Heated: Epstein flap sets off MAGA earthquake in Trump's DOJ
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The Hill
27 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump: ‘I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine'
President Trump on Friday said he wouldn't be negotiating for Ukraine at his summit in Alaska with with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while claiming the Russian would have taken all of Ukraine if he wasn't in the Oval Office. 'Vladimir Putin wanted to take all of Ukraine. If I wasn't president, he would right now be taking all of Ukraine,' Trump told reporters, speaking from Air Force One en route to Alaska. 'But he's not going to do it.' Asked if territory swaps were on the table, Trump said that would be up to Kyiv. 'They'll be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they'll make a proper decision. But I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine,' Trump said. The president also fielded a question about Ukraine's reports of continued Russian strikes in the hours ahead of the meeting. 'I think they're trying to negotiate. He's trying to set a stage. I mean, in his mind, that helps him make a better deal. It actually hurts him. But in his mind, that helps him make a better deal,' Trump said. 'I'll be talking to him about it.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will notably be left out of the upcoming US-Russia meeting, but Trump has floated a follow-up with all three leaders. Trump has forecast that there's a '25 percent chance' his talks with Putin aren't successful, and described his goal for the Friday meeting as being to 'set the table for the next meeting.'
The Hill
27 minutes ago
- The Hill
DC attorney general sues Trump over police takeover efforts
Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D) sued President Trump early Friday after the administration installed the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) head to command the city's police force. The 33-page complaint alleges Terry Cole's appointment as 'emergency police commissioner' goes beyond the emergency authorities in the D.C. Home Rule Act that Trump invoked to surge law enforcement resources in the city. The lawsuit seeks to cancel the DEA head's installment and keep the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under the command of Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and Police Chief Pamela Smith. 'There is no greater risk to public safety in a large, professional police force like MPD than to not know who is in command,' the lawsuit reads.
Boston Globe
27 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Washington, D.C., sues Trump administration, challenging federal police takeover
The lawsuit comes after Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday night that Drug Enforcement Administration boss Terry Cole will assume 'powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.' The Metropolitan Police Department 'must receive approval from Commissioner Cole' before issuing any orders, Bondi said. It was unclear where the move left the city's current police chief, Pamela Smith, who works for the mayor. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back, writing on social media that 'there is no statute that conveys the District's personnel authority to a federal official.' Advertisement Chief had agreed to share immigration information Schwalb had said late Thursday that Bondi's directive was 'unlawful,' arguing it could not be followed by the city's police force. He wrote in a memo to Smith that 'members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor,' setting up the legal clash between the heavily Democratic district and the Republican administration. Advertisement Bondi's directive came even after Smith had told MPD officers hours earlier to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody, such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint. The Justice Department said Bondi disagreed with the police chief's directive because it allowed for continued enforcement of Bondi said she was rescinding that order as well as other MPD policies limiting inquires into immigration status and preventing arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants. All new directives must now receive approval from Cole, the attorney general said. The police takeover is the latest move by Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the U.S. illegally. It also marks one of the most sweeping Residents are seeing a significant show of force A population already tense from days of ramp-up has begun seeing more significant shows of force across the city. National Guard troops watched over some of the world's most renowned landmarks and Humvees took position in front of the busy main train station. Volunteers helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments — to where was often unclear. Advertisement Department of Homeland Security police stood outside Nationals Park during a game Thursday between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies. DEA agents patrolled The Wharf, a popular nightlife area, while Secret Service officers were seen in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. Bowser, walking a tightrope between the Republican White House and the constituency of her largely Democratic city, was out of town Thursday for a family commitment in Martha's Vineyard but would be back Friday, her office said. The uptick in visibility of federal forces around the city, including in many high-traffic areas, has been striking to residents going about their lives. Trump has the power to take over federal law enforcement for 30 days before his actions must be reviewed by Congress, though he has said he'll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches. Officers set up a checkpoint in one of D.C.'s popular nightlife areas, drawing protests. Troops were stationed outside the Union Station transportation hub as the 800 Guard members who have been activated by Trump started in on missions that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon said. Troops will assist law enforcement in a variety of roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control, National Guard Major Micah Maxwell said. The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Maxwell said. National Guard troops are a semi-regular presence in D.C., typically being used during mass public events like the annual July 4 celebration. They have regularly been used in the past for crowd control in and around Metro stations. Advertisement
