Archiv: Trump Administration 2025-2029


17:27 [ Tim Kaine, United States Senator from Virginia ]

Dear Attorney General Bondi and Secretary Hegseth:

(November 24, 2025)

Dear Attorney General Bondi and Secretary Hegseth:

We are writing to request expeditious declassification and public release of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel’s written opinion, dated September 5, 2025, concerning the domestic and international legal basis for recent military strikes of certain vessels near South America and the Caribbean, with appropriate redactions necessary to protect military personnel and sensitive intelligence matters.

Significant and noteworthy precedent exists for the public release of OLC opinions related to overseas military action. After the United States carried out military strikes in Libya in 2011 and in Syria in 2018, the Department of Justice released the applicable OLC opinion justifying each operation.

Few decisions are more consequential for a democracy than the use of lethal force. We therefore believe that the declassification and public release of this important document would enhance transparency in the use of deadly force by our Nation’s military and is necessary to ensure Congress and the American people are fully informed of the legal justification supporting these strikes.

Sincerely,

Richard Blumenthal
United States Senator

Jack Reed
United States Senator

Jeanne Shaheen
United States Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator

Mazie K. Hirono
United States Senator

Tim Kaine
United States Senator

Angus S. King, Jr.
United States Senator

Elizabeth Warren
United States Senator

Gary C. Peters
United States Senator

Tammy Duckworth
United States Senator

Jacky Rosen
United States Senator

Mark Kelly
United States Senator

Elissa Slotkin
United States Senator

16:51 [ USA Today ]

Venezuelan boat strikes lack legal justification, Democrats say

There is no U.S. law that explicitly authorizes the U.S. Navy to attack or sink ships at sea outside of a congressionally authorized war or valid self-defense situation, legal experts and Democratic lawmakers say.

The strikes began in September, but Trump administration discussions about them began soon after Trump moved back into the White House in January

16:41 [ USA Today ]

Trump says land strikes in Venezuela will ‚start very soon‘

Amid a buildup of U.S. military forces near Venezuela and strikes on alleged drug boats, President Donald Trump told U.S. troops on Thanksgiving that the military operation will soon include strikes on land.

“In recent weeks, you’ve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers,“ Trump said during a call with military service members that alluded to the boat strikes, adding: „We’ll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.“

16:37 [ Reuters ]

Trump says airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered closed

Venezuela‘s communications ministry, which handles all press inquiries for the government, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Trump‘s post.
The U.S. Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

07:23 [ Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) ]

CAIR Condemns Israeli Occupation’s Massive Attack on West Bank As ‘Latest Act of Ethnic Cleansing’

(November 26, 2025)

In a statement, CAIR said:

“The Israeli occupation’s brutal, massive assault on the West Bank is its latest act of ethnic cleansing and mass murder. The Israeli government is seeking to remove the Palestinian people from their land bit by bit, not only in Gaza but across Palestine. We call on President Trump and the international community to demand an end to the Israeli government’s out-of-control violence.”

06:58 [ Wafa.ps ]

Presidency: Israel‘s war on Palestinians will not bring security or stability

RAMALLAH, November 28, 2025 (WAFA) – Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas, said today that Israel’s ongoing war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, will not achieve security or stability for anyone, and will not grant legitimacy to any measures taken by Israeli authorities.

He stated that the continued Israeli military offensive in Tubas for the third consecutive day, along with the aggression on Jenin and its refugee camp and on Tulkarm and its two refugee camps, will keep the region trapped in a cycle of violence and escalation.

28.11.2025 - 18:27 [ Atlantic Council ]

Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight

(August 28, 2025)

As US-led efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine struggle to gain momentum, Vladimir Putin’s latest territorial demands include the surrender of strategically vital and heavily fortified Ukrainian land in the east of the country. Moscow is calling on Kyiv to unilaterally withdraw from the approximately one-third of Donetsk province that remains in Ukrainian hands as part of any peace deal. In other words, Putin aims to secure territory at the negotiating table that his army has been unable to conquer in more that three and a half years of full-scale war.

28.11.2025 - 00:45 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Zelenskyy: Ukrainian, US delegations to meet to discuss security guarantees

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed a meeting of delegations of Ukraine and the United States at the end of this week to discuss, in particular, better diplomatic positions and security guarantees.

„Our team, together with American representatives, will already this week – at the end of the week – continue to bring the points that we have according to the results of Geneva closer to a form that will lead to peace and security guarantees. There will be a meeting of delegations. The Ukrainian delegation will be well prepared and tuned to substantive work,“ Zelenskyy said during his evening address.

28.11.2025 - 00:39 [ Kyiv Independent ]

Russia‘s coy game: Why Kremlin won‘t commit to Trump‘s peace push

There are signs that the Kremlin is not interested in a U.S.-brokered peace deal at all, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials reiterating maximalist demands and refusing to accept any compromise.

Instead of seeking peace, the Kremlin is trying to buy time and undermine Ukraine’s allies, analysts say. Another goal is to shift the blame to Kyiv by accusing it of rejecting Russian conditions that are effectively tantamount to capitulation.

26.11.2025 - 19:58 [ Donald J. Trump / Truth Social ]

Over the past week, my team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the War between Russia and Ukraine (A War that would have NEVER started if I were President!). Last month 25,000 soldiers died.

The original 28-Point Peace Plan, which was drafted by the United States, has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides, and there are only a few remaining points of disagreement. In the hopes of finalizing this Peace Plan, I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians. I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter, and let’s all hope that PEACE can be accomplished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

26.11.2025 - 19:54 [ Kyiv Independent ]

Witkoff to meet Putin as US sends delegations to Ukraine, Russia in ‚hopes of finalizing‘ peace plan

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as Washington aims to finalize a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Nov. 25.

„In the hopes of finalizing this Peace Plan, I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians,“ Trump said in a post to Truth Social.

26.11.2025 - 19:13 [ RFERL.org ]

Witkoff To Moscow. Zelenskyy Is Wary. A Phone Call Leaks. A Ukraine Peace Plan Coalesces.

“I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere,” Witkoff reportedly said.

Bloomberg did not say how it obtained the recording, which was likely made by US intelligence agencies who routinely monitor and eavesdrop on foreign officials’ conversations.

26.11.2025 - 18:46 [ theHill.com ]

Senate Democrats ask Hegseth, Bondi to declassify DOJ memo on drug boat strikes

(November 24, 2025)

Senate Democrats are asking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi to declassify and publicly release the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel’s classified, written opinion outlining the legal basis for the Trump administration’s strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Thirteen Senate Democrats, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, are demanding an “expeditious declassification and public release” of the classified opinion, which was drafted over the summer and argued that U.S. troops who participate in boat strikes, which have taken place on both sides of South America, cannot be prosecuted.

26.11.2025 - 17:57 [ Elissa Slotkin, U.S. Senator for Michigan ]

Slotkin Demands Declassification and Public Release of Information on the Trump Administration’s Lethal Airstrikes

Nov 24, 2025 | Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) joined members of the Senate Armed Services Committee in writing to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requesting the declassification and public release of the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) written opinion on the Trump Administration’s lethal airstrikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

“Few decisions are more consequential for a democracy than the use of lethal force. We therefore believe that the declassification and public release of this important document would enhance transparency in the use of deadly force by our Nation’s military and is necessary to ensure Congress and the American people are fully informed of the legal justification supporting these strikes,” the Senators wrote.

26.11.2025 - 13:44 [ NPR.org ]

Sen. Mark Kelly: Trump and Hegseth don‘t ‚understand the Constitution‘

On Monday, the Pentagon announced an investigation into Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy fighter pilot, for possible violations of military law for appearing in the video. The video was published as legal questions swirl around the Trump administration‘s deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities.

While the White House has since walked back the president‘s remarks calling the Senators‘ video „seditious behavior, punishable by DEATH,“ Kelly told All Things Considered he thinks President Trump is „declaring that loyalty to the Constitution is punishable by death.“

26.11.2025 - 13:19 [ U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan ]

My Statement on FBI Request for Interviews

President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress.

Yesterday, the FBI contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms requesting interviews. No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution.

We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship.

26.11.2025 - 13:03 [ Congressman Chris Deluzio / X ]

President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress.

Yesterday, the FBI contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms requesting interviews.

No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution.

We swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. We will not be bullied. We will never give up the ship.

26.11.2025 - 12:54 [ Fox News ]

FBI scheduling interviews with 6 lawmakers who encouraged military members to refuse ‚illegal orders‘

On Monday, the Department of War announced that it has opened a formal review into allegations of misconduct against Kelly over the video.

The Pentagon said it may even call Kelly, a retired Navy captain, back to active duty to face court-martial proceedings or other administrative actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Four of the other Democrats are former military, but not retired and therefore are not subject to the UCMJ, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Slotkin is a former CIA officer.

24.11.2025 - 20:14 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Ukraine: Was ist der Stand bei den Verhandlungen zum Kriegsende?

Carsten Kühntopp berichtet aus dem ARD-Studio Washington, dass mehrere Formulierungen des Papiers tatsächlich wie direkte Übersetzungen aus dem Russischen ins Englischen klingen. Das US-Außenministerium dementierte jedoch: die Russen und Ukrainer hätten lediglich Input für den US-Plan geliefert.

Hochrangige Mitarbeiter in Außenministerium und Nationalem Sicherheitsrat erfuhren laut Kühntopp von dem Plan allerdings erst aus der Presse. Die Verwirrung um die Herkunft des Plans spreche entweder für ein chaotisches Vorgehen der Regierung oder für einen Machtkampf zwischen Rubio, Witkoff, Vizepräsident JD Vance und anderen um den richtigen Kurs gegenüber Russland.

24.11.2025 - 17:58 [ theCradle.co ]

US mercenary firm behind aid massacres returning to Gaza under new UN mandate: Report

Between May and October 2025, over 2,600 Palestinians were killed and around 19,000 injured in the attempt to seek life-sustaining aid from GHF sites across Gaza, according to the Drop Site report.

UG Solutions confirmed that it is preparing for “a wide range of potential scenarios,” which could include an advisory presence or “robust security” roles linked to the newly authorized International Stabilization Force (ISF).

That force will fall under a Trump-chaired “Board of Peace” with sweeping powers over Gaza’s reconstruction, security, economic policy, and aid distribution.

24.11.2025 - 17:52 [ Drop Site ]

U.S. Mercenary Firm Tied to Notorious Aid Scheme Is Recruiting for New Gaza Deployment

(November 19, 2025)

A former army officer who applied for a position as an “International Humanitarian Security Officer” at UG Solutions told Drop Site that a company official told him in a job interview at the end of October that 12 to 15 sites were being planned to open in Gaza and that the company was “going to need a lot more guys.” The former army officer spoke to Drop Site on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns.

The future of Gaza is at a critical juncture following this week’s Security Council vote to approve a U.S.-sponsored resolution authorizing an international stabilization force in Gaza, which would not fall under the command of the UN, but rather a so-called Board of Peace chaired by President Donald Trump.

24.11.2025 - 17:47 [ Middle East Eye ]

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announces end of ‚mission‘ in Gaza

The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) has announced the end of its „mission“ in Gaza.

The GHF began closing its food distribution sites in the enclave last month after the UN was allowed to resume some deliveries in Gaza.

Hundreds of Palestinians were shot dead at sites run by the group, who were backed by the US and Israel and widely condemned by other aid agencies.

24.11.2025 - 07:22 [ Washington Post ]

U.S., Ukraine agree to change draft of peace plan that appeased Russia

Negotiators in Geneva had been working off an earlier proposal that bipartisan lawmakers say would further destabilize global security by rewarding Russia after its 2022 invasion.

24.11.2025 - 07:20 [ Tagesschau.de ]

USA und Ukraine überarbeiten Entwurf für Friedensplan

Das Treffen in Genf hat offenbar Fortschritte gebracht: Vertreter der USA und der Ukraine haben gemeinsam einen überarbeiteten Entwurf für einen Plan zum Ende des Krieges erstellt. Eine erste Version hatte vor allem den Interessen Moskaus entsprochen.

24.11.2025 - 07:03 [ PBS.org ]

U.S. senators say Rubio told them Trump’s Ukraine peace plan is Russian ‘wish list’

Rounds said „it looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with.“

The senators said they spoke to Rubio after he reached out to some of them while on his way to Geneva for talks on the plan. Independent Maine Sen. Angus King said Rubio told them the plan „was not the administration‘s plan“ but a „wish list of the Russians.“

The bipartisan group of senators, who are veteran legislators and among those most focused on foreign relations, stood together at the press conference as they relayed Rubio‘s message on the call.

24.11.2025 - 07:01 [ Kyiv Independent ]

Rubio facing scrutiny after telling US senators that 28-point plan is a Russian proposal passed along to Ukraine

The U.S. bipartisan Senate delegation attending the Halifax International Security Forum had received a phone call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

In it, Rubio was quite frank.

According to Republican Senator Mike Rounds, Rubio told senators that the 28-point peace plan drawn up by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his Russian counterpart, Kirill Dmitriev, was actually a Russian plan that the U.S. had agreed to pass along to Ukraine.

24.11.2025 - 06:53 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Zelenskyy: Now is one of most difficult moments in our history: either difficult 28 points, or extremely difficult winter

Ukraine is currently under some of the most intense pressure, and the state could face a very difficult choice: either a loss of dignity, or the risk of losing a key partner, or the difficult 28 points, or an extremely difficult winter, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

„We are now in one of the most difficult moments in our history. The pressure on Ukraine is at its heaviest. Ukraine could now face a very difficult choice: either the loss of dignity, or the risk of losing a key partner. Either the difficult 28 points, or an extremely difficult winter. The most difficult and further risks,“ he said in an address to Ukrainians on Friday.

20.11.2025 - 20:35 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Zelenskyy after meeting with US Army Secretary: Ukraine, USA to work on points of plan to end war

Zelenskyy also separately informed about Russia‘s terrible strike on Ternopil.

„The X-101 missile, with which the Russian army hit an ordinary high-rise building yesterday, was manufactured in 2025. It contains 175 foreign components that still enter Russia bypassing sanctions. We are counting on the help of the United States in limiting all schemes,“ the president said.

He handed over to Secretary Driscoll specific materials with information about the companies that produce critical components, the countries of origin, and the parts themselves.

20.11.2025 - 20:30 [ UnderstandingWar.org ]

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 19, 2025

(November 19, 2025)

Key Takeaways

Russia killed at least 26 Ukrainian civilians and injured at least 139 on the night of November 18 to 19 during its combined missile and drone strikes that disproportionately impacted civilian areas.
US and Russian officials reportedly drafted a 28-point peace plan that amounts to Ukraine’s full capitulation and would set conditions for renewed Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The reported proposed peace plan would deprive Ukraine of critical defensive positions and capabilities necessary to defend against future Russian aggression, apparently in exchange for nothing.
This reported peace plan is fundamentally the same as Russia’s 2022 Istanbul demands, which Russia presented to Ukraine when the circumstances on the battlefield appeared to favor Russia more heavily.
Russia’s long-held demands are dependent on the false premise that a Russian battlefield victory is inevitable.
Ukraine’s interdiction efforts are preventing Russian forces from using vehicles and concentrating manpower in Pokrovsk and are likely slowing down Russia’s rate of advance within the town.
Russian forces recently advanced near Borova and Hulyaipole.

20.11.2025 - 19:29 [ New York Times ]

U.S.-Russian Peace Plan Would Force Ukraine to Cede Land and Cut Army

(November 19, 2025)

A plan to end the war in Ukraine, negotiated between the Trump administration and Russia, would require Kyiv to surrender territory, significantly reduce the size of its army and relinquish some types of weaponry, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

The 28-point proposal, drafted without Ukrainian involvement, reflects the maximalist demands the Kremlin has made throughout the war, which Ukraine has long denounced as amounting to capitulation.

20.11.2025 - 19:23 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Der ukrainische Korruptionsskandal als Inszenierung – Selenskyj soll stürzen

Dass die Korruptionsvorwürfe jetzt erhoben werden, deutet auf ein fein abgestimmtes Timing. Der Druck auf Selenskyj soll erhöht werden.

Inzwischen tauchen Gerüchte auf, dass Selenskyj territorialen Abtretungen an Russland unter der Bedingung zugestimmt haben soll, dass ihm persönliche Immunität und Schutz zugesichert wird. Die Ankündigung der Ermittlungsbehörde NABU, noch weitere spannende Enthüllungen auf Lager zu haben, scheint seine Wirkung auf den inneren Machtzirkel Kiews zu entfalten.

Die Korruptionsgeschichte entpuppt sich immer deutlicher als Inszenierung. Bitte nicht falsch verstehen: Natürlich ist die Ukraine bis in die politischen Eliten hinein hoch korrupt. Daran besteht kein Zweifel. Nur scheint man in den USA die Entscheidung getroffen haben, Kiew genau jetzt über den seit langem ausgelegten Fallstrick stolpern zu lassen.

20.11.2025 - 00:14 [ ProPublica.org ]

We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

Reporting Highlights

– Americans Detained: The government doesn’t track how many citizens are held by immigration agents. We found more than 170 cases this year where citizens were detained at raids and protests.

– Held Incommunicado: More than 20 citizens have reported being held for over a day without being able to call their loved ones or a lawyer. In some cases their families couldn’t find them.

– Cases Wilted: Agents have arrested about 130 Americans, including a dozen elected officials, for allegedly interfering with or assaulting officers, yet those cases were often dropped.

20.11.2025 - 00:10 [ @ChicagoTribune / Youtube ]

Chicago woman dragged out of her car after colliding with ICE demands accountability

(Nov 3, 2025)

Warning: Graphic language. Video shows the vehicle collision between federal agents and Dayanne Figueroa in Chicago‘s West Town neighborhood on Oct. 10, 2025. (Provided by Fernando Figueroa)