Foreign
US judges ‘usurping” Trump’s power-White House laments
The White House on Wednesday accused judges of “usurping” executive power after a series of rulings against Donald Trump’s administration, including one that sought to block the deportation of Venezuelan migrants and drew the president’s ire.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt alleged there had been a “concerted effort by the far left” to pick judges who were “clearly acting as partisan activists” to deal with cases involving the Republican’s administration.
“Not only are they usurping the will of the president and the chief executive of our country, but they are undermining the will of the American public,” Leavitt said at a daily briefing.
Leavitt in particular lashed out at District Judge James Boasberg, who ordered the suspension over the weekend of the deportation flights carried out under an obscure wartime law, calling him a “Democrat activist.”
Trump’s administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan gang members as part of its mass deportation program of undocumented migrants.
Trump personally called for the judge’s impeachment on Tuesday, saying Boasberg was “a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama.”
The Yale-educated Boasberg, 62, was first appointed to the bench by president George W. Bush, a Republican, and later named a district court judge by Obama, a Democrat.
Trump’s comments drew a rare public rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said.
Boasberg, in an order in the deportation case on Wednesday, also issued a pointed reminder to Justice Department lawyers that court rulings are to be obeyed.
“As the Supreme Court has made crystal clear, the proper recourse for a party subject to an injunction it believes is legally flawed… is appellate review, not disobedience,” he said.
‘Assault on democracy’
Federal judges are nominated by the president for life and can only be removed by being impeached by the House of Representatives for “high crimes or misdemeanors” and convicted by the Senate.
Impeachment of federal judges is exceedingly rare and the last time a judge was removed by Congress was in 2010.
Trump renewed his attacks on Boasberg on his Truth Social network on Wednesday, although he did not repeat his call for impeachment.
“If a President doesn’t have the right to throw murderers, and other criminals, out of our Country because a Radical Left Lunatic Judge wants to assume the role of President, then our Country is in very big trouble, and destined to fail!” he said.
Judges have dealt Trump a number of setbacks in recent weeks as his administration pursues its wholesale overhaul of the federal government.
Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship has been blocked by the courts and a judge on Tuesday ordered an immediate halt to the shutdown of the main US aid agency by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On the same day, another judge suspended the Pentagon’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.
The South African-born billionaire Musk railed against what he called a “judicial coup” in posts on his social network X.
“We need 60 senators to impeach the judges and restore rule of the people,” Musk said, misstating the process and the actual number of senators required — 67.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also lashed out at the judiciary, saying “district court judges have assumed the mantle of Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security and Commander-in-Chief.”
“It is lunacy. It is pure lawlessness. It is the gravest assault on democracy. It must and will end,” Miller said on X.
Trump, the first convicted felon to serve in the White House, has a history of attacking the judges who presided over his civil and criminal cases.
But Trump’s administration now appears bent on a showdown with the judiciary as he asserts extraordinary levels of executive power.
© 2025 AFP
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the U.S. electoral system, warning that the country could face serious consequences if election reforms are not introduced.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he claimed that American elections are “rigged” and have become a global embarrassment, arguing that urgent changes are needed to restore trust in the system.
He called on Republicans to rally behind a proposed electoral overhaul he referred to as the “Save America Act,” which he described as crucial to protecting democracy in the United States. According to him, the bill would strengthen voting integrity through measures such as mandatory voter identification and proof of citizenship.
Trump also proposed restrictions on mail-in voting, saying it should only be allowed in limited cases such as illness, disability, military service, or travel. He argued that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to abuse and compromise election integrity.
He further warned that he would not endorse any Republican who opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to support it regardless of party affiliation. Trump also suggested that opposition to the proposal would be politically damaging in future elections.
Observers note that the proposal is expected to spark debate, particularly given ongoing disagreements in the U.S. over voting rights, election security, and the balance of authority between federal and state governments.
The 31-year-old man, Cole Allen, who reportedly opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night, has told investigators that he deliberately targeted officials of the President Donald Trump administration, according to senior federal law enforcement sources familiar with the case.
Allen allegedly confessed after his arrest on Saturday night that his intention was to “shoot Trump administration officials,” investigators disclosed, according to Fox News.
The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton, where Allen reportedly forced his way through a Secret Service security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, a handgun, knives, and other weapons.
He subsequently opened fire, hitting a Secret Service officer, whose ballistic vest prevented fatal injuries.
Law enforcement agents at the scene returned fire, but Allen was not struck. Both the injured officer and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In the aftermath of the shooting, operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside local law enforcement, moved swiftly to secure Allen’s residence in Torrance, California.
Officials said efforts were underway to obtain a federal search warrant to examine the property for further evidence.
According to the White House, new details have emerged suggesting that Allen may have communicated his intentions prior to the attack.
His brother reportedly alerted the New London Police Department after receiving what authorities described as a manifesto outlining the suspect’s motives.
Investigators said the document explicitly referenced plans to target members of the Trump administration.
Officials also pointed to Allen’s social media activity, which allegedly contained anti-Trump and anti-Christian sentiments.
Reacting to the development during an interview with Fox News, Trump described the suspect as deeply disturbed.
“The guy is a sick guy,” Trump said. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians. That’s one thing for sure.
“He hates Christians, a hatred. And I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. You know, they were even complaining to law enforcement. So he was, he was a very troubled guy.”
Further insight into Allen’s behaviour was provided by his sister, Avriana Allen, who spoke with both the Secret Service and local police in Rockville.
She reportedly told investigators that her brother frequently made extreme statements and spoke about carrying out actions to “fix” societal problems.
She also revealed that Allen had legally purchased firearms, including two handguns and a shotgun, from a dealer identified as Cap Tactical Firearms.
According to her account, the weapons were stored at their parents’ residence without their knowledge.
Avriana added that her brother regularly practised shooting at gun ranges and was associated with a group known as “The Wide Awakes.”
She further disclosed that he had participated in a “No Kings” protest in California at some point prior to the incident.
The shooting has heightened concerns about security at high-profile political events in the United States, particularly those attended by senior government officials and members of the press.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as they work to piece together the full scope of Allen’s motives and potential affiliations.
Foreign
“Our Girls Are Sleeping With Foreigners, They Must Leave” — Emotional South African Man Sparks Outrage with Xenophobic Rant
A video circulating on social media shows a man in South Africa expressing strong anti-foreigner sentiments, in remarks that have sparked concern over rising xenophobic tensions.
In the footage, the man appears visibly emotional as he complains about the presence of foreigners in the country, claiming that “our girls are sl33ping with foreigners” and insisting that they “have to leave.” He also warns that foreigners “must never think they can control” local communities.
This is coming amid xenophobic raids carried out by South Africans against mainly Black immigrants in the country.
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