Thursday, 4 December 2025

President Trump pardoned Tim Leiweke, an entertainment executive who was indicted by his own Justice Department for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to rig bidding for an arena at a public university. This summer, Trump administration officials had publicly lauded the indictment as an effort to root out corruption.

Trump continued attacking Somali immigrants with inflammatory rhetoric, calling for them to leave the country. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the president's remarks 'vile' as activists prepare for intensified ICE targeting of Somali residents.

Federal immigration agents launched a crackdown in New Orleans, with ICE conducting sweeps in the French Quarter. Communities reported incidents residents described as racial profiling, marking the second day of enforcement operations in the Democratic-led city.

Trump has granted clemency to more than 1,800 people, but experts report that some recipients have been arrested again. Investigators found that Trump did not follow the usual review process, making it more likely that clemency recipients would commit other crimes.

An investigation found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated security rules by sharing classified details about a Yemen strike on the Signal messaging app, putting U.S. forces at risk and prompting fresh demands for his resignation.

The New York Times sued the Pentagon over the Trump administration's new restrictions on press reporting, arguing that limits on reporter questions, movement, and sourcing violate press freedoms and chill independent reporting.

Trump officials stated that a second strike on an alleged drug boat near Venezuela was aimed at destroying the vessel rather than killing its crew, citing a secret memo that provides legal justification for firing on boats even if it would kill people on board.

An Amnesty International report alleged that detainees at the 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility in Florida faced human rights violations, including being shackled and left outside in metal cages for up to a day.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Ukraine's national security chief in Miami, coming two days after Witkoff and Jared Kushner held five hours of talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Trump renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after himself, with his name installed on the Washington building. The institute is scheduled to host the signing of a peace deal between Rwanda and Congo.