Byron Donalds: Using military for deportations would be a ‘last resort’
ABC News
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a prominent ally of Donald Trump, downplayed the prospects of the military having a major role in what the president-elect has previewed as a massive deportation effort once he takes office.
Speaking with “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz, Donalds said that local and federal law enforcement like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take the lead on deportations, which he said would focus on immigrants convicted of crimes and those who have already been given legal deportation orders but remain in the country.
“When you’re talking about military assets being used, that’s only in an extreme last resort. There are more than 6,000 officers who have who have dedicated their lives to having to remove illegal aliens from our country, people who already have a legal deportation order, but it hasn’t been effectuated by Joe Biden,” Donalds said.
“I think if you’re going to use military assets, that’s in the last resorts, but that’s only for logistical purposes, Martha. And so, I think that what we have to be very careful of is not to try to throw out this idea that you’re going to have troops in the United States going door to door. That is not going to happen.”
Trump made immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, panning President Joe Biden for the record numbers of unauthorized border crossings that occurred in the earlier years of his term.
The president-elect has vowed to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally but also to scrap certain programs that offer legal status, including Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and other groups of immigrants.
Trump deported about 1.5 million immigrants during his first term, according to a Migrant Policy Institute analysis, but Donalds predicted that number will be topped during Trump’s second term.
“Just speaking with you anecdotally, it’s at a minimum going to be 2 million, but it’s going to be more, because the amount of people who already have a deportation order, people who are in our country who have committed crimes, people who have already been convicted of murder, they need to go and go immediately,” Donalds told Raddatz.
Donalds also predicted that stricter border enforcement and ramped-up deportation efforts will lead some undocumented immigrants to leave the country on their own, rather than get kicked out by law enforcement, which prohibits them from coming back to the country for 10 years.
“When you have an active deportation process, we do know that there are aliens who are going to want to go back to their home country. They’re not going to want to be caught up in the process of dealing with ICE, because if you’re deported through that process, then you will actually be barred from returning to the United States for a period of 10 years,” Donalds said.
“When you turn off the spigots of opening our borders, when you turn off the spigots of all this aid going to illegal aliens in the United States, and then you have a president of the United States and a government who is serious about repatriating people back to their home country, you will see that the enticement of coming to America is not going to be what it was under Joe Biden,” Donalds added.
Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pardoning Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who was sentenced to 14 years in prison before Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
“It’s my honor to do it,” Trump said during remarks from the Oval Office on Monday. “He was set up.”
Trump called the Democratic former governor a “very fine person” and said he didn’t know him other than that he was on his TV show, “Celebrity Apprentice.”
When asked if Trump would consider Blagojevich as ambassador to Serbia, Trump said “no, but I would,” adding that “if he got a pardon, he’s cleaner than anybody in the room.”
“Let me tell you — from the bottom of my heart — how deep my appreciation and gratitude is for President Trump,” Blagojevich said in a press conference Monday evening reacting to the news.
The past few months, Blagojevich has been active on X, expressing his support for the president and reposting content from Trump’s inner circle, including Elon Musk and Kash Patel, Trump’s choice to be director of the FBI.
“Trump freed me & Obama sold me out so I’m biased, but I believe Trump has done more as President in his whirlwind first 8 days than Obama did in his entire 8 years. What do you think?” Balgojevich wrote on X last month.
Blagojevich, a Democrat and self-proclaimed “Trump-o-crat,” responded to former President Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons in January, telling Piers Morgan Uncensored that he believed such actions were the “wrong things to do.”
“I mean, President Biden weaponized the justice department against Donald Trump. So he just assumed that Trump’s going to do the same thing to his people that he did to Trump and to Trump’s people,” he said, adding that “there’s no evidence that President Trump is going to do anything.”
On his first day back in office, Trump announced sweeping pardons and commutations for nearly all of the rioters charged with the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
“I pardon people that were assaulted themselves. They were assaulted by our government,” Trump said on Sunday in regards to his Jan. 6 pardons.
In 2011, Blagojevich was convicted on 17 counts of corruption, including an attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat that former President Barack Obama vacated after being elected to the White House in 2008.
During his first term, Trump called Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence a “tremendously powerful, ridiculous” sentence, though he had also expressed that he did not know Blagojevich well.
The former governor was expected to be released in 2024, factoring in two years of credit for good behavior. He began serving time in 2012, and Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
Upon release, Blagojevich expressed his “profound and everlasting gratitude for President Trump,” calling this an “act of kindness” that represented the “beginning of the process to actually turn an injustice into a justice.”
“He didn’t have to do this, he’s a Republican president, I was a Democratic governor,” Blagojevich also said at the time.
In 2009 while appearing on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” Blagojevich can be seen getting “fired” by Trump.
(WASHINGTON) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick for defense secretary, is facing senators on Tuesday for his confirmation hearing.
Hesgeth is expected to be grilled by the Armed Services Committee on allegations of misconduct and sexual impropriety he’s denied — as well as his position on military policy issues, including women in combat and diversity goals.
Hegseth defends comments about women in combat
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen grilled Hegseth on his past comments about women serving in the military, including his previous comments that women should not serve in some combat roles.
“Senator, I would like to clarify, when I’m talking about that issue, it’s not about the capabilities of men and women, it’s about standards,” Hegseth said. “And this committee has talked a lot about standards, standards that we unfortunately, over time, have seen eroded in certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness.”
During the exchange, Shaheen asked Hegseth for his message to the almost 400,000 women serving today who she said now may wonder whether they can rise to the highest ranks of the military.
“I would say I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you, shoulder to shoulder, men and women, Black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose,” Hegseth said. “Our differences are not what define us. Our unity and our shared purpose is what define us. And you will be treated fairly and with dignity, honor and respect, just like every man and woman in uniform.”
After a tense back and forth, Shaheen said to Hegseth: “I appreciate your eleventh-hour conversion.”
Hegseth says US has to modernize nuclear arsenal
Sen. Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican, questioned Hegseth about investing in the United States nuclear arsenal and whether he agreed with Trump’s posture during his first administration — that preventing attacks from adversaries was the “highest priority.”
“Yes, I do, because ultimately, our deterrence, our survival is reliant upon the capability, the perception and the reality of the capability of our nuclear triad,” Hegseth responded. “We have to invest in its modernization for the defense of our nation.”
Hegseth rails against media when asked to respond to allegations
Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in the first question of the hearing, asked Hegseth to respond to the allegations against him.
“Let’s get into this allegation about sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement during your time as a nonprofit executive,” Wicker said.
Hegseth, who has denied the accusations, railed against what he claimed was a “coordinated smear campaign” by the news media. “All they were out to do, Mr. Chairman, was to destroy me,” Hegseth said. “And why do they want to destroy me? Because I’m a change agent and a threat to them. Because Donald Trump was willing to choose me, to empower me to bring the Defense Department back to what it really should be, which is war fighting.”
Hegseth then turned personal, saying he’s not “perfect” but is now ready to lead the Pentagon.
“I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” he said. “And God forged me in ways that I know I’m prepared for.”
Hegseth opening statement interrupted by outbursts
Hegseth is now speaking for the first time before the committee.
His opening statement is being interrupted by hecklers, who were then escorted out of the room.
Chairman Roger Wicker thanked authorities for their “swift reaction” to the first incident.
“Let me just say this, the Capitol Police are going to remove immediately individuals who are interrupting the hearing,” Wicker said.
Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, endorses Hegseth
Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz, introduced and endorsed Hegseth.
Waltz was recognized by Sen. Roger Wicker, the chairman of the committee, who noted Waltz was still a member of Congress for several more days.
“He will bring the perspective of being the first secretary of defense to have served as a junior officer on the front lines, not in the headquarters on the front lines in the War on Terror, and recognizes the human costs, the financial costs and the policy drift that was discussed often in this very room that led us to decades and decades of war,” Waltz said of Hegseth.
Waltz is also a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran.
Charged scene inside the room as confirmation hearing begins
Dozens of veterans — some wearing service badges — filled the hearing room in the Dirksen Building in support of Hegseth, wearing pins with the nominee’s name. A number of them are wearing black baseball caps with the nominee’s name and the bone frog logo associated with the Navy SEALs.
Spotted in the crowd were Sean Parnell, a former Army Ranger and conservative media personality, and Tim Kennedy, an ex-UFC fighter and former Green Beret.
The group, which was buzzing with excitement ahead of the hearing, appeared to cheer for Hegseth and shout “USA!” as the hearing got underway.
There are also a small group of Code Pink antiwar protestors in the room, with signs reading “No Hegseth No Crusade” and “No Hegseth No Christian Jihad.”
ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones and Olivia Rubin
Panel’s top Democrat to say Hegseth is not qualified for the job
Sen. Jack Reed will tell Hegseth in no uncertain terms that he does not believe he is qualified for the job of Secretary of Defense.
“I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job,” Reed will say, according to his opening statement.
Reed will also address the allegations against Hegseth, which Hegseth has denied.
“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you. A variety of sources — including your own writings — implicate you with disregarding laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I have reviewed many of these allegations, and find them extremely alarming,” Reed will say.
He also alleges that Hegseth’s comments suggest he will politicize the military.
“Indeed, the challenge of the Secretary of Defense is to remove partisan politics from the military. You propose to inject it. This would be an insult to the men and women who have sworn to uphold their own apolitical duty to the Constitution,” the statement says.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
FBI didn’t interview woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017
The FBI’s probe of Hegseth did not include an interview with a woman who accused him of sexual assault years ago, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.
Top senators on the Armed Services Committee were briefed on the FBI’s background investigation last week but sources said investigators did not speak to the accuser. The circumstances around the lack of an interview with the woman are unclear.
A police report stated that a woman, identified only as Jane Doe, told investigators in 2017 she had encountered Hegseth at an event afterparty at a California hotel where both had been drinking and claimed that he sexually assaulted her. Hegseth had told authorities that the encounter was consensual.
No charges were filed, although Hegseth subsequently paid the woman as part of a settlement agreement, which Hegseth’s attorney said was only because he feared his career would suffer if her allegations were made public.
Read more about the police report and alleged altercation here.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and Luke Barr
Trump reiterates support for Hegseth
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote Hegseth will make a GREAT Secretary of Defense.
“He has my Complete and Total support. Good luck today, Pete!” Trump wrote.
Plus, Trump senior adviser Jason Miller did a morning show blitz praising Hegseth.
“I think Pete Hegseth is going to kill them with kindness,” Miller said on CNN, previewing Hegseth’s strategy ahead of the hearing.
On Fox News, Miller said he believed Hegseth was the war hero the United States needs and highlighted support from veterans for his nomination.
“I don’t see it so much of a challenge. I think it’s an opportunity to talk about restoring that warrior ethos, that warrior spirit, back into the military,” Miller said as he avoided any concerns of Hegseth’s past.
-ABC News Oren Oppenheim and Kelsey Walsh
Hegseth to pitch himself as ‘change agent’
In his opening statement, obtained by ABC News, Hegseth does not mention the allegations against him but vows to be a “change agent” and bring a “warrior culture” back to the Defense Department.
“I want to thank President Trump for his faith in me, and his selfless leadership of our great Republic,” Hegseth will say, according to the prepared remarks. “The troops could have no better Commander-in-Chief than Donald Trump.”
“He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness,” Hegseth will say. “That’s it. That is my job.”
Hegseth will go on to address his lack of experience compared to previous Pentagon chiefs.
“It is true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years. But, as President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly ‘the right credentials’ — whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives — and where has it gotten us? He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent. Someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives,” the prepared statement reads.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott
How Hegseth could overhaul the military
Hegseth, if confirmed, would be in charge of a massive organization of more than 1 million active-duty service members and nearly 1 million civilian workers.
Hegseth has previously discussed going after alleged “wokeness” in the military by firing certain generals, taking aim at DEI initiatives and other programs. He’s also said he is generally against women serving in certain combat roles unless they pass high standards men do.
Read more about the police report and alleged altercation here.
Hegseth’s rocky nomination
Hegseth, a former Fox News host who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and the National Guard, was nominated by Trump in mid-November.
He quickly faced scrutiny from some lawmakers over his lack of management experience. Then came reports of alleged sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement, which he’s denied.
At one point, ABC News reported Trump was looking at possible replacements to Hegseth.
But Hegseth’s spent many days on Capitol Hill looking to shore up support, vowing to fight and telling lawmakers he’s a “changed man.” It appeared he was gaining some Republican support back after his one-on-one meetings with lawmakers, and Trump has since doubled down on his support for his Pentagon pick.
Still, the Senate panel that will question him on Tuesday had quietly sought additional information on some of the allegations before the hearing.
(WASHINGTON) — Months after she was announced to be President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Education, Linda McMahon is on the hot seat in Capitol Hill Thursday as she faces senators over the future of the agency, which the president has vowed to kill.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is holding its hearing to grill McMahon, a businesswoman with close ties to Trump who has no teaching experience.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Department of Education has been mismanaged and has damaged education, calling it a “con job” during a news conference Wednesday. The president is expected to sign an executive order directing McMahon to submit a proposal for diminishing the department, and then the president said she should “put herself out of a job,” even though such an action would require an act of Congress.
Democratic senators have said they intend to scrutinize the nomination based on 76-year-old McMahon’s lack of experience in public education.
McMahon was interrupted by protesters during her opening statement where she defended her nomination and pushed for more school choice.
“If confirmed I will work with Congress to reorientate,” she said.
McMahon confirms that only Congress can shut down DOE
At an executive order signing event last week, President Trump said, “I told Linda, ‘Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job.’”
“I want her to put herself out of a job,” Trump added.
The president has maintained that states should have control over their schools.
However, abolishing the agency can only be done if Congress passes legislation to eliminate it. Experts say it is illegal to dismantle the department without congressional authorization, which would require 60 Senate votes in favor of doing so.
HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and ranking member Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., both pressed McMahon on whether she believes dismantling the agency can be done without Congress. McMahon responded that only Congress would be able to do so.
“The it is set up by the United States Congress, and we work with Congress. It clearly cannot be shut down without it,” McMahon told Sanders.
However, she told Cassidy she was “all for the president’s mission of returning education back to the states” and that the states would still receive federal funding.
“We want to be working with Congress. We’d like to do this right. We’d like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators can get onboard with and our Congress would get on board with that would have a better-functioning Department of Education. But it certainly requires congressional action,” McMahon said.
McMahon’s journey from WWE matriarch to DOE nominee
McMahon co-founded World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and is also the company’s former president and CEO.
Trump said he chose McMahon for being a “fierce advocate” for parental rights in education who will fight “tirelessly” to expand school choice and “spearhead” his effort to send education decisions back to the states, according to the president’s official nomination statement. The president also praised McMahon’s leadership and “deep understanding” of both education and business.
McMahon’s personal financial wealth is unclear but she reported owning assets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars and which could potentially surpass $1 billion. The Trump loyalist was co-chair of his presidential transition team and is a long-time donor who has given tens of millions of dollars to support pro-Trump causes.
McMahon previously worked in the first Trump administration as head of the Small Business Administration (SBA). She had previously made two unsuccessful bids for U.S. Senate when she ran against current Senate Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy in 2010 and 2012, respectively. She is also Chair of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) board but will leave that position if confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education.
McMahon has advocated for apprenticeship and workforce training programs, school choice and parental rights. Although she is not currently an educator she received her teaching certification from East Carolina University and sat on the Connecticut state board of education before her first unsuccessful senate bid. She has also served two stints on the Board of Trustees at Connecticut’s Sacred Heart University, where she is currently the treasurer.
McMahon’s scandals cast shadow over nomination
Meanwhile, McMahon’s years as a wrestling executive came with their share of alleged scandals, which has brought her experience with young people under scrutiny.
A 2024 lawsuit brought by five plaintiffs – John Does who served as the WWE ringside crew when they were teens – accused her and her husband, Vince McMahon, of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse by an announcer and executives at the company. If confirmed by the Senate, McMahon would be tasked with overseeing sexual misconduct investigations within education programs.
The McMahons have denied the claims.
Laura Brevetti, Linda McMahon’s attorney, told ABC News that the FBI investigated the decades-old allegations at the time and found no grounds to further investigate them, calling the lawsuit “baseless.”
McMahon’s allies believe she will be an agent of change, a disrupter, and the dismantler that the Department of Education needs. Skeptics also claimed that the federal agency spends too much on education without adequate academic results.
But many in the education community fear that if McMahon helps Trump abolish the agency, it could adversely impact the millions of students who rely on critical programs overseen by the department that are intended to help vulnerable students succeed, like Title I funding for students from low-income communities.
