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Suspect Arrested In Attempted Murder Plot Targeting OMB Director Russell Vought

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A Maryland man has been accused of attempting to murder Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, according to NewsNation.

Court records from Arlington General District Court show that Colin Demarco was arrested on Jan. 22 and arraigned the following day. Records indicate he faces multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder, first-degree solicitation to commit murder, wearing a mask in certain places, and carrying a concealed firearm, a misdemeanor.

Demarco is accused of plotting to kill Vought, a law enforcement source briefed on the case told NewsNation.

Police say they were called to a Virginia residence on Aug. 10 after a witness reported that a man wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves appeared to be standing on Voughtโ€™s porch while possibly concealing a firearm under his shirt.

According to authorities, the suspect approached the witness and asked about Vought before leaving the scene.

Investigators later identified Demarco as the man described and executed search warrants that reportedly uncovered evidence tying him to the alleged plot. NewsNation reported that authorities found Demarco had obtained directions to the budget directorโ€™s home, had posted online about the victim, and had engaged in online discussions that appeared to solicit others to murder Vought.

Demarco is currently being held without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 23 for a preliminary hearing. Court records list him as being represented by a public defender.

The case comes amid heightened concern nationwide over threats directed at public officials. In recent years, federal authorities have warned of an increase in violent rhetoric and plots targeting government figures across the political spectrum, including presidents, members of Congress, and senior administration officials.

Earlier this week, Ryan Routh was sentenced to life in prison plus seven years over his attempt to assassinate Donald Trump on a Florida golf course.

Prosecutors argued that Routh, 60, should get a life sentence after a jury last year convicted him on five counts for allegedly plotting โ€œpainstakingly to kill President Trump, and [taking] significant steps toward making that happen.โ€ 

โ€œRouthโ€™s crimes undeniably warrant a life sentence โ€” he took steps over the course of months to assassinate a major presidential candidate, demonstrated the will to kill anybody in the way, and has since expressed neither regret nor remorse to his victims,โ€ prosecutors argued in a court filing. 

During the September trial, a jury quickly found Routh guilty on five felony counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer. 

Routh allegedly hid in the bushes of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach and pointed a military-grade SKS rifle towards Trump and a Secret Service agent. 

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Taken Into Custody By ICE

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the immigrant deported to El Salvador who became a political flashpoint for the Trump administrationโ€™s immigration crackdown, wasย detainedย again on Monday

Speaking to reporters outside the ICE Field Office in Baltimore after Abrego Garcia was detained, his lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said ICE officials had declined to tell them where they were detaining Abrego Garcia prior to his removal, or tell them why they were arresting him. 

“As of the last five minutes, Mr. Abrego Garcia has filed a new lawsuit in the federal district court for the District of Maryland challenging his confinement and challenging his deportation to Uganda, or to any other country unless and until he’s had a fair trialโ€” as in, an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights,,” Sandoval-Moshenberg sad.

The habeas petition, filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, was assigned to U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has presided since March over his civil case.

Abrego Garcia, who fled El Salvador as a teenager and lived in Maryland, addressed supporters before entering his appointment.

โ€œMy name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember this, remember that I am free and I was able to be reunited with my family,โ€ he said. โ€œThis was a miracle. Thank you to God and thank you to the community. I want to thank each and every one of you who marched, lift your voices, never stop praying, and continue to fight in my name.โ€

Abrego Garcia’s legal fight for months has dominated U.S. headlines, after he was deported by theย Trump administrationย to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. He faces a possible second deportation, this time to Uganda.

Shortly before his arrival Monday morning, immigration advocates, faith leaders, and other community members massed outside the field office at sunrise for a vigil, organized by two immigration advocacy groups.

The Trump administration returned him to the U.S. months after sending him to El Salvador, under orders from a federal judge and from the Supreme Court.

He was arrested upon return to the U.S. on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennesee. He remained in federal detention until Friday, when he was released from U.S. custody and ordered to return to Maryland, where a judge said he could remain under electronic surveillance and under ICE supervision while awaiting trial.

ICE officials notified Abrego Garcia’s attorneys shortly after his release on Friday that they planned to deport him to Uganda.

The notice, sent by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Adviser, said it was intended to “serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now (absent weekends).”

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in an interview Sunday night that Abrego Garcia was “absolutely” going to be deported from the U.S, and said Uganda is “on the table” as the third country of removal.ย 

“We have an agreement with them. It’s on a table, absolutely,” Homan said in an interview on “The Big Weekend Show” Sunday evening.

“He is absolutely going to be deported,” Homan reiterated. 

For now, he said, Abrego Garcia “can enjoy the little time he has with his family. And for the person who says we’re not going to separate family, his family can go with him, because he’s leaving.”

House Panel Uncovers ‘Substantial Evidence’ In Fraud Probe Into Florida Democrat

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The House Ethics Committee has found โ€œsubstantial reason to believeโ€ that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) violated multiple federal laws, House rules, and ethical standards, according to a report released Thursday.

The bipartisan panel said its investigative subcommittee is formally โ€œbringing the chargesโ€ against Cherfilus-McCormick, citing potential violations of campaign finance laws and regulations, criminal statutes tied to campaign finance misconduct, the Ethics in Government Act, the Code of Ethics for Government Service, and several House rules.

The findings come as Cherfilus-McCormick already faces serious legal trouble. In November, a federal grand jury indicted the congresswoman on charges that she stole $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds and used a portion of that money to bankroll her political campaign.

Prosecutors allege that in July 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother received a $5 million overpayment from FEMA while their health care company was working under a FEMA-funded staffing contract related to COVID-19 vaccinations. At the time, Cherfilus-McCormick was serving as the companyโ€™s CEO.

Rather than returning the money, federal authorities claim the congresswoman and her brother conspired to keep it, routing the funds through multiple bank accounts in an effort to โ€œdisguiseโ€ their source.

According to the Ethics Committee report, investigators uncovered evidence that aligns closely with the criminal indictmentโ€”and, in some cases, points to broader misconduct.

โ€œThe ISCโ€™s [Investigative Subcommittee] investigation has revealed substantial evidence of conduct consistent with the allegations in the indictment, as well as more extensive misconduct as laid out in the following Statement of Facts in Support of Alleged Violations related to violations of federal laws and regulations, as well as ethical standards,โ€ the report said.

Cherfilus-McCormick forcefully denied wrongdoing and criticized the committeeโ€™s process.

โ€œTodayโ€™s action was taken without giving me a fair opportunity to rebut or defend myself due to the constraints of an ongoing legal process,โ€ she said. โ€œI reject these allegations and remain confident the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong. Until then, my focus remains where it belongs: delivering for my constituents and continuing the work they sent me to Washington to do.โ€

The investigative subcommittee detailed the scope of its work, noting it reviewed more than 33,000 documents, conducted 28 witness interviews, sent 30 requests for information, issued 59 subpoenas, and met 12 times across the 118th and 119th Congresses.

The report also highlighted Cherfilus-McCormickโ€™s lack of cooperation in the later stages of the investigation. While she initially produced some records, the congresswoman ultimately invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination after being subpoenaed for documents and testimony.

Trump Reveals Top Democrat Asked To Hug Him After Dinner Shooting Chaos

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President Donald Trump answers questions from members of the media aboard Air Force One en route to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, for a rally on the economy, Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Donald Trump revealed in a โ€œ60 Minutesโ€ interview that a prominent Democrat approached him for a hug in the chaotic aftermath of the shooting at the White House Correspondentsโ€™ Dinner โ€” a moment he described as unexpectedly unifying.

Speaking with CBSโ€™ Norah Oโ€™Donnell, Trump said the night took a dramatic turn just as he was preparing to deliver a speech aimed at the press.

โ€œI was going to hit them really hard, with humor,โ€ Trump said, noting the event was ultimately scrapped due to the security scare. โ€œBut I couldnโ€™t do it. I wouldโ€™ve had to just get up there and say, โ€˜I love you all.โ€™โ€

Instead, the evening became something far different.

โ€œThere was love in the room. It was amazing. There was love in the room,โ€ Trump said.

According to the president, even longtime political adversaries softened in the moment.

โ€œDemocrats that truly canโ€™t stand me were saying, โ€˜Sir, could I just shake your hand?โ€™โ€ Trump said. โ€œIโ€™m leaving, and Iโ€™m seeing high-level people, and theyโ€™re saying, โ€˜Sir, great job.โ€™โ€

Then came the moment that stood out most.

โ€œOne of them said, โ€˜Could I hug you?โ€™โ€ Trump recalled with a laugh. โ€œA big politician on the other side. There was love. It just all came together. It was very amazing to see. It was a very beautiful thing โ€” at a non-beautiful moment.โ€

The chaos erupted Saturday night when a suspect, identified as Cole Allen, rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton and opened fire. A Secret Service officer was struck in his bulletproof vest and survived. Allen was quickly apprehended and now faces multiple felony charges.

Videoย releasedย late Thursday by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbiaย Jeanine Pirro, shows the 31-year-old suspect pacing a hallway on April 24, before returning the following evening and sprinting through security while heavily armed.

The gunfire forced the evacuation of Trump, his Cabinet, and attendees. The annual dinner has since been postponed, though Trump said he pushed to keep it going.

โ€œI fought like hell to have it continue,โ€ he said, adding that the event will likely be rescheduled within the next month.

In the immediate aftermath, Trump struck an unusually conciliatory tone toward the media.

โ€œThis was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press โ€” and in a certain way, it did,โ€ he said during a press briefing. โ€œI saw a room that was totally unified. It was, in one way, very beautiful.โ€

For one night, at least, Trump said the divisions in Washington briefly gave way to something else.

And it came with a hug.

FBI Arrests โ€˜Anti-Trumpโ€™ Gunman Who Shot ABC Studio After Kimmel Suspension

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The FBI arrested the โ€œanti-Trumpโ€ gunman who fired three shots into a local ABC studio after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was suspended last week just hours after he posted bail in California.

FBI Director Kash Patel on Monday morning posted on X that Hernandez-Santana was taken into custody โ€œunder a federal hold for interference with licensed broadcasts.โ€

He added: โ€œTargeted acts of violence are unacceptable and will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.โ€

Anibal Hernandez-Santana, the 64-year old suspected shooter, was arrested by the FBI on Saturday, one day after he opened fired on ABC 10 in Sacramento in a drive-by shooting. Hernandez-Santana had posted $200,000 bail earlier on Saturday before he was arrested by the FBI for โ€œviolating a statute that says no one can interfere with any communication of any station licensed by the U.S. Government,โ€ KCRA 3 reporter Peyton Headlee reported on Sunday.

The suspect is now facing federal charges and is ineligible for bail, according to Mediaite.

The suspect is now facing federal charges and is ineligible for bail.

Variety, over the weekend, reported Hernandez-Santanaโ€™s X account contained โ€œa steady stream of anti-Trump commentary.โ€

โ€œWhere is a good heart attack when we need it the most?? Please Join in my thoughts and prayers for the physical demise of our fearful leader,โ€ Hernandez-Santana posted last Thursday.

His attorney, Mark Reichel, told KCRA 3 that Hernandez-Santana is being overly scrutinized because of his anti-Trump posts.

โ€œIf you look at his social media, theyโ€™re going to say, โ€˜Boy, it sure shows that heโ€™s liberal and left wing.โ€™ So you think theyโ€™re going to overlook something like that? I donโ€™t think so,โ€ Reichel said.

The shooting happened during the early hours of Sept. 19, a day after a protest was held in front of ABC 10 following Kimmelโ€™s suspension. About 15 people showed up for the protest, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Kimmel had his show pulled after he implied the person who shot Charlie Kirk was a Trump supporter.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Susie Wilesโ€™ Lawyer Denies Approving FBI Recording

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White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles delivers remarks during the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, September 21, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

An attorney representing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in 2023 is disputing claims that he agreed to allow the FBI to record a phone call with his client without her knowledge, according to a report from Axios.

โ€œIf I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldnโ€™t โ€“ and shouldnโ€™t โ€“ have a license to practice law,โ€ the unidentified attorney told Axios. โ€œIโ€™m as shocked as Susie.โ€

The denial comes amid renewed scrutiny over the FBIโ€™s investigative tactics during Special Counsel Jack Smithโ€™s probes into President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election.

Wiles, who managed Trumpโ€™s 2024 presidential campaign and now serves as White House chief of staff, was reportedly stunned to learn that the FBI subpoenaed her phone records in 2022 and 2023 as part of those investigations. According to Axios, she told associates, โ€œI am in shock.โ€

Reuters first reported the subpoenas, which were issued during Smithโ€™s investigations into Trumpโ€™s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

According to Fox News, the records obtained through subpoena included toll data โ€” such as phone numbers and the dates and times of calls โ€” but did not include the content of conversations.

The controversy escalated after two FBI officials reportedly claimed that agents recorded a 2023 phone call between Wiles and her attorney. The officials alleged that the attorney was aware the call was being recorded and gave consent, though Wiles herself was not informed.

However, the attorney has โ€œcategoricallyโ€ denied consenting to any recording, Axios reporter Marc Caputo wrote on X. Wiles reportedly believes her lawyer and suspects that Biden-era FBI officials may have misrepresented what occurred.

Separately, Fox News Digital reported that at least 10 FBI employees were fired Wednesday in connection with the matter.

The developments have drawn strong reactions from Trump allies and conservative commentators.

Trump 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita wrote on X that he knows the attorney and believes him, calling the situation โ€œa violation of basic constitutional rights every American hasโ€ and urging accountability.

OutKick founder Clay Travis also weighed in, writing, โ€œSo the lawyer Bidenโ€™s FBI eavesdropped on during a call with Susie Wiles said he had no idea it happened. This is a huge story. Bidenโ€™s FBI spied on Trumpโ€™s campaign manager in the 2024 campaign.โ€

In a separate statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Patel โ€” whose phone records were also reportedly subpoenaed โ€” criticized prior FBI leadership.

โ€œIt is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records โ€” along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles โ€” using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,โ€ Patel said.

Trump Considers Labeling Tesla Vandals As Domestic Terrorists

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Tesla

After a string of attacks targeting Elon Musk’s Tesla company, President Donald Trump is considering labeling the vandals as domestic terrorists.

On Wednesday, when a reporter asked Trump about the issue, saying,  โ€œSome say they should be labeled domestic terrorists,โ€ Trump responded. โ€œI will do that. Iโ€™ll do it. Iโ€™m gonna stop โ€˜em (if) we catch anybody doing it. Because theyโ€™re harming a great American company.โ€

President Trump lined Tesla vehicles up on the White House driveway as he was accompanied by Tesla CEO Elon Musk while purchasing the Tesla S.

โ€œLet me tell you, you do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, weโ€™re going to catch you, and โ€ฆ youโ€™re going to go through hell,โ€ Trump added. โ€œWhite House spokesperson Harrison Fields said โ€œongoing and heinous acts of violence against Tesla by radical Leftist activists are nothing short of domestic terror,โ€ .

Although Trump stated he was not allowed to drive while he was president, he bought a Tesla S, saying he purchased it for his staff.

Earlier this month, authorities responded to multiple Tesla superchargers being set ablaze in Massachusetts. (RELATED: Trump Hater Accidentally Sets Himself On Fire While Trying To Destroy Tesla Station)

A total of seven chargers were damaged, police said. 

On Saturday, NBC News noted, โ€œThere have been at least a dozen [acts] of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, dealerships or charging stations in recent weeks, according to police and local reports.โ€ (RELATED: Woman In Custody After Explosives Discovered At Tesla Dealership)

The incidents come months after a Tesla cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

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 โ€œpicked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attackโ€ because the โ€œCybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.โ€

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

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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€

Barron Trump โ€˜Savedโ€™ Womanโ€™s Life With Heroic Call To Police

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A woman testified in an English court on Wednesday that Barron Trump โ€œsavedโ€ her life after he realized she was being violently attacked and immediately called police, according to multiple reports.

Metro UK reported jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London heard a dramatic emergency call in which President Donald Trumpโ€™s son told operators, โ€œI just got a call from a girl I know. Sheโ€™s getting beaten up.โ€

According to testimony, Barron Trump contacted authorities after FaceTiming the young woman, a friend of his, expecting a normal call but quickly realizing she was witnessing an assault in real time.

โ€œI just saw a ceiling and could hear screaming. I could see a guyโ€™s head on the phone, and then the camera turns to her crying and getting hit,โ€ Trump told operators. The call was placed from the United States.

The Daily Mail identified the accused as 22-year-old Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev, who allegedly โ€œwas jealous of the Americanโ€™s relationship with the woman and flew into a rage when he tried to phone her earlier that evening.โ€

Jurors were told Rumiantsev later went to the womanโ€™s home and repeatedly punched her. Prosecutors also allege he kicked the woman in the stomach and used degrading language during the video call with Barron Trump, calling her a โ€œwhoreโ€ and a โ€œslut.โ€

During her testimony Wednesday, the woman praised Trump for acting quickly.

โ€œHe helped save my life,โ€ she said. โ€œThat call was like a sign from God at that moment.โ€

Jurors also heard an exchange between Trump โ€” who was reportedly 18 years old at the time โ€” and the police operator, who pressed him for details about his connection to the victim as officers were dispatched.

Here is that back-and-forth:

Operator: โ€œCan you stop being rude and actually answer my questions. If you want to help the person, youโ€™ll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you.โ€

Barron Trump: โ€œI met her on social media. Sheโ€™s getting really badly beat up and the call was about eight minutes ago, I donโ€™t know what could have happened by now.โ€

He added a moment later, โ€œSo sorry for being rude.โ€

Trump reportedly told authorities it took him a few minutes to locate the correct phone number for British police. He placed the call at 2:23 a.m. London time, or 9:23 p.m. ET.

Rumiantsev is facing serious charges, including assault, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation, and perverting a court of justice, according to The Daily Mail.

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

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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.