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'John Brennan, Gina Haspel era is over': Ratcliffe, allies promise workforce changes at CIA

'John Brennan, Gina Haspel era is over': Ratcliffe, allies promise workforce changes at CIA

Yahoo28-01-2025

EXCLUSIVE: CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned his agents of "changes" to come under his leadership in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital.
"There will be changes during my tenure as director," the new leader of America's top spy agency wrote in an agency-wide workforce message. Ratcliffe is currently reviewing all top staff and planning to put his own fingerprints on the senior level of the agency, Fox News Digital has learned.
"We will collect intelligence in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult. We will produce insightful, objective, all-source analysis, never allowing political or personal biases to cloud our judgment or infect our products," Ratcliffe went on in his email.
"And we will conduct covert action at the direction of the President, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do."
New Cia Boss Ratcliffe Says Biden-era Report Backing Lab-leak Theory Released To 'Restore' Trust
As agents conduct work in what Ratcliffe defined as the "most challenging national security environment in our nation's history," he promised the CIA would be the "ultimate meritocracy."
Read On The Fox News App
"Our shared mission will bind us together."
A source familiar with Ratcliffe's thinking said, "This was a message to Agency's workforce that the John Brennan era, the Gina Haspel era, the eras of promoting leftwing political agendas or subverting the President — those days are over."
Haspel was President Donald Trump's CIA director from 2018 to 2021 – while Ratcliffe was Trump's director of national intelligence. Brennan headed up the agency under former President Barack Obama.
"I'm sure it'll rub some of the political activists burrowed in there the wrong way, but there are a lot of red-blooded, mission-focused agency officers reading this and cheering him on," the source added.
Ratcliffe Says Us Faces 'Most Challenging Security Environment' Ever In Confirmation Hearing
Ratcliffe is also looking for ways to streamline the agency's many tech-focused offices – the directorate of digital innovation; directorate of science and technology; transnational and technology mission center; office of the chief technology officer; and directorate of analysis, which has been developing AI-powered tools – to stake out clear lines of authority and tasks.
"Nobody comes to CIA to be somebody. Our successes remain hidden. Even our medals are presented behind closed doors, our sacrifices memorialized by stars on a marble wall. But each one of those stars represents somebody who wanted to do something, regardless of whether history would know their name," Ratcliffe continued.
"That's what makes this place special. That's what we must preserve."
Ratcliffe was confirmed by the Senate last Thursday in a 74-25 vote.
Under its new director, the CIA released a new assessment of the COVID-19 origin which favors a lab origin with "low confidence."
The review was ordered by former President Joe Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan toward the end of Biden's time in office.
John Ratcliffe Confirmed As Next Cia Director
The agency has maintained for years it did not have enough intelligence to conclude whether COVID-19 originated in a lab or a wet market in Wuhan, China.
Ratcliffe recently told Breitbart News he no longer wanted the CIA to sit "on the sidelines" of the debate over the origins of COVID-19. He has long said he believes the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
"I had the opportunity on my first day to make public an assessment that actually took place in the Biden administration, so it can't be accused of being political," he told "Sunday Morning Futures" host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
"And the CIA has assessed that the most likely cause of this pandemic that has wrought so much devastation around the world was because of a lab-related incident in Wuhan, so we'll continue to investigate that moving forward."Original article source: 'John Brennan, Gina Haspel era is over': Ratcliffe, allies promise workforce changes at CIA

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AOC, Grace Meng tapped to do more as open-air prostitution, rampant criminality returns to NYC's ‘Market of Sweethearts'
AOC, Grace Meng tapped to do more as open-air prostitution, rampant criminality returns to NYC's ‘Market of Sweethearts'

New York Post

time22 minutes ago

  • New York Post

AOC, Grace Meng tapped to do more as open-air prostitution, rampant criminality returns to NYC's ‘Market of Sweethearts'

QUEENS, N.Y. – The red lights are back flashing along a notorious prostitution strip in New York City represented by progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng. Along the crammed, grimy sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, sex workers are once again openly soliciting clients while vendors grill meats and hawk suspected stolen or counterfeit goods – despite police waging a months-long crackdown to stop the chaos. Advertisement It's become a way of life – and a years-long blight – for residents in the migrant-dense neighborhood who say they have grown tired of calling on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to act and liken conditions to a 'Red Light district' or a third-world flea market. Others have nicknamed the strip the 'Avenue of the Sweethearts,' given its reputation for women purportedly turning tricks 8 Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Zohran Mamdani take part in the annual Puerto Rican day parade on Sunday afternoon. LP Media 'All the criminal activity has reverted to the way it was last year,' Ramses Frias, a local activist and Republican City Council candidate, told Fox News Digital. 'Our residents feel like prisoners in their own homes while criminals walk freely, preying on helpless victims.' Advertisement He said gangs like the 18th Street gang and Tren de Aragua are suspected of operating in the area since various spots are graffiti – tagged with their insignia. Fox News Digital visited Roosevelt Avenue after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall last month and witnessed as many as 30 women on one block appearing to offer sex for money to Friday night revelers while parents and children walked by. 8 New York Post cover from July 30th, 2023. Advertisement The women were jostling men and enticing them for sex despite a visible police presence nearby. Most women operate on Meng's side of the strip; the majority of vendors are on Ocasio-Cortez's side, with their district border running through the center of the street. Hours before the town hall, other sidewalks were jammed with vendors flogging counterfeit Apple headphones and watches and tools. Food vendors sizzled meats at vendor stalls and kept juices in massive, unlabeled canisters under the gritty subway underpass – devoid of any labels or apparent sanitation or health and safety standards. Fruit and ice-cream stalls also permeated the busy strip. Fox News Digital returned to the neighborhood on Friday and witnessed much of the same rampant prostitution and illegal vending. Additionally, several women were threading eyebrows along a sidewalk on a commercial street just off Roosevelt Avenue, while men were selling sneakers from cars and other food vendors were seen dumping wastewater down drains. 8 Women believed to be sex workers or prostitutes, standing in front of storefronts on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, NY. For the New York Post Advertisement Residents have warned for months that Operation Restore Roosevelt – a 90-day enhanced police crime crackdown on the area which started in October – needed to be made permanent and that the warming weather would likely see more scantily-clad women appear on the streets. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry told Fox News Digital that the boots-on-the-ground operation, which consisted of more than 200 additional police officers, reduced crime by 29% in the area so far this year and significantly reduced criminal activity. 'There has been a notable difference,' Daughtry said. 'Robberies are down 23%, felony assaults are down 33%, burglaries are down 47%, and grand larceny is down 30%.' 8 15 brothels out of 30 court filings have been raided. For the New York Post Daughtry said he wants the work to have 'a real, lasting difference,' while saying that a lot still needs to be done. He said 15 brothels were raided out of 30 court filings made by the police. For instance, days after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall, authorities shut down a notorious brothel, dubbed the 'bodega brothel' by locals, which was operating above a corner store near two schools in Ocasio-Cortez's district. Video from inside the cat house obtained by Fox News Digital shows squalid conditions, with five cramped, makeshift rooms sectioned off by wooden panels and shower curtains with just enough room to fit a bed in every one of them. On Tuesday, two brothels were raided by police on Meng's side of Roosevelt Avenue, the same block where Fox News Digital observed 30 alleged prostitutes. Frias said a large crowd gathered to watch the sweep, some heckling the alleged johns as they were cuffed and taken into custody while suspected prostitutes were led out with their heads covered in shower curtains to shield their identities. 8 Meng described the situation as 'concerning' and claims to be working with local law enforcement. Getty Images Advertisement Frias said the crowd reaction proved the neighborhood is fully aware of the illicit activity and is fed up, but that three to four other brothels are operating on that same block. Frias added that residents are terrified to walk the streets and would rather stay home than step outside. 'Our laws need to become stricter, and it's time to elect representatives who have the best interests of the community and its safety as a priority,' said Frias, who's looking to oust City Council member Shekar Krishnan in District 25. He blasted Ocasio-Cortez in particular, saying she has never used her massive social media presence to address the dire situation. Daughtry, too, called on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to do more. He and the mayor's office said the pair did not collaborate with them in the police crackdown. 'Never seen her,' Daughtry said about Ocasio-Cortez. 'She's never reached out to us. We would really love her assistance to help us, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's right and restore some law and order back to Roosevelt. I would like AOC to partner with us… use her platform to help us get funding or connect women to services.' Advertisement 8 Activist Ramses Frias called Ocasio-Cortez out for not using her massive social media presence to address this issue. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post Daughtry said issues like prostitution have permeated the area for decades, and he remembers it being a hot spot for prostitution in the '90s. He said the migrant crisis exacerbated the situation as many migrants were drawn to the area, given that it already has a large Latin American population. Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded Operation Restore Roosevelt in collaboration with the NYPD and City Council member Francisco Moya, a moderate Democrat who has often been at odds with his party's progressive wing. Daughtry said Moya was a 'huge partner' who physically walked Roosevelt Avenue with him and participated in raids, as did Adams. Adams' office said the operation underscored the administration's commitment to 'making sure these crime and quality-of-life issues continue to improve.' Advertisement 8 Operation Restore Roosevelt has continues to try and restore the community. For the New York Post Meng, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital she is working with local law enforcement and Moya on the matter and described the situation as 'concerning.' Ocasio-Cortez's office told Fox News Digital that she has engaged with local stakeholders in the area and helped fix lights in the neighborhood. The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. Advertisement Residents Andrew Sokolof Diaz and John Szewczuk told Fox News Digital outside the event that the Roosevelt Avenue problem is a long-standing issue and that local lawmakers must do more to address it. 8 The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. For the New York Post Resident Mark LaVergne pinned much of the blame on Ocasio-Cortez for not doing more and said he felt many of the women were likely trafficked into that murky underground world. 'I feel very sad… There's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd Street and I noticed that above that there is some sort of thing going on, and I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers,' LaVergne said. 'I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here, probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected.'

Trump to urge newly naturalized US citizens to defend American way of life in video
Trump to urge newly naturalized US citizens to defend American way of life in video

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump to urge newly naturalized US citizens to defend American way of life in video

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will tell immigrants at their naturalization ceremony that American culture is "yours to preserve," according to a new video obtained by Fox News Digital. "Today you receive the greatest gift ever granted by human hands: you become a citizen of the United States of America," Trump says in the video, which will now be played at every naturalization ceremony nationwide. "I welcome you into our national family. No matter where you come from, you now share a home and a heritage with some of the most exceptional heroes, legends and patriots to ever walk the face of the Earth," he continues. "You have it like nobody's had it before. With this sacred honor comes the highest responsibility. As you know, the American way of life is unique in all the world. And as Americans, we must fiercely guard it and defend it." Dhs Ending Participation In Naturalization Ceremonies In Sanctuary Jurisdictions The president emphasizes traditional values, calling on new citizens to uphold what he describes as the pillars of American society. Read On The Fox News App "In this country, we believe in hard work, a merit system and equality of opportunity. We believe in self-government and the fair, equal and impartial rule of law. And we cherish our liberty and our God-given rights to free speech, the free exercise of religion and the right to keep and bear arms," he says. "This special American culture is now yours to preserve. Your freedoms are now yours to protect." The message comes at a time when legal pathways to permanent residence in the U.S. are narrowing, making naturalization more important than ever for those already eligible. Dhs Open To Duck Dynasty Producer's Pitch For Immigrant-based Reality Show: 'Happy To Review' In 2024, over 800,000 people became naturalized U.S. citizens – a significant figure as the administration has taken increasingly hardline stances on illegal immigration. Trump's policies have centered on enhanced border enforcement, increased deportations and stricter scrutiny on asylum claims, signaling a return to many of the immigration approaches from his first term. Over the weekend, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles prompted protests that devolved into violence and the mobilization of the National Guard. The new video marks a symbolic shift from the Biden administration in how the White House views naturalized citizens – not just as legal newcomers, but as cultural stewards. Trump and his followers have long advocated for legal immigrants to assimilate to American culture. At the start of his administration, President Joe Biden recorded a video thanking immigrants for coming to America. "I want to thank you for choosing us and believing that America is worthy of your aspirations," Biden said in an April 2021 clip. "You all have one thing in common: Courage. The courage it takes to sacrifice and make this journey. The courage to leave your homes, your lives, your loved ones, and come to a nation that is more than just a place but rather an idea," he article source: Trump to urge newly naturalized US citizens to defend American way of life in video

Agencies instructed to withhold funds on top of 5% budget cuts
Agencies instructed to withhold funds on top of 5% budget cuts

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Agencies instructed to withhold funds on top of 5% budget cuts

Agencies were told that the 5% of funding in reserves "are unlikely to be released" on top of earlier budget cuts. (Getty Images) The Braun administration has directed agencies to withhold 5% of their funds from specific budget line items — rather than allowing department heads to identify areas for reserves. This is in addition to appropriation cuts already enacted in the state budget passed in April. In previous years, the Office of Budget and Management traditionally directed agencies to reserve funds but gave agency leaders more discretion in how to achieve the savings. The change appears to stem from a General Assembly addition to the 2025 budget, rather than Gov. Mike Braun. 'For the first time in recent memory, nearly every agency across all three branches of government finds itself entering the first year of a new biennium with fewer resources than it had the year before,' reads a letter from OMB director Chad Ranney dated June 2. 'At the same time, the costs for the state's major programs continue to increase at unsustainable rates. Overcoming these challenges will require each of us to place a renewed focus on fiscal responsibility as well as collective commitment to budget discipline.' The letter goes on to say that 'the amounts withheld are unlikely to be released,' meaning that agencies might need to operate with essentially a 10% budget cut. Ranney asks agencies to identify areas that could be targets for reversions, or mid-year transfers from fund to fund. Such moves were popular prior to COVID-19, when the federal government sent billions to states to avert economic disaster. That state is projected to maintain between $2.25-2.5 billion in reserves throughout the biennium. Budget line items run the gamut from the governor's office and residence to the Indiana State Fair Commission. Even agencies that got a slim budget boost in the 2025 budget — the Department of Correction and the Department of Child Services — were directed to reserve funds related to salaries and general operating funds. Braun defends IU trustee removals, appointees Those agencies were allocated scarce budget dollars due to a shortfall of funds for local jails holding state inmates and increased child caseloads. The state's higher education institutions also weren't spared. Indiana University, Purdue University, Indiana State University, the University of Southern Indiana, Ball State University and Vincennes University all will have funds held back, including specific cuts to satellite campuses. That's on top of lawmakers cutting their appropriations in the two-year budget beginning July 1. The directive follows a grim revenue forecast earlier this year that projected the state would have $2 billion less to spend in the next two-year budget, prompting lawmakers to institute 5% agency cuts largely across the board. The budget bill included another provision, instructing the state's budget director 'to withhold not less than 5% of any appropriation to a state agency to be used for salaries or other wages for state agency employees or general operating expenses of the state agency.' Agency plans are due to the Office of Management and Budget by the end of the month. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

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