The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Federal prosecutors are reportedly preparing charges against former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton, a longtime critic of President Trump, over his handling of classified materials — a move that comes after months of internal resistance from within the Justice Department.
According to CNN’s Katelyn Polantz, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland met over the weekend to hammer out the details of a potential indictment. Citing unnamed sources, Polantz reported that the Maryland team had initially pushed back against DOJ leadership’s push to charge Bolton, but those objections have now “lifted,” and the team is “at work” on the case.
The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Appearing on CNN’s The Situation Room with anchor Pamela Brown, Polantz explained that the disagreement was “about when to charge” Bolton — suggesting that some inside the DOJ were concerned about timing rather than substance.
“From what I had learned through sources,” Polantz said, “was that the dispute was over timing — whether to charge John Bolton very soon or prepare an indictment very soon to take it through the grand jury, or whether there needed to be more time since those searches of his home and office only took place a couple of weeks ago.”
In late August, FBI agents raided Bolton’s Maryland home and private office, seizing materials reportedly marked “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified,” including documents referencing weapons of mass destruction. Investigators also collected electronics and files labeled “Trump I–IV,” according to court filings.
Bolton — who has been a vocal Trump critic since leaving the administration — has denied any wrongdoing. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, said the items taken were “decades old” and insisted that his client “did nothing inappropriate.”
President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010
This week, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said that he believes the U.S. military could serve as a constraint on President Donald Trump’s administration, arguing that senior uniformed leaders remain primarily loyal to the Constitution rather than any individual political figure.
Speaking during an appearance on “MS NOW” Wednesday morning, Warner previewed questions he said he plans to ask U.S. Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley when Bradley testifies Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Warner serves as the committee’s vice chair.
Warner said his questions will focus in part on concerns surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the administration’s recent military actions, including strikes in the Caribbean. Warner said he trusts Bradley, but raised doubts about Hegseth’s public statements.
“Remember, this is an administration that has treated the uniformed military with unprecedented disrespect when they were all brought to get a pep rally in front of Hegseth and Trump,” Warner said. “This is an administration that’s fired uniform generals from the head of the NSA, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.”
He added: “And I think in many ways, the uniformed military may help save us from this president and his lame people like Hegseth, because I think their commitment is to the Constitution and obviously not to Trump. And I expect Bradley to adhere to that.”
Warner’s comments follow similar remarks from other Democrats who have suggested service members could resist unlawful directives. Earlier this year, six Democratic lawmakers urged members of the military to resist “illegal” orders.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) made a related argument in an interview last month with Don Lemon, saying he has spoken with service members who view their oath as a safeguard.
“What gives me hope, and I talk to service members all the time. They tell me that I don’t appreciate enough and the public doesn’t appreciate enough that while Congress is not a check on the president anymore, and the judiciary at the Supreme Court is hardly a check, military members have told me, ‘We can be a check,’” Swalwell said.
He continued: “They’re essentially saying, ‘We’re not going to betray our oath to the Constitution because this guy tells us to.’ While it’s not codified that way — they’re not a branch of government on their own— their honor and integrity might just save us.”
Former President Barack Obama also addressed the issue Monday, saying he has seen signs of “resistance” within the military to what he described as politicization, while adding he does not believe that politicization has fully taken hold.
“I would not expect the politicization of the Justice Department or our military,” Obama said. “And I don’t think that’s happened. I think there’s been resistance, particularly in the military, to that, but the degree to which that has been encouraged, you know, that used to be something that I would lecture other countries not to do.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) introduced a bill Tuesday seeking to add President Trump’s face to the Mount Rushmore monument.
“His remarkable accomplishments for our country and the success he will continue to deliver deserve the highest recognition and honor on this iconic national monument,” Luna wrote in a Tuesday post on the social platform X.
“Let’s get carving!”
I've officially introduced legislation to put President Trump's face on Mount Rushmore.
His remarkable accomplishments for our country and the success he will continue to deliver deserve the highest recognition and honor on this iconic national monument. Let's get carving! pic.twitter.com/vfFuebuS7F
The Interior Department would be in charge of undertaking Trump’s addition to the South Dakota landmark if approved by Congress.
“Mount Rushmore, a timeless symbol of our nation’s freedom and strength, deserves to reflect his towering legacy—a legacy further solidified by the powerful start to his second term,” Luna shared in a separate statement.
“He will be forever remembered among the great like Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.”
Luna is not the first person to float the idea. Fox News contributors this week suggested adding Trump’s face to Mount Rushmore to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, which is set for 2026.
“If you did, like, the 250th anniversary of the country at Mount Rushmore with President Trump’s face, it would be epic,” Kayleigh McEnany, Trump’s former press secretary, said this week on Fox News Channel’s “Outnumbered.”
Days after announcing his campaign for Senate, Congressman Matt Rosendale (Mont.) is ending his campaign.
On Friday, Rosendale released a statement explaining the quick decision to end his campaign.
“Instead of one of those phony statements from politicians, here’s my statement on why I’m withdrawing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate,” Rosendale said in a statement. “As everyone knows, I have planned to run for the U.S. Senate and to win both the primary and the general election. However, the day I announced, President Trump then announced that he was endorsing a different candidate.”
“I have long been a supporter of the president, and remain so,” he continued. “But I have been forced to calculate what my chances of success would be with Trump supporting my opponent. This race was already going to be tough, as I was fighting against Mitch McConnell and the rest of the Republican establishment in Washington. But I felt like I could beat them, as the voters do not agree with them choosing who would be the next U.S. Senator from Montana.”
Rosendale said that Trump’s endorsement of retired U.S. Navy SEAL and businessman Tim Sheehy meant that he would not have the resources needed to win the primary.
Rosendale shared he spoke with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and they agreed that it was best for the party’s chances to regain control of the U.S. Senate if he ended his campaign.
Daines responded to Rosendale’s announced on X, writing: “I appreciate Matt’s many years of service to Montana. It will take all Republicans working together to defeat Jon Tester in November.”
In the wake of the federal indictment of informant Alexander Smirnov President Biden is demanding Fox News issue retractions regarding its coverage of “bribery” allegations against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
Smirnov, who was originally a key informant behind Republicans’ recent investigation into the Bidens, was recently indicted for lying to the FBI. (RELATED:FBI Informant Indicted Over Hunter Biden)
In a letter to Fox News Chief Executive Suzanne Scott, President Jay Wallace, and Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton this week, White House spokesperson for investigations Ian Sams demanded the network make immediate changes:
We feel strongly that all Fox News Digital articles on this topic should at a minimum be updated with editor’s notes informing readers that the source of this allegation has been federally indicted for making it up. We also feel strongly that Fox News Channel television personalities like Hannity and Watters, among others, should inform their viewers on air that they have been sharing a discredited allegation from a source who has been federally indicted for making it up.
A Fox spokesperson told Mediaite “FOX News Media has reported on all key developments since the announcement that Alexander Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI, featuring the story prominently. We will continue to report on developments in all aspects of the ongoing investigations, hearings, and trials.”
Read the official letter with links and citations below.
Former President of the United States Donald Trump speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]
On a bustling Thursday night in San Francisco, former President Donald Trump marked another impressive milestone in his 2024 presidential campaign. The presumptive Republican nominee and front-runner, according to the polls, celebrated a monumental $12 million fundraising haul. The fundraising event, hosted by prominent Silicon Valley figures, David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, highlighted the undeniable shift in the tech industry, an arena traditionally dominated by liberal ideologies.
“These are brilliant guys – AI guys – these are the guys that are doing all the things you read about,” Trump gushed to Fox News Digital. These are just a brilliant group of people. And they can’t relate to Biden because he is a stupid person – and I have a high IQ.”
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
“They don’t like dealing with an IQ that’s like, you know, 1/3 of theirs, because it is a difficult thing when someone has an IQ of 180, it is difficult to deal with a man with an IQ of 70 – or maybe lower,” Trump added, attempting to goad the current president.
Sacks endorsed Trump hours before the high-dollar fundraiser at his multimillion-dollar home, located near the residence of Nancy and Paul Pelosi, symbolizing the growing willingness of certain tech industry leaders to publicly support Trump, a stance that previously rendered individuals persona non grata in Silicon Valley. (RELATED: San Francisco Sued Over Gender Scheme Targeting Minority Men)
Known for his business acumen and successful investments, including his status as an angel investor for Facebook, Uber, SpaceX, and Airbnb, Sachs’ support signals a broader acceptance of Trump’s candidacy within a traditionally GOP skeptical community.
Trump told Fox News Digital that Sacks’ “strong” endorsement “is a great testament to what I’ve accomplished.”
“David Sacks — the king of that world — David Sacks and the group that we were with are the most respected people in San Francisco from both a business and high tech standpoint,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They love our country and they understand what’s happening into the future with technology better than any group, anywhere in the world.”
“One of the primary reasons for the endorsement was the four years that we had in office, which was the best four years ever for high tech, which will play an increasingly important role in the future of our country, especially as it relates to AI and all of the other new and brilliant technologies coming right at this moment,” Trump said. “It is a very exciting time and it is a great honor to have the most brilliant minds supporting, by far, the most brilliant leader.”
Why I’m Backing President Trump
As many press accounts have reported, I’m hosting a fundraising event for President Donald J. Trump at my home in San Francisco this evening.
Over the last couple of years, I have hosted events for presidential candidates Ron DeSantis, Vivek…
“My reasons rest on four main issues that I think are vital to American prosperity, security and stability — issues where the Biden administration has veered badly off course and where I believe President Trump can lead us back,” Sacks said Thursday.
Other guests at Sacks’ Pacific Heights fundraiser included the Winklevoss twins, who successfully sued Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea, which later became Facebook.
JD Lasica from Pleasanton, CA, US, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
“He wasn’t the guy I see on TV,” one source told the New York Post. “He was very thoughtful and self-deprecating.” More than 100 guest attended the San Francisco soirée, paying as much as $300,000 a head.
Historically, Silicon Valley has been a bastion of liberal politics, with many tech leaders supporting Democratic candidates and policies. This alignment was driven by shared values around social issues and environmental sustainability. (RELATED: Google Shuts Down Its AI Chatbot ‘Gemini’ For Being Woke And Racist)
However, the dynamics may be changing. The industry’s rapid growth has brought increased scrutiny and regulatory pressures from Democratic lawmakers. Concerns over antitrust actions, data privacy regulations and labor practices have strained relationships between tech giants and the Democratic Party.
In contrast, Trump’s deregulatory stance, pro-business policies and tax reforms align with the interests of a growing number of Silicon Valley insiders.
On Monday, former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court to plead guilty to charges related to Donald Trump’s civil fraud case.
Weisselberg pleaded guilty to perjury charges stemming from his testimony in former President Trump’s civil fraud trial.
The top executive was ordered to pay more than $1.1 million, plus interest.
Weisselberg’s charges stem from his testimony in October during the civil fraud trial, where he testified that he “never focused on” Trump’s Manhattan triplex that was listed on the former president’s financial statements as 30,000 square feet in size – despite actually being less than 11,000 square feet.
But after Weisselberg testified, Forbes published an article accusing him of lying under oath, citing years old correspondence between the magazine and Trump Organization executive.
“A review of old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general’s office does not possess, show that Weisselberg absolutely thought about Trump’s apartment—and played a key role in trying to convince Forbes over the course of several years that it was worth more than it really was,” Forbes wrote in its Oct. 12 article.
When confronted by state lawyers about the Forbes article, Weisselberg conceded that the triplex in the former president’s 5th Avenue Trump Tower was only 10,996 square feet.
Weisselberg is among several top executives at the Trump organization who were barred last month from operating their business in New York for a range of two to three years. That ruling came from Judge Aurthur Engoron, who also banned Trump and his children from operating the business.
A New York Appeals Court allowed Trump and his sons to maintain control of the company temporarily while they attempt to appeal Engoron’s decision.
Engoron also “permanently” barred defendants Weisselberg and former corporate controller Jeffrey McConney from “serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State” and as a director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York for three years.
“There was never an option to choose a jury trial,” a Trump spokesperson told Fox News Digital last month. “It is unfortunate that a jury won’t be able to hear how absurd the merits of this case are and conclude no wrongdoing ever happened.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) sued Trump in 2022, alleging he falsely altered his net worth on key financial statements to receive tax and insurance benefits. The documents, which detailed the value of the Trump Organization’s various assets, were sent to banks and insurers to secure loans and deals, which the state purports is evidence of fraud.
Amanda Head had a chance to attend a private screening of “My Son Hunter,” an upcoming movie directed by Robert Davi which dives into the drug-fueled past of First Son, Hunter Biden.
Watch and hear Amanda’s unfiltered thoughts of the film below:
Former President of the United States Donald Trump speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]
On Monday, the Colorado judge overseeing a challenge to keep Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot refused to step down from the case after donating to numerous anti-Republican PACs.
The lawsuit, filed by the left-wing donor backed organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), seeks to remove Trump from the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, alleging he took an oath to the Constitution and then engaged in “insurrection” by encouraging the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace, an appointee of Democrat Gov. Jared Polis, began the trial Monday saying that she has “no specific memory” of the donations.
“Prior to yesterday, I was not cognizant of this organization or its mission,” Wallace said. “It has always been my practice, whether I was entirely successful or not, to make contributions to individuals, not PACs.”
She assured litigants that she has “formed no opinion whether the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection.”
Wallace donated $100 on Oct. 15, 2022 to the Colorado Turnout Project, a PAC that was formed to oppose Republicans who “refused to condemn the political extremists who stormed the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021,” according to Federal Election Commission data.
Wallace also has earmarked close to $1,500 in other ActBlue donations for Democrats since 2016, including $100 to Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock’s campaign on Nov. 10, 2022, per FEC data.
Trump’s lawyer, former Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler, said during his opening statement Monday that the lawsuit was “anti-democratic” and a “case of lawfare that seeks to interfere with the presidential election.”
Last week, Wallace tossed Trump’s effort to have the case dismissed, rejecting his claim that Congress determines ballot eligibility, not the courts. She also rejected an earlier effort to have the case dismissed on First Amendment grounds.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Saudi Arabia has released a United States citizen who was jailed over social media posts critical of the royal family after President Trump’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Saad Almadi, 75, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1976, was arrested in 2021 during a family visit over his remarks online. He was sentenced to more than 19 years on terrorism charges but was released in 2023 and hit with an “exit ban,” which prevented him from leaving the country.
The terrorism charges were later decreased to “cyber crimes.”
“This day would not have been possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration,” the Almadi family said in a statement Wednesday. “We are deeply grateful to Dr. Sebastian Gorka and the team at the National Security Council, as well as everyone at the State Department.”
The statement came shortly after Trump’s Wednesday speech at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum.
The Almadi family said the release “would not have been possible” without the work of the president and the “tireless efforts” of the administration, expressing gratitude to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh for keeping Almadi “safe.”
One of Almadi’s posts on social media that landed him in trouble called for a street in the nation’s capital to be renamed after Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was murdered in 2018 while at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
Crown Prince Mohammed has denied involvement in the killing of the journalist, who fled Saudi Arabia in 2017, but U.S. intelligence reports in 2021 stated the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia “approved” the operation to detain or kill the columnist.
The 9/11 Families United organization shared similar sentiments in regards to Trump’s interactions.
“The crown prince knows nothing of the pain of the 9/11 families. He is actively working to impede our efforts to ensure extensive evidence of Saudi government support for al-Qaeda and the terrorist hijackers are brought to light, harboring a former agent that produced a casing video of the U.S. Capitol building, and trying to rewrite history with investments,” 9/11 Families United told The Hill in a statement.
Trump said Tuesday that the crown prince “knew nothing” about Khashoggi’s murder, triggering harsh criticism from press groups.
“We are so excited for the family that Mr. Almadi is finally on his way back to the United States! We know how long and hard the family fought to make this day possible,” the Foley Foundation, which advocates for American hostages and wrongful detainees held overseas, said Wednesday in a statement to The Hill.
