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Trump Responds To Reports Of Impending Military Strikes Against Venezuela

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The White House refuted media reports suggesting that President Donald Trump’s administration was poised to strike military targets within Venezuela. 

Although Trump has signaled for weeks that he’s prepared to launch land operations against Venezuela, the White House cast doubt on the new media reports.

“Unnamed sources don’t know what they’re talking about,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a Friday statement to Fox News. “Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the President.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the Trump administration had identified military targets within Venezuela that are being used to transport drugs, although the news outlet said that Trump hadn’t formalized a decision on whether he would launch land strikes against these targets.

Trump told reporters Friday on Air Force One a decision hadn’t been made about whether he would strike military targets within Venezuela, Bloomberg News reported. 

Additionally, the Miami Herald reported Friday that the administration had decided to conduct strikes against these military installations within Venezuela that could come “in a matter of days or even hours.”

Both the Journal and the Miami Herald cited anonymous sources familiar with the plans. 

The Herald reported that the pending strikes were part of a larger effort the Trump administration is initiating to crack down on the Cartel de los Soles, which Attorney General Pam Bondi has said Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro heads up.

The Trump administration does not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state, and the administration has increased pressure to remove him from power.

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

Michael Wolff Sues Melania Trump Over Legal Threat Against His Epstein Connection Claims

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First Lady Melania Trump participates in the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 21,2025. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Author Michael Wolff — known for his sensational and often controversial takes on former President Donald Trump — is now suing former First Lady Melania Trump after she warned of legal action over his remarks linking her to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Wolff, who has a long history of making provocative claims about the Trump family, accused the Trumps of “threatening those who speak against them.”

The dispute stems from a since-retracted story published by The Daily Beast in July, based on an interview with Wolff. The outlet later admitted the piece “did not meet editorial standards” and issued an apology after Melania Trump’s legal team challenged “the headline and framing.”

Despite the outlet’s own acknowledgment of its failure, Wolff is now claiming that the Trumps use legal action “to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments and North Korean-style confessions and apologies,” according to the Associated Press.

He filed his lawsuit on the very day Melania Trump’s lawyer had given him to retract his statements, apologize, and pay damages.

The controversy began with comments Wolff made on The Daily Beast Podcast, hosted by Joanna Coles, during a discussion of Epstein’s connections to various public figures. Wolff alleged, without providing evidence, that “[Melania] was very involved in this Epstein relationship. There is this model thing, and she’s introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She’s introduced to Trump that way, Epstein knows her well.”

Wolff later told Fox News Digital that he “had nothing to do with the article” that The Daily Beast published — a statement critics see as an attempt to distance himself from the outlet’s retracted piece.

Melania Trump’s spokesperson, Nicholas Clemens, responded firmly:

“First lady Melania Trump is proud to continue standing up to those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”

Wolff’s lawsuit now argues that it’s “fair to ask” whether Melania Trump “fits into the Epstein story,” and that he intends to put the Trumps under oath.

The former first lady, however, has consistently fought back against false claims and media attacks since her time in the White House — and this latest case appears to be another chapter in a long line of media figures using innuendo to generate headlines at her expense.

State Prosecutors Hint At Possible New Charges After Trump Commutes Santos Sentence

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Former New York Republican congressman George Santos walked free on Friday after President Donald Trump commuted his federal sentence — but the move may not end his legal ordeal. A local prosecutor on Long Island appeared to signal that state-level charges could be used to sidestep the president’s act of clemency.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said on the social platform X that her office had been “at the forefront” of the effort to “bring Santos to justice.” Donnelly’s jurisdiction includes part of the district Santos once represented in Congress.

“I am proud of the work my office has done, and the conviction achieved in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office,” Donnelly said. “While the office cannot comment on ongoing investigations, suffice it to say that I remain focused on prosecuting political corruption wherever it exists regardless of political affiliation.”

Her statement — vague but pointed — has fueled speculation that prosecutors could seek state charges mirroring the federal case, a move critics say would effectively undermine Trump’s commutation and keep Santos entangled in the court system despite his early release.

A spokesperson for the Nassau County D.A.’s office declined to elaborate when asked whether an investigation was ongoing.

Trump’s Message: “Unequal Justice” and Political Targeting

Announcing the commutation on Truth Social, President Trump praised Santos’s “Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN,” suggesting the former lawmaker’s punishment was disproportionate.

“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump wrote.

Santos had served just 84 days of a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty last summer to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors had accused him of multiple financial and campaign-related offenses — including money laundering and falsifying records — but supporters argue that he faced harsher treatment because of his party affiliation and outspoken loyalty to Trump.

Possible State Move Seen as Political

Republicans are already warning that a state prosecution would represent another example of “lawfare” — the use of legal mechanisms to target political opponents.

Santos himself, who had initially said he wouldn’t seek clemency before later telling interviewer Piers Morgan he’d accept “whatever the president is willing to give me,” has yet to comment on Donnelly’s remarks.

For now, the former congressman is free — but the signals from Nassau County suggest that the battle between Trump’s justice reform message and New York’s prosecutors may be far from over.

Former GOP Senator Jumps Into Race In Battleground State

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Former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu officially entered the 2026 race in New Hampshire, campaigning to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. In his launch video, Sununu told voters: “Congress just seems loud, dysfunctional, even angry. I want to return to the Senate to help calm the waters.”

Sununu served three terms in the House before defeating then-Governor Shaheen in 2002 to win the New Hampshire Senate seat; he lost the rematch in 2008. His return comes nearly two decades after leaving public office for the private sector.

For Republicans, this is a golden opportunity. New Hampshire is the region’s only true swing state, and with Shaheen stepping aside, the seat opens up in a cycle where the GOP seeks not just to defend but expand its Senate majority. National Republicans believe Sununu brings strong name recognition and credibility in the Granite State.

Still, the path is not automatic. Sununu must first secure the GOP nomination. His strongest competition comes from former Senator and Ambassador Scott Brown. Brown has leaned into the Trump-era base, emphasizing his alignment with President Trump’s agenda and fundraising heavily. He’s already called out Sununu’s past independent streak, pointing to his backing of John Kasich in 2016 and Nikki Haley in 2024, as well as his published op-ed branding Trump a “loser.”

President Trump has remained officially neutral so far. While that leaves Sununu without an immediate endorsement booster, it also leaves room for maneuver. Reports suggest national Republican strategists view Sununu as the strongest candidate to flip the seat — a flip that would not only return it to the GOP column, but help lock in and expand the Senate majority Republicans are aiming for.

Sununu emphasized the campaign will focus on Granite State issues such as healthcare affordability, energy costs, housing and border security, rather than Washington partisan squabbling. He said: “Maybe you’re surprised that I’m running for the Senate again. I’m a bit surprised myself. Why would anyone subject themselves to everything going on right now? Well, somebody has to step up and lower the temperature. Somebody has to get things done.”

In short: the Republican field now features a heavy-hitter with deep state roots, strong ties to New Hampshire, and a credible path to winning in 2026. The GOP has the chance to turn this open seat into a win — but Sununu will have to navigate primary politics, reconcile his past positions with today’s Republican base, and secure key endorsements to prevail.


Sununu & Trump: A Complicated Relationship

Understanding Sununu’s past interaction with Trump helps clarify the dynamics at play in this race.

Background of Sununu’s past opposition

  • In 2016, John E. Sununu served as a national co-chair for John Kasich’s presidential campaign. He did not support Trump’s 2016 bid.
  • In the 2024 Republican primaries, Sununu backed Nikki Haley rather than Trump.
  • He authored an op-ed published just ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary with the blunt headline “Donald Trump is a loser.”

Why this history matters

  • That record means Sununu begins the 2026 Senate contest with baggage in the Trump-aligned wing of the party. Some voters will view him skeptically if they believe loyalty to Trump is a key litmus test.
  • On the other hand, his independence also offers advantages: he can appeal to moderate Republicans, independents and swing voters in New Hampshire who may have turned off by raw partisan rhetoric. Because New Hampshire is a swing state, that broader appeal could be a strategic asset.

Where Trump stands (so far)

  • Trump has not yet endorsed in the New Hampshire GOP Senate primary, leaving the field open.
  • While Trump once publicly signaled support for Sununu’s brother (former Governor Chris Sununu) in a possible Senate run, John E. Sununu must still make his case to the President and his base.
  • Some Republican strategists believe that Trump may be pragmatic — if Sununu emerges as the strongest candidate to flip the seat, the president could be willing to support him despite the earlier friction. As one adviser put it: “President Trump appreciates winners … and understands that John E. Sununu puts this race on the map for Republicans.”

What Sununu must do

  • He needs to demonstrate to GOP primary voters that, despite his past, he is committed to key Republican priorities (border security, low taxes, energy independence, etc.).
  • He may need to secure Trump’s endorsement — or at least neutralize opposition from the pro-Trump base.
  • He needs to keep the campaign message centered on winning the seat back for Republicans, rather than internal Republican feuds.

Why a Sununu Win Matters for Republicans

  • Seat flip potential. With Sen. Shaheen retiring, this is a rare open seat — and Republicans have a strong opportunity to convert it. Flipping a Democratic seat in a swing state is a direct path to expanding the GOP Senate majority.
  • Midterm dynamics favoring Republicans. Holding a 53-47 majority after the next election would give Republicans greater flexibility on legislation, confirmations, and oversight. A successful 2026 campaign in New Hampshire would contribute meaningfully to that goal.
  • Messaging advantage. A win in a northern swing state helps buck the narrative that Republicans can only win in deep red states. Demonstrating competitiveness in a place like New Hampshire strengthens the GOP’s appeal to independent and moderate voters.
  • National momentum. Winning this seat could provide momentum going into 2028 and reinforce the party’s strategy of targeting vulnerable Democratic seats. It also signals to donors and activists that the GOP has a winning blueprint beyond the usual battlegrounds.

Bottom Line

John E. Sununu’s entry into the 2026 Senate race is a major development for Republicans. He brings name recognition, prior Senate experience, and a base in a state that is both competitive and critical to national Senate math. The complications with his past stance toward Trump are real — but not necessarily insurmountable

House Judiciary Committee Refers Former CIA Director To Justice Department For Prosecution

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On Tuesday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for allegedly making false statements to Congress.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan accused Brennan of lying in his 2023 Judiciary Committee testimony by denying that the CIA used the Steele dossier in prepping the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian election interference, and falsely claiming the CIA opposed including it.

Declassified documents reportedly show Brennan approved the decision to include the dossier, despite objections from senior CIA officials.

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

Jeanine Pirro Announces Additional Charges Against DC Teens Over DOGE Employee Attack

By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Monday that two young men have been charged in connection with a violent summer attack on a federal staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Federal prosecutors have charged Lawrence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, with robbery, assault, and carjacking for their alleged roles in the beating of DOGE employee Edward Coristine, known to colleagues as “Big Balls,” and another individual in early August.

According to Pirro, the pair had already been involved in another mugging — of a victim named Ethan Levine — shortly before the brutal assault on Coristine. Both suspects, she said, are repeat offenders who should never have been on the streets in the first place.

“Lawrence Cotton-Powell is 19 years of age. He is now charged with robbery, first-degree robbery for which he faces 15 years in prison. He also faces a charge of assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and robbery for Edward Coristine, 15 years, assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and attempted carjacking, five years,” Pirro said.

Pirro didn’t mince words when calling out judges who ignored her office’s repeated requests for jail time. Instead of protecting the public, the courts released Cotton-Powell on probation, giving him multiple chances to reoffend — and, according to prosecutors, he did just that.

Watch:

This latest attack became a flashpoint for President Donald Trump’s crackdown on violent crime in America’s cities. Following the assault, Trump ordered National Guard deployments to crime-plagued areas like Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, while courts have blocked his efforts to extend the same law-and-order measures to other liberal-run cities like Seattle.

During an interview, Coristine said he was defending a woman when he was attacked by the group.

The charges against Cotton-Powell and Taylor follow outrage over two other teens — a 15-year-old girl and boy — who received only probation for their roles in the same attack. Both Pirro and Trump condemned the slap-on-the-wrist punishment. (RELATED: Police Apprehend Suspects Linked To DOGE Staffer Beating)

“I think the judge should be ashamed of himself,” said Trump.

Calling the outcome “terrible,” Trump and Pirro have urged lawmakers and local officials to enact tougher sentencing laws for youth offenders in D.C., arguing that the explosion of teen crime in the capital is the direct result of years of leniency and failed progressive policies.

Air Force One Hunting Stand Incident Prompts Increased Security Measures

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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’s return to Palm Beach on Sunday was marked by heightened security measures after the Secret Service uncovered a potential threat near Palm Beach International Airport just days earlier. According to a White House official speaking to Fox News, President Trump boarded Air Force One quickly using the smaller set of stairs — a precaution taken “due to increased security measures.”

The enhanced protections followed the discovery of a suspected hunting stand last Friday positioned within clear sight of the Air Force One landing and boarding area — an alarming find that prompted immediate coordination between the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and local law enforcement.

“Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. “No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.”

Patel noted that the structure has not yet been linked to any individual, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that agents acted swiftly and decisively, working “closely” with the FBI and Palm Beach County law enforcement to secure the area.

“There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Guglielmi said, emphasizing that the discovery did not disrupt the President’s schedule.

“While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures,” he added.

The incident comes at a time of renewed focus on security for the President. The discovery follows the conviction of Ryan Routh, who was found guilty just weeks ago of attempting to assassinate President Trump from a sniper’s nest he set up on a Palm Beach golf course.

The parallels between the two cases — both involving elevated shooting positions and close proximity to Trump’s movements — have raised serious concerns about ongoing threats to his safety. Law enforcement officials are reportedly reviewing whether the newly found stand could be connected in any way to previous plots or individuals of interest.

Federal authorities have not disclosed whether the device or structure contained any surveillance equipment or weapons components, citing the ongoing investigation. Still, the rapid response demonstrates the robust coordination between the Secret Service and federal investigative teams tasked with protecting the former President.

Smartmatic, Executives Indicted In Alleged Foreign Bribery Scheme

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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Federal prosecutors have indicted Smartmatic and several former executives in a case alleging foreign bribery and money laundering tied to election contracts.

The indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida, accuses Smartmatic’s parent company, SGO Corp., of paying roughly $1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2018 to a former election official in the Philippines. The goal: to win or retain contracts for voting machines and related election services.

Bribery Scheme Allegedly Funded Through Slush Accounts

According to the Justice Department, the scheme relied on over-invoicing, shell companies, and coded financial documents to create and maintain slush funds used to pay off officials.

Prosecutors also intend to present evidence that funds from a major voting equipment contract with Los Angeles County were diverted into these same slush funds to support the bribery operation.

Three Executives Named

The executives indicted are Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, Jorge Miguel Vasquez, and Elie Moreno. Some have pleaded not guilty and are seeking to have the charges dismissed.

Smartmatic has publicly denied the allegations, calling them “factually and legally incorrect” and politically motivated. The company said it intends to vigorously fight the charges.

As The Wall Street Journal reports:

The case underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in select circumstances. President Trump in February paused enforcement of the law, saying it hurts the ability of American firms to do business in countries where gratuities or gifts are common. The Justice Department later resumed enforcement with a focus on cases that relate to U.S. strategic interests, but it closed nearly half of its pending investigations.

Smartmatic said Thursday that it had cooperated with the government’s investigation and blamed the move to file charges on “powerful interests.”

“Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles,” it said. “We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.”

The company has been in court for the past several years after suing conservative news outlets and allies of Trump who said voting-machine companies rigged the 2020 election for Joe Biden. Many defendants such as Fox News continue to fight Smartmatic’s claims, while Newsmax agreed last year to pay $40 million to settle with the company, according to regulatory filings.

Corporate Indictment Raises Stakes

This latest filing marks a shift from earlier 2024 charges, which focused on individual executives but did not name the company itself. Now, SGO/Smartmatic is listed as a corporate defendant — a rare move in high-profile election technology cases.

The implications could be wide-ranging, especially for Smartmatic’s government contracts, reputation, and exposure to regulatory scrutiny.

Impact on Ongoing Defamation Lawsuits

The indictment could also influence Smartmatic’s high-profile defamation lawsuits, including its ongoing case against Fox News. Defendants may attempt to leverage the federal charges to undermine Smartmatic’s credibility or weaken its legal posture.

What Comes Next

Prosecutors will need to prove the full trail of transactions, how the funds were concealed, and that there was intent to break the law. The defense is expected to challenge the case on both factual and legal grounds — possibly including arguments about the statute of limitations and jurisdiction.

Key developments to watch include any plea deals, dismissals, or trial outcomes; whether Smartmatic loses government contracts; and how the case shapes public confidence in election infrastructure.

Trump Files Another Defamation Suit Against The New York Times

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump filed a new $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times on Thursday, following the dismissal of a similar lawsuit last month.

In the suit, Trump accuses the Times of printing false and defamatory statements about his business career that damaged his professional reputation. The suit also names multiple reporters for the Times and Penguin Random House, which published a book on Trump’s business career. 

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

“The statements in question wrongly defame and disparage President Trump’s hard-earned professional reputation, which he painstakingly built for decades as a private citizen before becoming President of the United States, including as a successful businessman and as star of the most successful reality television show of all-time— The Apprentice,” the suit said. 

It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Two articles published by the Times in September 2024, and the book “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” are the subject of the suit. The reporters named as defendants include Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, and Peter Baker. 

The suit listed several claims it said were defamatory, including an allegation that Trump received millions of dollars from his father through “fraudulent tax evasion schemes.” Another claim was that Trump’s father gave him “taxable gifts masquerading as loans, a likely tax fraud that went unnoticed.” 

The suit said that these kinds of statements hurt Trump’s business ventures, including his social media company, Truth Social. 

“Statements falsely casting aspersions on President Trump’s reputation as a businessman or the Trump Organization’s legitimacy therefore cause direct and easily foreseeable harm to these businesses’ value, revenue, and profitability,” the suit said. 

Last month, Trump filed a similar lawsuit targeting the Times and multiple reporters he said made defamatory statements to maliciously interfere in the outcome of the 2024 election. That suit was tossed out by Judge Steven Merryday, who said it was improper. 

Federal Prosecutors Indict Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton

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The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Federal prosecutors in Maryland have indicted former Trump national security adviser John Bolton for his alleged mishandling of classified documents, ABC News reports.

CNN’s Katelyn Polantz reported Tuesday that 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. (RELATED: DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into John Bolton, Docs Show)

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. (RELATED: FBI Raids John Bolton’s Home In Classified Documents Probe)

“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 firmly denied any wrongdoing.

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