ClosePresident Donald Trump revealed the “friends” who convinced him to walk back on plans to send federal troops to San Francisco.
“I got a great call from some incredible people, some friends of mine, some very successful people, ”Trump said at a roundtable Thursday.
The president spoke of "Marc" and "Jensen", appearing to reference Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
The president had earlier posted on social media that he was preparing to "surge" troops to the California city Saturday but changed his mind after friends "in the area" asked him to hold off because Mayor Daniel Lurie was "making substantial progress.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to sue the Trump administration if he sent the National Guard to the state, while former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that if federal law enforcement violates California law, local police could arrest them.
Before Trump's latest announcement, federal immigration agents were seen arriving in the Bay Area Thursday morning.
Officials say the administration has 'authority' to carry out U.S. strikes. This might be what they mean.
On Thursday, Secretary of War said the administration has the “authority” to carry out the kinetic strikes against the alleged drug-carrying boats while President Trump said he doesn’t plan on asking Congress for a declaration of war.
The United States is formally engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels that Donald Trump’s administration has labeled “unlawful combatants,” according to a confidential notice to members of Congress.
A unclassified notice obtained by The Independent was delivered to congressional national security committees this week. The New York Times first reported the statements.
The designation appears to claim extraordinary wartime powers to justify a series of strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea, which have drawn legal scrutiny and allegations that the administration and defense officials committed extrajudicial murder.
Alex Woodward has more.
Trump declares US now engaged in ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
Officials sent notice to Congress labeling alleged traffickers ‘nonstate armed’ combatants in bid for legal justification for extrajudicial killingsKelly Rissman23 October 2025 23:30
Stephen Miller on Trump: 'This country was going to die without you'
Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 23:15
ICE recruits are showing up for training with disqualifying criminal backgrounds: report
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is flush with cash for an aggressive recruiting campaign to fulfill Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. But new recruits are reportedly failing physical fitness requirements and entering training programs before the agency performed background checks or finished a screening process.
ICE officials have discovered that some recruits failed drug testing or had disqualifying criminal backgrounds while they were already enrolled in training, according to NBC News.
Since the beginning of a summer hiring surge after the president approved $178 billion to expand the agency into one of the most expensive police agencies in the world, ICE has dismissed more than 200 new recruits while they were in training for falling short of requirements, according to agency data reviewed by NBC.
ICE recruits in training had disqualifying criminal backgrounds: report
New hires are reportedly failing background checks, drug tests and open-book testsKelly Rissman23 October 2025 23:00
ICYMI: FBI releases new footage and offers $500K for information about suspect who placed pipe bombs ahead of Jan 6 riots
The FBI has shared new surveillance footage of the suspect who planted pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, the night before the January 6 riots, and offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The new video shows the as-yet unidentified suspect walking through Washington, D.C., before and after the pipe bombs were placed on the night of January 5, 2021.
One clip shows the suspect walking toward the DNC headquarters before sitting down on a bench outside the building. The individual later stands up and walks past the building, with a backpack in their hand, before eventually turning around and retracing their steps through the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Isabel Keane has the story.
FBI offers $500K for information about pipe bombs at Capitol riots
The FBI has shared new surveillance footage of the suspect who planted pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, the night before the January 6 riots, and offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 22:30
WATCH: White House defends Trump pardoning crypto head with links to First family
Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 22:15
In photos: Demolition of East Wing of White House for Trump's ballroom
Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 22:00
Trump says he's not sure if there will be a resolution to the shutdown when he returns from Asia
Asked if he expected to have a resolution to the shutdown by the time he returns from his trip to Asia, President Trump said: “I don’t know.”
“I think the Democrats have gone totally crazy,” he said, calling some lawmakers “low IQ people.”
Trump leaves for Asia over the weekend. The shutdown has dragged on for 23 days.
Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 21:44
Bondi refuses to comment on whether grand jury is considering case against Schiff
Attorney General Pam Bondi won’t comment on whether a grand jury is mulling a case against Senator Adam Schiff.
At the roundtable Thursday, Trump said he hopes it’s true.
“Adam Schiff is one of the lowest forms of scum of anyone I’ve ever dealt with in politics,” he said.
His comments follow reporting from MSNBC that the top federal prosecutor in Maryland has stalled her case against the senator and has asked Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for advice on how to proceed. Prosecutors reportedly have not drummed up enough evidence to prosecute him, after Trump commanded Bondi to swiftly file charges.
Alex Woodward23 October 2025 21:41
'I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,' Trump says about drug boats
Asked why not ask Congress for a declaration of war on the operations against the “narco-terrorists,” the president said he doesn’t need a declaration of war.
“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,” Trump said.
“I think we’re just going to kill people who are bringing drugs into our country. … They’re gonna be, like, dead,” the president added.
Earlier Thursday, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee demanded a hearing on Trump’s drug boat strikes.
“The absence of any credible legal rationale for the administration’s armed campaign against drug cartels raises alarming questions about whether it intends to conduct similar extrajudicial strikes elsewhere in the world — or even within the United States,” Rep. Gregory Meeks said in a statement Thursday. “Equally troubling is the credibility of the intelligence underpinning these operations.”
Kelly Rissman23 October 2025 21:30
'Beautiful accent but we can’t understand what you’re saying,' Trump struggles to understand French reporter
A reporter from France asked President Donald Trump a question at his roundtable — but he admitted he couldn’t understand her.
“Yesterday there was a vote at the Knesset on annexing the West Bank. Do you see it as a challenge to your peace efforts.
“Could you say that louder please,” the president asked.
She repeated her question, but Trump still appeared puzzled.
“Would you answer that please because I could understand a word she’s saying,” Trump said, tapping Bondi.
“Where are you from? You’re from France. Beautiful accent but we can’t understand what you’re saying,” the president said.
Then, as she repeated part of her question, Trump responded: “The West Bank? Don’t worry about the West Bank. Israel’s not going to do anything with the West Bank.”
