The U.S. Treasury secretary left a straight and to the point message in the welcome book at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Thursday, simply leaving the Trump administration’s two-word motto.
The plane Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was traveling on from Kyiv, Ukraine, made a stop at the western Ireland airport to refuel.
While there, Bessent signed the welcome book, writing, “AMERICA FIRST!”
FOX Business White House correspondent Edward Lawrence snapped a picture of the page, and above Bessent’s entry was an entry from former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the welcome book at Shannon Airport in Ireland, writing, “AMERICA FIRST!”(Edward Lawrence)
“To all our friends at Shannon – with gratitude for always making us feel at home away from home,” Blinken wrote, though the date of the entry was not visible in the photo.
President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that he was sending Bessent to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Scott Bessent, founder and chief executive officer of Key Square Group LP, at an interview during the Republican National Convention (RNC) near the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Former President Donald Trump tapped JD Vance as his running mate, elevating to the Republican presidential ticket a venture capitalist-turned-senator whose embrace of populist politics garnered national attention and made him a rising star in the party.(Vincent Alban/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“This War MUST and WILL END SOON — Too much Death and Destruction. The U.S. has spent BILLIONS of Dollars Globally, with little to show,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Bessent was expected to speak with the Ukrainian president about sanctions, rare Earth minerals and where U.S. funding has gone.
Vice President JD Vance was also meeting with Zelenskyy this week, and both meetings were to take place before U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg travels to Ukraine on Feb. 20.
Trump tasked Kellogg with hashing out a peace deal with Ukraine and Russia to bring the three-year-long war to an end. Last week Kellogg met with Ukrainian delegates at the State Department.
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
Scott Bessent, the former Treasury Secretary, recently left a powerful two-word message in an Irish airport’s welcome book that has caught the attention of many. His simple yet impactful words read: “Stay strong.”
This message has resonated with travelers passing through the airport, reminding them to persevere in the face of challenges and uncertainties. It serves as a reminder to always remain resilient and determined, no matter what obstacles may come our way.
Bessent’s message serves as a powerful reminder to us all to stay strong, stay positive, and keep pushing forward, no matter the circumstances. It is a message that is sure to inspire and uplift anyone who comes across it in the airport’s welcome book.
In an update on Friday morning, the state Department of Transportation said there are no ground stops issued by the FAA.
Travelers are still advised to check with their airlines before they head to the airport as they work to reschedule flights that were impacted on Thursday.
1/31/25 6:39AM: There are no current ground stops issued by FAA. HDOT still recommends travelers check with airlines as they work to reschedule flights impacted yesterday.
A ground stop was issued Thursday morning for interisland flights statewide that essentially kept planes from taking off or landing for about an hour.
A ground stop was later reissued for Daniel K. International Airport in Honolulu at about 3:30 p.m. for all incoming flights, and all inbound and outbound interisland flights.
Incoming transpacific flights were diverted to other airports, officials said.
“Grounding was because of visibility,” said Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen. “It was very difficult for for pilots to come into or leave Honolulu Airport because of the visibility due to the storm.”
This meant delays for travelers, some of whom had been waiting for hours to get to their intended destinations.
“Based on the satellites I was watching, it looked like we could actually maybe miss the the weather and get home before it hit too hard, but when we were on our way here, I could tell that there might be possibilities of cancellations,” said Pahoa resident Brittany Hutchins.
“Hopefully we make it to Kauai on time, because we have a rental car, hotels all lined up, so it would be a little inconvenient if things didn’t work out, but you know as long as it’s safe,” said Ninglu Weng, a visitor from Winnipeg, Canada.
Transportation officials say they’re coordinating with airlines on flight schedules to make sure things run as smoothly as possible.
They also say that travelers should be in touch with their airline for more information.
Hawaiian Airlines said travel waivers are available for guests traveling to/from Honolulu (HNL), Lihue (LIH), Hilo (ITO), Kona (KOA), and Kahului (OGG) between Wednesday and Friday due to the inclement weather.
Officials also said a power spike at Honolulu’s airport triggered fire alarms and blew out some circuits that needed to be reset.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Recently, Hawaii airports have been experiencing disruptions in flights due to severe weather and visibility issues. The unpredictable weather conditions have caused delays and cancellations, leaving travelers stranded and frustrated.
The heavy rainfall and strong winds have made it difficult for planes to take off and land safely. The low visibility has also posed challenges for pilots, making it unsafe to operate flights in certain areas.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for updates on their flights and to be prepared for potential delays or cancellations. It is recommended to monitor the weather conditions and follow any travel advisories issued by airport authorities.
Stay safe and stay informed as we navigate through these challenging weather conditions in Hawaii. Let’s hope for improved weather conditions soon so that flights can resume normal operations.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston’s airports reopened on Wednesday morning after being closed all day Tuesday thanks to a winter storm that left Houston covered in snow.
ABC13 was live from an empty Hobby Airport on Wednesday morning. The TSA security check at the normally bustling airport was scheduled to reopen at 9 a.m.
Still, ABC13 cameras saw travelers going through around 6:30 a.m. An airport employee said they were letting guests through early.
Fights were scheduled to begin taking off from both Bush and Hobby airports at 11 a.m.
Pooja Lodhia takes her role as a hands-on reporter very seriously. So when Houston got historic snowfall, it only made sense that she would join right in the fun!
The Houston Airport Systems director says they’ve been working to make sure the roads and runways are good to go and said they made the decision to open at 9 a.m. instead of, say, 5 a.m. to give time for the sun to come out and for road conditions to improve.
ABC13 spoke to a man on Tuesday who was waiting for the airports to reopen because he was trying to go visit his sick friend.
“I want to be in Baltimore for my friend. I told her I would be there. I made a promise. I’ve got to get there for her,” Donnie Ray said.
Houston Airport System Director Jim Szczesniak told ABC13 that operations were running as expected after restarting operations.
“We’ve got all the runways open at both airports,” he said. “The ground transportation is there. The TSA is here. The customs officers are here making sure we can process, so all the pieces of the puzzle we need to put together to operate the airports are here.”
The airport used deicing pellets and liquid to keep the runways and roads clear of ice and snow, and according to Szczesniak, everything went according to their preparations.
“We’re happy because the plan that we wanted, we executed it,” he said. “It did not trap people here on Monday. It was Tuesday. Fight the storm so we could open on Wednesday. We opened (Wednesday) morning, and operations are basically back to normal.”
If you have a flight on Wednesday, you should double-check with your airline. Even though the airports are back open, there are still about 500 flights between Bush and Hobby that have been canceled on Wednesday.
Houston airport closure: Hobby and Bush Intercontinental Airports both reopen Wednesday following winter storm
After being closed for several days due to the severe winter storm that swept through Texas, Hobby and Bush Intercontinental Airports in Houston have finally reopened on Wednesday.
The winter storm caused widespread power outages, water shortages, and dangerous road conditions throughout the state, leading to the closure of many airports, including those in Houston. However, as conditions improved and the airports were able to clear runways and resume operations, both Hobby and Bush Intercontinental Airports were given the green light to reopen.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for any potential delays or cancellations as the airports work to get back on schedule. Additionally, travelers should be prepared for potential delays or disruptions in their travel plans as airlines work to accommodate the backlog of flights caused by the closures.
Despite the challenges posed by the winter storm, airport staff and officials have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers as they resume operations. We thank them for their dedication and hard work in getting the airports back up and running.
We hope that travelers will be able to safely reach their destinations and that normal operations will soon be restored at Hobby and Bush Intercontinental Airports. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.
Major airlines are delaying and canceling fights in preparation for a wintery blast that could bring snow and ice to the Gulf Coast, disrupting travel from Texas to North Carolina.
With heavy snow and ice forecast for eight states from late Monday into Wednesday, winter storm warnings, watches and advisories are in play across a 1,500-mile stretch.
Travel advisories are already in play due to frigid weather in the northeast, and as a winter storm approached the Gulf Coast.
American Airlines waived fees and posted travel alerts for 38 cities along the Gulf Coast, while Breeze Airways had a travel waiver in place on Monday for Portland, Maine, and New Hampshire’s Manchester airport.
Breeze also has travel waivers in place for Tuesday in four cities: Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Pensacola, Florida.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday declared a state of emergency ahead the storm.
Delta Air Lines has a Gulf Coast winter weather advisory through Wednesday, saying 17 airports in eight states could be impacted, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling Monday and Tuesday to and from eight cities in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.
United posted a Gulf Coast weather alert through Wednesday for airports in nearly 30 cities.
Southwest also said scheduled flights could be delayed, diverted or canceled through Wednesday along the Gulf Coast.
As of 4:15 p.m. EST Monday, more than 1,600 flights scheduled for Tuesday had already been canceled, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking service.
Three Houston airports — George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport — have announced plans to close down operations at midnight Tuesday.
Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York, where she covers business and consumer finance.
Attention all travelers: Airlines are canceling flights and Houston airports are preparing to close ahead of the approaching Gulf Coast storm. With forecasts predicting severe weather and potential flooding, airlines are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew.
If you have travel plans to or from Houston in the coming days, it is recommended that you check with your airline for the latest updates on flight cancellations and rescheduling options. Additionally, Houston airports are advising passengers to monitor their websites and social media channels for any closure announcements.
We urge everyone to stay informed and stay safe during this time of uncertainty. Our thoughts are with those in the path of the storm, and we hope for a swift recovery for all affected areas. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops. #HoustonStrong #GulfCoastStorm #TravelAlert
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The Charleston International Airport has temporarily halted operations as a winter storm continues over the Lowcountry.
Airport spokesman Spencer Pryor said the airfield and control tower at the airport have been closed.
“The FAA or Joint Base Charleston have not given us any official time for when the tower or airfield will open tomorrow,” Pryor said late Tuesday night.
He urged passengers to check with their airline for the latest information on flight cancellations and when flights will resume.
The Charleston International Airport has equipment and crew positioned to clear the airfield overnight, he said.
Pryor also responded to reports that the airport is said to have canceled most flights, saying the airport itself “does not cancel, manage or control flights.”
“This is done by the airlines,” he said.
Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Charleston International Airport’s tower, airfield shut down in winter storm
As a winter storm hits Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston International Airport has been forced to shut down its tower and airfield. The airport announced the closure on social media, citing unsafe conditions for both planes and airport personnel.
The winter storm, which brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures to the region, has made it impossible for flights to take off or land safely. The airport has advised passengers to check with their airlines for updates on flight cancellations and delays.
Despite the closure, airport officials are working tirelessly to clear the runways and taxiways in order to resume operations as soon as possible. In the meantime, they are urging travelers to stay safe and check for updates on the airport’s website and social media channels.
As the winter storm continues to wreak havoc on the region, Charleston International Airport is prioritizing the safety of all passengers and airport staff. Stay tuned for further updates on when the airport will reopen and flights will resume.
HOUSTON – Millions of people living along the Gulf Coast and into the Southeast are bracing for a rare, significant winter storm that’s expected to significantly impact travel and lead to power outages due to heavy snow and ice starting Monday evening.
The FOX Forecast Center said confidence has increased in seeing record snow in places that aren’t accustomed to it. Officials from Texas to Florida have been urging residents to prepare for the incoming winter weather and frigid temperatures.
The exclusive FOX Model Futuretrack shows a rare winter storm impacting the South and Gulf Coast this week.
Forecasters say impacts from the potentially historic winter storm will begin Monday evening across eastern and southeastern Texas, spreading eastward along the Gulf Coast and into the Southeast through Tuesday and Wednesday.
Heavy snow is expected along and north of the Interstate 10 corridor, with swaths of sleet and freezing rain over portions of southern Texas, southeastern Georgia and northern Florida.
Major travel disruptions are likely, and power outages are also expected in areas where significant snow and ice are possible.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has urged residents to prepare for significant impacts from the rare winter storm.
“We’re doing everything we can as a city to prepare for this winter storm,” Whitmire said. “We will be here to keep you safe and respond to emergencies, but we need your help.”
Whitmire urged people to limit time outdoors and stay home if possible.
“We don’t want you to risk your life or jeopardize the safety of our police officers and firefighters if they have to rescue you when you could have stayed home,” he said. “Our first responders must remain focused on critical incidents as conditions worsen.”
In anticipation of the storm, Houston METRO services will be suspended starting at 9 p.m. Monday, and Houston airports will be closed starting at midnight Tuesday.
In addition, Houston Independent School District has canceled school on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Houston municipal courts will be closed on Tuesday.
The University of Texas at Austin announced it will be closed Tuesday, and the University of Houston-Clear Lake said all UHCL locations, including Pearland and the Texas Medical Center, will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Texas Children’s Hospital has also announced it canceled all outpatient appointments in the Austin area.
Houston Public Works began to pretreat roads and overpasses on Sunday and will apply a second round of brine on Monday to reduce ice accumulation.
In Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry issued a state of emergency due to the incoming winter weather, allowing for direct state assistance to support operations measures at the parish level to ensure the safety of residents.
“Keeping Louisianans safe is our top priority,” Landry said in a statement. “I am declaring a state of emergency for the incoming winter storm currently forecast to impact Louisiana, and I’m encouraging everyone to stay alert, monitor the weather forecast, and prepare now for any potential impacts.”
Officials announced that state offices in Louisiana will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday because of the storm, and a press conference will be held Monday afternoon to discuss preparations across the state.
“In Orleans Parish, I reached out to the weather service (Sunday), and they said that it’s only the second time on record they’ve had a Winter Storm Warning for Orleans Parish,” FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel said. “Just that one parish. Not some of the other areas like up here in Baton Rouge.”
The Louisiana Department of Transportation has been busy pretreating state roads and highways across the region in anticipation of the storm, and Louisiana State Police are urging people to stay off the roads if possible when the storm hits.
“With the extreme winter weather conditions expected to impact our state over the next few days, Louisiana State Police urges our residents and visitors to stay weather aware and avoid all unnecessary travel,” Col. Robert Hodges, Superintendent of Louisiana State Police, said in a statement on X. “Roadway conditions, especially bridges and overpasses, tend to decline quickly during these weather events. LSP will work closely with the Louisiana DOTD to monitor and close roadways as necessary.”
Louisiana State University announced the physical campus would be closed on Tuesday, but classes would continue in a format determined by each instructor.
Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for coastal and central Alabama because of the anticipated ice and prolonged cold.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also issued a state of emergency due to the incoming weather. State offices in Atlanta will be closed on Tuesday and employees will work remotely.
Preparations are also underway across the Florida Panhandle, where winter weather is expected to significantly disrupt daily life.
The Florida Department of Transportation said equipment, materials and personnel are ready to hit the roads to keep the state’s highways safe and operational. Officials say the state’s Road Rangers will respond quickly to any issues or drivers who may get stuck in the winter weather.
The winter weather hasn’t arrived yet, but impacts are already being felt.
Florida A&M University (FAMU) announced changes to campus operations ahead of the storm, including switching to virtual learning at the Tallahassee campus after 3 p.m. Tuesday. The Tallahassee campus will be closed on Wednesday.
Winter weather alerts are in effect for seven states from the U.s.–Mexico border in Texas through South Carolina, which includes several major metropolitan areas.
Houston and New Orleans are among areas included in a Winter Storm Warning, while Winter Storm Watches are in effect across portions of Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Tallahassee and other portions of northern Florida are currently under a Winter Storm Watch, which is the first time that’s occurred since 2014.
The FOX Forecast Center said parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi could pick up 3-5 inches of snow on Tuesday, with most other locations picking up 1-2 inches.
The Florida Panhandle and parts of southern Georgia could be in for a bigger mess.
As the low-pressure system moves off to the east and strengthens, warm air will be pulled in over the Southeast.
This graphic shows the forecast ice accretion along the Gulf Coast and in the South.
With that warmer air aloft, snowflakes will begin to melt as they fall from the sky and will then have the opportunity to refreeze at the surface or remain plain rain.
Currently, the FOX Forecast Center expects anywhere from 0.10-0.25 inches of ice accretion, but that could change.
Houston airports, schools to close as Texas to Florida prepares for potentially historic winter storm
As a massive winter storm barrels towards the Gulf Coast, authorities in Houston have announced the closure of airports and schools in preparation for what could be a record-breaking weather event.
The storm, which is expected to bring heavy snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, has prompted officials to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of residents in Texas to Florida.
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport will be closed starting tomorrow, with all flights cancelled until further notice. Schools in the area will also be closed, as officials urge residents to stay off the roads and hunker down until the storm passes.
Meteorologists are warning that this storm has the potential to be one of the most severe winter weather events in recent memory, with dangerous conditions expected to persist for several days.
Residents are advised to stock up on essentials, stay indoors, and check in on vulnerable neighbors during this challenging time. Stay safe, stay warm, and stay informed as we weather this potentially historic storm together.
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