A former FBI official is being investigated over his alleged threats against President Trump.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem accused former FBI Director James Comey of calling for President Trump’s “assassination,” saying federal law enforcement authorities are now investigating the “threat.”
“Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump,” Noem wrote on the social platform X on Thursday evening.
“DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” she added.
Comey, a longtime critic of Trump’s, posted a photo earlier Thursday on Instagram of seashells on a beach arranged to form the numbers “8647.” The post garnered significant blowback from much of Trump’s base, with many understanding the numbers to be a call for violence against the 47th president, Trump. Others suggested the “86” could be calling for the president to be impeached or removed from office.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Comey removed the photo Thursday evening and clarified in a new post that he did not intend to call for violence and didn’t realize his message would be interpreted that way.
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” Comey wrote on Instagram.
“I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence,” he continued. “It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
James Comey just issued a call to action to murder the President of the United States.
As a former FBI Director and someone who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, he knew exactly what he was doing and must be held accountable under the full force of the… pic.twitter.com/zvbu5Vf0zg
In a statement to The Hill, a spokesperson for the Secret Service said the agency “vigorously investigates anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees.”
“We take this responsibility very seriously and we are aware of the social media posts in question,” the spokesperson continued. “Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in on the matter in a post Thursday.
“We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump,” Patel wrote on X.
“We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support,” he continued.
We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 15, 2025
A former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Iran.
The Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 42-year-old Abouzar Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Virginia, pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Iran by pursuing an FAA job to gain access to information. From 2017 to 2024, Rahmati met with Iranian officials, communicated with security officials, and provided “non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry.”
According to the DOJ, it was Rahmati who offered his services to Iran:
In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.
Rahmati previously was an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 1st Lt., a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, from June 2009 to May 2010. The IRGC is a designated terrorist group by the U.S. government.
The DOJ said Rahmati offered his services to Iran in August 2017 through a former colleague who was a senior Iranian government official who previously worked at the country’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
Rahmati traveled to Iran four months later and met with intelligence operatives and government officials, the DOJ said. He also agreed to gather and provide Iranian officials with information about the solar industry in the U.S.
Rahmati provided information “relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers” to his brother in Iran, which was then provided to government officials. He also at one point provided information related to “the National Aerospace System (NAS), Airport Surveillance Radar systems, and radio frequency data.”
In early 2018, Rahmati obtained private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar industry, then provided them to the office of Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology.
Rahmati is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, and he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government, and up to five years in prison for conspiracy.
The guilty plea comes amidst President Donald Trump’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran in which the president has warned military options are on the table should Iran not agree to never possess a nuclear weapon.
Rep. Ilhan Omar may again face scrutiny from the Justice Department after Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that federal authorities are examining allegations tied to the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration history.
Speaking during a White House press briefing while filling in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Vance was asked by Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese whether Omar could ultimately face an indictment.
“I don’t want to prejudge an investigation,” Vance said. “You read the things about Ilhan Omar, and about who she married, and whether she didn’t marry this person or that person. It certainly seems like something fishy is there. But everyone is entitled to equal justice under the laws.”
Vance added that the administration intends to review the matter and pursue legal action only if investigators determine a crime occurred.
“We’re going to investigate it, we’re going to take a look at it. If we think there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime, and that’s something that the Department of Justice is looking at right now,” he said.
The comments revive longstanding controversy surrounding Omar and allegations that she participated in an immigration-related scheme involving a former marriage. Omar has repeatedly denied those claims, and no public evidence has proven them.
According to reports cited by Fox News and The New York Times, the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden opened an investigation into Omar in 2024 that examined campaign expenditures, personal finances and alleged contacts with a non-U.S. citizen. However, individuals familiar with internal discussions reportedly said investigators did not uncover evidence warranting additional action, and the probe eventually stalled.
Vance had previously raised the issue publicly. During a March podcast appearance with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, he claimed he had discussed potential legal action involving Omar with White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller. (RELATED: Vance Says Administration Reviewing Action Against Rep. Ilhan Omar)
“We think Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America,” Vance said at the time.
Omar, who was born in Somalia, came to the United States with her family after they were granted asylum in 1995 and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.
The allegations center on Omar’s past relationships and claims from critics that she legally married a man named Ahmed Elmi in 2009 as part of an immigration arrangement. Omar has denied allegations that Elmi was her brother and has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as false and politically motivated.
In December, Omar pushed back against renewed criticism on social media, calling the allegations “bigoted lies” and accusing former President Donald Trump of repeatedly targeting her.
“He needs serious help,” Omar wrote at the time. “Since he has no economic policies to tout, he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies instead.”
Vance reiterated Tuesday that investigators would ultimately follow the evidence.
“If we think that there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime,” he said.
This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.
A jury has reportedly reached a verdict in the trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate then-candidate Trump on his golf course.
Routh was found guilty on all charges. Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen after learning the verdict. Multiple court marshals were needed to de-escalate the situation and temporarily removed Routh from the courtroom.
🚨 HOLY CRAP. After Ryan Routh was found guilty of trying to assassinate President Trump, he tried to STAB HIMSELF in the NECK "with a pen."
Then, 4 Marshals dragged him out of the room, shackled him, and brought him back into the courtroom.
The case was heard by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who denied a motion from Routh’s defense team seeking her recusal. A Trump appointee, Cannon was randomly assigned to the case.
Today’s guilty verdict against would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence.
This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation…
Federal prosecutors alleged Routh camped near Trump’s golf course for 12 hours with a rifle and aimed at a Secret Service agent before being forced to drop the weapon. Investigators later discovered a letter in which Routh expressed regret that he failed to kill Trump, as well as evidence he sought anti-aircraft weapons and surveillance of Trump’s flights weeks before his arrest.
Routh was found guilty of the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple gun violations — crimes carrying potential life sentences.
Routh faces up to life in prison. Routh pleaded not guilty to all charges.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
President Donald J. Trump announced Thursday that he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” he wrote on his social-media platform.
Earlier on Thursday, the administration revealed plans to re-examine green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries. The June memo lists these countries — including Afghanistan, Burma, Cuba, Somalia, Venezuela and others — as of concern.
The sharper policy response comes after the suspect in this week’s attack was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national. He entered the U.S. in 2021 under the humanitarian resettlement program launched following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Washington, D.C. Shooting: What Happened
On Wednesday afternoon near the White House, Lakanwal allegedly ambushed two West Virginia National Guard members. The victims, 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, were shot during what prosecutors are calling a “brazen, targeted attack.”
Beckstrom died from her injuries late Thanksgiving Day, President Trump said. Wolfe remains in critical condition.
According to prosecutors, Lakanwal drove cross-country from Washington state for the sole purpose of carrying out the ambush. He allegedly fired 10–15 rounds from a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, striking one Guardsman, then leaning over to shoot a second time, and then firing on the other. Authorities said the remaining National Guard member then returned fire, and Lakanwal was apprehended.
This horrific attack unfolded while hundreds of National Guard troops remain deployed across D.C., under Mr. Trump’s 2025 strategy to restore public safety in the capital.
Administration Response: Immigration Crackdown
In response to the ambush, President Trump not only called for a complete halt to migration from unspecified “Third World Countries,” but late Thursday the administration also announced an indefinite pause on Afghan immigration. Officials said they would conduct a sweeping review of green card approvals tied to the 19 countries flagged in June.
In his statement, Trump did not list which additional countries would be subject to the pause — though the 19-country list already includes several nations the administration deemed high risk.
Why This Matters — and What It Signals for National Security
Supporters of the president’s crackdown argue that the D.C. ambush underscores the danger of lax vetting under previous administrations. The suspect in this case reportedly worked in a CIA-backed unit during the U.S. war in Afghanistan, then obtained resettlement under a program from the prior administration.
“We need to X him [Musk], and by X I mean, formally known as assassination. And it’s a warning from the FBI is going to f*cking show up. Arrest me. You don’t have enough people to even investigate me at this point. I haven’t filed my taxes in, like, eight years and yet, nobody has come for me. So, I’m going to f*cking say it. Let’s assassinate some motherf*ckers,” the woman said in the video.
The Daily Caller reported that she deleted her entire account following the video going viral.
Musk has faced a growing number of threats since associating with President Trump.
The incident comes months after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.
A U.S. Army soldier drove the Cybertruck, which he rented from Turo, outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Monday morning. Upon arriving, the vehicle was detonated by explosives in the car.
Investigators found fireworks, gasoline canisters and camping fuel in the remains of the vehicle. The soldier was believed to have fatally shot himself shortly before the explosion.
On the day of the attack, Musk commented on X that the individual “picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack” because the “Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.”
The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.
A man was arrested in Scotland after threatening to blow up an airplane with a bomb while denouncing America and President Donald Trump during his visit to Scotland over the weekend for golf and trade negotiations.
A video was posted to X showing the suspect, who is reportedly a 41-year-old Indian national residing in the United Kingdom, standing up in a plane’s aisle, shouting, “I am going to bomb the plane! Death to America! Death to Trump! Allahu akbar!”
“I’m going to bomb the plane. Death to America. Death to Trump. Allahu Akbar!”
— shouted by a Muslim aboard an easyJet flight from London to Glasgow today, which had to be diverted after he made the bomb threat.
As the man shouts, a passenger approaches him and tackles him to the floor. Another video reported by The Sun shows the man being interrogated while pinned to the floor, stating that he “[wanted] to send a message to Trump,” who he knew was in Scotland.
EasyJet EZY609, which was flying from London Luton Airport to Glasgow, Scotland, was forced to make an emergency landing at a separate runway in Glasgow to account for the man’s threats, at which point the man was arrested.
Passengers on the plane recalled the stressful event in statements to The Sun.
One passenger said, “I’ve never seen that before. The airline staff, they were all girls, they were really shaken up by it, but they were super professional.”
The Scotland police released a statement saying, “A 41-year-old man was arrested in connection and further enquiries are ongoing. … At this time we believe the incident was contained and that nobody else was involved.”
The statement mentioned that the videos available were being “assessed by counter terrorism officers.”
In a statement released by easyJet, a spokesperson confirmed that “Flight EZY609 from Luton to Glasgow this morning was met by police on arrival in Glasgow, where they boarded the aircraft and removed a passenger due to their behaviour onboard. … easyJet’s crew are trained to assess all situations and act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.”
The witness said that the man “literally came out of the toilet shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ with his hands above his head,” noting that he did not see a cause of the outburst.
By U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/ero, Public Domain,
A Canadian woman accused of slapping a teenage girl because she was wearing pro-Trump clothing at the Jersey Shore has landed in the custody of the very agency featured on the teen’s outfit.
Kaitlyn E. Tracey, 33, is being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after police say she assaulted a 16-year-old girl during a Fourth of July weekend confrontation on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk. ICE records show Tracey is currently being held at the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark.
According to NJ.com, the incident unfolded after Tracey allegedly approached a group of teenagers while recording them with her cellphone. Police say she took issue with the group’s “patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording,” including pants displaying the words “Trump” and “ICE.”
Investigators allege Tracey then “slapped the victim across her face and body.”
The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department said surveillance video captured Tracey allegedly “striking the juvenile female, once to the body and once to the face, with an open hand” before fleeing the scene.
Authorities later identified Tracey through surveillance footage and other investigative methods before taking her into custody. She has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment and obstruction.
The case took another turn when federal immigration authorities became involved.
According to reports, Tracey entered the United States from Canada in 2024 but remained after her authorized stay expired, making her subject to immigration enforcement.
A Department of Homeland Security official told the New York Post that the case reflects the Trump administration’s enforcement policy.
“Illegal aliens who break our laws will be arrested and deported,” the official said, confirming Tracey is being held in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.
Kaitlyn Tracey is a criminal illegal alien from Canada who was charged with simple assault, neglect of a child, compounding crime, and harassing communication.
On Tuesday, a man identifying himself as Tracey’s husband posted an emotional video on social media announcing that she had been detained.
“Yesterday, July 13, my wife was detained by ICE and brought to Delaney Hall in North New Jersey,” he said.
He has since argued that the confrontation has been exaggerated, telling NJ.com, “This whole situation has been blown out of proportion and a person like Kate does not belong in any facility.”
Although he acknowledged he was not present during the incident, he insisted his wife was not the aggressor and blamed online backlash for drawing national attention to the case.
The allegations have fueled widespread reaction online because of the apparent irony that the woman accused of attacking a teenager over clothing supporting Trump and ICE ultimately ended up in ICE custody herself.
Tracey is expected to appear in New Jersey court to face the criminal charges while separate immigration proceedings determine whether she will be deported to Canada.
After nearly a year as deputy director of the FBI under President Donald Trump, Bongino has returned to Fox as a contributor, according to a Monday afternoon report from The New York Times media reporter Michael Grynbaum.
His comeback was announced during the Monday night episode of Sean Hannity’s show at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr
Grynbaum noted that Bongino has expressed regret at times about stepping away from his former life in media. Just weeks into the FBI role, he admitted on Fox & Friends that he missed what he left behind.
“I gave up everything for this,” Bongino said at the time.
🚨 JUST IN: Great news! Dan Bongino is headed back to Fox News –– he starts as a contributor tonight on Hannity. pic.twitter.com/V9IhW7Cvb6
First Appearance Back Focuses on High-Profile Disappearance
Bongino’s first major appearance after returning centered on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Speaking on Hannity Monday night, Bongino outlined three troubling possibilities in the case, emphasizing that investigators are still operating with very limited evidence.
“The first [possibility] would be, obviously, it’s a kidnapping. That was an intended kidnapping for a ransom payment…” he said.
He then explained a second scenario — that the situation may have spiraled out of another crime entirely.
“The second possibility would be this was just a crime that went awry. Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, maybe something went bad, and you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime unrelated — in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this.”
Bongino’s third possibility raised an even more unsettling idea: that the disappearance may not involve a kidnapping at all.
The third possibility, he said, is that Guthrie’s disappearance could have resulted from a medical emergency or another non-criminal event that was later misunderstood or misrepresented.
Bongino Highlights Lack of Evidence
Bongino pointed to the complete absence of digital and forensic indicators — no DNA, no license plate hits, no cellphone activity, and no surveillance leads — as a major reason investigators are struggling.
He explained that when authorities cannot locate someone within the first few days, it can suggest either extremely sophisticated perpetrators or something else entirely.
“The story you’ve been told, or you may have believed may not be the story,” he said.
While Bongino declined to push one theory more strongly than the others, he emphasized that the lack of proof-of-life communication is unusual for legitimate ransom kidnappings.
He also referenced commentary from veteran FBI Special Agent Lance Leising, noting that real ransom cases typically involve rapid contact and early confirmation that the victim is alive — patterns missing here.
Multi-Agency Search Continues
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home earlier this month, triggering a multi-agency investigation that now includes the FBI.
As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie issued an emotional public plea, describing the situation as an “hour of desperation.”
Authorities are also investigating an alleged ransom note tied to the disappearance, though the deadline referenced in the note passed Monday night without proof of life or resolution.
Back to Media — and Still on Rumble
Bongino will continue hosting his podcast on Rumble, which he recently rebooted after leaving the FBI in December.
Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham said at the time she wasn’t surprised by Bongino’s departure, noting that he “loved his lucrative media life” and wanted to “get back to it.”
President Trump joined Bongino’s first show back on Rumble.
The president made headlines during his appearance when he said Republicans should “nationalize” the voting process in order to block “crooked” Democrat-led states from allowing illegal immigrants to vote.
“These people were brought to our country to vote, and they vote illegally,” Trump said. “And it’s amazing the Republicans aren’t tougher on it. The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least 15 places.’”
The White House initially sought to soften Trump’s remarks, but the president doubled down on Tuesday, arguing that federal intervention could be warranted if states fail to administer elections fairly.
“If states can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over,” Trump said. “The federal government should get involved.”
Trump framed his argument as a response to what he described as “corruption” at the state and local level, particularly in more than a dozen states he has criticized in recent months.
In response, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said he plans to introduce a Senate resolution on Monday denouncing any effort by a president to “nationalize” or “take over” state-run election systems ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe was removed from a California city council meeting by police after a self-described act of “civil disobedience” while attacking Donald Trump.
The reason for Kluwe’s protest revolved around a sign proposed for Huntington Beach’s public library, which would have the words “Magical,” “Alluring,” “Galvanizing” and “Adventurous” next to each other. The words spell out MAGA.
“Through hope and change our nation has built back better to the golden era of Making America Great Again!” the signage reads.
Video captured Kluwe speaking at the City Council meeting, where he criticized the MAGA movement, which is typically associated with President Donald Trump’s campaign message, “Make America Great Again.” He opined that it was “a Nazi movement.”
“I’m gonna take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past three weeks,” said Kluwe. “MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans. MAGA stands for firing air traffic controllers while planes are crashing. MAGA stands for firing the people overseeing our nuclear arsenal.”
“MAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide,” the former punter added. “MAGA stands for cutting funds for education, including for disabled children. MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakenly anti-democracy, and most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement.”
Kluwe then slightly elevated his voice to say, “You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is.
“I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience,” Kluwe said at the end of his speech to the City Council before walking up to the front where the council members were sitting.
Video posted by HB Protect on X showed police officers quickly arresting Kluwe, who was face down on the floor with a crowd cheering behind him for his actions. The City Council’s feed cut out before Kluwe was seen rushing the council members.
He was then carried out by three police officers, two of whom holding one arm each and the other carrying the former punter’s legs.
Kluwe was charged with disrupting an assembly. He told the Orange County Register he was released around four hours after his arrest. He said his belief was that the plaque was more “propaganda” than celebrating the library, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Watch:
Kluwe, 43, played eight years in the NFL, all for the Minnesota Vikings, from 2005-12.
