President Donald Trump speaks during a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the Washington, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
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Developing now, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018:
- President Trump's lament about 's---hole countries' during immigration talks draws outrage from both parties – and from offended nations
- A bipartisan group of senators say they have reached a deal on immigration -- but will Trump and other members of Congress support it?
- Trump says an FBI agent’s text about him prior to the 2016 presidential election was a 'treasonous act'
- Trump expected to decide whether to continue waiving sanctions against Iran lifted as part of President Obama's nuclear agreement
- Facebook is considering major changes to its news feed to limit the exposure to 'fake news,' sources say
- Ronan Farrow leaves NBC News months after the network decided not to run his exposé on Harvey Weinstein
THE LEAD STORY: Lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle are blasting President Trump's lament about "s---hole' countries" during immigration negotiations Thursday as the White House attempts damage control ... "Why are we having all these people from s---hole countries come here?” the president said, in comments first reported by the Washington Post. Trump was referring to people from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and African countries in the temporary protected status program, a source told Fox News. About a dozen people, both Republicans and Democrats, were in the room at the time. Trump also suggested the United States should admit more people from countries like Norway instead, the Post reported. The White House did not deny Trump made the comments. “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” said Raj Shah, a White House spokesman.
Democrats accused the president of racism. “His comments are disappointing, unbelievable, but not surprising," said Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutiérrez.
- Trump should explain his remarks, Haiti and some African nations say
- Trump slogan 'code for Make America White Again,' black caucus leader says
- Tucker: In defense of Trump's 's---hole countries' comment
- Rep. Andy Biggs: Mr. Trump, fund, start, and finish the wall before you tackle DACA, illegal immigration
- Trump administration ends TPS for El Salvador immigrants: What are these temporary protections?
- Pelosi mocks 'white guys' leading DACA talks
DEAL OR NO DEAL?: A bipartisan group of six senators said Thursday afternoon they have reached "an agreement in principle" on immigration, including a plan to shield from deportation illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. However, it's unclear if President Trump or others in Congress will go along with it ... “We have been working for four months and have reached an agreement in principle that addresses border security, the diversity visa lottery, chain migration/family reunification, and the Dream Act – the areas outlined by the president,” the senators wrote in a joint release. “We are now working to build support for that deal in Congress.” None of the six senators, including the Republicans, is known as a Trump ally on immigration.
AN ACT OF 'TREASON'?: President Trump said in an interview Thursday that the FBI agent who was removed from the Russian-interference probe and once referred to the president as a “loathsome human being” committed an act of “treason" ... Trump told the Wall Street Journal that the text message from Agent Peter Strzok, where he joked of needing an "insurance policy" if Trump were elected, was tantamount to treason. Strzok was removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe in July after politically charged text messages he exchanged with his FBI colleague-mistress surfaced. He also had been deeply involved in the Clinton email inquiry and was in the room when the FBI interviewed her.
- House votes to renew FISA program, following mixed messages from Trump
- Republicans probe FBI agents' text messages for evidence of leaks
DECISION NEAR ON IRAN: President Trump is expected to decide Friday whether to continue waiving sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement ... European Union powers on Thursday urged Trump to endorse the deal insisting it is essential for international security. The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany threw their weight behind the pact limiting Iran's nuclear ambitions and insisted that the Islamic Republic is respecting it. Under the accord, Iran slowed its nuclear program in exchange for an easing of international economic sanctions. In addition, within the week, the administration must also tell Congress whether Iran is complying with the major components of the nuclear deal.
- Opinion: Trump faces big Iran decisions. Here's what he should do.
BIG BROTHER FACEBOOK: Facebook is considering changing how it prioritizes news stories in users' feeds to give better placement to media outlets deemed more trustworthy, as the company continues efforts to limit the exposure of false news, sources said ... Under its new approach, Facebook would evaluate parameters such as public polling about news outlets, and whether readers are willing to pay for news from particular publishers. Such variables would inform its algorithm that determines which publishers' posts are pushed higher in the feed, one of the people said. Such a move would thrust Facebook into an even more active role in deciding what content is acceptable on its site.
- Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, among others, write letter to Congress to save DACA
- Fox News Opinion: Think Apple is going to protect your kids? Get real.
FARROW BOLTS NBC: Ronan Farrow has left NBC for HBO, months after executives at the Peacock Network spiked his explosive exposé on Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein ... The departure is an embarrassment for NBC News, which has been battling accusations that it had ulterior motives for suppressing reporting on sexual harassment. It’s a happy ending for Farrow, who ended up publishing his Weinstein report in the New Yorker. He will produce documentaries for HBO.
AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS
THE ARGUMENT AGAINST A TRUMP-MUELLER MEETING: "If I were his lawyer, I'd say, 'Keep your mouth shut and just talk to me or you'll end up like Bill Clinton." – Legal analyst Gregg Jarrett, on "Lou Dobbs Tonight," arguing President Trump should avoid an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. WATCH
DEALING WITH DACA: "The DACA amnesty is bad for Americans. It's granting an amnesty to nearly a million people in their twenties and thirties -- their average age is 24 -- who are going to compete against young Americans. ... The idea that we have to do this is ludicrous." – Kris Kobach, Kansas secretary of state and gubernatorial candidate, on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," blasting the suggestion that illegal immigrants in the U.S. on DACA program must be granted amnesty. WATCH
ACROSS THE NATION
California mudslide victims include founder of a Roman Catholic school, 'first lady' of luxury real estate.
Murdered Ivy League student's 'fight club' friend was nervous in police interview, had 'dirt under' nails, affidavit says.
Connecticut State Police to issue a report on response to Sandy Hook massacre.
Picture of ALS-stricken grandfather saying goodbye to dying granddaughter goes viral.
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
Walmart closing 63 Sam's Club stores, laying off thousands of workers.
Tax reform will fatten paychecks for at least 2 million Americans | IRS may mess up your paycheck
Fiat Chrysler moving jobs back to Michigan from Mexico.
NEW IN FOX NEWS OPINION
Dr. Manny Alvarez: Pot needs to be legal now.
Marc Thiessen: Folks calling Trump a 'madman' are actually helping him send a tough message to Kim Jong Un.
Is coal the new gold? A Pennsylvania Senate candidate thinks so.
HOLLYWOOD SQUARED
James Franco absent from Critics' Choice Awards amid misconduct allegations.
Rob Lowe slams Bella Thorne over tweet after Santa Barbara mudslides.
LGBTQ groups silent after Chelsea Handler's homophobic tweet to Lindsey Graham.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?
Werewolf cat named new breed at American Kennel Club.
Meteorite's origins point to possible undiscovered asteroid.
Rapper with song 'Sell Drugsz' gets prison for selling drugs.
STAY TUNED
On Fox News:
Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: Commentator Ben Shapiro on Trump's controversial comments about immigration; Grover Norquist provides insight on tax reform; Dr. Manny on why Congress needs to make pot legal now.
Tucker Carlson Tonight, 8 p.m. ET: Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy gives the inside story on his legal battle with the NFL.
On Fox Business:
Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Mark Holden, chairman of Freedom Partners; Bill Daley, former White House chief of staff under Obama, and Mark Penn, former Hillary Clinton campaign adviser.
Varney & Company, 9 a.m. ET: Thomas Homan, acting director of ICE; Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne; Rep. Erik Paulsen; John Cox, California gubernatorial candidate.
Countdown to the Closing Bell, 3 p.m. ET-- Singer-songwriter Ray J
On Fox News Radio:
The Fox News Rundown podcast: Senate leaders voted to start debating on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments (FISA) Act on Thursday and are hoping to get a bill on President Trump's desk by next week. Fox News' Chad Pergram gives insight. The flu season has already been deadly. Fox News Medical Correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel explains what symptoms to look for and what you can do to prevent the flu. A weekly dose of "Good News" will come from Tonya J. Powers and commentary by Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace.
Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher.
The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: Geraldo and Chris Stirewalt take on the DACA debate and Trump's controversial "lament" on immigration; Amb. John Bolton on Trump's expected decision on the Iran nuke deal. Rep. Sean Duffy on FISA and more.
#OnThisDay
1998: Linda Tripp provides Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office with taped conversations between herself and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
1971: "All in the Family" premieres on CBS.
1773: The first public museum in America is organized in Charleston, S.C.
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