Trump Corruption

The New York Times reports: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has begun requiring that nominees for four-star-general positions meet with President Trump before their nominations are finalized, in a departure from past practice, said three current and former U.S. officials. The president has long had a fixation with the military. During his first term, Mr. Trump chose three military generals for …

NBC News reports: Trump said that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “stole” Virginia Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago club, a stunning admission that could increase scrutiny of his relationship with the late financier — even as his administration seeks to change the subject from Epstein. “He took people that worked for me. And I told him, ‘Don’t do it anymore.’ And …

Bloomberg News reports: The controversy over Alina Habba’s appointment as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor grew this week as judges paused criminal cases amid a challenge by defendants who say she doesn’t legally hold the job. Defendants facing narcotics charges are arguing that prosecutors can’t proceed with their case without a “validly appointed” US attorney in charge. The dispute could …

ABC News reports: President Trump was asked on Tuesday when he expected to be flying on the “new Air Force One” as a luxury jet gifted from Qatar is being retrofitted for the president’s use. “They say February, maybe. Much sooner than the others. The others are being built,” Trump responded. Asked how much it will cost to retrofit the …

REPORTER: “Mr. President, are you enjoying the Scottish hospitality? Are you running away from the Epstein crisis? Well, there we have Donald Trump himself. The moment that we have been waiting for, the glimpse of the US president here on the course that he owns, that he boasts is the best in the world. Not in the mood for answering …

The Hill reports: The Freedom of the Press Foundation has filed an ethics complaint against Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC, arguing the close of ally of President Trump has “engaged in egregious misconduct,” and calling for him to be disbarred. In the organization’s complaint, filed with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals’ Office of Disciplinary Counsel on …

Ars Technica reports: The FCC’s approval of CBS owner Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance came with a condition to install an ombudsman, which FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has described as a “bias monitor.” It appears that the bias monitor will make sure the news company’s reporting meets standards demanded by Trump. The Carr FCC claims there is precedent for …

Open Secrets reports: President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary has a money problem that won’t go away. As spring turned to summer, Karoline Leavitt’s 2022 congressional campaign committee failed to pay off a penny of the $326,370.50 it owes across more than 100 creditors, according to a new disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission. Karoline for Congress raised …

The Daily Beast reports: Attorney General Pam Bondi is going after a federal judge who spoke out against President Donald Trump. Bondi announced Monday that she has lodged a misconduct complaint against District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg, citing “improper public comments” he made about Trump and the administration. The Justice Department’s complaint demands an investigation into Boasberg and calls …

The New York Times reports: Harvard University has signaled a willingness to meet the Trump administration’s demand to spend as much as $500 million to end its dispute with the White House as talks between the two sides intensify, four people familiar with the negotiations said. According to one of the people, Harvard is reluctant to directly pay the federal …

ABC News reports: The Trump administration has accepted the “unconditional donation” of a luxury jet from Qatar, with no stipulation on what should happen to the aircraft after President Donald Trump leaves office, according to an agreement reviewed by ABC News. The cost of refurbishing the plane is classified, although lawmakers have speculated that it could cost as much as …

The Hill reports: A second whistleblower has stepped forward with allegations that Justice Department (DOJ) official Emil Bove worked to defy court orders. Bove, the No. 3 official at President Trump’s DOJ, has been nominated for a lifetime appointment to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals and is awaiting a final vote in the Senate. He’s also been accused by …

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump said Monday that he ended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and threw the now-disgraced financier out of his private club in Florida after Epstein betrayed him more than once by hiring people who had worked for him. “He hired help and I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again,’” Trump said. “He stole people …

The New York Times reports: Lawyers for President Trump said on Monday that Rupert Murdoch, because of his advanced age, should be deposed within 15 days in the president’s $10 billion libel lawsuit against him and The Wall Street Journal over an article about the president’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein. In a filing in the U.S. District Court for the …

“Well, I haven’t been overly interested in it. It’s a hoax that’s been built up way beyond proportion. I can say this: those files were run by the worst scum on Earth. They were run by Comey, they were run by Garland, they were run by Biden — and all of the people that actually ran the government, including the …

From the New York Times editorial board: When judges show their work, the public can assess it by the standards the judiciary sets for itself — reasoning grounded in law and judicial precedent. Without that, judges risk their legitimacy. Clear explanation is especially important for the Supreme Court, which sets national rules that lower courts must follow. When the court …

The Daily Beast reports: A new addition to President Donald Trump’s security detail has made its debut at his golf course in Scotland, where his visit has drawn protests and a bomb threat. As the president hit the links of his Turnberry golf course this weekend, a black golf cart that appeared to be heavily fortified was seen following close …

The Independent reports: Social media users pounced on a clip that appears to show Donald Trump cheating on the golf course during his ongoing trip to Scotland, the latest in a long line of accusations that the president cheats on the fairway. In the video circulated by liberal commentators, a caddy appears to walk ahead of the golf-loving president in …

Rolling Stone reports: How much will it cost to renovate the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar into the next Air Force One? That’s classified information. But a recent $934 million transfer of funds to a Pentagon budget may hold a clue. The New York Times reported that this “transfer” to an unnamed classified project described in a Pentagon document sent …

REPORTER: “Should Israel be doing more to allow food in Gaza?” TRUMP: “Say it?” REPORTER: “Should Israel be doing more to allow food in Gaza?” TRUMP: “What is she saying?” OFF-SCREEN VOICE: “Should Israel be doing more to allow food in Gaza?” TRUMP: “Well, you know we gave $60 million two weeks ago and nobody even acknowledged it. For food! …