Exclusive: Justice Department launches a criminal investigation into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll  —  The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the former magazine columnist who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Cornyn's Defeat Fuels Tensions With President Trump in Senate G.O.P.  —  Senators are angry President Trump turned on a respected former leader whom they consider a loyal Republican.  Now Mr. Trump faces resistance from his own embittered ranks.  — 1.2k

F.B.I. Arrests C.I.A. Official With $40 Million in Gold Bars in His Home  —  The only charge lodged against David Rush is that he inflated his academic credentials and obtained military leave pay worth tens of thousands of dollars.  —  A senior C.I.A. official was arrested last week …

AP Exclusive: Trump administration tells prosecutors to stand down on Venezuela leader, sources say  —  The Trump administration has quietly instructed federal prosecutors in Miami to avoid pursuing criminal investigations into Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez …

Jill Biden says she was “frightened” by Joe Biden's 2024 debate performance, thought he was having a stroke  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Former first lady Jill Biden said she was “frightened” by her husband Joe Biden's 2024 debate performance and thought he was having a stroke.

The White House Intervened to Get a $620 Million Deal for a Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr.  —  When the Pentagon announced a $620 million loan last year to a small North Carolina startup linked to Donald Trump Jr., defense officials and the company tried to tamp down suspicions of cronyism.

Entertainers unveiled for 250th US birthday bash on National Mall  —  An eclectic mix of entertainers is poised to join a massive bash on the National Mall marking America's 250th birthday that's being billed as a “once-in-a-generation celebration.”  —  Country music star Martina McBride …

Mullin ‘drawing up plans’ to halt international flight processing in ‘sanctuary cities’  —  Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said late Tuesday he is “drawing up plans” to end the processing of international flights in left-leaning cities, pointing to protests outside …

Reflecting Pool Contract Has ‘Inflated’ Profit Margin, Government Analysis Finds … A National Park Service analysis found that the contractor given a no-bid contract to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is being paid an inflated and excessive profit margin, according to federal documents obtained by The New York Times.

Trump appointees push $250 banknote with his portrait  —  The printing director who resisted the effort said she was reassigned last month.  “The buck stopped here,” she wrote in her goodbye.  —  Summary  —  Trump administration officials have pressed the office responsible for printing …

The Mideast Is Baffled by Trump's Call to Expand Abraham Accords  —  The president said more countries should be required to recognize Israel as part of a deal to end the war with Iran.  Analysts say the chances of that happening are close to zero.  —  The social media post by President Trump made it sound straightforward.

Trump Threatens Oman Over the Strait  —  President Trump said there would be serious repercussions if Iran and Oman move forward with a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz.  —  President Trump on Wednesday warned the Gulf state of Oman, a U.S. ally, not to enter into any agreement with Iran …

The YOLO Caucus Is Growing.  What Does It Have Planned?  —  Plus, President Trump says Iran is miscalculating his urgency to end the war, and the administration's new bank accounts for children goes live  —  Good morning.  Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) won't be a U.S. senator after Jan. 3, 2027.

Exclusive: NSF puts new research grants to top universities on hold … - Dan Garisto  —  Search author on:  —  PubMed Google Scholar  —  The US National Science Foundation (NSF) — a major funder of basic research — has restricted the flow of new research grants to a group of elite universities, Nature has learnt.

Ro Khanna is taking his economic message on the road.  Will it lead to the White House? … PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO and MICHIGAN — U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna was riding shotgun in a black Chevrolet Suburban hurtling down an Ohio highway.  His mind was on the economy.

Dell Wins $9.7 Billion Defense Deal to Streamline Software Buys  —  A unit of Dell Technologies Inc. won a $9.7 billion contract to help the US military handle its licenses for Microsoft Corp. software related to email, spreadsheets and other needs across classified and unclassified systems, the Pentagon said.

Exclusive: US carries out new strikes in Iran against military site, official says  —  The U.S. military has carried out new strikes in Iran targeting a military site that officials believed posed a threat to U.S. forces and commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Trump visited soldiers at Walter Reed — but not the 14 injured in the Iran war  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  President Trump made time to visit with U.S. service members during his trip Tuesday to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but he did not see any of the 14 troops injured …

Trump won big with the White working-class.  Now they're souring on him.  —  In a striking shift, White voters without college degrees that voted to reelect Trump by a huge margin are now net-negative on his job approval.  —  Summary  —  WILLOWICK, Ohio — Just outside the bar …

Former Judges Urge Inquiry Into Deal Trump Struck With I.R.S.  —  The motion was particularly significant because it asked the judge overseeing the initial suit against the I.R.S. to examine the terms of the deal.  —  A bipartisan group of 35 former federal judges on Wednesday asked the judge …

U.S., Iran in fresh clashes amid peace talks … - The U.S. military shot down the drones and attacked another Iranian drone launching unit on the ground before, the official added. … - The statement added: “U.S. forces also struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

‘Up for Grabs’: Can Democrats Sway Young Men Who Have Soured on Trump?  —  Many Gen Z men who voted for the president are dismayed by his time in office.  But they are not hearing an appealing pitch from Democrats, either: “Both parties kind of get it wrong.”

Pentagon puts building blocks in place for Cuba invasion … Cuba is “in a lot of trouble,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday at a full Cabinet meeting.  “Having a failed state 90 miles from our shores is a threat to the national security of the United States.”

‘Trump Wants Good News’: The Pentagon Is Under Pressure to Sanitize Iran War Data  —  The president ‘rejects bad news as fake,’ one U.S. official says.  'He's getting what he is paying for.'  —  ∙ Paid  —  For months, staffers for Pete Hegseth's Pentagon have been under tremendous pressure …

‘It Was Amazing!’  CO Springs Murder Suspect Attended Jan. 6 Riot  —  Tim Arvidson, who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for Colorado Senate, was arrested yesterday after allegedly shooting and killing a man in Colorado Springs.

Trump's DHS chief rocked by wild rumor about his WIFE... as furious staff leak scandalous details about his life of luxury  —  Department of Homeland Security leader Markwayne Mullin is desperately trying to get his wife, Christie Mullin, hired onto DHS's payroll, four insiders have told the Daily Mail.

The Trump Administration Is in Talks to Fund U.S. Drone Companies  —  Neros and Donald Trump Jr.-linked Unusual Machines are among companies in deal talks  —  The Trump administration is pursuing funding deals with a group of drone companies as part of its effort to increase domestic production …