Trump signs order to declassify JFK, MLK and RFK assassination files

(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, a long list of political leaders, tech CEOs, celebrities and others were in attendance in the U.S. Capitol.

Former Vice President Mike Pence was seen in the Rotunda, as well as former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton. Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush were also there.

Former first lady Michelle Obama — who has attended every inauguration since 2009, including Trump’s first swearing-in ceremony in 2017 — was not present.

Former President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, were in attendance.

Several major tech CEOs were also there, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook. Joe Rogan, whose podcast Trump appeared on during the campaign, was seen in the Rotunda.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng was also attending the event.

Many GOP leaders were seen in the Capitol, including former Republican leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, Sen. Marco Rubio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Tom Cotton.

Numerous Democrats were also present, including New York Mayor Eric Adams, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Spotted in the Emancipation Hall overflow room were YouTube celebs Jake and Logan Paul, UFC fighter Conor McGregor and podcaster Theo Von.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — In the past few weeks, the U.S. Marshals Service has warned federal judges of an increase in threats in the wake of the increased attention they are getting as a result of making rulings in cases involving President Donald Trump, sources familiar with the warnings told ABC News.

The warnings to some judges have come either in written form or verbally, and often by local U.S. marshals in the district, according to sources with knowledge of the warnings.

Meanwhile, some members of Congress have introduced articles of impeachment against five federal judges that have ruled against Trump.

Earlier this month, the American Bar Association (ABA) issued a warning about the impact of threatening federal judges.

“If a court issues a decision this administration does not agree with, the judge is targeted,” William Bay, the president of the ABA, wrote. “If a lawyer represents parties in a dispute with the administration, or if a lawyer represents parties the administration does not like, lawyers are targeted.”

“Despite these efforts to intimidate, our courts are doing their job of reviewing disputes and applying the law. The ABA will defend our courts because we support the rule of law. We encourage every lawyer to do the same and demand these attacks on our judiciary stop immediately,” Bay said.

Former director of the U.S. Marshals, Ronald Davis, said threats against judges have surged at an “alarming rate.”

“The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for ensuring the safety of our judiciary, has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of threats it must assess and respond to,” Davis, who was the most recent director and left at the end of the Biden administration, said.

“Protecting the integrity of our judicial system is not just about safeguarding individuals—it is about preserving the foundation of our democracy,” Davis said in a post on social media.

He said that an attack on a judge is an “attack on the rule of law itself.”

“The U.S. Marshals Service has a long and distinguished history of protecting our courts, but the growing complexity and volume of threats require enhanced resources. Increased funding is critical to expanding threat investigations, modernizing protective measures, and ensuring rapid response capabilities,” Davis said. “We must provide the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service with the tools necessary to meet this evolving threat landscape.”

Chief Justice John Roberts warned in his year-end report of threats to federal judges.

Roberts noted more than 1,000 “serious threats” against federal judges investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service in the last five years, resulting in more than 50 individuals being criminally charged.

He warned of a rising tide of “doxing” federal judges and grassroots campaigns to bombard their offices with threatening messages. He also cited foreign misinformation efforts on social media to distort the meaning of judicial rulings.

“Public officials certainly have a right to criticize the work of the judiciary, but they should be mindful that intemperance in their statements when it comes to judges may prompt dangerous reactions by others,” Roberts wrote.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In an interview Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week,” Democratic Sen. Jack Reed decried President Donald Trump’s recent verbal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and increased alignment with Russia.

“Essentially, this is President Trump surrendering to the Russians,” Reed told co-anchor Martha Raddatz.

“This is not a statesman or a diplomat,” Reed added. “This is just someone who admires Putin, does not believe in the struggle of the Ukrainians and is committed to cozying up to an autocrat.”

Reed said statements Trump made recently about Ukraine were “generally misleading or completely false,” and suggest he has “no real intention to engage the Ukrainian government to find out what they need” in negotiations with Russia.

“I’d be more confident in that suggestion if there was a vigorous dialogue between the Ukrainians and the United States with respect to these negotiations, that we understood where their lines are, et cetera. That apparently has not happened,” he said.

In order to solve the war in Ukraine, Reed said it will be crucial to “communicate to the Russians that we will be very, very serious about their actions in Ukraine.”

“What we have to do is keep the pressure on, and then go into negotiations — negotiations that will include the Ukrainians, not exclude them.” he said “And then with this pressure, hopefully, Putin will decide that the cost is too great to continue this effort.”

Talking to Raddatz later, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a vile dictator and thug” who is “clearly responsible for the war in Ukraine,” despite Trump’s false assertions earlier in the week that Zelenskyy started the war.

“Russia, China and Iran have been working in a coordinated effort to undermine and destabilize the United States, Europe, Israel and the free world,” Lawler said. “They are not our allies or our friends — we must be clear eyed about that.”

Lawler said he “did not agree with the President’s rhetoric about Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” but also said that Zelenskyy “saying that the president is falling for Russian disinformation does not help his cause.”

“What I would say is this, it does not behoove either side to have this public back and forth,” Lawler said. “I think President Zelenskyy needs to work with the administration, especially with respect to economic cooperation.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.