Trump News for Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Justice Sotomayor apologizes to Kavanaugh for public criticism of immigration opinion

Devin Dwyer, Abcnews.com

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a rare public apology Wednesday over what she called "inappropriate" remarks aimed at Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Cory Booker Still Wants David Ellison To Testify On Paramount-WBD Merger; Speakers At Capitol Hearing Warn Of Massive Layoffs & Trump Influence

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said that he still is inviting Paramount CEO David Ellison to testify on the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, after the lawmaker held a 2 1/2 “spotlight” hearing that warned about the merger’s impact on everything from j…

Trump’s DOJ wants to undo January 6 convictions

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration is still trying to expunge th…

BYD Is Rolling Out 5-Minute Charging on Several Popular EVs

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

The new Blade Battery 2.0 Flash Charging system can recharge EV batteries from 10% to 70% in five minutes.

Jury Does What Trump’s DOJ Wouldn’t, Deems Ticketmaster a Monopoly

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Imagine actually holding a corporation accountable.

Emmy-Winning Actress-Writer Sonia Manzano Honored For Astonishing 44-Year Career On ‘Sesame Street’ And More – Miami Film Festival

Matthew Carey, Deadline

When actress Sonia Manzano goes out in public, bringing a hanky can be quite helpful. Fans tend to react to her with deep emotion. They know and love Manzano from Sesame Street, the show she graced as Maria from 1971 to 2015, an extraordinary 44-year run. Her…

CBS May Add Another L.A. Production With ‘Flint’ As Paramount’s George Cheeks Calls Above-The-Line Incentives “Key Component” Of Reviving Hollywood

Katie Campione, Deadline

CBS could add another Los Angeles-based production to its primetime lineup as the network revealed Wednesday that it is in development on a new cop drama starring Matt LeBlanc that, if greenlit, would film locally. That series, titled Flint, would mark the fo…

EU Is Rolling Out an Online Age Verification App That Could Become the Global Blueprint

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

The momentum is building for a social media ban for minors in one of the largest economies in the world.

ACAB: Cops Are Bringing ‘Delinquency Of A Minor’ Charges Against Adults Who Assist Students During Anti-ICE Protests

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

While the Trump administration’s extremely aggressive, thoroughly bigoted attempts to eliminate as many non-white people from this country as possible have resulted in some periodic push back from law enforcement officials, we can never forget that federal la…

Could the US oil blockade snuff out the Cuban cigar?

Euan Wallace, Alfie Pannell, Al Jazeera English

Since January, the Trump administration has blocked foreign oil to Cuba. Will the island's cigars survive the crisis?

Trump’s posting even more AI-generated Trump-Jesus fanart

Tina Nguyen, The Verge

Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge subscribers about Big Tech power plays in Washington and beyond. (And when I say beyond, I mean the great beyond, like Heaven, maybe.) If you've found your way to this newsletter from the wild, annual sub…

US Senate rejects another war powers resolution to limit Trump on Iran

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

Fourth Senate War Powers vote - first since Trump threatened to destroy Iranian civilisation - fails to gain traction.

Pakistan army chief in Tehran to advance next round of US-Iran talks

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Sources tell Al Jazeera that Pakistani mediators are hopeful about a breakthrough on Iran's nuclear programme.

Jury Finds Live Nation Acted as an Illegal Monopoly

Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork

Penalties against the live-music industry giant will be decided at a later date

Elon Musk Scores a Victory Against Free Speech

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

The Trump regime thinks it should be illegal to not give Elon money.

Pope Leo visits Cameroon with message of peace amid attacks from Trump

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at pope over calls for peace and criticism of US war on Iran.

Trump shares image of Jesus embracing him, continues to lash out at Pope Leo

Nicholas Kerr, Michelle Stoddart, Abcnews.com

Vice President Vance also criticized the pontiff, telling him to "be careful."

The Trump administration is looking to experts to weigh in on peptides

Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American

Peptide-based substances are largely unproven and risky, experts say, but they’re gaining popularity among influencers and athletes—and the U.S. secretary of health

What is Trump-backed SAVE America Act and what could it mean for US vote?

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

US Senate resumes debate on controversial bill requiring more proof of citizenship, which Trump calls top priority.

Kalshi CEO expects US DOJ to prosecute insider trading cases

J.D. Capelouto, Semafor.com

“If you commit insider trading on Kalshi, that can and will at some point be a federal crime,” Tarek Mansour said at Semafor World Economy.

Judge Tosses Trump’s Ridiculous $10 Billion Defamation Suit Against Rupert Murdoch

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

Back in January of last year, the Wall Street Journal published a story about a leather-bound birthday book that Ghislaine Maxwell had assembled for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003. The book included letters from various associates, and one of them bo…

US Renewable Power Generation Beats Natural Gas for the First Time, Defying Trump

Ellyn Lapointe, Gizmodo.com

Renewable energy is gaining ground in the U.S. power mix.

Monkeys walk around a virtual world using only their thoughts

New Scientist

Monkeys with around 300 electrodes implanted in their brain were able to steer avatars around different virtual environments

Kremlin says US has rejected its proposal that Russia take Iranian uranium stocks

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

April 15 (Reuters) - The Kremlin's spokesman was quoted as saying on Wednesday that the United States had rejected its proposal that Russia take all of...

Donald Trump messed with the wrong pope

Christian Paz, Vox

The White House cannot stop fighting with the pope. On Tuesday night, Vice President JD Vance — who converted to Catholicism in 2019 — accused Pope Leo XIV of not understanding the Church’s stance on war, saying it was “very, very important for the pope to be…

Sulking Trump, 79, Issues Major Threat to Ally Who Hurt His Feelings

Leigh Kimmins, Daily Beast

President Donald Trump has threatened to renege on a favorable trade deal with the U.K., after the country’s leader refused to back his war in Iran. British ...

WATCH: Trump says in interview he views war with Iran as 'very close to over'

ABC News, Abcnews.com

President Trump said that he viewed the war with Iran as "very close to over" in an interview on Tuesday.

DOJ prosecutors turned away after unannounced visit to Fed construction site: Sources

Luke Barr, Alexander Mallin, Abcnews.com

A federal judge ruled the Trump administration’s probe is politically motivated.

Administration Apparently Planning To Blow Off FISA Court’s Ordered Fixes For Section 702

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

It wasn’t all that long ago that GOP legislators were collectively stonewalling a clean reauthorization of Section 702. Three years ago, these legislators were seeking to end the FBI (and other IC components’) access to Americans’ communications via “backdoor…

BBC To Set Out Scale Of Cuts To TV, Radio & Online Over Coming Months Before Enacting 2,000 Layoffs, Director General Says

Max Goldbart, Deadline

The BBC will in the coming months set out how it plans to cut back on TV, radio and online following today’s brutal announcement of 2,000 layoffs. Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC’s interim Director General, just said on Radio 4’s The Media Show that the corpora…

Why has Italy’s Giorgia Meloni suspended a defence pact with Israel?

Virginia Pietromarchi, Al Jazeera English

Italy’s decision has little immediate impact, but marks an unprecedented U-turn by one of Israel's staunchest allies.

The DOJ Just Fired 4 Officials for Prosecuting Violent, Anti-Abortion Extremists

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Nothing like a DOJ working hard to get justice off our streets.

Trump escalates threats to fire US Federal Reserve Chair Powell

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

In a Fox Business interview, Trump says he will fire Powell if he does not vacate his board seat when his term ends.

Can Japan’s arms industry gain from Trump trust loss?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Japan's announcement comes at a time when the country is looking to rapidly expand its defence exports.

NASA needs nuclear power for its moon base. Here’s the White House plan to get it

Claire Cameron, Scientific American

If the U.S. is ever to set up a permanent outpost on the moon, it will need nuclear power. The White House just released a road map to get it as soon as 2028

Iran warns US naval blockade threatens ceasefire

Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera English

Iran says it will halt all trade in the Gulf if the US continues blocking its vessels.

US sending 10,000 more troops to Middle East despite Iran ceasefire

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The US is sending additional troops to the Middle East this month, according to The Washington Post.

ICE Has an 86-Year-Old French Woman in Detention, Months After Her Husband’s Death

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Marie-Thérèse was reportedly waiting for a green card when her husband died. Now the elderly widow is in ICE's hands.

Trump threatens to fire Fed chair Powell if he doesn't leave in May

BBC News

Donald Trump's threat marks the latest escalation in his ongoing spat with Jerome Powell.

TMZ Is Now Berating Congress, as the Founding Fathers Intended

Claire Guinan, Jezebel

This will either be the best or the worst thing to happen to the American people.

US-Iran talks: What’s the latest on mediation efforts?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Tehran rejects US conditions on nuclear arms; sanctions relief and strait control fuel diplomatic deadlock in Islamabad.

What are Iran’s $100bn in frozen assets and where are they held?

Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera English

Iran wants the US to release its frozen assets as part of talks. The money could help it rebuild its battered economy.

Trump administration moves to erase Jan. 6 riot convictions for seditious conspiracy

Tom Dreisbach, NPR

The Trump administration is moving to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions of extremists involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, who earlier received commutations instead of full pardons.

Kristi Noem's Fake Job Was Meant to Distract Her from Running for Senate

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Trump reportedly did not want Noem challenging South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds.

Trump Freaks Out About Looming Midterm Disaster in Bonkers Ramble

Ewan Palmer, Daily Beast

President Donald Trump has desperately insisted there is still hope for the GOP in the midterm elections while also seemingly accepting the inevitable...

‘Trump Phone’ Sees Price Hike, But Still No Release Date (Or Actual Phone)

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Last year the fraud-prone Trump organization announced a half-assed wireless phone company. As we noted at the time, calling this a “phone company” was generous; it was a lazy marketing rebrand of another, half-assed, “MAGA-focused” mobile virtual network ope…

WATCH: Woman accusing Eric Swalwell of sexual assault speaks out

ABC News, Abcnews.com

California Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress on Tuesday after facing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. He denies the allegations.

WATCH: Over 1 million people displaced by conflict in Lebanon

ABC News, Abcnews.com

More than 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced during the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.

WATCH: Hero principal takes down gunman at Oklahoma high school

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Surveillance video shows the moment the principal at an Oklahoma high school heroically takes down a gunman who had entered the school.

Double standards? Why Iran’s nukes are scrutinised, Israel gets a pass

Usaid Siddiqui, Al Jazeera English

Israel’s policy of ambiguity about its nuclear capability contrasts sharply with the focus on Iran’s programme.

WATCH: Principal stops alleged potential school shooter on surveillance video

ABC News, Abcnews.com

New video shows a principal taking down a gunman who officials say planned to carry out a Columbine-style mass shooting.

America’s Vice President Tells a Sparse Arena to 'Take the Country Back'

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

From whom, exactly? The endangered Rice’s whales?

Economists warned California not to raise the minimum wage to $20. They were wrong in almost every way so far, another economist says

Sasha Rogelberg, Yahoo Entertainment

“The results are nowhere as dire as predicted,” Berkeley’s Michael Reich told Fortune.

Trump says peace talks could resume in days as U.S. military blocks Iranian ports

NPR Staff, NPR

President Trump said a second round of direct U.S.-Iran peace talks could resume in Pakistan within the next two days, even as he instituted a naval blockade of all Iranian ports.

America’s Insane Tax-Filing Process

Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic

Other countries don’t do this.

Trump is right: He is MAGA’s Jesus

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

The president's blasphemy exposes the truth about the Christian right

Trump Endorses Halo Composer

Tom Phillips, IGN

Marty O'Donnell, the former video game composer known for his work on Halo and Destiny, has seen his latest bid for Congress endorsed by Donald Trump.

BBC Staff Confidence In Leadership Plummets After Trump & Gaza Crises

Jake Kanter, Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: BBC employees’ confidence in the UK broadcaster’s leaders has taken a significant hit after a string of editorial scandals in 2025, including the bust-up with Donald Trump. In internal communication this week, the BBC revealed the findings of its s…

As arrests at anti-ICE protests piled up, prosecutions crumbled

A.C. Thompson, Gabrielle Schonder, Salon

Analysis of ICE arrests under Donald Trump found hundreds of cases that fell apart under scrutiny.

Hungary’s Lessons for Trump’s Opponents

Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic

Viktor Orbán’s critics had to put their ideological differences aside.

Historians Lament Education Secretary’s Use of AI Imagery

Matt Growcoot, PetaPixel

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has been criticized for using artificial intelligence in a series of posts paying homage to female icons in American history. [Read More]

Hedge fund founder Anthony Scaramucci explains why he thinks Trump is right to block the Strait of Hormuz

sobrient@insider.com (Samuel O'Brient), Business Insider

SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci backs Trump's decision to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, citing the economic pressure on Iran.

The Trump phone has a new look — but it's still not clear when it will be released

Bryan Metzger, Business Insider

There's no information on the website about when the phone will be released, and its "Made in the USA" claims have been further watered down.

Trump's plan to limit a key student-loan forgiveness program for public servants faces new pushback

Ayelet Sheffey, Business Insider

A group of Democratic lawmakers launched a fresh effort to block Trump's plan to narrow eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Armed Off-Duty Cop Tried to Incite Violence at a High School Anti-ICE Protest

Noah Hurowitz, The Intercept

“My plan is legitimately to just let them all assault me and you guys arrest them all,” the Phoenix cop told fellow police after the incident. The post Armed Off-Duty Cop Tried to Incite Violence at a High School Anti-ICE Protest appeared first on The Interce…

Super Typhoon Sinlaku pounds remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean

The Associated Press, NPR

A super typhoon steadily battered a pair of remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean with ferocious winds and relentless rains, shredding tin roofs and forcing residents to take cover.

Iran war: What is happening on day 47 of the US-Iran conflict?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump has signalled a possible second round of talks with Iran in the coming days.

Magyar to meet Hungarian president as Trump says next PM 'a good man'

BBC News

The man who ended Viktor Orbán's 16 years of continuous rule, Péter Magyar, is calling for a speedy transfer of power.

Justice Department moves to toss conspiracy convictions for Jan. 6 rioters

The Associated Press, NPR

The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal appeals court to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders, for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack.

US military says blockade of Iran ports ‘completely’ halts economic trade

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US Central Command say more than 10,000 armed forces members, as well as warships and planes, are involved in blockade.

Trump Melts Down in Rapid-Fire Truth Social Posting Spree

Yahoo Entertainment

South Africa appoints former apartheid-era negotiator as US ambassador

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Roelf Meyer will replace the South African ambassador who was expelled from the US by President Donald Trump in 2025.

The CDC Doesn’t Want You To See A CDC Report On How Effective COVID Vaccines Are

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

One of the most remarkable staffing decisions of the second Trump administration has been to allow the anti-vaxxers to run America’s health agencies. While RFK Jr. and his cadre of lieutenants prattle on about how they’re going to be super transparent, data-d…

Watch: Vance heckled as he chides Pope

BBC News

The US Vice-President was speaking at a Turning Point USA event, where he said Pope Leo should "be careful when he talks about matters of theology."

US justice department seeks to throw out Capitol riot convictions

BBC News

The Trump administration is asking a court to throw out the convictions of Stewart Rhodes and other members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.

US forces kill 4 people in latest strike on vessels in eastern Pacific

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The killings mark the fourth US deadly strike in the past four days on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

WATCH: Video captures moment hero principal takes down gunman at Oklahoma high school

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The suspect, a former student, fired multiple rounds, striking the principal in the leg.

Kristi Noem ‘Devastated’ by Damaging Photos of Husband Bryon Leaking After Homeland Security Firing

Globe, Globemagazine.com

Leaked photos and messages reported by the Daily Mail have drawn fresh scrutiny to former DHS secretary Kristi Noem amid new allegations involving her...

Trump’s Fed Pick Is Knee Deep in Tech and Crypto Investments

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Kevin Warsh's financial disclosures show at least $130 million in holdings.