Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court imposed a deadline for Special Counsel Jack Smith to respond to former President Trump’s request to keep his federal Jan. 6 trial on hold as he appeals his immunity claims.
In a brief order, the high court ordered Smith to respond by Tuesday, Feb. 20.
According to The Hill, Trump filed an emergency motion Monday urging the justices to block a lower ruling that he doesn’t have presidential immunity from the indictment, an argument that has enabled Trump to delay his trial date as the appeals process proceeds.
The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision on Trump’s motion is poised to have outsized influence on whether the former president’s trial will take place before this year’s elections. The trial was originally scheduled for March 4 but was shelved as Trump appealed the immunity issue.
Smith has aimed to take Trump to trial quickly to avoid the possibility of Trump first returning to the White House and then pardoning himself or ordering his Justice Department to drop the case.
By next Tuesday, the special counsel will now have to respond to Trump’s latest tactic: requesting his trial be kept on hold until he can ask the full District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals to review his immunity claims, and then, if needed, the Supreme Court.
Trump is charged in the case with four federal felonies that accuse him of conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results. It is one of four criminal cases he faces. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
A new Axios report gives an inside look at a plausible Trump administration cabinet if he’s elected President.
On Thursday, Axios reported that Trump is looking to fill his cabinet with those “who share his zeal to punish critics, purge non-believers, and take controversial legal and military action.”
“Trump hasn’t settled on specific roles for specific figures, and hates it when his staff and friends speculate otherwise. It’s not in his DNA to do detailed personnel planning, and a lot depends on the last few people he’s talked to,” the report says. “But in rolling conversations with friends and advisers, he’s been clear about the type of men — and they’re almost all older, white men — he’d want to serve at his pleasure if he were to win a second term.”
The reported list of Trump’s potential vice president picks consists entirely of conservative stars like Senator J.D. Vance (Ohio), Kari Lake, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA). According to the Axios report, an interesting possible vice president is former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has become Melania Trump’s top choice.
She thinks Carlson would make a powerful onstage extension of her husband, a source close to Trump told us. The former first lady has made few campaign appearances this time around — but a Trump-Carlson ticket might encourage her to hit the trail.
Trump, asked last month about Carlson as a potential V.P., said: “I like Tucker a lot. … He’s got great common sense.”
Despite Axios’ report indicating Carlson is a potential choice for Trump’s running mate other political pundits have cast doubts on Carlson’s ability to attract votes from any Democrats or Independents.
Other possible top members of a new Trump administration could be Stephen Miller as attorney general.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,
During a recent interview Independent presidential contender Cornel West expressed doubts President Joe Biden makes it to the general election next year.
Recently, Biden has been clobbered by numerous polls showing his popularity slipping amongst key voting blocs as Trump surges ahead in battleground states.
“I’m not even sure whether I’ll be running against Biden,” the independent presidential candidate told Politico. “Biden — I think he’s going to have an LBJ moment [and] pull back.”
“I’m just saying that I’m open to those possibilities, given the fluidity of the situation,” the renowned academic said. “He’s running out of gas.”
West noted that while the Republican ticket appears more solid, he added that it’s also possible former President Trump leaves the race “if the weight becomes too heavy with the indictments and court processes.”
West described Trump as a “pied piper” and a “fascist,” and Biden as a “milquetoast neoliberal.” He said both could lead the country down dark paths, Trump to a civil war and Biden to World War III.
“I’m more concerned about Trump domestically,” West said. “I’m more concerned about Biden in terms of foreign policy.”
Hours after being indicted for a second time and Donald Trump has parted ways with two of his attorneys.
Shortly after being indicted in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified materials after leaving the White House on Thursday two of Trump’s lawyers have reportedly resigned.
“This morning we tendered our resignations as counsel to President Trump, and we will no longer represent him on either the indicted case or the January 6 investigation,” Trusty and Rowley said in a statement Friday. “It has been an honor to have spent the last year defending him, and we know he will be vindicated in his battle against the Biden Administration’s partisan weaponization of the American justice system.
“Now that the case has been filed in Miami, this is a logical moment for us to step aside and let others carry the cases through to completion,” they added. “We have no plans to hold media appearances that address our withdrawals or any other confidential communications we’ve had with the President or his legal team.”
Trump, taking to his TRUTH Social on Friday, said he will bring on a new attorney, Todd Blanche.
“For purposes of fighting the Greatest Witch Hunt of all time, now moving to the Florida Courts, I will be represented by Todd Blanche, Esq., and a firm to be named later,” Trump wrote. “I want to thank Jim Trusty and John Rowley for their work, but they were up against a very dishonest, corrupt, evil, and “sick” group of people, the likes of which has not been seen before.”
He added: “We will be announcing additional lawyers in the coming days. When will Joe Biden be Indicted for his many crimes against our Nation? MAGA!”
Trump was indicted on at least seven counts involving obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and illegal retention of classified government material.
Illegal Immigration in the United State via Wikimedia Commons
According to new reports, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller delivered a blunt ultimatum to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership in mid-May: ramp up arrests to 3,000 per day or face personnel changes.
During a tense meeting at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., Miller reportedly warned that regional offices failing to meet the target would see their leadership replaced. Sources familiar with the meeting said Miller left no room for interpretation — improved numbers weren’t encouraged, they were mandatory. (RELATED: Legal Battle May Reveal Big Payouts Tied To Biden’s Border Policies)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, also in attendance, struck a more measured tone. Still, the message was clear, according to NBC News: immigration enforcement efforts must intensify and take precedence:
Misdemeanor cases for border crossings are regularly appearing in federal court, a rarity in recent years. Justice Department teams focused on other issues are being disbanded, with members being dispersed to teams focused on immigration and other administration priorities.
And prosecutors say cases without immigration components have stalled or are moving more slowly, according to documents seen by NBC News and conversations with six current and former prosecutors and a senior FBI official, who described how immigration is now a central part of discussions around whether to pursue cases.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“Immigration status is now question No. 1 in terms of charging decisions,” an assistant U.S. attorney said. “Is this person a documented immigrant? Is this person an undocumented immigrant? Is this person a citizen? Are they somehow deportable? What is their immigration status? And the answer to that question is now largely driving our charging decisions.”
At least one U.S. attorney’s office abandoned a potential federal prosecution of someone who prosecutors felt was dangerous because the case against the person lacked an immigration component, an email obtained by NBC News showed. The office instead left the case to state prosecutors.
Mobilizing National Resources
Following the confrontation, ICE launched “Operation At Large,” a coast-to-coast initiative designed to supercharge apprehensions. The scale is unprecedented. Over 21,000 National Guard troops and 250 IRS agents have been folded into the effort, alongside thousands of ICE and federal law enforcement personnel. (RELATED: Police Case That Fueled 2020 Protests Returns To Supreme Court)
The operation’s reach has required coordination across agencies, pulling FBI and DOJ resources away from their usual focus areas and toward immigration-related priorities.
The Daily Mailhas more on Miller’s dramatic call to action:
He then reportedly gave them an open challenge and asked: ‘Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?’
Miller further pushed, getting into what an official called a ‘p***ing contest,’ saying: ‘What do you mean you’re going after criminals?’
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
In a statement to the Examiner, ICE deputy assistant director of media affairs Laszlo Baksay said the descriptions were ‘inaccurate.’
However, the conservative-leaning outlet cited sources within ICE and DHS who claimed Miller’s remarks further eroded morale among rank-and-file agents, which was already low.
“He had nothing positive to say about anybody,” one official told the paper, describing the mood following Miller’s visit.
Another source painted a darker picture of the internal climate confronting ICE agents:
“They’ve been threatened, told they’re watching their emails and texts and Signals. That’s what is horrible about things right now. It’s a fearful environment. Everybody in leadership is afraid. There’s no morale. Everybody is demoralized.”
Despite the backlash, Miller defended the administration’s approach during an appearance with Sean Hannity, insisting the 3,000-arrest-per-day quota is only a temporary benchmark — and warning that agents should be prepared for that figure to rise.
Localized operations have revealed just how expansive the crackdown has become since Miller and Noem appeared at Potomac Center Plaza in Southwest D.C. Across the nation, agents have ramped up early-morning sweeps and workplace raids, often coordinated with minimal local notification. In Florida, a weeklong action labeled “Operation Tidal Wave” resulted in 1,120 arrests — the largest ICE enforcement action ever recorded in a single state.
Tennessee saw similar efforts, with 196 arrests in the Nashville area. The local response was sharply critical. Nashville’s mayor denounced the operation as out of step with the city’s values and implemented policies limiting cooperation with ICE. Republicans in Congress are now investigating whether the mayor’s office leaked information about ICE agents — a serious charge with national implications.
Focus on Career Criminals — But Collateral Arrests Are Rising
Officially, the crackdown targets individuals with criminal records or prior deportation orders. But internal ICE guidance reportedly encourages officers to make “collateral arrests” — detaining illegal immigrants encountered in the field, even if they weren’t the original target and have no criminal history.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/us_icegov/54295293536/in/photostream/, Creative Commons Attribution-Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal (CC BY-NC-SA 1.0)
The broader approach has raised legal and logistical concerns, as well as fears of potential overreach, according to immigrant advocacy groups.
Leadership Purge Signals Internal Pressure
It also hasn’t come without fallout inside ICE. Two senior officials — Kenneth Genalo and Robert Hammer — have been removed from their posts in recent weeks. Sources say the firings reflect internal friction over how aggressively to pursue the administration’s ambitious targets. They also serve as a warning to others who might be perceived as resistant to the push.
White House: Fulfilling the Mandate, Critics Question the Cost
The administration stands by the operation. Officials say it delivers on President Trump’s second-term promise: to secure the border and remove criminal illegal aliens.
Still, questions remain. Legal scholars are raising red flags over the breadth of federal involvement, and local-federal cooperation is growing more strained. As the operation continues, so does the debate — over strategy, law, and the real-world impact on communities nationwide.
According to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, the airstrike targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and resulted in the collapse of several residential buildings.
SCOOP: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah targeted in Beriut, Fox News has learned. Unclear if the strike was successful. More to follow. pic.twitter.com/PgUedlkLSX
Preliminary reports indicate that the Israeli Air Force utilized bunker busters and 2,000-pound bombs.
Footage posted on X purports to show Nasrallah’s shattered and smoldering bunker, reportedly the site from which he ordered attacks on Israel.
If #Nasrallah survived this, it'll be a miracle. Video shows the site where #Israel targeted Nasrallah, razing down a whole bloc and the underground. People in houses miles away, even outside Beirut, #Lebanon, reported their houses shaking underneath them, similar to an… pic.twitter.com/4jeW4IxBsI
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) suggested this week that holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt remains an option as Congress presses the Justice Department over its handling of the long-awaited Epstein files.
Massie, who helped author legislation requiring the release of government records tied to convicted sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, said lawmakers are still not receiving full access to unredacted documents — despite the deadline set by Congress.
Appearing Tuesday on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Massie accused the Justice Department of failing to deliver what the law requires and raised concerns that redactions appear inconsistent and unjustified.
“We have not had access to totally unredacted files,” Massie said, adding that names such as Epstein associate and former Victoria’s Secret CEO Leslie Wexner have been blacked out “for no apparent reason.”
Massie said the DOJ’s refusal to acknowledge gaps in its production makes it difficult for Congress — and the public — to trust that the full truth is being released.
“If they’ll admit that they’re making mistakes and that their document production is not done, I could trust them,” Massie said. “But I can’t trust them if they say… this is it, there’s no more.”
The Kentucky Republican noted he would have limited time to question Bondi when she appeared Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee, warning that stronger measures could follow if answers are not forthcoming.
Massie first raised the possibility of using Congress’s “inherent contempt” powers against Bondi in a weekend interview, calling it the most direct way to force compliance.
“The quickest way… to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi,” he said.
Still, Massie acknowledged the challenge of pursuing contempt charges against the nation’s top law enforcement official, noting that referrals often run through the same department under scrutiny.
“You know, it’s hard to refer a contempt charge… on an attorney general to the attorney general,” Massie said. “This is the problem that you run into.”
Instead, he suggested Congress may need to compel testimony from individuals named in the documents, similar to efforts already underway by the House Oversight Committee.
Bondi’s appearance on Wednesday quickly turned tense as Democrats confronted her over the Justice Department’s redaction process — particularly allegations that some victims’ identities were improperly exposed while other information, including references to powerful individuals, was withheld.
Watch:
Rep. Thomas Massie to Pam Bondi: "Who is responsible?…Who in your organization made this massive failure and released the victims' names?" pic.twitter.com/ApohNitVDa
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) pressed Bondi to apologize directly to Epstein survivors seated in the hearing room, accusing the DOJ of mishandling sensitive records.
Jayapal asks Epstein survivors in the hearing room to stand and raise their hand if they still haven't been able to meet with Bondi's DOJ. Every single one of them does so. Jayapal then gives Bondi an opportunity to apologize to survivors. Bondi responds by trying to attack… pic.twitter.com/iAG0RSsisv
Bondi declined to issue a direct apology for the department’s release process, offering general sympathy for victims but defending the DOJ’s actions. The exchange escalated into a sharp back-and-forth, with Bondi accusing Jayapal of engaging in “theatrics.”
🚨 This is the moment Rep. Lauren Boebert walked out of the DOJ secure room after viewing parts of the UNREDACTED Epstein files — and you can see the horror on her face.
She's visibly shaken, struggling to speak, eyes wide like she's seen something straight out of a nightmare.… pic.twitter.com/2k936LKado
Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) struggled to bring the room back to order as lawmakers debated whether the Justice Department has been transparent — or selective — in what it has released.
By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Denmark over intelligence reports that Americans had conducted covert influence operations in Greenland.
Danish public broadcaster DR reported that at least three people with ties to the Trump administration were conducting the operations. The broadcaster cited unnamed security and government sources.
“We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark. It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead,” Rasmussen said in a statement sent to Fox News.
“Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will of course be unacceptable. In that light, I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires for a meeting at the ministry.”
Rasmussen also emphasized that the ties between Denmark and Greenland are “close” and “based on mutual trust.”
Earlier in his second term, President Donald Trump repeatedly spoke about seeking U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, which is part of the Danish kingdom. In response to Trump’s remarks, both Denmark and Greenland have said that the island was not for sale.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump said in the Truth Social post.
In late 2019, Trump said that buying Greenland, which is owned by Denmark, was “strategically” interesting, triggering an angry response from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“Denmark essentially owns it. We’re very good allies with Denmark. We protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world,” Trump said at the time.
“Strategically, it’s interesting, and we’d be interested, but we’ll talk to them a little bit. It’s not number one on the burner,” he added.
The U.S. does not currently have an ambassador to Denmark, leaving American diplomat Mark Stroh to serve as the chargé d’affaires. Stroh was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
One of the people suspected in the alleged influence operation reportedly compiled a list of U.S.-friendly Greenlanders, collected names of Trump opponents and allegedly encouraged locals to highlight cases portraying the Danish government negatively in U.S. media, according to reports. Additionally, two others are suspected of trying to create relationships with politicians, businesses and locals.
DR cited eight sources who believe the goal was to weaken ties between Denmark and Greenland.
The Danish Security and Intelligence Service allegedly told the outlet that it believes “particularly in the current situation, Greenland is a target for influence campaigns of various kinds.”
In May, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said “you cannot spy against an ally” in response to reports that the U.S. was gathering intelligence on Greenland.
President Donald Trump is reportedly mulling making significant changes to the White House Rose Garden.
The New York Times reported that designers have already drafted various options. One of the variables that they are considering is whether to use “limestone or an easily interchangeable hard surface, with the possibility of installing hardwood floors for dancing.”
NEW
President Trump has been discussing plans to rip up the grass in the White House Rose Garden in order to have a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.
The White House Rose Garden was created at the direction of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to the story by saying that Trump was seeking to spice up the historical structure.
“The White House has not been given any tender, loving care in many decades, so President Trump is taking necessary steps in order to preserve and restore the greatness and glory of ‘the People’s House,’” he said.
During his first term in office, First Lady Melania Trump redesigned the Rose Garden. It’s not clear what she thinks about the new plans.
The Department of the Interior’s National Park Service maintains the White House grounds, including the Rose Garden.
The report said that Trump also wants to “hang a grand chandelier from the ceiling of the Oval Office” and is thinking about building a ballroom inside the White House.
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
Former Southern District of New York prosecutor Maurene Comey has filed a lawsuit alleging her removal from the U.S. Attorney’s office was “unlawful and unconstitutional” — and claims it likely happened because of who her father is.
Comey, who is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, was fired in July by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The younger Comey had worked on several high-profile prosecutions, including those of Sean “Diddy” Combs, disgraced gynecologist Robert Hadden, and Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
In her lawsuit, Comey argues that she was dismissed “for no reason,” and calls the termination politically motivated. “The politically motivated termination of Ms. Comey — ostensibly under ‘Article II of the Constitution’ — upends bedrock principles of our democracy and justice system,” the lawsuit reads, according to the Times. “Assistant United States attorneys like Ms. Comey must do their jobs without fearing or favoring any political party or perspective, guided solely by the law, the facts and the pursuit of justice.”
The suit names the “Office of the President,” Bondi, and other officials as defendants.
Politics, Legacy, and Accountability
Comey’s claim that her firing was rooted in partisan politics comes against the backdrop of her family’s history. Her father, James Comey, was fired as FBI Director by Donald Trump in 2017 after a series of controversies over his handling of the Clinton email investigation and the Russia probe. Critics say her lawsuit now risks framing any legitimate personnel decision as political retaliation simply because of her last name.
Bondi, a former Florida attorney general and longtime Trump ally, has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Supporters of the administration argue that the president has constitutional authority to remove U.S. Attorneys at will — a power that has been upheld across multiple administrations. While career federal prosecutors are expected to be insulated from political pressure, they ultimately serve at the pleasure of the president.
Comey’s Farewell Message Warned of “Fear”
In a sharp farewell note to colleagues, Comey appeared to aim barbs at Trump and Bondi. “Fear is the tool of a tyrant,” she wrote in a message obtained by Politico. “If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. Do not let that happen.”
“We have entered a new phase where ‘without fear’ may be the challenge,” she continued, referencing the office’s longtime motto of impartiality, and urging prosecutors to hold fast. “Let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place… Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else.”
