Good evening, everyone. Tonight we have several major developments. Donald Trump has ordered the demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House, despite earlier promises not to touch it. We’re now learning his administration is moving ahead without legal approval or oversight. At the same time, the administration has sanctioned Russia and is advancing steps toward what could become a federal takeover of the 2026 elections.
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With that, here’s what you missed:
The White House is completely demolishing the East Wing to build President Trump’s $300 million ballroom, a project far larger than first disclosed, with the teardown expected to be finished by the weekend, according to a senior official.
When questioned about a lack of transparency over demolishing the White House East Wing, Trump dismissed the concern, insulted the reporter as “third rate,” and downplayed the building’s significance, calling it “a very small building.”
Trump increased his estimated cost for the new White House ballroom from $250 million to $300 million, saying the project will be even more expensive than previously stated.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation warned that Trump’s planned White House ballroom could “overwhelm” the historic structure and urged federal agencies to halt construction until the proper oversight commission reviews the project.
Trump said the demolition of the East Wing and construction of the new White House ballroom are being funded entirely by himself and “some friends,” referring to private donors.
Asked about transparency regarding the East Wing demolition, Trump defended his actions, called the reporter “third rate,” and minimized the issue by describing the East Wing as “a very small building.”
A New York Times investigation revealed that Trump has embedded key election deniers — including Heather Honey, now deputy assistant secretary for election integrity at DHS, and Marci McCarthy at CISA — into federal positions, turning discredited 2020 fraud claims into official policy; working with Cleta Mitchell’s Election Integrity Network, they are advancing a plan to federalize control over elections, restrict voting, and override state authority ahead of 2026.
The Trump administration announced new U.S. Treasury sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, citing Moscow’s “lack of serious commitment” to peace in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures aim to cut off revenue for the Kremlin’s war effort and pressure Russia toward a ceasefire. The sanctions, issued through OFAC, are part of what Trump described as an effort to “end yet another war,” with the U.S. urging allies to adopt similar restrictions.
President Trump said he canceled a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, explaining that while their conversations are “good,” they “don’t go anywhere.” Sitting alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump called the new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies “tremendous” and said he hopes they will be short-lived if the war ends. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that Trump walked away from recent talks after concluding Putin was “not honest or forthright” in negotiations.
ICE has allowed some new recruits to begin training before completing background checks, drug tests, or fingerprinting, leading to cases where trainees with criminal records or failed drug tests were only discovered later, NBC News reported. The rush stems from the Trump administration’s push to expand ICE’s ranks to 10,000 agents, prompting shortened training programs, waived age limits, and overwhelmed vetting staff, raising concerns about safety and standards within the agency.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched “Plate Watch,” a hotline for reporting immigration or border patrol vehicles using obscured, swapped, or missing license plates, warning that tampering is illegal and punishable under state law; the move follows complaints of masked and unmarked federal agents amid controversial ICE operations and court rulings restricting their tactics in Chicago.
Los Angeles TikTok creator Carlitos Ricardo Parias, known for livestreaming ICE raids, was shot in the elbow and arrested after allegedly trying to ram federal agents’ vehicles while fleeing arrest; he faces assault charges on a federal officer as immigration advocates accuse the Trump administration of increasingly violent tactics during mass deportation operations.
Civil rights groups including the ACLU accused ICE of subjecting pregnant women in detention to medical neglect and abuse — reporting miscarriages, shackling, solitary confinement, and denial of prenatal care — and urged the agency to release all pregnant detainees and close facilities with repeated violations.
The U.S. military conducted its eighth strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel—this time in the eastern Pacific—killing two people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, marking an expansion of the Trump administration’s anti-cartel campaign beyond the Caribbean; Hegseth likened the fight against cartels to the post-9/11 war on terror, as critics note the administration has treated suspected traffickers as unlawful combatants without pursuing prosecutions.
The U.S. government shutdown has entered its 22nd day with no resolution, as Democrats blame President Trump and Senate Republicans for refusing to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies in negotiations to reopen the government.
The Trump administration reached a settlement with the University of Virginia, ending federal investigations into its admissions and civil rights practices in exchange for the school agreeing to stop “unlawful racial discrimination” and provide data to the Justice Department through 2028; the deal follows UVA’s dismantling of its diversity programs after federal pressure and marks the first such agreement between the administration and a public university.
Lawmakers from both parties condemned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new Pentagon policy requiring staff to get approval before communicating with Congress, calling it “ill-advised” and “unworkable”; senior Republicans warned it could jeopardize future confirmations and funding, arguing that restricting informal military-Congress contact and tightening press controls shows a damaging lack of trust and transparency within the Defense Department.
Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez is recovering from stab wounds after a parking dispute in Indianapolis led to a violent confrontation with a truck driver, who claims self-defense; Sanchez faces felony and misdemeanor charges, with his trial set for Dec. 11, though prosecutors doubt the date will hold as he continues his recovery.
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner covered up a decade-old tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol after backlash over resurfaced images, saying it was a drunken Marine Corps-era skull design, not extremist; he unveiled a new Celtic knot tattoo, denounced Nazism, and blamed political opponents for exploiting the controversy alongside past offensive Reddit posts, which he apologized for and attributed to postwar trauma, as the Democratic race against GOP Sen. Susan Collins intensifies.
The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel violated its humanitarian obligations by blocking aid to Gaza and banning UNRWA, ordering it to allow unrestricted humanitarian access and cooperate with UN agencies; the court found Israel’s restrictions breached the Geneva Conventions and may amount to using starvation as a method of warfare, a ruling Israel rejected as it claimed compliance with international law.
South Carolina man Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr., already accused of imprisoning four people in his basement and exploiting them, was charged with murdering 49-year-old Shirley Arnsdorff and committing first-degree sexual assault; police allege the victims were abused, denied food and medical care, and financially exploited, while Birchfield remains jailed without bond and maintains his innocence.
Tesla reported a 37% drop in quarterly profits despite strong EV sales driven by expiring U.S. tax credits, missing earnings expectations amid challenges from Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” shifting trade policies, and rising competition; the results come as Elon Musk faces backlash over a proposed $1 trillion pay package, political controversies, and slowing growth across key vehicle lines like the Cybertruck and new Model Y.
