Browsing: White House

Former President Trump is due to address the Republican National Committee Midterm Convention in Dallas on Wednesday, aiming to energise party members ahead of the November elections. Key speakers include Vice President JD Vance and other prominent Republican figures, with additional names expected to be announced.

John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty has received an early release from prison following a commutation signed by President Trump. Convicted in 2023 for bribery and embezzlement related to IBEW Local 98, Dougherty aims to care for his ill wife, Cecilia. Plans are in place for his release from Lewisburg federal penitentiary.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has indicated that Sean Parnell is his preferred candidate for Army Secretary, according to senior officials. Parnell, currently the Pentagon spokesperson, previously served in the Army and has been recognised for his military service. The White House is seeking a successor for Dan Driscoll, who recently resigned.

The Trump administration’s agreement with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) will grant the company 100-year concessions to drill in 17 Venezuelan oil fields containing approximately 65 billion barrels. The U.S. Defense Department will acquire a 35% stake, while the State Department gains rights to purchase 20% of output.

Google has begun updating its maps to reflect President Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” U.S. users will see the new name, while Canadians will still see “Lake Ontario.” Both names will appear internationally, with the U.S. name in parentheses.

President Trump announced a deal granting the United States majority control of over 60 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. The agreement, described as a joint venture, aims to attract private investment and is anticipated to generate substantial tax revenue for Venezuela’s government.

Marine One experienced communication issues with air traffic controllers for the second time in August during its departure from Washington, D.C. The FAA confirmed contact was eventually established, following earlier reports from the NTSB that noted similar failures, prompting concerns over communication interference in the area.

A US District Judge has permanently barred the Trump administration from enforcing rules against Anthropic, citing unconstitutional punishment for protected speech. The ruling ends a legal battle over the AI company’s push to prevent military use of its model Claude for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.

President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” following his earlier statements on social media. The order instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to update federal records, although it cannot impose this name change internationally. Canada has yet to respond.

Hasan Piker faced backlash from several Democrats, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, after asserting that some Jewish Americans’ support for Israel exacerbates antisemitism. El-Sayed clarified that his campaign does not endorse Piker’s views, emphasising that he alone represents the campaign’s stance.