This article covers events in the US and Middle East on Wednesday (Australia time). For Thursday’s live updates, click here.
As critics close in from all angles and approval polls continue to dip, US President Donald Trump is weighing up his options as he attempts to move beyond the Iran catastrophe.
The under-fire leader has now ordered an investigation into major oil companies over fuel prices, accusing them of failing to pass on lower oil costs to American motorists.
Meanwhile, senior member of his own party has made it plain that he disapproves of the President’s latest “purge” inside the federal government.
Mr Trump has appointed a businessman and political donor, Bill Pulte, the acting Director of National Intelligence, a job that involves overseeing America’s various intelligence agencies.
Mr Pulte does not have any intelligence experience. But he has quickly set about fulfilling Mr Trump’s current wish: mass firings.
Speaking to reporters, Republican Senator Thom Tillis compared the move, disapprovingly, to Elon Musk’s actions as the head of DOGE early in Mr Trump’s presidency.
He said a normal reduction in the workforce would involve “doing the analysis” and ensuring “you retain the most valuable people”.
“You only eliminate the people whose jobs could be automated or never should have been there,” said Mr Tillis.
“My guess is, based on (Mr Pulte’s) previous experience, it’s just going to be another hot, steamy pile of DOGE-s***.
“I think he’s an incompetent sycophant, and not the right person to lead DNI.”
Meanwhile yet another senior US military leader is reportedly being “forced” into retirement as Mr Trump’s Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, continues his culling of top positions.
General Chris Donahue has been head of America’s Army forces in Europe and Africa for just 18 months. Before that, he was famously the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in the withdrawal in 2021.
Read on for more updates.
Read related topics:Donald Trump