Talk of the Town
(WASHINGTON) — Former CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday sued President Donald Trump and his top law enforcement officials to force them to preserve records related to investigations into Brennan.
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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said in an interview out Thursday that he would be open to pardoning members of his administration, pointing to former President Joe Biden’s blanket pardon to relatives and members of the administration out of concern they would be politically targeted after he left office.
“Yeah, sure, I’d do that,” the president answered when asked by TIME magazine earlier this week if he was “considering pardoning members of your administration prior to the end of your term?”
The president further said that Biden “gave pardons to everyone.”
Biden issued preemptive pardons to several close family members in the final minutes of his presidency in 2025, saying that his family “has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me” and that he had “no reason to believe these attacks will end” after he left office.
Those pardons included James Biden, Joe’s younger brother; Sara Jones Biden, James’ wife; Valerie Biden Owens, Joe’s younger sister; John T. Owens’, Valerie’s husband; and Francis W. Biden, Joe’s younger brother.
In 2024, Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted on tax evasion and federal gun charges.
Trump’s pardon comments mark the first time he has publicly said he would consider pardoning members of his administration.
Last year, he issued pardons to some to his political and financial supporters as well as several high-profile individuals allegedly involved in his attempt to overturn the election. In his first term, he pardoned several advisers, members of his campaign and one former member of his administration, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
In the interview, Trump expressed his belief that if the Democrats emerge victorious in the midterm elections, “they’ll probably go after” him, but he said he will also target them back.
Trump still expressed confidence that Republicans will “do okay” in November, as long as he is on the campaign trail.
“No, I think we’ll do OK if I campaign, and I intend to,” he said, when asked if he believes that Democrats will take control of Congress.
He then went on to tout some of his endorsement victories including for Republicans Darline Graham and Ed Gallerin — who defeated Rep. Thomas Massie in the primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.
Asked about his record low poll numbers, Trump called them “fake” and insisted that he could easily beat anybody who ran against him.
“They’re fake numbers. I would beat anybody running today by 20 points,” Trump said. “Your numbers that you have are fake.”
Trump’s cover of TIME magazine will mark his 56th such appearance, according to the outlet. That’s more than any other figure in history, surpassing former President Richard Nixon’s record.
Trump’s interview will be the cover story for TIME’s Oct. 26 issue.
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(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Tuesday adopted a House-passed Iran war powers resolution by a 50-48 vote in a symbolic, yet rare, rebuke of President Donald Trump.
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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump has posted numerous memes on social media over the long weekend appearing to propose renaming the state of New Mexico to “New America.”
The posts come as the president has repeatedly taken aim at bodies of water bearing the names of other countries and foreign provinces, including the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, seeking to change those names to include “America” via executive orders.
The president can unilaterally change a geographic name for official U.S. federal government use, but he can’t dictate what other countries or international bodies call it. However, the president cannot unilaterally change the name of a state. New Mexico’s state constitution explicitly states: “The name of this state is New Mexico.”
Congress passed the Enabling Act of 1910, which authorized the territory of New Mexico to form a constitution and state government in preparation for admission to the Union. New Mexico officially became a state on Jan. 6, 1912.
While in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump continued posting on social media Monday, including at least seven posts related to his proposal to rename New Mexico “New America,” drawing fierce backlash from the state’s leaders.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham criticized Trump’s posts Sunday, saying in a post on X that the state’s name is not “up for debate.”
“It’s been ours since before the United States existed,” the governor said. “What is up for debate? Who’s showing up for working families. While the President tries to distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran, gas prices keep soaring. Americans are also spending more at the grocery store, losing access to health care and wondering if they’ll ever be able to afford a home.”
“Under Democratic leadership here in New Mexico, we’re providing families with free childcare and college, protecting access to health care and investing in housing. While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work,” the governor stated.
Both senators from New Mexico also responded to Trump’s posts Sunday.
“Three things I will always call by their actual names… The Gulf of Mexico Lake Ontario New Mexico,” Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico stated in a post on X.
Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico also posted on X, “It’s New Mexico, always has been and always will be. Just like how you’ll always be a sinvergüenza and corrupt.”
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