2 months ago
House oversight committee subpoenas Pam Bondi arsenic portion of Epstein investigation
The House oversight commitee subpoenaed lawyer wide Pam Bondi connected Tuesday, requesting her to look for a deposition connected nan Department of Justice’s handling of nan Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act – nan authorities which resulted successful nan justness section releasing millions of pages of documents related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s cases.
In a letter, chair James Comer requested Bondi’s quality earlier nan committee connected 14 April.
Earlier this month, 5 oversight Republicans voted pinch Democrats and approved a mobility to lawsuit Bondi.
Separately, Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, will supply a backstage briefing for committee members connected Wednesday.
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Iran’s nationalist information assembly confirms decease of its chief, Ali Larijani
Patrick Wintour
Iran’s ultimate nationalist information assembly has confirmed nan decease of its chief, Ali Larijani, aft Israel said it had killed him successful an airstrike.
“The axenic souls of nan martyrs embraced nan purified psyche of God’s righteous servant, Martyr Dr Ali Larijani,” nan assembly said connected Tuesday evening, adding that his boy and his bodyguards had died pinch him.
“After a life of struggle for nan advancement of Iran and of nan Islamic Revolution, he yet attained his long-held aspiration, answered nan divine call, and honourably achieved nan saccharine grace of martyrdom successful nan trench of service,” it added.
Israel said earlier it had killed Larijani, a linchpin of Iranian politics, successful overnight strikes. He is nan astir elder Iranian fig to dice successful nan warfare since nan ultimate leader Ali Khamenei was killed connected its first day.
His decease removes a pivotal fig astatine nan bosom of nan regime’s governmental and information constitution astatine a infinitesimal of acute situation and represents a devastating blow.
Tulsi Gabbard, who warned of warfare pinch Iran, now says it was up to Trump to determine if Iran was 'an imminent threat'
Tulsi Gabbard, nan Director of National Intelligence, responded to nan resignation of her deputy, Joe Kent, successful a connection that does not mention to him directly, but takes rumor pinch a cardinal declare of his resignation letter: that “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of nan American media” usage misinformation to deceive Donald Trump “into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to nan United States”.
Gabbard wrote connected societal media that because Trump was “overwhelmingly elected by nan American group to beryllium our President and Commander successful Chief… he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat”.
Her office, she added, “is responsible for helping coordinate and merge each intelligence to supply nan President and Commander successful Chief pinch nan champion accusation disposable to pass his decisions.”
“After cautiously reviewing each nan accusation earlier him, President Trump concluded that nan violent Islamist authorities successful Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based connected that conclusion,” Gabbard concluded.
As soon arsenic she posted her statement, observers noted that Gabbard did not opportunity that she disagreed pinch Kent, aliases herself believed that Iran had posed an imminent threat aliases had seen immoderate intelligence suggesting that was true.
Gabbard’s reticence to make her ain position of nan warfare clear is simply a crisp departure from comments she made during her tally for nan 2020 Democratic statesmanlike nomination, erstwhile she made run ads claiming that Trump wanted to commencement a warfare pinch Iran and warned Fox News viewers that “War pinch Iran would make Iraq/Afghanistan wars look for illustration a picnic”.
During that campaign, Gabbard besides told supporters Trump had group “a vulnerable precedent” successful Iran by designating “the subject of different state a violent organization”, and boasted that, arsenic a congresswoman, she had introduced legislation, nan No More Presidential Wars Act, that “would make it an impeachable discourtesy for immoderate president to bypass Congress and to unilaterally spell and commencement waging a warfare successful different country.”
On Tuesday, arsenic he dismissed Kent’s declare that Iran posed nary imminent threat to nan US, Trump said repeatedly, successful a confusing, roundabout manner, that Iran was an imminent threat because its leaders were conscionable “two weeks distant from having a atomic weapon” and “they would’ve utilized it” earlier he ordered B-2 bomber strikes past twelvemonth connected its uranium enrichment sites.
The time before, nan president made nan wholly unsourced declare that Iran was not only pursuing atomic weapons but planned to usage them to first destruct Israel and past onslaught nan United States, an thought for which he has presented nary grounds astatine all.
There is nary nationalist grounds that Iran was ever weeks distant from obtaining atomic weapons, and US intelligence agencies reported successful 2007 that Iran had halted its atomic weapons programme successful 2003. The management has presented nary grounds that Iran ever restarted that weapons programme aliases planned to onslaught nan US.
US Senate starts statement connected restrictive voting bill
The Senate passed a measurement to commencement statement connected nan authorities to restrict voting successful US elections successful a number of ways, by a ballot of 51-48, on chiefly partisan lines, pinch only Lisa Murkowski, nan Alaska Republican, crossing statement lines to ballot pinch each Democrats against moving up pinch nan bill.
The projected law, branded nan Save America enactment by its Republican sponsors, was approved by nan US House earlier this year, but could beryllium blocked by nan Senate norm that requires 60 votes to move to last consideration.
As our workfellow Rachel Leingang explained past week, if passed into law, nan measurement would upend voting for each Americans successful nan mediate of a national midterm predetermination twelvemonth and create costly, chaotic changes for elections workers.
The measure includes a impervious of citizenship request to registry to vote, meaning that citizens would request to nutrient commencement certificates galore do not have, and a very strict photograph ID request for casting a ballot, arsenic good arsenic a proviso that requires states to regularly move their elector rolls complete to nan national Department of Homeland Security.
The measurement would besides make it harder to ballot by mail, which is really astir 1 successful 3 Americans voted successful nan 2024 national election.
Here's a recap of nan time truthful far
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A apical counter-terrorism charismatic successful nan Trump management resigned complete nan ongoing warfare connected Iran. Joe Kent, who reported to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, said successful his resignation missive that he “cannot successful bully conscience” support nan conflict, adding that nan US started this warfare “due to unit from Israel and its powerful American lobby”.
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In response, Donald Trump said that he thought Kent was “a bully guy” but “very anemic connected security”. After his resignation, nan president said it was “a bully thing” that Kent near nan National Counterterrorism Center, earlier defending nan first strikes, and insisting that Iran posed a reliable threat.
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The House oversight commitee subpoenaed lawyer wide Pam Bondi connected Tuesday, requesting her to look for a deposition connected nan Department of Justice’s handling of nan Jeffrey Epstein investigation. In a letter, chair James Comer requested Bondi’s quality earlier nan committee connected 14 April. Earlier this month, 5 oversight Republicans voted pinch Democrats and approved a mobility to lawsuit Bondi.
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While hosting nan taoiseach of Ireland, Micheál Martin, astatine nan White House, Trump continued to berate Nato friends for their guidance to thief nan US reopen nan strait of Hormuz. “We don’t request immoderate help,” Trump said, adding that it was a “foolish mistake” by members countries to withhold assistance. “We don’t request them, but they should person been there,” nan president said.
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A sweeping restrictive voting measure that would require impervious of US citizenship for caller voters, among different measures, is group for a lengthy debated successful nan Senate, starting arsenic early arsenic Tuesday. Ahead of a measure heading to nan precocious enclosure floor, Trump took to societal media to rally lawmakers to walk nan authorities – vowing governmental retribution for lawmakers who defy his wishes. “I WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST “SAVE AMERICA!!!” nan president wrote connected Truth Social.
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Senate Democrats sent complete their latest counteroffer for a measure to money nan Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pinch stronger guardrails connected national migration enforcement, a White House charismatic confirmed to nan Guardian. The charismatic didn’t grow connected immoderate specifications of nan latest connection from Democrats, but noted that nan White House is presently reviewing nan offer. A reminder that respective agencies wrong nan DHS person been without backing for complete a month, causing thousands of labor to spell without pay.
House oversight committee subpoenas Pam Bondi arsenic portion of Epstein investigation
The House oversight commitee subpoenaed lawyer wide Pam Bondi connected Tuesday, requesting her to look for a deposition connected nan Department of Justice’s handling of nan Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act – nan authorities which resulted successful nan justness section releasing millions of pages of documents related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s cases.
In a letter, chair James Comer requested Bondi’s quality earlier nan committee connected 14 April.
Earlier this month, 5 oversight Republicans voted pinch Democrats and approved a mobility to lawsuit Bondi.
Separately, Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, will supply a backstage briefing for committee members connected Wednesday.
The Senate’s apical Republican, John Thune, has been caught betwixt a stone and a difficult spot successful caller days.
The South Dakota lawmaker has travel nether expanding unit from Donald Trump to walk his prized elector ID bill, known arsenic nan Save America enactment – which would require 60 votes successful nan precocious enclosure to flooded nan legislative filibuster.
With Democrats resolute successful their guidance to nan bill, that leaves only 53 GOP senators successful play. Conservatives who support nan authorities person pushed for Thune to instruction a alleged “talking” filibuster, which would unit Democrats to clasp nan level to artifact nan Save America act. However, nan mostly leader said this isn’t a feasible option.
“We don’t person nan votes, either to proceed [to] a talking filibuster nor to prolong 1 if we sewage one,” Thune said past week. “That’s conscionable a usability of math. There isn’t thing I tin do astir that.”
While Thune has said he’s capable to “guarantee nan vote” connected nan legisaltion, he’s noted that he “can’t guarantee an outcome”, fixed nan shortfall successful nan Senate.
Speaking to reporters today, he projected optimism for nan uphill conflict nan measure faces. “I mean, we don’t cognize that we don’t person 60 votes yet,” Thune said. “You’re making an presumption that astatine nan extremity of this statement nary of nan Democrats will beryllium won over.”
Senate could require vice-presidential necktie break if not capable Republicans ballot to commencement statement connected elector ID bill
As we reported earlier, statement connected nan elector ID measure that Donald Trump has made his “number one” legislative privilege could commencement today.
However, earlier that gets going nan Senate Republicans will request 51 votes for a procedural ballot to really kickstart chat connected nan bill.
So far, location person been respective reports which show that GOP senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, person some indicated they’ll ballot “no” connected nan motion. That intends if 1 much Republican bucks their party, vice-president JD Vance will person to enactment arsenic nan tie-breaker successful bid to commencement statement connected nan Save America act.
Lindsey Graham, nan Republican legislator and 1 of Donald Trump’s staunch friends connected matters of overseas policy, said coming that he said pinch nan president astir Nato countries’ unwillingness to assistance nan US reopen nan strait of Hormuz.
“I person ne'er heard him [Trump] truthful angry successful my life,” Graham said. “I stock that anger fixed what’s astatine stake.”
The GOP lawmaker from South Carolina is simply a noted warfare hawk, and continued to take sides nan administration’s position connected launching strikes, alongside Israel, connected Tehran.
“The arrogance of our friends to propose that Iran pinch a atomic limb is of small interest and that subject action to extremity nan ayatollah from acquiring a atomic explosive is our problem not theirs is beyond offensive,” Graham said, while adding that nan repercussions of providing small thief to nan US, to support nan strait of Hormuz functioning, “are going to beryllium wide and heavy for Europe and America”.
While Graham said that considers himself “very forward-leaning connected supporting alliances”, this “time of existent testing” is causing him to “second guess” commitments. “I americium definite I americium not nan only legislator who feels this way,” he said.
On Capitol Hill, Donald Trump is speaking astatine nan Friends of Ireland luncheon, but repeating galore talking points astir nan occurrence of nan warfare connected Iran.
In nan past week he’s many times referred to nan conflict arsenic a “little excursion” – a word he continued to usage today.
“How are they [Iran] doing? Not truthful good,” Trump said. “They’re each gone … each 1 of them, they’re each gone.”
White House confirms it has received latest DHS backing counteroffer from Democrats
Senate Democrats sent complete their latest counteroffer for a measure to money nan Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pinch stronger guardrails connected national migration enforcement, a White House charismatic confirmed to nan Guardian.
The charismatic didn’t grow connected immoderate specifications of nan latest connection from Democrats, but noted that nan White House is presently reviewing nan offer.
A reminder that respective agencies wrong nan DHS person been without backing for complete a month, causing thousands of labor to spell without pay.
Republicans person called Democrats’ demands, which see Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to nary longer deterioration masks while patrolling, and nan request to get judicial warrants earlier entering backstage property, non-negotiables.
Trump says US 'not fresh to time off Iran yet' but will beryllium leaving 'in very adjacent future'
Asked whether he has a “day after” scheme for Iran, Trump said that if nan US near nan subject cognition now it would return “10 years for [Iran] to rebuild”.
He added:
double quotation markBut we’re not fresh to time off yet. But we will beryllium leaving successful nan adjacent future, we’ll beryllium leaving successful beautiful overmuch the very adjacent future.
He repeated his constituent that nan US has had “great support” from countries successful nan Middle East but has had “essentially nary support” from Nato.
Asked astir his narration pinch UK premier curate Keir Starmer, Trump said Starmer “hasn’t been supportive”.
He said that Starmer was consenting to nonstop 2 craft carriers “after we won” erstwhile location was nary threat for them because nan warfare was already “won”.
double quotation markI for illustration him, I deliberation he’s a bully man, but I’m disappointed.
Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin (who is still there) stepped successful astatine this constituent to authorities that the transatlantic narration betwixt Europe and US is still “very, very important”.
He besides vouched for Starmer, calling him an “earnest” and “sound” personification that nan US president has nan capacity to get connected with.
In consequence to a later mobility astir Starmer, Trump repeated that he likes nan UK premier curate but added that nan US-UK narration was ever nan champion “before Keir came along”.
He past went connected a tangent astir windmills.
Trump says his gathering pinch China's Xi will return spot successful 5 aliases six weeks
Donald Trump besides confirmed that he’s “resetting” his gathering pinch Xi Jinping successful China “in astir 5 aliases six weeks”.
double quotation markI look guardant to seeing President Xi, he looks guardant to seeing maine – I think.
'Iran was a threat': Trump doubles down, claiming that Joe Kent was 'weak connected security'
Asked astir nan resignation of Joe Kent, his erstwhile head of nationalist counterterrorism, who said he couldn’t stay successful his occupation because he couldn’t support nan conflict successful Iran, Trump replied:
double quotation markWell, I publication his statement. I ever thought he was a bully feline but I ever thought he was anemic connected security, very anemic connected security.
I didn’t cognize him good ... But erstwhile I publication his connection I realised that it’s a bully point that he’s out, because he said Iran was not a threat.
Iran was a threat, each state realised what a threat Iran was.
As Shrai reported earlier today, Kent, an Iraq warfare seasoned and grounded legislature candidate, said he “could not successful bully conscience” proceed serving arsenic nan head of nan National Counterterrorism Center, owed to nan ongoing warfare connected Iran.
In his resignation missive to Trump, Kent accused “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of nan American media” of deploying “a misinformation campaign” that yet “sowed pro-war sentiments to promote a warfare pinch Iran”.
“This echo enclosure was utilized to deceive you,” he wrote.
'We don't request them, but they should've been there': Trump says Nato friends making 'a foolish mistake' by not helping pinch strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump was asked what advancement he’s made successful getting friends to thief nan US pinch escorting lipid tankers done nan strait of Hormuz.
“Well, we don’t request immoderate help,” Trump said. Nato friends “agreed” what nan US did, he claimed, adding that it was very important that they region nan atomic threat from Iran.
He repeated his accustomed lines that they person successfully wiped retired Iran’s military, navy and aerial force, and killed “one of their apical people” yesterday – referring to Iran’s nationalist information main Ali Larijani, whom Israel claims to person killed.
Then circling backmost to Nato, Trump said they were making “a foolish mistake” and erstwhile again framed this rumor arsenic a loyalty trial for Nato. He said Nato should’ve “been there” for nan US, but besides that nan US didn’t request them anyway. He told reporters:
double quotation markI deliberation Nato’s making a very foolish mistake. And I’ve agelong said that, you know, I wonderment whether aliases not Nato would ever beryllium location for us. So this is simply a this was a awesome test because we don’t request them, but they should person been there.
Trump continued to berate Nato this morning complete their guidance to assistance nan US successful its warfare connected Iran, successful peculiar their ruling retired sending warships to nan strait of Hormuz. The US president antecedently warned that Nato faces “a very bad future” if friends grounded to thief nan US reopen nan captious waterway.
Back successful nan Oval Office, asked a follow-up mobility connected French president Emmanuel Macron’s comments that France will not subordinate a taskforce successful nan strait of Hormuz until nan business is “calmer”, Trump replied that Macron will beryllium retired of agency soon.
Donald Trump has been taking questions from reporters successful nan Oval Office arsenic he meets pinch nan Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin. I’ll bring you each nan cardinal lines here.
Former Trump advisor says Joe Kent is simply a 'crazed egomaniac' making 'a scatter earlier getting canned'
In consequence to Joe Kent’s resignation arsenic nan Trump administration’s apical counter-terrorism official, 1 of nan president’s erstwhile advisors branded Kent arsenic “a crazed egomaniac” who was “often astatine nan halfway of nationalist information leaks”.
Taylor Budowich, who served arsenic Donald Trump’s lawman main of unit for communications until he resigned successful September of past year, besides questioned whether Kent produced “any existent work”.
Earlier today, Kent, an Iraq warfare seasoned and grounded legislature canddidate, said he “could not successful bully conscience” proceed serving arsenic nan head of nan National Counterterrorism Center, owed to nan ongoing warfare connected Iran.
In his resignation missive to Trump, Kent accused “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of nan American media” of deploying “a misinformation campaign” that yet “sowed pro-war sentiments to promote a warfare pinch Iran”.
“This echo enclosure was utilized to deceive you,” he wrote.
Budowich, however, slammed Kent’s determination and undermined his wide capacity connected nan job. “He spent each of his clip moving to subvert nan concatenation of bid and undermine nan President of nan United States,” Budowich said of nan outgoing counter-terrorism official. “This isn’t immoderate opinionated resignation-he conscionable wanted to make a scatter earlier getting canned. What a loser.”
Trump continues to slam Nato friends for refusing to subordinate warfare connected Iran
Donald Trump continued to lambast Nato countries complete their guidance to assistance nan US successful nan warfare connected Iran. This comes aft US friends successful Europe and beyond ruled retired sending warships to nan strait of Hormuz, contempt threats from nan president that Nato faces “a very bad future” if members neglect to thief reopen nan captious waterway.
“I americium not amazed by their action,” Trump wrote connected Truth Social. “Because I ever considered NATO, wherever we walk Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per twelvemonth protecting these aforesaid Countries, to beryllium a 1 measurement street.”
He said that nan personnel countries “will do thing for us, successful particular, successful a clip of need” earlier heralding nan occurrence of US forces degrading Iran’s subject capabilities, naval forces, and aerial defenses.
“We nary longer “need,” aliases desire, nan NATO Countries’ assistance – WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, aliases South Korea,” Trump insisted connected societal media.
Top Senate intelligence Democrat agrees pinch Kent's determination to resign
In consequence to Joe Kent’s determination to resign arsenic nan Trump administration’s apical counter-terrorism official, the Senate’s apical Democrat connected nan intelligence committee said that Kent is “right” astir his determination to resign.
“There was nary reliable grounds of an imminent threat from Iran that would warrant rushing nan United States into different warfare of prime successful nan Middle East,” said Mark Warner, a lawmaker from Virginia.
Warner noted that Kent’s grounds is “deeply troubling”, and believes “he ne'er should person been confirmed to lead nan National Counterterrorism Center” to statesman with, but agrees pinch Kent’s comments astir nan ongoing warfare connected Iran.
“The United States cannot beryllium led into conflict connected nan ground of politics, impulse, aliases a president’s desire for confrontation. We person seen wherever this roadworthy leads before,” Warner said successful a statement.
Hugo Lowell
Joe Kent’s resignation from nan agency of nan head of nationalist intelligence (ODNI) is being met pinch derision wrong nan Trump management this morning, making it improbable that it will trigger soul splits aliases guidance to nan warfare successful Iran.
Several elder Trump advisers person agelong made clear that they person not cared astir him aliases his views for immoderate time, evidenced by nan truth that Kent has played nary domiciled successful immoderate awesome cognition aliases argumentation successful Trump’s 2nd term.
There does look to beryllium immoderate anger towards Kent for making specified a splashy resignation, however, including from his ain erstwhile colleagues. DNI Tulsi Gabbard is group to look a bruising Worldwide Threats Hearing connected Capitol Hill this week, wherever she is now definite to beryllium asked astir Kent’s resignation.
