USA under Donald Trump US attack on boat: admiral claims not to have received kill order

Donald Trump has been President of the United States again since January 20, 2025. All developments in his second presidency can be found here in the ticker.

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8.12 pm

US attack on boat: Admiral claims not to have received kill order

At a congressional hearing on the controversial US attack on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, a navy admiral denied having received an order from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to kill all the occupants. This was announced by Senator Tom Cotton on Thursday after the briefing in the House Intelligence Committee. Navy Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley had made it very clear that he had not received an order "to show no mercy or kill them all", reported Cotton, the Republican who chairs the committee. Cotton defended the attack.

Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, on the other hand, expressed concern over a video purporting to show how two occupants who initially survived a US attack on the boat were reportedly killed shortly afterward in a follow-up military attack.

"What I saw in that room was one of the most disturbing things I've seen in my time in public service," Himes told reporters. "There were two people there in obvious distress, with no means of transportation, with a destroyed boat - and they were killed by the United States."

18:26

USA reiterates travel warning for Venezuela

The US State Department has reiterated its travel warning for Venezuela in light of the tensions between Washington and Caracas. US citizens should cancel planned visits to the country, according to an updated travel advisory published on Thursday. The reason is "a high risk of unlawful detention, torture in custody, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure".

It continued: "All U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are strongly advised to leave Venezuela immediately. Do not travel to Venezuela under any circumstances."

2:47 p.m.

400 tons of coke - why Trump pardons this drug dealer

An interesting scene on board Air Force One on November 30: The reporter cleverly begins her question by praising Donald Trump. The US President doesn't want drugs in the country, she begins. "That's right," says the 79-year-old.

Then comes what the journalist actually wants to know: "Can you explain why you would pardon a notorious drug dealer?" Trump is unsure: "I don't know who you're talking about," he replies. How many drug lords has the man pardoned?

4 current examplesThe absolute brutalization of US politics

The reporter says she is talking about Honduras' ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced to 45 years in prison for allegedly smuggling 400 tons of cocaine into the USA. So why did the White House get the man out of prison?

It’s now official: Trump has pardoned one of the world’s most notorious drug traffickers. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was convicted of drug trafficking last year in the U.S. and sentenced to 45 years in prison. 1/

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— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) 2. Dezember 2025 um 16:39

"I was asked about it by Honduras," says Trump. "From a lot of people from Honduras. They said he was framed by Biden. [...] It was a terrible thing. He was the president of the country. They said he was a drug dealer because he was the president of the country. And they say the Biden administration framed him. And I looked at the facts and I agreed with them."

President Trump spoke with reporters this afternoon on Air Force One.

TOPICS

Ukraine talks
Rubio & Witkoff meeting (UKR)
Ukraine problems (corruption)
Venezuela air space
Venezuela air strike?
Call with Maduro
Boat strikes and Hegseth
Pardoning drug trafficker
(J.O. Hernandez)… pic.twitter.com/4GMlysjE5A

— Paul Villarreal (AKA Vince Manfeld) (@AureliusStoic1) November 30, 2025

And how was the politician framed? "They can take any country they want: If someone is selling drugs in that country, that doesn't mean you arrest the president and put him in jail for the rest of his life. The same goes for this country, to be honest: If someone does something wrong, do you put the president of the country in jail?"

The background: Hernández wrote Trump a letter at the end of October asking for clemency. In the letter, which begins with "Your Excellency", the South American writes that he - like Trump - has been unjustly persecuted. You can find the whole letter here.

2 p.m.

Trump names peace institute after himself

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was founded by the House of Representatives in 1984 to explore the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Donald Trump then signed a decree in February to undermine the institution. The entire USIP leadership was dismissed.

there you have it

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— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 4. Dezember 2025 um 04:52

But the institute has been given a new name: From now on, it will operate under the name Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, reports the New York Times. Anny Kelly, spokeswoman for the White House, emphasized the process: The renaming is "a powerful reminder of what strong leadership can achieve for global stability".

12.30 p.m.

Rare earths: China shows cooperation

In the dispute over export controls on rare earths, China's Ministry of Commerce has indicated relaxed rules for the export of the coveted raw materials. "To my knowledge, the Chinese government has promptly approved all compliant export applications for civilian purposes," said spokesman He Yadong.

At the same time, Beijing is "actively" applying facilitative measures such as general licenses to promote compliant trade in dual-use goods and maintain the security of global production and supply chains.

General export licenses could bring some relief to the industry in Europe. Until now, companies wishing to export certain rare earths and magnets made from them from China had to go through complicated application procedures.

If approval was granted, Beijing then allowed just as much of the important raw materials for export as the companies needed, but not enough to build up stocks, as was reported by companies.

In April, China imposed export controls on seven rare earths and magnets made from them in the trade dispute with the USA. In Europe, there were fears of production stoppages, as sectors such as the automotive industry are just as dependent on these products as high-tech and defense companies. Rare earths are used in screens as well as in drives for electric motors and semiconductors.

China is the main global producer of the raw materials, which is why Beijing was able to use the measure as leverage in its dispute with Washington. As part of the agreement between US President Donald Trump and China's head of state Xi Jinping in South Korea at the end of October, China promised general licenses, according to media reports.

He did not reveal how many the Ministry of Commerce has awarded so far. "As long as the export applications are for civilian use, the Chinese government will issue a license quickly," He said.

10 a.m.

Customs deal lifts mood among Swiss industrial companies

The mood among Swiss industrial companies brightened considerably in November. The reason for this is likely to be the customs deal reached with the US government to reduce import duties. In contrast, the situation for service providers deteriorated.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for industry rose by 1.5 points to 49.7 points in November compared to the previous month, as announced by the major bank UBS and the purchasing trade association Procure.ch on Thursday. The index thus only signaled a slight decline; it was closer to the 50-point mark than at any time since the end of 2022.

The industrial PMI was therefore also at the upper end of the 48.5 to 50.0 points expected by economists. At values below 50 points, the companies surveyed assume that economic activity is shrinking. If the index is above this level, growth can be assumed.

The improvement in the industrial sector is mainly due to the tariff agreement with the USA, according to UBS. As is well known, the USA will significantly reduce the punitive tariff on many Swiss goods to 15 percent from the previous 39 percent. This will make the Swiss export industry more competitive, particularly in relation to the EU, as an equally high punitive tariff will soon apply.

Meanwhile, the PMI for the services sector fell sharply. The index fell by 2.5 points to 45.3 points and thus remains below the growth threshold. It was reported that the order situation for service providers in particular had deteriorated. In the AWP survey, economists had expected a higher index value of 48.5 to 50.4 points.

7 a.m.

Maduro describes phone call with Trump as "respectful"

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has commented for the first time on his recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, describing it as "respectful" and "cordial". "I received a call and spoke with the President of the United States, Donald Trump," Maduro said in a speech broadcast on state television.

The conversation took place "in a tone of respect". He expressed the hope that it could be a step "towards a respectful dialog" between the two countries, which have not maintained diplomatic relations since 2019.

Trump had recently confirmed that he had spoken to Maduro on the phone. However, he did not reveal any details about the content of the conversation. Maduro's rosy rendition of the conversation seems hard to believe: the US government has recently made it clear that it no longer wants to see the autocratic Maduro in power.

He has so far remained silent "out of caution", as there are issues that "must remain silent until they arise", Maduro said. "Welcome dialog, welcome diplomacy," he continued in English. "Peace - yes. War - never, never in my life," Maduro continued.

Trump has been toughening his tone and approach towards the South American country for weeks. The USA has not only gathered additional soldiers in the Caribbean and deployed several warships to the region, including the world's largest aircraft carrier. Trump also authorized covert operations by the CIA foreign intelligence service in Venezuela.

According to the US, the deployment of the military is aimed at combating drug trafficking. More than 80 people have already been killed in attacks on alleged smuggler boats. Critics see the US action as a violation of international law, while Trump's government speaks of a legitimate fight against "drug terrorists".

There are also voices suggesting a forced change of power in Venezuela and American interest in the country's rich oil reserves as the central motive.

6.14 am

After criticism of ICE raids: California launches reporting portal

California residents can now report suspected misconduct by federal officials via an online portal. Californian Attorney General Rob Bonta justified the move with growing uncertainty. "From unmarked, military-looking vehicles to arrests that more closely resemble kidnappings, the people of California are rightly concerned that federal officers may be overstepping their authority," Bonta said.

Our portal at oag.ca.gov/reportmisconduct will allow Californians to upload photos, videos, and information about interactions with federal agents that may be unlawful.

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— AG Rob Bonta (@agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov) December 4, 2025 at 2:23 AM

Governor Gavin Newsom explained that the portal provides "an easy and safe way to speak up, share observations and help us hold those responsible accountable". The actions of officials at the behest of US President Donald Trump show "a blatant disregard for the rule of law", the statement continued. Entire communities are being put in fear, people are being traumatized and public safety is being put at risk.

The offer is aimed at people who may have witnessed unlawful activities by ICE, Border Patrol or National Guard officials. Video and photo recordings can also be uploaded via the form. At the same time, the Attorney General's Office points out that a complaint does not automatically result in action.

Criticism of the actions of federal authorities in the wake of Trump's rigorous migration policy is not only being voiced in California. Video footage shows ICE officers, for example, sometimes wearing masks during raids, arresting people and taking them away in unmarked vehicles. It is often unclear whether the people arrested are simply people without valid residence status - or dangerous criminals, as the Trump administration is portraying them. There are also repeated reports that US citizens have been arrested by mistake during such operations.

5.20 a.m.

Trump relaxes emissions regulations for cars

US President Donald Trump has announced relaxed emissions regulations for car manufacturers. Speaking in Washington, Trump said that he was reversing requirements imposed by his predecessor Joe Biden to promote electric cars and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the presence of managers from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, Trump said that this would make cars more affordable and protect jobs in the US car industry. The move would also put an end to the "green scam", Trump continued. Critics call the bill misleading, as drivers will have to spend more on fuel again because combustion engines consume more fuel under the relaxed rules.

5:02 a.m.

Maduro describes phone call with Trump as "respectful"

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has spoken for the first time about his recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, describing it as "respectful" and "cordial". "I received a call and spoke with the President of the United States, Donald Trump," Maduro said in a speech broadcast on state television. The conversation took place "in a tone of respect". He expressed the hope that it could be a step "towards a respectful dialog" between the two countries, which have not maintained diplomatic relations since 2019.

#ÚLTIMAHORA Nicolás Maduro habla por primera vez de la llamada que tuvo con Trump: "Fue en un tono de respeto, fue cordial" https://t.co/mqOHv8tVaW pic.twitter.com/smmn8pyFIH

— Monitoreamos (@monitoreamos) December 3, 2025

Trump had recently confirmed that he had spoken to Maduro on the phone. However, he did not reveal any details about the content of the conversation. Maduro's rosy rendition of the conversation seems hard to believe: the US government has recently made it clear that it no longer wants to see the autocratic Maduro in power.

He has so far remained silent "out of caution", as there are issues that "must remain silent until they arise", Maduro said. "Welcome dialog, welcome diplomacy," he continued in English. "Peace - yes. War - never, never in my life," Maduro continued.

Trump has been toughening his tone and approach towards the South American country for weeks. The USA has not only gathered additional soldiers in the Caribbean and deployed several warships to the region, including the world's largest aircraft carrier. Trump also authorized covert operations by the CIA foreign intelligence service in Venezuela.

4.30 a.m.

US supermarket chain sues against Trump tariffs

Wholesale chain Costco is the first major US company to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's tariffs. The company filed the lawsuit with the International Trade Court in New York. In the statement of claim from the end of November, which is available to the AFP news agency, Costco is demanding a "refund for unlawfully levied tariffs" in an undisclosed amount. Neither Costco nor the White House made a statement when asked by the news agency. In the statement of claim, the supermarket chain refers to a case that is pending before the US Supreme Court.

Thursday, December 4, 2025, 4 a.m.

Attack on drug boat: Trump would release video footage

In the current debate about the legality of a US attack on a boat suspected of being loaded with drugs in the Caribbean in September, US President Donald Trump has shown himself to be open to transparency. He did not know whether there was video footage of the follow-up attack, but "whatever they have, we would certainly make public", Trump said on Wednesday (local time). "No problem."

Specifically, it is about an attack on a boat suspected of being loaded with drugs in the Caribbean on September 2. According to AP sources, the Pentagon is said to have known about survivors - and yet launched a second attack to sink the boat. According to government sources, eleven people were killed in the attack.

It has not yet been conclusively determined who ordered the attacks and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was involved. The Trump administration said that Commander Frank "Mitch" Bradley had given the order. Hegseth defended this and said he himself had not seen any survivors, but also "did not stay on for the rest of the mission".

Hegseth is under increasing pressure over military operations against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Legal experts and some lawmakers from both parties say an attack that kills survivors violates the laws of war. The Trump administration has declared the U.S. is in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels, though Congress has not authorized the use of military force in the region.

9:25 p.m.

Pentagon oversight: Hegseth put soldiers in danger

Update 9.50 p.m.: According to the Pentagon's internal oversight, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has put US soldiers in danger by forwarding attack plans via the messenger app Signal. This is according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general, which has been forwarded to Congress, two people familiar with the findings told the AP news agency. However, the report did not find that Hegseth had inappropriately disclosed classified information. This is because Hegseth was authorized to release confidential information in his position.

Members of the Senate were able to view the Pentagon Inspector General's report in the Capitol. A partially redacted version should be published later this week.

Breaking News: A Pentagon investigator’s report is said to conclude that Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to discuss Yemen strikes risked endangering U.S. troops. https://t.co/GvgYrjPg4u

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 3, 2025

At the end of March, the US magazine "The Atlantic" made the contents of a chat public after its editor-in-chief was - presumably inadvertently - invited to the Signal Group by then National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The journalist was able to read the sensitive information live in the commercially operated app and later made the security breach public. Waltz was subsequently dismissed as National Security Advisor and moved to New York as US Ambassador to the United Nations.

The chat was about a US military operation against the Houthi militia in Yemen in mid-March. Hegseth gave detailed information about weapons and attack times - while a journalist was able to read everything. The media later reported that he had also shared the military plans with his wife and other people.

7:29 p.m.

US government cracks down on migrants in New Orleans

The US Department of Homeland Security has announced a deployment of federal agents against migrants in another Democratic-governed US city: New Orleans. The action in the city in the southern US state of Louisiana is aimed at criminal migrants, including those who have been released after being arrested for trespassing or armed robbery, a representative of the department said. However, the New York Times pointed out that most of the people arrested by US officials in previous operations had no criminal history.

It was not clear from the Department of Homeland Security's announcement which and how many federal officials would be deployed in New Orleans and for how long. US President Donald Trump had also indicated as recently as Tuesday that he would soon deploy National Guard soldiers in New Orleans. The Republican governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, had asked him for help in the city, Trump emphasized. "We will be going there in a couple of weeks".

5:52 p.m.

Trump pardons Democratic congressman

US President Donald Trump has pardoned Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife, who have been charged with bribery. The allegations against the two are proof of how the previous administration under President Joe Biden used the country's justice system as a weapon against its opponents and dissidents, Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform. Cuellar, a congressman from Texas, had merely spoken out boldly against opening the borders to Mexico and had been punished for it. "Henry, I don't know you, but you can sleep easy tonight - your nightmare is finally over!" wrote Trump.

The 69-year-old Cuellar and his wife were accused of accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for promoting the interests of an energy company controlled by Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar has denied the allegations. The trial against him and his wife was due to begin in April. Cuellar has been in Congress for more than 20 years and his constituency stretches from San Antonio to the US-Mexico border in southern Texas.

Cuellar is not the only Democrat to be pardoned by Trump this year. In February, he pardoned the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, whose sentence for corruption he had already shortened five years earlier, freeing Blagojevich in 2020.

Trump did not pardon the Democratic mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, but the Department of Justice dropped a case against Adams after the president took office. Adams was also targeted by the judiciary for criticizing Biden's immigration policy, Trump claimed at the time.

08.29 am

USA halts immigration applications from 19 countries

The US government has suspended the processing of all immigration applications from 19 countries for the time being. The government writes this in a statement. The move comes a week after the deadly shooting attack on two National Guardsmen in Washington.

The USCIS immigration authority had already suspended all asylum procedures on Friday. The head of the authority, Joseph Edlow, justified this with the need for the most thorough checks of all foreigners. Some of the countries affected were already on Trump's list of countries with entry restrictions

The following countries are affected: Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Republic of Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Burundi, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Laos.

5.40 a.m.

Poll: Large majority against Swiss customs deal with Trump

In a survey commissioned by "Blick", 69% of Swiss respondents were somewhat or completely opposed to the customs deal with the USA. The declaration of intent only found a majority among supporters of the FDP, as the newspaper wrote based on a survey by the opinion research institute Sotomo. Even SVP circles expressed their opposition to the deal - even though the party had welcomed the agreement with the USA.

Everything about the big customs dealWhat Trump gets - and what Switzerland sacrifices in return

The greatest opposition among respondents was to the outflow of data to the USA, wrote Blick. More than two thirds of respondents were also bothered by the fact that entrepreneurs brought gifts to the US President.

The USA is trying to extort concessions from Switzerland with massive tariff threats: In addition to duty-free imports for all US industrial products and quotas for American meat, increased arms purchases and the waiver of a digital tax are also on the table. Read more here.

5.37 am

Trump: Venezuela is not the only country facing attacks

In the fight against organized drug smuggling from the Caribbean, US President Donald Trump is not ruling out targeting other countries in addition to Venezuela. He had heard that Colombia was producing cocaine in factories, which was then sold to the USA, Trump told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (local time). "Anybody who does that and sells it into our country has to expect attacks." When asked who this applied to, he added: "Not just Venezuela." Colombia's leaders sharply criticized his remarks.

Trump has been toughening his tone and approach towards Colombia's neighbor Venezuela for weeks. The US has not only gathered additional soldiers in the Caribbean and deployed several warships, including the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the region. Trump has also authorized covert operations by the US foreign intelligence agency CIA in Venezuela.

According to the US, the mission is aimed at combating drug trafficking. More than 80 people have already been killed in attacks on alleged smuggler boats. Critics see the US action as a violation of international law, while Trump's government speaks of a legitimate fight against "drug terrorists". There are also voices that suggest a forced change of power in Venezuela and American interest in the country's rich oil reserves as the central motive.

According to Colombian President Petro, the US military also killed a Colombian fisherman in the course of its operation. In response, he suspended the exchange of intelligence information with the USA. On Tuesday (local time), Petro warned that Trump should not threaten the sovereignty of his country. "Attacks on our sovereignty are a declaration of war," he wrote on Platform X. He invited Trump to Colombia, where he could show him how drug labs are destroyed on a daily basis to prevent cocaine from entering the USA.

5:11 a.m.

Man hurls Molotov cocktails into federal building in LA

A 54-year-old man allegedly threw Molotov cocktails into a federal building in Los Angeles. Security forces heard a man shouting derogatory remarks about US immigration authorities ICE outside the downtown administration building on Monday, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. He then hurled two Molotov cocktails into the entrance and through the open sliding door of the employee entrance, it added. FBI agents arrested the man from Los Angeles. The officers searched his pockets and found a gas flare and five other Molotov cocktails, among other things.

Federal prosecutors filed charges against him on Tuesday. According to court documents, the man allegedly set fire to his apartment a few hours earlier after receiving an eviction notice. The man reportedly had four knives with him when he was arrested and has an "extensive criminal record".

According to the public prosecutor's office, the 54-year-old described his actions as a "terrorist attack". He had told the officers: "You are separating families". The authorities assume that the attack was motivated by rejection of the immigration authorities. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

1:52 a.m.

Trump insults people from Somalia as "garbage"

US President Donald Trump has described Somalia as a miserable country and people from the East African state as garbage. "I don't want them in our country. I'm being honest. Some may say, "Oh, that's not politically correct." I don't care. I don't want them in our country," Trump said at the end of a cabinet meeting. The US could go one way or the other, "and we will go the wrong way if we continue to let garbage into our country".

Last week, Trump had already claimed that refugees were the main cause of social problems in the USA today - and then cited the state of Minnesota as an example, which had been "taken over by hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia". Previously, he had publicly announced the end of a protection program for Somalis in Minnesota, which according to current statistics only covers a few hundred people.

On Tuesday, Trump also explicitly insulted Somali-born Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota. "Ilhan Omar is trash. Her friends are trash," he raged. With his tirade, Trump was also reacting to a huge scandal in Minnesota, in which several dozen Somalis are alleged to have defrauded the state's welfare system of hundreds of millions of dollars under the leadership of Governor Tim Walz.

His obsession with me is creepy. I hope he gets the help he desperately needs. https://t.co/pxOpAChHse

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 2, 2025

Trump repeatedly portrays migrants as dangerous criminals and insults them in a racist manner. He also uses dehumanizing language and said, for example, that they are "poisoning the blood of our country". His most recent attacks against Somalis were also seen as unusually abusive in the American press. Trump once again failed to provide evidence for his theses. Meanwhile, the US media speculated about imminent raids by the immigration authorities ICE against Somali migrants in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. The "New York Times" reported that the operation is aimed at hundreds of Somalis without the necessary residence papers. According to media reports, over 60,000 people from Somalia live in Minnesota, most of them legally. It is the largest community of Somalis in the USA. According to the news portal "Axios", they made up 1.05 percent of the state's population in 2023.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 0:05 a.m.

Hegseth on controversial attack: No survivors seen

In the case of a controversial attack in which, according to media reports, two survivors were killed after the destruction of an alleged drug smuggling boat, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied direct responsibility. Hegseth said after a cabinet meeting in the White House that he had watched the first attack on the boat in the Caribbean live at the beginning of September, but had then left for another appointment. Hegseth emphasized that he had not personally seen any survivors. There was smoke and fire, he added. That was "the fog of war", said the US Secretary of Defense.

10:57 p.m.

Trump announces early deployment of the National Guard in New Orleans

US President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of National Guard troops to the metropolis of New Orleans in the state of Louisiana. On Tuesday, Trump did not name a number of soldiers or a date for their arrival in the city, but merely stated that the plan would be implemented shortly.

"Gov. Landry - a great man, a great governor - has asked for help in New Orleans. And we'll be going there in a few weeks," Trump said during a cabinet meeting at the White House. The Republican governor of Louisiana, who asked the government in September for up to 1,000 troops to fight crime, told reporters on Monday that he expected the National Guard to arrive in New Orleans before Christmas.

8:50 p.m.

Trump wants to rebuild Washington International Airport

US President Donald Trump wants to have Dulles International Airport near the US capital Washington rebuilt. It is currently a "terrible" airport that should be redesigned, the President said at a cabinet meeting. He had a "fantastic" plan for this, but Trump did not go into any more detail. It also initially remained unclear what consequences the renovation measures would have for travelers.

Transport Minister Sean Duffy drew attention to an accident at the international airport: according to media reports, 18 people were injured in mid-November while being transported in a so-called mobile lounge. The vehicle, which looks like a cross between a waiting room and a bus, crashed into a docking point at an airport building, NBC Washington reported. According to its own information, Dulles Airport has 19 mobile lounges. Each vehicle can transport a good 100 people.

A mobile lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport crashed into a concourse dock, sending 18 people to the hospital. A News4 I-Team investigation found a history of crashes, including one that was deadly. https://t.co/F9f4x3rk48

— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) November 11, 2025

Dulles Airport is one of the most important airports in the USA and is located around 40 kilometers from the US capital. In addition to medium-length routes, it mainly serves destinations further afield. The national airport, named after former President Ronald Reagan, is mainly used for shorter journeys. It is located in the immediate vicinity of Washington. According to official figures, almost 27.3 million people traveled through the international airport last year, while around 26.3 million used the domestic airport.

8:42 p.m.

Suspect on trial after shooting at National Guard in Washington

Following the fatal shooting of two National Guardsmen in the US capital Washington, the suspect has been charged with murder. He has also been charged with assault and weapons violations, according to US media reports. The alleged perpetrator was reportedly connected to the court hearing via video from the hospital. The man pleaded not guilty.

Shots fired in WashingtonNational Guardswoman dies after attack

Last week, two National Guardsmen were shot just a few blocks from the White House. One of the two, a young woman from the state of West Virginia, succumbed to her injuries. The other National Guardsman recently showed signs of recovery. The 29-year-old suspect was overpowered and shot himself in the process.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi had announced before the death of the National Guardswoman that she would seek the death penalty for the man if the soldier died.

The motive for the crime is still unclear. The suspect comes from Afghanistan. According to media reports, he is said to have had psychological problems. These were due to fighting in Afghanistan, where he had been in an Afghan special forces unit sponsored by the US foreign intelligence service CIA. His lawyer pleaded not guilty on his behalf to the charges of murder and assault.

20.26

Pop star Carpenter: Trump administration should not use my music

US pop singer Sabrina Carpenter is fighting back against the use of her music by President Donald Trump's administration. In a post on the X platform on Tuesday, the 26-year-old criticized the fact that her song "Juno" can be heard in a video montage on White House online channels showing ICE operations against irregular migrants. "This video is vicious and disgusting," Carpenter wrote. "Never harness me or my music to further your inhumane agenda."

Sabrina Carpenter slams the White House for using her song ‘Juno’ for a pro-ICE video:

“this video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.” pic.twitter.com/oovlmzvHhs

— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 2, 2025

In the caption to the video clip, which shows officers hunting migrants among others, the White House quoted a line from Carpenter's pop song: "Have you ever tried this? Goodbye."

7:22 p.m.

Hegseth announces more attacks on "drug boats"

Defense Minister Pete Hegseth has announced further attacks on boats used by drug smugglers. "We have just begun destroying drug boats and sending drug terrorists to the bottom of the sea," Hegseth said at a cabinet meeting in the White House.

Hegseth has come under pressure because of the attacks. The background to this are reports by CNN and the Washington Post that the US military first attacked an alleged boat of drug smugglers in the Caribbean on September 2 and then killed two surviving men in a second strike.

The White House said Monday that Hegeseth had authorized the admiral in charge to carry out the attacks. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt did not say that Hegseth had directly ordered the second strike and instead emphasized that the admiral had "acted within his authority and the law".

6:40 p.m.

Venezuela allows deportation flights from the USA again

Venezuela is once again allowing deportation flights from the USA into the country. President Nicolás Maduro has authorized this at the request of the Americans, announced Transport Minister Ramón Celestino Velásquez. Against the backdrop of escalating tensions with Venezuela, US President Donald Trump had said at the weekend that the airspace over the country should be considered closed. The Foreign Ministry in Caracas then declared that Washington had unilaterally decided not to allow any further deportation flights with migrants to take off.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ramón Celestino Velásquez Araguayán (@rvaraguayan)

Trump has been toughening his tone and approach towards the South American country for weeks. Among other things, the USA deployed the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Caribbean along with other warships. Washington justifies the deployment with the fight against drug smugglers. Observers speculate that an attack on targets in Venezuela could be imminent. It is also suspected that the US government could be seeking a change of power in Caracas.

Numerous international airlines had recently temporarily suspended their connections to Venezuela after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called for extra caution due to increased military activity and security concerns.

According to Venezuela, a total of almost 14,000 migrants have been repatriated on a weekly basis on 75 flights since March - even amid tensions with Washington. Most recently, a flight from the US state of Arizona landed on Friday with 136 returnees, local media reported.

4.40 a.m.

Seco boss: Business visit to Trump was "decisive"

The State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Helene Budliger Artieda, has thanked Swiss entrepreneurs for their meeting with US President Donald Trump in the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung". Their visit to Washington was "decisive".

However, in the interview, the head of Seco once again contradicted the theory that the Federal Council could have already concluded a deal in the spring. When asked whether it was true that an "advantageous early conclusion at the end of May, beginning of June was prevented by the fact that a formal negotiating mandate first had to be agreed and Parliament had to be consulted", Budliger said that at the time "there was no acceptable negotiation result for Switzerland". It was also "crucial to obtain a negotiating mandate in the first phase". "It was not just about speed, but also about achieving a viable result in Switzerland's interests," Budliger continued.

For days, federal councillors and the head of Seco have clearly contradicted Alfred Gantner's repeated assertion that Switzerland had a much better starting position in the spring. Gantner was present during the visit to Trump on November 5.

According to Budliger, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) was aware of the gifts brought along in the process. However, Seco "deliberately did not get involved in the selection and procurement, as it was a private initiative", said Budliger Artieda. Due to the ongoing legal clarifications surrounding the meeting, she could not comment further, said the Seco Director in the interview. However, she was very pleased about the entrepreneurs' initiative. The Swiss entrepreneurs brought a Rolex table clock and an engraved gold bar to the White House. For politicians from the Green Party and the Young Socialists, this is to be seen as bribery - two Green Party members have filed a criminal complaint against "Team Switzerland", as reported by "Die Wochenzeitung".

4.30 a.m.

Federal Councillor Pfister expresses his conviction about the F-35 fighter jet in Brussels

During a trip to Belgium, Defense Minister Martin Pfister expressed his conviction after sighting the take-off of an F-35 fighter jet. Afterwards, he spoke with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte about cooperation between Switzerland and Nato. On the same day, the Swiss arms industry was promoting its products in Brussels. He had seen a launch and also how loud it was, said Pfister at a media event in Brussels. Belgium has had four F-35 fighter jets since October and is very independent of the USA in its operations, Pfister continued. This will also be the case for Switzerland.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 3:22 a.m.

USA considers Rubio's participation in NATO meeting unnecessary

Despite the ongoing negotiations on a peace solution in the Ukraine war, the US government does not consider it necessary for Foreign Minister Marco Rubio to attend a long-planned Nato meeting. "It would be completely unrealistic to expect him to attend every meeting," a spokesperson for the State Department replied when asked by the German Press Agency why Rubio was not attending the meeting in Brussels. The minister had already taken part in dozens of meetings with NATO allies, according to Washington.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had previously announced that he would be attending the talks in the Belgian capital and was on his way there. One of the topics to be discussed at the meeting on Wednesday is further support for Ukraine. Rubio, on the other hand, will take part in - unspecified - meetings at the White House on Tuesday, according to his ministry. The day before, he spoke with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul about efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, according to a brief statement from the US State Department.

On my way to @NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels to advocate for Allies’ implementation of defense investment commitments. While in Brussels, I will talk to American businesses about ensuring a positive business environment for U.S. investment and exports.

— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) December 1, 2025

It is highly unusual for a US Secretary of State not to attend a formal NATO foreign ministers' meeting in person. After the first rumors of a cancellation became known, the long-time former NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu (2010-2023) wrote on the social network X that she could not remember anything comparable in recent history. "That would send the wrong signal, especially now, when America should be coordinating even more closely with European allies on Ukraine," she commented.

Reports from Washington that 🇺🇸 @SecRubio plans to skip next week’s meeting of #NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. I can’t remember anything like this in recent history. Would send the wrong signal just as America shld be coordinating even closer with European allies on #Ukraine https://t.co/2Yjhx6mkx1

— Oana Lungescu (@LungescuOana) November 29, 2025

One possible background in Brussels is that at least parts of the US government obviously see NATO as an obstacle to the successful conclusion of President Donald Trump's latest initiative to end the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The recently leaked draft of a 28-point peace plan contains, among other things, a passage according to which NATO should completely renounce the admission of further members.

23:20

Bomb threats against offices of US Democrat Schumer

Bomb threats have been received against several offices of the Democratic minority leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer. He had been informed by investigators in his state of New York that there had been threats against offices in Rochester, Binghamton and Long Island, Schumer announced.

The subject line of the emails containing the threats read "MAGA" - the abbreviation for US President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement. The emails also suggested that the 2020 presidential election, in which Democrat Joe Biden won, had been rigged - a recurring accusation made by Trump. Schumer thanked the security authorities, saying all offices were safe and no one was hurt.

Trump repeatedly takes aim at Schumer, one of his harsh critics. At a ceremony for the big American family celebration Thanksgiving, where he traditionally pardoned two turkeys, he also attacked the Democrat again a few days ago. Trump explained that when he saw the first pictures of the turkeys, he wanted to call them Chuck and Nancy - alluding to the Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. "But then I realized I would never pardon them".

This morning, I was informed by law enforcement entities throughout New York of multiple bomb threats that were made at my offices in Rochester, Binghamton, and Long Island with the email subject line “MAGA” and from an email address alleging the “2020 election was rigged.”… pic.twitter.com/oAkmLA4nNc

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 1, 2025

9:48 p.m.

Trump publishes MRI results - doctor certifies normal findings

According to his doctor, US President Donald Trump underwent an MRI scan of his heart and abdomen in October. The examination was part of a medical check-up for men his age, Sean Barbabella announced on Monday. The images were completely unremarkable.

Trump's physical examination included "advanced imaging procedures" that are standard for such an examination in Trump's age group, according to Barbabella's statement. "The purpose of this imaging is preventative: to detect problems early, confirm overall health and ensure he maintains his vitality and performance over the long term," the doctor wrote.

Trump had announced on Sunday that he would publish the results of the scan. He and the White House said the imaging was part of his regular physical examination. Still, they refused until Monday to explain why Trump had an MRI performed at Walter Reed Military Hospital in October as part of his physical exam and what part of his body was examined.

President Donald J. Trump's Advanced Imaging Results:

"His cardiovascular system shows excellent health... and confirms that he remains at excellent overall health."

— Capt Sean P. Barbabella, D.O.
Physician to the President pic.twitter.com/WJxdZEBUFS

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 1, 2025

9:02 p.m.

Melania Trump presents Christmas decorations at the White House

More than 50 Christmas trees, a good 200 meters of garlands and almost 55 kilograms of gingerbread: First Lady Melania Trump has had the White House festively decorated for the upcoming holidays. The theme of this year's Christmas is "Home is Where the Heart Is", the wife of US President Donald Trump announced on X.

Melania Trump putting up so many trees is nothing new. According to media reports, the First Lady had already ordered dozens into the White House during Trump's first term in office. At Christmas 2020, there were reportedly a good 60 of them. The former First Lady and wife of ex-President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, even reportedly decorated the White House with more than 80 trees last year.

The tradition of giving the festive decorations a theme goes back to Jackie Kennedy, according to the White House Historical Association. While trees and wreaths had been presented to the public as decorations decades earlier, she first proclaimed a special hook in 1961 with decorations centered around Peter Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker."

1.11 p.m.

"Sleepy Don": Trump snoozes in his golf club

Donald Trump is the oldest man ever to be elected president of the USA. Yes, he was older in November 2024 than his predecessor Joe Biden when he won the election in November 2020.

"He sleeps all the time - during the day, at night, on the beach," Trump said of Biden last week. "I'm not a sleeper." But the 79-year-old is actually cutting back considerably in his second term of office, according to the New York Times.

According to the paper, Trump is holding 39 percent fewer public appointments. His day starts 107 minutes later on average: while he had his first appointment at 10.31 a.m. in his first term of office, he now starts at 12.08 p.m. on average. By contrast, the time he finishes work at around 5 p.m. has not changed, the report continues.

A listener passes along this photo of our President enjoying a meal at his golf club earlier today. #MAHA pic.twitter.com/MM31yy2HCw

— Tim Miller (@Timodc) November 30, 2025

And then yesterday a guest at Trump's golf club took a photo of the president dozing at a table with his mouth open: the fact that Trump coined the term "Sleepy Joe" is now catching up with him, as the corresponding comments on X show.

11 a.m.

Trump has decided on new Fed chief

US President Donald Trump has said that he has made his decision on a new head of the US Federal Reserve (Fed). "I know who I'm going to choose," Trump said yesterday on board the presidential plane Air Force One.

However, he did not give a name. "We will announce it", the US President explained. Trump had already announced that he would not re-nominate current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell after his term of office ends in May 2026.

Because he wants a lower key interest rate, Trump has been putting pressure on Powell for months and insulting him. A lower key interest rate would boost the economy and save the government billions in debt servicing - but would also fuel inflation, according to experts.

According to the Bloomberg news agency, Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the National Economic Council in the White House, is the favorite for the post. "If he chooses me, I will gladly take on this task," Hassett told Fox News yesterday. Hassett is regarded as an advocate of a loose monetary policy. The central bank is independent by law.

5.15 a.m.

Fewer losses for German exporters in US business in 2026

Germany's exporters can also expect losses in their most important market, the USA, in 2026 due to US tariff policy. "After the sharp decline in 2025, however, the drop is likely to be smaller," predicts the federal economic development agency. For the current year, the economic development agency Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) expects exports of goods "Made in Germany" to the United States to fall by eight to nine percent compared to the previous year.

Since August 7, most imports from the European Union to the USA have been subject to tariffs of 15 percent. US President Donald Trump raised the tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent at the beginning of June. The EU Commission was able to negotiate an exemption for important sectors such as the automotive industry. "But medium-sized mechanical engineering companies are still being hit hard," notes GTAI. The industry association VDMA recently called for more pressure from Brussels on Trump to achieve further tariff relief.

According to official figures, German exports to the USA recovered somewhat in September after five months of sometimes sharp declines. However, the gap to the same month last year, which was unaffected by tariff increases, was still 14%.

In the coming year, GTAI estimates that a weakening labor market and rising inflation in the US are likely to stifle consumption, by far the most important pillar of the US economy. In addition, many companies have not yet passed on the higher import duties to their customers in the current year - "they are likely to do so in 2026".

4.30 a.m.

Pilatus delivers to the USA again

According to the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung", the Nidwalden aircraft manufacturer Pilatus is once again exporting to the USA. The company had temporarily suspended deliveries in the summer due to uncertainties surrounding the tariffs imposed by the USA. Pilatus has since resumed deliveries of the PC-12 and PC-24 to the United States, according to the newspaper. Both aircraft are primarily used for business travel. Like all Swiss suppliers in the aviation sector, the aircraft manufacturer is not subject to US tariffs. Nevertheless, Pilatus is sticking to its plans for an assembly plant in the US state of Florida, the newspaper wrote.

2.18 pm

Congressmen call for investigation into attacks on drug boats

US Congressmen from both parties have called for Congress to investigate US military operations against suspected drug boats. The reason for this is a report in the "Washington Post", according to which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly gave the order to kill all crew members during an attack on 2 September. "That would be a war crime if true," said Democratic Senator Tim Kaine from the US state of Virginia.

Following the "Washington Post" report, Hegseth wrote on X on Friday that this was "fake news". "Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both U.S. and international law."

I’m glad Senators Wicker and Reed are working together in a bipartisan way to investigate extremely concerning reporting about unlawful orders given at the Department of Defense. https://t.co/kk3WSBqZT7

— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) November 30, 2025

Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its ranking Democrat, Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, said in a joint statement on Friday evening that the committee would investigate the incidents. On Saturday, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Mike Rogers, issued a similar statement along with the ranking Democrat, Adam Smith. The reports are being taken "very seriously" and bipartisan action is being taken, Rogers and Smith said.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon said Hegseth deserved the chance to present his view. He doubted that Hegseth had done such a thing - "because it would defy common sense". "We should find out the truth," Bacon said.

Monday, December 1, 2025, 0:45 a.m.

Trump wants to publish the results of his MRI

US President Donald Trump wants to publish the results of his MRI test from October. "If you want it published, I will publish it," the president said during an exchange with reporters on the flight back to Washington from Florida. He added that the MRI's findings had been "perfect." Trump said he had "no idea" which part of his body was examined. But he was sure of one thing: "It wasn't the brain, because I took a cognitive test - and I passed it."

A magnetic resonance imaging scan, or MRI for short, provides images of the inside of the body to diagnose joint damage or possible tumors, for example.

The White House has not yet revealed any details about why Trump received an MRI during his examination last month or which area of his body was examined. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president received the test at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center "as part of his routine physical," and that the results showed Trump remains in "exceptional physical health."

11:08 p.m.

Trump and Maduro apparently spoke on the phone last week

Amid tensions between the two countries, the presidents of the USA and Venezuela, Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro, spoke on the phone last week, according to media reports. This was reported by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, both citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the two spoke about Venezuela's demands for a general amnesty for Maduro, his high-ranking advisors and their families. Many of them are facing financial sanctions from the USA and criminal charges, according to the report. According to the report, Trump is said to have told Maduro that the US would consider other options - including the use of force - if he did not voluntarily vacate his seat. According to the New York Times, the phone call also discussed a possible future meeting between the two in the US. However, a person familiar with the matter told the newspaper that there are currently no plans for such a meeting. According to media reports, the White House did not comment on the phone call when asked.

The USA has been increasing the pressure on Venezuela and the authoritarian left-wing politician Maduro for weeks. It has deployed additional soldiers to the Caribbean and, among other things, moved the world's largest warship - the aircraft carrier "USS Gerald R. Ford" - to the region. Officially, the US government justifies its actions with the fight against drugs. However, in view of the scale of its military deployment, it has long been suspected that it could be seeking a change of power in Caracas.

The US does not consider Maduro to be a legitimate president - like the EU and many Latin American countries, it doubts the official result of the 2024 presidential election, which was accompanied by allegations of fraud. The United States also accuses Maduro of bringing deadly drugs into the USA. They have offered a reward of up to 50 million dollars (around 40 million Swiss francs) for information leading to his arrest.

21.25

Venezuela calls Trump's comments a "colonialist threat"

The Venezuelan government has reacted defiantly to the increased pressure from the US government and Donald Trump's recent statements that the airspace over and around Venezuela should be completely closed. Meanwhile, the news agency Reuters reports that US government officials were surprised by Trump's post on social media. The officials are not aware of any deployment of the US military to enforce the closure of Venezuela's airspace.

In a statement, the Venezuelan government described Trump's post on social media as a "colonialist threat" against its sovereignty and a violation of international law. The government also stated that it demands respect for its airspace and will not accept any foreign orders or threats.

Due to Trump's announcement, all deportation flights for migrants were also "unilaterally suspended", it added. Deportation flights to Venezuela are a major point of contention for the Trump administration, which is continuing its mass deportation program.

16.12

US immigration authorities: Asylum decisions halted for now

The US government of President Donald Trump is massively tightening its restrictive approach to foreigners following the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday evening (local time) that it was suspending all asylum decisions for the time being. This halt will apply until it can be ensured that every foreigner is checked and vetted as thoroughly as possible, wrote the head of the agency, Joseph Edlow, on the X platform and on Facebook.

USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. The safety of the American people always comes first.

— USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 28, 2025

The US State Department also announced on X that it had immediately stopped issuing visas to people traveling with Afghan passports. The US Department of Homeland Security wrote on the platform that the goal had never been clearer: "Remigration now". Right-wing extremists in Germany and other countries also use this term. They usually mean that a large number of people of foreign origin should leave the respective country - even under duress.

The US President himself had previously announced a complete ban on the USA admitting all people from "third world countries". "I will permanently stop migration from all Third World countries," he wrote on his online platform Truth Social. He did not explain exactly which countries would be affected and how and when he intends to enforce such an admission ban.

On his instructions, the USCIS immigration authority announced shortly after the incident that it would comprehensively review the green cards of "all foreign nationals from all problematic countries". A "green card" allows foreign nationals to reside and work permanently in the USA. In addition to Afghans, people from 18 other countries such as Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Cuba and Venezuela are also affected by the move.

2.17 pm

Trump: Airspace over Venezuela "closed"

Against the backdrop of growing tensions with Venezuela, US President Donald Trump has declared the airspace over the South American country "closed".

On his online platform Truth Social, Trump published a warning "to all airlines, pilots, drug traffickers and human smugglers". They should "please consider the airspace over and around Venezuela closed in its entirety", it said.

Saturday, November 29, 12:36 p.m.

Honduras: Trump announces pardon for ex-president

Shortly before the presidential election in Honduras, US President Donald Trump announces the pardon of right-wing ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving time in the USA for drug trafficking. At the same time, he promised US support in the event that the right-wing candidate Nasry "Tito" Asfura, who is running for ex-President Hernández's National Party, is elected.

If the former mayor of the capital Tegucigalpa wins, Honduras can count on US support; if not, Washington would not waste money, Trump wrote in two long posts on his Truth Social platform.

22:24

US military allegedly targeted survivors in the Caribbean

According to media reports, the US military's attack on a boat allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean at the beginning of September is once again raising questions about possible violations of international law by the USA. In the first known strike of this kind, there are said to have been survivors, as reported by CNN and the Washington Post, citing people familiar with the situation. The boat was then attacked again and the two men were killed.

USAPentagon: Three dead in new US attack on drug boat

According to the "Washington Post" report, they had been clinging to the smouldering wreckage and therefore posed no threat. According to CNN, people briefed on the situation expressed concern that the second strike may have violated international law. One expert told the broadcaster that they should have been rescued in accordance with applicable law. A total of eleven people were killed in the strike, according to the US government.

21:35

Trump announces repeal of almost all of Biden's decrees

US President Donald Trump has announced that he will repeal most of the decrees issued by his predecessor Joe Biden. 92 percent of these decrees were signed with the so-called autopen - a mechanical signature aid - Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform. It remained unclear which decrees were involved.

BREAKING: President Trump declares that any document signed with President Joe Biden's "autopen" is hereby terminated.

NOTE: THIS IS ILLEGAL and Trump used an autopen hundreds of times. pic.twitter.com/T8q3Lc1uEI

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) November 28, 2025

The Autopen may not be used if there is no express authorization from the President of the United States, Trump wrote. He hereby revokes decrees and all other orders that were not signed directly by Biden himself, as the people who operated the Autopen had done so illegally.

20.26

Canada wants more independence from the USA with oil pipeline

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed a letter of intent for the construction of an oil pipeline more than 1000 kilometers long to the Pacific - also in order to free his country from its dependence on the USA, where most of its oil has been exported to date.

The core of the agreement with the province of Alberta is that Ottawa will support the construction of the pipeline, which will transport one million barrels of oil a day from Alberta to an export terminal on the west coast, as reported by CBC. From there, the oil will be shipped mainly to Asia.

2.18 p.m.

USA apparently wants to recognize Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine

According to a report in the Telegraph, the USA under President Trump is willing to recognize Russia's control over occupied Ukrainian regions. The move is causing considerable unrest in Europe.

Trump turns policy on its headUSA apparently wants to recognize Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine

8.49 am

"Because you're a stupid person": Trump slaps down journalist

Donald Trump once again showed his rough side in front of reporters at the White House yesterday. What got him into a rage? A journalist said that the suspect in the Wahington shooting death had been investigated and there was no reason not to let him enter the country.

"He's lost his mind. He's lost it. And that happens too often with these people. [...] There was no check," the president countered. The reporter disagrees: there was a review. "So why blame Biden?"

“You’re a stupid person” — Trump lashes out at a reporter who presses him on the fact that the suspected DC shooter was actually thoroughly vetted before he was let in the US from Afghanistan

[image or embed]

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 28. November 2025 um 01:24

That's too much for Trump: "Because they let them in. Are they stupid? Are you a stupid person?" the 79-year-old asked the woman. "You came on a plane with thousands of people who shouldn't be here. And you're asking questions because you're a stupid person."

Trump rages on, saying you can't get rid of people once they're in the country. "And they came in, and they weren't vetted, and they weren't checked. There were a lot of them, and they came in on big planes. It was disgraceful."

The Aghanistan withdrawal was a "mess" - and the US should have kept the airbase at Bagram in Aghanistan, Trump ends.

7:43 a.m.

Afghan received US asylum under Trump

The Afghan who allegedly killed 20-year-old National Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom in Washington and shot her 24-year-old colleague Andrew Wolfe in the head was only granted asylum this year under President Donald Trump, reports Reuters.

Although Rahmanullah Lakanwal entered the USA on September 8, 2021 during Operation Allies Welcome, he only applied for asylum in December 2024, which was approved on April 23 of this year. 70,000 Afghans entered the country during Operation Allies Welcome.

"The government file on Lakanwal said he had been vetted by the US for his work with US government partners during the war in Afghanistan, and no potentially disqualifying information was found," Reuters reports.

REPORTER: Can you clarify the timeline of when the suspect was granted asylum? KASH PATEL: I believe Kristi Noem put that out, and that's a DHS matter and I'll refer it to them

[image or embed]

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 27. November 2025 um 15:47

President Trump, but also FBI Director Kash Patel and Jeanine Pirro, Washington's Attorney General, have severely criticized the previous administration with regard to the alleged shooter. Under Joe Biden, there was a failure to properly vet immigrants from Afghanistan, they criticized.

7 a.m.

Trump announces far-reaching ban on the admission of foreigners

President Donald Trump has announced a complete ban on the admission of all people from "third world countries" to the USA. "I will permanently stop migration from all third world countries", the Republican announced shortly before midnight (Washington local time) on his online platform Truth Social. He went on to write that he wanted to "give the US system the opportunity to fully recover" - although it remained unclear exactly which countries Trump was referring to and how and when he intended to enforce such an admission ban.

The term "Third World" dates back to the world order in the second half of the 20th century, is now considered outdated and has not been in use for some time. It has been replaced by terms such as "developing countries", "emerging countries" and "Global South/North", although these terms have also been criticized for various reasons.

Within the space of a few minutes, Trump made three posts on the topic of migration to the USA, which were formulated in unusually drastic terms even by his standards. Among other things, he wrote that he wanted to reverse all "illegal admissions" from the term of office of his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden and drastically reduce the number of "illegal and disruptive" people - obviously meaning those with a migration background - in the USA.

The only real solution is "reverse migration", wrote Trump - a phrase that is strongly reminiscent of the word "remigration" used by right-wing extremists in Germany and other countries. By this they usually mean that a large number of people of foreign origin should leave the respective country - even under duress.

4.30 am

Trump visitor on customs deal: "Federal Council could have signed in May"

According to statements by Alfred Gantner in the "Tamedia" newspapers, the meeting with US President Trump was the result of a "months-long battle".

In the interview, the co-founder of the private equity firm Partners Group said that Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda led the group. The State Secretary called him the day after the tariff increase at the beginning of August, said Gantner.

He then drew up a seven-point plan and presented it to the federal authorities. The idea "that a well-balanced delegation of entrepreneurs should try to approach Trump directly" was ultimately developed in discussions between Budliger and the team.

When asked if Switzerland could have gotten a better deal in May, Gantner said: "As I know from the American side, Budliger was present in Washington from April and had negotiated a largely finished draft with 10 percent tariffs, as had the UK."

The British had concluded. "The Federal Council could also have signed in May," says the billionaire. In his opinion, the deal failed because the decision-making process in Bern took longer, as no Federal Council "can decide anything on its own".

The full Federal Council had needed several meetings and when it wanted to accept the deal after six to eight weeks of deliberation, the situation had changed. In the meantime, the USA had "already concluded deals with other countries and realized that they could get more out of it", said Gantner.

23:16

US government wants to review all residence permits of certain nationalities

Following the shooting attack on US National Guardsmen in Washington that left two seriously injured, the Trump administration wants to restrict the residence permits of citizens from 19 countries, including Afghanistan. "I have ordered a comprehensive and rigorous review of all 'green cards' for all foreign nationals from all affected countries," the head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told the online service X on Thursday.

In response to a question from CNN, the agency said that the 19 countries in question had already been listed in a presidential decree, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba and Venezuela. A "green card" allows foreign nationals to reside and work permanently in the USA.

At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.

— USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) November 27, 2025

2:50 p.m.

What remains of Epstein

According to "The New Republic", the FBI has its hands full processing the Epstein files for publication within a reasonable period of time. Almost 1,000 agents are said to have been assigned to the Special Redaction Project.

Between November 17 and 22 alone, 4737 hours of overtime are said to have been worked, resulting in additional costs of 851,344 dollars. The number of unpublished documents amounts to around 100,000, in addition to the data from 40 computers, 26 storage media and 70 CDs that were sifted through. In total, over 300 gigabytes of information are involved.

1.16 p.m.

Venezuela withdraws operating license from airlines

In the escalating conflict with the USA, Venezuela's government has revoked the operating licenses of six foreign airlines in the South American country. Iberia (Spain), TAP (Portugal), Turkish Airlines (Turkey), Gol (Brazil), Avianca and LATAM Colombia (both Colombia) are no longer allowed to fly to Venezuela with immediate effect, as announced by the aviation authority and the Ministry of Transportation.

Numerous international airlines had recently temporarily suspended their connections to Venezuela after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called for particular caution when flying to Caracas airport due to the poor security situation and increased military activity.

The Venezuelan government had given the airlines 48 hours on November 24 to resume their flights. After the airlines failed to meet the deadline, their licenses were revoked. The government in Caracas accused the airlines of supporting the "state terrorism" of the United States.

The US military has assembled numerous warships off the coast of Venezuela. Among others, the world's largest aircraft carrier, the "USS Gerald R. Ford", is cruising there.

According to the government in Washington, the deployment is aimed at combating drug smugglers. However, the authoritarian government of President Nicolás Maduro fears that the USA wants to force a change of government in Venezuela.

12.43 p.m.

"F**** you": Greene takes on right-wing activist

Marjorie Taylor Greene didn't actually write directly about politics on X, but about the forms of behavior on the portal: "It's toxic, hateful and divisive. Many accounts are paid and many are foreign. They post and comment all day with targeted arguments to sway your opinion."

Right-wing commentator Mike Cernovich then chimes in under this post: he calls on the Republican to resign from her post and serve the full term.

You need to serve out your full term.

— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 26, 2025

This caused the 51-year-old to literally explode. "Oh, haven't I suffered enough for you while you post behind a screen all day? Do I have to stay until I'm murdered like our friend Charlie Kirk? Would that be good enough for you then?"

She goes on to rant, "Posting sh***** all day on the internet is not a struggle. Move your a**** and run for Congress. I've fought harder than anyone in the real arena, not social media. Put your money where your mouth is."

Oh I haven’t suffered enough for you while you post all day behind a screen?

Do I have to stay until I’m assassinated like our friend Charlie Kirk.

Will that be good enough for you then?

Shit posting on the internet all day isn’t fighting.

Get off YOUR ass and run for… https://t.co/jhbqxHi3Vt

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) November 26, 2025

The congresswoman must have been seething, because an hour later Greene added: "Typical of Republican men to tell a woman to 'shut up, go back to the kitchen and make me something to eat'. F*** you - in the sweetest Southern scholarly language I can produce."

Greene stays in the picture, "I tried to tell you 'men' that our pantry is full of cobwebs, our house has been ransacked, the windows and doors are broken, and the greedy rich bastards have twisted your minds into a sick state so you all continue in the toxic political two-party system."

She ends with, "Move your Ä***** and cook your own damn food and clean up the kitchen when you're done."

Typical of Republican men telling a woman to “shut up get back in the kitchen and fix me something to eat.”

F*ck you in the sweetest most southern drawl I can enunciate.

I have been trying tell all you “men” that our kitchen pantry is empty with spider webs, our house has been… pic.twitter.com/ruaw8uEt6K

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 26, 2025

The 48-year-old Cernovich counters that Greene owes your constituents a full term. "So your endorsement is telling me to stay in there until I get assassinated and keep fighting the broken system that can't be fixed?" asks Greene back. "That's not support, that's cruel." Cernovich should stand for election himself instead of posting wildly.

So your support is telling me to stay in there until I’m murdered and keep fighting the broken system that can’t be fixed?

That’s not support, that’s cruel.

Instead of listening to me tell all of you that it’s broken far beyond repair more than you know, you throw rocks.

Again… https://t.co/Ylwk3CHSk3

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) November 26, 2025

10.42 am

South Africa regrets exclusion from G20 summit

South Africa has reacted to the announced exclusion from the next G20 summit by US President Donald Trump. The office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Trump's statement yesterday was regrettable.

The South African government rejected Trump's statements that white farmers in South Africa were being murdered and their land taken away from them. Trump continues to take "punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country".

Trump had announced that he would exclude South Africa from participating in the G20 summit, which is to be held next year at one of his private golf clubs in Florida. Trump also announced that all payments and subsidies for South Africa would be stopped.

He justified this with the way a representative of the US government was treated at this year's G20 summit, which took place in Johannesburg last weekend. In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump said that South Africa had refused to hand over the G20 presidency to the representative of the US embassy at the end of the summit.

"Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT receive an invitation to the 2026 G20 Summit," Trump declared. "South Africa has shown the world that it is not a country worthy of membership anywhere." Trump had referred to the alleged violence against white members of a minority.

South Africa has rejected this accusation as unfounded. The country experienced apartheid for decades, in which the black majority of the population was oppressed by a white minority. Even some of the so-called Afrikaners, whom Trump sees as victims, have attributed his statements to misinformation.

Trump is referring to South Afrikaners, who are descended from predominantly Dutch colonial settlers who arrived in South Africa from the 17th century onwards. The South African government described it as an insult that the USA decided to send a local representative from the embassy for the handover ceremony.

This took place after the summit at the South African Department of Foreign Affairs "as the United States was not present at the summit", Ramaphosa's office said. The USA has now taken over the rotating presidency of the G20. The G20 includes industrialized countries, emerging economies, the African Union and the EU.

9.54 am

Now Trump also wants to rebuild this landmark in Washington

While many are still lamenting the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, Donald Trump is threatening to take on the next American landmark.

On his Truth Social platform, the 79-year-old announced that the days of the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool are numbered.

He will work with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to "fix things", the statement continues: it is unclear exactly what the problem is that the duo wants to solve.

The Reflection Basin is 619 by 51 meters in size and was built between 1922 and 1923. It is between 46 and 76 centimetres deep. In 1967, the site became a mecca for protest against the Vietnam War - the basin also became famous thanks to the film "Forrest Gump".

"Take another good look at it, because you won't be seeing this Biden felt and incompetence much longer," the president writes erratically.

9:12 a.m.

Vance: "Double" deportations

US Vice President JD Vance has announced that after the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, the US government will step up its deportation efforts.

Shots fired in WashingtonNational Guardswoman dies after attack

"First we will bring the shooter to justice and then we must redouble our efforts to deport people without the right to be in our country," Vance said on X.

Many of our voters will demand not just words, but action, and this is an entirely appropriate response. We will first bring the shooter to justice, and then we must redouble our efforts to deport people with no right to be in our country.

Already some voices in corporate media…

— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 27, 2025

Some voices in major media outlets have suggested that U.S. immigration policy is too harsh, Vance continued. "Tonight reminds us why they're wrong about that."

Trump has Afghans checked out"The animal will pay a salty price"

Many voters were now demanding not just words but action, and that was a "perfectly appropriate response", wrote US President Donald Trump's vice president.

5 o'clock

Customs deal with Trump: Greens denounce "Team Switzerland"

According to the WOZ, members of the Green Party have filed a criminal complaint against "Team Switzerland" with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.

National Councillor Greta Gysin from Ticino and National Councillor Raphaël Mahaim from Vaud are calling for a criminal investigation into the meeting between Swiss entrepreneurs and US President Donald Trump at the beginning of November.

According to the complaint, "the credibility of our institutions, respect for the rule of law and Switzerland's international reputation are at stake". It is formally directed against unknown persons. It criticizes the gifts - a Rolex and a gold bar - that were presented to Trump at the meeting.

The meeting presumably led to a breakthrough in the so-called customs dispute between the US and Switzerland, writes the newspaper.

Negotiations had previously seemed blocked, but shortly after the meeting an agreement was suddenly reached: Among other things, Switzerland promised 200 billion dollars in investment from the private sector, and the US announced that it would reduce the tariff rate from 39 percent to 15 percent.

Thursday, November 27, 2025, 4:58 a.m.

Trump speaks of act of terror after National Guard shooting

US President Donald Trump has described an armed attack on two National Guardsmen in the capital Washington as an "act of terror" and announced drastic political consequences. As the suspected perpetrator is an Afghan according to the authorities, Trump announced that all foreigners from Afghanistan who had come to the USA under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden would be screened.

In addition, he would "take all necessary measures to ensure that all foreigners from all countries who do not belong here or do not benefit our country are deported", the Republican said in a speech. He also ordered the deployment of around 500 more National Guard soldiers to the capital.

Just a few hours earlier on Wednesday afternoon (local time), a gunman opened fire on two National Guardsmen near the White House outside a subway station in Washington, critically injuring them, according to the authorities. There was initially no precise information on the identity of the victims. According to unconfirmed media reports, the victims were a soldier and a female soldier. The Democratic mayor of the capital, Muriel Bowser, spoke of a targeted attack. There were initially no details about the motive. Read more here.

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