

‘X is proud to return to Brazil,’ X said in a statement at the time. ‘Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process. We will continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law, everywhere we operate.’

The Brazilian first lady’s joke took place two days before the G-20 summit officially began. President Biden was present at the summit, though he did not appear during the annual family photo with fellow world leaders and missed the photo-op ‘for logistical reasons,’ the White House said.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Biden ignored a reporter’s pleas to speak to the press as she screamed questions at him while he boarded Air Force One to depart from Rio de Janeiro.

On Tuesday, Biden finished up his trip to Brazil, where he attended the G-20 summit and met with world leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. 

Video shows that as Biden prepared to board Air Force One, an unidentified reporter tried to grab his attention. She can be heard yelling at the top of her lungs to break through the noise created by Biden’s Boeing 747 plane. It is not clear if Biden chose not to answer her or if he could not hear her questions over the roar from the plane’s engines. 

‘Mr. President, happy early birthday! For your birthday, will you talk to us, sir?’ the reporter said, her voice growing louder with each attempt to ask questions.

‘As a gift to the press will you please talk to us? Mr. President! President Biden, please! We haven’t heard from you all trip!’ 

Her voice sounded almost hoarse with the final cry of, ‘MR. PRESIDENT!’ 

Biden turns 82 on Wednesday and will finish office as the oldest person to serve as president in American history – until President-elect Trump, 78, assumes office in January and serves for four more years.  

Many news outlets have called out Biden for his habit of ignoring reporters’ questions and lack of direct interviews with the media. 

‘For anyone who understands the role of the free press in a democracy, it should be troubling that President Biden has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term,’ The New York Times said in a public statement in April. ‘The president occupies the most important office in our nation, and the press plays a vital role in providing insights into his thinking and worldview, allowing the public to assess his record and hold him to account.’

The statement went on to say that while Biden may be within his rights to avoid the New York Times in particular, he needs to speak with major news outlets on principle. 

‘However, in meetings with Vice President Harris and other administration officials, the publisher of The Times focused instead on a higher principle: That systematically avoiding interviews and questions from major news organizations doesn’t just undermine an important norm, it also establishes a dangerous precedent that future presidents can use to avoid scrutiny and accountability.’

Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

David French, the conservative New York Times contributor and longtime anti-Trumper, has a provocative take on why the president-elect won.

It’s the economy and the border, stupid.

‘I can’t help but think that if the withdrawal from Afghanistan hadn’t been a bloody mess (that’s when President Biden’s approval rating went underwater, and it never came back), if inflation hadn’t spiked and if migration hadn’t surged at the border, then we’d be having a different conversation.

‘I know that the Harris campaign had answers for all these criticisms. The American people wanted to end the Afghan war, and Biden was saddled with Trump’s terrible deal with the Taliban. Inflation was a global phenomenon, and it was unfair to entirely blame Biden when, by 2023, America had the lowest inflation rate among the Group of 7 countries. The Biden administration had finally cracked down on the border and had endorsed a tough new border bill.’ 

He adds that ‘they also rightly argued that Trump nostalgia was misplaced. It was wrong to give the former president a pass for the pandemic or for the chaos and murder spikes of 2020. His term did not end in 2019, with peace and prosperity. It ended near the beginning of 2021 with disease, violence and cultural decay. Even the memories of the time before Covid are idealized.’

So it was really Joe Biden who lost the election by letting inflation spiral – he was, in fairness, digging out of the pandemic – and turning the border into a free-for-all zone. He was also a terrible salesman for a series of bipartisan victories.

When his mental decline became obvious at the debate, and he stepped aside for Kamala Harris, she had to run on that record – and famously told ‘The View’ that she couldn’t think of a single thing where she differed with the president.

So the powerless Democrats may be more screwed than you think.

Given the party’s evolution from champion of the working class to representing the highly educated coastal elites in politics, academia and journalism, the Dems are left without a winning coalition they once took for granted.

In a Times news story, Jennifer Medina writes:

‘The working-class voters Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign needed were not moved by talk of joy. They were too angry about feeling broke.

‘The losses up and down the ballot leave Democrats in crisis. Voters without a college degree make up a solid majority of the electorate. Without them, the White House could be out of reach. And for a party that stands for and takes pride in its diversity, the erosion of support from voters of color calls its identity into question.’

What’s more, in interviewing hundreds of working-class minority voters, Medina found that ‘for many, hope had already hardened into cynicism. Promises about affordable housing fell flat and promoting accomplishments on insulin prices failed to break through. Simply put, their trust in the Democratic Party was gone.’

Now that brings us to Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed mandate, even if CNN was happy to report that Trump’s vote share had dropped slightly below 50% (Who cares? He’s the 47th president.)

Now comes news, first reported by ABC, that an unidentified hacker has obtained the sworn testimony of Matt Gaetz accusers from the House ethics probe and apparently plans to make it public.

The hacker accessed the file through a law firm involved in a civil suit against Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz pal now serving an 11-year prison term for sex trafficking. The file includes testimony under oath by a woman who says she had sex with Gaetz when she was 17, back in 2017, and from another woman saying she witnessed the sexual encounter.

Asked for comment, Trump transition spokesman Alex Pfeiffer said: ‘Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponization of our justice system. 

‘These are baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration. The Biden Justice Department investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing. The only people who went to prison over these allegations were those lying about Matt Gaetz.’

Trump is making calls on behalf of Gaetz, and J.D. Vance is escorting him and other nominees around the Hill. 

The Times reports that Trump realizes that Gaetz may not be confirmed. This is a matter of simple math, since most GOP senators have not committed to supporting him. Yet the president-elect will not back off or force Gaetz to withdraw the nomination.

But if Gaetz falls short, it would be hard for the Senate to reject a replacement nominee, who might have the same views on disrupting and perhaps politicizing the DOJ, but without the ex-congressman’s baggage. 

The House ethics panel, while stymied by Gaetz’s abrupt resignation, is meeting today on the report.   

One new disclosure that could hurt him: Gaetz used his adopted son’s PayPal account to pay one of the women, who was not a minor. Doesn’t that sound like someone with something embarrassing to hide? 

The Democrats have some influence in this process, as they’d only have to pick off four of the 53 GOP senators to block Matt Gaetz. But they are also consumed by their election shellacking and will have a hard time defeating Trump on just about anything.

The House Ethics Committee may meet on Wednesday to discuss its investigation into allegations against now-former Rep. Matt Gaetz one week after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him to be the next attorney general.

The meeting comes after a woman reportedly told the Ethics Committee that she had sexual relations with Gaetz when she was 17 years old, according to ABC News.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously spoken to the woman, now in her 20s, as part of its yearslong investigation into Gaetz related to accusations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice, according to the outlet.

The House Ethics Committee was investigating the accusations and was expected to vote on whether to release the committee’s report into Gaetz last Friday. However, the meeting did not take place after Gaetz announced his immediate resignation from Congress just two days prior.

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., chair of the House Ethics Committee, told reporters after Gaetz’s nomination that his panel would lose jurisdiction over the Florida Republican if he left Congress.

‘If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is taking a position with the administration as the attorney general, then the Ethics Committee loses jurisdiction at that point,’ Guest said before news of Gaetz leaving. ‘Once we lose jurisdiction, there would not be a report that would be issued. That’s not unique to this case.’

Following his resignation from Congress, officials debated whether the investigation findings should be released ahead of Gaetz’s confirmation hearing.

Several Republicans, including GOP senators critical in determining his confirmation, have said the report should be released if Gaetz were to go through the attorney general vetting process.

A spokesperson for Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who presides over the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he has advocated for the report’s release to the public.

‘There is longstanding precedent for releasing ethics investigation materials after a member resigns, whether in the House or Senate,’ said Josh Sorbe. ‘The now-former congressman shouldn’t be able to resign away an ethics investigation involving allegations of grave misconduct, especially when he will be nominated to be our country’s top law enforcement officer.’

A House Republican told Politico on condition of anonymity that Gaetz was stepping down from Congress to ‘stymie the ethics investigation that is coming out in one week.’

However, at a press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Gaetz told him he resigned abruptly to expedite the process of filling his House seat through a special election.

The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz, which began in 2021, stems from accusations of illicit drug use and sex with a minor. The DOJ, which Gaetz has been tapped to lead, ultimately did not press charges, and Gaetz has consistently denied all wrongdoing.

Johnson has said he does not believe the report should be released.

‘The speaker of the House is not involved with those things. I am reacting to media reports that a report is currently in some draft form and was going to be released on what is now a former member of the House. I do not believe that that is an appropriate thing,’ the House speaker said.

‘That would open up Pandora’s box, and I don’t think that’s a healthy thing for the institution, so that’s my position.’

Fox News’ Daniel Scully contributed to this report.

An Italian village is offering a special deal to Americans looking for a reprieve following President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory by offering homes for as little as 1 Euro.

Located in the countryside of Sardinia, Italy, the ancient town of Ollolai recently launched a ‘Live in Ollolai’ initiative offering the special deal in a bid to attract Americans seeking refuge following Trump’s win against Vice President Kamala Harris.

The rural community released a statement on its website saying: ‘Are you worn out by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities? It’s time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia.’

‘Ollolai is the perfect destination to reconnect, recharge, and embrace a new way of life,’ the website said.

The village promises to be ‘surrounded by incredible cuisine’ while being ‘immersed in a community with ancient traditions.’

When searching for their new home, Americans can either choose a space to renovate or spend a bit more to receive one that’s move-in-ready.

The website noted that move-in ready homes are priced at up to 100,000 euros while some homes in need of updates are being sold for a single euro.

Mayor Francesco Columbo told CNN that the city created the bargain to ‘meet U.S. post-election relocation needs.’

‘Of course, we can’t specifically mention the name of one U.S. president who just got elected, but we all know that he’s the one from whom many Americans want to get away from now and leave the country,’ he said.

‘We have specifically created this website now to meet U.S. post-election relocation needs,’ he said.

Vice President-elect JD Vance will be making the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, arranging meetings between key GOP senators and Trump cabinet picks Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, a source told Fox News Digital. 

‘President Trump’s incoming administration is moving at an accelerated schedule in order to make good on getting key nominees confirmed in order to start delivering for the American people,’ Brian Hughes, a Trump-Vance Transition spokesman, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

‘Rep. Collins (VA), Rep. Gaetz (DOJ), Pete Hegseth (DOD), and Rep. Stefanik (UN) will all begin their meetings this week with additional Hill visits to continue after the Thanksgiving recess.’

GOP senators say Vance, a Republican from Ohio elected to the Senate in 2022, is taking the lead in reaching out to gather support for Trump’s controversial nominees.

President-elect Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for attorney general Wednesday, an unexpected selection that took many, including fellow House Republicans, by surprise.

Gaetz almost immediately resigned from Congress after Trump tapped him for the job.

If confirmed, Gaetz will head the Justice Department after Trump is sworn in for his second term in January.

Gaetz, a longtime Trump ally, had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which subpoenaed him as recently as September for an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. Gaetz in response told the panel he would ‘no longer voluntarily participate’ in its probe.

It is unlikely the investigation itself would block Gaetz’s path to confirmation in the Republican-led Senate, though it could make it more difficult.

Trump also nominated former FOX personality Pete Hegseth to serve as his secretary of defense. 

Hegseth, 44, an Army National Guard veteran who served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, previously hosted FOX Nation’s ‘Patriot Awards,’ which is the network’s version of a Hollywood awards show honoring heroes like first responders.

Hegseth was nominated even though he has no senior military or national security experience.

Vance, who missed all of Monday night’s votes in addition to the first vote on Tuesday, received backlash from several senators.

The Vice President-elect initially said his reasoning for missing the meetings was to join Trump and be part of the interviews for potential candidates for the next FBI director, among other open spots. 

‘I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,’ Vance wrote in a post on X. 

Vance has since backtracked and deleted the post from X. 

Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

The incoming Trump administration has reinvoked chatter about the possibility of the United States purchasing Greenland, an idea floated during the president-elect’s first term in office.

In his first term, Trump tweeted an image of coastal Greenland with an edited, glossy Trump tower building superimposed on the landscape. It was captioned, ‘I promise not to do this to Greenland!’

In August 2019, President Trump confirmed to reporters that he was interested in purchasing Greenland, an idea that raised both curiosity and debate.

‘Denmark essentially owns it,’ Trump said. ‘We’re very good allies with Denmark, we protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world. So the concept came up and I said, ‘Certainly I’d be.’ Strategically it’s interesting and we’d be interested but we’ll talk to them a little bit. It’s not No. 1 on the burner, I can tell you that.’

The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump’s interest, citing sources who said he had mentioned the idea with ‘varying degrees of seriousness.’

The idea was shelved after Joe Biden took office in 2021, but has resurfaced online in the wake of Trump’s victory earlier this month.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins of Georgia posted what appears to be an electoral map featuring Greenland on November 7, with the territory voting GOP. It was captioned, ‘Project 2029.’

Since then, a member of parliament in Denmark has pushed back on the idea of the United States purchasing Greenland as an American territory. According to a post from Rasmus Jarlov, the Danish parliament does not intend to offer the territory to anyone, especially the United States. 

‘Greenlandic independence requires approval by the Danish parliament[sic] and a change of our constitution,’ wrote Jarlov. ‘I can guarantee you that there is no way we would approve indepence[sic] so that you could buy Greenland. Nice fantasy but forget it.’
 

This is far from the first time that the United States has considered purchasing the strategically beneficial Arctic landmass.

After World War II, President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million for it in 1946, but Denmark refused.

The idea actually came up earlier in 1945, when Senator Owen Brewster, R-Maine, called Greenland a ‘military necessity’ supported by American military leaders. 

In 1946, a State Department official noted that the Joint Chiefs of Staff believed the U.S. should aim to purchase the territory. That December, Secretary of State James Byrnes even made an offer directly to Denmark’s Foreign Minister Gustav Rasmussen, suggesting a sale might be the simplest solution.

If Denmark hypothetically agrees to sell Greenland to the United States, it would be the largest expansion of American territory in history, topping 1803’s Louisiana Purchase.