Trump News for Thursday, August 14, 2025

Jeremy Bowen: Netanyahu is presiding over a divided Israel - the old fault lines are now chasms

BBC News

Jeremy Bowen travelled through Israel to hear views from all sides - from protesters in 'psychological despair' over Gaza, to those who feel an overwhelming sense that their country's actions are justified

"We don't install secret tracking devices in our products," — NVIDIA responds to a new report suggesting US officials are adding trackers to AI chip shipments

c.cale.hunt@gmail.com (Cale Hunt) , Cale Hunt, Windows Central

In a new report from Reuters, it's claimed that trackers have been discovered in some AI chip shipments "at high risk of illegal diversion to China." That's terrible timing for NVIDIA, which is under the microscope due to national security concerns from Beiji…

US government in talks to take stake in Intel: Report

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Talks for an undisclosed stake come days after President Donald Trump called for Intel’s CEO to resign.

Judge Not Buying DOJ’s Claim That Elon Wasn’t Running DOGE

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

Remember back in February when the DOJ told a court that, despite multiple public statements from both Elon Musk and Donald Trump to the contrary, Elon Musk was not associated one bit with DOGE and therefore should not be subject to litigation regarding DOGE’…

Newsom calls for special election to make good on redistricting threat

Garrett Owen, Salon

Gov. Gavin Newsom is fighting Donald Trump's attempts to gerrymander red states ahead of the midterms.

Four Years after Taliban's Return to Power in Afghanistan, Life for Many has Worsened

Arezou Rezvani, NPR

It's been four years since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's return to power. Life for certain groups has deteriorated significantly. But the Trump administration says Afghanistan’s conditions have improved in recent years to the point wh…

The U.S. government may take a stake in Intel

Mark Hachman, PCWorld

The U.S. government is discussing whether it will take a stake in beleaguered chipmaker Intel Corp. as a way to bail it out of its financial struggles, according to a report. Bloomberg reported that the two sides were in discussions, but nothing has bee…

President Privately Dismissed Victims as 'Democrats'...

Nikki McCann Ramirez and Asawin Suebsaeng, Rolling Stone

President Privately Dismissed Victims as 'Democrats'... (Second column, 4th story, link) Related stories:Epstein battle set to reignite in Congress...

First pic of secret 6-year-old son 'Vladimir Jr.'...

Juliana Cruz Lima, The-sun.com

First pic of secret 6-year-old son 'Vladimir Jr.'... (First column, 5th story, link) Related stories:VLAD PRAISES THE DON ON EVE OF SUMMIT... Putin redrawing global order to his liking... Ukrainians confront prospect of losing Donbas..…

California governor boosts redistricting effort in growing feud with Trump

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Amid Texas brouhaha, Gavin Newsom takes combative stance against Trump, urges other Democratic leaders to 'punch back'.

Trump-Putin summit live updates: Trump says Putin, Zelenskyy 'will make peace'

Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin head to Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit as the U.S. seeks a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“F**k that”: Hunter Biden responds to Melania Trump’s demand for an apology over Epstein story

Alex Galbraith, Salon

Facing a $1B defamation suit, Biden refused to walk back statements about Melania Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.

The celebrity doctor overseeing Medicaid suggested that recipients in the program spend too much time watching TV.

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

President Donald Trump’s favorite celebrity doctor is telling Medicaid recipients to get off their couch. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Trump-appointed administrator of...

Trump: Putin ‘won’t mess around with me’ at Alaska summit

Al Jazeera English

Trump says the Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin could “set the table” for direct talks with Ukraine.

Crypto Prices Plunge After Shock Inflation Report

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Inflation is up, Bitcoin is down.

‘Going to be good for 90 years’: Trump defends record on Social Security

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

To mark Social Security's 90th anniversary, the US president pledged to 'defend' the programme, despite criticisms.

US government reportedly in talks to take stake in Intel, stock surges

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Intel’s stock spiked late in trading today after reports that the Trump administration is in talks to take a stake in the company. The news follows Trump’s recent call for the ouster of CEO Lip-Bu Tan and a subsequent meeting between the two. more…

Failed New Mexico candidate gets 80 years in shootings at rivals' homes

The Associated Press, NPR

A jury convicted former Republican candidate Solomon Peña of conspiracy, weapons and other charges in the shootings in 2022 and 2023 on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque, including the current state House speaker.

Intel stock jumps on report Trump admin. is considering stake

Yahoo Finance Video, Yahoo Entertainment

Shares of Intel (INTC) jumped 7% following a Bloomberg report that the Trump administration is considering taking a stake in the chip giant. The report...

Gavin Newsom Out Trumps Trump With A 2028 POTUS Campaign Launch By Any Other Name To Fight GOP Gerrymandering

Dominic Patten, Deadline

“Today is Liberation Day in the state of California,” Gavin Newsom proclaimed today in downtown LA of the legislative effort to stop Donald Trump from “rigging the system” with gerrymandering and other on American democracy. “I know they say don’t mess with T…

Musk And DOGE (And Others) Take Another Loss, As The Wheels Of Justice Slowly Grind Forward

Cathy Gellis, Techdirt

It has been more than six months since Trump took office and kicked off his Musk-led rampage through the federal government. And more than six months that everyone has been turning to the courts to stop the DOGE destruction. These litigation efforts have led …

Lawyers in Brazil submit final statement for Bolsonaro in coup trial

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Former president denies involvement in alleged effort to overturn his loss in the 2022 election.

Putin praises Trump’s ‘sincere efforts’ to end war on Ukraine

Al Jazeera English

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised US President Donald Trump's “sincere efforts” to end the war on Ukraine.

Xbox is distracted — will it miss these major upcoming opportunities to actually *sell* more Xbox Series X|S consoles?

jez@windowscentral.com (Jez Corden) , Jez Corden, Windows Central

Hardware definitely isn't Xbox's focus anymore, but with all of its extra-curricular distractions, it could end up missing this easy opportunity to actually sell more Xbox Series X|S consoles than usual.

Taylor Swift Nearly Doubles Trump’s Podcast Ratings

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

Taylor Swift’s New Heights podcast appearance crashed its YouTube live stream last night.

Here’s the Real Guy Who Got to Hang Out with Jesus and Randy Marsh in the ‘South Park’ Premiere

JM McNab, Cracked.com

By JM McNab Published: August 14th, 2025

WATCH: Taylor Swift announces release date for 12th album

ABC News

The Grammy winners' new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," drops Oct. 3 — aka Mean Girls Day. Will Ganss has the biggest takeaways from her New Heights podcast interview.

WATCH: Pregnant wife of former NBA player speaks out after surviving shark bite

ABC News

The pregnant wife of former NBA player Danilo Gallinari is speaking out for the first time after surviving a shark bite off a beach in Puerto Rico.

The Incredible Disappearing Human Rights Reports

Nick Turse, The Intercept

The State Department’s new reports whitewash the records of some of the world’s most notorious nations and targets Trump’s enemies. The post The Incredible Disappearing Human Rights Reports appeared first on The Intercept.

Private Spaceflight Enters the Wild West as Trump Slashes Regulations

Passant Rabie, Gizmodo.com

A new executive order calls for the drastic curtailment of environmental reviews for launch and reentry permits, making it easier for companies like SpaceX to do as they please.

Republicans are driving a historic low in alcohol consumption

Bryan Metzger,Madison Hoff, Business Insider

Just 54% of Americans say they drink alcohol. That's the lowest level recorded in 86 years.

One Country For Old Men: Desperate ICE Drops Age Cap For New Hires

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Good news, Americans of a certain age and certain… shall we say… persuasion: you’ll never need to be too old for this shit again! U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem today announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will wa…

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Is Putting His Smithsonian Exhibit on Pause Pending Trump Takeover

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

Weird Al won’t donate any of his Hawaiian shirts to a Trump-controlled museum

Asus moves U.S. manufacturing to avoid tariffs — but not to the U.S.

Michael Crider, PCWorld

China has been the manufacturing juggernaut of the world for decades, thanks to low labor costs and a lot of business-friendly moves from the government. But now that the U.S. is apparently on a very personal crusade to disrupt this status quo, businesses are…

Trump says he thinks Putin will ‘make a deal’ on Ukraine

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Words come on the eve of the US and Russian leaders' closely watched Alaska summit.

Trump administration sanctions two Mexican drug cartels, announces bounties

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

As part of its crackdown on gangs, the US Justice Department has offered $26m in rewards for Carteles Unidos leaders.

What’s next for oil as OPEC+ and Trump shake the market?

Al Jazeera English

OPEC+ is opening the oil taps again, while Donald Trump's tariffs target Russian crude buyers.

Goldman Sachs says the risk of stock-market decline has suddenly spiked

jsor@businessinsider.com (Jennifer Sor), Business Insider

The S&P 500 is looking more likely to face a correction, thanks to the risks from tariffs and low volatility in the market, Goldman Sachs says.

Crunch time in Alaska: Trump set to meet Putin in push for Ukraine peace

BBC News

Donald Trump will host Vladimir Putin in Alaska - their first meeting in six years -as he tries to secure a Ukraine war ceasefire.

French President Emmanuel Macron Shows Off Abs, Rides Jet Ski

TMZ Staff, TMZ

French Prez Emmanuel Macron looks like he's been hitting the gym ... because he just showed us what he's been packing under his suits -- and he's got a six-pack of abs. Macron and his wife Brigitte ventured down to Fort de Brégançon over the…

WATCH: Driver survives after train crashes into van at railroad crossing

ABC News

The van driver escaped the accident without injuries, police said.

Anti-Trump podcast MeidasTouch is rivaling Joe Rogan. Does it have staying power?

Bobby Allyn, NPR

The left-leaning media outfit has surged in Donald Trump's second term, appealing to progressives outraged by the president. Still, the online streaming world remains dominated by right-wing voices.

Man charged with felony for tossing sandwich at “fascists”

Garrett Owen, Salon

The incident occurred after President Donald Trump deployed federal agents in a show of force in Washington, DC

Is Taylor Tomlinson Really the Reason Stephen Colbert was Canceled?

Opheli Garcia Lawler, Cracked.com

The latest insider baseball suggests that losing the later show might have sealed ‘Late Show’s fate

Trump Threatens Bayh‑Dole March‑In To Punish Harvard—After Refusing It For COVID

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

For years we’ve talked about the serious problems of the Bayh-Dole Act, which encouraged universities to patent every damn idea that anyone associated with the university came up with in the hopes of “commercializing” it. In practice this has been a total dis…

Justice Department fires man accused of throwing sandwich at agent during Trump DC intervention

MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Yahoo Entertainment

A man charged with a felony for hurling a sandwich at a federal law-enforcement official in the nation's capital has been fired from his job at the Justice...

Trump Cuts Could End U.S. Exploration of the Outer Solar System

Hannah Richter, Scientific American

The U.S. planetary science community is sounding the alarm about plans to discard a nuclear technology that has powered dozens of NASA missions over the past 50 years

The Damage to Economic Data May Already Be Done

Egan Reich, The Atlantic

Donald Trump’s choice to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t have to manipulate any numbers to undermine the reliability of the government’s jobs reports.

“If you want to fight for what’s right in this moment, and...

Jason Kottke, kottke.org

“If you want to fight for what’s right in this moment, and forge politics that exist in opposition to what Trump repre

WATCH: Man carries baby through floodwater as severe rain hits India

ABC News

A man waded through floodwater while carrying a baby in Prayagraj, India, amid recent severe weather in the region.

Scott Baio Is Mad About This Week’s ‘Gutfeld’

Matt Solomon, Cracked.com

By Matt Solomon Published: August 14th, 2025

Elon Musk’s gangster tech regulation comes for Apple

Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge

Elon Musk is calling in another return on his investment in American politics: he's threatening Apple with a lawsuit because neither X nor xAI's Grok have been recommended on the iOS App Store. How serious this threat is - well, that's hard to say, as it was …

Christian Militants Are Using Instagram to Recruit—and Becoming Influencers in the Process

Tess Owen, Wired

There's a new guard of paramilitary activists, whose youthful membership, edgy aesthetics, use of Instagram, and, in many cases, overt nods to religion points to a new brand of anti-government Christian nationalist militias.

Jimmy Fallon Roasts Donald Trump Using Taylor Swift Songs

TMZ Staff, TMZ

Taylor Swift has drawn plenty of criticism and insults from Donald Trump in the past -- and now Jimmy Fallon’s spinning her material to roast the Commander-in-Chief ahead of his Friday summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It…

Maddow Blog | Accused of acting like a ‘dictator,’ Trump offers an unsettling response

Steve Benen, MSNBC

Reflecting on critics who've called him a "dictator," Donald Trump didn't say the accusations were wrong, but rather, they're irrelevant.

Trump signs executive order to boost commercial space — and shift NASA's balance of power

jdinner@space.com (Josh Dinner) , Josh Dinner, Space.com

The executive order directs multiple federal agencies to streamline launch licensing, fast-track spaceport construction and better support emerging in-space industries.

Who made the demo list for Trump's fast-track nuclear reactor scheme?

Dan Robinson, Theregister.com

US DoE names firms for Pilot Program to show how it could be done America's Department of Energy (DoE) has named ten companies it will work with to test advanced atomic reactor projects outside of the agency's world-famous national laboratories, in line with …

WATCH: DC residents tell National Guard troops to 'go home'

ABC News

Residents in one Washington, D.C., neighborhood protested the arrival of National Guard troops in the city as President Trump continues efforts to ramp-up crime enforcement in the nation's capital.

Texas DA Who Charged Woman With Murder for Abortion Allegedly Paid for His Mistress’s Abortion

Susan Rinkunas, Jezebel

“Why would it be something you wouldn't consider criminal as to your own personal decision with your partner, but, as to Lizelle, that personal decision is now homicide?” the ACLU's Lauren Johnson told Jezebel.

Trump’s Pick for Stats Chief Loves This Nazi Warship & Is Bad at Math

Danielle Han, Jezebel

It also looks like he was at the Capitol on January 6. Sweet!

Does anyone in Israel support the plan to escalate its offensive in Gaza?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Opposition has come from many sectors, including the security establishment.

Senators Press Howard Lutnick’s Former Investment Firm Over Tariff Conflict of Interest Concerns

Louise Matsakis, Zoë Schiffer, Wired

Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren are demanding answers from Cantor Fitzgerald after WIRED reported that the firm was essentially creating a way for clients to bet on whether Trump’s tariffs will be struck down in court.

This Is the Only Time Joe Biden Appeared on ‘South Park’

JM McNab, Cracked.com

By JM McNab Published: August 14th, 2025

New York Takes Zelle to Court Over Fraud on the Platform, Claims $1 Billion Lost

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

You'd think the banks would be invested in preventing fraud.

Nvidia, AMD Pay A 15% Bribe To The US Treasury To Keep Selling Chips To China

Karl Bode, Techdirt

If you actually pay attention you might notice the right wing’s pearl-clutching over China is neither effective nor consistent. The GOP, for years, made a giant stink about China’s Huawei network gear being a massive national security threat, and pushed throu…

Ukraine, left out in Trump-Putin summit, fears setbacks on key peace issues

David Brennan, Kayla Panagrosso, ABC News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Friday's meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not achieve anything."

Why has the US issued a ‘terrorism’ travel alert for Mexico?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

This new alert comes after months of intense pressure from US President Trump over issues like immigration and crime.

Trump asked Norwegian minister about Nobel Prize, newspaper says

Yahoo Entertainment

Analysis-Diplomacy or defiance: Iran’s rulers face existential choice after US-Israeli strikes

Parisa Hafezi, Yahoo Entertainment

DUBAI (Reuters) -Weakened by war and diplomatic deadlock, Iran’s clerical elite stands at a crossroads: defy pressure to halt its nuclear activity and risk...

Trump administration to unveil tougher solar and wind subsidy rules

Nichola Groom, Yahoo Entertainment

(Reuters) -The Trump administration is expected as soon as Monday to take another step toward curbing the growth of renewable energy in the United States by ...

Trump, Abbott and the GOP bring Orbán-style autocracy to Texas

Chauncey DeVega, Salon

As the Lone Star State's Democratic lawmakers resist, national Democrats should take a lesson

Russia pounds Ukraine, boosts army as world braces for Putin-Trump talks

John T Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera English

Ukraine has publicly rejected any land concession deal with Russia, but some reports suggest it may be open to it.

What are H-1B visas and how might the Trump administration change them?

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Trump plans H-1B visa rule changes, focusing on higher wages, potentially disadvantaging early-career foreign workers.

A Radical Answer to the Fentanyl Crisis

Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic

The conclusion of our three-part series, No Easy Fix

ICE Deportation Airline Avelo Relies on Blue-State Subsidies. Will Dem Governors Do Anything About It?

Matt Sledge, The Intercept

Activists want blue states to stop handing out cash to Avelo, the airline that operated 10 percent of ICE’s deportation flights. The post ICE Deportation Airline Avelo Relies on Blue-State Subsidies. Will Dem Governors Do Anything About It? appeared first on …

FBI returns stolen conquistador document to Mexico

BBC News

The document, signed by Hernán Cortés in 1527, is thought to have been taken over three decades ago.

Memecoin market surges to $82bn as Bitcoin hits new record

Eric Johansson, Dlnews.com

Memecoins are regaining their momentum. It comes as several bullish signals flash for the market segment. But analysts warn that the rally could be halted at...

Israel announces a settlement that critics say will effectively sever the West Bank in two

OHAD ZWIGENBERG and MELANIE LIDMAN, Yahoo Entertainment

Israel’s far-right finance minister announced approval Thursday of contentious new settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which...

Elon Musk called on corporations to leave Delaware. Delaware says it's doing just fine.

ledmonds@businessinsider.com (Lauren Edmonds), Business Insider

Elon Musk urged companies to leave Delaware after clashing with its Court of Chancery last year.

Zelenskyy rallies Trump, European allies in setting red lines for Putin summit

David Brennan, ABC News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday as he continued diplomatic maneuvers.

Trump-Putin meeting: How much territory does Russia control in Ukraine?

Hanna Duggal, Marium Ali, Al Jazeera English

Russia controls about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory and wants full control of four eastern and southern regions.

D.C.'s homeless need housing, not jail, says legal advocate wary of Trump plan

Obed Manuel, NPR

Details on President Trump's plan to get unhoused people off Washington D.C. streets are sparse. A legal advocate for the vulnerable population worries that means the focus will be on criminalization.

Republicans pitch Trump’s domestic policy agenda in Iowa, but some entrepreneurs aren’t yet sold

Annie Grayer, CNN, CNN

When Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler touted that her agency guarantees approximately 2,000 small business loans every week, Laura Pager, a small ...

Trump is tightening the screws on corporate America — and CEOs are staying mum

Maria Aspan, NPR

Critics warn that Trump's demands for business leaders to step down, and for the government to take a cut of sales, threaten American-style capitalism.

Crime is down in Washington, D.C., but still a reality in some neighborhoods

Frank Langfitt, NPR

Residents across Washington have different takes on crime in their communities. Overwhelmingly, however, people opposed President Trump's takeover of the city with federal agents and National Guard troops.

The fight is on. How redistricting could unfold in 8 entangled states

The NPR Network, NPR

State leaders in both parties say they're ready to redraw political lines ahead of 2026, but state laws and constitutions make mid-decade redistricting virtually impossible in many places.

On eve of Trump–Putin Summit, Russians share hopes — and doubts — for Peace

Charles Maynes, NPR

Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Donald Trump's "energetic and sincere" efforts to end the war in Ukraine. But on the streets of Moscow while many hope for an end to the war, they disagree on how to get there.

Starmer hosts Ukraine’s Zelenskyy ahead of high-stakes Trump-Putin meeting

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The UK is ready to ‘increase pressure’ on Russia over its continuing war on Ukraine, says Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

More student-loan borrowers are falling behind on payments — and their paychecks are at risk

Ayelet Sheffey, Business Insider

Borrowers in default should know about three options to return to good standing, along with Trump's repayment plan overhaul.

Forget tequila, cellphone plans are the hot way for celebrities to capitalize on their fame

Emily Stewart, Business Insider

Trump orders space regulations eased in win for Musk

Science X, Phys.Org

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday easing regulations for the private space industry, including eliminating some environmental reviews, in a move likely to please his erstwhile advisor Elon Musk.

US sanctions Brazil health officials over Cuba’s overseas medical missions

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Washington claims the health officials were involved in Cuba's 'coercive labour export' of medical workers.

Ukraine, EU, US leaders speak ahead of Trump-Putin meeting: Key takeaways

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trump agrees to follow-up summit with Putin, Zelenskyy, and warns 'severe consequences' unless Russia agrees to truce.

North Korean leader’s sister says South Korea lying about thaw in ties

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Kim Yo Jong denies claims that Pyongyang has removed propaganda-blaring loudspeakers at the inter-Korean border.

As Trump-Putin summit nears, family of Texan held in Russia seeks prisoner exchange

Jared Kofsky, ABC News

The family of Alabama native David Barnes, who is serving a 21-year sentence in Russia, is hoping the upcoming Trump-Putin summit will lead to a prisoner exchange.

Melania Trump threatens to sue Hunter Biden for $1bn over Epstein claim

BBC News

The first lady's lawyer has demanded that Joe Biden's son retract claims he made about how she met her husband.

Melania Trump demands Hunter Biden retract 'extremely salacious' Epstein comments

JONATHAN J. COOPER, Yahoo Entertainment

First lady Melania Trump demanded that Hunter Biden retract comments linking her to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and threatened to sue if he does not...

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,267

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Here are the key events on day 1,267 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

What Happens After Someone Is Arrested by ICE?

The New Yorker

On The Political Scene Podcast: Whether or not Trump can fulfill his promise of deporting one million people in a year, the nation should be concerned about the harm done—and rights violated—en route to that goal.

President Trump can continue to withhold billions in foreign aid, court rules

Fatma Tanis, NPR

A federal appeals court handed President Trump a victory on Wednesday. The court ruled the administration can continue to freeze or terminate billions of dollars that Congress approved in foreign aid.