International

Justice gives a pause to the trial of Trump for the assault on the Capitol

Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed this Friday to give a pause to the trial facing Donald Trump in Washington for the assault on the Capitol to give time to the special prosecutor, Jack Smith, to evaluate how to proceed after the Republican’s victory in Tuesday’s elections.

The magistrate authorized the suspension of the pending deadlines and the Government to present by December 2 its deliberations on the way forward in this criminal case, as requested by Smith.

His petition states that he needs the remaining deadlines to be annulled to determine “the appropriate path” in line with the policies of the Department of Justice, which prevent investigating presidents while they are in office.

The accusation

Trump, who beat Kamala Harris on Tuesday, and will be invested on January 20, is accused in the District of Columbia for his attempts to reverse the results of the elections he lost in 2020 and having allegedly instigated the assault on the Capitol.

The request recalls that, as a result of those elections, it is expected that Trump’s victory will be certified on January 6 and that the investiture will take place on the 20th of that month.

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Smith stressed that the prosecutor’s office has consulted with the defense lawyers and pointed out that they have not opposed the pause.

The prosecutor will present a report on the Trump case for the assault on the Capitol

According to The New York Times, Smith had already started discussions with members of the Department of Justice on how to move forward after the elections in the two federal cases against Trump: the assault on the Capitol and the accusation in Florida for having taken classified documents from the White House when leaving power.

The Republican said during the election campaign that on his first day as president he would fire Prosecutor Smith and order the Department of Justice to close the cases against him that, he claims, are motivated by political persecution.

On November 21, Trump’s lawyers were scheduled to present their documentation to the judge on why he should not be tried in Washington after the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents enjoy broad judicial immunity.

Smith indicated in his note that by December 2 he can submit a report with the result of his deliberations.

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The special prosecutor has not yet requested a pause in the process in Florida. That case was dismissed on July 15, but Smith claimed on August 26 to a court of appeals that it be restored.

The messes of the future US president with the Justice

Trump faces four parallel criminal trials: those two federal and two others in local courts in New York and Georgia.

The only one where there is a conviction is the one he has in New York for falsification of commercial records to cover up a payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair in the past, to prevent it from harming him in his 2016 campaign.

The goal of Trump’s team, according to NBC News this week, is to dismiss all cases against him. In New York, the possibility of postponing the hearing scheduled for the end of November indefinitely is also contemplated.

According to the US Constitution, a president cannot forgive himself in a state accusation, as happens in New York, and in the case of Georgia, where he is accused of electoral interference, the governor could not pardon him either.

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NBC News pointed out that the Department of Justice seems to have assumed that neither the process in Washington nor the Florida process can take place in the near future and now after the elections it sees no room to continue with them.

International

Bill Gates to testify before Congress over Epstein connections

Bill Gates is set to testify on June 10 before a congressional committee in United States investigating links connected to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Tuesday.

The Microsoft co-founder is among several high-profile figures named in documents released by the Department of Justice, which detail alleged close associations, questionable financial dealings, and private photographs involving Epstein.

According to a spokesperson cited by Politico, Gates “welcomes” the opportunity to appear before the committee. The representative emphasized that Gates “never attended or participated in any illegal activities with Epstein” and is prepared to answer questions to support the investigation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

In late February, Gates told members of his foundation’s board that his association with Epstein was a “huge mistake.” He has consistently denied any involvement in the financier’s criminal activities. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.

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“I did nothing illegal. I saw nothing illegal,” Gates said, according to a recording obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Gates acknowledged that his relationship with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

A draft email written by Epstein and released by the Department of Justice referenced alleged extramarital relationships involving Gates. The message, which was apparently never sent, claimed that Epstein had helped “Bill” obtain medication related to encounters with Russian women.

Gates admitted to having had two extramarital affairs but denied any involvement with Epstein’s victims.

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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.