US Politics

At least 10 FBI staffers who worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Donald Trump’s retention of classified records at Mar-a-Lago were fired on Wednesday, according to multiple sources. The dismissals affected agents and support personnel tied to the high-profile documents case. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons for the firings, and the FBI and Justice Department have declined to comment on the personnel moves or their potential impact on the ongoing handling of Trump-related investigations.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, the Houston Democrat facing a tough primary fight, was again removed from the House chamber during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Iran accuses former U.S. President Donald Trump of telling “big lies” about its nuclear ambitions in his 2026 State of the Union address.

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, choosing nearby counterprogramming events over attendance in the House chamber. The boycott highlights differing strategies inside the Democratic Party, as some members organize forums and community meetings on policy issues while others attend the speech in person. The State of the Union will proceed under standard procedures, with Republicans expected to appear in full and the White House maintaining the traditional format of the nationally televised address.

A national defense lawyers group has launched an online tracking tool that maps and follows selected Justice Department prosecutions under President Trump’s second term. The database highlights cases critics describe as examples of alleged DOJ “weaponization” and allows users to view charges, locations, and case statuses through an interactive map. The tool draws on public court records and is aimed at journalists, researchers, lawyers, and citizens seeking to monitor high-profile federal prosecutions.

France plans to summon the U.S. ambassador in Paris after the U.S. State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau posted on X about the death of French far-right activist Quentin Deranque, who died from brain injuries after a beating. French authorities view the message as interference in an internal case that remains under investigation. The move adds a diplomatic layer to an already sensitive incident involving political activism, violence and official communication on social media between two close allies.

A man in his early 20s was shot and killed early Sunday after an alleged unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, according to the U.S. Secret Service. The agency says the individual died at the scene and no other injuries were reported. Federal and local authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting, are reviewing security protocols, and have not yet released the man’s identity or potential motive.

President Donald Trump says he will seek to raise U.S. tariffs on most foreign imports to 15%, building on a prior 10% tariff proclamation and citing a recent Supreme Court decision on federal authority. The statement signals a potential shift in U.S. trade policy if implemented, with implications for global exporters, American industries, and ongoing trade negotiations. No formal order has yet set a 15% rate, and any future tariff move would operate within existing trade laws and face possible legal and political scrutiny.

President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon and other U.S. agencies to release files related to UFOs and any information tied to “alien and extraterrestrial life.” The directive prompted a review of classified and unclassified records on unidentified aerial phenomena, with defense and intelligence officials assessing what can be disclosed without compromising national security. The move followed years of military reports about unexplained objects and increased calls from lawmakers and the public for greater transparency on government-held UFO data.