Author: Stephanie Gauthier

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pressing Washington for weeks to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles, has now inserted himself into the conversation over Donald Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump really wants a Nobel Peace Prize.Zelenskyy said he will lobby for Trump to win the award if he sends Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and helps broker a ceasefire with Russia.

— Politico (@politico.com) 2025-10-09T15:56:19.903Z

That conversation has been heavily amplified by Trump and his inner circle, who have long sought such international recognition.

«We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.»

As Kyiv insists it needs these weapons to have, in Zelensky’s words, «a fighting chance» against Russia, the Ukrainian leader has floated a proposition: support for Trump’s Nobel bid in exchange for a deal that would deliver Tomahawks and pave the way toward a peace agreement.

As Netanyahu wrote on X, «Give Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prize — he deserves it!», a declaration made amid emerging Israel–Gaza peace efforts, Zelensky, when pressed by journalists, delivered a parallel message to Trump.

https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM/status/1976281973766369527

According to Politico, Zelensky said: «The plan for ending the war won’t be easy, but it is certainly the way forward. And if Trump gives the world, above all, the Ukrainian people, the chance for such a ceasefire» and then, adding about Trump’s potential nomination, «then yes, he should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.»

Zelensky concluded with a clearer message about Ukraine’s intentions, declaring that if Trump helps secure a ceasefire in Ukraine: «We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Congressman Buddy Carter, Malta’s foreign minister Ian Borg, leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Gabon, Israel, Pakistan and Rwanda, as well as the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel, have all publicly pushed for Donald Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which will be announced on October 10.

«Strong sanctions, strong political pressure, Russia’s accountability for the war, all of this is necessary.»

A strong political pressure

On September 24, 2025, at the UN General Assembly in New York, Zelensky urged the international community to increase pressure on Moscow, declaring: «Strong sanctions, strong political pressure, Russia’s accountability for the war, all of this is necessary.»

In late September, Zelensky explicitly asked Trump for Tomahawk cruise missiles, according to Axios, saying that even without using them, merely possessing such weapons would help Ukraine «force» (according to Axios) Russia into peace negotiations.

⚡️ Tomahawk deliveries could force Russia to 'sober up' and negotiate, Zelensky says."Right now, it is important to send a signal that Ukraine will be strengthened by all means possible," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) 2025-10-09T08:27:55.966Z

President Trump’s deputy chief of staff was answering questions live with CNN anchor Boris Sanchez when something oddly convenient happened just as Miller let slip that Trump holds absolute power under the «Plenary Authority».

A bizarre moment during a cable news interview saw one of the president's closest advisers make a wild assertion.

— HuffPost (@huffpost.com) 2025-10-08T21:57:15.501Z

Miller abruptly stopped mid-sentence right after saying the words «Plenary Authority», blinking repeatedly at the camera.

«Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has plenary authority.»

The anchor kept calling him by name, but the feed soon cut to a commercial break. When CNN came back, Sanchez apologized, blamed the strange incident on “some wires got crossed,” and continued the interview without a single mention of what the deputy chief of staff had just revealed.

During the live CNN segment, Stephen Miller stated, «Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has plenary authority.»

Miller was then abruptly cut off air. After the commercial break, in an awkward and unsettling moment, Miller resumed his remarks but mysteriously dropped the word «plenary» from his speech:

«I was making the point that under federal law, Section, uh, Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has the authority, anytime he believes federal resources are insufficient, to federalize the National Guard to carry out a mission necessary for public safety.»

The quiet part out loud

The interview quickly ignited social media, with many doubting CNN’s explanation for the strange moment that unfolded live on television.

Users accused Miller of saying the quiet part out loud and blasted CNN for what they saw as a shameful cover-up, even charging the network with being complicit in paving the way for a dictatorial government.

Deepened doubts across the internet

According to a more specific explanation given to Newsweek by a CNN spokesperson, the technical difficulty was later attributed to an audio feed from another CNN channel suddenly playing in Miller’s earpiece.

Far from quelling suspicion, this only fueled online critics who argued it reinforced the idea of a deliberate cover-up by the news channel.

«Why did Miller saying the president has plenary authority get cut?» asked one user in the YouTube comments under CNN’s official channel video of the interview.

The network had seemingly edited Miller’s controversial line out of its version, while other outlets like HuffPost published the uncut clip.

Plenary authority belongs to Congress

It is vital that the president does not possess «Plenary Authority», as Stephen Miller inadvertently admitted in his interview, because democracy depends on limits, oversight, and a balance of power.

In the United States, plenary authority belongs to Congress in certain domains, such as immigration and commerce. Absolute authority by a president would erode checks, accountability, and liberty.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told Politico during an on-stage interview at the US-Canada Summit that she fears Donald Trump could interfere in Alberta’s separatist movement, which has gained momentum in recent years.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she wants Trump to stay out of the separatist movement brewing in her oil-and-gas rich Canadian province.

— Politico (@politico.com) 2025-10-08T17:20:57.113Z

«I don’t want any foreign interference in our politics here,»

A movement she says stems from what she views as ten years of mismanagement by former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

As Trump repeatedly raises the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state, Smith clearly fears he could revive the separatist movement she hopes will fade with Justin Trudeau’s departure earlier this year and the arrival of his successor, Mark Carney.

Smith’s message was clear: «I don’t want any foreign interference in our politics here,» she told Politico.

Speaking about her meeting with Carney, Smith made her position explicit: «I’ve told Prime Minister Mark Carney that Justin Trudeau created an independence movement in Alberta and he can take the wind out of it.»

The premier left little doubt about her intention to see Alberta remain within Canada, noting previously that while she «cannot control the emotion of Albertans,» if the referendum question «Do you want to remain in Canada?» were to be asked, she would want «that vote to be ‘Yes.’»

The Forever Canadian campaign

A major petition is now circulating in Alberta under the banner of the Forever Canadian campaign, launched by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk. The initiative asks a direct question: «Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?»

To trigger a referendum, the petition requires 177,000 valid signatures, and with more than 230,000 already collected, organizers are aiming for 300,000 before the October 28 deadline to ensure it passes Elections Alberta’s review.

If successful, it would not only force a vote but also block any competing sovereignty questions for the next five years.

This effort runs in parallel to Premier Danielle Smith’s political balancing act. While Smith has said she wants Albertans to answer «Yes» to remaining in Canada, she has also aligned herself with groups like the Alberta Prosperity Project that push for a sovereignty referendum.

The petition, by pre-empting separatist initiatives, could complicate Smith’s strategy and highlight the province’s deep divide between federalist and independence forces.

Prediction: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will call an early election before she allows a referendum to proceed to a vote with the wording promoted by former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk’s Forever Canadian petition. @djclimenhaga.bsky.social writes. #abpoli

— The Tyee (@thetyee.ca) 2025-10-06T20:38:53.266Z

The government shutdown afflicting the Trump administration is creating major headaches for travelers, as airlines across the U.S. face severe delays amid staffing shortages at the FAA.

There will not be enough air traffic controllers in the tower at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the FAA is warning.Now on the seventh day of the government shutdown, the same scenario is playing out at FAA offices across the country, with ripple effects hitting flights almost everywhere.

— CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-10-08T03:00:09.949566863Z

Ripple effects are disrupting flights almost everywhere, according to CNN.

As the Trump administration completes its first full week of the government shutdown, signs of a major crisis are emerging across unfunded sectors.

Airports are being hit especially hard, with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staffing shortages causing delays that now ripple through nearly every flight.

«There’s controllers that have called up sick, and we’re tracking it.»

Travelers are facing long waits, cancellations, and growing uncertainty over their plans, as major airports and hubs across the country experience ripple effects from problems at individual centers.

Employees reporting sick

Major U.S. cities have been hit hard by the shortage of air traffic controllers, forcing cancellations and delays at Los Angeles International Airport in California, Chicago’s O’Hare in Illinois, as well as airports in Denver, Colorado, and Nashville, Tennessee.

The shortage of air traffic controllers has been aggravated by staff calling in sick, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noting: «There’s controllers that have called up sick, and we’re tracking it.»

The longer the government shutdown continues, the more the nation’s air travel system is expected to deteriorate. Airlines warn that staffing shortages at the FAA, already forcing widespread delays and cancellations at major airports, will intensify if agencies remain without funding.

Industry leaders are urging the administration to reopen these agencies to restore critical operations and prevent further ripple effects across U.S. hubs, where disruptions at one airport are increasingly cascading into nationwide travel chaos.

Airlines brace for third day of flight delays as shutdown persists reut.rs/4oaCkYj

— Reuters (@reuters.com) 2025-10-08T15:10:12Z

Trump, in a Truth Social post, has called for the Chicago mayor and the Illinois governor to be jailed, marking a new escalation in his administration’s attacks and actions against a city under Democratic leadership.

The president claimed the two leaders failed to “protect Ice Officers.”

— Forbes (@forbes.com) 2025-10-08T13:15:04Z

«Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers! Governor Pritzker also!»

As Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker push back against the Trump administration’s crime crackdown and immigration raids in Chicago, the president voiced his frustration in a Truth Social post, calling for both leaders to be jailed.

«Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE officers! Governor Pritzker also!» said the president, accusing the Democratic officials of endangering the lives of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers currently carrying out a major operation in Chicago.

Tensions are rapidly escalating between Trump, the state of Illinois, and the city of Chicago, as both filed lawsuits on Monday to block the president’s deployment of National Guard members to Chicago.

«They are the ones that are making it a war zone. They need to get out of Chicago if they’re not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do. They need to get the heck out.»

Over the weekend, the Department of Defense federalized up to 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, in what the DoD has dubbed «Operation Midway Blitz», and also directed 400 federalized Texas National Guard troops to be sent to several Democratic-led cities, many of them headed to Chicago.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the Trump administration’s actions in Chicago, declaring «They are the ones that are making it a war zone. They need to get out of Chicago if they’re not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do. They need to get the heck out.»

Texas National Guard troops have arrived at an Army base in Illinois, a highly unusual deployment of one state’s Guard into another against the host state’s wishes.Read more: https://wapo.st/48hjQ3H

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) 2025-10-08T14:15:11.835258852Z

A federal lawsuit against the Trump administration

Protests against the Trump administration’s actions, ongoing since mid-September, are rapidly intensifying in Chicago, with clashes erupting between demonstrators, ICE officials, and journalists, particularly outside a migrant holding facility run by ICE and located in the suburb of Broadview.

«There has been an extreme escalation in the use of force by federal agents at that facility against people who are exercising their First Amendment rights, and targeted attacks against members of the press and legal observers.»

In late September, the Department of Homeland Security requested additional support to protect ICE facilities in Illinois as protests against the agency escalated.

On October 7, a coalition of journalists, news organizations, unions, and protesters filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago against the Trump administration, accusing federal agents of using «extreme brutality» during recent demonstrations, including tear gas, pepper balls, and projectiles fired even at credentialed reporters clearly displaying press badges; the plaintiffs argue that these actions, carried out without lawful dispersal orders, violate the First Amendment by attempting to intimidate and silence peaceful dissent, and they are asking the court to affirm both protesters’ right to demonstrate peacefully and journalists’ right to observe, record, and report on federal activities.

«There has been an extreme escalation in the use of force by federal agents at that facility against people who are exercising their First Amendment rights, and targeted attacks against members of the press and legal observers,» said Molly Armour, a volunteer attorney with the National Lawyers Guild in Chicago, who is involved in the case by representing protesters and monitoring abuses.

Trump rhetoric against his political opponents

Trump is now accusing the governor and the mayor of endangering the lives of ICE agents, using a social media post to demand that they be jailed, a stark move that fuels fears his rhetoric against political opponents is increasingly translating into action.

He has made similar calls in the past, including against former FBI Director James Comey, one of his outspoken critics, who was later indicted on what many have described as bogus charges brought by the administration.

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, President Trump said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker "should be in jail."

— CBS News (@cbsnews.com) 2025-10-08T14:20:01.571Z

The home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, who recently ruled against the Trump administration in a controversial case, was completely destroyed in a suspicious fire that left three people injured, including her husband and her son.

Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that engulfed the home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, in South Carolina. Three people, who had to be rescued by kayak, were injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation. nyti.ms/48j9GPY

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-10-06T18:07:27.195Z

The house on Edisto Island was completely destroyed in a fire that broke out late in the morning, forcing family members to escape by jumping from windows and a balcony.

Three people were injured, including Judge Goodstein’s husband, Arnold, who was airlifted to a hospital, and her son, who was also hospitalized.

According to multiple media reports, Judge Diane Goodstein was not at home when the fire started. At the time of the blaze, she was walking her dogs on the beach near her Edisto Island residence.

Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, who recently ruled against the Trump administration in a case over South Carolina’s release of sensitive voter registration data, became the target of violent online rhetoric in the days before the fire.

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice sought access to the personal information of more than three million registered voters, including names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security numbers, under Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting non-citizens from registering to vote.

According to The Daily Beast, pro-Trump activists used social media and far-right forums to accuse her of blocking election oversight and called for retribution, heightening tensions after her ruling.

The situation has become increasingly troubling for judges, particularly those who rule against the Trump administration. Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked them in social media posts, calling them «crooked judges», «radical left lunatics», «troublemakers and agitators», «activist judges» and «radical rogue judges».

Members of his administration have echoed these attacks, criticizing judicial decisions at every opportunity and even urging that judges who ruled against him be «impeached».

This persistent rhetoric has heightened concerns about judges’ safety and the erosion of trust in an independent judiciary, while Democrats voice growing alarm over a possible arson attack on Judge Goodstein’s home.

The circuit court judge had received an onslaught of violent threats ahead of the fire that tore through her home and left both her son and husband severely injured.

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-10-06T17:41:10.340445Z

Authorities initially described the incident as suspicious, but investigators from the State Law Enforcement Division have so far found no preliminary evidence of arson or explosion.

According to TIME, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said in a statement: «At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set», while confirming that the investigation is still ongoing.

Donald Trump responded to questions about two high-profile legal cases involving former friends of his: Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted as Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator in child sex trafficking, and Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, sentenced to 50 months in prison on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Trump says he will talk to DOJ about Maxwell pardon, says Diddy asked for one reut.rs/4o8EWG5

— Reuters (@reuters.com) 2025-10-06T22:25:08Z

The president said he would consider whether to pardon both.

In the news for months

In a strange exchange on Monday with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, President Trump was asked about a potential pardon for Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump oddly claimed he hadn’t heard her name «in so long», despite Maxwell being in the news for months.

«I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look,»

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, formerly Trump’s personal lawyer, met with Maxwell two times in July at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee, meetings that led to her transfer to a minimum-security prison, a move that sparked public controversy. Trump then added that he would consider offering her a pardon.

Responding to the CNN journalist about a possible pardon for Maxwell, Trump said: «I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look,» adding:

«I will speak to the DOJ.»

A lot of people

Trump then added that «Puff Daddy» had just asked him for a pardon as well.

Sean Combs was recently sentenced to 50 months in prison.

President Donald Trump has confirmed that Sean “Diddy” Combs has requested a presidential pardon in connection with his federal criminal case. https://cnn.it/4mVKhj9

— CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-10-07T06:00:11.54022433Z

I call him Puff Daddy.

-Donald Trump

Continuing on the subject of pardons, Trump said that many people had approached him for presidential clemency:

«A lot of people have asked me for pardons,» he stated, adding about the rapper:

«I call him Puff Daddy. He has asked me for a pardon.»

In August, one month before his sentencing, CNN reported that members of Diddy’s defense team had reached out to the president’s office to request a potential pardon.

As people wait to see what Trump will do regarding a possible pardon for P. Diddy, the prospect of clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell is drawing even stronger reactions. Trump and his administration have already been accused of trying to bury the Epstein files, and his response, saying he would «take a look at it», has sparked anger among many, including both current and former allies.

Even controversial figures such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Laura Loomer have voiced their outrage.

The Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of the convicted sex trafficker, who is currently serving 20 years in prison.

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-10-06T23:10:04.459136Z

During a speech celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy, President Donald Trump claimed that he alone had warned about Osama bin Laden a year before 9/11, a claim repeatedly debunked over the years, notably by CNN.

«I wrote about Osama bin Laden exactly one year ago.»

The president rehashed his years-old claim that he warned the world about the notorious terrorist.

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-10-06T03:01:14.158923Z

During his speech, Trump abruptly shifted the subject to Osama bin Laden, claiming he had issued a warning about the terrorist a year before the September 11, 2001 attacks.

A page devoted to bin Laden

Urging his audience to «please remember», Trump insisted that one of his books, ghostwritten and published in 2000, contained his warning to «watch» bin Laden.

«I wrote, whatever the hell the title, I can’t tell you, but I can tell you there’s a page in there devoted to the fact that I saw somebody named Osama bin Laden, and I didn’t like it.»

«I wrote about Osama bin Laden exactly one year ago,» Trump said, misspeaking and before adding, «one year before he blew up the World Trade Center.» The president went on to insist that he had warned about bin Laden, citing the line from his book: «You’ve got to watch Osama bin Laden.»

According to CNN, Trump, referring to his book titled «The America We Deserve», though appearing unable to recall the title, claimed he had written a page devoted to bin Laden, insisting that he had warned to «take care of him»: «I wrote, whatever the hell the title, I can’t tell you, but I can tell you there’s a page in there devoted to the fact that I saw somebody named Osama bin Laden, and I didn’t like it» adding:

«You gotta take care of him.»

«So, you gotta take a little credit, because nobody else is gonna give it to me.»

A claim long debunked

Trump quickly added, as proof of his claim, that «The fake news would never let me get away with that statement unless it was true.» However, the media has repeatedly disproved his assertion, with outlets like CNN noting they have debunked the story since 2015.

Trump writes in his book that: «One day we’re told that a shadowy figure with no fixed address named Osama bin Laden is public enemy number one, and U.S. jetfighters lay waste to his camp in Afghanistan. He escapes back under some rock, and a few news cycles later it’s on to a new enemy and new crisis.»

Far from being a personal warning, this passage is written as an observation of the media cycle, where one threat replaces another. By the late 1990s, Osama bin Laden was already on the U.S. radar as a high-profile target. President Bill Clinton had publicly identified him as a major threat, ordering strikes against al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan in 1998, years before George W. Bush took office.

A little credit

The book’s reference is therefore not a prescient call to action, but rather a reflection of debates and operations that were already underway.

Far from the «You gotta take care of him» line he expressed during his address to U.S. Navy members, where he added that «They didn’t do it; a year later he blew up the World Trade Center.»

Trump concluded the topic by insisting he deserved credit, since no one else would give it to him: «So, you gotta take a little credit, because nobody else is gonna give it to me.»

Trump: "Please remember I wrote Osama bin Laden exactly one year ago, one year before he blew up the World Trade Center. And I said, 'You gotta watch Osama bin Laden!' … I gotta take a little credit."

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-10-05T20:44:47.905Z

Donald Trump announced his plans for the celebrations of his 80th birthday on June 14, alongside the 250th anniversary of American independence, something the president has long wanted to see, as he prepares to host a UFC match on White House grounds.

President Trump said today the UFC fight at the White House that's part of celebrations marking 250 years since the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence will take place on June 14 — which coincides with his 80th birthday.

— Axios (@axios.com) 2025-10-05T23:21:46.088Z

In September, according to The Hill, the White House promised a major event with «fireworks and light shows» to mark the combined celebration days.

«On June 14, next year, we’re going to have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House on the grounds.»

Trump’s 80th Birthday Set for a Big Celebration

But Trump officially announced with enthusiasm, during his speech to Navy personnel marking the Navy’s 250th anniversary, that a major UFC fight is planned: «On June 14, next year, we’re going to have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House on the grounds.»

For critics, it underscores a pattern, from his 79th birthday parade to this planned White House fight, of bending patriotic celebrations into political theater.

«Thank god they are focused on the priorities of all Americans.»

The idea has already ignited a storm of ridicule and controversy. Trump, a longtime fixture at UFC events and a close friend of UFC president Dana White, has often reveled in the sport’s brash style. But, hosting a cage fight at the presidential residence is being called by opponents a cheap stunt, more fitting for Las Vegas than the White House lawn.

California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Trump’s plan to host a UFC fight at the White House with a sarcastic post on X.

Sharing official renderings of the event, he wrote: «Thank god they are focused on the priorities of all Americans,».

Thank god they are focused on the priorities of all Americans. https://t.co/Hqxd7sAqjQ

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 20, 2025

Controversy Surrounds Trump’s 79th Birthday Military Parade

On June 14, 2025, Donald Trump marked his 79th birthday with a military parade in Washington, D.C., coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. What was intended as a grand display of patriotism quickly became a lightning rod for controversy and ridicule.

Thousands of troops, armored vehicles, jet flyovers, and fireworks filled the capital, though even the assault tanks drew attention as they rattled past, their movements marked by squeaks and groans like machines in need of oil.

For many observers, the display felt less like a national tribute and more like a birthday spectacle for Trump. The timing, coinciding exactly with his 79th birthday, only reinforced accusations that the Army’s anniversary had been used as cover for a glorified personal celebration.

The cost, estimated at $25 to $45 million, fueled outrage, with opponents blasting it as a waste of taxpayer money. Protesters rallied under the slogan «No Kings», warning that Trump was turning military tradition into political theater. Media outlets mocked the excess, comparing it to authoritarian-style pageantry.

Instead of uniting the nation around the Army’s milestone, the parade left many with the impression of a president staging a costly, controversial birthday show at the taxpayers’ expense.

Trump’s UFC birthday bash is set to be one of the most polarizing and surreal spectacles of America’s 250th year.

Hailed by some as historic, mocked by others as humiliating.