While the Trump administration -- specifically Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard -- has released bombshell evidence implicating former President Barack Obama in the "Russia hoax," there may not be anything they can do about it.
According to the Daily Mail, President Trump recently admitted that his own massive Supreme Court victory that provided him immunity after his presidency could also apply to Obama.
That would mean Obama could argue that he's not able to be charged for any alleged "treasonous" activities related to the Russia hoax that nearly crippled Trump's first presidency.
That didn't stop Trump from previously accusing Obama of treason. Obama has already responded and strongly denied the allegations.
Trump was asked by reporters if the landmark Supreme Court ruling that protected him would also apply to Obama, and President Trump didn't deny the strong possiblity that it would.
President Trump went as far as saying that he did his predecessor a favor by securing the Supreme Court victory that offers an enhanced level of immunity for former presidents.
"He has done criminal acts, no question about it. But he has immunity and it probably helps him a lot. He owes me big. Obama owes me big," Trump said.
The Daily Mail noted:
The ex-president's team argued in late 2023 that Trump, and any president, must have absolute immunity from prosecution over actions taken while in office or it could impair important decision-making.
Meanwhile, DNI Gabbard made a number of explosive claims regarding Obama's involvement in the Russia hoax, even making several referrals to AG Bondi's office for further review.
Obama has vehemently denied the allegations and responded to the accusations publicly last week.
A spokesperson for the former president responded and said that Gabbard's report doesn't "undercut" what was claimed regarding Russia's alleged involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign.
"Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes," the spokesperson said.
Trump, when asked about the referrals to Bondi's office made by Gabbard, held nothing back.
“It’s Obama. His orders are on the paper. The papers are signed. The papers came right out of their office,” he said.
Big news came out of the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado this week, and many governors are thrilled.
According to Fox News, Secretary Linda McMahon of the Department of Education announced the unfreezing of $6.8 billion in previously frozen funds. She assured the attending governors that it would never happen again.
The previously frozen funds were set aside for K-12 programs, and the announcement comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration by 20 Democratic attorneys general.
They argued that the federal funding freeze was crippling for states with the new school year just around the corner, insisting that states desperately need the funds to keep everything operational.
Department of Education spokesperson Madi Biedermann explained to Fox News that the funds were unfrozen after a review by the Office of Budget Management (OMB) was completed.
Biedermann said the OMB "has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds and has directed the Department to release all formula funds. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week."
Sec. McMahon was thanked by many of the Democrats in the coaltion that sued the administration.
Fox News noted:
The bipartisan group of governors, including the NGA's outgoing chair, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, and its vice chair, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, thanked McMahon for unlocking the funding during the NGA's education session Friday.
Gov. Jared Polis asked, "How can we better communicate to make sure that this chaos and uncertainty doesn't occur again around funding and that people know things earlier?"
McMahon responded, "No guarantees from me that we will eliminate all the communications gaps that do happen, but I can say that part of it is just the transition aspect."
McMahon went on to assure the governors that the funds were frozen due to the review process.
Fox News added:
The education secretary said the other aspect of the federal funding freeze was that the OMB budget office "took some time to really review the title funding to look at all the programs, etc., before they were released. They were well satisfied. So, now, those funds are going to be going out."
The news comes also as Trump continues to do whatever he can to dismantle the Education Department.
Trump and his administration recently won a major Supreme Court ruling that allowed the firing of nearly half of the DoE's workforce.
Ghislaine Maxwell continues to generate headlines, especially after she spent several days being interrogated by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
According to the New York Post, Blanche reportedly gave Maxwell, a convicted sex criminal currently serving a 20-year sentence, "limited immunity" to give the Justice Department information regarding “100 different people” linked to late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
At least that's what Maxwell's attorney claimed after his client spent days at the Justice Department providing information in what some believe could be some kind of secret deal.
Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, told reporters that his client was "asked about every possible thing you could imagine – everything."
What's going on?
The attorney explained that it was essentially the "first time" that his client has had the ability to tell her side of the story.
"This was the first opportunity she’s ever been given to answer questions about what happened,” Markus explained. “The truth will come out about what happened with Mr. Epstein and she’s the person who’s answering those questions.”
The Post noted:
Blanche had “every single question” answered during the sitdown, Maxwell’s attorney also said, with the British-born convict declining to plead the Fifth Amendment.
He explained that she has no incentive to lie at this point, because all it would do is open the door for the DOJ to charge her with lying, which is the last things she needs on top of her current 20-year sentence.
The outlet added:
Maxwell, 63, is appealing her conviction and sentencing, and legal observers have speculated her willingness to answer questions is tied to a potential clemency grant by President Trump.
Markus pushed for the possibility of a Trump-granted clemency, praising his dealmaking ability and hoping "he exercises that power in a right and just way."
Trump's take
President Donald Trump weighed in on the conversation Blanche and Maxwell had, claiming he wasn't in the loop.
"I don’t know anything about the conversation” between Blanche and Maxwell because “I haven’t really been following it," he explained.
The Post noted:
“This is no time to be talking about pardons,” the president added after saying hours earlier while leaving the White House that “I haven’t thought” about the idea.
Only time will tell what comes of the conversation that Maxwell had with the top DOJ brass.
Joy Behar, co-host of the daytime talk show The View, recently announced the show's upcoming hiatus amid a history of heated political commentary involving Donald Trump, as the Daily Mail reports.
The announced break is a regular part of the show's schedule, coinciding with summer, though it follows close criticism from the White House regarding Behar's remarks about Trump.
The View is known for its dynamic and often politically charged discussions, a characteristic that has heightened both the audience's and media's scrutiny. With Behar's announcement of the hiatus, speculation arose about the influence of political pressures.
During the broadcast, Behar, aged 82, humorously checked off-camera if she could share news of the hiatus, which co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin humorously responded to, saying, "Too late now."
As part of its yearly cycle, the program had only recently returned from a Fourth of July break. Whoopi Goldberg, another co-host, reassured viewers, stating explicitly that The View would return in September, marking this break as planned rather than abrupt.
This regular scheduling of breaks provides the show's team and viewers alike a predictable pattern, separating it from unplanned broadcasting pauses.
The timing of Behar's announcement came just a day after the White House released a critical statement following Behar's comments about Trump. She had discussed Trump's purported jealousy towards former President Barack Obama, highlighting Trump’s difficulty with Obama's favorable public reception.
This critique from the administration was pointed, connecting the personal attack on Behar to broader claims about declining show ratings, thereby intensifying the hiatus's public and media scrutiny.
Despite such criticisms, The View has maintained its position as a staple platform for political discourse, highlighting the complexity of navigating media narratives amid political pressures.
Moreover, this incident unfolds alongside CBS's cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which, although attributed to financial reasons, has also been seen in a political light by some, including Colbert himself. He labeled himself a "martyr" caught in a broader political struggle.
Colbert's comments and the juxtaposition of his show's cancellation with the hiatus of The View highlight the intricate relationships between media companies, show hosts, and political entities.
This broad landscape of media dynamics illustrates the significant influence that political figures and circumstances can exert on programming choices and narratives in television.
During further discussions on her show, Behar also noted what she thinks is a change in Republican support for Trump related to the controversial Jeffrey Epstein files, in which Trump's name is said to appear multiple times.
Such revelations are reflective of shifting political loyalties and the evolving nature of public and political dialogue, as observed by Behar.
With The View set to return in the fall after its regular hiatus, the ongoing interplay of media representation and political influence will undoubtedly continue to motivate in-depth discussions and potentially influence future programming.
The Trump administration has found a way to keep MAGA star Alina Habba as the top prosecutor in New Jersey after she was nearly forced out of the role by "rogue" judges in the blue state.
The dramatic reversal came just a day before Habba's term as interim U.S. attorney was set to expire. The state's judges tried to replace her with their own pick, career prosecutor Desiree Leigh Grace.
“Donald J. Trump is the 47th President. Pam Bondi is the Attorney General. And I am now the Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey,” Habba wrote on X Thursday.
“I don’t cower to pressure. I don’t answer to politics,” Habba said. "This is a fight for justice. And I’m all in."
President Trump had initially picked Habba as interim U.S. attorney in March, giving her 120 days to serve without Senate confirmation. Her appointment was left in limbo as Democrats in Congress refused to support her.
When New Jersey's federal judges declined to extend Habba's tenure and instead chose Grace, Habba's assistant, the Trump administration responded with defiance.
The Justice Department quickly fired Grace -- as Attorney General Pam Bondi accused "rogue" courts of stepping on Trump's authority over the DOJ.
"This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges -- especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers," Bondi wrote.
Despite being fired, Grace had vowed to take on the role, but the administration found a way to block her.
The White House withdrew Habba's nomination and had her appointed as acting U.S. attorney, effectively rewinding the clock on her appointment.
According to DOJ officials, Habba technically replaced Grace as first assistant U.S. attorney, which automatically makes Habba the top prosecutor, since the U.S. attorney position is vacant. Habba now has at least 210 days to serve in the role.
Democrats made their preference in prosecutor clear, defending Grace, a Republican, as a "career public servant" who would faithfully uphold the law.
Habba became known as an attorney for Trump during the Democrats' "lawfare" campaign that sought to derail his 2024 presidential bid. She has no prior prosecutorial experience.
A staunch supporter of the president and his agenda, Habba has used her tenure in New Jersey to pursue Democrat politicians who obstructed immigration enforcement at a Newark detention facility.
"President Trump continues to have full confidence in Alina Habba and her commitment to serve the people of New Jersey," the White House said in a statement.
Former New York Congressman George Santos sent a dramatic farewell message to his "darling" fans before reporting to prison Friday to begin a seven-year sentence for fraud.
The notorious Republican and former drag queen compared himself to a "glamorous" stage performer in a post reflecting on his short, tumultuous political career.
"Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed," he wrote on X. "From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days."
Santos burst onto the scene after the 2022 midterm elections, when the openly gay Republican flipped a Democrat-leaning House district on Long Island.
A vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, Santos was often seen to embrace the spotlight, from the halls of Congress to the courthouse where he pled guilty last summer to identity theft and wire fraud.
His career in Washington quickly unraveled after he was exposed for making flagrantly false claims about his life. He ultimately served less than a full term, becoming one of six House members in history to be expelled after his fellow New York Republicans pushed for his removal.
Although widely reviled, Santos embraced his infamy as he turned his scandalous career into an operatic spectacle that the media couldn't turn away from.
He was charged with a litany of fraudulent schemes, from cheating donors to bilking unemployment benefits during the COVID pandemic. Within days of leaving Congress, the outrageous politician started selling personalized messages on the website Cameo.
In his farewell message, the congressman reflected that he was "honest" on "most days" and hinted that his story is not yet over.
"To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it. To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit," he wrote, adding emojis of a star, an American flag, and a pair of lips. "Forever fabulously yours, George."
The Justice Department confirmed that Santos reported to a federal prison in New Jersey, the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Fairton.
Santos has slammed his seven-year sentence as excessive and unjust, and he has urged President Trump to consider a pardon.
"I’ll take a commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me," Santos told Piers Morgan in May.
“President Trump, I’d appreciate if you can give me a consideration," he added.
Bill Clinton was among the famous people who sent Jeffrey Epstein a letter on his 50th birthday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The letter was part of a birthday album that contained messages from around five dozen people, but Clinton was the most notable contributor when the album was put together by Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, in 2003.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Donald Trump sent Epstein a "bawdy" letter with a drawing of naked woman. Trump is suing the newspaper over the "fake" claim.
Clinton and Trump were both listed as "friends" in the book, along with Wall Street billionaire Leon Black, attorney Alan Dershowitz, media owner Mort Zuckerman, former Victoria' Secret CEO Leslie Wexner, and the late model scout Jean-Luc Brunel.
The album reportedly contained several lewd jokes. Black wrote a suggestive poem signed "Loves and Kisses," while Nathan Myhrvold, a billionaire and former Microsoft executive, sent Epstein photographs from a trip to Africa of animals mating.
The message from Clinton praised Epstein as a philanthropist with a "drive to make a difference" and "childlike curiosity."
"It’s reassuring isn’t it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends," Clinton wrote.
A spokesman for Clinton declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal and pointed to a previous statement, which said that Clinton severed ties with Epstein long ago.
Epstein's birthday album was reportedly put together in 2003, three years before Epstein's first arrest in Florida and over a decade before his suicide in prison while facing sex trafficking charges in 2019.
The late billionaire is back in the spotlight as the Trump administration faces backlash over its handling of the government's files in the case against him. The Justice Department angered many Trump supporters earlier this month when it said there is nothing more to release, that Epstein killed himself and that he did not keep a secret list of clients.
Democrats have seized on the issue to attack President Trump, who was once part of Epstein's wide circle of connections before they had a falling out in 2004 over real estate.
It has long been known that Epstein had past friendships with both Trump and Clinton, and neither president is specifically accused of wrongdoing.
After Epstein's second arrest in New York, Clinton's spokesman said that the former president traveled on Epstein's jet four times and visited Epstein once at his Manhattan townhouse.
Those travels were always accompanied by Secret Service and were tied to Clinton's work with the Clinton Foundation, the spokesperson said.
Joy Behar, co-host of ABC's The View, said Thursday that the show would be on hiatus very soon, the Daily Caller reported. This comes amid continued attacks against President Donald Trump that were likely the undoing of another talk show.
The daytime talk show recently paused for a week for the July 4 holiday and typically breaks again around Aug. 2. However, Behar spilled the beans that it was a little sooner this time around.
“Before we go on hiatus, we only have one more show until then,” Behar said. She seemed to catch herself, adding, “I’m allowed to say that, right?”
When Behar made her remark, it was business as usual as the ladies on the panel attacked the president. This time, it was about supposed links to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
“Before we go I wanted to tell people that the tide is turning,” Behar said after mentioning the hiatus. “The tide is turning and things are changing,” she added.
“I mean, the ultimate irony would be that Rupert Murdoch will take him down, Fox News, who created the monster will take him down,” Behar said, referring to a recent revelation by the Wall Street Journal which is owned by Murdoch’s News Corp conglomerate.
This week, the Journal claimed Trump’s name was in the Epstein files, though the president has denied any links with the late financier. “This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by The Wall Street Journal,” White House Communications Director Steve Cheung said.
This came after the Journal dropped another fake news story last week about a birthday letter Trump supposedly sent to Epstein that hinted at some racy activity. Trump sued the Wall Street Journal for that fabrication just after it was published.
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg clarified the timeline of the hiatus later in the broadcast. “Okay, so here’s what’s going on. We will see you all tomorrow for another new show, and we’ll be back for our new season in September,” Goldberg said.
“But, of course, you can watch us the rest of the summer with our encore episodes, the best of the season.” There is no indication that it won’t return.
However, the network likely wanted to quell any rumors considering Stephen Colbert’s announcement that Late Night With Stephen Colbert will end next spring. The host has used his platform almost exclusively to bash Trump and amplify Democrats.
According to Fox News, the CBS late night talk show had leftist politicians, journalists, and hosts on 200 times during its 10 years on the air. That led to abysmal ratings and lack of interest that was ultimately its undoing, and the same is bound to happen for The View.
The ladies should enjoy their extended summer break and use it as a time to reflect on the future of their show. Audiences have grown tired of listening to their Trump hatred that is almost as tedious as the hosts themselves.
President Donald Trump said he hopes Elon Musk's businesses do well as Tesla suffers its second straight losing quarter, the Washington Times reported. This comes after Musk fired parting shots as he was leaving as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
The Tesla mogul supported Trump during the 2024 campaign and helped carry get him back into the White House. Then Musk worked to cut government waste through DOGE.
However, things grew tense after he denigrated Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which will slash electric vehicle subsidies starting Sept. 30. Meanwhile, Musk’s Tesla sales dipped 16% in market share over last year.
For his part, Trump said in a social media post Thursday that he hopes Musk will continue to do well. Later remarks from Musk demonstrate that he wasn’t convinced as it appears this feud will continue.
The president’s post to Truth Social championed Musk’s continued success regardless of the legislation. “Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government,” Trump began.
“This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!” Trump continued.
“The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!” Trump concluded.
Shortly after Trump’s overtures toward him, Musk posted a response on X, formerly Twitter. “The ‘subsidies’ he’s talking about simply do not exist,” Musk claimed.
He said Trump “has already removed or put an expiry date on all sustainable energy support while leaving massive oil & gas subsidies untouched.” He then went on to point out how one of his other companies helped the country while receiving government money.
“SpaceX won the NASA contracts by doing a better job for less money. Moving those contracts to other aerospace companies would leave astronauts stranded and taxpayers on the hook for twice as much!” Musk claimed.
According to the New York Post, Musk’s companies raked in $38 billion in taxpayer dollars since 2007 with the majority being awarded in the last five years. SpaceX alone has secured billions in Department of Defense and NASA contracts.
These two will likely continue to spar over government waste and the role of subsidies. However, it seems that saving money for the American people is never the losing bet, even if Musk doesn’t like it.
The death of Food Network chef Anne Burrell on June 17 was ruled a suicide by the City of New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner on Thursday at the conclusion of its investigation; the report found that she died of "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine."
Burrell apparently mixed two antihistamines with alcohol and amphetamine; the combination can be deadly in the right amounts.
While the combination of medications she had in her system could have been taken mistakenly and caused an accidental death, the fact that she was found unresponsive in the shower with a large quantity of pills near her body led investigators to rule it a suicide.
In the weeks since Burrell died, many of her colleagues and others in the food industry have given heartfelt tributes to her impact on their careers.
Burrell started on Food Network as a sous chef on "Iron Chef America."
She also appeared on "Chopped," "Chef Wanted," "Food Network Star," and "House of Knives," and hosted "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and "Worst Cooks in America."
The final season of "Worst Cooks" featuring Burrell is still set to air beginning July 28, which will be surreal for her many fans.
She specialized in Italian cooking and trained in Italy for several years before working several stints at prominent Italian eateries in the U.S.
Burrell married Stuart Claxton in 2021; she had previously identified as lesbian and been engaged to a woman.
She was said to be worth $5 million before her death due to her Food Network shows and two bestselling books.
She lived with Claxton and two cats in a 2-bedroom, $1.5 million loft apartment in Brooklyn.
It was not clear what led the 55-year-old to take her own life.
Friends and others who knew her said that while she had struggled in the past, she seemed to have found joy and happiness in recent times.
Burrell's death is a reminder that so often, we don't know what someone is really going through on the inside, even when they look happy on the outside.