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Megan Thee Stallion wins defamation lawsuit against blogger

admin - Latest News - December 1, 2025
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Megan Thee Stallion wins defamation lawsuit against blogger



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Dec. 1, 2025, 4:09 PM ESTBy Rebecca Shabad and Gabe GutierrezWASHINGTON — The White House confirmed Monday that the U.S. did launch a second strike on an alleged drug boat from Venezuela in early September and that it was ordered by Adm. Frank M. Bradley, who at the time headed the Joint Special Operations Command.The follow-up strike killed the survivors of an initial U.S. strike on the vessel, which the Trump administration has said originated from Venezuela. Some lawmakers and legal experts say that second attack could constitute a war crime.“With respect to the strikes in question on Sept. 2, Secretary Hegseth authorized Adm. Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement during Monday’s briefing.“Adm. Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” she added.U.S. Special Operations Command, which Bradley now leads as commander, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Washington Post reported that Bradley had ordered the second strike, and that he was complying with an order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “kill everybody.” NBC News has not confirmed the detail about Hegseth.One U.S. official and a source familiar with the Pentagon’s actions on Sept. 2 told NBC News recently that the first of the two strikes conducted that day left at least two survivors, with the subsequent strike killing them.On Sunday, President Donald Trump told reporters that Hegseth didn’t order the second strike.”He said he didn’t do it,” said Trump, who also said he didn’t know if the second strike even happened. The president said he “wouldn’t have wanted” it, adding that “Pete said he did not want them.” Asked again if there was no second strike, Trump said: “I don’t know. I’m going to find out about it, but Pete said he did not order the death of those two men.”Asked Monday what law the U.S. military relied on to justify the second strike, Leavitt said: “The strike conducted on Sept. 2 was conducted in self-defense to protect Americans in vital United States interests. The strike was conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict.”She also confirmed that Trump will be meeting with his national security team — which includes Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller — in the Oval Office later Monday.Leavitt’s comments come amid widespread criticism and bipartisan investigations in the House and Senate into the second boat strike. The leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee — chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I. — said in a statement Friday that they will be “conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.” Similarly, the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee — chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash. — said they were taking “seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question.”Hegseth has defended the numerous U.S. strikes in the Caribbean, saying in a post on X Friday after The Washington Post article was published that “these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.'””Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict — and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,” he wrote.Hegseth received backlash on social media after he posted on his personal X account what appeared to be an AI-generated image of the children’s book character Franklin, with the title, “Franklin targets Narco Terrorists.” It shows Franklin, a turtle, standing on the edge of a helicopter aiming a machine gun at boats allegedly carrying drugs.The strikes in the Caribbean are part of an escalating pressure campaign the Trump administration is waging against Venezuela. Trump declared in a Truth Social post Saturday that Venezuela’s airspace should be considered “closed,” which came as the U.S. is considering military action against the South American nation.Rebecca ShabadRebecca Shabad is a politics reporter for NBC News based in Washington.Gabe GutierrezGabe Gutierrez is a senior White House correspondent for NBC News.
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Nov. 21, 2025, 5:00 AM ESTBy Sahil KapurLAS VEGAS — Matt Payan, who co-owns and operates a rare Hispanic-owned brewery in Nevada, said it was a “very slow, scary summer” for the economy in this city.“As the summer is slowly fading, business is slowly picking up, though, but not as much as we were anticipating compared to last year’s numbers,” he said.Payan said his business avoids politics in the taproom of his North 5th Street Brewing Co. But he said they feel the financial strain of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have forced the company to scale back canning its own beers, making it harder to distribute the product.“The canning prices went up so high, we can’t keep up with that cost. So unfortunately, we can’t can as much as we really should to keep up with demand,” Payan said, while hoping the tariffs can be reversed to make the finances more manageable.“The cost of living has been a real toll on all of us, including our employees as well. As demand and cost gets higher, our employees need to make more money in order to just survive,” he added. “Also, the average patron that comes in is now dealing with higher cost of living, which mean our regulars tend to shy away, because now they have to save and use their resources for other important needs.”Concerns about the economy and the cost of living and shifts among Latino voters powered Trump to victory in 2024 in Nevada, which flipped to the GOP in a presidential election for the first time in two decades.The economy topped the list of Nevada voter concerns, and those who cited it as the issue that mattered most backed Trump over Kamala Harris by a 3-to-1 margin, according to NBC News exit polls. Latinos, who made up about one-fifth of voters, voted for Trump by 2 points over Harris after Joe Biden carried the group by 26 points in 2020.These dynamics paid dividends for Trump in other battleground states across the country as well, helping him retake the White House.One year later, there are warning signs that Latino voters are souring on the GOP. In two blue-leaning states, Virginia and New Jersey, they voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates for governor earlier this month. And recent polling finds deep economic concerns persist among Latino voters in battleground districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections, when control of the House is at stake.The bipartisan Unidos U.S. Latino Vote Initiative poll found that the cost of living and inflation remains by far the top issue for Hispanic voters in battleground districts across six key states. Among these voters, 31% approved of Trump’s job performance while 64% disapproved. And 83% said their current personal financial situation is either “about the same” or “worse,” while 14% said it is “better.”Democrats argue Trump is paying a price for overpromising that he would bring down costs on Day 1 of his presidency.“I think that many voters who trusted in what the president said when he was campaigning feel betrayed by his policies,” said Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., who represents a swing district in the Las Vegas area. “He promised that costs would come down. They’re going up. He said that life would be easier. It’s harder.”Jeff Burton, a lobbyist and longtime strategist for Republican leaders, said Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress have until the end of the first quarter of 2026 to bring prices down.“The American people expected inflation to go down, and costs to go down — and they haven’t,” he said. “If they don’t, then it’s really going to affect the midterms. It’s the No. 1 issue. And the [House] majority is at stake.”Burton said the Treasury Department ought to quickly implement Trump’s “no tax on tips” policy that was included in his so-called “big, beautiful bill” earlier this year, and the president’s team needs to show that it’s delivering. The idea, which Trump embraced in his 2024 campaign, caught Democrats by surprise, and they have since backed versions of it.“The cost of goods, and inflation, is going to determine who’s in the majority next year. Everything else is around the edges,” Burton said, warning that immigration has fizzled as an electoral issue for Republicans and that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani won’t be the “national super boogeyman that Republicans want” in 2026.Other Republicans counter that the voter shifts in Nevada have been gradual and that the state has moved further toward the GOP overall in every presidential election since 2008. A National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson said its candidates will continue to work to win over Latinos, who could swing crucial House races across the country.“Democrats have ignored Hispanic communities for over a decade while millions of families rejected their radical, socialist agenda. Republicans are working relentlessly to earn Hispanic support by delivering on No Tax on Tips, lowering everyday costs, and protecting the opportunity to achieve the American dream,” NRCC Hispanic press secretary Christian Martinez said in an email.Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who held her own with Latinos and won re-election in 2024 on the same ballot as Trump, said there’s also a backlash in the community to the president’s aggressive immigration raids.“What I’m hearing from them now is always the same thing: affordability and opportunity, plus what’s happening on immigration — the cruelty, the fear that has spread within the community,” Rosen said in an interview. She added that the one-two punch of tariffs and immigration policies has brought tourism down and is “hurting everyone.”Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who would face re-election in 2028, said Trump has “done just the opposite” of what he promised in terms of bringing down costs.“You can’t tell people what they’re seeing and feeling at the grocery store is a hoax,” she said.Peter Guzman, the president of Nevada’s Latin Chamber of Commerce, said that overall his member companies feel that the economic situation is about “the same” as it was last year. Concerns linger about prices — fueled by high gas prices and high interest rates — as well as slowing tourism.“Inflation’s got to come down,” he said. “Cost of goods and services — we rely heavily on construction here, and if it costs too much … then we’re not going to have construction and that’s going to have devastating effects on the rest of the economy.”Guzman added that there are some immigration-related concerns in the hospitality industry. “There’s a little bit of a concern with my smaller restaurant owners because they’re seeing less people in the restaurants and more in grocery stories,” he said. “And that could be because of immigration fears.”Guzman said Trump could use his bully pulpit to push the Federal Reserve to keep lowering interest rates. He praised the tax break for tips, saying it should be bigger than the $25,000 deduction under the law — perhaps even unlimited. Workers can deduct up to that amount if they itemize and don’t use the standard deduction.Ted Pappageorge, the secretary treasurer of the influential Culinary Union, which represents hospitality workers who power the Las Vegas economy, said the “concerns about the economy have gotten worse” since Trump took office.“They were real [in 2024], and as I told you last year, Democrats unfortunately were somewhat tone-deaf, and it cost them the election, at least nationally and at the top of the ticket” he said. “The Trump slump is here and happening. The same bad move Biden made with trying to tell people the economy is good — Trump’s doing the same thing.”Still, Pappageorge said he’s dissatisfied with national Democrats and that the party has more work to do to show Nevada voters they’re serious about addressing the costs of housing, health care, groceries and car insurance.“What we’re seeing now is the rebirth of ‘The Great Gatsby’ and the Gilded Age,” Pappageorge said. “The question is: Are the Democrats going to step up to the plate in a clear, coherent message that they’re with us?”Sahil KapurSahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.
November 12, 2025
Nov. 12, 2025, 9:46 AM EST / Updated Nov. 12, 2025, 9:48 AM ESTBy Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube and Carol E. LeeWASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s directive to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War could cost as much as $2 billion, according to six people with knowledge of the potential cost.The name change, which must be approved by Congress, would require replacing thousands of signs, placards, letterheads and badges, as well as any other items at U.S. military sites around the world that feature the Department of Defense name, according to two senior Republican congressional staffers, two senior Democratic congressional staffers and two other people briefed on the potential cost.New department letterhead and signage alone could cost about $1 billion, according to the four senior congressional staffers and one of the people briefed on the potential cost.One of the biggest contributors to the cost of changing the name would be rewriting digital code for all of the department’s internal and external facing websites, as well as other computer software on classified and unclassified systems, the four senior congressional staffers said.The government could decide not to make every change to the Department of Defense branding, which could bring down the cost. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said a final cost estimate for changing the name has not been set.“The Department of War is aggressively implementing the name change directed by President Trump, and is making the name permanent,” Parnell said in an emailed statement. “A final cost estimate has not been determined at this time due to the Democrat shutdown furloughing many of our critical civilians. A nod to our proud heritage, this change is essential because it reflects the Department’s core mission: winning wars. This has always been our mission, and while we hope for peace, we will prepare for war.”A spokesperson for the White House directed questions to the Pentagon when asked for comment on the cost of changing the Pentagon’s name.The cost estimate for renaming the Pentagon comes as Trump has promised to cut back on federal spending. He’s signed off on steep cuts to government agencies since taking office. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth specifically plans to cut thousands of Pentagon military and civilian personnel as part of his effort to reshape the department’s budget to focus on what he dubs “lethality” and a “warrior ethos.”“Under the Trump administration, we are restoring the pride and the winning spirit of the United States military. That’s why we have officially renamed the Department of Defense back to the original name Department of War,” Trump said Tuesday during a Veterans Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery.Currently, the Department of War is a secondary title for the Department of Defense, not the formal name of the department. Trump did not mention that an official name change requires congressional approval, but said Department of War better conveys the message that the U.S. is ready to “fight to win.”He first announced a proposed name change in early September when he signed an executive order that authorized Hegseth to adopt the title “secretary of war” and to use “Department of War” in official correspondence and public communications. Trump’s new order gave the Pentagon two deadlines — one 30 days after the president signed the order and another 60 days after — to submit paperwork to the National Security Council that would move the process forward to formally and legally provide Congress with what it needs to consider the name change.White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly would not say whether either of those deadlines have been met.“Under President Trump’s leadership, the now aptly-named Department of War is refocused on readiness and lethality — and its title now reflects its status as the most powerful fighting force in the world,” Kelly said in an emailed statement. “The White House is working hand-in-glove with the Department of War on implementation of the Executive Order.”Following the signing of the order, the Pentagon quickly changed its website URL and social media handles to feature the Department of War rather than Department of Defense. Hegseth also replaced the sign outside his office –- which now reads, “The Office of the Secretary of War” — as well as some signs at the Pentagon.But many signs remain unchanged, including a brass nameplate that hangs outside one of the Pentagon’s entrances that still tells visitors they’re entering “The Department of Defense.”Trump’s executive order required that all executive branch departments and agencies “recognize and accommodate these secondary titles in internal and external communications.”It also acknowledged that the name change would require congressional action.Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah introduced legislation in September to make the name change, and Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla,, introduced legislation in the House. “Restoring the name to Department of War reflects our true purpose: to dominate wars, not merely respond after being provoked,” Scott said in a statement at the time. “It should always be clear to anyone who would harm our people: Americans don’t just play defense,” Lee wrote. But so far, the Trump administration has not made any formal attempt to push legislation through Congress, which would have to fund the cost of the name change.Some Republican lawmakers have privately griped about the focus on what they see as a vanity project, according to two of the senior congressional staffers. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been public about his criticism of the change as potentially glorifying war and has vowed to lead opposition to formalize and fund the change in the Senate.Democrats have been dismissive of the idea.Last week, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said the name change is a form of “cosplay.”“The department is designated by congressional statue as the Department of Defense, not the Department of War,” Kaine said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. “Congress has not authorized the name change … and as far as I’m concerned, there’s no effort for Congress to make the name change.” Ten Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Congressional Budget Office in September requesting the cost of changing the department’s name, including for procuring new signage, branding and ceremonial materials, updating titles of personnel, website redesign and digital infrastructure updates. They called the effort to change the name “wasteful and hypocritical,” particularly given the Trump administration’s focus on fiscal restraint, and said “it appears to prioritize political theater over responsible governance, while diverting resources from core national security functions.”The Pentagon has undergone name changes since its original Department of War designation in 1789. The first change was under President Harry Truman who changed it from the Department of War to the National Military Establishment. The National Security Act of 1947 that was signed by Truman organized all military services into a single entity led by a secretary of defense.Congress then changed the name to Department of Defense a couple years later.Gordon LuboldGordon Lubold is a national security reporter for NBC News.Courtney KubeCourtney Kube is a correspondent covering national security and the military for the NBC News Investigative Unit.Carol E. LeeCarol E. Lee is the Washington managing editor.
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