International

Trump accuses FBI of ‘trying to destroy our country’ and ransacking Barron’s room at Pennsylvania rally

Published

3 years ago

September 4, 2022

Former president Donald Trump

Former president Donald Trump, a central figure in no fewer than three separate criminal probes involving state and federal grand juries, lashed out at the federal law enforcement agencies currently investigating whether he violated federal laws prohibiting unauthorised possession of national defence information and obstruction of justice during a hours-long speech at one of his signature political rallies on Saturday

Mr Trump was roughly ten minutes into remarks at a “Save America” rally purportedly meant to boost the campaigns of GOP Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano when he began to air a series of grievances about the 8 August search of his Palm Beach, Florida home by FBI agents.

He accused the Biden administration of “weaponising the FBI and justice department like never ever before” and described the court-authorised search of his property as the FBI “breaking into the homes of their political opponents”.

“There could be no more vivid example of the very real threats from American freedom than just a few weeks ago … when we witnessed one of the most shocking abuses of power by any administration in American history,” he said.

Mr Trump condemned the lawful search of his property as “shameful” and “a travesty of justice” and complained that agents had combed through the room belonging to his 16-year-old son, Barron Trump, while looking for evidence of crimes.

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The man who not two years ago had his picture on the wall at every office of the nation’s federal law enforcement agencies accused the FBI of “trying to destroy our country”on behalf of Democrats by investigating whether he committed any number of serious federal crimes.

“Whether through activist attorney generals … local Democrat DAs, county prosecutors, congressional committees or federal agencies, the radical Democrats are engaging in a desperate attempt to keep me from returning to the White House,” Mr Trump said, casting the investigations into whether he violated federal laws meant to protect the nation’s national defence secrets or state laws against election tampering as illegitimate and nakedly political.

According to court documents, FBI agents found over 10,000 stolen non-classified government documents spread across 27 boxes when they searched the twice-impeached ex-president’s home and office at his Mar-a-Lago country club.

Agents also discovered more than 100 “unique documents with classification markings”, including three stored in Mr Trump’s desk. Classification levels ranged from confidential – the lowest level of classification in the US system – to the highest, top secret.

The ex-president’s hoard of stolen government property also included folders with markings indicating that they had contained classified or sensitive documents that were meant to be returned to the White House staff secretary, a key White House aide who manages the flow of paper to and from the president’s desk.

Of the 90 empty folders recovered by agents, 47 of them had these markings, while the remainder were meant to be returned to the White House staff secretary’s office or the president’s military aide.

Prosecutors have also said in court filings that Mr Trump’s attorneys allegedly lied to FBI agents when they told them the ex-president had returned all classified documents in his possession during a 3 June meeting. A redacted version of the affidavit used to obtain the warrant to search his property also revealed that the government has evidence that Mr Trump or his associates attempted to conceal more classified documents from the government following that meeting.

According to legal experts, the evidence against the former president could be enough for a grand jury to return an indictment against him for multiple violations of federal law punished by decades in federal prison.

But Mr Trump told the crowd of supporters who’d gathered to see him in Wilkes-Barre that the myriad grievances he aired about the criminal investigation into his conduct was “not about him”.

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Instead, he described it as “a struggle for the fate of our republic” that pits his “Make America Great Again” movement against “a corrupt group of unelected tyrants”.

“They think the deep state, not the citizens should be the true masters of this country,” said Mr Trump, who promised to “clean house” and “restore government for the people” if he is returned to power. He added that the United States “would be destroyed” if he is not permitted to regain the powers of the presidency.

The ex-president continued his remarks by rehashing a series of years-old complaints about previous investigations into him and lashed out at the FBI and Department of Justice for failing to put his political enemies in prison.

Though the current criminal investigation into him stems directly from his alleged theft and unlawful retention of records which are by law property of the US government — and his unauthorised possession of numerous documents marked as classified at the highest levels, Mr Trump castigated federal law enforcement for not bringing charges against his 2016 election opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Ms Clinton was the subject of a years-long probe stemming from her use of a personal email server while at the State Department. Mr Trump said the FBI’s finding that some of Ms Clinton’s emails had been retroactively determined to contain classified information as far worse than his possession of hundreds of classified documents, leading the boisterous crowd to erupt in a chant of “lock her up”.

He also complained about the FBI’s failure to publicise an investigation into Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and for advising social media outlets that information from a laptop which his allies said belong to the younger Mr Biden might be contaminated with foreign disinformation just before the 2020 election, calling the move “corruption and election interference on a scale that we have never seen before in our country”.

“These same exact people at Justice and the FBI … along with outside scum are at it again with the horrific raid of my home,” he said. “They just go on and on and they have to be stopped”.

The Independent

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International

US Adds 19 More Nigerians to ‘Worst of the Worst’ Deportation List

Published

3 hours ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

79 Nigerians on US Criminal Records Face Possible Deportation

US Adds 19 More Nigerians to ‘Worst of the Worst’ Deportation List

The United States government has added 19 more Nigerian nationals to its “worst of the worst” criminal aliens list, bringing the total number of Nigerians scheduled for deportation to 113. The move targets convicted criminals who have served time in U.S. courts and are deemed a threat to public safety.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the newly listed Nigerians were convicted of serious crimes, including sexual assault on a minor, fraud, assault, drug trafficking, and money laundering. These individuals were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will be deported after completing immigration procedures.

A DHS statement highlighted the purpose of the programme:
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, ICE is carrying out deportations — starting with the worst of the worst.”

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Among those newly added to the list are Adeolu Solabu, Oladayo Agboola, Chinonso Ochie, Oluchi Jennifer Chimdimma Chime, Samuel Omorodion, Sunday Adediora, Sunday Kunkushi, Mkpouto Etukudoh, as well as Marcus Unigwe, Kehinde James, Blessing Uchanma, Victor Adebisi, Richard Ugbah, Olaniyi Ojikutu, Oluwamuyiwa Olawoye, Okechukwu Amadi, Femi Jolayemi, Anthony Asanya, Izuchukwu Okoye, and Ebele Agbasiele.

This latest addition follows a previous announcement in which 79 Nigerian nationals had already been slated for deportation for offences ranging from fraud, manslaughter, assault, robbery, to drug-related crimes. The combined total of 113 Nigerians reflects the U.S. government’s intensified focus on criminal aliens.

The move has sparked renewed discussion about U.S. immigration enforcement, diplomatic engagement with Nigeria, and the rights and welfare of deportees. Advocates have raised concerns about ensuring due process and humane treatment for those returned to Nigeria, while authorities stress that deportation is a legal measure targeting foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes.

Globally, Nigerians have faced similar deportation measures, including large-scale removals from countries like India, where thousands were repatriated for visa violations or alleged criminal activities. The ongoing deportations underscore the challenges facing Nigerian citizens abroad amid tightened international immigration and law enforcement policies.

US Adds 19 More Nigerians to ‘Worst of the Worst’ Deportation List

International

Armed Man Shot Dead at Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago Residence by Secret Service

Published

4 hours ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Armed Man Shot Dead at Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago Residence by Secret Service

An armed man was shot and killed early Sunday after breaching the secure perimeter of Donald Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, the United States Secret Service confirmed. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. ET (06:30 GMT) while Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were in Washington, D.C.

Authorities said the suspect, later identified as Austin Tucker Martin, a 21-year-old from Cameron, North Carolina, was carrying a shotgun and a fuel canister when confronted by Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy. Officers ordered him to drop the items, but he raised the shotgun toward them, prompting them to fire and neutralise the threat. No law enforcement officers were injured in the incident. Martin’s family had reported him missing hours before the shooting. Moore County authorities said the missing-person report was turned over to federal investigators. Officials are examining whether he acquired the firearm during his drive from North Carolina to Florida. A box for the shotgun was later recovered from his vehicle.

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Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw described the encounter: the suspect dropped the fuel can but lifted the shotgun into a threatening position. “At that point, agents fired their weapons to neutralise the threat,” Bradshaw said. Officers involved were equipped with body cameras, which captured the incident. The FBI is leading the investigation with support from the Secret Service and local law enforcement. Officials are analyzing bodycam footage, gathering evidence, and creating a psychological profile of the suspect. Authorities have yet to determine a motive.

Mar‑a‑Lago is heavily guarded, with an outer cordon maintained by local Palm Beach deputies and an inner perimeter secured by the Secret Service. Visitors are screened, and vehicles and bags are checked with metal detectors and sniffer dogs. The shooting adds to a history of threats against Trump. In July 2024, Trump was grazed by a bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one bystander was killed and two others injured. Another would-be assassin, Ryan Routh, attempted an attack at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach and was recently sentenced to life in prison. Following the Mar‑a‑Lago shooting, Secret Service Director Sean Curran traveled to Florida to oversee “after-actions” and reinforce operational communication and response protocols.

Political violence has become a prominent topic in the US. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized what he described as “normalizing violence” in politics, referencing previous assassination attempts and recent high-profile attacks, including the public shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and the fatal shootings of a Democratic lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota. The FBI and Secret Service are continuing the investigation to determine the suspect’s motive and possible affiliations, with authorities pledging to release updates as more information becomes available.

Armed Man Shot Dead at Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago Residence by Secret Service

International

Women, Children Killed as Pakistan Launches Overnight Strikes on Afghanistan

Published

4 hours ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Islamabad said the strikes were launched on Afghanistan following recent suicide bombings in Pakistan (BBC)

Women, Children Killed as Pakistan Launches Overnight Strikes on Afghanistan

Pakistan has carried out deadly overnight airstrikes on Afghanistan, killing at least 18 people, including women and children, according to the Afghan Taliban, in a major escalation of Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions along their volatile border.

Islamabad confirmed that the operation involved precision airstrikes against seven alleged militant camps and hideouts close to the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, saying the attacks were launched in retaliation for recent suicide bombings inside Pakistan. Pakistani officials said the strikes were intelligence-based and aimed at eliminating armed groups accused of orchestrating cross-border attacks.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan strongly condemned the strikes, accusing Pakistan of bombing civilian homes and a religious school. Afghan authorities described the attacks as a violation of national sovereignty and warned that continued military action could worsen regional instability.

According to Afghanistan’s defence ministry, the airstrikes hit civilian areas in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. In Girdi Kas village in the Bihsud district of Nangarhar, residents said entire families were affected when homes were destroyed. Local Taliban officials said 18 members of one family were killed, while only a few survived. Earlier casualty estimates had placed the death toll at around 20 people, though figures were later revised.

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In Paktika province, strikes reportedly hit a guesthouse and a religious school in the Bermal and Urgun districts. Local officials said those facilities were empty at the time, and no deaths were reported there.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the military action involved “selective targeting” of fighters linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad refers to as Fitna al Khawarij, as well as elements of the Islamic State-Khorasan Province. The ministry described the operation as a retributive response to terror attacks it said were planned from Afghan soil.

The latest escalation follows a series of deadly attacks in Pakistan, including a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad earlier this month and additional assaults in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the start of Ramadan. Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to rein in militants, claiming it had conclusive evidence that some of the attacks were directed from across the border. Kabul has repeatedly denied allowing Afghan territory to be used against neighbouring countries.

In a strongly worded response, the Taliban’s defence ministry described the airstrikes as a “blatant violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity” and a “clear breach of international law.” It warned that an “appropriate and measured response” would be taken at a suitable time, accusing Pakistan of flawed intelligence for hitting civilian targets and religious institutions.

The strikes come despite a fragile ceasefire reached in October after deadly cross-border clashes, the worst since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Although that truce reduced large-scale fighting, sporadic clashes and air operations have continued to strain relations.

Tensions had briefly eased earlier this week after Saudi Arabia mediated the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured during last year’s border clashes. However, analysts warn that the latest airstrikes could undermine diplomatic efforts, worsen humanitarian conditions in border communities, and heighten the risk of further retaliation.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 1,600-mile mountainous border, long plagued by militancy, smuggling, and recurring military confrontations, making it one of the region’s most unstable frontiers.