Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he'll back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Donald Trump’s Justice Department.
Blanche’s prospective confirmation appeared threatened earlier Friday, when Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced her opposition. Murkowski cited concern that the administration could proceed with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, despite Blanche formally terminating it.
Also, an appeals court has ruled Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop. The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Brazil’s Lula says Rubio ignores Trump in relationship with Latin America
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Friday he maintains a respectful relationship with Trump, placing the blame for recent U.S.-Brazil frictions on Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“He is either anti-Latin America or a frustrated Latin American,” Lula said during a visit to São José dos Campos, accusing Rubio of hating Brazil, Cuba, and Colombia, while supporting former President Jair Bolsonaro and undermining agreements made with Trump.
“He does things differently from what we discuss with Trump,” the Brazilian president added.
This week, the U.S. revoked Brazil’s U.S. ambassador ’s visa after Brazil denied visas to two State Department officials ahead of October’s elections, where Lula faces Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro.
Washington also cited delays in approving U.S. Ambassador nominee Daniel Perez, who cleared the Senate earlier, but awaits Brazilian authorization.
US would end blockade if an acceptable Strait of Hormuz deal emerges, official says
If an acceptable deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump would end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as long as the terms of the agreement are respected, a U.S. official said Friday.
The administration has been told by regional mediators that a deal between Iran and Oman on the crucial waterway could be finalized in the coming days, the official said. The U.S. would study whatever comes from the Iran-Oman talks before taking a position.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, reiterated that the U.S. would not accept any agreement that allows Iran to charge tolls or service fees or otherwise interfere with ships.
— By Matthew Lee
Trump announces more than $2B for critical minerals project and investment in mining schools
The funding is for a variety of critical minerals projects to help produce the key elements needed for all kinds of high-tech products and weapons.
The biggest share of that is a $1.4 billion loan from the Department of War to help Sila Nanotechnologies build a new lithium battery plant. Other investments include $150 million for Niron Magnetics to boost production of powerful magnets that don’t require any rare earth elements and $400 million to help Sunrise Energy Metals build a scandium mine in Australia.
In addition, Trump said his administration will invest $180 million in the schools that train miners.
Colorado School of Mines President Paul Johnson said that over the past few decades “our expertise has atrophied over time -- particularly in the processing space.”
Trump has made it a priority to develop a supply of critical minerals outside of China, which dominates the mining and processing of the hard-to-pronounce elements that are crucial for missiles, nuclear subs, fighter jets and a variety of high-tech products.
Zelenskyy grateful to Senate for passing sanctions bill
The Ukrainian president said the measure would help increase pressure on Russia to bring an end to the over four-year war.
“Ukraine values ALL the support the United States provides to Ukraine — from both parties and from the American people as a whole,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media.
Zelenskyy said as Ukraine works to secure more air defense systems to help stop Russia’s campaign to hit the country with large-scale ballistic missile attacks every signal of support for bringing a swift end to the war was extremely important.
“Real, strong American pressure and sanctions against Russia are what will help most. Diplomacy comes closer with every step that increases pressure on the aggressor. Thank you to everyone who understands this and is advancing PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Zelenskyy wrote.
US hits Iranian digital asset exchanges with sanctions
The Trump administration has hit two Iranian-linked digital asset exchanges with sanctions, alleging that the government in Tehran uses them to launder billions of dollars to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Treasury announced on Friday that it had imposed sanctions on SHPS Shelbit and the Shelbit Exchange, both Georgia-based companies, as well as their top executive, Siavash Kayvanpour, an Iranian-born businessman who lives outside of Iran.
Treasury said the companies were also involved in a Persian-language gambling website network that is illegal inside of Iran but is still connected to the country’s financial system.
Senate confirms 74 Trump nominations, including TSA leader and ambassador to Brazil
The Senate also confirmed David Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay.
He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs.
Daniel Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, was confirmed to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States.
Senate confirms Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA
The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it.
He will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.
Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from a slew of chaotic policies enacted during Kristi Noem’s tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security.
He was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate 51-47.
Ukraine’s foreign minister commends Senate for passing Russia sanctions bill
Andrii Sybiha called it “an important step” to further strengthening the sanctions regime against Russia.
“This landmark legislation is a powerful demonstration of America’s global leadership. I extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the U.S. Senate for their leadership, their principled bipartisan support, and their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer,” Sybiha said in a post on X.
Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill negotiated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham
Passage of the bill Friday signals renewed bipartisan support for Ukraine as the war drags on.
The legislation would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian