President Donald Trump has won and lost some as wraps its final week of a term focused on executive power.
The justices said Monday that , ruling that central banker Lisa Cook can keep her job at the Federal Reserve for now. Trump said he would still seek to remove her.
The court said , rejecting a Trump-led challenge. It declined to consider Trump鈥檚 push to toss a $5 million jury verdict that . And it turned away 鈥檚 effort to rewrite the U.S. libel law standards.
Here’s the Latest:
More than 100 Venezuelans deported from the US hours before earthquakes are missing after their hotel collapses
The people were being held in a hotel when earthquakes struck Venezuela, setting off a scramble to find survivors and bodies buried in the rubble, according to survivors.
A deportation flight from Miami arrived in Caracas hours before Wednesday鈥檚 earthquakes. On board were 146 Venezuelans, including 19 women and seven children, according to ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First, which tracks deportation flights.
Lisbeth Portillo, 58, said she escaped the rubble from the hotel with about 20 other deportees who walked the streets looking for help. They saw people running, some naked and others barefoot as they emerged from the rubble of the building in La Guaira, one of the areas that was hardest hit in Wednesday鈥檚 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.
Portillo was caught up in the Trump administration鈥檚 drive for mass deportations. In May, ICE Flight Monitor tracked 288 deportation flights to 38 countries, including Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile and the Ivory Coast.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for information from the AP.
鈻�
Alaska senators support Supreme Court ruling on mail-in ballots
Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski applauded the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision allowing states to continue counting late arriving mail ballots, saying it 鈥渞ecognizes that states face unique circumstances in administering their elections.鈥�
鈥淚n Alaska, as driving down the road to a neighborhood polling place. Many Alaskans live in remote communities that are not connected to the road system, requiring ballots to travel by bush plane or boat, which means volatile weather conditions and limited infrastructure can determine whether those ballots arrive on time,鈥� she said in a statement.
In Alaska, ballots are counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days 鈥� or 15 days for overseas voters in general elections.
The office of Alaska GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, who faces reelection this year, says he has a record of defending voting rights and believes 鈥渆very eligible vote cast before or on Election Day should be counted.鈥�
Feds to buy back North Carolina offshore wind lease from Duke Energy
Duke Energy is the latest utility to bow to pressure from the Trump administration to cancel offshore wind leases in return for money.
The $129 million deal by the Interior Department brings the total amount spent on these agreements to about $2.7 billion. The Trump administration has been buying back the leases as it seeks to in favor of more traditional energy sources such as natural gas, coal and nuclear power.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke said the deal will allow it 鈥渞efocus鈥� the money in range of ways, including new nuclear or natural gas generation, or grid enhancements to strengthen reliability.
French energy giant TotalEnergies, which had partnered with Duke on the North Carolina project, took a similar deal in March.
Mississippi official sued over mail ballots says Supreme Court ruling was win for states鈥� rights
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said the Supreme Court Monday confirmed the right of states to administer elections.
Watson, a Republican running for lieutenant governor in Mississippi, was sued by the Republican National Committee in 2024 over Mississippi鈥檚 policy of counting absentee ballots received after Election Day. The justices in a 5-4 ruling sided with Watson.
Watson said in a statement after the decision that he opposed the practice of counting ballots received after Election Day, but deeply valued the rights of states to 鈥済overn themselves, including the administration of elections.鈥�
He said the Supreme Court ruling confirms election policy is a 鈥渄ecision to be made by Congress or, in its absence, state legislatures.鈥�
Trump equivocates on importance of Qatar talks
He said U.S. delegates had either just left or were getting ready to leave for negotiations to end the war with Iran. But he offered a lukewarm view of the talks.
鈥淭he meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not 鈥� we鈥檙e going to find out,鈥� Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.
Trump calls bill aimed at addressing housing affordability 鈥榓 yawn鈥� and says he doesn鈥檛 know if he鈥檒l sign it
Trump last week abruptly canceled a ceremony to sign the bill, saying he would not approve the bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering the cost of housing until Congress acts on legislation to require proof of citizenship to vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said over the weekend he would send Trump the bill on Monday anyway. When asked by reporters about whether he鈥檇 sign it, Trump gave an exasperated response and drew out his words, saying, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 knooow.鈥�
He proclaimed to have more knowledge about housing than anyone in the history of the presidency, but said the bill was 鈥渟o unimportant鈥� compared to the voting legislation.
鈥淲hen I look at that bill, it鈥檚 a bill,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淏ut when I look at the Save America Act, it鈥檚 about saving America.鈥�
Rubio meets with son of Libyan military strongman as signs of a potential unification deal emerge
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with the son of a powerful Libyan warlord as signs grow that the U.S. is intensifying efforts to broker a unity agreement between the Libya鈥檚 fractured eastern and western factions.
Rubio met on Monday with Saddam Hifter, the deputy general commander of the self-styled Libyan national army, based in the east of the country. Hifter is the son of Khalifa Hifter, widely seen as the most powerful figure in eastern and southern Libya.
The two men 鈥渄iscussed ongoing Libyan-led efforts to unify the country鈥檚 military, economic, and political institutions鈥� and 鈥減ossible avenues for cooperation to advance unity and peace in Libya,鈥� the State Department said.
The U.S. is reportedly pushing an initiative under which Saddam Hifter would head a presidential council in a new unified administration that would also include Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who runs the government in western Libya.
Monday鈥檚 meeting came after a senior official from Dbeibah鈥檚 defense ministry met with U.S. officials in Washington last week.
Trump signs memo telling EPA that people can fix their autos as they see fit
The U.S. president said he signed a memo to allow Americans to fix their own vehicles, saying that people had been arrested for trying to do so.
鈥淚t came to my attention because they noticed they were arresting people for fixing their car,鈥� Trump said.
The president appeared to be referencing a diesel mechanic, Troy Lake, who violated the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on trucks. Trump pardoned Lake last November.
The memo also addresses the use of aftermarket auto parts. It would supersede the ability of the California Air Resources Board to evaluate parts that affect vehicle emissions.
Schumer blasts Supreme Court decision on independent federal agencies
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision giving presidents free rein to fire agency heads at will gives Trump a 鈥減ermission slip to turn independent federal agencies into members-only clubs for his golf buddies and cronies.鈥�
The justices ruled in the case of former Federal Trade Commission member , whom Trump fired without cause despite a provision of federal law that requires a reason. The logic of the court鈥檚 decision extends to other agencies where Trump has fired board members.
Slaughter once served as Schumer鈥檚 chief counsel. Schumer says she was fired for no other reason than doing a good of a job protecting consumers.
鈥淚nstead of preserving independence intended to keep markets fair and protect consumers, Trump鈥檚 instead catering to fraudsters and monopolists. And the Supreme Court is giving him a green light to do it,鈥� Schumer said.
Top California election official says mail-in ballot ruling is a win for democracy
California鈥檚 Secretary of State hailed Monday鈥檚 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court as a win for voters, the rule of law and democracy.
Shirley Weber, California鈥檚 first Black secretary of state, said in a statement the court 鈥減rotected an important safeguard鈥� that helps make sure voters are not disenfranchised by mail delays.
鈥淭his ruling makes one thing clear,鈥� the Democrat said in a statement. 鈥淥ur elections belong to the people, not to partisan agendas.鈥�
Under California law, ballots received within seven days of an election are counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
FCC鈥檚 sole Democrat warns of Supreme Court ruling鈥檚 impact
Anna Gomez is one of the few Democrats who have held onto their seats at federal agencies after Trump fired most of them, partly because her presence allows for a quorum that allows Chairman Brendan Carr to enact his agenda.
She warned the Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling 鈥減uts at risk how Congress intended independent agencies to function in American democracy.鈥�
鈥淭hose who argue these agencies are unaccountable misunderstand how they were designed, as the FCC answers to Congress, the democratically elected body that created it, through oversight, appropriations, and legislation,鈥� she said in a statement following the Court鈥檚 ruling. 鈥淲hen commissioners can be removed for their policy views rather than for cause, the inevitable result is an agency that pulls its punches and defers to political winds rather than the record before it.鈥�
She said consumers 鈥渨ill pay the price鈥� in higher costs, fewer choices and slower progress toward connectivity.
Republican chairman follows Trump鈥檚 lead on mail-in ballot ruling
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the court鈥檚 decision upholding state practices of accepting all ballots postmarked by Election Day is a reason to pass the president鈥檚 proposed elections bill that is stalled on Capitol Hill.
鈥淚f we want fair and secure elections, Election Day should mean exactly what it says, which is why this decision makes it even more imperative that Congress pass the SAVE America Act,鈥� Gruters said.
RNC aides distributed the statement after Trump made the same argument Monday morning. Trump鈥檚 proposal would virtually eliminate absentee voting nationally, require voters to provide citizenship documentation to register and then present certain photo identification at polling places.
Gruters said Democrats 鈥渁re inviting chaos at the ballot box by allowing elections to drag on.鈥� He did not offer any examples of such chaos, and it was the original plaintiffs who wanted the court to overturn long-established rules months before November鈥檚 elections.
America 250 celebrations bring extraordinary security challenge to Washington
Federal law enforcement is preparing for one of the capital鈥檚 largest and most complex security operations as hundreds of thousands of people visit Washington for of the nation鈥檚 freedom.
The security challenge comes amid rising , including near the White House, and a president who enjoys being yet has repeatedly faced attempts on his life.
The nation鈥檚 capital 鈥渋s a target-rich environment鈥� on a normal day, said Darren B. Cox, assistant director in charge of the FBI鈥檚 Washington Field Office. 鈥淲e are prepared for any threats.鈥�
The throngs will be joined by thousands of law enforcement officers and agents and 5,000 , along with military-style vehicles and other hardware not often seen on American streets.
鈻�
Trump says he will keep fighting Carroll case after court declines to take it up
The president said in a social media post that it was 鈥渁 Fake Case鈥� brought against him by a woman he claims he never met.
鈥淚 will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength,鈥� Trump wrote.
He also said the case, in which a jury found that he sexually abused the writer in New York City in the 1990s and later defamed her, is 鈥渞eally against the United States of America, and all it stands for.鈥�
In a statement Monday, Carroll said the decision affirms the jury鈥檚 verdict will stand. 鈥淗is multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today鈥檚 ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions,鈥� she said.
Trump says he’ll seek to remove Cook despite court rejection of his initial attempt
Trump said he lost his effort to remove the Federal Reserve鈥檚 Lisa Cook 鈥渙n a strictly procedural basis鈥� and would still seek to remove the central bank governor.
The court ruled 5-4 that the Federal Reserve鈥檚 Lisa Cook can remain on the Fed board as she challenges the administration鈥檚 attempts to fire her over claims of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.
Trump said in a social media post that 鈥渨e will take appropriate action immediately to make sure that someone who has committed wrongdoing will not be making vital decisions concerning the Welfare of the United States of America!鈥�
In light of Supreme Court rejection, Trump renews push for his voter ID bill
Trump called a Supreme Court ruling that ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted days after an election a 鈥渢remendous loss.鈥�
Trump posted on social media that the decision makes it more important for his SAVE America Act to pass. The measure would require proof of citizenship and include a ban on mail-in ballots unless that person is sick, disabled, traveling or deployed by the military, Trump noted.
鈥淭here is only one reason to oppose 鈥� CHEATING!鈥� Trump said.
The president then called out Republican senators who have objected to the measure: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Cook says her attempted firing was about 鈥榩olitical pressure鈥� on the Fed
The firing attempt 鈥渨as never about mortgage documents signed years ago鈥� but rather 鈥渨as an attempt to remove me on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure鈥� from Trump, who has long sought lower interest rates from the central bank, Cook said in a written statement reacting to the court鈥檚 ruling.
Trump fired Cook , citing allegations that she had committed fraud in mortgage documents she signed in June and July of 2021. The Biden appointee sued to keep her job, and lower courts ruled she could remain while the case is litigated. The Supreme Court Monday those rulings.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 ruling affirms a principle that has underpinned sound economic stewardship for generations: that the Federal Reserve must make all its policy decisions guided by evidence and independent judgment, free from political interference,鈥� Cook鈥檚 statement said.
Trump applauds ruling empowering him to fire independent agency leaders
A majority of the justices ruled presidents have free rein to fire agency heads at will, despite federal laws that require a cause for such dismissals and a .
鈥淚t is such an Honor to be the sitting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers,鈥� Trump posted on social media.
The justices ruled in the case of former . The decision鈥檚 logic extends to National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Trump did not acknowledge that the court recognized some limits on his authorities by also ruling 5-4 that Lisa Cook can remain a central bank governor while challenging unproven mortgage fraud allegations, which she has denied.
Supreme Court says Fed鈥檚 Cook can keep her job for now
The on Monday dramatically expanded presidential power, upholding Trump鈥檚 firings of the heads of independent federal agencies with one important exception, the Federal Reserve.
The justices allowed Fed governor Lisa Cook to stay in her job while she fights the Republican president鈥檚 effort to fire her over allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.
But other than at the nation鈥檚 central bank, with its role of setting interest rates, the court held that presidents have free rein to fire agency heads at will, despite federal laws that require a cause for such dismissals and a that had limited executive authority. That decision, Humphrey鈥檚 Executor, was overturned.
Witkoff and Kushner going to Qatar for talks with Iran
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Steve Witkoff, who is the special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump鈥檚 son-in-law, are flying to Qatar to meet with the Iranians.
Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News鈥� 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥� that those talks would be 鈥渉igh level鈥� and that technical negotiations would occur on the sidelines. Iran has denied that the talks are happening.
Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by attacking a ship last week in Strait of Hormuz, but so far the interim deal for negotiations to take place appears to have held.
Court rules states can count late-arriving mailed ballots
The said states can count , a persistent target of .
The decision Monday rejects a Republican-led attack on laws in more than half the states and the District of Columbia that permit mailed ballots to arrive and be counted some number of days after the election, provided they are postmarked by Election Day. The outcome spares officials the headache of changing their ballot rules just a few months before the 2026 midterm congressional elections.
In just over half those states, the more forgiving deadlines apply only to ballots cast by military and overseas voters.
Trump has claimed breeds fraud despite strong evidence to the contrary and years of experience. He keeps repeating that fraud caused his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 even though more than 60 court decisions and his own attorney general said that argument had no merit.
鈻�
___
This story has been corrected to show Trump saying hosing bill was 鈥渦nimportant.鈥�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
