Thursday, 23 October 2025

Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, founder and former CEO of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. Zhao had pleaded guilty to failing to stop money laundering on the platform in 2023 and was sentenced to four months in prison.

Trump scrapped plans to send federal troops and agents to San Francisco for an immigration enforcement operation after speaking with the city's mayor and Silicon Valley leaders. The president said tech CEOs, specifically citing Nvidia and Salesforce leaders, convinced him to call off the 'surge' by arguing that the city's future was promising.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, marking the first sanctions on Russia since Trump's return to office. The president cited Putin's 'refusal' to end the war in Ukraine as justification, causing oil prices to jump and shares in Shell and BP to rise by 3 percent.

Trump said he planned to conduct military strikes against alleged drug traffickers from Venezuela, including potential land operations. The president indicated he would not seek Congressional authorization, telling lawmakers he could not 'imagine they'd have any problem with it.'

The Trump administration approved increased oil and gas drilling in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge and Arctic lands, including lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve and permitting for a road through Gates of the Arctic park.

Top House Democrats accused Trump of an illegal scheme to use his presidential power to order payment from the Justice Department for investigations into Trump as a defendant, potentially totaling $230 million in taxpayer money.

Trump announced a major renovation project at the White House, demolishing the East Wing to build a $300 million ballroom. Major donors to the project include tech companies Google, Apple, and Palantir.

Vice President JD Vance called Israeli Knesset votes on annexing the West Bank a 'very stupid political stunt' and described them as an 'insult,' as Netanyahu halted further progress on annexation bills following U.S. pressure.

A U.S. court unanimously rejected the Trump administration's effort to delay rulings on veterans' disability benefits appeals, calling the administration's push to halt reviews an 'extreme request.'

A new survey of voters in swing House districts found that most fault Trump's trade moves for high prices, and many are unhappy with the signature Republican tax bill and healthcare cuts.