The report detailed the ancestry of America’s leaders as of the 117th Congress. The report found that five living presidents, two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors and 100 members of Congress had ancestors who owned slaves.
Presidents Biden, Carter, George W. Bush, Clinton and Obama all have ancestors who enslaved Black people in their family trees, according to the report, with Obama’s link coming from his White mother’s side.
However, Donald Trump’s family did not immigrate to the United States until after slavery was abolished.
At the Supreme Court, only Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch had slaveholding ancestors. Meanwhile, another recent report from the Washington Post found that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson had ancestors who were enslaved, while her husband, Patrick Jackson, has ancestors who were slaveholders.
In Congress, Reuters found at least 100 lawmakers who could trace their family trees to slaveholders, including 28 senators and 72 representatives.
Prominent names included Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
On Tuesday, the New York judge presiding over Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial will deliver a ruling over the recently imposed gag order.
Ahead of Judge Merchan’s ruling, Trump blasted the controversial gag order in a Truth Social post.
“HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after arguments over the gag order concluded. “EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!”
Prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office claim Trump has so far violated the order barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and the judge’s family 10 times. They are asking the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each violation.
Trump is being charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to make alleged hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
The purported violations were mainly posted to Trump’s Truth Social, where he has made comments about potential witnesses in recent days. The gag order does not prevent Trump from attacking the judge or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).
One post, made on April 10, thanked an ex-lawyer to porn actress Stormy Daniels for “revealing the truth about two sleazebags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly.”
The “sleazebags” in question were Daniels and Trump’s ex-fixer and personal attorney, Michael Cohen — both expected to be prominent witnesses in the district attorney’s case.
Another post maligns Cohen as a “disgraced attorney and felon…prosecuted for lying” and suggested that an ex-Manhattan prosecutor who once oversaw the investigation into Trump, Mark Pomerantz, should be “prosecuted for his terrible acts in and out of the D.A.’s office.”
Trump has appealed the gag order, arguing it is an unconstitutional violation of his First Amendment rights, but it remains in effect as of now.
Former failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made the rare move of endorsing the primary opponent of a sitting House Democrat.
The former secretary of state who remains a vocal influence over the Party opted to endorse George Latimer instead of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) on Wednesday.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“With Trump on the ballot, we need strong, principled Democrats in Congress more than ever,” wrote Clinton on X, adding:
In Congress, @LatimerforNY will protect abortion rights, stand up to the NRA, and fight for President Biden’s agenda—just like he’s always done.
Make a plan to vote by June 25th!
I’m honored to have the support of @HillaryClinton, whose decades of service are an inspiration.
According to Mediaite, last month CNN’s Manu Raju wrote that it is “the most competitive primary an incumbent House Democrat is facing anywhere in the country.”
Bowman, a progressive Democrat and member of the so-called “Squad,” has faced intense criticism from party colleagues over his strong criticism of Israel during its war against Hamas in Gaza following Oct. 7th.
“He’s gone far enough out that even the left-leaning Israel advocacy group J Street withdrew its endorsement of Bowman in January, complaining that he had crossed a line in putting the blame for the conflict too much on Israel and not on Hamas,” reported Raju in May, adding:
Now even many of Bowman’s fellow New York Democrats in Congress say privately they doubt he will win – but more than that, when asked by CNN, several pointedly refused to say that they want Bowman to win, or that they would support him as the race enters its final month ahead of the June 25 primary.
Bowman was also censured by the House last December after he pulled a fire alarm in an apparent effort to disrupt a vote. Bowman initially claimed he “mistakenly” pulled the alarm while rushing to vote. However, security footage late made public debunked his story. (RELATED:House Votes To Censure Democrat Rep. For Pulling Fire Alarm To Delay Vote)
Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.
NEW YORK CITY (September 11, 2022) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lays flowers for USSS Master Special Officer Craig Miller and participates in the September 11th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, NY. (DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix)
A Biden administration border official is reportedly being pressured to resign from his role.
Multiple sources close to the matter informed Politico that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus is being pressured by leaders to resign or be fired after criticizing their ineffectiveness at tamping down the border surge.
Magnus was reportedly told on Wednesday by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that he should either resign or be dismissed and, so far, the CBP chief has refused to step down, according to four people.
Some executive assistant commissioners at CBP have indicated they would leave the agency if Magnus does not resign, according to one of the current DHS official and the former DHS official.
Mayorkas has since shifted Magnus’ duties and responsibilities to his deputy secretary, John Tien, and has deputy CBP commissioner Troy Miller, a career government official, running the agency’s day-to-day operations, according to three of the people.
POLITICO reported in October that five current administration officials who work with Magnus described him as unengaged in his job, saying he often failed to attend White House meetings on the situation on the border, badmouthed other agencies to colleagues and superiors, and has not built relationships within CBP and across other immigration agencies to address the influx of migrants at the border. Several also said he fell asleep in numerous meetings, which Magnus blamed on the effects of his multiple sclerosis.
Magnus has been leading the border agency since December and it’s currently unclear who might permanently take over his Senate-confirmed position if he complies with Sec. Mayorkas’ wishes.
CBP is responsible for securing U.S. borders at and between ports of entry. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the agency responsible for arresting and detaining undocumented people within U.S. borders and both agencies are encompassed within DHS.
The latest DHS data shows that for the fiscal year ending in September, nearly 2.4 million migrants were detained at the border, a 37% increase from the year before.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Over the past seven years, former President Donald Trump has shared a variety of Christmas messages, ranging from traditional greetings to more politically charged statements.
Let’s take a look…
2017: President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump released a joint Christmas Day video message. In the video, they expressed delight in wishing America and the world a Merry Christmas. The President emphasized the story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, highlighting the birth of Jesus as the “greatest Christmas gift of all.”
2018: In 2018, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump shared a Christmas message from the White House, extending their warm wishes to the nation.
In the video, President Trump remarked, “This wonderful season brings out the best in the American spirit.”
First Lady Melania Trump added, “Wishing you all a day filled with peace, love, and joy.”
Additionally, on December 26, 2018, President Trump and the First Lady made a surprise visit to U.S. troops stationed at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq.
2019: In 2019, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump shared a heartfelt Christmas message with the nation. In their video address, the First Lady began by saying, “The president and I want to wish each and every American a very Merry Christmas.” President Trump added, “At this sacred time of year, Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and rejoice in his love for every person.”
2020: In 2020, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump shared a Christmas message with the nation, acknowledging the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and expressing gratitude for the efforts of various individuals in combating the crisis.
In their video address, President Trump stated, “During this sacred season, Christians celebrate the greatest miracle in human history.”
2021:In December 2021, former President Donald Trump delivered a Christmas message during a service at First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. In his address, he emphasized the significance of Jesus Christ, stating, “Our country needs a Savior right now, and our country has a Savior, and that’s not me… That’s somebody much higher up than me.”
2022: “Merry Christmas to EVERYONE, including the Radical Left Marxists that are trying to destroy our Country, the Federal Bureau of Investigation that is illegally coercing & paying Social and LameStream Media to push for a mentally disabled Democrat over the Brilliant, Clairvoyant, and USA LOVING Donald J. Trump,” the former president wrote.
2023: In December 2023, former President Donald Trump shared a series of Christmas messages on his social media platform, Truth Social.
On December 25, 2023, he posted:
“Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden’s ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA.’ Included also are World Leaders, both good and bad, but none of which are as evil and ‘sick’ as the THUGS we have inside our Country who, with their Open Borders, INFLATION, Afghanistan Surrender, Green New Scam, High Taxes, No Energy Independence, Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, are looking to destroy our once great USA. MAY THEY ROT IN HELL. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received an unexpected rescue after being called a racist.
Black leaders in Miami apologized to Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after one of its members called him a racist last week, according to reports from Fox News.
Pierre Rutledge, chair of the Miami-Dade Black Affairs Advisory Board, issued a statement on behalf of his board that apologized to DeSantis for a comment made at their Wednesday meeting from a member who said, “Our governor is racist.”
“We take it to heart when someone uses the term racist,” Rutledge said Friday. “Words matter. And so as chair, I must start by saying we want to pull that back. There’s nothing wrong with saying ‘we’re sorry.’ That’s not what we intended to say or be depicted by anyone. And that’s not the feeling of this board.”
The member labeled DeSantis a racist due to the ongoing controversy of an African-American history Advanced Placement course. Earlier this year, Gov. DeSantis rejected the course because he claimed the content did not focus on Black history, instead, the course contained Black Lives Matter and queer issues.
DeSantis has defended the decision from his Department of Education to remove the African-American history course, which he said pushes a political agenda.
“This course on Black history, what’s one of the lessons about? Queer theory,” DeSantis said. “Now, who would say that an important part of Black history is queer theory? That is somebody pushing an agenda.”
Black leaders and Democrats in Florida have pledged to defend and keep the course in schools.
The College Board removed aspects of the course last Wednesday opposed by DeSantis. The course will be reevaluated by the Florida Department of Education to determine if it is appropriate for schools.
A recently launched PAC pressuring former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to run for president has gone silent after receiving a legal threat from Carlson’s lawyer.
Carlson’s lawyer, Harmeet Dhillon, sent the PAC officers a cease-and-desist letter Monday.
“Mr. Carlson will not run for President in 2024 under any circumstances, and therefore your misrepresentations are damaging to Mr. Carlson and defrauding his supporters,” Dhillon wrote in the letter, obtained by The Hill. “If you do not immediately cease and desist your efforts to solicit money to ‘draft’ Mr. Carlson, we will use every legal means at our disposal to vindicate his rights and protect his supporters from these misrepresentations.”
Dhillon added that the PAC did “not have Mr. Carlson’s permission or support to use his name, image, or likeness in your efforts,” accusing them of doing so “for your own benefit” to later sell donor lists, and that taking funds would lead to donors’ “disappointment and frustration.”
The move came days after the PAC aired a political ad on the conservative outlet Newsmax.
Chris Ekstrom, the PAC’s chairman and one of its financial backers, told The Hill that the ad had raised only $212 online so far and that he contributed $35,000 of his own money. He noted that the PAC will either donate the funds raised to a charity that Carlson supports or refund it to those who contributed.
Following the letter, the Draft Tucker PAC said it asked Newsmax to pull the Draft Tucker PAC ads currently running on the network.
“Tucker’s attorney has contacted us to let us know that Tucker is not a candidate for president nor has any intentions of running and asked us to cease all activities on his behalf. We are going to honor that request,” spokesman and GOP consultant Charlie Kolean said in a statement.
Carlson has repeatedly said that he would not run for president in 2024 but his influence on the right coupled with his recent ouster from Fox News has left some supporters wondering if he could ultimately change his mind.
The ex-primetime host has teased the return of his show on Twitter but has yet to share specific details on the venture.
Carlson and his team have discussed the possibility of moderating a candidate forum outside of the traditional protocols surrounding the GOP primary debate system, according to two people familiar with the considerations. These people said the setup — as well as Carlson’s availability to take on that kind of role, given the noncompete constraints of his contract with Fox — remain unclear. But Carlson has personally expressed enthusiasm about the idea, according to people familiar with his comments. At least one major candidate — Trump — has told Carlson he’s interested, according to a person familiar with the exchange.
President Donald Trump suggested that he may push to have the 2026 FIFA World Cup games removed from Boston unless the city’s mayor, Michelle Wu, takes stronger action to curb rising crime, including a recent violent street takeover targeting police officers.
Speaking to the media during a White House meeting with Argentinian President Javier Milei, Trump expressed frustration over Boston’s public safety situation and said he would consider calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to relocate the matches to cities that better ensure security for players, fans, and officials.
“We can take them away. I love the people of Boston. And I know the games are sold out, but the mayor is not good. There are worse than her. At least she’s intelligent… But she’s radical left,” Trump said.
The president added that if he determines “unsafe conditions” persist, he would ask FIFA to move the games elsewhere.
“The answer is yes… If somebody’s doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA… and I would say, ‘Let’s move it to another location.’”
Violent Street Takeover Sparks Outcry
Trump’s comments come in the wake of a chaotic and violent street takeover in Boston that occurred early on October 5, involving more than 100 people. According to the Boston Police Department, participants engaged in reckless street racing and aggressively attacked police cruisers with fireworks, cones, and poles.
One police cruiser was set ablaze during the incident and had to be towed away.
“They were hell-bent on attacking law enforcement officials,” said the president of a Boston police union, condemning the incident.
Boston’s Role in the 2026 World Cup
Boston is currently slated to host seven matches during the World Cup, including five group-stage games, a Round of 32 fixture, and the first quarterfinal on July 9, 2026. The city’s hosting duties are considered a highlight for New England soccer fans and international visitors.
Mayor Michelle Wu’s office responded to Trump’s threat with a statement emphasizing Boston’s pride in hosting the event.
“Boston is honored and excited to host World Cup matches, and we look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to our beautiful city, the cradle of liberty and city of champions,” the statement said.
Broader Threats Over Public Safety
Trump extended his warnings beyond Boston, also mentioning the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I could say the same thing for the Olympics,” he said. “If I thought LA was not going to be prepared properly, I’d move it to another location.”
Mayor Wu has previously criticized the Trump administration’s approach to law enforcement and immigration policy, accusing it of “causing so much fear and harm in our communities.”
In August, Wu condemned federal threats to withhold funding or sue cities refusing to cooperate on immigration enforcement.
This latest exchange highlights ongoing political tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic leaders in major cities, particularly over public safety and policing.
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Supreme Court stopped President Donald Trump from firing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook on Wednesday, pausing her removal until the court can hear the case.
The Supreme Court denied Trump’s request and said Cook can remain in her position through January, when the court is likely to make a final ruling on the issue.
Trump fired Cook from her position after his Federal Housing Finance Agency chief, Bill Pulte, accused her of mortgage fraud
The update comes roughly two weeks after Trump officials appealed the case to the high court for emergency review.
Oral arguments are expected to be closely watched, given the unprecedented nature of the case, and the seismic shift that any ruling could have on U.S. economic decisions.
In appealing the case to the Supreme Court, lawyers for the Trump administration argued that the Fed’s “uniquely important role” in the U.S. economy only heightens the government’s and public’s interest in reviewing the case.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
As Vice President Kamala Harris continues her campaign, avoiding direct interviews and carefully selecting debate settings, questions about the authenticity of her support base are growing. The latest example is the endorsement from a group called “Police Leaders for Community Safety,” which Harris’s campaign and media outlets touted as a “stunning endorsement” from a group that typically backs Trump.
However, scrutiny reveals that the group is far from a major law enforcement organization. USA Today notes that “Police Leaders for Community Safety” was only formed in 2024, describes itself as representing “dozens of police officials,” and is led by Sue Riseling, a former chief of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department. The group is primarily composed of former law enforcement members, many of whom lean left politically.
The newspaper explained that “as the group has only been around since June, this marks the first endorsement for Police Leaders for Community Safety, with the group throwing their support for Harris.”
The organization – which says it is led by a diverse group of prominent police professionals who have been at the helm of numerous major national law enforcement leadership groups – highlights that its mission is to champion “policies to make communities and the people in them safer, improve and evolve policing, and safeguard the rule of law.”
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr
“This endorsement reflects Vice President Harris’ track record and unwavering commitment to public safety and the rule of law,” Sue Riseling, chair of Police Leaders for Community Safety, said.
Police Leaders for Community Safety board member David Mahoney, a former Dane County, Wisconsin, sheriff and past president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said that Harris “spent her prosecutorial career protecting people, supporting victims and holding accountable those who have harmed others and betrayed the public trust. As a lawmaker, she has fought hard for the critical law enforcement-backed policies needed to fight crime and protect the public.”
Critics have accused the Harris campaign of astroturfing, creating a façade of grassroots support by highlighting endorsements from groups with little influence in the law enforcement community. This comes in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s endorsement from the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation’s oldest and most influential law enforcement organization, which has supported Trump in the last three elections.
FOP President Patrick Yoes emphasized the importance of public safety and border security, stating that Trump’s policies align with the values of law enforcement officers across the country.
