Crime

Home Crime

Trump Issues Series Of High-Profile Pardons To 2020 Election Allies

3
President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Donald Trump has granted full pardons to his former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and several other key figures who were prosecuted for their roles in challenging the 2020 presidential election results โ€” a move the White House called a step toward โ€œnational reconciliation.โ€

In a proclamation posted late Sunday night, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin listed dozens of individuals granted clemency โ€œfor certain offenses related to the 2020 presidential election.โ€

โ€œThis proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,โ€ the statement reads.

The list includes several prominent names long accused by Democrats and federal prosecutors of contesting the election: Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Boris Epshteyn, and others.

Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr


The proclamation, dated November 7, clarifies that it applies only to federal offenses and does not extend to President Trump himself.

Also included in the sweeping clemency order were Republican activists who had served as fake electors for Trump in 2020, and who faced charges for submitting fraudulent certificates asserting they were the lawful electors, despite former Presidentย Joe Bidenโ€™sย victories in those states.

Those pardoned include Republican activists who had served as alternate electors in 2020 and faced prosecution for asserting that Donald Trump โ€” not Joe Biden โ€” was the rightful winner in their states. Many of these individuals have maintained they were exercising constitutionally protected political activity.

Legal experts noted that the pardons do not affect state-level prosecutions, including ongoing cases in Georgia against several of Trumpโ€™s allies. Critics have long argued that these state prosecutions were politically motivated and part of a broader effort to criminalize dissent.

โ€œThese great Americans were persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election, which is the cornerstone of democracy,โ€ said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to The Hill.
โ€œGetting prosecuted for challenging results is something that happens in communist Venezuela, not the United States of America, and President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regimeโ€™s communist tactics once and for all,โ€ she continued.

Giuliani was disbarred from practicing law in New York State and the District of Columbia for making numerous false claims related to the 2020 presidential election. 

Several of those pardoned โ€” including Giuliani and Powell โ€” were instrumental in raising concerns about irregularities and integrity issues in the 2020 race. Giuliani, who was disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., for questioning the election results, is now fully cleared of federal allegations.

Eastman, a constitutional scholar, and Clark, a former Justice Department official, were also included in the pardons after being unfairly portrayed as conspirators for exploring legal options available to the Trump campaign.

The move comes after Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissed the federal case against President Trump himself, following his reelection. Giuliani, Powell, Clark, and Eastman were previously identified as uncharged co-conspirators in that case.

Giuliani, Powell, Clark and Eastman were alleged co-conspirators in that federal case but were never charged with a federal crime.

Ex-Federal Prosecutor Indicted For Stealing Copies Of Unreleased Jack Smith Report

1

A former federal prosecutor has been indicted after allegedly taking copies of a still-unreleased volume of former special counsel Jack Smithโ€™s report on his investigation into President Donald Trump โ€” and allegedly disguising the files with names like โ€œChocolate_Cake_Recipe.pdf.โ€

The case is raising fresh questions surrounding the highly controversial legal effort against Trump and how officials involved in the process handled sensitive government materials.

Federal prosecutors charged former Justice Department official Carmen Lineberger, 62, with four counts tied to allegedly stealing and concealing government records. During a court appearance Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Florida, Lineberger pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance.

According to the indictment, Lineberger โ€” formerly the managing assistant U.S. attorney in Fort Pierce, Florida โ€” received a restricted copy of a volume of Smithโ€™s report last year and allegedly forwarded it, along with internal Justice Department communications, to personal Hotmail and Gmail accounts.

Prosecutors claim she attempted to conceal the transfer by changing file names to appear harmless, including โ€œChocolate_Cake_Recipe.pdfโ€ and โ€œBundt_Cake_Recipe.pdf.โ€

The indictment, however, does not allege why Lineberger moved the files to personal accounts, nor does it accuse her of leaking the materials publicly. Court records also do not specify what other internal DOJ records may have been transferred alongside the Smith report.

If convicted on all charges โ€” including obstruction of justice, concealing government records, and two misdemeanor theft counts โ€” Lineberger faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, though actual sentences in federal cases are often significantly shorter under sentencing guidelines.

The report at the center of the controversy remains largely hidden from public view.

The volume reportedly focuses on Smithโ€™s investigation into classified documents found at Trumpโ€™s Mar-a-Lago residence after he left office. That investigation became one of Smithโ€™s two major prosecutions against Trump during the 2024 election cycle.

Smith, appointed as special counsel in late 2022, led the federal governmentโ€™s aggressive legal campaign against Trump. Beyond the Mar-a-Lago documents case, he also spearheaded the federal election interference prosecution tied to Trumpโ€™s challenges to the 2020 election results.

Trump repeatedly blasted Smith as politically motivated and accused the Biden-era Justice Department of weaponizing federal law enforcement against him. His supporters argued that prosecutors were applying legal standards differently to Trump than to political allies and opponents.

The classified documents case eventually suffered major setbacks after Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that Smithโ€™s appointment as special counsel violated constitutional requirements, throwing the future of the prosecution into uncertainty. Cannon also barred public release of the report volume involved in the current Lineberger case.

Now, the strange allegations involving hidden โ€œcake recipeโ€ file names are creating another unexpected chapter in the long-running legal and political saga surrounding Smithโ€™s investigations of Trump.

Tucker Carlson Holds Funeral for Dan Bonginoโ€™s Career Following Epstein Outburst

0
Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Is FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino circling the drain? His former Fox News colleague says so.

On Sunday, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson essentially hosted a funeral for Bongino’s career and credibility after the former Fox contributor reportedly threatened to resign over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

On Culture Apothecary, host Alex Clark asked Carlson to weigh in on the feud.

โ€œWell, as weโ€™re recording this, Dan Bongino is threatening to resign if Pam Bondi does not resign as AG. What does that tell us, in your opinion?โ€ she inquired.

โ€œWell, it tells us that Dan Bongino got shafted, completely shafted. And Iโ€™m saying this as a friend of his, and someone who respects and likes him, but also just as an observer, Iโ€™m an informed observer of it,โ€ replied Carlson. โ€œSo Pam Bondi, whoโ€™s, by the way, I donโ€™t hate Pam Bondi, sheโ€™s a totally nice person. If he was here, you would enjoy-, I donโ€™t know if you know her, but sheโ€™s a very nice person. Iโ€™m not against Pam Bondi in the slightest. But the fact is she got on television on Fox News and started saying stuff like, โ€˜Iโ€™ve got the client list on my desk!โ€™ And actually, no, you donโ€™t. And, โ€˜Iโ€™ve got thousands of videos of Epstein having sex with kids.โ€™ Well, actually, no, you donโ€™t. Most of the material was commercial porn taken off his computer. Like, thatโ€™s just not true. Why did she say that? Probably because sheโ€™s insecure and sheโ€™s trying to please the audience, I would expect.โ€

โ€œDo you think Dan is upset because his integrity is being questioned now over her mistake?โ€ followed up Clark.

โ€œOf course! Oh my gosh! So youโ€™re Dan, and youโ€™re a media figure, and youโ€™ve got one of the biggest podcasts in the country, and youโ€™re making tons of money, and youโ€™re having a great time โ€” which he was. You just built this brand new studio in Florida, you work with your wife who you really like, which he does, and you get the call saying, โ€˜You be deputy FBI director,โ€™ and youโ€™re like, โ€˜I loveย Donald Trump, I love this country. I will cut my pay into a 10th of what it was, and I will leave my house and move to D.C.,โ€™ which is a kind of prison sentence itself,โ€ answered Carlson. โ€œโ€˜And I will do this because I love the president, I love the country,โ€™ and youโ€™re there a few months, and all of a sudden everybody thinks youโ€™re covering up Epsteinโ€™s crimes, and it kind of wrecks Danโ€™s career. Like he canโ€™t go back-, itโ€™s gonna be very hard at this point, I mean, things may change, but as of today, pretty hard for Dan to go back to his podcast audience and be like, โ€˜Iโ€™m telling you the truth,โ€™ when they all think that heโ€™s covering up for Epstein.โ€

โ€œWho did that? Pam Bondi did that,โ€ he added, before going on to say he โ€œfeel[s]โ€ for Bongino.

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a โ€œclient listโ€ to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epsteinโ€™s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Dan Bongino, the Deputy Director of the FBI, reportedly threatened to leave the bureau if Attorney General Pam Bondi remains on the job due to her handling of the Epstein files, a source close to Bongino told The Daily Wire.

One source close to Bongino predicted to Axios, โ€œHe ainโ€™t coming back.โ€

CNN reports that Trump โ€” who has beenย desperate to move past the Epstein storyย โ€” was furious at Bongino, as well as FBI Directorย Kash Patel. Vice Presidentย JD Vanceย reportedly tried to hammer out a peace between the administrationโ€™s top Justice Department officials. But CNN reports that Bongino is still very much hanging by a thread.

โ€œIt remains to be seen if Bongino ultimately resigns, which he told others he was considering,โ€ the CNN report stated. โ€œBut sources say his relationship with the White House has become basically untenable. Even if he does not quit now, some inside the administration believe he will not stay in the job long-term.โ€

However, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is โ€œin good shapeโ€ following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

โ€œI spoke to him today,โ€ Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. โ€œDan Bongino, very good guy. Iโ€™ve known him a long time. Iโ€™ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think heโ€™s in good shape.โ€

Watch:
Discussion of the Epstein files begins around 14:14 in the video.

FBI Foils Alleged Drone-and-Sniper Plot Targeting White House UFC Spectacle

1
Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

The FBI says it thwarted a chilling attack plot aimed at President Donald Trump’s blockbuster UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn โ€” an alleged scheme involving explosive drones, sniper teams, and even a planned rush on the White House gates.

FBI Director Kash Patel revealed Tuesday that federal agents and law enforcement partners disrupted the plot just days before the historic event, which drew thousands of spectators to Washington, D.C., over the weekend.

“Multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said in a statement released Tuesday.

According to reporting first detailed by Fox News Digital, investigators uncovered an alleged plan to launch explosive-laden drones at buildings near the UFC Freedom 250 venue, triggering panic and forcing a mass evacuation. Authorities say the conspirators allegedly intended to funnel fleeing crowds toward a pre-positioned sniper team waiting to open fire.

Even more alarming, officials told Fox News Digital that a “second wave” of attackers allegedly planned to storm the White House gates amid the chaos.

The FBI first learned of the threat on June 10 and quickly launched a multi-state investigation. One suspect was arrested in Cincinnati after investigators established probable cause, while additional arrests followed as agents unraveled what officials described as a broader network spanning multiple states. Five suspects were in custody as of Monday, and investigators identified at least 23 individuals allegedly discussing operational plans in encrypted Signal chats.

According to Fox News Digital, investigators discovered messages detailing pre-operational activity and travel plans to Fredericksburg, Virginia, where some suspects allegedly intended to prepare for the attack.

One suspect reportedly told investigators that potential targets included “capitalist elites,” billionaires, and politicians who had received donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to Fox News Digital.

The operation involved at least a dozen FBI field offices and close coordination with the Department of Justice and U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service Director Sean Curran praised agents who worked “around the clock” to identify those responsible and prevent the alleged attack.

Patel said the case demonstrated the FBI’s ability to move quickly when credible threats emerge against large public events.

“We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens โ€” particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight,” Patel said.

The UFC Freedom 250 event was one of the biggest spectacles ever held on White House grounds. Staged on the South Lawn as part of celebrations surrounding America’s upcoming 250th anniversary and Trump’s 80th birthday, the event attracted roughly 4,300 attendees, including approximately 1,200 active-duty service members.

Trump himself attended the fights and later praised the event as “incredible,” calling it “one of the most exciting days in the history of the White House.”

When asked about the alleged plot while attending the G7 summit in France, Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the details.

Vice President JD Vance reacted to the revelations Tuesday morning, describing the allegations as “very, very dark stuff” and warning that heated political rhetoric can fuel violence.

“This is what happens when people turn the rhetoric up so loud that disagreeing with somebody is a cause for violence,” Vance said during an appearance on Fox & Friends.

The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say additional charges and court filings could reveal more details in the coming days.

Nancy Mace Attacked Amid Fight To Protect Womenโ€™s Rights

Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) revealed that she was physically attacked Tuesday evening on Capitol grounds, an alarming incident that underscores the contentious debate surrounding her efforts to protect womenโ€™s spaces.

โ€œI was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women,โ€ Mace announced on X. โ€œCapitol police have arrested him.โ€ The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed the arrest of 33-year-old James McIntyre of Illinois, who now faces charges of assaulting a government official.

The assault occurred just before 6 p.m. inside the Rayburn House Office Building, a federal government office on Capitol Hill. Capitol Police and Threat Assessment Section agents quickly apprehended McIntyre, who had entered the building after passing through routine security checks.

While the police statement did not explicitly name Mace, her public account of the attack has reignited focus on her uncompromising legislative push. Mace has introduced a bill aimed at barring transgender women from using womenโ€™s restrooms and locker rooms on Capitol Hill, arguing itโ€™s a necessary safeguard for biological womenโ€™s safety and privacy.

โ€œAll the violence and threats keep proving our point,โ€ Mace declared. โ€œWomen deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!โ€

Battling Backlash and Violence

Maceโ€™s advocacy has drawn fierce opposition from LGBTQ+ groups, who argue her legislation is discriminatory. Despite this, Mace remains steadfast, framing the debate as one about safeguarding womenโ€™s rights.

Her resolve is deeply personal. โ€œLook, I am a rape survivor, a survivor of sexual violence and abuse,โ€ Mace shared in a recent interview with NewsNation. โ€œI know how vulnerable women and girls are in private spaces. At the end of the day, the question is: do women have rights or not?โ€

Mace also highlighted concerns about the Capitolโ€™s shared spaces, noting her discomfort with the potential presence of biological men in womenโ€™s locker rooms and restrooms. โ€œIf Iโ€™m in the womenโ€™s gym in D.C., changing clothes, and a man shows up with his genitalia in the room, thatโ€™s not okay. This is about protecting privacy and safety.โ€

Speakerโ€™s Support Amid Controversy

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) recently affirmed Maceโ€™s position, announcing that biological men would no longer be permitted in womenโ€™s bathrooms and locker rooms on Capitol grounds. โ€œWomen deserve womenโ€™s-only spaces,โ€ Johnson stated, providing legislative backing to Maceโ€™s campaign.

The congresswoman, previously known for her socially moderate views, has drawn a definitive โ€œred lineโ€ in this debate. โ€œAt some point, we have to draw a line with this insanity,โ€ she stated firmly. โ€œThis is about protecting the rights and safety of women everywhere.โ€

As the dust settles on this latest chapter in Maceโ€™s fight, one thing remains clear: the debate over womenโ€™s spaces and privacy is far from over.

READ NEXT: Matt Gaetz Reveals Major Career Move โ€“ January Will Be Huge

Epstein Files Threaten Tp Upend Trump Legacy

2
By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

Tensions are rising after the Justice Department claimed it had no evidence that notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein had a client list, blackmailed powerful people, or was murdered.

Democrats in Congressย sayย they will introduce measures this week to press for the disclosure of files reported to Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead at the age of 66 in his New York City jail cell in 2019 after being arrested on sex trafficking charges involving young girls.ย 

Rep.ย Ro Khannaย (D-Calif.) is calling on House Republicans to hold a vote demanding the Trump administration release the โ€œFULL Epstein files.โ€

โ€œWhy are the Epstein files still hidden? Who are the rich & powerful being protected?โ€ Khanna said in a post on the social platform X over the weekend.

โ€œOn Tuesday, Iโ€™m introducing an amendment to force a vote demanding the FULL Epstein files be released to the public,โ€ he continued. โ€œThe Speaker must call a vote & put every Congress member on record.โ€

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a โ€œclient listโ€ to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epsteinโ€™s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Far-right activistย Laura Loomer,ย a staunch ally ofย President Trump,ย said Sunday night there should be a special counsel toย examine the handling of filesย related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Loomer, who has bashed Attorney Generalย Pam Bondiย for her handling ofย the Epstein documents, told Politicoโ€™s Playbook newsletter that aย special counsel should be appointedย โ€œso that people can feel like this issue is being investigated, and perhaps take it out of [Bondiโ€™s] hands, because I donโ€™t think that she has been transparent or done a good job handling this issue.โ€

Much of the frustration from MAGA allies has been directed at Attorney Generalย Pam Bondi,ย who said earlier this year that files were on her desk but then seemed to suggest they did not exist by releasing the memo last week. Bondi argued she was referring to the case file on Epstein, not a specific โ€œclient list.โ€

Trump has remained adamant in his position andย has fiercely defendedย Bondi against the onslaught of backlash.ย 

โ€œWhatโ€™s going on with my โ€˜boysโ€™ and, in some cases, โ€˜gals?โ€™ Theyโ€™re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! Weโ€™re on one Team, MAGA, and I donโ€™t like whatโ€™s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and โ€˜selfish peopleโ€™ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies,ย Jeffrey Epstein,โ€ Trump said in the social media post on Saturday.

Dan Bongino, the Deputy Director of the FBI, reportedly threatened to leave the bureau if Attorney General Pam Bondi remains on the job due to her handling of the Epstein files, a source close to Bongino told The Daily Wire.

One source close to Bongino predicted to Axios, โ€œHe ainโ€™t coming back.โ€ Trump administration officials, however, are saying that Bongino remains on the job.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is โ€œin good shapeโ€ following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

โ€œI spoke to him today,โ€ Trumpย toldย reporters at Joint Base Andrews. โ€œDan Bongino, very good guy. Iโ€™ve known him a long time. Iโ€™ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think heโ€™s in good shape.โ€

Watch:

FBI Director Kash Patelย broke his silenceย on Saturday amid rumors that he might also consider leaving if Bondi stayed, saying in a post to X that the โ€œconspiracy theoriesโ€ were not true and that he would continue to serve under Trump as long as the president wanted him to be there.

Former NFL Kicker Dragged Out Of City Council Meeting After Calling MAGA ‘A Nazi Movement’

5
Arrest image via Pixabay

Former NFL punterย Chris Kluweย was removed from a California city council meeting by police after a self-described act of โ€œcivil disobedienceโ€ while attacking Donald Trump.

The reason for Kluweโ€™s protest revolved around a sign proposed for Huntington Beachโ€™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 withย President Donald Trumpโ€™s campaign message, “Make America Great Again.” He opined that it was “a Nazi movement.”

โ€œIโ€™m gonna take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past three weeks,โ€ said Kluwe. โ€œMAGA 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.โ€

โ€œMAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide,โ€ the former punter added. โ€œMAGA 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.โ€

Kluwe then slightly elevated his voice to say, โ€œYou 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 punterโ€™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. 

Rosie O’Donnell Asks For Prayers As Daughter Chelsea Faces ‘Scary Future’ In Prison

3
By David Shankbone - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3937757

TV personality Rosie Oโ€™Donnell is appealing for prayers as her daughter Chelsea faces what she calls a โ€œscary future.โ€

Oโ€™Donnell posted on Instagram: โ€œMy child Chelsea Belle โ€“ before addiction took over her life โ€“ I loved her then, I love her now as she faces a scary future โ€“ prayers welcomed. #addiction awareness #love #family.โ€

According to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital, Chelsea had her probation revoked on October 22 and was sentenced to serve time in prison.

In a written statement, Oโ€™Donnell said, โ€œI have compassion for those struggling with addiction โ€” Chelsea was born into addiction and it has been a painful journey for her and her four young children. We continue to love and support her through these horrible times. Prayers welcomed.โ€

Last year, authorities charged Chelsea with two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine and felony possession of narcotic drugs, along with two counts of possession/illegally obtaining prescription drugs and resisting or obstructing an officer. Her arrest followed a traffic stop in Niagara, Wisconsin, where officers pulled over a vehicle for loud exhaust โ€” they recovered a clear smoking device on Chelseaโ€™s person that tested positive for methamphetamine, and a prescription pill bottle containing a handful of pills and a crystal-like substance was found in her possession. At the time, Chelsea was out on bond for separate charges including child neglect and drug possession.

Oโ€™Donnellโ€™s Instagram post on December 3 responding to Chelseaโ€™s earlier arrest read: โ€œSo yes this is true โ€“ after being bailed out by her birth mother โ€“ Chelsea was arrested again โ€“ and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction โ€“ we all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around.โ€


Bring in the Trump context

Itโ€™s worth noting that Rosie Oโ€™Donnell has for years been a vocal critic of Donald Trump, and the public feud between them has become almost legendary. Back in December 2006, while hosting the daytime talk show The View, Oโ€™Donnell called Trump out over his handling of the Miss USA controversy and mocked him as no moral authority for young people โ€” saying, โ€œThis is not a self-made manโ€ฆ left the first wife, had an affair, left the second wife, had an affairโ€ฆโ€ People.com+2The List+2

Trump responded with scorn, calling Oโ€™Donnell โ€œa woman out of controlโ€ and a โ€œloser,โ€ threatening legal action though he never followed through. People.com+1 Over the years he repeatedly used her name as a punchline โ€” during the 2016 Republican primary debate when asked about his language toward women he quipped, โ€œOnly Rosie Oโ€™Donnell.โ€ The New Daily+1

In recent years their feud escalated further: After Oโ€™Donnell announced she had moved to Ireland following Trumpโ€™s second inauguration (January 2025), Trump publicly floated the idea of revoking her U.S. citizenship, calling her โ€œa Threat to Humanityโ€ and saying โ€œshe should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her.โ€

Trump Admin Moves To Revoke Citizenship Of 17 Criminals

President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

The Trump administration is launching a new crackdown on naturalized citizens accused of gaming America’s immigration system, moving to strip citizenship from 17 foreign-born criminals ranging from child sex offenders to multimillion-dollar fraudsters.

The Justice Department is expected to announce Monday that it has filed denaturalization actions against a group of naturalized citizens who allegedly lied, concealed serious crimes, or committed fraud while obtaining U.S. citizenship.

“U.S. citizenship is a privilege, not a right for people who obtained it through deception,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said as the administration unveiled its latest effort to purge what officials describe as bad actors who abused the naturalization process.

Among the most shocking cases is Haitian-born Jean Claude Alfred, 68, who federal officials say was sexually abusing his minor daughter while applying to become an American citizen.

According to the Justice Department, Alfred denied committing any crimes during his citizenship application process despite allegedly abusing his daughter during that same period. He was later convicted by a Florida jury on charges including attempted sexual battery of a child in a familial relationship and lewd assault on a minor.

The Daily Wire reported that another target is Colombian-born Fernando Cristancho, a Roman Catholic priest sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually grooming and abusing a young parishioner between the ages of 11 and 13. Federal officials allege Cristancho concealed his criminal conduct from immigration authorities while seeking naturalization.

The administration is also seeking to denaturalize Delmas Garcia, a Cuban-born woman convicted in a massive healthcare fraud scheme that prosecutors say generated more than $36 million in false insurance claims.

Garcia admitted operating dozens of physical therapy clinics in Florida that billed insurers for treatments that were either medically unnecessary or never provided at all.

Also on the list is Andrea Marroquin, the daughter of a notorious Colombian drug trafficker. Prosecutors allege Marroquin concealed a fraudulent marriage and used drug money inherited from her father to carry out a series of illicit real estate transactions in Miami before becoming a U.S. citizen.

The latest actions are part of a broader Trump administration push to dramatically expand denaturalization efforts nationwide.

Last year, the Justice Department directed federal prosecutors to prioritize cases involving individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of serious criminal activity. The New York Times reported that USCIS was subsequently instructed to increase referrals of potential denaturalization cases, with reports indicating the agency was expected to identify between 100 and 200 new cases each month.

The administration argues the initiative is aimed at restoring integrity to the naturalization system and ensuring citizenship is reserved for immigrants who follow the law.

“The Trump administration is taking action to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system,” Blanche said in a previous announcement unveiling a separate round of denaturalization cases involving terrorism suspects, war criminals, sex offenders, and fraudsters.

Critics have accused the administration of vastly expanding a legal tool that historically was used only sparingly. For decades, denaturalization cases averaged roughly a dozen filings annually, but federal officials now say hundreds of potential cases are under review.

Under federal law, citizenship can be revoked if prosecutors prove it was obtained illegally or through willful misrepresentation of material facts during the naturalization process. The government carries a high burden of proof and must convince a federal court that citizenship was fraudulently secured.

For the Trump administration, however, the message is straightforward: if someone lied their way into American citizenship, the government intends to take a second look.

And for some of the nation’s worst criminals, that second look could mean losing the very citizenship they worked to obtain.

Verdict Reached In Attempted Trump Assassination Trial

5

Just in…

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.

The case was heard by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who denied a motion from Routhโ€™s defense team seeking her recusal. A Trump appointee, Cannon was randomly assigned to the case.

Federal prosecutors alleged Routh camped near Trumpโ€™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 Trumpโ€™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 โ€” 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.