International

Trump calls Jan 6 probe a ‘witch hunt,’ does not address subpoena

Photo: CBS News

AFP

Former US president Donald Trump on Friday denounced the congressional investigation into the attack on the US Capitol by his supporters as a “show trial” and a “witch hunt.”

Trump, in a letter to Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the January 6 committee, did not address the subpoena for him to testify that was issued by the House panel on Thursday.

Instead, the former Republican president repeated his criticisms of the committee and his false claims that the 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden was “rigged and stolen.”

“You have not spent even a short moment on examining the massive Election Fraud that took place during the 2020 Presidential Election,” Trump wrote.

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“The Unselect Committee has perpetuated a Show Trial the likes of which this Country has never seen before,” he said. “There is no Due Process, no Cross-Examination, no ‘real’ Republican members, and no legitimacy since you do not talk about Election Fraud.

“It is a Witch Hunt of the highest level, a continuation of what has been going on for years,” Trump said.

He also defended the rioters who attacked Congress on January 6, 2021 as it was certifying Biden’s election victory, calling them “patriots” and “concerned American citizens.”

“You have not gone after the people that created the Fraud, but rather great American Patriots who questioned it, as is their Constitutional right,” Trump said. “These people have had their lives ruined as your Committee sits back and basks in the glow.”

The January 6 panel, holding what is expected to be its final hearing before the November midterm elections on Thursday, voted to subpoena Trump to testify.

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Trump responded with a post on his Truth Social platform but did not say whether he would agree to appear.

“Why didn’t the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago?” he said. “Why did they wait until the very end, the final moments of their last meeting?”

The New York Times reported that Trump has been telling aides that he favors testifying if he can do so live, but it is unclear whether the committee would grant such a demand.

Subpoenas from the panel have proved difficult to enforce, with former White House aide Steve Bannon the only person convicted of contempt of Congress so far for refusing to comply.

Across eight hearings in the summer the January 6 panel has unveiled reams of evidence showing the former president’s involvement in a labyrinthine series of connected schemes to overturn the election.

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Trump, who urged his supporters in a fiery speech near the White House on January 6 to “fight like hell,” was impeached for inciting the mob to storm Congress to halt the peaceful transfer of power to Biden.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a videoconference with members of military in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Trump gave defiant Thanksgiving remarks at the White House Thursday, insisting falsely that he beat Joe Biden and wavering on whether he would ever concede or attend Bidens inauguration. Photographer: Erin Schaff/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images

International

Former Trump allies call for removal, cite 25th Amendment amid Iran threats

Former allies of U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for his removal from office, arguing he is unfit to continue in the role following recent threats to “wipe out an entire civilization,” made just hours before the deadline of his ultimatum to Iran.

One of the most prominent voices was former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who invoked the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a mechanism to remove the president from power.

“25th Amendment! Not a single bomb has fallen on the U.S. We cannot annihilate an entire civilization. This is evil and insanity,” Greene wrote on social media platform X.

Greene, once a leading figure within Trump’s political movement during his first term, broke with the president last November over disagreements on foreign policy and his handling of controversial cases.

Another former supporter, controversial commentator Alex Jones, also raised the possibility of applying the constitutional provision during his show, in a conversation with attorney Robert Barnes.

Barnes explained that invoking the 25th Amendment requires the support of two-thirds of Congress, making it a more complex process than impeachment.

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Section 4 of the amendment, ratified in 1967, establishes that the vice president, together with a majority of the cabinet, can declare the president unable to perform the duties of the office, a decision that must then be confirmed by both chambers of Congress.

The statements come amid rising international tensions and increasing domestic political pressure on the president.

International

Trump pauses strikes on Iran, extends ultimatum by two weeks

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a temporary suspension of attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks, extending the ultimatum he had imposed on Tehran just hours before its deadline.

According to the president, the measure is conditional on Iran allowing the “full, immediate, and secure” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that the decision would involve a reciprocal ceasefire between both parties.

The announcement was made through a message on his social media platform, where he emphasized that the pause in military actions is intended to create space for de-escalation in the region.

He also noted that the decision followed a conversation with the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who requested a two-week extension of the ultimatum.

The move comes amid heightened global tensions, marked by escalating threats and concerns over the potential impact of the conflict on key international energy trade routes.

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International

WHO worker killed as Israeli forces fire on Gaza medical convoy

An employee of the World Health Organization (WHO) was killed on Monday in Gaza Strip after Israeli forces opened fire on a medical convoy transporting patients for evacuation, according to witnesses and official accounts.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the vehicle approached troops in a “threatening manner,” alleging that the driver accelerated toward soldiers despite warning shots. “The troops fired warning shots. The vehicle continued advancing, and additional fire was directed at it,” the military said in a statement.

The army also claimed the vehicle lacked clear markings and was therefore treated as a potential threat.

However, survivors disputed that account. Raed Aslan, a passenger in the convoy, told reporters in Khan Younis that the vehicles were clearly marked with WHO insignia. “The vehicle was clearly identified as belonging to the WHO,” he said, adding that an Israeli tank blocked the road and fired at the driver despite the route being empty.

The convoy was transporting patients to the Rafah crossing, the only exit point available for medical evacuations abroad, as Israel does not permit transfers to Jerusalem or the West Bank.

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The incident adds to a series of controversial cases involving Israeli military actions against humanitarian convoys. In April 2024, seven workers from World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah. The military initially cited a “misidentification,” despite the vehicles being clearly marked.

Similarly, in March 2025, 15 paramedics, rescuers, and a UN worker were killed near Rafah. Israeli authorities first claimed emergency lights were off, but video evidence later contradicted that assertion.

A subsequent investigation by organizations including Forensic Architecture found that Israeli forces fired hundreds of rounds at the convoy, and that the vehicles were later destroyed and buried along with the bodies before being recovered days later.

The latest incident is likely to intensify scrutiny over the conduct of military operations in Gaza, particularly regarding the safety of humanitarian personnel and medical evacuations.