Federal prosecutors on Wednesday with operated by Miami-based exiles, a major escalation of pressure by the Trump administration on the socialist government. President Donald Trump has set a on the island and has been threatening military action ever since U.S. forces captured the Cuban government鈥檚 longtime patron, Venezuelan President Nicol谩s Maduro.
Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from an attack by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters to block anyone 鈥� including Jan. 6, 2021, rioters 鈥� from receiving payouts from a new nearly for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions. The lawsuit鈥檚 filing comes a day after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, during his congressional testimony, wouldn鈥檛 rule out the possibility of fund payouts for rioters who assaulted police on Jan. 6.
Also, against a Republican rival, dislodging Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky鈥檚 primary and knocking out one of his most outspoken critics on Capitol Hill. Massie has been a particularly difficult thorn in Trump鈥檚 side, pushing for the release of the Epstein files, opposing the war with Iran and voting against Trump鈥檚 signature tax legislation last year.
The U.S. government will permanently drop tax claims against Trump, , in an extraordinary use of executive power that could effectively help shield the president from further examination of his finances and legal conduct. As part of the settlement deal, the U.S. is 鈥渇orever barred and precluded鈥� from examining or prosecuting Trump, his sons and the Trump organization鈥檚 current tax examinations.
Here’s the latest:
Ex-prosecutor charged with sending herself copy of Smith report on Trump classified files probe
A former federal prosecutor is facing federal charges over allegations that she sent a report detailing investigation into President Donald Trump鈥檚 to her personal email account, despite a judge鈥檚 order to keep it secret, according to an indictment made public on Wednesday.
Carmen Lineberger, who worked in the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the Southern District of Florida and managed its Fort Pierce branch, pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in West Palm Beach to charges of theft of government property. Her attorney did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
The indictment alleges that Lineberger sought to conceal her actions by altering the original file name of the report to 鈥淏undt_Cake_Recipe.pdf鈥� before saving the re-titled file on her government computer and emailing it to her personal account.
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Republicans mull dropping $1 billion security money request for the White House and Trump鈥檚 ballroom
Republican senators are considering dropping a proposal for $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and after it has failed to win enough party support on Capitol Hill.
The White House has pressured Republicans to add the money to a roughly intended to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol.
But some Republicans are questioning the security price tag and asking for more details about how the money would be used.
Sen. John Kennedy said Wednesday that the bill was 鈥渂ack to square one鈥� without the security money because 鈥渢he votes are not there.鈥�
Sen. Thom Tillis said the effort to add the security package to the bill was a 鈥渂ad idea鈥� and he does not think there is enough backing to pass it, even if it were reduced.
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Trump says he will speak with Taiwan鈥檚 leader over arms sales
President Trump today suggested he may speak with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te about an arms sales package opposed by Beijing, the second time in a week he raised the possibility of speaking with the island鈥檚 leader.
鈥淲ell, I鈥檒l speak to him. I speak to everybody,鈥� Trump said when asked if he had plans to call Lai.
On Friday, when returning from his summit in Beijing, Trump said: 鈥淚 have to speak to the person that right now, as you know, you know who he is, that鈥檚 running Taiwan.鈥�
Beijing, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, opposes any official interaction between U.S. and Taiwanese officials, and no sitting U.S. president has spoken with a Taiwanese leader since the two governments severed diplomatic ties in 1979.
Trump, as president-elect in 2016, took a congratulatory phone call from the Taiwanese president.
Trump calls the indictment of Ra煤l Castro 鈥榓 very big moment鈥�
鈥淚 think this is a very big day, very important day,鈥� Trump told reporters on the tarmac, after flying back from Connecticut.
Asked what will happen next for Cuba, he said 鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna see鈥� and that the U.S. is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to a 鈥渇ailing nation.鈥�
Trump also said the CIA has a presence in Cuba, and Rubio has been involved in discussions with the island鈥檚 leadership.
But Trump added of applying more economic pressure to Cuba, 鈥淭here won鈥檛 be escalation. I don鈥檛 think there needs to be.
Trump says he may release his tax returns
Trump has long cited ongoing IRS audits as his reason for not releasing his past tax returns. But that could change now that his legal team has forged a deal with the Justice Department this week that includes permanently dropping tax claims against the president, his family and associates.
鈥淚 may even release my current returns,鈥� the president told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after a trip to Connecticut.
As part of the settlement deal meant to resolve Trump鈥檚 $10 billion l over the leak of his tax returns, the U.S. is 鈥渇orever barred and precluded鈥� from examining or prosecuting Trump, his sons and the Trump organization鈥檚 current tax examinations, according to a posted to the Justice Department鈥檚 website on Tuesday.
The settlement also includes the creation of a to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been unjustly investigated and prosecuted.
Blanche says he expects Castro to appear in US on charges
Asked to what lengths the U.S. would go to bring Castro to face charges in this country, Blanche said the federal government indicts people outside the United States 鈥渁ll the time鈥� and uses a variety of methods to bring them to justice.
鈥淭here was a warrant issued for his arrest,鈥� Blanche said of Ra煤l Castro. 鈥淪o we expect that he will show up here, by his own will or by another way.鈥�
Blanche went on to say investigations like this one are 鈥渘ever over鈥� when asked whether additional charges would be brought.
Castro should take the indictment as a real threat, observers said
That鈥檚 because former Venezuelan President Nicol谩s Maduro was indicted on drug-related charges before he and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized by U.S. special forces in the Venezuelan capital in January
鈥淗e鈥檚 gonna have to keep his head pretty low from now on,鈥� said Peter Kornbluh, a senior analyst and specialist on the U.S.-Cuba relationship at the National Security Archive.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to have no choice but to take this threat extremely seriously.鈥�
Top Communist Party leader praises Ra煤l Castro, says Cubans will defend his legacy 鈥榓t any cost鈥�
Roberto Morales Ojeda, a senior Communist Party leader, praised Army Gen. Ra煤l Castro on Wednesday, saying he 鈥渆mbodies the most genuine essence of the Cuban Revolution thanks to his ability to lead with modesty and personal example. His career has been an uninterrupted lesson in loyalty to Cuba and Fidel.鈥�
He also said Ra煤l Castro has cultivated 鈥渁n exceptional human sensitivity鈥� and the ability to examine the 鈥渞evolutionary endeavor,鈥� rectify errors and open spaces for dialogue.
鈥淔or all these reasons, the Cuban people are absolutely certain that they will defend Ra煤l鈥檚 physical and ethical integrity and his legacy at any cost,鈥� Morales Ojeda wrote on X. 鈥淒efending his legacy means embracing the continuity of the Revolution, updating the economic model without losing its socialist essence, training new generations, and the fundamental lesson: that one can be a revolutionary with firmness, constructive criticism, and unwavering loyalty to the people.鈥�
In Miami, one Cuban American expresses approval of Castro鈥檚 indictment
Peter Hernandez, whose family owns Los Pinare帽os Fruteria in Miami鈥檚 Little Havana neighborhood, said it鈥檚 about time for the U.S. to do something about Castro.
鈥淭he piracy in that country, Cuba, it has been going on for a very long time,鈥� Hernandez said.
Hernandez, whose parents moved from Cuba to South Florida before he was born, said he doesn鈥檛 have a problem with the U.S. sending its military to arrest Castro.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a criminal,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥滻 think we should do that with all criminals, especially if they鈥檙e hiding behind a country that consistently has been proven that they are on the wrong side of our national security efforts and ideology.鈥�
Cuban president condemns Castro indictment
Cuban President Miguel D铆az-Canel condemned the indictment of and accused the U.S. of lying and manipulating the events of 1996. He called it 鈥渁 political action without any legal basis鈥� that only seeks to 鈥渂olster the case they are fabricating to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.鈥�
D铆az-Canel wrote on X that Cuba acted in 鈥渓egitimate self-defense within its territorial waters after repeated and dangerous violations of its airspace by notorious terrorists.鈥�
He said U.S. officials at the time had been warned about the violations but allowed them to continue.
Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba ever since U.S. forces captured the Cuban government鈥檚 longtime patron, Venezuelan President . After ousting Maduro, the White House ordered a blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba, leading to severe blackouts, and an economic collapse across the island.
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The US has also accused Cuban military pilots of downing the planes
Lt. Col. Lorenzo Alberto P茅rez-P茅rez of Las Tunas is among the Cuban military pilots accused of downing the civilian planes in 1996.
The others include Jos茅 Fidel Gual Barzaga and Lt. Col. Luis Ra煤l Gonz谩lez-Pardo Rodr铆guez, whom the U.S. indicted in November 2025 on charges including fraud and misuse of visa and permits.
At the time, former U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said: 鈥淭his man鈥檚 past as a longtime military pilot for the evil Castro regime 鈥� which has wrought untold suffering on the Cuban people 鈥� should have been front and center in his immigration file.鈥�
Gonz谩lez-Pardo Rodr铆guez was accused in part of falsely claiming he had never received any weapons or military training on an application to register for permanent residence or adjust status.
The others accused are Emilio Jos茅 Palacio Blanco and Raul Simance C谩rdenas.
The penalties in the indictment against Castro
The murder and conspiracy charges Castro is facing carry a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in prison upon conviction. However, it is unclear whether Castro will ever step foot in a U.S. courtroom.
Castro is charged alongside five other defendants. One of them, Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez, is in U.S. custody awaiting sentencing later this month in a case alleging he made false statements in an immigration document, according to the Justice Department.
Sen. Moody applauds Trump administration鈥檚 鈥榓ccountability鈥� in Castro charges
Speaking at Wednesday鈥檚 event, Sen. Ashley Moody decried what she described as previous administrations鈥� relaxed attitudes toward Cuba, including moves to 鈥渞elax our banking restrictions鈥� or 鈥渃oddle them into freedom.鈥�
But with actions like the Castro indictment, the Florida Republican said the Trump administration is taking 鈥渢he bold step of actually bringing accountability.鈥�
Trump tells Coast Guard graduates they will 鈥榖e tested鈥� in their military careers
has returned to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy to give the commencement address at the Connecticut school.
He told cadets on Wednesday that they show 鈥渦nbelievable heroism and exceptional selflessness鈥� but will 鈥渂e tested further鈥� as they embark on their military careers.
Trump鈥檚 remarks to the class of 2026 were the first time he has given a commencement speech at one of the nation鈥檚 military academies after sending U.S. troops to fight . Trump also spoke at the academy鈥檚 graduation in 2017 during his first term.
During his address, Trump quickly touched on the war with Iran, now in its 12th week, as a sign of U.S. success from 鈥渢he hottest country anywhere in the world.鈥�
鈥淭he only question is, do we go ahead and finish it up or are they going to be signing a document? Let鈥檚 see what happens,鈥� Trump said.
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Trump referenced 鈥榮hores of Havana鈥� in remarks earlier Wednesday
He did not directly address Ra煤l Castro or any potential indictment, but Trump mentioned Cuba earlier Wednesday in a commencement address.
鈥淔rom the Gulf of America to the frozen waters of the Arctic, from the shores of Havana to the banks of the Panama Canal, we will drive out the forces of lawlessness and crime and foreign encroachment, just like we鈥檝e been doing,鈥� Trump said to graduates at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.
Charges against Castro include murder
The indictment charges Castro with murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and destruction of aircraft.
A grand jury in Miami returned the indictment late last month, and it was unsealed on Wednesday, acting Attorney General Blanche said.
Blanche explains why Ra煤l Castro charges announced in Florida and not Washington
Many major Department of Justice cases are announced in Washington, but Blanche said Wednesday that it was important to discuss the Castro case in Florida instead.
鈥淭he community here, you all, understands the history of the Cuban regime better than anyone in America,鈥� Blanche said. 鈥淢any families here know the cost of oppression.鈥�
Crowd applauds as Ra煤l Castro indictment announced
Attendees rose to their feet, pulled out cell phones and broke into loud shouts as acting Blanche announced the charges against Castro.
The acting U.S. attorney general and other top Justice Department officials were in Miami on Wednesday for a ceremony to honor those killed in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes.
US indicts former Cuban President Ra煤l Castro over downing of planes in 1996
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged former Cuban President Ra煤l Castro with ordering the 1996 downing of civilian planes operated by Miami-based exiles, a major escalation in the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to dismantle seven decades of single-party rule in the Caribbean island.
Castro, now 94, was Cuba鈥檚 defense minister when the planes operated by a Miami-based exile group were shot down, killing four people.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been ratcheting up talk of regime change in Cuba after pledging earlier this year to conduct a if its leadership did not open up its economy to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries.
Cuban president dismisses Rubio remarks, blames hardships on US sanctions, energy blockade
Cuban President Miguel D铆az-Canel pushed back on Wednesday following claims by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the suffering of the Cuban people is the fault of the socialist government.
鈥淭hey lie again and again without any shame, with alarming audacity, without presenting a single shred of evidence to support their claims,鈥� he wrote on the social platform X. 鈥淭he blame lies with those who order the closure of all access to material and financial resources.鈥�
He noted that the U.S. executive order penalizing any country that supplies Cuba with fuel remains in effect.
鈥淥nly the most twisted minds could deny before the world this collective punishment being inflicted upon an entire people, which is already becoming an act of genocide,鈥� D铆az-Canel wrote.
Progressive youth group launches digital campaign highlighting absent congressman
Voters of Tomorrow, a group focused on mobilizing young voters, launched a website highlighting Rep. Tom Kean Jr.鈥檚 absence from Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said he expects the New Jersey Republican to return 鈥渟oon鈥� after dealing with a 鈥減ersonal medical issue.鈥� Kean has been missing from Capitol Hill since early March. His family and staff say that he is battling an undisclosed illness.
Santiago Mayer, Voters of Tomorrow鈥檚 executive director, said that Kean had 鈥済hosted鈥� Congress, adding that the issue of congressional absences was especially salient to young voters.
The digital ads depict doctored 鈥淢issing鈥� posters with an image of Kean and the text 鈥淗ave U Seen This Man?鈥� The campaign鈥檚 accompanying website includes a voter registration pledge.
Kean鈥檚 absence from House votes comes as Republicans face a razor-thin majority, complicating the party鈥檚 legislative agenda. Democrats have faced their own challenges in maintaining stable margins, as some members have died while in office.
Trump gives the Coast Guard commencement address in relentless heat
The president called graduates of the Coast Guard Academy 鈥渢he living standard bearers of America鈥檚 first fleet鈥� and suggested danger is 鈥渁 statement you live by.鈥�
Trump said graduating together would build lifelong camaraderie , saying 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always going to be friends with each other. Hopefully with me.鈥�
As he spoke, many in the crowd faced scorching heat with little shade available against the 85-deegre heat and a UV index of 9.
At least one person required medical attention after passing out. Others pleaded with organizers that elderly attendants be allowed to sit under tents.
Chilled water bottles were distributed, but quickly became warm.
Officers鈥� lawsuit claims government鈥檚 鈥楢nti-Weaponization Fund鈥� is an illegal slush fund
And the lawsuit says President Trump will use it to 鈥渇inance the insurrectionists and paramilitary groups that commit violence in his name.鈥�
It describes the fund鈥檚 creation as 鈥渢he most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.鈥�
One of the attorneys for the officers is Brendan Ballou, a former Justice Department prosecutor who handled Jan. 6 cases.
Officers who defended Capitol from rioters sue to block payouts from $1.8B 鈥榓nti-weaponization鈥� fund
Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from an attack by a mob of Trump supporters to block anyone 鈥� including Jan. 6, 2021, rioters 鈥� from receiving payouts from a new for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions.
The officers鈥� attorneys filed the federal lawsuit a day after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the fund鈥檚 creation during a congressional hearing. Blanche, a personal attorney for Trump before joining the Justice Department, wouldn鈥檛 rule out the possibility that on Jan. 6 would be eligible for fund payouts.
More than 100 police officers were injured during the Capitol riot. Over 1,600 people were charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, but Trump used his pardon powers to erase all of those cases in a sweeping act of clemency last year.
The plaintiffs suing Trump over the fund are Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who鈥檚 running in Maryland for a seat in Congress.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump鈥檚 endorsement is 鈥榤ost powerful鈥�
The Republican leader said he spoke with the president late after Tuesday鈥檚 primary elections and the defeat of Rep. Thomas Massie, a once popular GOP lawmaker.
鈥淲e talked about how his endorsement is the most powerful in the history of politics,鈥� Johnson of Louisiana said at the Capitol.
The speaker insisted there鈥檚 room in the Republican Party for those who cross Trump.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 demand loyalty to the president,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 never ask anybody to violate a core principle,鈥� he said, but 鈥測ou have to give up on some of your personal preferences sometimes.鈥�
Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodr铆guez blasts US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
He called Rubio 鈥渢he mouthpiece of corrupt and vindictive interests, concentrated in South Florida.鈥�
Rodr铆guez wrote on X that Cuba hasn鈥檛 rejected $100 million in humanitarian aid the U.S. has offered, adding that the 鈥渃ynicism is evident to anyone given the devastating effects of the economic blockade and the energy embargo.鈥�
In late January, President Trump threatened tariffs on countries that supply or sell oil to Cuba, which recently announced that its oil reserves have run dry.
Rodr铆guez also criticized Rubio for releasing a video message Wednesday in which he calls on Cubans to reject their government and demand new leadership and a free-market economy.
鈥淗e takes advantage of the infamous date of May 20th,鈥� Rodr铆guez wrote. The date marks Cuba鈥檚 independence, but the socialist government rejects that date, saying true freedom began with the 1959 Revolution.
Days after Trump visit, Putin and Xi hail their friendship and growing energy trade at meeting
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their strategic ties and growing energy trade as they met in Beijing on Wednesday only days after .
Putin and Xi oversaw the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, technology and media exchanges. They stressed their growing trade, particularly in oil and natural gas, and declared themselves aligned on international relations.
The countries鈥� ties have reached 鈥渢he highest level in history,鈥� Xi said after the signing ceremony, speaking to members of the delegations and journalists. The two sides also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001.
Putin told those in the room that 鈥渢he driving force behind economic cooperation is Russian-Chinese collaboration in the energy sector.鈥�
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