International

The US promises “not to spare resources” investigations into the assassination attempt against Trump

The Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, promised an investigation that “will not spare resources” around the alleged assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Florida, as he said on Tuesday, the same day that Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced the beginning of a state investigation.

Garland said today that the national security division of the Department of Justice will play a central role in the investigation, an assertion that hints at the presentation of additional and more serious charges regarding the two related to the possession of firearms that the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, is currently facing.

The Department of Justice and especially the FBI work side by side with local agencies in the investigation of the “apparent assassination attempt of the former president that occurred on Sunday in Florida,” the attorney general said during an event at the headquarters of the Department of Justice in Washington.

“We will all work together to tirelessly determine responsibility in this matter,” Garland added.

This same Tuesday, the governor of Florida, the Republican Ron DeSantis, signed an executive order authorizing the State Prosecutor’s Office to start its own investigation, which could even lead to the formulation of state charges for attempted murder for Routh, who remains detained and on Monday had his first appearance in a federal court.

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The authorities are investigating the motivations of Routh, 58, about whom it is known through publications made on the Internet that he had a disenchantment with the current Republican candidate in the next general elections, after having voted for him in the past.

According to the FBI, the suspect, who for the moment is believed to have acted alone, prowled the vicinity of the golf club for 12 hours and investigators are trying to confirm if he knew that Trump would go out to play that day.

As has transpired, Secret Service agents did not inspect the perimeter of the golf club before the former president went out to play, which has thrown more scrutiny against this federal agency in charge of the security of the former presidents.

The Secret Service was already under the magnifying glass after the attempted assassination of Trump while giving a rally in Butler (Pennsylvania), just over two months ago.

In that regard, US President Joe Biden, who last night phoned Trump in a gesture of solidarity, reiterated today that the Secret Service should receive more resources.

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“One of the issues is that we need more resources. We need more agents, greater protection and, in general, expanded aid,” the president said in an interview with the radio program ‘DeDe in the Morning’ that was broadcast this Tuesday.

After the alleged failed attack, the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, already opened the door to including additional funds for the Secret Service in a bill that Congress should approve before September 30 to finance government agencies and avoid the closure of the Administration for lack of budget.

For his part, the Secretary of National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, highlighted today the phenomenal work of the Secret Service agents who “eliminated a threat” and warned that the country is currently in the middle of “a highly threatening environment.”

Mayorkas emphasized that after the two assassination attempts of which former President Trump has been a victim, he receives approximately the same security as Biden.

The suspect was arrested on the same day of the events, about 45 minutes after leaving the scene, after a Secret Service agent discovered him hiding behind some bushes, armed with an assault rifle and telescopic sight, and shot him.

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Thanks to this, Routh never got his sights set on former President Trump (2017-2021) and the group with whom he played golf on a course he owned in West Palm Beach.

Routh left in the place an AR-47 assault rifle with telescopic sight, two backpacks, and a GoPro sports camera, in addition to a plastic bag with food.

International

Ninth Victim Recovered After Deadliest U.S. Avalanche in Decades

Rescue teams in California on Saturday recovered the body of the ninth and final victim of a deadly avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains, according to the local sheriff’s office.

The avalanche struck a group of 11 skiers and four guides on Tuesday as they were returning from a three-day backcountry trip near Castle Peak, a 2,777-meter (9,111-foot) mountain and popular tourist destination on the U.S. West Coast.

Six people were rescued alive on Tuesday. Authorities said the incident marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981.

“All nine individuals who lost their lives in the February 17 Castle Peak avalanche have been safely recovered from the mountain,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“There are no words that can truly capture the magnitude of this loss, and our hearts grieve alongside the families affected by this catastrophic event,” Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

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Officials had warned on Thursday that search operations would likely continue through the weekend due to severe weather conditions in the area.

Survivors were able to call for help shortly after the avalanche occurred. However, near-zero visibility and the risk of additional snow slides prevented rescue teams from reaching them for several hours.

International

Trump Defies Supreme Court With New 10% Global Tariff

Defiant in the face of a judicial setback, Donald Trump on Friday imposed a new across-the-board 10% tariff after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that he does not have the authority to levy customs duties under the guise of a national emergency.

The Republican president signed the order in the Oval Office and announced on social media that the measure would take effect “almost immediately.” According to a statement from the White House, the decree will formally enter into force on February 24 for a period of 150 days.

It remains unclear whether the new tariff will apply to countries that have already negotiated trade agreements establishing rates higher than 10%.

Earlier in the day, the conservative-majority court ruled that a 1977 law cited by Trump to abruptly impose tariffs on individual countries — disrupting global trade — “does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.”

Trump said he was “deeply disappointed” by the decision and accused some justices of being influenced by “foreign interests.”

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Although he has made variable tariffs a cornerstone of his foreign policy, Trump acknowledged that it is uncertain whether the government will have to refund revenue already collected. A study by the University of Pennsylvaniaestimated that the amount at stake could reach as much as $175 billion.

“That issue was not addressed by the Court,” Trump told reporters, warning that the legal battle could drag on for “years.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who dissented from the Court’s 6–3 majority opinion, cautioned that the legal process could become a “mess.”

Trump denied any error or haste in using tariffs as a policy tool, arguing instead that the six justices who ruled against him were motivated by “political correctness.” Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that the Court had acted “outside the law.”

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International

U.S. Targets Members of Outgoing Boric Administration With Visa Revocations

The United States government announced on Friday the revocation of visas for three Chilean officials—whose identities were not initially disclosed—citing activities that allegedly “undermined regional security,” an accusation that Chile denies.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of State did not provide specific details about the individuals involved but criticized the outgoing administration of leftist President Gabriel Boric.

“The legacy of the Boric government will be further tarnished by actions that undermine regional security to the ultimate detriment of the Chilean people,” the statement read. It was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Chile’s Minister of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz, later confirmed in a video message to the press that he is among those sanctioned.

“I was recently informed that my visa to enter the United States has been revoked by that country, which I deeply regret,” Muñoz said.

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The U.S. statement also noted that Washington hopes to “advance shared priorities, including those that strengthen security in our hemisphere, with the upcoming Kast government.”

The electoral victory of ultraconservative leader José Antonio Kast was welcomed in Washington, which has been building alliances with like-minded governments in the region to reinforce its diplomatic and economic agenda—particularly in response to China’s growing investment presence in Latin America.

“We remain committed to promoting accountability for Chilean individuals who deliberately work to destabilize our hemisphere,” the statement concluded.