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HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is running for a second term in the pivotal battleground state after a first term that put him on the Democratic Party’s radar as a potential presidential contender in 2028.

He made the formal announcement Thursday at an event at a carpenters’ union hall in Pittsburgh and, later, at a similar event in Philadelphia. Shapiro’s announcement demonstrated a unified party behind him — including introductions by the state party chair, labor leaders and top local Democratic officials — as he ticked off his accomplishments during a nearly 30-minute speech.

Shapiro warned that his opponents promise “darkness and division and extremism,” and — without mentioning President Trump by name — he slammed the “chaos and toxicity” emanating from Washington, D.C., that he said threatened livelihoods, rights and freedoms.

“Every step of the way, I’ve stood up for my fellow Pennsylvanians, sometimes in a court of law and other times simply refusing to back down, refusing to cast certain Pennsylvanians aside and always by speaking truth to power,” Shapiro said.

He added, “I will not let anyone mess with Pennsylvania and I will always have your backs.”

Although Shapiro hasn’t disclosed any ambitions for higher office, his reelection effort will be closely watched as another test of whether he’s White House material.

Ever since he won the governor’s office in a near-landslide victory in 2022, Shapiro has been mentioned alongside Democratic contemporaries like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and others as someone who could lead a national ticket.

Shapiro, 52, has already made rounds outside Pennsylvania. Last year, he campaigned for Democrats running for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, and he’s a frequent guest on Sunday talk shows that can shape the country’s political conversation.

He was also considered as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris in 2024. She chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz instead.

A pivotal first term as governor

Shapiro’s first term repeatedly put him in the spotlight.

He was governor when Pennsylvania was the site of the first attempted assassination of Trump; the capture of Luigi Mangione in the killing of United Healthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson; and the murder of three police officers in the state’s deadliest day for law enforcement since 2009.

Last year, an arsonist tried to kill Shapiro by setting the governor’s official residence on fire in the middle of the night. Shapiro had to flee with his wife, children and members of his extended family, and the attack made him a sought-out voice on the nation’s recent spate of political violence.

As Shapiro settled into the governor’s office, he shed his buttoned-down public demeanor and became more plain-spoken.

He pushed to quickly reopen a collapsed section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, debuting his new and profane governing slogan — “get s— done” — at a ceremony for the completed project.

He crossed the partisan divide over school choice to support a Republican-backed voucher program, causing friction with Democratic lawmakers and allies in the state.

Shapiro regularly plays up the need for bipartisanship in a state with a politically divided Legislature, and positions himself as a moderate on energy issues in a state that produces the most natural gas after Texas.

He’s rubbed elbows with corporate executives who are interested in Pennsylvania as a data center destination and thrust Pennsylvania into competition for billions of dollars being spent on energy, manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

A repeat winner in competitive territory

Shapiro has enjoyed robust public approval ratings and carries a reputation as a disciplined messenger and powerhouse fundraiser. For 2026, Pennsylvania’s Republican Party endorsed Stacy Garrity, the twice-elected state treasurer, to challenge Shapiro.

Garrity has campaigned around Pennsylvania and spoken at numerous Trump rallies in the battleground state, but she is untested as a fundraiser and will have to contend with her relatively low profile as compared with Shapiro.

Shapiro, meanwhile, keeps a busy public schedule and has gone out of his way to appear at high-profile, nonpolitical events like football games, a NASCAR race and onstage at a Roots concert in Philadelphia.

He is a regular on TV political shows, podcasts and local sports radio shows, and became a leading pro-Israel voice among Democrats and Jewish politicians amid the Israel-Hamas war, confronting divisions within the Democratic Party over the war.

He has tempered it with calls for more aid for Gaza’s residents and criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war, but some activists argued against him being the party’s nominee for vice president in 2024.

Harris, in her recent book, wrote that she passed on Shapiro after determining that he wouldn’t be a good fit for the role.

Shapiro, she wrote, “mused that he would want to be in the room for every decision,” and she “had a nagging concern that he would be unable to settle for a role as number two and that it would wear on our partnership.” Shapiro disputed the characterization.

An audition on the 2026 campaign trail

In a September appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” the host, Kristen Welker, asked him whether he’d commit to serving a full second term as governor and whether he’d rule out running for president in 2028.

“I’m focused on doing my work here,” he said, sidestepping the questions.

His supposed White House aspirations — which he’s never actually admitted to in public — are also mentioned frequently by Garrity.

“We need somebody that is more interested in Pennsylvania and not on Pennsylvania Avenue,” Garrity said recently on a radio show in Philadelphia. On Thursday, the Republican Governors Assocn. accused Shapiro of being “more focused on his political ambitions” than leading Pennsylvania.

For his part, Shapiro criticizes Garrity as too eager to get Trump’s endorsement to be an effective advocate for Pennsylvania.

In any case, the campaign trail could afford Shapiro an opportunity to audition for a White House run.

For one thing, Shapiro has been unafraid to criticize Trump, even in a swing state won by Trump in 2024. As governor, Shapiro has joined or filed more than a dozen lawsuits against Trump’s administration, primarily for holding up funding to states.

He has lambasted Trump’s tariffs as “reckless” and “dangerous,” Trump’s threats to revoke TV broadcast licenses as an “attempt to stifle dissent” and Trump’s equivocation on political violence as failing the “leadership test” and “making everyone less safe.”

Many of Shapiro’s would-be competitors in a Democratic primary won’t have to run for office before then.

Newsom is term-limited, for instance. Others — like ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — aren’t in public office. A couple of other governors in the 2028 conversation — Moore and Pritzker — are running for reelection this year.

Levy writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — President Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum — a plan that rides on their comfort in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S., seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely.

On Friday, U.S. forces seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the U.S. to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration’s plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies.

It’s all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

The meeting, set for 2:30 p.m. EST, is currently set to occur behind closed doors, according to the president’s daily schedule. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is set to meet with executives from 17 oil companies, according to the White House. Among the companies attending are Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, and ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

The president is meeting with a wide swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Other companies slated to be at the meeting include Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol.

Large U.S. oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.

Venezuela’s oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump’s challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives meeting, according to the White House.

Boak writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — When a 37-year-old mother of three was fatally shot by an immigration agent Wednesday morning, driving in her Minneapolis neighborhood after dropping her son off at school, the Trump administration’s response was swift. The victim was to blame for her own death — acting as a “professional agitator,” a “domestic terrorist,” possibly trained to use her car against law enforcement, officials said.

It was an uncompromising response without any pretense the administration would rely on independent investigations of the event, video of which quickly circulated online, gripping the nation.

“You can accept that this woman’s death is a tragedy,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media, defending the shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent within hours of her death, “while acknowledging it’s a tragedy of her own making.”

The shooting of Renee Nicole Good, an American citizen, put the administration on defense over one of President Trump’s signature policy initiatives, exponentially expanding the ranks of ICE to outnumber most armies, and deploying its agents across unassuming communities throughout the United States.

ICE had just announced the deployment of “the largest immigration operation ever” in the Minnesota city, allegedly targeting Somali residents involved in fraud schemes. But Good’s death could prove a turning point. The shooting has highlighted souring public opinion on Trump’s immigration enforcement, with a majority of Americans now disapproving of the administration’s tactics, according to Pew Research.

Despite the outcry, Trump’s team doubled down on Thursday, vowing to send even more agents to the Midwestern state.

It was not immediately clear whether Good had positioned her car intentionally to thwart law enforcement agents, or in protest of their activities in her neighborhood.

Eyewitnesses to the shooting said that ICE agents were telling her to move her vehicle. Initial footage that emerged of the incident showed that, as she was doing so, Good briefly drove her car in reverse before turning her front wheels away to leave the scene.

She was shot three times by an officer who stood by her front left headlight, who the Department of Homeland Security said was hit by Good and fired in self-defense.

Only Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, urged caution from lawmakers and the public in responding to the incident, telling people to “take a deep breath” and “hold their judgment” for additional footage and evidence.

He distanced himself from the Department of Homeland Security and its secretary, Kristi Noem, who took mere hours to accuse the deceased of domestic terrorism. “The investigation’s just started,” Homan told CBS in an interview.

“I’m not going to make a judgment call on one video,” he said. “It would be unprofessional to comment.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Renee Nicole Good was engaged in “domestic terrorism” when she was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent.

(Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)

Yet, asked why DHS had felt compelled to comment, Homan replied, “that’s a question for Homeland Security.”

It was not just the department. Trump, too, wrote on X that the victim was “obviously, a professional agitator.”

“The woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer,” Trump wrote, “who seems to have shot her in self defense.”

Noem was unequivocal in her assessment of the incident during engagements with the media on Wednesday and Thursday.

“It was an act of domestic terrorism,” Noem said. “A woman attacked them, and those surrounding them, and attempted to run them over.”

But local officials and law enforcement expressed concern over the incident, warning federal officials that the deployment had unnecessarily increased tensions within the community, and expressing support for the rights of residents to peacefully protest.

“What I think everybody knows that’s been happening here over the last several weeks is that there have been groups of people exercising their 1st Amendment rights,” Minneapolis Chief of Police Brian O’Hara said in an interview with MS NOW. “They have the right to observe, to livestream and record police activity, and they have the right to protest and object to it.”

“The line is, people must be able to exercise those 1st Amendment rights lawfully,” O’Hara said, adding, “and to do it safely.”

On Thursday, Trump administration officials told local law enforcement that the investigation of the matter would be within federal hands.

Vance told reporters at the White House on Thursday that the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security would both investigate the case, and said without evidence that Good had “aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator.”

“I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it’s a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers,” Vance said.

WASHINGTON — Denmark and Greenland’s envoys to Washington have begun a vigorous effort to urge U.S. lawmakers as well as key Trump administration officials to step back from President Trump’s call for a takeover of the strategic Arctic island.

Denmark’s ambassador, Jesper Møller Sørensen, and Jacob Isbosethsen, Greenland’s chief representative to Washington, met on Thursday with White House National Security Council officials to discuss a renewed push by Trump to acquire Greenland, perhaps by military force, according to Danish government officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting.

The envoys have also held a series of meetings this week with American lawmakers as they look to enlist help in persuading Trump to back off his threat.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet next week with Danish officials.

Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, said he has to possess the entirety of Greenland instead of just exercising a long-standing treaty that gives the United States wide latitude to use Greenland for military posts.

“I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document,” Trump told the newspaper.

The U.S. is party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.

Meanwhile, Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, told reporters that European leaders should “take the president of the United States seriously” as he framed the issue as one of defense.

“What we’re asking our European friends to do is take the security of that landmass more seriously, because if they’re not, the United States is going to have to do something about it,” Vance said.

But the administration is starting to hear pushback from lawmakers, including some Republicans, about Trump’s designs on the territory.

In a floor speech Thursday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) warned that the rhetoric from some in the Trump administration is “profoundly troubling.”

“We’ve got a lot ahead of us in 2026,” Murkowski said. “Greenland — or taking Greenland, or buying Greenland — should not be on that list. It should not be an obsession at the highest levels of this administration.”

Danish officials are hopeful about the upcoming talks with Rubio in Washington.

“This is the dialogue that is needed, as requested by the government together with the Greenlandic government,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR.

The island of Greenland, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people.

Vance criticizes Denmark

Vance said on Wednesday that Denmark “obviously” had not done a proper job in securing Greenland and that Trump “is willing to go as far as he has to” to defend American interests in the Arctic.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance repeated Trump’s claim that Greenland is crucial to both the U.S. and the world’s national security because “the entire missile defense infrastructure is partially dependent on Greenland.”

He said the fact that Denmark has been a faithful military ally of the U.S. during World War II and the more recent “war on terrorism” did not necessarily mean they were doing enough to secure Greenland today.

“Just because you did something smart 25 years ago doesn’t mean you can’t do something dumb now,” Vance said, adding that Trump “is saying very clearly, ‘you are not doing a good job with respect to Greenland.’”

Right to self-determination

Earlier, Rubio told a select group of U.S. lawmakers that it was the Republican administration’s intention to eventually purchase Greenland, as opposed to using military force.

“Many Greenlanders feel that the remarks made are disrespectful,” Aaja Chemnitz, one of the two Greenlandic politicians in the Danish parliament, told the Associated Press. “Many also experience that these conversations are being discussed over their heads. We have a firm saying in Greenland, ‘Nothing about Greenland, without Greenland.’”

She said most Greenlanders “wish for more self-determination, including independence” but also want to “strengthen cooperation with our partners” in security and business development as long as it is based on “mutual respect and recognition of our right to self-determination.”

Chemnitz denied a claim by Trump that Greenland is “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”

Greenland is “a long-standing ally and partner to the U.S. and we have a shared interest in stability, security, and responsible cooperation in the Arctic,” she said. “There is an agreement with the U.S. that gives them access to have bases in Greenland if needed.”

France’s President Emmanuel Macron has denounced the “law of the strongest” that is making people “wonder if Greenland will be invaded.”

In a speech to French ambassadors at the Elysee presidential palace on Thursday, Macron said: “It’s the greatest disorder, the law of the strongest, and everyday people wonder whether Greenland will be invaded, whether Canada will be under the threat of becoming the 51st state [of the United States] or whether Taiwan is to be further circled.”

He pointed to an “increasingly dysfunctional” world where great powers, including the U.S and China, have “a real temptation to divide the world amongst themselves.”

The United States is “gradually turning away from some of its allies and freeing itself from the international rules,” Macron said.

Surveillance operations for the U.S.

The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K. joined Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday in defending Greenland’s sovereignty in the wake of Trump’s comments about Greenland, which is part of the NATO military alliance.

After Vance’s visit to Greenland last year, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen published a video detailing the 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the U.S.. Since 1945, the American military presence in Greenland has decreased from thousands of soldiers over 17 bases and installations on the island, Rasmussen said, to the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest with some 200 soldiers today. The base supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO.

The 1951 agreement “offers ample opportunity for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland,” Rasmussen said. “If that is what you wish, then let us discuss it.”

‘Military defense of Greenland’

Last year, Denmark’s parliament approved a bill to allow U.S. military bases on Danish soil. The legislation widens a previous military agreement, made in 2023 with the Biden administration, where U.S. troops had broad access to Danish air bases in the Scandinavian country.

Denmark is also moving to strengthen its military presence around Greenland and in the wider North Atlantic.

Last year, the government announced a 14.6 billion-kroner ($2.3 billion) agreement with parties including the governments of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, another self-governing territory of Denmark, to “improve capabilities for surveillance and maintaining sovereignty in the region.”

Madhani and Ciobanu write for the Associated Press. AP writers Seung Min Kim, Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — The White House said it was not feasible to save the East Wing because of structural and other concerns as officials shared details of President Trump’s planned ballroom at Thursday’s meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission.

Josh Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, ticked off issues including an unstable colonnade, water leakage and mold contamination in explaining why it was more economical to tear down the East Wing to make room for the $400-million ballroom than to renovate it.

“Because of this and other factors, the cost analysis proved that demolition and reconstruction provided the lowest total cost ownership and most effective long-term strategy,” Fisher said.

Will Scharf, a top White House aide whom Trump tapped to head the commission, opened the meeting by noting “passionate comments on both sides” of the ballroom project but adding that public comment wouldn’t be part of Thursday’s session.

“I view today’s presentation really as the start of a process as the ballroom moves through the overall NCPC process,” Scharf said, adding that his objective is for the commission to play a “productive role” as ballroom construction moves ahead.

In December, the White House submitted its ballroom plans to the commission, which is one of two federal panels that review construction on federal land — usually before ground is broken. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt construction, accusing the Trump administration of violating federal laws by proceeding before submitting the project for the independent reviews, congressional approval and public comment.

The first step in the review process for the East Wing Modernization Project was Thursday’s information presentation, during which commissioners could ask questions and offer general feedback. A more formal review is expected in the spring — including public testimony and votes.

A summary on the commission’s website said the purpose of the project is to “establish a permanent, secure event space within the White House grounds” that provides increased capacity for official state functions, eliminates reliance on temporary tents and support facilities, and “protects the historic integrity and cultural landscape of the White House and its grounds.”

A comprehensive design plan for the White House prepared in 2000 identified the “need for expanded event space to address growing visitor demand and provide a venue suitable for significant events,” the summary said. It added that successive administrations had “recognized this need as an ongoing priority.”

The 12-member National Capital Planning Commission is led by Scharf. He said at the commission’s December meeting that the review process would be treated seriously and be conducted at a “normal and deliberative pace.”

Carol Quillen, president of the trust, told the Associated Press in a recent interview that she takes Scharf “at his word” that the commission will do its job.

Trump, a Republican serving his second term, has been talking about building a White House ballroom for years. In July, the White House announced a 90,000-square-foot space would be built on the east side of the complex to accommodate 650 seated guests at a then-estimated cost of $200 million. Trump has said it will be paid for with private donations, including from him.

He later upped the ballroom’s capacity to 999 people and, by October, had demolished the two-story East Wing. In December, he updated the price tag to $400 million.

The White House has announced few other details about the project but has said it would be completed before Trump’s term ends in January 2029. Trump has said the ballroom will be big enough for future presidential inaugurations to be held there. He also said it will have bulletproof glass and a drone-free roof.

While in Florida last week, the president bought marble and onyx for the ballroom “at his own expense,” the White House said. The cost was not disclosed.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

US President Donald Trump and his officials are “actively” discussing a potential offer to buy the Danish territory of Greenland, the White House has confirmed.

It is “something that’s currently being actively discussed by the president and his national security team”, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday.

Both Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly stressed the island was not for sale.

Asked why the Trump administration had previously said it was not ruling out using military force to acquire Greenland, Leavitt replied that all options were always on the table but Trump’s “first option always has been diplomacy”.

Concerns over the future of the territory resurfaced after Trump’s unilateral use of military force against Venezuela on Saturday to seize its President Nicolás Maduro. Denmark, a fellow Nato ally, says an attack on its territory would end the military alliance.

The Trump administration says Greenland is vital to US security.

Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks, and for monitoring vessels in the region.

Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, has been operated by the US since World War 2.

In recent years, there has also been increased interest in Greenland’s natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron that are becoming easier to access as its ice melts due to climate change. Scientists think it could also have significant oil and gas reserves.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he will hold talks with Denmark next week.

Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, during his first presidential term, only to be told it was not for sale.

“The acquisition of Greenland by the United States is not a new idea,” Leavitt said.

“The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world, that he views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region, and so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like.”

The White House said earlier this week that Trump had been discussing a range of options to acquire Greenland, including using military force.

“All options are always on the table for President Trump as he examines what’s in the best interests of the United States,” Leavitt said.

Earlier in the day, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Rubio had “ruled out the possibility of an invasion” of Greenland in a phone call with him.

Barrot is due to discuss the Arctic island with his German and Polish counterparts later on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, European leaders issued a joint statement rallying behind Denmark.

“Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations,” the leaders of France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark said in a joint statement.

Stressing they were as keen as the US on Arctic security, the European signatories said this must be achieved by Nato allies, including the US, “collectively”.

They also called for “upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders”.

A day after the US military action in Venezuela, Katie Miller, the wife of one of Trump’s senior aides, posted a map on social media of Greenland in the colours of the US flag, alongside the word “SOON”.

On Monday, her husband, Stephen Miller, said it was “the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the US”.

Aaja Chemnitz, one of two MPs in the Danish parliament representing Greenland, told the BBC that the comments from the Trump administration were “a clear threat”.

“It’s completely disrespectful from the US side to not rule out annexing our country and to annex another Nato ally,” she said.

But Chemnitz said she saw this as unlikely – instead, “what we are going to see is that they will put pressure on us in order to make sure that they will take over Greenland over time”.

Aleqatsiaq Peary, a 42-year-old Inuit hunter living in Greenland’s remote northerly town of Qaanaaq, appeared indifferent to the potential of US ownership.

“It would be switching from one master to another, from one occupier to another,” he told the BBC. “We are a colony under Denmark. We are already losing a lot from being under the Danish government.”

Saying that he did not have “time for Trump”, he added that people were “in need”. Hunters like him, he explained, hunted with dogs on the sea ice and fish “but the sea ice is melting and hunters cannot make a living anymore”.

Additional reporting by Adrienne Murray in Copenhagen

THE safest country to visit in Africa has been revealed – and its a tropical island paradise.

Mauritius is known for its beautiful beaches, year-round warm weather and safe-to-swim waters.

And the African island has been named the safest place to visit in Africa by Altezza Travel.

The south-east African country also ranked top within Africa in the 2025 Global Peace Index.

It was followed by Botswana and Namibia coming in second and third respectively.

The island is considered a very safe place to visit due to its low crime rate.

Read more on long-haul breaks

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World’s cheapest long-haul spot is perfect for families – top beaches & no jet lag

And whilst it’s popular with Brits for winter sun, Mauritius boasts sunny temperatures year-round – averaging a daily maximum temp of 27.6C.

Their summer season (November – April) is hottest, where temperatures average at around 30C.

And even in the colder months, it’s rare to see temperatures dip below 17C.

The sea temperature is warm too, and can even reach 27C during summer months – 10C warmer than that of the UK.

When it comes to paradisical beaches, you’re spoilt for choice in Mauritius.

Flic en Flac is an enormous stretch of white sand facing a glittering lagoon, whilst Le Morne beach is backed by the luscious greenery and its iconic mountain.

There’s also lesser-known gems like Pointe aux Biches, where the locals go to find a slice of quiet sand between rocky coves.

Whilst Mauritius is paradise for spending days relaxing on the beach, there’s also plenty more to see and do.

The island is very popular with divers, snorkelers and adventurers who love to explore its dramatic landscapes.

The Blue Bay Marine Park is a magical spot to go snorkelling, with clear shallow waters and an abundance of colourful fish.

Mauritius has excellent coral reefs, if you fancy trying out some scuba diving.

Some of the best spots for divers are Coin de Mire in the North and Belle Mare in the East.

And if you want to explore the island by foot, the Black River Gorges National Park has over 30 miles of hiking trails and breath-taking waterfalls to explore.

Here you may also see wildlife like macaque monkeys, parakeets, and the painfully-cute Mauritian flying fox.

Typically, tourists visit the north of the island for a nice mixture of stunning beaches and towns with shops and restaurants, like Grand Baie and Trou aux Biches.

The South is where you’ll find more wild landscapes, the national parks and historic sites.

But don’t just stick to the outskirts for beach resorts and sea swimming – head inland and you’ll find waterfalls, volcanic craters and beautiful mountain ranges.

The capital and largest city in Mauritius is Port Louis.

Port Louis is known for its bustling central market, where vendors sell bright fresh fruits and typical Mauritian cuisine.

The island is popular for its all inclusive resorts, but if you’re looking to sample some Mauritian food out and about, the street food here is delicious – and very cheap.

A spiced Creole curry can cost you as little as 40 Mauritian Rupees – which is approximately 66p.

Here you can also visit Le Caudan Waterfront, where a colourful umbrella canopy shades the streets.

There’s some beautiful buildings to admire too, like the grand St. Louis Cathedral and the bright white Jummah Masjid mosque.

TUI offers package holidays across Mauritius, ranging from adults-only romantic hotels to golfing resorts.

One of their cheapest options in Mauritius is a week-long stay at the Aanari Hotel and Spa with breakfast for £1,157 pp.

Similarly, deals on loveholidays can have you staying by the lagoon of Trou aux Biches for £849 pp.

For direct flights, British Airways offers direct round-trip flights from London to Port Louis for £876.

Mauritius offers year-round sun, but the best season is from May through to September, when humidity is low.

WASHINGTON — President Trump is not the first president to want more room at the White House for entertaining, says the longest-serving top aide in the executive residence, offering some backup for the reason Trump has cited for his ballroom construction project.

Gary Walters spent more than two decades as White House chief usher to presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush — a role that is akin to being the general manager of the residence.

“All the presidents that I had an opportunity to serve always talked about some possibility of an enlarged area” for entertaining, Walters said in an interview with the Associated Press about his recently published memoir.

Trump has been talking about building a White House ballroom for years, even before he entered the political arena. In July, the White House announced a 90,000-square-foot space would be built on the east side of the complex to accommodate 650 seated guests at a then-estimated cost of $200 million. Trump has said it will be paid for with private donations, including from him.

The Republican president later upped the proposed ballroom’s capacity to 999 people and, by October, had demolished the two-story East Wing of the White House to build it there. In December, he updated the price tag to $400 million — double the original estimate.

Images of the East Wing being demolished shocked historians, preservationists and others, but Walters said there is a long history of projects on the campus, ranging from conservatories, greenhouses and stables being torn down to build the West Wing in 1902, to the expansion of the residence with a third floor, to the addition of the East Wing itself during World War II to provide workspace for the first lady, her staff and other White House offices.

“So there’s always been construction going on around the White House,” Walters said.

Other presidents bemoaned the lack of space for entertaining

When Walters was on the job, the capacity of the largest public rooms in the White House was among the first topics he discussed with the incoming president, first lady and their social secretary, he said. The presidents he served all talked about the limited number of people the White House could handle.

When set up for a state dinner, the State Dining Room can hold about 130 people: 13 round tables each with seating for 10, Walters said. The East Room can accommodate about 300 chairs — fewer if space is needed for television cameras.

Trump complains often that both rooms are too small. He also has complained about the use of large tents on the south grounds, the main workaround for big events such as ritzy state dinners for foreign leaders. Walters said the tents had issues.

“When it rained, the water flows downhill and the grass became soggy, no matter what we tried to do,” Walters said. “We dug culverts around the outside of the tent to try and get the water.” Tents damaged the grass, requiring more work to reseed it, he said.

Walters admitted it was a bit jarring to see the East Wing torn down, and said he had fond personal memories of the space. “I met my wife at the White House and she worked in the East Wing, so that was a joy for me,” said Walters, 79.

His wife, Barbara, was a receptionist in the visitors office during the administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. The couple recently celebrated 48 years of marriage.

Broken bones alter usher’s career trajectory

Walters owes his place in history as the longest-serving White House chief usher to the misfortune of a broken ankle.

He was 23 in early 1970, honorably discharged from the Army and looking for a job that would allow him to finish college at night. The Executive Protective Service, a precursor to the U.S. Secret Service, was hiring and accepted him.

But shortly before the graduation ceremony, Walters broke an ankle playing football. He could not patrol out of uniform, wearing a cast and hobbling around on crutches, so he was given a temporary assignment in the White House Police Control and Appointments Center. He stayed for five years.

“This injury also changed the course of my career,” Walters wrote in his memoir, “White House Memories: 1970-2007: Recollections of the Longest-Serving Chief Usher.” He gained an ”in-depth knowledge of the ways and security systems of the White House that would ultimately greatly benefit me in my future role in the Usher’s Office.”

A few months after being promoted to sergeant in 1975, he learned of an opening in the Usher’s Office. He applied and joined as an assistant in early 1976.

A decade later, he was elevated to chief usher by Reagan, who gave Walters the top job in the residence overseeing maintenance, construction and renovation projects, and food service, along with administrative, financial and personnel functions. He managed a staff of about 90 butlers, housekeepers, cooks, florists, electricians, engineers, plumbers and others.

Walters retired in 2007 after 37 years at the White House, including a record 21 years as chief usher. He served under seven presidents, from Nixon to George W. Bush.

In that time, Walters saw a broad swath of presidential history: the only president who ever resigned, an appointed vice president become the only unelected president, a president be impeached and stay in office, a father and son become president and the Supreme Court decide the most closely contested presidential election in U.S. history.

He’s often asked what he liked most about his work and “without hesitation I say it is getting to know and interact directly with the president, first lady, and other members of their family. It was an honor to get to know them with my own eyes and ears,” Walters wrote.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

WITH its vast skies, golden sand and rippling dunes, the Lincolnshire coastline is brimming with brilliant beaches.

Of course, you’ve got traditional seaside towns with piers, promenades and bucket-and-spade fun, such as Skegness, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes.

These are also often the best-rated options thanks to their family-friendly touches and scenic beauty – but there’s plenty more to explore. 

If you’re looking to escape the crowds, do some birdwatching or walk your dog, there’s a beach with your name on it.

You’ll also find beachside pubs, nature reserves and quirky art installations along Lincolnshire’s more than 50-mile stretch of coast.

So the hardest question on your next £9.50 Holiday will be: which beach should you visit first? 

We’ve spoken to local experts and Sun readers who have already enjoyed a £9.50 Holiday near the Lincolnshire coastline to get their recommendations for the best beaches to visit.

We’ve also selected some of the county’s top-rated options and suggested our own pick of where not to miss.

So grab your buckets and spades, binoculars or swimsuit and head to one of these… 

Best for families

With its traditional English seaside feel, Mablethorpe Beach is a beautiful, Blue Flag award-winning beach.

Its soft golden sand stretches as far as the eye can see, offering endless sandcastle-building potential.

You’ve also got donkey rides on the sand, plus a fairground nearby and beachfront cafes like the highly-rated Snack Shack selling everything from fish and chips to ice cream.

There’s even a little land train that takes you up and down the coast for £2.

Sun reader Linda McDonnell, 71, from Lincoln, says Mablethorpe is an “unbelievable” beach, especially on a sunny day, adding that it is “nice and safe” for families.

She also says not to miss the Time and Tide Bell – a sculpture on the sand with bells that are rung by the waves at high tide. “It’s great if you’re into quirky things,” she added.

Best for wave watching – or wave riding 

Alex Trembath, creator of the Lincoln and Beyond blog, says: “The Lincolnshire coastline is one of the UK’s most underrated beach destinations.

“Skegness used to have a reputation for being a tacky resort town, but these days it has clean, Blue Flag beaches and you can always find a quieter spot if you want.

“My personal favourite beach is Huttoft (south of Mablethorpe). It’s quieter than Skegness and Mablethorpe and is great for surfing and swimming.

“It also has a large car terrace for wave watching whatever the weather.”

There have been an increasing number of wave riders in Lincolnshire since the seventies, with Sutton on Sea, Sandilands and Huttoft, being popular surf spots, especially in winter. 

Best hidden beaches

Daniel Start is the author of Hidden Beaches Britain by Wild Things Publishing (£16.99), which features over 500 hidden coastal locations.

He recommends Anderby Creek, around ten miles north of Skegness, describing it as “a perfect hidden beach with endless golden sands backed with dunes and with very few people.”

While there, you can even check out Britain’s first official cloud-spotting station, complete with parabolic mirrors, roof-top loungers and a “cloud bar” menu. 

Best for nature lovers

Nature lovers can take their pick of beaches packed with wildlife and natural attractions in Lincolnshire.

A few miles south of Skegness, Gibraltar Point is a nature reserve right on the seafront – with more wildlife than human visitors.

Daniel Start says: “There are dunes and wildflower meadows galore at the exotically-named Gibraltar Point.

“Flocks of migrating birds also gather here – up to 10,000 dunlins at a time may break from their migration, descending from the clouds.

“The sea here is shallow but when you run out through the breakers – the huge expanse of the Wash to the south, dunes and meadows behind – you’re reminded of the immensity of nature and the vast tracts of open space still left in Britain.”

Travel north for around 40 minutes up the coast, and you’ll enter the Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park, a five-mile stretch of coastline from Sandilands to Chapel St Leonards.

Sandilands is a good place to start, with coastal birds to spot, weekly walks to join and a National Trust cafe to refuel in. 

Best beach with a pub

You can’t get much closer to the beach than the Admiral Benbow, which is a quirky pub right on the sand at Chapel St Leonards.

Named after the inn in the book Treasure Island, it has a fun, nautical pirate theme that extends to the outdoor seating area – located inside a wooden boat on the beach.

Sun reader John Ellis, 72, from Sheffield, has visited, and said: “It has a fun atmosphere”.

Meanwhile, head north up the coast to Sutton on Sea, where the highly-rated Beach Bar has great sea views and serves good value food, like seafood and beef wellington. 

Best for dogs

Sarah Al-Aidi, General Manager at Southview Holiday Park, said: “There’s a dog-friendly stretch of beach with free council parking that not many people know about.

“It’s at the end of Skegness – about a good five-mile stretch all the way past Ingoldmells and up to Chapel St Leonards, which is all dog-friendly all year long.

“The rest of the beaches are all restricted for dogs in the summer.”

Joanne Green, General Manager at Sunnydale Holiday Park also has a lesser-known dog-walking route to suggest.

She said: “As you come out of our park, turn left and you’re on the salt marshes, which are brilliant for walking dogs.

“People don’t tend to go there because they get to the top of the ramp and they see just salt marshes.

“But if they walk for ten minutes towards the water, there’s a stunning beach with white sand called Saltfleet.

“There are usually not many people there and you can walk all the way to Mablethorpe along the beach from here if you want.”

WASHINGTON — Top officials in the White House learned in April that an investigation of the IRS would probably end up showing that the agency targeted conservative groups for special scrutiny, the White House spokesman conceded Monday, contrary to earlier Obama administration statements.

But White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said staffers didn’t tell President Obama the bombshell was coming and that the West Wing did nothing to interfere with the audit or the report before its release.

“The cardinal rule,” Carney said, “is that you do not intervene in an independent investigation, and you do not do anything that would give such an appearance. … And that’s the doctrine we followed.”

PHOTOS: President Obama’s rough week

Since an Inspector General’s report on the matter was released last week, Republicans have been trying to figure out how long the Obama administration has known about the allegations — and, in particular, whether the president was aware of the irregularities while running for reelection in 2012.

The leaders of the Senate Finance Committee sent a bipartisan letter to the IRS on Monday calling on the acting commissioner to disclose a raft of information on the matter, including any signs of communications between the IRS and the White House.

“Targeting applicants for tax-exempt status using political labels threatens to undermine the public’s trust in the IRS,” Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) wrote in a letter co-signed by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the committee’s ranking Republican. “Lack of candor in advising the Senate of this practice is equally troubling.”

Senators have been hearing complaints from nonprofit civic organizations for two years, Baucus wrote.

DOCUMENT: The Inspector General’s report on the IRS

White House aides had maintained for days that they knew nothing of the matter until the week of April 22, when the Treasury Department informed White House Counsel Kathy Ruemmler that a report was coming, and that they were not informed of what would be in the report.

Carney said last week that Ruemmler’s office was only told that the IG was finishing a review about matters involving the office in Cincinnati. “That’s all they were informed as a normal sort of heads-up,” he said.

Obama political advisor Dan Pfeiffer echoed the assertion during a CBS interview on Sunday, saying the White House was aware of the report but “not the details of what happened, not the results of the investigation, but that an independent investigation was about to conclude.”

Following a report to the contrary in Monday editions of the Wall Street Journal, Carney acknowledged that Ruemmler knew on April 24 that findings probably included evidence that the IRS had targeted conservative groups.

Ruemmler then informed Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and other members of the senior staff, Carney said. He said there were subsequent communications between Ruemmler’s and McDonough’s offices with their counterparts at Treasury to talk about the timing of the release and potential findings of the report.

It was Ruemmler who made the decision that the president didn’t need to know about the report in advance of its release, Carney said.

Her belief was that “this is not the kind of thing that you notify the president of, an investigation that’s not complete, because it wouldn’t be appropriate to do so,” Carney said.

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Dec. 26 (Asia Today) — US President Donald Trump has presented South Korean President Lee Jae-myung with a symbolic “Key to the White House,” returning a diplomatic gesture after receiving a replica of a Silla-era gold crown earlier this year.

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff at the presidential office, said on Facebook on Tuesday that Trump sent Lee one of only five specially made golden keys associated with the White House, noting it was the final remaining piece. Trump reportedly decided to send the gift after receiving a particularly meaningful present during his visit to South Korea in October.

During the October APEC summit in Gyeongju, Lee presented Trump with a model of the gold crown excavated from Cheonmachong, a royal tomb from the ancient Silla Kingdom, as part of a bilateral summit between the two leaders.

According to Kang, the golden key was delivered on Dec. 16 when South Korea’s ambassador to the United States, Kang Kyung-wha, met Trump for talks. During the meeting, Trump was quoted as saying, “I really like him,” referring to Lee, and highlighting what he described as a strong cooperative relationship between the two presidents.

The White House golden key is said to have been personally designed by Trump to be given only to select guests of special significance. The key presented to Lee is engraved with the U.S. presidential seal and the words “Key to the White House.”

The honor places Lee among a small group of recipients that includes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Kang also recalled an anecdote from a memoir by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, which described Trump jokingly telling Netanyahu that even after leaving office, showing the key at the White House gate would grant him entry.

“This golden key, carrying special meaning, is hoped to become a symbol of the strong South Korea-U.S. relationship,” Kang said, adding that the administration would continue working toward a solid future for the bilateral alliance.

–Copyright by Asiatoday

PLODDING down the steep cobbled ramp, I was already starting to believe that I was stepping into a fairytale.

The boat, bobbing on the water, was the start of my journey to another world.

And, as I drew closer to my destination — a small, mist-shrouded island that was the inspiration for Neverland in JM Barrie’s Peter Pan stories — the storybook setting felt even more real.

Eilean Shona is a rugged tidal island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.

“Hidden gem” is an apt description of the place, with visitors having to drive down a long and winding road on the mainland before they even reach the boat taxi that will ferry them to the island.

Boats aren’t on a regular schedule either — the island, and its manor house, Eilean Shona House, is privately owned by Sir Richard Branson’s sister Vanessa, who transformed the destination into a luxury eco-friendly retreat in the 1990s.

BLUE SKYE THINKING

Explore the scenic wonderland of the Hebrides on a personalised cruise

PEX APPEAL

Escape the crowds and take a dip in basement pool of Edinburgh’s Apex Hotel

I really did feel like Wendy when I spotted Neverland for the first time, hidden beneath the clouds.

Just like JM Barrie’s mythical land, the island is covered in thick green woodland.

But this is far from your typical island retreat. Don’t expect speedy wifi, shops and roads, because Eilean Shona is completely car-free, has no shops and only nine people live here.

Instead, you can expect whimsical walks, white sand beaches and a cosy Scottish atmosphere.

The best way to get your bearings is with a refreshing walk to the summit of the island, 265 metres above sea level, which boasts spectacular views over Loch Moidart and the small isles of Rum and Eigg, as well as the Isle of Skye.

You can reward your hiking efforts with a slurp of vodka, because while whisky is the spirit more typically associated with Scotland, this island is where the premium spirits brand Sapling began.

Sat on a bench near the water’s edge in 2018, the brand’s founders, Ed Faulkner and Ivo Devereux, came up with the idea for a climate-positive spirit.

Sapling vodka and gin was formed — spirits that didn’t mess with the environment. In fact the firm gives back to it, by planting a tree each time a bottle is sold.

It was the perfect tipple to accompany me as I sat back and took in the calm of the starlit sky overhead, after retreating back to the manor house where I was staying.

Roaring fireplaces

There are a number of smaller cabins and cottages for those who are travelling solo or in a smaller group, but the manor house offers a more grand experience.

It’s a bit like a miniature version of The Traitors castle, with roaring fireplaces, ornate bathtubs, high ceilings and a grand staircase.

The 19th-century property was originally owned by Captain Swinburne, a Royal Navy seafarer, and it started out as a hunting lodge.

Swinburne went on to develop a great love for the pine trees that he saw on his travels and ended up transforming the landscape of Eilean Shona into one of the most diverse pine collections in Europe.

However these spectacular trees are only part of what makes the island’s surrounding so breathtaking.

My mornings consisted of refreshing plunges off the manor’s pontoon into chilly water, followed by dashes into the sauna afterwards.

You can follow it up with a hike or kayaking, or head to the other end of the island to see a gorgeous beach, which is like nowhere else in the UK, where soft, sugar-like sand meets serenely calm waters.

Eilean Shona House is the island’s main accommodation, sleeping up to 18 people, with a dining room that can host up to 20.

There is a library as well, with a full-sized billiards table, dartboard and a large collection of board games, while in the drawing room sits a grand piano, a cosy seated alcove and views of the loch.

The house can be booked either self-catering or fully catered, with a minimum stay of three nights.

Other options include the Shepherd’s Cottage, which sleeps two people, and the Old Schoolhouse, which sleeps four.

On Eilean Shona I could exchange the real world for Captain Hook’s imaginary version — and for a short time, I didn’t need to worry about growing up.

New plaques have been installed in US President Donald Trump’s ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ at the White House that attack many of his predecessors and make questionable claims about his own achievements.

FASHIONISTA Gwen Stefani has shown her fans how to slay Christmas style. 

Gwen, 56, performed in front of a Disneyland castle in a sneak peek of her Christmas Day TV special in a tiny dress and fur.

She was dressed in head-to-toe winter white, including a cropped fur jacket and sky-high platform boots. 

The chic outfit also included a tiny tiered white skirt which exposed itty bitty lace shorts underneath. 

In the post, the crooner told fans to “tune in Christmas morning,” for the Sleeping Beauty’s Castle for Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

Fans expressed their excitement for the Christmas concert in the comments on Instagram. 

SNOW MY!

Gwen Stefani, 56, looks half her age as she shows off long legs in music video

short shrift

Gwen Stefani, 56, wears TINY dress at NYC tree lighting shocking fans

“I absolutely can’t wait to watch your performance, Gwen! Also you look like a gorgeous Disney princess,” one commenter wrote. 

“Yay, cannot wait for your performance of my all-time favorite version of “White Christmas!” another fan commented. 

A third fan stated, “You are stunning. How don’t you age!?”

The concert, which will play on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu, is slated for performances by Coco Jones, Bebe Rexha, and Nicole Scherzinger. 

Most read in Celebrity

The parade will be hosted by Dancing with the Stars alum Alfonso Ribeiro and Ginnifer Goodwin, with Maia Kealoha serving as parade correspondent. 

HAPPY MARRIAGE?

Gwen fans recently suspected relationship challenges with her 49-year-old husband, Blake Shelton.

Their marriage was called into question ever since Blake released a cryptic breakup song entitled Hang On earlier this year.

Rumors ran rampant when they didn’t attend the CMA Awards in 2025, even though Blake received a nomination.

Days later, Gwen posted a photo on her Instagram Story where she received a sweet kiss from Blake – indicating all was well.

A source close to the couple told The U.S. Sun: “They’ve gone through real challenges, nothing manufactured.”  

“There were times when the tension was high enough that people close to them quietly wondered if the relationship could take the strain.

But the source insisted that Gwen and Blake are committed to making their marriage work: “They showed up for each other instead of checking out.”

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s chief of staff is defending herself after granting an extraordinarily candid series of interviews with Vanity Fair in which she offers stinging judgments of the president himself and blunt assessments about his administration’s shortcomings.

The profile of Susie Wiles, Trump’s reserved, influential top aide since he resumed office, caused scandal in Washington and prompted a crisis response from the White House that involved nearly every single figure in Trump’s orbit issuing a public defense.

In 11 interviews conducted over lunches and meetings in the West Wing, Wiles described early failures and drug use by Elon Musk during his time in government, mistakes by Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi in her public handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and acknowledged that Trump had launched a retribution campaign against his perceived political enemies.

“I don’t think he wakes up thinking about retribution,” Wiles told Chris Whipple, the Vanity Fair writer who has written extensively on past chiefs of staff, “but when there’s an opportunity, he will go for it.”

Wiles also cited missteps in the administration’s immigration crackdown, contradicted a claim Trump makes about Epstein and former President Clinton and described Vice President JD Vance as a “conspiracy theorist.”

Within hours of the Vanity Fair tell-all publishing on Tuesday, Wiles and key members of Trump’s inner circle mounted a robust defense of her tenure, calling the story a “hit piece” that left out exculpatory context.

“The article published early this morning is a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history,” Wiles said in a post on X, her first in more than a year. “Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story.”

The profile was reported with the knowledge and participation of other senior staff, and illustrated with a photograph of Wiles and some of Trump’s closest aides, including Vance, Bondi and advisor Stephen Miller.

The profile revealed much about a chief of staff who has kept a discreet profile in the West Wing, continuing her management philosophy carried through the 2024 election when she served as Trump’s last campaign manager: She let Trump be Trump. “Sir, remember that I am the chief of staff, not the chief of you,” she recalled telling the president.

Trump has publicly emphasized how much he values Wiles as a trusted aide. He did so at a rally last week where he referred to her as “Susie Trump.” In an interview with Whipple, she talked about having difficult conversations with Trump on a daily basis, but that she picks her battles.

“So no, I’m not an enabler. I’m also not a bitch. I try to be thoughtful about what I even engage in,” Wiles said. “I guess time will tell whether I’ve been effective.”

Despite her passive style, Wiles shared concern over Trump’s initial approach to tariff policy, calling the levies “more painful than I had expected.” She had urged him, unsuccessfully, to get his retribution campaign out of the way within his first 90 days in office, in order to enable the administration to move on to more important matters. And she had opposed Trump’s blanket pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including those convicted of violent crimes.

Wiles also conceded the administration needs to “look harder at our process for deportation,” adding that in at least one instance mistakes were made when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested and deported two mothers and their American children to Honduras. One of children was being treated for Stage 4 cancer.

“I can’t understand how you make that mistake, but somebody did,” she said.

In foreign policy, Wiles defended the administration’s attack on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and said the president “wants to keep on blowing up boats up until [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro cries uncle,” suggesting the end goal is to seek a regime change.

As Trump has talked about potential land strikes in Venezuela, Wiles acknowledged that such a move would require congressional authorization.

“If he were to authorize some activity on land, then it’s war, then [we’d need] Congress,” she said.

In one exchange with Whipple, she characterized Trump, who abstains from liquor, as having an “alcoholic’s personality,” explaining that “high-functioning alcoholics, or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink.”

He “operates [with] a view that there’s nothing he can’t do. Nothing, zero, nothing,” she said.

But Trump, in an interview with the New York Post, defended Wiles and her comments, saying that he would indeed be an alcoholic if he drank alcohol.

“She’s done a fantastic job,” Trump said. “I think from what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer — purposely misguided.”

Wiles also blamed the persistence of the Epstein saga on members of Trump’s own Cabinet, noting that the president’s chosen FBI director, Kash Patel, had advocated for the release of all Justice Department files related to the investigation for many years. Despite Trump’s claims that Clinton visited the disgraced financier and convicted sex abuser’s private island, Wiles acknowledged, Trump is “wrong about that.”

Wiles added that Bondi had “completely whiffed” on how she handled the Epstein files, an issue that has created a rift within MAGA.

“First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk,” Wiles said.

Wiles added that she has read the investigate files about Epstein, and acknowledged that Trump is mentioned in them, but said “he’s not in the file doing anything awful.”

Vance, who she said had been a “conspiracy theorist for a decade,” said he had joked with Wiles about conspiracies in private before offering her praise.

“I’ve never seen Susie Wiles say something to the president and then go and counteract him or subvert his will behind the scenes. And that’s what you want in a staffer,” Vance told reporters. “I’ve never see her be disloyal to the president of the United States and that makes her the best White House chief of staff that the president could ask for.”

Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget who Wiles described to Whipple as a “right-wing absolute zealot,” said in a social media post that she is an “exceptional chief of staff.” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the “entire administration is grateful for her steady leadership and united fully behind her.”

Wiles told Vanity Fair that she would be happy to stay in the role for as long as the president wanted her to stay, noting that she has time to devote to the job, being divorced and with her kids out of the house.

Trump had a troubled relationship with his chiefs of staff in his first term, cycling through four in four years. His longest-serving chief of staff, former Gen. John Kelly, served a year and a half.

WASHINGTON — Susie Wiles, President Trump’s understated but influential chief of staff, criticized Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and broadly defended the president’s aggressive second administration in a series of interviews published Tuesday in Vanity Fair.

Wiles told the magazine in a wide-ranging, revealing series of conversations that she underestimated the scandal involving Epstein, the disgraced financier, but sharply criticized how Bondi managed the case and the public’s expectations.

After the story was published, Wiles disparaged it as a “disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history.”

“Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story,” she wrote in a social media post. “I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team.”

Wiles did not deny the comments that were attributed to her.

In her rebuttal, Wiles argued that Trump had accomplished more in 11 months than any president had in eight years because of his “unmatched leadership and vision.”

“None of this will stop our relentless pursuit of Making America Great Again!” she said.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt also rose to Wiles’ defense, writing on the X platform that, “President Trump has no greater or more loyal advisor than Susie. The entire Administration is grateful for her steady leadership and united fully behind her.”

In the interview, Wiles said Trump wants to keep bombing alleged drug boats in the waters off the coast of Venezuela until that country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, “cries uncle.”

And at one point said she and Trump had a “loose agreement” that his retribution campaign would end before the first 90 days of his second term — but it continues well beyond the three-month mark.

Trump tapped Wiles after she managed his winning 2024 campaign. She is the first woman to ever serve as White House chief of staff and is known for shunning the spotlight. It is rare for her to speak as extensively and openly as she did about the president to the magazine, which published its lengthy interview with her — and other members of the White House staff and the Cabinet. Wiles has been speaking to Vanity Fair since just before Trump took office last January.

Asked about Epstein, Wiles said hadn’t really paid attention to “whether all these rich, important men went to that nasty island and did unforgivable things to young girls.”

She said she has read the Epstein file and that Trump is “not in the file doing anything awful.” He and Epstein were friends before they had a falling out.

The Justice Department is facing a Friday deadline to release everything it has on Epstein after Trump, after objecting to the release, signed legislation requiring that the papers be made public.

Wiles criticized Bondi’s handling of the case, going back to earlier in the year when she distributed binders to a group of social media influencers that included no new information about Epstein. That led to even more calls from Trump’s base for the files to be released.

“I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that that was the very targeted group that cared about this,” Wiles said of Bondi. “First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.”

Wiles, over the series of interviews, described the president behind the scenes very much as he presents himself in public: an intense figure who thinks in broad strokes yet is often not concerned with the details of process and policy. She added, though, that he has not been as angry or temperamental as is often suggested, even as she affirmed his ruthlessness and determination to achieve retribution against those he considers his political enemies.

Trump, she said, has “an alcoholic’s personality,” even though the president does not drink. But the personality trait is something she recognizes from her father, the famous sports broadcaster Pat Summerall.

“High-functioning alcoholics or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink. And so I’m a little bit of an expert in big personalities,” she said, adding that Trump has “a view that there’s nothing he can’t do. Nothing, zero, nothing.”

On Venezuela, Wiles said Trump wants to keep the pressure on Maduro.

“He wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle. And people way smarter than me on that say that he will.” Her comment, though, seemed to contradict the administration’s position that the strikes are about stopping drugs and saving American lives, not regime change.

She said the administration is “very sure we know who we’re blowing up.”

The continued strikes and mounting death toll have drawn scrutiny from Congress, which has pushed back and opened investigations.

Wiles described much of her job as channeling Trump’s energy, whims and desired policy outcomes — including managing his desire for vengeance against his political opponents, anyone he blames for his 2020 electoral defeat and those who pursued criminal cases against him after his first term.

“We have a loose agreement that the score settling will end before the first 90 days are over,” Wiles said early in his administration, telling Vanity Fair that she does try to tamp down Trump’s penchant for retribution.

Later in 2025, she pushed back. “I don’t think he’s on a retribution tour,” she said, arguing he was operating on a different principle: ”‘I don’t want what happened to me to happen to somebody else.’ And so people that have done bad things need to get out of the government. In some cases, it may look like retribution. And there may be an element of that from time to time. Who would blame him? Not me.”

Asked about the prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud, Wiles allowed: “Well, that might be the one retribution.”

Superville and Barrow write for the Associated Press. Barrow reported from Atlanta.

BERKELEY, Calif. — Mike White, who had a successful career as a college coach with California and Illinois and later coached the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, has died. He was 89.

Cal said White’s family confirmed that he died Sunday in Newport Beach.

White helped the Golden Bears win a share of the Pac-8 title in 1975, led the Illini to their first Rose Bowl in 20 years in the 1983 season and coached the Raiders in their first two seasons back in Oakland in 1995-96 after leaving Los Angeles.

He also worked as an assistant for the San Francisco 49ers and was on Dick Vermeil’s staff with the St. Louis Rams when they won the Super Bowl following the 1999 season.

“Mike was special,” said Burl Toler Jr., a linebacker who played at Cal under White from 1974-77. “He treated us like men and with a lot of respect. Mike was a very gifted and smart coach who loved Cal and loved being a coach, and he surrounded himself with a lot of like minds who instilled in us a will to succeed.”

White was a four-sport student-athlete at Cal in the 1950s and spent time as an assistant with the Bears and at rival Stanford before getting the head coaching job at his alma mater in 1972.

White had a 35-30-1 record in six seasons at Cal, with his biggest success coming in 1975 when he was named coach of the year after the Bears finished tied with UCLA for first place in the conference. Cal finished 14th in the nation with an offense that featured Chuck Muncie and quarterback Joe Roth.

White also coached quarterback Steve Bartkowski earlier at Cal and helped develop him into the No. 1 overall pick in the 1975 NFL draft.

He then left for the NFL, spending two seasons as an offensive line coach for the 49ers, before returning to college in 1980 with Illinois. He led the Illini to a 47-41-3 record with three bowl trips, including a loss in the 1984 Rose Bowl to UCLA.

That 1983 Illinois team went 9-0 in the Big Ten and is the only team in conference history to beat every other conference opponent in the same season.

White then returned to the NFL in 1990, spending five seasons as an assistant with the Raiders before taking over as head coach. He had a 15-17 record before getting fired after the 1996 season.

Dubow writes for the Associated Press.

PREGNANT The Saturdays singer Vanessa White has wed her fiancé in a stylish London ceremony.

Vanessa looked stunning as she posed with her husband hunky model and musician Emmanuel Lawal.

The Saturdays singer confirmed the news on social media alongside some gorgeous snaps of her wedding.

Vanessa looked stunning in a white gown with lace insets as she showed off her baby bump, as Emmanuel looked stylish in a dark suit and white shirt.

The series of snaps showed the couple signing the wedding register, smiling in their car and holding hands together.

A sweet snap of Vanessa feeding her new husband as they sat in the restaurant was particularly beautiful.

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After the ceremony, the loved up couple headed to Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal for dinner.

Vanessa said: “We wanted it to feel like a long date.”

The couple travelled all day in a flying spur from Bentley Motors which saved Emmanuel from having to find a parking space near Regent Street.

The Chef closed the restaurant for them to use exclusively with endless courses arriving.

“We were there for hours,” the couple said. “We didn’t get home until 11pm.”

Vanessa captioned the images: “The Lawal’s such an honour for us to share our special day with @britishvogue.

“A few thank you’s. @bentleymotors, what a dream family you have been to us over the many years. @mytheresa.com@mytheresa.men you made us feel GREAT!

“My husband designed my engagement ring and surprised me with bespoke bands from @sholabranson… yeah.

“@christianlouboutin they will NEVER leave our wardrobes. @alexdillingcaferoyal@adills1 you my friend are a legend. Mind blown. Delicious. Hospitality we will never forget.

“15+ years with my darling talented friend @kom_makeup. adore you.

“And to the magician @georgewilliamvicary who you actually never notice taking any photo’s until you see them. Thank you for capturing life long memories in the moment.”

As one fifth of the band The Saturdays, Vanessa shot to fame in 2008 with her fellow girl pals Mollie King, Frankie Bridge, Una Healy and Rochelle Humes.

After the group split in 2014, Vanessa appeared on I’m A Celebrity in Australia and was the fourth celeb to be evicted from the jungle.

She’s now a model and influencer and regularly shows off her stunning stylish looks online.

Vanessa revealed only last month that she was pregnant and engaged.

The singer showed off her large bare bump in a series of stunning snaps on Instagram.

She wore a white vest top rolled up to show off her tum and blue jogging bottoms, and there was a noticeable sparkling ring on her engagement finger.

Vanessa wrote: “there’s a V and E in love.”

Vanessa keeps her personal life largely private on social media, but last year she rekindled her romance with her new husband, Emmanuel.

He is one half of production duo AUDIOCOMINGSOON with fellow fashionista Ashton Gohil.

The talented twosome have performed at prestigious events including Samuel L. Jackson’s One For The Boys Fundraiser and a Louboutin collection launch.