White House says that second strike on vessel was legal and conducted in ‘self-defence’<\/p>\n
In response to questions from reporters today, Karoline Leavitt defended the second strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel on 2 September this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident Trump and secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated Narco terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war,\u201d Leavitt said of the targeted attack, in which the defense secretary reportedly told officials to \u201ckill everybody\u201d after two survivors were identified after an initial strike.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdm Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated. And I would just add one more point to remind the American public why these lethal strikes are taking place, because this administration has designated these Narco terrorists as foreign terrorist organizations,\u201d the press secretary added.<\/p>\n
Leavitt said today that strike was conducted in \u201cself-defence to protect Americans in vital United States interests\u201d. She also noted that the strike was conducted \u201cin international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict\u201d.<\/p>\n
To date, the strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean have killed more than 80 people, and targeted at least 22 more boats. According to the Washington Post, who first broke the story, some current and former US officials and experts have said that the Trump administration\u2019s missile strikes in the Caribbean may be unlawful. Historically, the US government has intercepted drug-trafficking boats in the water and prosecuted the alleged smugglers. For his part, Hegseth has refuted claims that the strikes were illegal.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.09 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Roger Wicker, the Mississippi Republican who leads the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN<\/a> on Monday that he intends to get all of the video and audio recorded by the Pentagon during strikes on a suspected drug smuggling boat off Venezuela in September to determine if a second strike was carried out to kill survivors, as the Washington Post reported<\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve spoken to the secretary of defense and we\u2019ll be speaking to the admiral that was in charge of the operation,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cThe secretary did indicate, which has now been in the news media, that there was a second attack.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if there were survivors of the first strike, Wicker responded: \u201cI don\u2019t have that information\u2026 but I do think we\u2019ll get that information. And we\u2019re certainly going to have available to us all of the audio and all of the video\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Treasury secretary announces investigation of rightwing activist’s allegation that federal funds were diverted to Somali militants<\/p>\n The US treasury department is investigating allegations from a rightwing activist that federal funds were fraudulently diverted from Minnesota to benefit al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group in Somalia.<\/p>\n The investigation was announced on social media by Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, in response to an investigation<\/a> by the activist and writer Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute who previously devised the campaign against critical race theory.<\/p>\n Bessent announced the investigation in a deeply partisan message<\/a> that thanked Donald Trump, who has asserted without evidence that Somali Americans were \u201cripping us off\u201d, and blamed the possible fraud on what the secretary called \u201cthe feckless mismanagement of the Biden Administration and Governor Tim Walz\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.18 EST<\/p>\n Former US ambassador to Russia asks why Jared Kushner is going to Moscow for talks with Putin but not Marco Rubio<\/p>\n A Wall Street Journal report<\/a> that Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who holds no government role, is flying to Moscow with the president\u2019s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, for talks with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, instead of the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, left a former US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, puzzled.<\/p>\n \u201cCan someone explain to me why Special Envoy Witkoff and the presidents son-in-law participate in negotiations with both the Ukrainians and Russians, but our Secretary of State only talks to the Ukrainians and is not leading the delegation to talk to Putin?\u201d McFaul, who was as Barack Obama\u2019s ambassador in Moscow from 2012 to 2014, asked on social media. \u201cI don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/p>\n As McFaul pointed out, Rubio, who is both Trump\u2019s secretary of state and national security adviser, was at the literal center of talks with Ukraine\u2019s negotiators in Florida on Sunday, seated between Witkoff and Kushner.<\/p>\n While the apparent sidelining of Rubio in this diplomatic effort mirrors the central role played by Witkoff and Kushner in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza, there is one practical consideration that could explain the absence of the secretary of state from the flight to Moscow. Rubio has been banned from entering Russian territory since last year when his name, and that of his wife, was added to a list of US citizens<\/a> subject to personal sanctions by the Russian government, apparently over his support for Ukraine after the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ban applies to those involved in conceiving, carrying out and justifying the anti-Russia policy adopted by the current administration of the United States, as well as those directly involved in anti-Russia undertakings,\u201d the Kremlin explained<\/a> in 2024 when an earlier slate of Americans was \u201cpermanently banned\u201d from entering Russia. \u201cThe decision is part of retaliatory measures in response to the massive and constantly expanding list of sanctions imposed by the American government on Russian citizens for supporting the Kremlin and the special military operation.\u201d<\/p>\n McFaul is also on the list of Americans barred from Russia, as are more than 2,000 journalists, actors, officials and lawmakers, including then senator JD Vance and the late John McCain, who was just one of several US officials<\/a> whose right to visit Russia was taken away after they were already dead.<\/p>\n In a number of places, the list of Americans banned from Russia by the Kremlin overlaps with Donald Trump\u2019s personal enemies list. Those barred from ever visiting Russia include: Barack Obama, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Elizabeth Warren, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachel Maddow, John Bolton, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mark Kelly, Janet Mills and even the Georgia secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, who famously refused Trump\u2019s plea to \u201cfind\u201d him the exact number of votes he needed to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in the state\u2019s 2020 election.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.47 EST<\/p>\n ‘We have a little more than three years left’, Trump says at White House Christmas party<\/p>\n In remarks at a White House Christmas party on Monday, Donald Trump<\/a> acknowledged a reality some of his supporters have tried to deny: that he will not be president in just over three years.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a little more than three years left\u201d, the president said, in remarks captured on video<\/a> and shared on social media by the White House. \u201cThree years for Trump is an eternity,\u201d he added, \u201cthat\u2019s a long period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump also praised the national guard troops who were shot in Washington DC last week. \u201cI want to just pay my respects to the National Guard, and those two incredible people. One is no longer with us,\u201d the president said, \u201cand we have another one who is fighting for his life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoth of them were the best, everything,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Trump then claimed that because of the deployment of the national guard troops he ordered, \u201cwe have a safe city again.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>West Virginia governor says that there is ‘positive news’ about national guard member who was severely wounded in DC shooting<\/p>\n West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey said today that he received \u201cpositive news\u201d from US air force staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe \u2013\u00a0who is critically injured in hospital after being shot in downtown DC last week.<\/p>\n At a press conference today Morrisey said that Wolfe gave a \u201cthumbs up\u201d when asked by a nurse if he could hear her question.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were told that he also wiggled his toes. So we take that as a positive sign,\u201d Morrisey added, before saying he was not going to \u201cspeculate\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>World Aids Day not commemorated by US government for first time in almost 30 years<\/p>\n Today is World Aids Day \u2013 the international commemoration of the lives lost to HIV\/Aids, highlight efforts to contain the epidemic, and to raise awareness among the general public.<\/p>\n However, this is the first year since 1988 where the US government will not formally recognize World Aids Day, according to various reports, citing emails from the state department.<\/p>\n As my colleague, Lucy Campbell, reports, since Trump returned to the White House, he has cancelled<\/a> foreign aid programs that combat<\/a> HIV and Aids, scrapped research<\/a> and prevention resources, and restricted funding<\/a> under the two-decade-old President\u2019s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, or Pepfar, the government\u2019s global HIV program established under the Republican president George W Bush, which is estimated to have prevented 25m early deaths<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Here’s a recap of the day so far<\/p>\n In response to questions from reporters today, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the second strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel on 2 September this year. She said today that strike was conducted in \u201cself-defence to protect Americans in vital United States interests\u201d. She also noted that the strike was conducted \u201cin international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict\u201d. A reminder that that the defense secretary reportedly told officials to \u201ckill everybody\u201d after two survivors were identified after an initial military strike. Experts and former officials warn that the strike may be unlawful.<\/p>\n The White House also confirmed today that Donald Trump<\/a> will meet with top national security advisers on the matter of Venezuela today. The press secretary also noted that the president will host his ninth cabinet meeting of the year on Tuesday. And on Thursday, the president will host the President of the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign a peace and economic agreement.<\/p>\n Throughout the first press briefing post Thanksgiving, Leavitt also blamed Joe Biden for last week\u2019s shooting in DC that killed one national guard member and left another in critical condition. \u201cI would just point out one more time that the Biden administration was responsible for the original sin that led to this tragic killing last week, the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan\u201d she said, referring to the 29-year-old suspect and Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal.<\/p>\n A federal appeals court ruled today that Trump\u2019s personal lawyer, Alina Habba, is serving unlawfully as the US attorney for the district of New Jersey. The third circuit rejected a challenge from the justice department to keep Habba in her position, upholding a lower court\u2019s decision that she was disqualified from serving in the role.<\/p>\n Donald Trump\u2019s top envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. He\u2019ll be joined by the president\u2019s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Today, the White House said that the administration \u201cfeels very optimistic\u201d that a deal to end the war in Ukraine will be reached. \u201cI will let the negotiators negotiate, but we do feel quite good, and we\u2019re hopeful that this war can finally come to an end,\u201d Leavitt said today.<\/p>\n Over the weekend, the president threw his weight behind Matt Van Epps, the Republican candidate in the special election in Tennessee\u2019s seventh congressional district. Van Epps is running against Aftyn Behn \u2013 a Democratic state representative \u2013 to replace former GOP congressman Mark Green. A reminder, that Trump carried the district by 22 points in 2024, but after the success of November\u2019s elections for Democrats across the country, the party is hoping to flip the Maga stronghold.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Administration is ‘very optimistic’ on agreement to end war in Ukraine, White House says<\/p>\n Ahead of special envoy Steve Witkoff\u2019s meeting with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the administration \u201cfeels very optimistic\u201d that a deal to end the war in Ukraine will be reached.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Witkoff and secretary of state Marco Rubio had a \u201cproductive\u201d meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida, ahead of tomorrow\u2019s Moscow summit.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is sort of the shuttle diplomacy that you\u2019ve seen from this administration play out, where we speak equally with both sides,\u201d Leavitt said today. \u201cWe put points on paper. Those points have been very much refined. But as for the details, I will let the negotiators negotiate, but we do feel quite good, and we\u2019re hopeful that this war can finally come to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n During today\u2019s White House briefing, the press secretary gave a results readout of the president\u2019s most recent MRI scans. She noted that the imaging was performed \u201cbecause men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health\u201d. Leavitt added that it was carried out preventively.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s cardiovascular imaging was perfectly normal, no evidence of arterial narrowing, impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels,\u201d she said today. \u201cOverall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health. His abdominal imaging is also perfectly normal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn summary, this level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump\u2019s age, and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Leavitt also confirmed that Donald Trump will meet with his national security team on Venezuela later today. This comes after his phone call with president Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, where Trump reportedly gave the Venezuelan leader an ultimatum to step down.<\/p>\n The press secretary said that she would not say whether the administration would support the release of video footage of the 2 September strike, deferring to the Pentagon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>White House says that second strike on vessel was legal and conducted in ‘self-defence’<\/p>\n In response to questions from reporters today, Karoline Leavitt defended the second strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel on 2 September this year.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump and secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated Narco terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war,\u201d Leavitt said of the targeted attack, in which the defense secretary reportedly told officials to \u201ckill everybody\u201d after two survivors were identified after an initial strike.<\/p>\n \u201cAdm Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated. And I would just add one more point to remind the American public why these lethal strikes are taking place, because this administration has designated these Narco terrorists as foreign terrorist organizations,\u201d the press secretary added.<\/p>\n Leavitt said today that strike was conducted in \u201cself-defence to protect Americans in vital United States interests\u201d. She also noted that the strike was conducted \u201cin international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict\u201d.<\/p>\n To date, the strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean have killed more than 80 people, and targeted at least 22 more boats. According to the Washington Post, who first broke the story, some current and former US officials and experts have said that the Trump administration\u2019s missile strikes in the Caribbean may be unlawful. Historically, the US government has intercepted drug-trafficking boats in the water and prosecuted the alleged smugglers. For his part, Hegseth has refuted claims that the strikes were illegal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.09 EST<\/p>\n White House blames Biden administration for national guard shooter’s entry to US<\/p>\n Addressing reporters today, press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that the president has \u201cpermanently paused migration of foreign nationals from third world countries that pose a very high risk\u201d to the US. This includes special interest visas \u2013\u00a0a legal pathway for Afghan nationals who were employed by or worked alongside the US government.<\/p>\n \u201cThe terrorist who gunned down American soldiers, blocks away from the White House in an ambush, was an Afghan national who was flown into our country by Joe Biden\u2019s administration in September 2021 in the chaotic wake of their botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, one of the most embarrassing moments in the history of our great country,\u201d Leavitt said of 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal. \u201cJoe Biden\u2019s historic failure in Afghanistan continues to haunt this country and our men and women in uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.15 EST<\/p>\n Leavitt begins White House briefing<\/p>\n Karoline Leavitt has started the White House briefing, and outlines a busy week for Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the president will host his ninth cabinet meeting of the year. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump will make an announcement in the Oval Office on his initiative to create Trump accounts. On Thursday, the president will host the President of the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign a peace and economic agreement. That evening Trump and the first lady will take part in the lighting of the national Christmas tree on the Ellipse. And on Friday, the president will attend the Fifa World Cup final draw at the Kennedy Center.<\/p>\n