Presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) joined families of 9/11 victims and first responders Tuesday as she called on the Trump administration and the FBI to release documents that she said could implicate Saudi Arabia for its role in the attacks.
"Eighteen years ago, our nation was attacked by Al-Qaeda," Gabbard said at the 9/11 Tribute Museum in New York City, just blocks from Ground Zero. "We still don't fully know whether or not they were aided by the Saudi government, enabling them to successfully attack our nation."
Gabbard noted that the attacks ultimately lead to her decision to serve in the military, where she still serves as a major in the Army National Guard."I was determined to defeat and destroy the evil that visited us on September 11th."
Now Gabbard plans to re-introduce House Resolution Urging the release of information regarding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks upon the United States to Congress, originally introduced in 2017, which would release what she calls the, "declassified version that actually speaks to the truth of what led to that attack."
John Feal, a 9/11 first-responder well-known for his efforts to secure the reauthorization of the Victims Compensation Fund (VCF), expressed optimism Tuesday in getting the resolution done: "I guarantee that we will get this done because I do not do anything — anything — that fails," he said.
Yet, President Trump's critics, like Gabbard, are concerned about his relationship with the Saudi Kingdom.
On Monday, the White House noted Trump spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who "congratulated the President on the United States' successful mission to bring ISIS founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to justice."
Speaking to reporters on October 16, Trump announced U.S. troops will be sent to Saudi Arabia because the country has been "a very good ally."
Gabbard explained Tuesday, "Families who lost their loved ones want the truth, and they deserve the truth."
When Cheddar asked if she has a message for Trump, Gabbard said, "Stand with the American people that you took the oath to serve, not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, not Prince Mohammad Bin Salman."
"Stand up and be the leader that he promised to be and honor the great sacrifice of those families and first responders who are gathered here today, the great sacrifice that continues to be made by servicemen and women, by sharing the truth, and standing with the American people," she added.
Just last week, Gabbard announced she would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in order to focus on her presidential campaign. In a new poll released Tuesday, Gabbard hit 5 percent in New Hampshire, inching her closer to qualifying for the November debates.
Updated October 30, 2019 to refer to the House Resolution by name.
As gas prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, other nations could potentially transition faster to using clean energy than previously expected. Philip K. Verleger, a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, joined Cheddar News to explain how this could be a possibility in the near future. "Part of the reason I think we have this invasion and the tantrum that's being thrown by Russia, terrible tantrum, is because the Russians were trying to slow down the transition," he said. "Ironically they speeded it up."
Following the invasion of Ukraine, a multitude of Western companies have paused doing business with Russia. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Starbucks are the most recent companies to temporarily cease operations in Russia. Dean of Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, John Quelch, joined Cheddar News to discuss what message this sends to Russia and the Russian consumer. “I would not underestimate the collective strength of all of these multinational companies, essentially coming together to make their collective statement in support of the political statements that have come out of Washington," he said.
The war in Ukraine continues to reveal heartbreaking gut-wrenching stories. The war in itself is not only devastating but also expensive. Experts estimate that Russia is draining nearly $20 million dollars each day to continue occupying and invading Ukraine. All this could force the country to turn to cryptocurrencies. It's a major turn for the country that briefly considered outlined digital assets entirely, but it could also have serious implications for cryptos. Managing Director at Quantum Fintech Group, Harry Yeh, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
President Biden announced a ban on Russian oil and natural gas imports to the U.S. in response to its invasion of Ukraine, a move he warned could lead to an even greater surge in gas prices. The ban is prompting a conversation about the current oil production levels in the U.S. and whether or not the industry can ramp up production to soften the blow to American families at the gas pump. Clark Williams-Derry, Energy Finance Analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, breaks down the state of the U.S. oil industry and how the ban might impact production levels here at home.
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Starbucks are the latest American food brands to have halted business operations in Russia after having faced scrutiny and criticism for originally failing to do so amid the country's invasion of Ukraine.
As Russia intensifies its war on Ukraine, President Biden announced a ban on oil imported from the aggressor nation. Critics of Russia have said this would be the best way to force Putin to pull back, but curbs on Russian oil exports are expected to send already skyrocketing oil and gas prices even higher, further impacting consumers, businesses, financial markets, and the global economy. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. "It's certainly going to increase pricing, but it is the right thing to do," she said. "The industry itself has already pulled out of the significant portion of its operations in Russia."
Sports Betting in the U.S. is booming. According to industry experts, we could see another boom this year as more states move towards statewide legalization of sports wagering. While this comes as huge news for fans, there are some very real concerns as to whether or not sports betting potentially poses a threat to public health. Senior Clinician at the Caron Treatment Centers, Eric Webber, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Biden administration has made gender policy a core part of how it governs. The president established the first Gender Policy Council. It's on the same level as the National Security Council, Domestic Policy Council and National Economic Council, putting the interests of women and other underserved groups at the table for the most important policy discussions.
Cheddar News sat down with Jennifer Klein, executive director and co-chair of the White House Gender Policy Council, to discuss the council's work and its significance during Women's History Month.
State Representative Jessica González, Vice Chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest Texas anti-transgender directive.
