47 h. ago Big? Beautiful? Donald Trump is literally ripping apart the home of US democracy. Is anyone really surprised? | Emma Brockes

Demolition work has begun on part of the White House’s East Wing to make way for the president’s ballroom. Truly, these are post-satirical timesOccasionally, life gives you scenarios that are so on the money it’s impossible to do anything with them. Boris Johnson getting stuck halfway down a zip wire while waving two union flags, for instance; or Liz Truss getting lost while attempting to leave a room – two images that are so embarrassingly on point it is almost difficult to enjoy them. An audience likes to feel it has done a bit of work before arriving at a punch line, which is why, on Monday, when demolition crews moved into the White House to knock down part of the East Wing at the behest of Donald Trump, it felt once again like we were living in post-satirical times.As far as we can tell from the photos, Trump didn’t actually send in a wrecking ball – although his administration did sharply reprimand government employees working in a neighbouring Treasury building for posting vi...

Politics

64 h. ago Federal prosecutors charge man accused of threatening to shoot up Atlanta airport

Federal prosecutors have charged a Georgia man arrested this week at Atlanta's airport after his family told police he planned a shooting

Events

3 d. ago Appellate judges question moves to keep Alina Habba in place as top New Jersey prosecutor

Federal appeals court judges questioned the Trump administration’s maneuvers to keep the president’s former lawyer, Alina Habba, in place as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor

Events

7 d. ago Jeanine Pirro fails again: DC jury finds protester not guilty of assaulting FBI agent in case she can’t stop losing on

Washington’s top prosecutor loses another case stemming from the Trump administration’s federal takeover

Events

8 d. ago Trump team preparing to install ‘allies’ at the IRS to target ‘major Democratic donors’ including George Soros: report

The administration is seeking to ‘weaken the involvement of IRS lawyers in criminal investigations,’ according to a report

Politics

9 d. ago The 'new George Soros' quietly stoking ANARCHY across America: Ultra

One of the world's richest men, has quietly poured more than $553million into US nonprofits and advocacy groups that are causing pandemonium.

Politics

1 week ago ‘Page one of the authoritarian playbook’: how Trump and allies are exploiting Kirk’s killing

The president and his Maga allies have used the rightwing influencer’s killing to justify attacks on critics, experts sayDonald Trump and Maga allies have capitalized on the killing of rightwing influencer Charlie Kirk to expand attacks on liberal groups, donors, Democrats, and others by tarring many critics as the “enemy within” and “radical left” in a move that legal scholars and historians call authoritarian and anti-democratic.Kirk’s killing by a lone gunman spurred Trump and top allies to quickly launch conspiratorial charges against a bevy of political foes and an investigation of billionaire liberal donor George Soros. They also threatened legal action against TV network ABC after their late-night star Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension over clumsy comments about Kirk ended. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Prosecutors say no harm was done by social media posts about assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Federal prosecutors say no harm was done to the prospects for a fair trial when two U.S. Justice Department officials reposted potentially inflammatory comments President Donald Trump made about Luigi Mangione after his arrest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO

Events

2 w. ago Trump threatens to invoke Insurrection Act as Bondi faces Senate – US politics live

Legal wrangles over troop deployments continue with attorney general also likely to face questions over Epstein filesThe US government shutdown entered its second week as the Senate again rejected rival bills to restart funding and Donald Trump suggested he might be open to negotiating with Democrats over the healthcare subsidies they have put at the heart of the stalemate.A fifth Senate vote to advance a Republican-written bill that would reopen the government failed on a 52-42 tally – well below the 60-vote threshold needed for advancement. The Democrats’ proposal was defeated in a 50-45 party-line vote. No lawmakers changed their votes from recent days, though there were a handful of absences.A career federal prosecutor in Virginia has told colleagues she does not believe there is probable cause to file criminal mortgage fraud charges against New York attorney general Letitia James, according to a person familiar with the matter. The prosecutor, Elizabeth Yusi, oversees major cri...

Politics

2 w. ago US attorney resists pressure from Trump to prosecute Letitia James

Prosecutor reportedly does not believe there is probable cause to file charges against the New York attorney generalA career federal prosecutor in Virginia has told colleagues she does not believe there is probable cause to file criminal mortgage fraud charges against New York attorney general Letitia James, according to a person familiar with the matter.The prosecutor, Elizabeth Yusi, oversees major criminal cases in the Norfolk office for the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia and plans to soon present her conclusion to Lindsey Halligan, a Trump ally, who was installed as the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia last month. Yusi’s thinking was first reported by MSNBC on Monday. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Federal prosecutor resists pressure from Trump to charge Letitia James

Prosecutor reportedly does not believe there is probable cause to file charges against the New York attorney generalA career federal prosecutor in Virginia has told colleagues she does not believe there is probable cause to file criminal mortgage fraud charges against New York attorney general Letitia James, according to a person familiar with the matter.The prosecutor, Elizabeth Yusi, oversees major criminal cases in the Norfolk office for the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia and plans to soon present her conclusion to Lindsey Halligan, a Trump ally, who was installed as the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia last month. Yusi’s thinking was first reported by MSNBC on Monday. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump sets sights on liberal megadonor George Soros: ‘A chilling message to other donors’

Billionaire ticks all the boxes on the antisemitic score card as Trump attacks Democratic contributors before midtermsPam Bondi, the US attorney general, said “everything is on the table” and left it there. But Donald Trump threw discretion to the wind and was far more specific about his choice of enemy to go after.“If you look at Soros, he’s at the top of everything,” the US president said. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump administration likely went after Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘vindictive’ reasons, judge says

Federal judge singles out statements from Todd Blanche suggesting prosecutors illegally retaliated against Salvadoran immigrant after he launched a high-profile legal battle over his arrest and removal

Politics

3 w. ago Federal prosecutors urge judge to give Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs an 11

Recommendation comes ahead of Combs’s sentencing after found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitutionFederal prosecutors urged a judge on Tuesday to sentence Sean “Diddy” Combs to 11 years and three months in prison after he was found guilty this summer on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.The sentencing recommendation was filed shortly after midnight early on Tuesday, and just several days ahead of Combs’s sentencing, which is scheduled for Friday. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Prosecutors seek over 11 years in prison for Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Prosecutors are urging a New York federal judge to send music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs to prison for over 11 years

Events

3 w. ago Brit mum detained in Iran with husband on spy charges ‘put on drip in jail’ as son begs UK to fight to free couple

A BRITISH mum detained in a hellhole prison in Iran has been put on a drip - sparking fears for her health, her son has revealed. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested and charged with spying while travelling through the country on a dream round-the-world motorbike trip. The married couple - who appeared...

Events

3 w. ago Trump’s attack on George Soros is the next step in the autocrat’s handbook | Kenneth Roth

Having already attacked judges, lawyers, media companies and universities, the president has set his sights on civiliansAs a former federal prosecutor, I know that prosecutors should be guided by the facts. But in his determination to hound George Soros, Donald Trump wants prosecutors to become agents of his personal vendetta, facts be damned. That is the conclusion to be drawn from the instructions issued by one of Trump’s senior justice department officials to a group of US attorney’s offices across the country, telling them to investigate Soros’s foundation.This is the latest step in Trump’s implementation of the autocrat’s handbook, with the aim of chipping away at the checks and balances on presidential authority. Having already attacked judges, lawyers, media companies and universities, Trump now sets his sights on civil society. Soros, a longtime and extraordinarily generous funder of progressive causes around the world including in the United States, is Target Number 1. Trum...

Politics

4 w. ago At Trump’s behest, DOJ is pushing federal prosecutors across the country to charge George Soros: report

US attorneys are directed to open criminal investigations into billionaire philanthropist’s Open Society Foundations

Politics

4 w. ago George Soros foundation hits back at Trump after report that DoJ plans to target group

NYT reports that justice department is pushing attorneys to investigate organization as Trump ramps up attack on rivalsThe Open Society Foundations (OSF), the major philanthropic group funded by George Soros, criticized the Trump administration on Thursday for “politically motivated attacks on civil society” after a report that the justice department had instructed federal prosecutors to come up with plans to investigate the charity.The New York Times reported Thursday that a lawyer in the office of Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, sent a memo to several federal prosecutors in attorney’s offices in California, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and Detroit, offering a range of charges to consider against OSF. Those charges included racketeering, arson, wire fraud and material support for terrorism, the Times reported. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Federal prosecutors reportedly gave US attorney memo suggesting not to file charges against James Comey – US politics live

Prosecutors in eastern district of Virginia detailed to Lindsey Halligan why not to file criminal charges against former FBI director, ABC news saysDozens of House Democrats have signed a letter to Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio, urging the administration to recognize Palestinian statehood.The letter, led by California Democrat Ro Khanna, has 46 signatures, and lawmakers will send it to the US president on Friday, according to plans first provided to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Politics