A federal appeals court panel upheld the dismissal of Donald Trump’s $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN, deeming his claims “unpersuasive” and “meritless.” The lawsuit stemmed from CNN’s use of the term “the Big Lie” to describe Trump’s claims of election fraud, a phrase the court found did not constitute a false statement of fact. The court rejected Trump’s argument, stating that the term was a subjective interpretation of his actions. This marks another legal defeat for Trump in his attempts to sue media outlets over their coverage of his claims.
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During his White House visit, President Donald Trump warmly embraced Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, dismissing U.S. intelligence findings that implicated the Crown Prince in the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump praised Prince Mohammed as an indispensable player in the Middle East and announced Saudi Arabia’s increased investment in the U.S. Furthermore, Trump announced agreements including the sale of F-35 fighter jets, a defense agreement, and designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, despite concerns about human rights and potential conflicts of interest. The visit also aimed to advance the Abraham Accords and normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, though the Saudis insisted on a path to Palestinian statehood first.
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The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill on Tuesday compelling the Justice Department to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein. This decisive action followed months of effort to overcome opposition, including from former President Donald Trump and Republican leadership. Despite initial resistance, the bill garnered significant momentum, leading to its passage in the House and subsequent unanimous consent in the Senate. This legislative victory marks a crucial step in the pursuit of accountability for Epstein’s victims and scrutiny of law enforcement’s handling of the case.
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In response to Donald Trump’s repeated threats of military action against drug cartels in Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly stated that such intervention “is not going to happen,” citing the historical precedent of the Mexican-American War. Despite Trump’s warnings and claims of being unhappy with Mexico, Sheinbaum maintains that Mexico will not request any foreign intervention. Trump’s threats coincide with the deployment of military assets in the Caribbean, and are seen by analysts as an aggressive approach toward Latin American countries. Trump continues to demand that Mexico do more to reduce the flow of drugs and migrants across the US-Mexico border.
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A federal appeals court panel upheld the dismissal of Donald Trump’s $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN. The court found Trump’s claims regarding CNN’s use of “the Big Lie” to be “unpersuasive” and determined that the term did not constitute a false statement of fact. The judges, including those nominated by Trump, stated that the term was susceptible to multiple interpretations and that CNN’s use of it, therefore, did not support a defamation claim. This decision is the latest in a series of failed lawsuits by Trump against media outlets reporting on his claims.
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Following the First Minister’s Meeting in Saskatoon, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt addressed the media. The meeting focused on key national issues, including healthcare funding and infrastructure projects. Holt emphasized the importance of collaborative solutions to address these challenges and ensure the province’s needs are met. Details on specific agreements reached and the next steps in these discussions were also provided.
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Following a 2021 commutation from a previous fraud conviction, Eliyahu “Eli” Weinstein has been sentenced to 37 years in federal prison for defrauding investors. The US district judge Michael Shipp also ordered Weinstein to pay over $44 million in restitution. Weinstein’s recent conviction involved a scheme where he and others falsely promised investors access to deals with medical supplies and other goods, resulting in approximately $35 million lost to investors. This marks Weinstein’s third fraud conviction in a New Jersey federal court, adding to a history of fraudulent activities and previous prison sentences.
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President Trump announced plans to approve the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a significant move preceding Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House. This potential arms deal aims to strengthen ties with Riyadh as the US seeks to encourage Saudi Arabia to establish official relations with Israel. The decision raises concerns about maintaining Israel’s military edge in the region, a long-standing US policy, with some Israeli officials opposing the sale. If the deal goes through, Saudi Arabia would become the first Arab country to receive the advanced F-35, a program the US has previously offered to the UAE.
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Amidst a vote to compel the full release of FBI files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett expressed skepticism towards the recent shifts in stance by former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Initially dismissing the investigation as a “hoax,” Trump now supports the file’s release, prompting Johnson to follow suit, a move Crockett believes is insincere. Crockett suggests that Trump and Republicans aim to stall the release, potentially through the Senate or by using ongoing investigations as a legal justification, despite their public pronouncements. Furthermore, concerns exist, including from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, that Trump’s call to investigate others involved in the Epstein case may further delay or obstruct the file’s release.
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During a recent meeting in the Oval Office, former President Trump downplayed the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, calling him “extremely controversial” and suggesting that raising the issue was intended to embarrass Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump maintained that the Crown Prince was not involved in the murder despite the CIA’s assessment that he likely approved the assassination. In his own defense, the Crown Prince acknowledged the murder was a “huge mistake” and claimed Saudi Arabia conducted a proper investigation. The visit marked the Crown Prince’s first to Washington since before the murder.
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John Q. Hosedrinker