Why Foster Care Order Matters To All Families; Gov't Reopened, What’s Next? | NTD Newsroom (Nov. 13)

Welcome to NTD Newsroom. I'm Kevin Hogan. Soon, President Trump will sign an executive order aimed at strengthening the nation's foster care system. We'll bring you there live. And after a record 43 days, the longest shutdown in US history is over. We discussed the situation with political strategists. A judge heard arguments today in the criminal cases against New York Attorney General Leticia James and former FBI Director James Comey over whether the Justice Department's prosecutor was illegally appointed. New voting records released by the DHS that the department says show an illegal alien from Mexico voted in US elections. And US lawmakers says China has a loaded gun that is pointed at our economy. Republicans and Democrats are working together to expose how the CCP uses predatory practices to dominate an industry critical to the global economy. [Music] This is NTV Newsroom live from our global headquarters in New York City. President Trump and First Lady Melania signed an executive order to create new educational and employment opportunities for youth transitioning out of foster care. And now we go live to entities Washington correspondent Mario who's at the White House. Good afternoon, Mari. What's the latest on the executive order the president just signed? >> Kevin, good afternoon. Yes, just moments ago, uh, First Lady Melania was joined by President Trump in the East Room, uh, for an executive order signing aimed at ex expanding opportunities, uh, in education, in career development and housing, and other resources for young people who are transitioning from the foster care system to adulthood. And under this executive order, President Trump is directing key uh federal agencies and departments to collaborate with the first lady's office and officially create a fostering the future program, which is part of Melania Trump's be best initiative that she began in 2018 during President Trump's first term. Let's take a look at the first lady and President Trump making this announcement. Following graduation, scholarship recipients from my program are prepared to enter the work pl force and ultimately become leading executives. I predict this this small spark today will ignite a profound and lasting nationwide movement. Our united resolve will foster a thriving future filled with compassion and innovation. The order I will sign in a few moments will provide vital new resources to help young people transition out of the foster care system and live a very happy and a very successful life. Very, very successful. With this order, I'm directing the heads of the key federal departments and agencies to establish a fostering the future program in coordination with our wonderful first lady's office. And according to the National Foster Youth Institute, only 5% of those uh youth leaving foster care end up graduating from high school and only about 3 to 4% ever obtain a college degree. Uh this executive order aims to combat that by establishing a comprehensive network that connects federal agencies with private sectors, businesses, institutions of higher learning, and charitable organizations uh to create more resources for these foster youth. Kevin, back to you. >> I think we can all agree that's effort well placed. Thank you for that, Mari. And speaking of the Fostering the Future initiative, joining us now is Ala Khan, a senior White House correspondent for the Epic Times. Al, thanks for coming on the show. We learned a little bit from those clips about what's in this executive order. Can you detail out specifically what it includes and on President Trump's executive order to boost the foster care system, we have joining with us to discuss this is Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. Good afternoon, Terry. So, the core objective of this is clear. Help those transitioning out of the foster care system get jobs and have better health care and so forth. Can this make a difference? >> Well, thanks so much for having me, Kevin. I love coming on. Absolutely. This program is going to make a huge difference for these foster carees uh foster care children. Uh listen, these kids have gotten a raw deal. uh many of them enter the foster care uh system at later stages in life where it's very difficult to find replacement parents uh and they're left behind and what this executive order aims to do is to get them back up to speed, give them those educational opportunities and those employment opportunities uh so that they can live fulfilling and enriched lives. I think it's going to be a great thing for the entire country. >> Certainly hope it is. all those training opportunities can definitely pay off and you with that partnership with schools and companies as well. Now, what's the current state of the foster care system and how is it impacting Americans planning to adopt? Well, it's really difficult, Kevin. As you heard earlier, only 4% of these kids that go through the foster care system ever even get college degrees. Many of them uh suffer from other afflictions and they go through abuse uh through the system. It is it is very treacherous and that's why these programs are so important because it it helps write some injustices that have happened to these children and most of the foster care system is fantastic. There are many good parents uh foster parents that is that take these kids into their homes and they have to deal with a lot of problems. You know these are kids that are coming from very broken homes, a lot of drug addiction, a lot of sexual abuse. They're coming from very dark backgrounds and it's good that and they deserve fresh starts and and clean opportunities when it comes to getting a real education and getting back in the workforce. This is how we get them out of these slumps and press the reset button. So, it's it's very very important this program uh takes off today. >> Okay, Terry. And so, expand on what you're saying, these root causes of some of the issues that we're seeing in the foster care system, can this order address them? Uh unfortunately the the the root causes here are drug addiction, uh sexual addiction, sexual abuse. I mean there's a lot of of real problems that America suffering from. What this is actually aiming to do is it's it's stopping the bleeding, right? But we need to stop the cutting. Uh we need to we need to get America clean. We need to get, you know, uh young Americans that are parents off of drugs. We need to prevent as many people from getting onto drugs. That's the primary driver for kids that are in these foster care uh programs is is drug abuse and alcoholism. So, we need to do a better job of getting um giving a brighter future to everyone, right? A lot of people uh develop drug addictions from lack of employment opportunities, lack of education. Um and we need programs for the the parents uh that end up creating these problems as well uh to prevent uh future foster children. Now, this act of benevolence out of the White House certainly could benefit those in the foster care program and also the nation, too. I mean, what kind of long-term outcomes for both of those can we expect from this initiative? >> Well, I can tell you firsthand that, you know, there's a huge difference uh when dad's at work uh and when you have a job, right? When you have a job, when you have a family, you have purpose, you have meaning, you have a drive, uh you have optimism in the future. you when you when you know that the people at work or people at school or people at home are counting on you, you're much more motivated to make a difference. So, this is going to have an impact on the nation, but more importantly, it's going to impact a lot of individual lives. And I think that's really tough to measure uh when when it comes to each of us individually. Uh you really have to experience it through people that you've known who have gone through the foster care system and people that have been hurt and not given fair opportunities. Uh because everyone knows that if you've been given a raw deal, it really sucks. But when you get that clean opportunity, that clean shot, you really do prove a lot of people wrong and achieve uh better things than anyone could have could have expected. >> Understood. In the White House, the federal government, they're playing a role in addressing this issue. Now, how can local communities also play a part in supporting foster youth? >> Well, obviously, you can sign up to be a foster parent. That's very important. You know, these kids, they get a bad rap. They're they come from very abusive homes and very dysfunctional uh highly dysfunctional households and and they've been given a raw deal. They don't have their parents around. They've been separated for one reason or another. And so, it's really important that good, wholesome, uh well-meaning people get involved in the foster care system. If you've got a a heart full of love and you're not able to have as many children as as you would hope God had given you, then the foster care community is a great place to get started to take some children that need extra help. And these are these are kids that do oftentimes need a lot of extra care and help and um so we need more people getting involved in this whole community because u it because it's it's really tough. There's there's a shortage of foster foster homes available for these kids and it's always better when these kids have warm loving households to go into. >> It really is so important. Now let's also talk about other ways that the Trump is helping the families and children. What are some pro- family policies by this administration that are really significant in your view? >> Well, President Trump, I believe, you know, I run a pro- family organization um that's highly focused on protecting the innocence of children and President Trump has just hit grand slam after grand slam. He's been protecting our children online with new uh protections with social media. The Take It Down Act was absolutely fantastic. It passed by supermajorities in both the House and the Senate. But he's also been protecting our children when it comes to sports, when it comes to their private spaces. You know, this whole transgender insanity that the left has been pushing on us uh through their $4.5 billion dollar transgender industry has wre havoc in our country. And President Trump has not shied away from that fight. He's put our children and our parental rights at the heart of everything he's been doing. On top of that, he's been making a better economy for all of us, right? He wants to figure out how to get people uh to be able to afford to form their own families, to get married, have kids, and to be able to afford a home, and to put uh food on the table after we've seen just devastation after the Biden and Obama years. So, President Trump at his heart, he is a pro- family president. He is the pro- family president in America. And there's another aspect to this, President Trump's big beautiful bill that was also in conjunction with this in that some of those tax provisions are going to go to helping those foster care children. Now, also this big beautiful bill included a provision blocking Planned Parenthood from getting Medicaid funding. So, let's expand this conversation. I mean, we're seeing reports of multiple clinics shutting down since the bill passed. Do you see this as strengthening families? >> Absolutely, Kevin. So, what a lot of people don't realize is that President Trump is the first president to completely and entirely defund Planned Parenthood, which is just a major abortion corporation that makes tons of money from performing abortions. But what many people also don't realize is that Planned Parenthood in recent years has expanded into transitioning children, giving children puberty blockers, cross- sex hormones after only 30 minute uh consultations with with not even doctors, with counselors. Uh but it's absolutely atrocious. But President Trump uh cut their funding this year and redirected it to clinics that don't kill babies and that don't sterilize children. I'd say that that stopping the killing of babies and stopping the sterilization and mutilation of children is awfully pro- family and is going to do a lot to help families thrive in this country. >> Terry Schilling, thank you for coming on and offering your perspective on this. >> Thanks, Kev. After a record 43 days, the nation's longest government shutdown is now over. President Trump signed a funding bill late last night, ending over a month of furlows and delays across the country. Here are the details. >> President Trump signed a stop gap bill around 10:25 p.m. last night, officially reopening the federal government and restoring pay for hundreds of thousands of federal employees. Today we're sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion because that's what it was. In just a moment, I'll sign a bill exactly like we asked Democrats to send us all along many days ago. >> The motion is adopted. >> The House cleared the measure 222 to 209 with six Democrats joining Republicans to end the standoff. The fight that triggered the shutdown centered on the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. Democrats wanted an immediate extension. Republicans said the issue should be debated later, but the stop gap bill cleared the Senate earlier this week without an extension. Going into the House vote, some Democrats criticized the bill. >> I think it is a raw deal for the American people. >> After the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson gave credit to the GOP for not wavering. >> We'll feel very relieved tonight. The Democrat shutdown is finally over thanks to House and Senate Republicans who stood together to get the job done. Congressman Don Davis, a Democrat who broke ranks to back the funding bill, defended his vote last night, but said the fight would continue. >> People hurting out there. I mean, they're getting hit with cost. Their parents trying to raise kids, farmers being hit. I mean, this is not over by any means. President Trump also used the moment to renew his call to end the Senate filibuster, saying the rule enables partisan gridlock. >> I hope we can all agree that the government should never be shut down again. Again, end the filibuster. Terminate the filibuster. It'll never happen again. >> The bill ensures funding for major departments and food assistance programs through next fall, but only extends funding for the rest of the federal government till the end of January. The same healthcare fight could spark another shutdown when that temporary runs out. After the House vote yesterday, Speaker Johnson declined to commit on a vote to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. >> As the government reopens, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared an update on SNAP benefits on CNN. She also talked about some of the funding discussions that happened behind the scenes during the shutdown. The president 100% believed that the government would reopen, that these Democrats were playing games with people's lives and the food that they needed to to survive, that at the end of this, surely these Democrats wouldn't go 25 days, 30 days, 45 days, and that we would get this fully funded once the government reopened. Now, obviously, you all tracked this when it went to the court. The court said contingency funds can be used. It's not unconstitutional. The president said, "Brooke, we're not going to fight that. We need to keep this moving. Get these partial benefits to the people that are truly hungry. >> Rollins said SNAP recipients can expect to receive their full benefits hopefully by the end of this week. She said Monday at the very latest. She noted though that SNAP is funded by the federal government, but each state has its own infrastructure for distributing the money. At the same time, the Trump administration has officially withdrawn its emergency application to the Supreme Court. It wanted the justices to halt an order from a Rhode Island judge to fully fund the program through the month. A top economic adviser for President Trump is weighing in on both the government shutdown and Trump's mention of $2,000 checks for Americans. Here's Kevin Hasset. >> Our Council of Economic Adviserss said that it cost about 15 billion uh a week. uh and it accumulates to maybe one one and a half% of GDP when you account for multiplier effects and their current estimate is that 60,000 Americans not government workers have lost their jobs because of the reduced economic output. Uh but if you look at how much tariff revenue has been coming in then there would actually be enough room to cover those checks and not go into the rest of the budget. So so yeah, there would be enough money to pay for the $2,000 checks. Hasset said the October jobs report will be released without unemployment data. It's getting a late release due to the shutdown. And Hasset said the full data will never be known. As for the economic health of the nation, Hasset said President Trump's policies have stopped runaway inflation and created income growth. He says there's still a ways to go to make up for the remaining $2,000 deficit in purchasing power for the average American worker. A Pennsylvania senator is recovering in the hospital after a fall near his home. A spokesperson shared on X that Senator John Fetcherman felt lightaded on a morning walk and fell on his face, suffering minor injuries. It was determined this was due to a ventricular fibrillation flare up, which is a type of irregular heartbeat. The Democrat had a stroke during his campaign for Senate in 2022 and was also hospitalized the following year for feeling lightaded. The spokesperson said Federman is well and opted to stay in the hospital so doctors could fine-tune his medications. Federman had this to say. Quote, "If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now." As we've been covering, the longest shutdown in US history has officially ended. And joining us now to discuss is Mattaline Somerville, Democratic strategist, speech writer, and attorney. We also have Angie Wong, Republican strategist, and political columnist. Good to have you both here today. Angie, we'll start with you. What was achieved in this funding measure passed by the House and Senate that Americans had to endure 43 days of shutdown? Yeah, absolutely nothing was achieved other than to show that uh Republicans were always going to offer this deal to hear uh about ACA subsidies and Obamacare and doing extension, but only after we had a clean budget passed. And that's all we wanted from the very get-go. October 1 until now didn't have to happen this way, right? All those cards were already on the table. We were ready to talk to Democrats about uh about health care, but only when it was time to after that uh a very critical extension of our uh of our budget was passed. So nothing was achieved other than to show that, you know, Democrats was using this as a political leverage all along and that's where they failed. That's why they're going after Chuck Schumer right now, asking him to resign because at the end of the day, they held out for nothing. But meanwhile, American suffers. Babies did not get their subsidies. I was stuck at, you know, the airport for hours on end. And as many Americans were, of our flights were cancelled or delayed. We didn't have to suffer all of this. But at the end of the day, it didn't really prove anything at all. 43 days was a very, very long time. And I'm I'm very happy to see the government reopen again. Uh federal workers are waiting for their back pay. We should get that out to them immediately. And uh also, we'd love to see air travels. We we would love to see players uh planes in the air again, especially right before the Thanksgiving uh weekend travel begins. >> Well, thanks for that, Angie. And of course, we know that there is another deadline coming up in the near future in which there has to be some resolution at some point. Now, Maline, I'd like to give you a chance to respond to your co-panelists and also mentioning how Trump said that Democrats, quote, "This was an easy extension, but that they didn't want to do it the easy way, they had to do it the hard way." Any thoughts? >> Sure. And I'm always happy to respond to my lovely co-panelist Angie Wong. It's cool that we can be friends outside of politics. I just wanted to let everyone know that it's possible. Um, so I I don't think that the shutdown was for nothing, right? And I am very happy that people are willing to let Chuck Schumer go at this point. I want a whole new set of leadership, Pelosi, Jeff, everyone. So I'm not here to defend Chuck Schumer in any way. Um, I think that it was time to reopen the government. I think that people got the message. It came at a time that was during these these elections when we needed to feel that energy as Democrats. And I think that it communicated what it needed to to not just the base because uh the base needed to understand that their representatives were were going to hold out for something that they believed in, but I think it also tipped a few other voters who may have been swaying towards Trump back into this direction because I I think that the framing of the Democrats don't care about you because they won't open the government. they don't care if you get your food stamps. They don't care if you get um access to what you need was was obviously false because they were the the Democrats were trying to fight for something important and real. And I think people bought it and that's one of the reasons why the Democrats did so well in this recent election. The point was made. It was time it's time to open the government back up. I think that we were finally at the end of our rope here, right? Where people were just like, I can't take this anymore. And it was about to turn on them. So, I think the point was made and it was the right time to open it back up. >> So, Meline, I understand what you're saying. Now, for people who are behind those fights, you know that what they want to accomplish, they didn't get it. Is it the thought that counts, though, or is it just the fact that they held to it for so long even though it didn't amount to anything? >> Yeah, that's totally a fair question, and I unfortunately agree with you, even though your phrasing it makes it sound very sad, which is the thought that counts, right? Because I I do think that people uh have been impressed by things that seem to be silly, right? like Gavin Newsome taking on Donald Trump and amping up ramping up his voice in response to him, but in doing so, right, he's cognitively put himself on the same playing field as Donald Trump. These are little things that actually count for a lot. Or like the Democrats walking out in Texas, right, they're they're demonstrating we're willing to fight for you and this isn't something that we've seen in the past. And I think that if they had held out any longer, the tides would have turned on them. I don't think they had a choice. Um, and so yes, and I I knew the House was going to open up. I knew Jeff was going to cave 100%. It was absolutely going to happen. And and I and I understand why my Democratic colleagues are frustrated. And it makes sense that I would disagree with what they're saying because I usually disagree with them. Um, even though mine is now in support of what the Democrats are doing. Uh, but I I think that um overall the the point was made that needed to be made. We just didn't have the resources or time and the people didn't have what they needed in order to be able to keep going. Thanks for that insight, Maline and Angie. On that note, President Trump has said that the big swing, I mean, you saw New Jersey and the Virginia governor's race go hard to the Democrats and well, one seat was flipped. Now, what is the messaging surrounding this shutdown and how could it impact the midterms? Of course, you know, we hear Democrats saying that they need to claw back some of those benefits that they say the Republicans are taking away and so on. Well, certainly uh the shutdown ha and also last week's election has framed uh the the midterms coming up next year. Affordability, I've never heard that word more used in the last week. So, uh clearly Trump has now regeared and he is talking about making America the American dream a lot more affordable for Americans again. And I think now that the government's reopened, he can start doing that. Remember his big beautiful bill addresses this very issue. He wants to bring the costs of gas and groceries and insurance down for all Americans. He wants to bring mortgages down as well. He's floating several ideas about mortgage reform out there, which I love, as well as auto loans. So, he's tackling all these things because he realizes, wow, last Tuesday was a was a loss for Republicans. Even though I wouldn't call it a blue wave because a lot of these states were already blue and they just won again in a blue state. But that is certainly it gave President Trump and his team a pause for the midterms because President Trump wants a full four-year presidency, not a two-year where he where he has to fight the House or the Senate. He wants everyone on board to get the entire America first agenda all the way through all the way through the four years without too much of a fight. So, I think that's what uh the last two weeks has taught us between the shutdown as well as uh last Tuesday's election. >> And Angie, thanks for helping our viewers understand any pivots that may be happening in Trump's agenda. I mean, we know the MAGA agenda was centered on affordable gas prices, you know, unleashing American energy. So, but there may be some tweaks that you're alluding to. Maline, how do you respond to what your co-panelist is saying? Yeah, I I I tend to think that actually President Trump's intentions are different than those of the people behind him. I think that there's a lot of evidence to indicate that President Trump does want all these prices to go down. I think he wants to give the people what they want to put it plainly. Um he that's been reflected in uh reproductive rights, his decisions on that. It's been reflected in a lot of his his policies where he looks at the polls, he talks to people, and he says this is what people want. Um, however, right, I I think that his attempts to to do so are going to fall on deaf ears, especially because he's making things up right now. It's so silly for him to say things like, "What do you mean affordability?" Like, things are the best that they've ever been under Trump. He's very reluctant to use that word affordability because he knows that that's working for the Democrats. and he's willing to make things up about what's what the truth is in terms of the economy so that he can reinforce the position that Trump is the best and he's always been the best and always will be the best. But the American people are not buying it if you look at the polls. So I I do agree. I think that that is might be his intentions but he's not going to get his way by lying to people about it. >> Maline, affordability is certainly a major pro like a major aspect to all this. I mean you you have cumulative inflation hitting Americans with 20% more of these prices. So I mean that it adds up definitely. Now we may have some feed coming in. So I just want to let you all know that we may be cutting to that in a moment. But Angie, if we still have a moment with funding only extended to January. What do you think will happen this time? Is there another shutdown possible that we've been talking about? >> Yeah, I mean January 30th is just around the corner and there could be another shutdown if we don't get this right. we have between now and remember and we also have a major break in the middle of that for the holidays as well. So, Congress will be out of session for a lot of those dates. I have no doubt that given what we just went through, Americans cannot face another shutdown. Certainly not for 40 plus states. We can't keep doing this roundaround. It is the definition of insanity if we do. I do hope that our houses, our lawmakers can get it together and actually pass something for real this time. and John Thoon uh had already promised Democrats that we're going to talk about the ACA. We're going to talk about the Affordable uh Care Act and try to get that through. Again, that should be put on the floor for a vote. Uh and we'll see what happens there. But there's no guarantees either. But I suspect that if Democrats don't get the what they want in mid December that they're going to pull all of this again in on January 30th and put all Americans through another shutdown. And that's what I want to forewarn everybody. Let's not even walk down that pathway. Let's get it done before the holidays. Let's get everyone paid and get this government completely opened. >> Well, Angie and Meline, thank you for sharing your deep understanding with us. Hopefully, it can benefit the American people having this think tank. And right now, we're going to cut to President Trump. So, thank you both for coming on. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And with the government shutdown now over, officials and travelers are hoping the nation's airports and flight schedules will soon return to normal. And today's Daniel Monahan has the latest from the aviation industry. >> Transport Secretary Shawn Duffy announced yesterday that flight reductions will remain frozen at 6%, a movement to stabilize operations while the FAA works to restore normal service. The pause halts a planned increase to 8 and then 10% cuts as the agency reviews staffing and system performance. In a statement, Secretary Duffy said, "President Trump's message has been heard loud and clear. Controllers will be made whole quickly. Duffy says controllers will receive 70% of their back pay within 48 hours of the shutdown ending. Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian says that he hopes airline travel will be back close to normal by tomorrow. Speaking on Bloomberg, once once people start getting paid, and I know Secretary Duffy is committed to getting those those paychecks out right away. Um so over the next couple of days, I think you'll see things starting to turn to normal. United CEO Scott Kirby discussed how long it will take their operations to resume back to full capacity speaking on the Katie Miller podcast. >> We'll be able to ramp up as quickly as the FA. FAA is going to be the constraint. And by the way, I think the FAA deserves an A+. They've done a great job in a really uncertain, you know, they don't know how many people are going to show up to work. They want to keep the system safe. I was 100% supportive of what they did. Southwest Airlines echoed that view, telling employees yesterday it's optimistic the FAA will soon allow US carriers to resume full schedules. During the 43-day shutdown, air traffic controllers worked without pay and staffing shortages mounted at facilities nationwide, causing widespread flight disruptions. Since October 1st, tens of thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, affecting more than 1.2 million passengers last weekend alone. Daniel Monahan, NTD News. >> Travelers at Atlanta's Hartsville Jackson International Airports spoke on the ending of the government shutdown. Take a listen. >> I'm really happy about that for the people that are traveling for the holidays. You know, at least that takes it off their plate worrying about getting there or getting home. Hopefully, >> I think people are willing to put up with a little inconvenience. Um, but we don't want to jeopardize the lives of people and I think I think the nation was starting to be worried about that. We you know when you have less staff or less pilots or less air traffic controllers, you know, there's a chance for something to happen. So, um, knock on wood, I'm glad that that hasn't happened and hopefully things can resume. >> The Justice Department has entered the redistricting battle over Congress. The department is now suing California to stop it from redrawing its congressional map. California voters overwhelmingly approved Prop 50 last week. This could give Democrats a shot at winning five seats that are now held by Republicans in next year's midterm elections. The special election was in response to a similar Republicanled effort in Texas. An next Attorney General Bamb Bondi said that Governor Nuome should be concerned about keeping Californians safe and not quote rigging his state for political gain. A former top aid to California Governor Gavin Newsome has been indicted on 23 federal charges tied to a political corruption and moneyaundering scheme. Prosecutors say Newsome's former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, and several co-conspirators helped divert $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to former health secretary Javier Bisera. That money allegedly ended up in an associates's personal account. The indictment also accuses Williamson of falsifying business records and tax filings, claiming personal luxury purchases and private jet flights as business expenses. Williamson yesterday pleaded not guilty in federal court in Sacramento. She was released under conditions including surrendering her passport and avoiding contact with co-conspirators. Governor Nuome's office said Williamson no longer works for his administration and emphasized that all public servants must uphold the highest standards of integrity. If convicted, Williamson faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of bank and wire fraud along with additional penalties for obstruction and false statements. As the trade truce between China and America takes shape, the US is eyeing ways to combat China's dominance over rare earth and critical minerals. It's an issue that some describe as America's single greatest vulnerability. Entities Melina Wisecup reports. >> The bipartisan House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is exposing an issue that's cost Americans jobs, businesses, and jeopardized our national security. Investigators released a new report this week. A key point is that China rose to dominance in the critical mineral arena not through fair competition, but through predatory practices. The CCP's goal is to deal a blow to Western economies. In the words of China Committee Chairman John Molinar, "China has a loaded gun that is pointed at our economy, and we must act quickly." America relies on China for over 80% of its rare earths, which are needed to make products we use every day. From electronics to medical equipment to military and defense gear, you name it. This is a dependence by design that's been in the making for more than three decades. The PRC developed this control over decades of careful planning and execution. In 1992, then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping famously said, "The Middle East has oil. China has rare earths." >> China has long subsidized its own production and lured Western companies into collaboration only to then cheat by selling products below market value. This put Western companies out of business. Though the impacts of this have become more evident during the US China trade war, officials have long known that this problem exists, some even describing it as our single greatest vulnerability. >> We have known that China is able and willing to weaponize its chokeold on critical minerals against adversaries like the United States. Despite knowing these dangers, the US is no closer to achieving critical mineral independence than we were 15 years ago. To combat this, the Trump administration is preparing to appoint a critical mineral ZAR. The committee is also suggesting to create a strategic resource reserve that would be similar to the national oil reserves. Lawmakers are also eyeing critical minerals tax credits to try to boost more domestic production. Though a big piece of the equation here is how to expedite mining permits. This is usually an uphill battle because of push back from environmental groups. Reporting from Washington DC, Molina Weissup, NTD News. >> The Select Committee on the CCP will hold a hearing next week on this very topic to further expose the CCP's predatory practices and their impact on Americans. And for several years, relations between Europe and China have cooled. Yet, some countries have deepened ties with Beijing, facing growing risks of dependence, especially through China's Belt and Road Initiative. Lawmakers from across the block gathered in Brussels to discuss the challenges arising from partnerships with the Chinese Communist Party. Entity international correspondent Davidid Vess reports. While the EU as a whole is moving toward gradual derisking from Beijing, several countries such as Spain and Hungary have recently reinforced ties with China through belt and road projects underlining the block's difficulty in uniting. With the Euro zone experiencing slow economic growth and facing serious issues regarding energy sources and rare earth minerals supply, some member states are looking for alternative solutions. At the Interpolaramentary Alliance on China last week in Brussels, legislators from across Europe highlighted some countries dependence on China. Patterns of Chinese Communist Party influence, often at the expense of national interests emerged as member of IPAC discussed the challenges their countries face in relations with Beijing. Scottish politicians Steward Macdonald said there is a lack of awareness in Scotland about the long-term risks of deals made with China. >> We have an issue in the energy sector, particularly the renewable energy sector. Very heavy over reliance uh on China. there we have an over reliance on China in our higher education sector uh particularly our universities which have become so dependent on uh the funds that come from the numbers the large volumes of students from uh from China >> he said one example is how China stateowned Petrochina has a stake in Scotland's critical energy sector while Petrochina decided to close its oil refinery in the country experts know that Scotland no longer controls how its energy is produced or regulated did. Due to several factors, Scotland now has some of the highest energy costs in Europe. >> We've just closed our last remaining oil refinery. Uh 50% owned by ProChina. Uh Scotland is unique in that it is an oil producing country with no oil refinery. This is madness. Uh and the result of that has been quite an enormous hit to our economy nationally. Very big hit to that economy locally with the loss of hundreds of jobs. Uh but we had in in Grangemouth which is the name of the oil refinery uh that closed down a huge stake from from Petrochina. That should never have been allowed to happen. >> Smaller countries also voiced concerns that the Chinese Communist Party takes advantage of large loans accepted by their governments. Members of parliament from Balkan countries such as Bosnia Governor and North Macedonia said they are facing similar challenges with Chinese investments. They have been financing uh the the building of a new coal factory in in Tusla region in the north of Baserina 63 million euros uh also providing laws for different uh infrastructural projects strategic energy uh uh road transportation infrastructure. So um we see their growing influence and are not really aware of uh what it will cost us in the future. Gratz says beyond economic issues, there might be threats to democracy as well as the Chinese Communist Party does not respect democratic processes and could impose political narratives and agendas to the country's legislature. I I think that what they are trying to show is that uh a non-democratic model would also work under the circumstances that the western balkans are currently in in between you know getting more integrated into the western world as we call it and uh and the western standards. So I think they're trying to show well this might work for you but I I don't think it really it it it would ever work. The proposed solution is to diversify supply sources, reduce global dependence on China, and strengthen unity among EU countries using legislative tools. David Vves, NTD News, Brussels. Forced organ harvesting, the shocking practice of killing people to take their organs is once again in focus. Lawmakers from 28 countries are joining forces to push for tougher laws against the crime. The Interparliamentary Alliance on China said yesterday that its members condemn the abhorrent practice of state sanctioned organ harvesting and trafficking. The group says it will push for bans on transplant tourism, sanctions on perpetrators, and greater transparency in transplant systems worldwide. Forced organ harvesting is in China, and it's mostly committed against prisoners of conscience. Its scale ballooned after the turn of the century, correlating closely with the Chinese regime's persecution of fallen gong, also known as Fallandatha. The spiritual discipline is based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice was first introduced to China in 1992 and quickly grew to an estimated 70 to 100 million followers by 1999. That same year, the Chinese Communist Party launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate the group. The Chinese Communist Party has given the Venezuelan regime an economic lifeline as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on the foreign terrorist organization led by Nicholas Maduro. Our Washington correspondent has more on the story. >> The Chinese Communist Party has announced a zero tariff agreement with the Venezuelan regime on over 400 categories of products. The move throws an economic lifeline to the Venezuelan regime, which will allow them to buy Chinese products at discounted prices and would allow the Chinese Communist Party greater control over the South American country's economy. >> Venezuela right now is a safe heaven where Hezbollah, Hamas, the drug cartels, the Colombian gerilla operate freely and uh and they are part of of this leazison with our regime. The CCP has lent over $60 billion dollars to the Venezuelan regime over the past two decades. It has also endowed the Venezuelan National Guard with equipment to repress its citizenry and it has built a ground satellite station in Venezuela, allowing the Chinese Communist Party a foothold in the Western Hemisphere. It's been America first, peace through strength, common sense, revive the warrior ethos, rebuild the military, reestablish deterrence. We're going to defend the homeland. We're going to deter China. We're gonna make sure our allies do their part in burden sharing and we're going to revive the defense industrial base. >> The Trump administration has seared in on the links in between the Venezuelan regime and the Chinese Communist Party and directed the Department of War to counter the malign influence stemming from foreign terrorist organizations operating from Venezuela and by the Venezuelan regime. Now, imperialism is inventing an even more bizarre narrative. Since they cannot say that Maduro has weapons of mass destruction, since they cannot say that we have hidden biological or chemical weapons, they invent a bizarre narrative. >> My advice to foreign terrorist organizations, do not get in a boat. I mean, if you're trafficking drugs to poison the American people, and we know you're from a designated terrorist organization, you're a foreign terrorist and a trafficker, uh, we will find you and we will kill you. >> The Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Makorina Machado, who is in hiding in Venezuela, has thanked the Trump administration for their support. finally a leadership that is addressing this this tragic situation in Venezuela that has been involvement for 26 years as it should. We have been asked that this criminal structure be addressed using law enforcement. This week, the USS Gerald S4, the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the world, enter Southern Command's area of operation to support operations against foreign terrorist organizations in the region. Reporting from Washington DC, Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. >> Hi, thanks for staying with us. In a significant development today, the US State Department has designated four Antifa linked groups as foreign terrorist organizations. The department says the groups have quote waged terror campaigns in the United States and Europe, conspiring to undermine the foundations of Western civilization through their brutal attacks. Here are the four groups. Germany's Antifa OT, known for hammer attacks on civilians. Italy's International Revolutionary Front, who sent bombs to pal politicians, embassies, and civilians causing injuries. Greece's armed proletarian Justice, which pledges war on cops and state. And another group in Greece called Revolutionary Class Self-Defense. >> And the BBC has apologized to President Trump for edits it made to his January 6th speech that changed its original meaning. The corporation said it will not play the edited version again, but will not offer any compensation to Trump for its actions. It comes after British newspaper The Telegraph revealed a second BBC program broadcast in 2022, which also made misleading edits to the same speech and ignored concerns that were raised about it. iPhone users now have a new way to present identification at US airports. Digital ID and Apple Wallet is now being tested at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports in the US. Apple says you create the ID using your valid US passport. It works even if you do not have a Real ID compliant driver's license or state ID. The launch follows the capability for users to add an eligible driver's license and state ID to Apple Wallet. Digital ID does not replace a physical passport. It cannot be used for international travel and border crossings. And in lighter news, as dazzling aurora lights illuminated skies across the US this week, stargazers in parts of Australia and Europe also enjoyed the spectacle. The lights were sparked by a powerful geomagnetic storm. In southeastern Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology issued an aurora alert as vibrant pink and green lights danced over the state of Victoria. Hyperlapse footage showed multicolored waves of Aurora Australia or southern lights streaking across the night sky. In the northern hemisphere, Italy's Aosta Valley caught a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis which turned the sky above the meteor and a horn brilliant red. While geomagnetic storms like this one can produce spectacular celestial displays, scientists say they can also disrupt satellites and radio signals. The select committee on the CCP will hold a hearing next week on this very topic to further expose the CCP's predatory practices and their impact on Americans. And now to Australia, where a world first ban on kids using social media starts on December 10th. Australian teens will soon face a choice before account deactivation begins. Here's a closer look. Australian teenagers are set to lose their social media accounts with a ban on young users set to kick in from December 10th. Over the coming days, online platforms like Tik Tok, Snapchat, Meta, and Instagram will notify more than a million teen account holders in the country. Users under the age of 16 must choose an option. Download data, freeze their profiles, or lose everything under the world first ban on kids using social media. Based on information from insiders, the big platforms plan to deactivate accounts for users under the age of 16. Australia's other 20 million social media users should face no big changes. The move puts the nation out front in shielding young people from online risks. Earlier this year, platforms had warned of total chaos, fearing that they could lose users and face $32 million fines for breaking the rules. They said required age checks would mean constant login, invade privacy, and often be wrong or easy to dodge. But now, firms will use existing software that guesses ages from user habits. Instead of asking for birth dates all the time, they will generally only push people to special age check apps. If someone complains about being blocked by mistake, the setup might hit snacks at first. H check apps which are being deployed at scale for the first time can make mistakes. Latrope University AI professor Deswin D Silva explains >> one of the challenges with age verification also was this band between 15 16 17 how do you distinguish 15 from 16 17 so a lot of the technological methods of age verification will fail uh in in that narrow band and and there might be false positives where you know certain um individuals who are over 16 slightly over 16 will be banned from these platforms because their content was um was classified as u know relevant to an under 16 sort of target demographic. It's probably going to be service distortion, service failure for a couple of days or weeks maybe until the platforms figure this out and we'll see a lot of uh articles on on media and know maybe even on social media itself of no false positives. >> Meta, Snapchat, Tik Tok and Google declined to comment. The law states that such platforms must take quote reasonable steps to block minors. If the roll out goes smoothly, it could guide the world in cutting kids exposure to harms like bullying or weight issues from screens. Picture this, the heart of Manhattan, full of energy, movement, and life. Now imagine bringing that same vitality into your home with trusted health insights for your body, mind, and soul. Every week, Vital Signs dives into health issues that matter the most. The foods that strengthen your immune system, the exercises that keep you moving, the mindfulness practices that calm your mind, plus expert advice from doctors and health leaders you can trust. This isn't just another health show. It's real insight designed to keep you informed, inspired, and in motion. So whether you're starting your day with focus or winding down with balance, Vital Science brings health and vitality straight into your living room.