The U.S. took aim at Nicaragua’s regime over alleged human rights violations, announcing a designation against a prison official.

‘Today I’m designating Nicaraguan Prison Director Roberto Clemente Guevara Gómez for his involvement in gross violations of human rights,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. ‘We continue to call for accountability for the crimes committed by the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship and urge for the immediate, unconditional release of all unjustly detained political prisoners in Nicaragua.’

The U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua also announced the designation, clarifying that it was done under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 ‘for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights of a political prisoner.’ The embassy added that the U.S. was calling for ‘the immediate, unconditional release of all unjustly detained political prisoners in Nicaragua.’

In December, the embassy announced actions taken by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 in response to ‘Nicaragua’s acts, policies, and practices related to abuses of labor rights, abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and dismantling of the rule of law.’ In making the decision, the USTR considered more than 2,000 public comments and consulted with government agency experts and USTR cleared advisors.

The move meant that starting Jan. 1, 2026, the U.S. would impose a phased-in tariff over the course of two years that would impact all Nicaraguan goods that ‘are not originating under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).’ The tariff started at 0% on Jan 1., 2026, and is set to grow to 10% by Jan. 1, 2027 and then 15% by Jan. 1, 2028, the embassy said, adding that any tariff would be imposed in addition to the existing 18% reciprocal tariff.

‘Should Nicaragua show a lack of progress in addressing these issues, this timeline and these rates may be modified,’ the embassy added.

The Trump administration has taken tougher action in the Western Hemisphere in recent months, starting with the Jan. 3, 2026, capture of Venezuela’s dictatorial leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.

President Donald Trump’s newly created Board of Peace is set to hold its first meeting Thursday, with administration officials and participating countries framing the gathering as a step toward implementing the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction effort rather than a moment likely to deliver an immediate breakthrough.

At least 20 countries are expected to attend the inaugural session in Washington, where Trump is slated to chair discussions on a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction framework, humanitarian coordination and the deployment of an international stabilization force.

Trump unveiled the initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. Initial members include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, Israel, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Argentina, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

On Sunday, Trump said members of the initiative had already pledged $5 billion toward rebuilding Gaza and would commit personnel to international stabilization and policing efforts. ‘The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential international body in history, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,’ Trump wrote in a social media post announcing the commitments.

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, has announced a plan to train a future Gaza police force, while Indonesia has committed thousands of troops to a prospective international stabilization mission expected to deploy later this year.

The United Arab Emirates, a founding participant in the initiative, said it plans to continue its humanitarian engagement in Gaza.

‘The UAE remains committed to scaling up its humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza and to advancing a durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians,’ the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, noting its role as a founding member of the Board of Peace and part of the Gaza Executive Board.

Even as Gulf and regional partners signal willingness to fund humanitarian needs, long-term reconstruction remains tied to security conditions on the ground.

Disarmament remains the central test

Analysts say the meeting’s significance will hinge less on headline announcements and more on whether participants align on the unresolved core issue shaping Gaza’s future: Hamas’ disarmament.

Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, argued the meeting’s credibility will depend on whether participants coalesce around a clear position on disarmament. ‘Unless there is going to be a joint statement coming out of it that clearly says Hamas has to disarm — to me the meeting would be a failure,’ he said, because it would show ‘the U.S. cannot get everyone on the same page.’

Funding is also expected to dominate discussions, though diplomats and analysts caution that pledges may not translate quickly into large-scale reconstruction.

‘We’re going to see pledges,’ al-Omari told Fox News Digital, ‘with a footnote that a pledge does not always translate to deliverables,’ urging attention to which countries commit funds and whether the money is earmarked for humanitarian aid, stabilization or long-term rebuilding.

John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), also cautioned that early financial pledges are unlikely to translate into immediate large-scale reconstruction. ‘I can’t imagine that much of that initial pledge or any of it is going to actual long-term or even medium-term reconstruction of Gaza. Just too many parties won’t support it, pending actual progress on the core question of disarmament and demilitarization of Hamas,’ he said.

Hannah added that the financing challenge remains enormous. ‘It’s been a major outstanding question: How are you going to fund this tremendous bill that is going to come due over the course of the next several years?’ he said. ‘I’ve been watching this now for 35 years, and if I had $100 for every time a major Arab country pledged support for the Palestinians but not delivered, I’d be a relatively wealthy man.’

Netanyahu signs on despite Turkey, Qatar tensions

The initiative has also highlighted political tensions surrounding Israel’s participation, particularly given the involvement of Turkey and Qatar.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed on to the agreement last week during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, placing Israel formally inside the framework despite earlier Israeli objections to Ankara and Doha playing a central role in Gaza’s future.

Hannah said Netanyahu’s decision reflects strategic calculations tied to Washington. ‘I think the prime minister doesn’t want to anger the president. He’s prioritizing his really good strategic relationship with Trump over this tactical difference over Turkey and Qatar,’ he said. ‘The prime minister is just making a basic calculation of where Israel’s interests lie here and trying to balance these competing factors.’

European allies raise legal concerns

Beyond Gaza, the initiative has sparked concern among European allies, many of whom have declined to join the board.

European officials told Fox News Digital the group’s charter raises legal and institutional questions and may conflict with the original U.N. framework that envisioned a Gaza-focused mechanism.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, European leaders argued the Board of Peace’s mandate appears to diverge from the U.N. Security Council resolution that initially supported a Gaza-specific body.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the resolution envisioned a time-limited structure tied directly to Gaza and to the U.N., but that the board’s current charter no longer reflects those provisions. ‘The U.N. Security Council resolution provided for a Board of Peace for Gaza… it provided for it to be limited in time until 2027… and referred to Gaza, whereas the statute of the Board of Peace makes no reference to any of these things,’ she said. ‘So I think there is a Security Council resolution but the Board of Peace does not reflect it.’

In response, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz criticized what he described as excessive concern over the initiative and argued the status quo in Gaza was unsustainable, and attacked what he said was ‘hand-wringing’ about the Board of Peace — saying the cycle of war with Hamas in control had to be broken.

Not a replacement for the United Nations

Despite European unease, analysts say the Board of Peace is unlikely to replace the U.N. system.

Al-Omari dismissed the idea that the initiative poses a serious institutional challenge, arguing that major powers remain deeply invested in the existing multilateral structure.

Hannah agreed, saying the administration appears to view Thursday’s meeting primarily as incremental progress rather than any kind of major breakthrough. ‘The way the administration is looking at this is just another sign of continued progress and momentum, rather than any kind of major breakthrough,’ he concluded.

President Donald Trump announced that former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House event marking the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, as attendees at one point broke into chants of ‘four more years.’

‘Ben’s getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom,’ Trump said. ‘It’s the highest award you can have outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor.’

Trump said Carson would receive the nation’s top civilian honor at a future ceremony, telling him, ‘Ben, I’ll be seeing you back here pretty soon. I think you’re going to get the award.’

The announcement came as Trump mixed tributes and cultural references with policy and political claims including criminal justice reform, crime reduction and border enforcement while hosting what he described as ‘many exceptional African American leaders and patriots’ at the White House.

Trump opened the event by noting, ‘we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.’

He then addressed the death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, saying, ‘I wanted to begin by expressing a sadness that the passing of a person who was. I knew very well Jesse was a piece of work. He was a piece of work. But he was a good man.’

‘I just want to pay my highest respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson,’ Trump added, calling him ‘a real hero,’ and saying ‘he really was special, with lots of personality, grit and street smarts.’

Trump introduced HUD Secretary Scott Turner and brought Carson to the front of the room, noting Carson had recommended Turner. Carson praised Turner’s role in opportunity zones, saying ‘he was really the driving force behind the Opportunity zones,’ and described Trump’s approach as ‘public private partnerships, and had everybody with skin in the game.’

Moments later, Trump returned to Carson and elaborated on the award.

‘It’s better because, you know, a lot of people get the Congressional Medal of Honor, and they’re not around,’ Trump said. ‘But it’s the highest award [for] a civilian.’

After remarks from Leo Terrell whom Trump thanked, saying, ‘Leo, that was very good,’ the crowd assembled broke into a chant of ‘four more years.’

Later, while listing Black artists and athletes, Trump singled out rapper Nicki Minaj.

‘I love Nicki Minaj. She was here a couple of weeks ago.’

‘So beautiful,’ he added, before saying, ‘and she gets it. And more importantly, she gets it.’

Trump connected Wednesday’s celebration to a broader national moment, saying, ‘Black History Month is really all about American history,’ and referencing upcoming America250 programming.

The President outlined a series of policy accomplishments for the black community, saying he ‘single handedly secured record long term funding for’ historically Black colleges and universities and reiterated, ‘we got criminal justice reform done,’ adding, ‘Nobody thought it can be done.’

Trump tied those policies to electoral performance, saying, ‘it’s no wonder that in 2024, we won more African-American votes than any Republican president in history.’

Trump also cited economic indicators, saying, ‘Earlier this month the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 50,000 for the first time ever,’ and adding, ‘The S&P broke 7000.’

‘More Americans are working today than at any time in American history,’ he said, before stating, ‘Since I took office, African American employment has increased by 182,000.’

The president also promoted a tax proposal, inviting a small business owner from Arkansas to speak. She told the audience, ‘no tax on tips has been amazing blessing for me.’

Trump later pivoted to crime and border enforcement, arguing ‘we need order,’ and claiming, ‘Washington DC is amazing. It was a crime capital. It was a horror show a year ago. It was really dangerous. And now it’s one of the safest cities anywhere in the country.’

‘We have the lowest murder numbers in 125 years since 1990,’ he said, adding, ‘just one year ago, we had the absolute worst border that we’ve ever had, and now we have the safest border that we’ve ever had.’

He also said he had ‘deployed the National Guard to bring back safety to Memphis and to New Orleans and Washington,’ calling the Guard ‘incredible.’

Johnson credited Trump with the First Step Act, saying, ‘President Trump did something historic in his first term. He signed the First Step act into law,’ and adding, ‘Over 40,000 individuals have come home to their families early.’

Trump closed by calling the gathering ‘a very special group of people,’ and said, ‘So happy Black History Month, happy black history year, and happy black history century.’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly been holding secret talks with the grandson of Raul Castro, the former President of Cuba. 

The talks between Rubio and Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro are bypassing official Cuban government channels, Axios reported. 

‘Our position — the U.S. government’s position — is the regime has to go,’ a senior official told the news outlet. ‘But what exactly that looks like is up to [President Trump] and he has yet to decide. Rubio is still in talks with the grandson.’

‘I wouldn’t call these ‘negotiations’ as much as ‘discussions’ about the future,’ the official added.

Earlier this month, Cuban despot Miguel Díaz-Canel warned his country is ‘close to failing’ as the U.S. shuts off commercial valves vital to its survival, such as fuel and food, followed by nearly 70 years of one-party communist rule.

Cuba’s power grid is failing, hospitals are short of necessary supplies and garbage has piled up on the streets. 

The Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on the communist-run island in recent weeks, following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Cuban ally. The administration has accused Havana of cozying up to U.S. adversaries and terrorist groups. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department. The White House referred Fox News Digital to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks on Tuesday, in which she said Havana needs to make serious changes. 

‘They are a regime that is falling,’ she said. ‘Their country is collapsing, and that’s why we believe it’s in their best interest to make very dramatic changes very soon. And we’ll see what they decide to do.’

President Donald Trump praised civil rights activist Jesse Jackson as a ‘real hero’ during a White House Black History Month event Wednesday, just a day after Jackson’s death.

‘I wanted to begin by expressing a sadness that the passing of a person who was. I knew very well Jesse was a piece of work. He was a piece of work. But he was a good man. He was a real hero,’ Trump said on Wednesday, earning cheers from the audience. 

Trump hosted leaders from the Black community at the White House Wednesday to honor Black History Month in February. He remarked as the event kicked off that there was a ‘sold-out crowd’ and that the upcoming White House ballroom would accommodate far more people. 

Trump had lamented Jackson’s death in a prior Truth Social post Tuesday, elaborating on Wednesday that the pair’s relationship got ‘better and better all the time.’

‘A lot of people you get to know, they get worse and worse. Jesse got better and better. But I knew him well long before becoming president, and he really was special, with lots of personality, grit and street smarts,’ Trump continued. 

Jackson, 84, died Tuesday. His cause of death has not been identified, but he had suffered from health issues including living with a rare neurological condition.

Jackson was a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, and longtime civil rights leader who joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s before his assassination, and was the founder of civil rights group, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. 

‘I will tell you, he was gregarious and someone who truly loved people and a force of nature, who is, somebody that we’re going to greatly miss. And on behalf of everyone here today, I know you join me in sending our condolences to the entire family,’ Trump continued. 

Wednesday’s event included celebrating the legacy of Black Americans, economic wins under the Trump administration, as well as Trump reigniting his 2025 announcement that former Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, who served under Trump’s first term, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  

‘Ben’s getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It’s the highest award you can have outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor,’ Trump said.