Judge closes the final chapter of January 6 - and delivers a blistering rebuke of Trump's course
The last major case stemming from the Capitol attack has come to an end, but not in the way many expected. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed the case against Stewart Rhodes and other members of the far right Oath Keepers at the request of the Justice Department. At the same time, he used his ruling to deliver an unusually sharp rebuke of the Trump administration. The government was asking the court to erase crimes committed against the United States itself, Mehta wrote. While the court was required to grant that request, it could not rewrite the ending of the story. With this decision, the final criminal case connected to January 6, 2021, comes to a close. What remains is an unresolved fight over what that day means.
The judge's written opinion was especially direct. He said the decision diminishes the seriousness of the attack on the Capitol, devalues the work of prosecutors and investigators, and excuses crimes that shook the peaceful transfer of power in the United States. Mehta wrote that the court cannot write a different ending. Those are unusually strong words from a federal judge who also acknowledged that, under the law, he had no other choice.
Read also our article: In Remembrance and as a Warning – The Voices and the Death – What Police Officers Really Experienced on January 6
The background is Donald Trump's decision last year to pardon or commute the sentences of more than 1,200 people convicted over January 6. Stewart Rhodes was among the few whose sentence was only commuted. The Justice Department later went a step further and asked the court to completely vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions. That marked a complete reversal by the same department compared with its position under President Joe Biden, when those convictions were celebrated as a landmark victory against political extremism.
For the defense, however, the ruling still did not go far enough. Rhodes' attorney argued that Mehta had allowed his personal views to influence the decision. Trump, meanwhile, continues to insist that the prosecutions of the January 6 defendants were a grave injustice and that his pardons were meant to promote national reconciliation. The dismissal of this final case brings an end to the largest criminal investigation in the history of the U.S. Justice Department. The political and legal battle over the Capitol attack, however, is far from over.
Where's the money? U.S. cities demand millions from FIFA - but the governing body stays silent
Eleven American host cities are still waiting for money they say FIFA repeatedly promised them. According to reporting and information from several organizing committees, the governing body promised each city one million dollars for soccer fields and community projects. So far, not a single payment has been made. FIFA never officially announced those payments. Behind closed doors, however, officials are said to have repeatedly assured the cities that the money was coming. Now the organization refuses to comment. That has become a serious problem for the host cities. Some organizing committees have already shut down after the World Cup. Others must now account for their finances to local authorities and do not even know whether they can include the promised money in their budgets. That leaves an obvious question: if the money ever arrives, who would even be there to receive it?
The dispute is even more remarkable because FIFA is hardly short on cash. Between 2023 and 2026, the organization brought in more than $15 billion in revenue. The World Cup alone operated with a budget of roughly $2.7 billion. At the same time, American taxpayers covered a substantial share of the costs for security, transportation, policing, infrastructure, and tournament operations. Kansas City alone spent $86.8 million in public funds preparing for the event. On top of that came millions more in lost tax revenue after Missouri waived taxes on World Cup ticket sales. While the host cities paid the bills, the biggest revenue streams from television rights, ticket sales, sponsorships, parking, and stadium concessions flowed to FIFA. Now the dispute centers on comparatively small amounts that were supposed to support post tournament community projects. The longer FIFA remains silent, the louder one question becomes: Where is the promised money?
Michigan shocks America: One man shakes up the political establishment
Abdul El-Sayed has won the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan, defeating not only Congresswoman Haley Stevens but also one of the most expensive intraparty campaigns in recent years. For a long time, his campaign was considered a long shot. Millions of dollars were spent trying to stop him. AIPAC alone, by its own account, poured roughly $30 million into helping Stevens win. In the end, El-Sayed won anyway. For many Democrats in Washington, this is more than just a defeat. It is a warning that the party is changing faster than its leadership was willing to admit.
The real campaign began the morning after his victory. Standing before supporters in Detroit, El-Sayed spoke about the rising cost of living, the healthcare system, and the influence of big money in politics. At the same time, he challenged Republican candidate Mike Rogers to five televised debates. Rogers would refuse, El-Sayed said, because he was afraid of an open debate. He then turned his attention to Donald Trump, saying Rogers had traveled to Florida simply to tell Trump what he wanted to hear. His message was aimed at former Trump voters as well. Anyone who wants a more affordable life, he said, is welcome to join his movement.
Republicans responded within hours with a united counterattack. Mike Rogers called El-Sayed an extremist and described him as political insanity. Senate Republican Leader John Thune said the race presents voters with a clear choice between the two parties. A Republican campaign committee released a new television ad that same day calling El-Sayed dangerously radical. Rogers also attacked El-Sayed over appearances with controversial online commentator Hasan Piker and tried to tie Piker's statements directly to him.
Donald Trump's administration also weighed in immediately. At an event on combating fraud, Vice President JD Vance suddenly brought up the possibility of a President El-Sayed. He said he hoped that day would never come because no one wanted to see a future president undo everything the Trump administration had built. The remark came just minutes after the election result became official and made it clear that the White House is taking the Democratic nominee seriously.
While Republicans are going on the offensive, Democrats are trying to unite. Retiring Senator Gary Peters said El-Sayed must now bring every faction of the party together. Chuck Schumer, who had backed Haley Stevens during the primary, called El-Sayed immediately after the result and later described him as a very good candidate. Stevens herself also endorsed him and urged her supporters to unite behind him against Mike Rogers. Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel said turnout was the highest ever recorded in a Democratic primary in the state. More than 1.5 million ballots were cast.
El-Sayed knows his position on the Middle East will once again be under intense scrutiny. He has repeatedly described Israel's military campaign in Gaza as genocide and faced heavy criticism over those remarks during the primary. After his victory, he said he unequivocally condemns antisemitism. His commitment to the safety of Jewish families, he said, is the same as his commitment to his own children. At the same time, he argued that people must acknowledge everyone's pain and work to end wars instead of prolonging them.
With the primary now over, one of the most important Senate races of the year begins. Michigan is not just deciding one Senate seat. The state could also determine whether Democrats regain control of the Senate or whether Donald Trump continues to rely on a Republican majority in Congress. For both parties, this race is about far more than two candidates. It is a vote on the direction America will take in the years ahead.
Russian hackers targeted hotel Wi-Fi networks worldwide - government officials and executives in their sights
According to Microsoft, Russian state linked hackers spent months targeting hotel Wi-Fi networks around the world to steal data from government officials, diplomats, and business executives. The campaign, according to Microsoft's findings, has been underway since February and was first detected in early May. The attacks were not limited to hotels. Conference centers and other locations regularly used by high level officials were also targeted. The operation focused specifically on people traveling for business.
ccording to Microsoft, the attackers deployed the remote access trojan CornFlake. The malware could record keystrokes, capture screenshots, activate microphones and webcams, and steal passwords and login credentials. Another tool collected internet cookies, Microsoft 365 credentials, and even saved Wi-Fi passwords. The compromised devices were then managed through a centralized control platform. Microsoft also believes artificial intelligence was used to assist parts of the operation.
The group Midnight Blizzard is linked by U.S. and British authorities to Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. For years, it has targeted governments, diplomatic missions, nongovernmental organizations, and technology companies across Europe and the United States. Microsoft describes the group as exceptionally persistent and highly consistent in selecting its targets. The company advises travelers to treat hotel, conference, and airport Wi-Fi as inherently insecure, use mobile internet whenever possible, and never install software updates offered through login pages or pop up windows.
Democrats suddenly target Trump's strongholds - Republicans face pressure on a new front
Democrats are dramatically expanding their battle for the House of Representatives. Instead of focusing only on traditional swing districts, they are now targeting another twelve Republican held districts that until recently were considered safe GOP territory. Their target list has now grown to 58 seats. Included are districts Donald Trump carried by double digit margins in the 2024 presidential election. For Democrats, this reflects a belief that the political climate has shifted far more than it appeared just a few months ago. They need only a handful of additional seats to take the House away from Republicans. That is now the strategy. The party believes voter frustration over the economy, the cost of the war with Iran, and the turmoil of Trump's second term could move voters even in places where Republicans once expected little serious competition.
The new targets stand out. In North Carolina, Democrats are going after Republican campaign chairman Richard Hudson. In Arkansas, they hope to unseat longtime Congressman French Hill. In Florida, Gus Bilirakis' district has become a priority after earlier redistricting changed the makeup of the electorate. In northern New York, Democrats suddenly see an opening after Elise Stefanik decided not to seek reelection. The party points to demographic shifts in several districts. In some areas, the number of Black, Asian, and Latino voters has grown. In others, Democrats cite stronger turnout among their own voters or previous elections where Democratic candidates performed surprisingly well despite comfortable Trump victories. Whether that will be enough to flip the House will not be known until November. What is already clear is that the fight for control of Congress is no longer confined to the usual battleground districts. Even places where Trump won comfortably are now preparing for hard fought campaigns.
Trump loses patience: Tensions grow inside the White House over depleted weapons stockpiles
Pressure is mounting inside the president's inner circle. During a meeting at Camp David, Donald Trump reportedly confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the rapidly shrinking stockpile of U.S. weapons. According to multiple people familiar with the conversation, Trump wanted to know why he had been told the munitions problem had already been solved. In reality, the United States is now running short of precisely the missiles and interceptor systems the military would need in a prolonged war. Concern over those shortages is now believed to be directly influencing decisions inside the White House. According to reporting and people familiar with the matter, the depleted stockpiles were among the reasons Trump recently called off another large scale strike against Iran. Publicly, he said earlier this week that he had ordered the biggest military attack since World War II before canceling it. At the same time, he pointed to possible new negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz. Behind the scenes, however, another question appears to have weighed heavily: how many weapons does the United States actually have left?
The war has consumed enormous amounts of ammunition. In the first month alone, U.S. forces fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and over 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors. They also launched more than 1,300 tactical surface to surface missiles. According to several people familiar with the situation, the stockpile of ATACMS missiles has now been almost completely exhausted. At the same time, modern air defense interceptors are in short supply. The impact is no longer limited to the war with Iran. Ukraine is also receiving fewer air defense systems because Western stockpiles themselves have been heavily depleted. During the Camp David meeting, Hegseth reportedly rejected responsibility and blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for failing to fully inform Trump. Both the White House and the Pentagon strongly deny that account. They describe the reports as completely fabricated and insist Trump continues to have full confidence in his defense secretary. Even so, the impression in Washington is growing that the war with Iran has lasted longer, become far more expensive, and placed a much heavier strain on America's military reserves than the administration originally expected.
The problem cannot be solved quickly, even with billions of dollars in new funding. The Pentagon is seeking an additional $67 billion to cover the war and rebuild stockpiles, while the proposed defense budget totals roughly $1.5 trillion. But years often pass between placing an order and receiving new missiles. New production agreements do little to change that reality. Until Congress approves the money and manufacturers significantly increase production, the stockpiles will remain largely depleted. That leaves the United States with far fewer military options today than it had at the beginning of the war.
