A spokesperson for [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) blamed “Deep State Trump-haters and bad faith actors” for a bombshell [report](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/02/trump-campaign-egypt-investigation/) on Friday about a secret criminal investigation into whether [Abdel Fatah al-Sisi](https://www.theguardian.com/world/abdel-fatah-al-sisi), the authoritarian ruler of [Egypt](https://www.theguardian.com/world/egypt), sought to give the former president $10m during his [victorious 2016 White House run](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-elections-2016). “The investigation referenced found no wrongdoing and was closed,” Steven Cheung told the Washington Post, which [published the report on Friday](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/02/trump-campaign-egypt-investigation/). “None of the allegations or insinuations being reported on have any basis in fact. The Washington Post is consistently played for suckers by Deep State Trump-haters and bad faith actors peddling hoaxes and shams.” The deep state conspiracy theory holds that a permanent, shadow government of agents, operatives and bureaucrats exists to thwart Trump. One of the theory’s chief propagators, Steve Bannon, has said it is “[for nut cases](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/03/trump-steve-bannon-deep-state-conspiracy-theory)”. Nonetheless, it remains popular on the US right and among Trump’s aides. Bannon was Trump’s campaign chair in 2016. According to the Post, five days before Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, an organisation linked to Egyptian intelligence services withdrew $10m from a Cairo bank. “Inside the state-run National Bank of Egypt,” the Post said, “employees were soon busy placing bundles of $100 bills into two large bags.” Four men “carried away the bags, which US officials later described in sealed court filings as weighing a combined 200 pounds and containing what was then a sizable share of Egypt’s reserve of US currency”. According to the Post, US federal investigators learned of the withdrawal in 2019, by which time they had spent two years investigating CIA intelligence that indicated Sisi sought to give Trump $10m. Such a contribution would potentially have violated federal law regarding foreign donations. This year, in a New York state case concerning hush-money payments to the adult film star [Stormy Daniels](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/06/stormy-daniels-gofundme-alleged-threats-), Trump was [convicted](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/30/trump-trial-hush-money-verdict) on 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records. According to the Post, US investigators who discovered the $10m Cairo withdrawal “also sought to learn if money from Sisi might have factored into Trump’s decision in the final days of his run for the White House to inject his campaign with $10m of his own money”. Eight years on, with Trump running for president again, the Post report landed in the aftermath of the [bribery conviction](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/16/bob-menendez-bribery-verdict) of Robert Menendez, a Democratic senator from New Jersey who took gold bars and cash from Egyptian sources. Menendez faces a maximum sentence of 222 years. [While in office](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/9/24/trump-praises-el-sisi-not-concerned-with-egypt-protests), Trump [repeatedly](https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/09/politics/donald-trump-egypt-abdel-fattah-al-sisi-meeting-white-house/index.html) praised Sisi, over objections from US politicians concerned about the Egyptian’s authoritarian rule. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/02/trump-campaign-2016-egypt-investigation#EmailSignup-skip-link-15) Sign up to The Stakes — US Election Edition The Guardian guides you through the chaos of a hugely consequential presidential election **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion As described [by the Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/02/trump-campaign-egypt-investigation/), the US investigation which uncovered the Cairo withdrawal was questioned by William Barr, Trump’s second attorney general. Ultimately, a prosecutor appointed by Barr closed the inquiry without criminal charges being filed. Later, as the 2020 election approached, CNN [reported](https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/14/politics/trump-campaign-donation-investigation/index.html) that a mysterious DC courthouse hearing in 2018 – involving prosecutors working for Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election – concerned an Egyptian bank. A Trump spokesperson, Jason Miller, said then: “President Trump has never received a penny from Egypt.” On Friday, Cheung, Trump’s current spokesperson, called the Post report “textbook fake news”. The justice department, the US attorney in Washington DC and the FBI declined to answer questions, the Post [said](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/02/trump-campaign-egypt-investigation/). The prosecutor who closed the case, Michael Sherwin, said he stood by his decision. An Egyptian government spokesperson declined to answer the Post’s questions. An anonymous government source [told the Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/02/trump-campaign-egypt-investigation/): “Every American should be concerned about how this case ended. The justice department is supposed to follow evidence wherever it leads – it does so all the time to determine if a crime occurred or not.”

Usually, after a deadly emergency or an event that could have become one, the governor of the state where it happened somberly pledges to support the agency investigating it however he or she can. This is not quite what happened in Florida after the apparent attempted assassination of Donald Trump on one of his golf courses over the weekend. Instead, after the F.B.I. announced it was investigating the incident, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican, announced that his state would do its own research on what had happened. “In my judgment, it’s not in the best interest of our state or our nation to have the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump leading this investigation,” DeSantis said on Tuesday morning at a news conference in West Palm Beach, raising the possibility that [the suspect, Ryan Routh](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/16/us/trump-suspect-golf-course-routh.html), could face a state charge of attempted murder. It is not uncommon for state and federal investigators to conduct parallel inquiries after a major event — but it is uncommon for state leaders to publicly impugn federal investigators in the process. It’s a sign of the way Sunday’s incident has become the latest front in the war that Trump’s party is waging with federal law enforcement, and the latest example of Republicans seeking to release their own version of the facts to score political points. So today, I reached out to my colleague [Patricia Mazzei](https://www.nytimes.com/by/patricia-mazzei), the Miami bureau chief for The New York Times, to ask about the apparent assassination attempt and DeSantis’s investigation. Our conversation was edited and condensed. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F09%2F17%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-assassination-attempt-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F09%2F17%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-assassination-attempt-investigation.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F09%2F17%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-assassination-attempt-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F09%2F17%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-assassination-attempt-investigation.html).

“The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion,” said the [Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election,](https://www.justice.gov/archives/sco/file/1373816/dl) AKA the Mueller Report. “A Russian entity carried out a social media campaign that favored presidential candidate Donald J Trump and disparaged presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.” Robert Mueller, the special counsel, did not criminally charge Trump but did not give him a clean bill of health, contrary to misleading claims made by Bill Barr, Trump’s attorney general, in a 24 March 2019 letter – AKA the Barr Report. Barr’s bad-faith action angered Mueller and members of his team, among them prosecutors Aaron Zebley, James Quarles and Andrew Goldstein. So much so, the three have now written a book of their time at what was once the central maelstrom of American politics. “The purpose of appointing a special counsel was to shield the investigation from political interference so there would be public confidence in the outcome,” the three men now write in Interference, their look back at their time in the special counsel’s office. “That required the public to see our actual analysis and conclusions, not those of a politically appointed attorney general.” Under the subtitle The Inside Story of Trump, [Russia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/russia), and the Mueller Investigation, Zebley, Quarles and Goldstein shed new light on the decisions not to subpoena or indict Trump, who Mueller nonetheless saw as a “subject” – someone “whose conduct is within the scope of the investigation”. The tenor of Interference is sober, not breathy. Its prose is dry. This is a book by establishmentarian lawyers. Their boss, an ex-US marine and FBI director, earned the sobriquet “Bobby Three-Sticks”, a reference to his name and the three-fingered Boy Scout salute. Justice department protocols barred federal prosecutors from charging an incumbent president, yet doubts lingered. “The department had twice taken the position, in writing, that a sitting president could not be indicted,” the authors acknowledge. But “if the special counsel’s office had evidence proving Trump truly was a Manchurian candidate, a puppet who was being directed by Russia in a way that was an immediate and ongoing threat, then the public interest in an indictment might be so great as to warrant pushing the department to revisit the \[Office of Legal Counsel\] opinion in order to safeguard the nation”. Also, Rod Rosenstein, the Janus-faced deputy attorney general who oversaw Mueller after Jeff Sessions, Trump’s first attorney general, recused himself, reportedly instructed Mueller to limit his investigation to criminal conduct connected with Russia’s election interference. “This is a criminal investigation,” Rosenstein purportedly [told Mueller](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/us/politics/trump-russia-justice-department.html). “Do your job, and then shut it down.” Examination of Trump’s prior ties to Russia was outside Mueller’s remit. Furthermore, a 2 August 2017 “scope memo” between Rosenstein and the special counsel gave the deputy attorney general the power to veto new lines of investigation, Zebley, Quarles and Goldstein now disclose. We know how the story ends. Trump was not charged. Associates were convicted, only to be pardoned. Roger Stone and Paul Manafort remain in Trumpworld. Zebley, Quarles and Goldstein portray Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, as untrustworthy. By the end, Mueller “decided he would never again meet or speak with Giuliani – and he never did”. Giuliani is now under indictment in Arizona and Georgia, for his role in Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Not everyone who worked for Mueller was thrilled with Zebley, Quarles and Goldstein. Andrew Weissmann, a Mueller deputy, now a New York University law professor and MSNBC commentator, has strafed Zebley for being overly cautious, adhering to a narrow reading of the special counsel’s mandate. In [Where Law Ends](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/27/where-law-ends-review-robert-mueller-donald-trump-andrew-weissmann): Inside the Mueller Investigation, his 2020 memoir, Weissmann hearkened back to the generals who served Abraham Lincoln, comparing Zebley to the “timorous” George McClellan, reluctant to fight the Confederates, while presenting himself as a hero, an approximation of Philip Sheridan and Ulysses S Grant. In turn, Zebley, Quarles and Goldstein see Weissmann as a zealot. Mueller and Zebley knew him but the decision to bring him on board engendered discussion. “He had a reputation for being unduly harsh with some defendants,” the authors write. In addition, Weissmann was already collecting information on Manafort, “almost as though it had been a hobby”. Maybe “that should have caused us to consider whether he was too interested in the investigation”. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/29/interference-book-review-mueller-report#EmailSignup-skip-link-15) Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion Later, the authors describe Weissmann’s failed efforts to have the Manhattan district attorney resurrect the federal case against Manafort, after he had received a Trump pardon. As Interference arrives, the US is embroiled in another brutal election. Again, the Kremlin is in the mix. Earlier this month, the justice department [indicted](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-rt-employees-indicted-covertly-funding-and-directing-us-company-published-thousands) two employees of RT, the Russian propaganda machine, as part of “a $10m scheme to create and distribute content to US audiences”. Pro-Trump American lackeys purportedly benefited from such largesse. Trump continues to brag about his relationship with the Russian leader and his ilk. “I know Putin very well,” [he announced](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harris-trump-presidential-debate-transcript/story?id=113560542) at the September debate. “I have a good relationship.” Also in September, federal prosecutors charged Dimitri and Anastasia Simes in a scheme to evade sanctions and launder money at the behest of Channel One Russia. Dimitri Simes previously led a thinktank with ties to the Kremlin and Trumpworld. His name appeared dozens of times in the Mueller Report, earning a whole subsection, Dimitri Simes and the Center for the National Interest. As he seeks a second presidency, Trump is unhinged and unrestrained. “I am your retribution,” he tells supporters. “I’m being indicted for you.” “We were not prepared then,” Mueller writes in his introduction to Interference, “and, despite many efforts of dedicated people across the government, we are not prepared now. This threat deserves the attention of every American. Russia attacked us before and will do so again.” * _Interference: The Inside Story of Trump, Russia, and the Mueller Investigation is_ _[published in the US](https://bookshop.org/p/books/untitled-s-s-nf-if-to-be-confirmed-simon-schuster/21389318?ean=9781668063743)_ _by HarperCollins_

The [Trump administration](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration) protected Brett Kavanaugh from facing a full FBI investigation in the wake of serious allegations that he sexually assaulted two women – once in high school and once in college – during his controversial 2018 Senate confirmation to become a supreme court justice, according to a new report. An investigation led by the Democratic senator Sheldon Whitehouse also found that both the Trump White House and the [FBI](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/fbi) “misled the public and the Senate” about the scope of the investigation it did conduct into the sexual assault allegations by falsely claiming that the FBI had conducted its investigation thoroughly and “by the book”. Kavanaugh’s confirmation by the Senate seemed to be in doubt after Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University, alleged he had sexually assaulted her while the two were in high school. A classmate at Yale, named Deborah Ramirez, alleged in a report published by the New Yorker that Kavanaugh had exposed himself at a drunken dormitory party. Kavanaugh denied both allegations. The Senate judiciary committee agreed after Ford publicly testified about her allegations that the FBI conduct a supplemental background check to examine those allegations before the full Senate voted on his nomination. In the aftermath of Kavanaugh’s ultimate confirmation by the Senate, in a 50-48 vote, Whitehouse and his staff set out on a six-year investigation to try to find answers about how the FBI conducted its investigation. The investigation was hampered, Whitehouse said, by executive branch delays, reluctance to answer even basic questions, and often incomplete answers. “In 2018, I [pledged](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOTDMnnYXdk) to Christine Blasey Ford that I’d keep digging, for however long it took, and not give up or move on from Senate Republicans and the Trump White House’s shameful confirmation process for Justice Kavanaugh,” Whitehouse said. “This report shows that the supplemental background investigation was a sham, controlled by the Trump White House, to give political cover to Senate Republicans and put Justice Kavanaugh back on the political track to confirmation.” The findings are significant because at least eight senators cited the FBI’s findings – that “no corroborating evidence” had been found to back up the allegations against Kavanaugh – when they voted to confirm the justice. They include the then majority leader, Mitch McConnell, Shelley Moore Capito, former senator Jeff Flake and Bob Corker, Chuck Grassley and Susan Collins. In reality, the Whitehouse report claims the FBI’s limited supplemental background investigation involved only a “handful” of interviews of relevant witnesses, and ignored other potential sources, including Kavanaugh himself, Ford, or others who had offered to give the FBI corroborating or otherwise relevant information. Ford was not interviewed, the report said, even though her attorney repeatedly contacted the FBI directly to request the FBI interview her. A lawyer for Ramirez provided lists of suggested witnesses to the FBI, including a list of 20 additional witnesses likely to have relevant information who Ramirez suspected could corroborate her account. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/08/trump-brett-kavanaugh-investigation-fbi#EmailSignup-skip-link-13) Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion In one case, a former classmate of Kavanaugh at Yale named Max Stier sought to come forward to report that he had once witnessed Kavanaugh with his pants down at a drunken party, and that his friends pushed the future justice’s penis into the hands of a female student. The alleged incident was separate from others that became public during the investigation but bore similarities to the allegations made by Ramirez. Stier notified the Senate and the FBI about his account, according to media reports, but the matter was never investigated by the FBI. The FBI director, Christopher Wray, was even personally notified by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware about Stier’s account but he was never contacted. Stier, who runs a non-profit in Washington, has declined to discuss the matter with the Guardian. He is married to Florence Pan, who serves as a circuit judge on the US court of appeals, a post formerly held by the supreme court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. In response to the release of the report, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, lawyers for Ford, said in a statement: “Dr Ford performed a heroic act of public service that came at a steep personal cost for her and those close to her. We know today that Trump White House officials acted to hide the truth. They conspired, with the FBI complicit, to silence those who offered important evidence, including one college classmate who ‘saw Mr Kavanaugh with his pants down at a different drunken dorm party, where friends pushed his penis into the hand of a female student.’ We also know that this will likely result in no consequences for those involved, though it should.” The FBI also declined to pursue information it received through the agency’s tip line. The tips were forwarded directly to the White House.

 MIAMI — Florida’s Attorney General is asking a federal judge to stop the U.S. Justice Department from blocking the state from investigating and [prosecuting Ryan Routh](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/16/nx-s1-5113801/trump-shooting-assassination-attempt-suspect-ryan-wesley-routh). Routh is charged with attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump while he was golfing in September. Deputies arrested Routh after fleeing from what the FBI says was a “sniper’s nest” at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach. He’s [charged with several counts](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/24/g-s1-24421/donald-trump-assassination-attempt-charges-ryan-routh), including attempting to assassinate a major Presidential candidate. Routh has [pleaded not guilty](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/30/nx-s1-5133485/ryan-routh-donald-trump-pleads-not-guilty-charge-attempt-assassination). Shortly after his arrest, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state would [open its own investigation](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/17/g-s1-23430/florida-prosecution-ryan-routh-trump). At a news conference, DeSantis questioned whether the Justice Department, which is prosecuting Trump in two criminal cases, can handle Routh’s prosecution fairly and transparently. The federal government quickly blocked that move. Justice Department officials cited a law which gives the federal government superseding authority over state investigations in cases like this. In a letter to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, U.S. Attorney for Florida’s Southern District Markenzy Lapointe said that the federal indictment of Routh on a charge of attempted assassination “resolves any potential uncertainty” about whether the federal law preempting the state’s authority applies. That same law, Lapointe says, “does not preclude state prosecutions permissibly following the conclusion of the federal prosecution.” Moody has [filed a complaint](https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=25250029-moody-comp) in federal court asking a judge to overrule the Justice Department’s action and allow the state’s investigation of Routh to go forward. She says forcing Florida to wait to begin its investigation until the federal government completes its prosecution makes the state’s case harder to prove at trial. “Evidence disappears, memories fade, and the State has no way to force the federal government to cooperate.” By blocking the state’s investigation and prosecution of Routh, she says the federal government is illegally taking authority from the state guaranteed under the Constitution’s 10th amendment. “The federal government’s attempt to thwart Florida’s investigation vastly overreads (the law),” Moody says, “and any enforcement of it would constitute illegal executive action.” It's not clear when the federal judge will rule on the request.

 President-elect Donald Trump has selected Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his attorney general, tapping the combative Florida Republican to the key post as Trump potentially aims to rein in the independence of the Justice Department. Gaetz, 42, would take the helm of a department that as recently as last year was investigating him for possible sex trafficking offenses. Ultimately, prosecutors recommended against bringing charges against him after a long-running probe. In a statement on his Truth Social account, Trump called Gaetz a "deeply gifted and tenacious attorney" and said he "has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice." "Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System," Trump added. "Matt will end Weaponized Government, protest our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department." Gaetz has been a close ally of Trump, particularly in supporting him during his New York criminal trial. Gaetz was [one of several GOP politicians](https://www.npr.org/2024/05/16/1251767758/trump-trial-michael-cohen) who traveled to New York to sit in on the historic proceedings and testimony. Gaetz has served for several years on the House Judiciary Committee, where he was a fierce critic of the Russia investigation and staunch supporter of Trump. He was also the prime mover behind former Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy's political defenestration last year. McCarthy did not block a separate House Ethics Committee investigation tied to sex trafficking and drug allegations into Gaetz. Gaetz has denied those allegations and noted that the related FBI investigation that began in 2020 was closed without charges. If confirmed, Gaetz would also oversee the FBI. Should Gaetz be confirmed as attorney general, the ethics investigation in the House would end. "Once a member of Congress is no longer a member, whether they resign or whether they or whatever the circumstances of the House Ethics Committee does in fact lose jurisdiction," Rep. Michael Guest, the chair of that committee, explained. Guest said he could not comment on any ongoing work within the committee. _NPR's Lexie Shapitl and Barbara Sprunt contributed reporting._

Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft’s business practices, starting off a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft's business practices, starting a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon. The FTC is investigating Microsoft's cloud computing business and related product lines such as [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence) and cybersecurity, according to a person who was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It's the latest action of more than three years of aggressive antitrust enforcement shepherded by FTC Chair Lina Khan, [who was elevated](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-57d894c1f85a5d6d2ad4d7d05934e4f8) to lead the agency by President Joe Biden after he came into office pledging tougher scrutiny of monopolistic behavior by Big Tech companies. Khan's FTC already lost one antitrust fight with Microsoft last year when a federal [judge declined to block](https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-activision-xbox-playstation-call-of-duty-2322c62e67e6c1316b3ce043e66cff62) its $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. This case would go deeper into the core of Microsoft's business in a way the company hasn't experienced in the U.S. since its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department in the 1990s. Microsoft declined to comment. Bloomberg News first reported about the investigation last week. The case will only move forward if President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the FTC decides to continue the investigation and take it to court. Some analysts are expecting a lighter approach to the tech industry under Trump, though incoming Vice President JD Vance has praised Khan's work. A number of other tech-related antitrust matters are also in play, including the Department of Justice's [investigation into chipmaker Nvidia](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-openai-microsoft-ai-antitrust-investigation-ftc-doj-0adc9a4a30d4b581a4f07894473ba548) and its push to break up Google — possibly [spinning off the Chrome web browser](https://apnews.com/article/google-android-chrome-antitrust-f4b73387d152a1c14c9df65bf0149a69) — after a federal judge ruled Google [maintained an illegal monopoly](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/5/24155520/judge-rules-on-us-doj-v-google-antitrust-search-suit) for the last decade.

Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft’s business practices, starting off a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft's business practices, starting a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon. The FTC is investigating Microsoft's cloud computing business and related product lines such as [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence) and cybersecurity, according to a person who was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It's the latest action of more than three years of aggressive antitrust enforcement shepherded by FTC Chair Lina Khan, [who was elevated](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-57d894c1f85a5d6d2ad4d7d05934e4f8) to lead the agency by President Joe Biden after he came into office pledging tougher scrutiny of monopolistic behavior by Big Tech companies. Khan's FTC already lost one antitrust fight with Microsoft last year when a federal [judge declined to block](https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-activision-xbox-playstation-call-of-duty-2322c62e67e6c1316b3ce043e66cff62) its $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. This case would go deeper into the core of Microsoft's business in a way the company hasn't experienced in the U.S. since its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department in the 1990s. Microsoft declined to comment. Bloomberg News first reported about the investigation last week. The case will only move forward if President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the FTC decides to continue the investigation and take it to court. Some analysts are expecting a lighter approach to the tech industry under Trump, though incoming Vice President JD Vance has praised Khan's work. A number of other tech-related antitrust matters are also in play, including the Department of Justice's [investigation into chipmaker Nvidia](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-openai-microsoft-ai-antitrust-investigation-ftc-doj-0adc9a4a30d4b581a4f07894473ba548) and its push to break up Google — possibly [spinning off the Chrome web browser](https://apnews.com/article/google-android-chrome-antitrust-f4b73387d152a1c14c9df65bf0149a69) — after a federal judge ruled Google [maintained an illegal monopoly](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/5/24155520/judge-rules-on-us-doj-v-google-antitrust-search-suit) for the last decade.

Florida officials filed charges on Wednesday against the man accused of [trying to assassinate](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/15/us/politics/trump-shooting-golf-course.html) President-elect Donald J. Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September, defying federal prosecutors who had asked the state to suspend its investigation while their own moved forward. The state charged Ryan W. Routh with attempted felony murder, citing injuries that a child sustained in a crash on Interstate 95 shortly after police officers shut down the highway in pursuit of Mr. Routh. He [has pleaded not guilty](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/us/trump-golf-ryan-routh-gunman-plea.html) to federal charges, including the [attempted assassination of a presidential candidate](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/23/us/politics/trump-assassination-attempt-routh-hearing.html). Ashley Moody, the Florida attorney general, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, both Republicans, have repeatedly criticized the Biden Justice Department over its investigation of Mr. Routh, questioning federal prosecutors’ credibility because [until recently](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/us/politics/jack-smith-trump-election-documents-charges.html), they were also prosecuting Mr. Trump. Mr. DeSantis [began the state’s parallel investigation](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/17/us/politics/trump-assassination-attempt-investigation.html) two days after the shooting, saying the federal agencies could not be trusted. In October, Ms. Moody sued the Justice Department, asking a federal judge to stop the department from blocking the state’s investigation after federal authorities said theirs should proceed first. Ms. Moody’s complaint said that among other things, federal officials did not want Florida to interview witnesses while the federal investigation was going on. Having dueling federal and state investigations could complicate them both, especially because the federal system does not allow for depositions as the state system does, said David S. Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Miami who is now a defense lawyer. When a witness provides statements to multiple investigators, defense lawyers become more likely to find inconsistencies in the testimonies that could allow them to create reasonable doubt. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fus%2Fflorida-trump-assassination-plot-charges.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fus%2Fflorida-trump-assassination-plot-charges.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fus%2Fflorida-trump-assassination-plot-charges.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F12%2F18%2Fus%2Fflorida-trump-assassination-plot-charges.html).

President Trump fired 17 inspectors general, the internal watchdogs who monitor federal agencies, on Friday night, capping a week of dramatic shake-ups of the federal bureaucracy focused on loyalty to the president, three people with knowledge of the matter said. The sweeping move did not affect Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general for the Justice Department, according to one of the people with knowledge of the matter. But inspectors general at several major agencies were believed to have been fired. The Washington Post [reported the firings](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/24/trump-fire-inspectors-general-federal-agencies/) earlier. A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The firings threatened to upend the traditional independence of the internal watchdogs, and critics of Mr. Trump reacted with alarm. “Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse and preventing misconduct,” Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, said in a statement. “President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption.” People involved in the Trump transition had signaled such a shake-up was likely. And it is in keeping with an effort that Mr. Trump began in early 2020, when he dismissed five inspectors general from their roles. At the time, Mr. Trump was dealing with a raging coronavirus pandemic across the country, but he also was seeking to reshape the government to remove people he saw as trying to damage him. That included Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community, who dealt with the anonymous whistle-blower complaint that led to Mr. Trump’s first impeachment by the House. Democrats accused Mr. Trump of trying to gut the independent offices. Mr. Horowitz delivered to the Justice Department in late 2019 a report about the F.B.I. investigation of potential links between his campaign and Russians that began in 2016, called Crossfire Hurricane. Mr. Horowitz found that the F.B.I. had a valid basis for opening the investigation, but he was critical of the application for a warrant to secretly monitor a Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page. He also said the F.B.I. director at the time the investigation was opened, James B. Comey, had violated the department’s policy with secret memos about his interactions with Mr. Trump that later became public. The Justice Department declined to prosecute Mr. Comey, a decision that infuriated Mr. Trump.

**Welcome to The Logoff.** Today’s edition is about Donald Trump’s efforts to purge the Federal Bureau of Investigation of his perceived enemies — a power struggle with ramifications for the rule of law throughout the United States. **What’s happened so far?** On Friday night, the Department of Justice moved to fire several senior FBI executives — including the head of the Washington field office. Additionally, DOJ is demanding a list of FBI personnel who investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. **What’s next?** DOJ says the list will be reviewed “to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary” — raising the possibility that they’ll fire some or all of the thousands of FBI staff who worked on the January 6 investigation. **Meanwhile, legal advisers are preparing to sue to block the firings if they go forward.** **Is this normal?** Absolutely not. I asked two scholars of FBI history if there was any precedent for this. Both said no. Agents can be fired for corruption or incompetence after a review, but a mass firing for participating in an investigation is unheard of, they said. **What’s the larger context?** The firing of top officials could make the FBI less effective in critical areas such as counterterrorism. And mass firings of FBI staff involved in the January 6 investigation would serve as a warning to bureau employees about what happens if they investigate Trump’s political allies, corroding the independence the agency depends on to enforce federal law. **What’s the long-term fear?** Both historians mentioned potential long-term fears for the rule of law — and for civil liberties — if Trump continues on this path. “This is what authoritarian secret service and intelligence operations look like,” Beverly Gage, a history professor at Yale University who wrote a book about the FBI, told me. “They are the security wing of one man, serving at his behest, rewarding his friends and punishing his enemies. … We’ve got a lot of battles ahead, but it is extremely bad news.” As a reminder: Logging off doesn’t mean turning off your brain. It means taking care of yourself so you — and not the doomscroll — are in charge. To that end, I offer this remarkable Vox piece about [one person’s quest for confidence](https://www.vox.com/even-better/392058/gaining-confidence-coach-research-self-improvement-success), and all the revelations she had along the way. See More: * [Donald Trump](https://www.vox.com/donald-trump) * [Politics](https://www.vox.com/politics) * [Trump Administration](https://www.vox.com/trump-administration)

 ROME — Donald Trump Jr. has angered Italian politicians who accuse his hunting crew of killing a rare duck. The president's eldest son appeared in a video posted on the website of Field Ethos — an outdoor adventure brand he co-founded — hunting in wetlands bordering Italy's Venice Lagoon. The footage shows Trump wearing camouflage, shooting birds out of the sky and appearing beside a pile of dead birds. Experts identified one of the birds as a ruddy shelduck, a protected species in Europe. It's not clear from the video, which has since been removed from the site, who in the hunting party allegedly killed a protected bird, but the saga has set off what one Italian [newspaper called](https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2025/02/05/news/venezia_trump_jr_caccia_proibita-423982384/) the "Donald Duck crisis." Green party politicians in Italy's Veneto region are pressing for an investigation of Trump and his hunting party, saying killing a ruddy shelduck is a crime. "Yesterday morning, before attending the meeting of the Regional Council in Venice, I filed a complaint with the Forest Police of Mestre Venice regarding the controversial hunting trip of Donald Trump Jr. in the Venice Lagoon protected by the European Union," regional legislator [Andrea Zanoni with the Europe Green party said](https://www.facebook.com/andreazanonix/posts/pfbid02fycL8ri9Q7BuR1Q1SszQapWWkyM9WvnoneJJUt2Y9QyfFJcYe2FMwM9CERzZhdBjl) in a Facebook post Wednesday. Another party member in Italy's lower house has also raised the issue with the country's environment minister, The [Associated Press reported](https://apnews.com/article/italy-trump-jr-duck-hunt-investigation-415a449c345800ee974bc12738fc4be1). Donald Trump Jr. did not reply to NPR's request for comment. But his spokesperson, Andy Surabian, told AP that "Don takes following all rules, regulations and conservation on his hunts very seriously and plans on fully cooperating with any investigation." Hunting is legal but strictly regulated in Italy. Surabian said the group was hunting with permits in a legally permitted area.

[Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) on Tuesday opened yet another front in his assault on global trade norms, ordering a new investigation into possible tariffs on copper imports to rebuild US production of a metal critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, semiconductors and a wide range of consumer goods. Trump, looking to thwart what his advisers see as a move by China to dominate the global copper market, signed an order directing commerce secretary Howard Lutnick to start a new national security investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the same law that Trump used in his first term to impose 25% global tariffs on steel and aluminum. A White House official said any potential tariff rate would be determined by the investigation, adding that Trump preferred tariffs over quotas. The White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said the investigation would be completed quickly, “in Trump time”. [ What are the tariffs on steel and aluminum Trump announced? ](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/10/trump-steel-aluminum-tax) Navarro claimed China was using state subsidies and economic influence to gain control over global copper production, in much the same way it now dominates steel and aluminum production. That said, the countries set to be most affected by any new US copper tariffs would be Chile, Canada and Mexico, which were the top suppliers of refined copper and copper articles in 2024, according to US Census Bureau data. “Like our steel and aluminum industries, our great American copper industry has been decimated by global actors attacking our domestic production,” Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, said in a statement. “To build back our copper industry, I will investigate the imposition of possible tariffs.“ Lutnick said US industries and national defense depended on copper and “it should be made in America, no exemptions, no exceptions”. “It’s time for copper to come home,” Lutnick added. The White House official said the investigation would look at imports of raw mined copper, copper concentrates, copper alloy, scrap copper and derivative products made from the metal. The official declined to identify any specific derivatives, saying that would prejudge the investigation. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/25/trump-copper-tariffs-investigation#EmailSignup-skip-link-11) Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion The official added that the Department of Energy recognized copper as a critical material in the medium term due to increased demand for solar energy technologies and global electrification, noting that it was the second most widely used material in US weapons platforms. The official said based on current demand for electric vehicles and power-hungry artificial intelligence applications, there will be a US copper shortage in the future, and the US cannot develop adequate copper smelting and refining capacity unless there is a reasonable certainty of long-lasting trade protection for the sector. The move is the latest effort by Trump to build a tariff wall around the nation’s economy as part of his drive to rebuild a long-declining US manufacturing base and redraw decades of trade relationships. Trump said on Monday that separate 25% general tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada were “on schedule” ahead of a 4 March implementation deadline despite efforts by both to avoid them by securing their US borders and halting the flow of fentanyl, the deadly opioid.

President Trump moved on Thursday to punish the law firm WilmerHale, where Robert S. Mueller III worked before and after he served as special counsel in the Trump-Russia investigation, expanding his [widespread campaign of retribution](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/us/politics/trump-law-firms-perkins-coie.html). In an executive order, Mr. Trump hit the elite firm with many of the same penalties that he had applied to its competitors who had taken on cases or causes he did not like. He directed the cancellation of all government contracts with WilmerHale, and the suspension of any security clearances of its employees. The order also barred WilmerHale employees from federal buildings, banned them from communicating with government employees and prevented them from being hired at government agencies. Other elite law firms have been hit with similar sanctions, leaving them to choose whether to fight the orders or [cut a deal](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/us/politics/paul-weiss-trump.html) with Mr. Trump to [remove the restrictions](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/business/trump-law-firms-skadden-arps.html), even as a judge has already blocked one of the orders [because it is likely to be unlawful](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/us/politics/trump-perkins-coie-judge.html). The order said Mr. Trump was in part punishing WilmerHale for [the firm’s connections to Mr. Mueller](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/01/us/politics/robert-mueller-wilmerhale.html), who led an inquiry that the order described as “one of the most partisan investigations in American history.” In fact, Mr. Mueller was appointed as special counsel by [Mr. Trump’s own deputy attorney general](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/politics/robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-investigation.html) amid [concerns about Mr. Trump’s desire](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/politics/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html) to shut down the F.B.I. investigation of his campaign after he took office. Mr. Mueller, then working at WilmerHale, resigned from the firm to lead the investigation, and returned to WilmerHale after the investigation was closed. Mr. Mueller retired from WilmerHale in 2021. “WilmerHale rewarded Robert Mueller and his colleagues,” the order said, adding that “Mueller’s investigation epitomizes the weaponization of government, yet WilmerHale claimed he ‘embodies the highest value of our firm and profession.’” The order also attacked diversity efforts at WilmerHale, as well as its representation of clients who Mr. Trump disagreed with, asserting that the firm “backs the obstruction of efforts” against illegal immigrants and drug trafficking. In a statement, WilmerHale defended Mr. Mueller’s character and said the firm had “a longstanding tradition of representing a wide range of clients, including in matters against administrations of both parties.” The firm added, “We look forward to pursuing all appropriate remedies to this unlawful order.” Matthew Goldstein contributed reporting.

Department store chain Kohl's terminates CEO Ashley Buchanan for cause following internal investigation NEW YORK -- Department store chain Kohl's terminates CEO Ashley Buchanan for cause following internal investigation.  [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates-border-czar-brief-securing/?id=121230740) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/pope-francis-live-updates-leader-catholic-church-dies/?id=91681792) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/US/americans-describe-trump-term-in-one-word-poll/story?id=121279635) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-reacts-joe-rogans-warning-becoming-monsters-deportations/story?id=121284580)

Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into [New York](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/new-york)’s attorney general, [Letitia James](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/letitia-james), after the [Trump administration](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration) alleged last month in a referral that she may have falsified paperwork for properties she owns in Virginia and New York, according to people familiar with the matter. The investigation marks a swift and notable escalation against James, a major political enemy of [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump), who was ordered to pay more than $450m in penalties as a result of a lawsuit brought by James’s office that accused him of inflating his net worth to secure financial benefits. In what appears to be the early stages of the FBI criminal investigation, prosecutors have impaneled a federal grand jury to hear evidence in the eastern district of Virginia after the head of the federal housing agency, William Pulte, last month made the referral to the justice department, the people said. The investigation appears to be multipronged, the people said, with involvement from the FBI in [New York](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/new-york) in addition to Virginia. The investigation appears to have gathered pace only in recent weeks with news of the grand jury filtering through Trump’s orbit in the last few days of April. The criminal referral rehashed claims touted online by Trump allies that James may have committed fraud by [attesting in paperwork in 2023](https://whitecollarfraud.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2023-08-30-Shamice-Thompson-Hairston-and-Letitia-A-James-Deed-and-Deed-of-Trust.pdf) that she would make a house in Norfolk, Virginia, which she was helping a relative to buy, as her principal residence while she was New York’s attorney general. Whether the allegations are substantial enough to result in criminal charges remains unclear. But its existence, which has not been previously reported, regardless raises the legal stakes for James in what appears to be the first criminal inquiry into one of Trump’s foremost political adversaries. James has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated retribution. In a letter to the justice department last month, James’s lawyer argued the residency claim was a mistake and that she had told the mortgage broker the house would not be her main residence. “Director Pulte cherry-picked an August 17, 2023 power of attorney that mistakenly stated the property to be Ms James’ principal residence,” James’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, wrote. “The broker understood this, and that Ms James was not a Virginia resident.” Spokespeople for the justice department and the federal housing finance agency declined to comment. In a statement, Lowell criticized the investigations as baseless, adding: “This appears to be the political retribution President Trump threatened to exact that AG Bondi assured the Senate would not occur on her watch. If prosecutors are genuinely interested in the truth, we are prepared to meet false claims with facts.” Still, the allegations have [gained traction in recent weeks](https://whitecollarfraud.com/2025/04/01/exclusive-ny-attorney-general-letitia-james-declares-virginia-home-her-principal-residence/) among Trump’s allies, who appear to see an opportunity to try to invalidate Trump’s $450m civil fraud trial verdict by challenging James’s eligibility to be the attorney general, and to advance the possibility of criminal charges. The power of attorney was signed by James in August 2023, weeks before the start of the civil fraud trial. New York state law requires public officeholders to be a resident of the state and Trump’s allies have argued when the case went to trial in October 2024, James should have been ineligible to be the attorney general. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/08/trump-fbi-investigation-letitia-james#EmailSignup-skip-link-13) Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion Trump’s allies have also accused James of possibly obtaining improper financial benefits by attesting she would live in the Virginia house, therefore unlocking a lower interest rate for the mortgage because rates are lower for houses occupied by their owners. Real estate lawyers in Virginia suggested the paperwork was not likely to be an issue unless James had misrepresented her intentions with the house to a lender or insurer. James said in a separate loan application that she did not intend to live in Virginia. The criminal referral also accused James of buying a house in Brooklyn in 2001 that she characterized as a five-unit property with a loan that was only available for homes with four units, in order to receive better interest rates. The referral referenced a January 2001 certificate of occupancy that said the house had five units. In the letter back to the justice department, Lowell said the house had four floors, had been used by James as four units, and numerous other New York City records listed the building as four units.

A top House Democrat has demanded [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) reveal a list of who attended his [private dinner](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/22/trump-crypto-sweepstakes-dinner) last week for major investors in his [meme coin](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/09/from-dogecoin-to-trump-everything-you-need-know-about-the-wild-world-of-meme-coins), as questions swirl about the deep and secretive connections between the Trump administration and the [cryptocurrency](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/cryptocurrencies) industry. With the Trump administration rolling out the red carpet for cryptocurrency at a glitzy Las Vegas conference this week, Jamie Raskin on Thursday called for an investigation into last week’s private dinner at Trump’s Virginia golf club, which Trump hosted for the [top buyers](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/12/top-buyers-trump-cryptocurrency-dinner) of his $TRUMP digital tokens. Raskin, a progressive Maryland representative and ranking member on the House judiciary committee, warned that foreign governments may be secretly funneling money to the US president through anonymous cryptocurrency purchases. “Publication of this list will also let the American people know who is putting tens of millions of dollars into our President’s pocket so we can start to figure out what – beyond virtually worthless memecoins – they are getting in exchange for all this money,” Raskin wrote in the letter, first reported by [the Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/29/trump-crypto-dinner-investigation-democrats/). The demand for an investigation came as the vice-president, JD Vance, and other senior Trump administration figures descended on Las Vegas on Wednesday and Thursday for the [bitcoin](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/27/trump-media-bitcoin-crypto) 2025 conference, where they are promoting the administration’s pro-cryptocurrency agenda to industry leaders and investors. Among those [attending](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/nigel-farage-to-speak-at-bitcoin-2025-conference) the three-day Las Vegas gathering include cryptocurrency promoters the Winklevoss twins, the former “dark web” marketplace Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht – sentenced to two life sentences for illegal drug sales, then [pardoned by Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/21/ross-ulbricht-silk-road-trump-pardon) – and Trump’s sons Donald Jr and Eric. Also addressing the gathering was Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader and Brexit architect who is now eyeing Downing Street. A former member of the European Parliament who has positioned himself as an advocate for financial sovereignty and critic of central bank digital currencies, Farage is polling competitively as a potential future UK prime minister and has previously appeared at cryptocurrency events discussing monetary policy and digital surveillance concerns. Last week’s dinner in Virginia was restricted to the 220 largest holders of Trump’s meme coin. Buyers spent roughly $148m in total, according to cryptocurrency analysis firm [Inca Digital](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/25/trump-crypto-corruption-ethics), with a separate private reception for the top 25 spenders. Unlike traditional political fundraising events, the crypto dinner directly benefited Trump family businesses rather than political entities. Buyers faced none of the disclosure requirements that apply to campaign donations. Raskin said his own investigation into the dinner would center on Justin Sun, the Chinese-born crypto mogul who bought $20m in Trump coins to become the top purchaser, and also invested $75m in the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial venture, another cryptocurrency. Sun had been facing Securities and Exchange Commission fraud charges [since 2023](https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023-59), but in February the SEC asked for a pause in his case, and a [judge obliged](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.596044/gov.uscourts.nysd.596044.83.0.pdf). Raskin said he was concerned the dinner could violate the constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional permission. Raskin has also questioned whether the administration verified that funds used to purchase Trump’s cryptocurrency were not linked to terrorist organizations, drug cartels or other criminal enterprises. A [Washington Post analysis](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/05/17/trump-meme-coin-crypto-dinner-winners/) found that half the dinner attendees likely came from overseas, and traced many of the purchases to cryptocurrency exchanges that bar US customers. The watchdog group State Democracy Defenders Fund has [estimated](https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/prs/04.23.25-pr) that Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures, launched less than a year ago, are now worth approximately $2.9bn. The Trump Organization has said the president’s business interests are managed by his children in a trust, though critics argue this arrangement provides insufficient protection against conflicts of interest. “Trump’s crypto schemes are profoundly corrupt,” said the senator Jeff Merkley, who along with the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, has introduced legislation to block Trump from using his office to benefit his crypto businesses. “He’s selling access to his administration and enriching himself in the process.” The Trump family’s cryptocurrency ventures have expanded rapidly since the election. [World Liberty Financial](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/02/abu-dhabi-firm-binance-trump-stablecoin), promoted heavily by Eric and Donald Jr, was recently selected to play a key role in a $2bn investment deal between an Abu Dhabi financial fund and the crypto exchange Binance, which was found liable in 2023 for money-laundering violations and fined more than $4bn. The White House has dismissed conflict-of-interest concerns. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has argued that Trump attended the dinner in his “personal time” and that it was not a White House event. She declined to commit to releasing the guest list. The investigation represents the latest Democratic effort to scrutinize Trump’s business dealings while in office. The representative Maxine Waters has introduced legislation preventing presidents and other officials from owning significant amounts of digital assets, while the representative Sean Casten has called for a justice department investigation into potential bribery law violations. “This is an orgy of corruption,” the senator Elizabeth Warren said about Trump’s meme coin dinner at a recent news conference.

The Federal Aviation Administration is demanding an accident investigation into the out-of-control Starship flight by SpaceX ByMARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Federal Aviation Administration is demanding an accident investigation into this week’s [out-of-control Starship flight](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-moon-mars-5f02ab8e4b794e518fe99905adaa7471) by SpaceX. Tuesday's test flight from Texas lasted longer than the previous two [failed demos](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df) of the world's [biggest and most powerful rocket](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-launch-accident-e69d04467e2def65d2bc6b0e9645d715), which ended in flames over the Atlantic. The latest spacecraft made it halfway around the world to the Indian Ocean, but not before going into a spin and breaking apart. The FAA said Friday that no injuries or public damage were reported. The first-stage booster — recycled from an earlier flight — also burst apart while descending over the Gulf of Mexico. But that was the result of deliberately extreme testing approved by the FAA in advance. All wreckage from both sections of the 403-foot (123-meter) rocket came down within the designated hazard zones, according to the FAA. The FAA will oversee SpaceX's investigation, which is required before another Starship can launch. CEO Elon Musk said he wants to pick up the pace of Starship test flights, with the ultimate goal of launching them to Mars. NASA needs Starship as the means of landing astronauts on the moon in the next few years. \_\_\_ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.  [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates-trump-extends-deadline-50/?id=122189223) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates/?id=121939393) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/federal-court-trump-power-impose-tariffs-unilaterally/story?id=122290881) [  ](https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/sean-diddy-combs-trial-updates/?id=121948074)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is pushing to investigate whether Harvard University violated federal sanctions by collaborating on a health insurance conference in China that may have included officials blacklisted by the U.S. government, according to people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by The New York Times. Mr. Rubio signed off on a recommendation to the Treasury Department last month to open an investigation, which experts and former Treasury officials said was an unusual attempt from a cabinet secretary to target a domestic entity for sanctions enforcement. Whether the agency within the Treasury that handles sanctions, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, opened an investigation in response was unclear — but such a move could expose Harvard to significant legal risks. Mr. Rubio’s action is the latest example of the Trump administration’s [whole-of-government approach](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/us/politics/harvard-university-trump.html) to bringing the Ivy League university to heel. President Trump has sought for months to impose his political agenda on Harvard by reshaping its curriculum, admissions and hiring processes. The effort initially relied primarily on accusations that university officials had not done enough to address antisemitism on campus. In recent weeks, however, the administration’s focus has expanded to other issues, including allegations about Harvard’s foreign ties, particularly to China. A potential sanctions investigation demonstrates how Harvard’s problems with the government extend far beyond questions of whether the school will continue receiving federal funding. Mr. Trump and his allies appear determined to upend nearly all aspects of the institution, which has long symbolized the pinnacle of higher learning in the country and attracted influential scholars from around the globe. A spokesman for the Treasury Department declined to comment on a possible or pending sanctions investigation. A State Department spokeswoman also declined to comment. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Frubio-harvard-sanctions-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Frubio-harvard-sanctions-investigation.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Frubio-harvard-sanctions-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Frubio-harvard-sanctions-investigation.html).

The New York attorney general was an hour into a Westchester County town hall, expounding on her view of her mission during President Trump’s second term — on democracy and the need to defend it, on courage and the need to display it — when a middle-age man stood up and told her she was going to prison for mortgage fraud. The attorney general, Letitia James, did not visibly react. As members of her staff escorted the man from the room, she thanked him with a small smile, said the allegations were baseless and turned her attention to a less fired-up attendee who was taking the microphone. The episode in Westchester last month neatly encapsulated the role Ms. James has staked out in recent years as one of Mr. Trump’s chief antagonists, and the risks of having done so. The audience member was referring to allegations that have become the subject of a criminal investigation by Mr. Trump’s Justice Department, whose leaders have [rewarded the president’s allies](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-pardons-jan-6.html) and [targeted his foes](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/04/us/politics/trump-biden-investigation.html). Ms. James has been one of the president’s nemeses since she brought a fraud lawsuit against him three years ago, leading to a half-billion-dollar penalty that Mr. Trump has appealed. And unlike [many of his enemies](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/trump-democracy.html), she has not fallen silent during his second term. Her office has filed 21 lawsuits against him, working with other Democratic attorneys general to take aim at everything from Elon Musk’s slashing approach to the federal government to the administration’s sudden freezing of federal funds for states. Many of the suits have successfully barred the White House from achieving its goals, at least in the short term. In May, for instance, [a judge blocked Mr. Trump](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/us/politics/judge-education-department.html) from moving forward with mass layoffs that would have gutted the U.S. Department of Education. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fnyregion%2Ftrump-james-ny-attorney-general-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fnyregion%2Ftrump-james-ny-attorney-general-investigation.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fnyregion%2Ftrump-james-ny-attorney-general-investigation.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fnyregion%2Ftrump-james-ny-attorney-general-investigation.html).