A top New York FBI official is not ready to call it quits.
James E. Dennehy, vowed to “dig in” and stand his ground as the agency reels from a wave of removals targeting officials involved in the investigation of the January 6th attack.
The shake-up has already led to the removal of at least nine high-ranking FBI officials since the start of the Trump administration, creating what Dennehy described as “fear and angst within the F.B.I. ranks.” Adding to that tension is a controversial questionnaire requiring agents to disclose their roles in investigating and prosecuting January 6th rioters.
In the fiery email to his staff obtained by The New York Times, Dennehy acknowledged the turmoil and indicated he had no intention of standing down.
“Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the F.B.I. and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and F.B.I. policy,” he wrote.
Dennehy compared the current situation to his experience as a Marine when he was required to dig a foxhole for safety.
“It sucked,” he wrote. “But it worked.”
He went on to praise the two top acting officials at the F.B.I., acting director Brian Driscoll and acting deputy director Robert C. Kissane, as “warriors” for “fighting” on behalf of the staff.
Amid reported anxiety within the agency, Kissane attempted to reassure employees, writing in an email: “We do not view anyone’s identification on the list as an indicator of any misconduct… We are still working with D.O.J. to better understand the purpose for which the list is being sought.”
Senior FBI officials were delivered a brutal ultimatum…
According to Fox News, the Trump administration informed some senior FBI officials to either resign or be fired.
The exact number has not been disclosed, but the ultimatum was allegedly given to senior employees promoted under former director, Christopher A. Wray.
President Donald Trump’s administration took these steps as his nominee to lead the bureau, Kash Patel, said he would not begin his tenure with retribution or focus on past transgressions.
“I have no interest, no desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards. There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken,” Patel said at the Senate Judiciary Committee.
According to reporting from The New York Times, an email to colleagues from one of the senior agents outlined that he had learned he would be dismissed “from the rolls of the F.B.I.” as soon as Monday morning.
“I was given no rationale for this decision, which, as you might imagine, has come as a shock,” he wrote.
During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Patel said he is unaware of any plans of retribution by the Trump administration.
“Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trump investigations?” asked Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.
“I am not aware of that, senator,” Patel replied.
Although Patel has been nominated, a director has not been officially confirmed to take charge, so the news of the ultimatum was alarming for those involved.
Until the vote comes to a close, Brian Driscoll remains the bureau’s acting director.
Donald Trump has officially settled his lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta platforms.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an agreement requiring Meta Platforms to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit he brought after his social media accounts were suspended in 2021.
The settlement resolves a 4-year-long court battle over free speech and social media censorship, with Meta suspending Trump following his remarks on the January 6 Capitol riot.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, settlement negotiations reportedly became more serious after Mark Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November following Trump’s election victory.
Of the settlement, $22 million will go toward the president’s library, with the remainder designated for legal fees and other plaintiffs.
This settlement follows efforts by tech companies previously hostile to Trump to get into his good graces, with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Apple CEO Tim Cook, in addition to Zuckerberg, each donating $1 million respectively, to the inauguration.
Alongside Meta, Trump sued other major platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, over his suspensions, arguing that the companies had wrongfully violated his right to share political speech.
Although Trump’s Facebook and Instagram access was eventually restored, his attorneys argued that an atmosphere of uncertainty continued for him online.
Zuckerberg, for his part, had previously explained that Meta saw security concerns in allowing continued engagement by high-profile figures who contested election results.
Reflecting on the 2021 suspensions, he said the potential risks posed amid that tumultuous period were “simply too great.”
While the lawsuit with Meta has now been settled, the broader debate over what boundaries, if any, private businesses can set for political speech shows few signs of fading.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump appointed Christopher Rocheleau as acting commissioner of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a passenger plane and an Army helicopter collided midair near Washington, DC Wednesday evening.
“I’m also immediately appointing an acting commissioner to the FAA, Christopher Rocheleau. A 22-year veteran of the agency, highly respected. Christopher, thank you very much, appreciate it,” Trump told reporters in the White House briefing room.
Rocheleau, who is serving as deputy administrator, was in the room for the announcement. Trump had just thanked Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was just sworn into his post Tuesday, for his work after the crash so far.
“We only have the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” the president said.
Trump went on to blame the Biden administration for aviation issues, citing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and blaming former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“Do you know how badly everything’s run since he’s run the department of Transportation?” Trump said.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers deleted a post blaming President Donald Trump for the deadly airplane-helicopter collision near the Potomac and quickly apologized
The nation was stunned when an American Airlines flight with over 60 people aboard collided with a BlackHawk Army Helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport at 8:48 pm Wednesday night.
On social media, some posted tweets suggesting President Trump could be to blame by referencing recent White House announcements. In one post, Sellers posted a screenshot of a recent press release entitled “Trump’s Dangerous Freeze of Air Traffic Control Hiring” and captioned it “8 days ago.”
Sellers deleted the post and apologized for the timing of his observation, writing:
I deleted the post because timing matters. Politics at this point does not. I fucked up, I own that. I am very prayerful but I’m also very frustrated upset and disturbed with where we are as a country. I recognize, and I will do better.
The only thing that matters is rescuing the survivors, and ensuring this never happens again.
No survivors have been found or expected, authorities said Thursday at an early-morning press conference, after a late-night midair crash between a passenger plane and Army helicopter near Washington, D.C.
🚨BREAKING: DC Fire Chief John Donnelly officially just announced that there are no survivors in the DC plane crash.
President Trump: I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the… pic.twitter.com/iQSWRSY3er
Authorities have moved to recovery efforts in the crash, which President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy both said they believed was preventable.
Shortly after the crash, President Trump write on X that the strategy looked “preventable.”
The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!
The flight, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was en route from Wichita, Kan., to Washington, D.C. It collided with an Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Va.
First responders stand in solemn honor as they carry the flag-draped remains of an unidentified victim recovered after a midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter. Officials now say they expect no survivors. pic.twitter.com/dumQdqgoHc
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon and the US Army have launched an investigation into the catastrophic midair collision
Hegseth confirmed the probe in a statement on X, emphasizing that the investigation was “launched immediately.”
He called the incident “absolutely tragic” and noted that search and rescue efforts were still ongoing. “Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families,” he added.
Latest below. Absolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” about the crash in a statement.
Isom, in a video statement, said the aircraft was operated by PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines.
“First and most importantly, I’d like to express our deep sorrow about these events,” Isom said. “This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones.”
Isom noted that the company was working with local, state and federal authorities to assess the crash and respond to the situation.
“We’re cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board and its investigation and will continue to provide all the information we can,” he said.
The airline chief added that the company wants to learn everything it can about the crash but acknowledged that it “will take time.”
Members of American Airlines’ “Go team” are being deployed to aid the situation.
“I know that there are many questions in this early stage I just won’t be able to answer many, but we’ll provide additional information as it comes,” Isom added.
President Trump appealed his New York hush money criminal conviction and has brought on a new team of attorneys to represent him.
The five-attorney team from elite law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, which will be led by Robert Giuffra, submitted a notice of appeal dated Tuesday, formally beginning the appeals process in Trump’s 34-count felony conviction.
“President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials,” Guiffra said in a statement.
“The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal,” he continued.
The team will be rounded ou by attorneys Matthew Schwartz, James McDonald, Jeffrey Wall and Morgan Ratner. All of whom are former Supreme Court clerks.
The team will replace Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, Trump’s mainstay trial attorneys who are now set to serve in the No. 2 and No. 3 top posts at the Justice Department, respectively, if confirmed by the Senate. Bove is serving as acting deputy attorney general in the meantime.
A New York jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for covering up a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 as part of an intended conspiracy to unlawfully influence that year’s presidential election.
Trump’s felonies remain on his record, and his legal team has sought to dismiss the case entirely.
According to The Hill, the top-notch legal team will next bring their efforts to the Appellate Division, First Department. The court previously rejected Trump’s various pre-trial appeals, but his sentencing now enables the appeals bench to confront the historic case in normal course.
It remains unclear if the appeal will proceed while Trump is in the White House. Legal experts largely agree a sitting president is protected from criminal prosecution.
Federal prosecutors in Florida moved to dismiss the appeal in the Mar-a-Lago prosecution, pushing to bring an end to the Trump classified documents case.
The motion, which comes after the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the state assigned a new prosecutor to the case, still needs to be approved by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
But doing so signals an end to an appeal ignited by former special counsel Jack Smith, as he fought a lower court ruling from Judge Aileen Cannon finding he was unlawfully appointed.
The move is more broadly set to unwind charges against President Trump’s two co-defendants in the case, who the Biden administration still wished to prosecute if Cannon’s order was reversed.
The motion noted that valet Walt Nauta and property manager Carlos de Oliveira, who were accused of aiding Trump in concealing boxes of documents from prosecutors and his own attorney, did not oppose the move.
By moving to dismiss the appeal with prejudice, prosecutors would be barred from relaunching any similar efforts in the future.
Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced he will not seek re-election when his term ends in Jan. 2027.
Peters, a two-term senator and former congressman, told the Detroit News that he will start a “new chapter,” spending more time with family after nearly two decades of public service.
“I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told the outlet.
“And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life.”
His decision to retire leaves open a senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won in 2024.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Over the weekend, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hit a slight bump in the road to confirmation.
Kristi Noem was sworn in as the Secretary of Homeland Security Saturday by Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas after she was so late to the ceremony Vice President JD Vance left, according to a report from POLITICO.
The agency said in a statement, “[Saturday], Kristi Noem was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a vote of 59-34 and sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. ”
The department shared several photos of Noem with Thomas as well as a statement from the new secretary.
Noem said:
It is such an honor to be sworn in as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. It was made even more meaningful by being sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his home. Thank you, President Trump for putting your trust in me to help keep America safe.
While the DHS website made no mention of any delays or drama, Politico reported Thomas was tapped to swear the former South Dakota governor in at his own home in because Vance bailed out after waiting for her for 25 minutes. Per the report, Noem was late because she was not in possession of a personal family Bible she wished to place her hand on:
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Noem’s late arrival resulted from a delay in the arrival of her late father’s Bible; Noem was originally expected to win confirmation from the Senate today, not yesterday.
McLaughlin said:
Secretary Noem has used this sentimental bible to be sworn into every office she has ever held. Secretary Noem was honored to be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his home with her dad’s bible. We are grateful to the Vice President and his office and are encouraged that POLITICO is finally paying such close attention to a Secretary of Homeland Security. We wish they would have for the last four years.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has backed down from his earlier declaration that he would not accept deportation flights from the United States. After initially refusing two repatriation flights containing 160 deportable migrants, Petro announced that he would instead send his presidential plane to personally pick up deported individuals, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
This came after former President Donald Trump, who has consistently criticized Petro’s handling of immigration matters, responded with a series of strong retaliatory measures, including the imposition of emergency 25% tariffs on Colombian goods and the threat of a broader diplomatic and economic crackdown.
The Colombian president had originally indicated that he would accept deportation flights from the U.S. but changed his tune resulting in two flights being halted. The public explanation offered was that the U.S. treated Colombian migrants as “criminals,” which he argued violated basic human rights, though some doubted the sincerity of his rationale.
In his announcement, Petro demanded that the United States “establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
Petro was met with swift and fierce condemnation from former President Trump, who argued that Petro’s refusal to accept the flights jeopardized U.S. national security. Trump highlighted the seriousness of the issue in a post on Truth Social.
In response to Petro’s decision, Trump wasted no time in outlining a series of retaliatory measures aimed at pressuring the Colombian government into complying with U.S. demands. On Sunday, Trump announced that his administration would implement “emergency 25% tariffs” on all Colombian imports to the U.S., a figure he vowed would escalate to 50% within one week.
These tariffs are expected to impact a wide range of goods, from agricultural products to textiles, and could severely harm Colombia’s economy, which relies heavily on exports to the U.S. Trump’s statement also included plans for a travel ban and visa revocations targeting Colombian government officials, along with their allies and supporters.
Trump emphasized that these actions were just the beginning, stating, “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States.”
In a further escalation of tensions, a U.S. official revealed that the U.S. Embassy in Colombia would close on Monday following Petro’s refusal to honor his previous commitment. While no further details were provided regarding the closure, this move is likely to further strain the relationship between the two nations. The embassy’s closure could have a significant impact on diplomatic and consular services, including visa processing.
Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News
A federal district judge has issued an order barring certain January 6 defendants with commutations from entering Washington, D.C., or the U.S. Capitol building.
The filing says the order is effective at noon on Friday.
In the filing, Judge Amit P. Mehta specified the order applied to “Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket” – whose sentences were commuted. Those pardoned are not subject to the order.
The order states “You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court” and “You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square.”
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
