INTERNACIONAL
Trump ousts judge-installed prosecutor; constitutional expert says Article II leaves no doubt
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority to fire court-appointed U.S. attorneys, even if judges legally appointed them, according to former Justice Department official John Yoo, who said the Constitution gives the president broad removal power over executive branch officers.
«Otherwise, you could have U.S. attorneys who are enforcing federal law differently than the president would, and it’s the president who all of us in the country elect and to whom the president is accountable,» Yoo told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Trump exercised that power this week by terminating Donald Kinsella just hours after federal judges in the Northern District of New York voted to install him to fill the vacancy left by Trump appointee John Sarcone, whose temporary term had expired.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed the move in a fiery social media post, declaring that judges «don’t pick» U.S. attorneys and thrusting the fight deeper into a constitutional dispute over who ultimately controls them.
FEDERAL JUDGE DISQUALIFIES US ATTORNEY, TOSSES SUBPOENAS TARGETING NY AG LETITIA JAMES
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks alongside President Donald Trump on recent Supreme Court rulings in the briefing room at the White House June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
At the center of the most recent dispute is a law that allows federal courts to appoint temporary U.S. attorneys when a presidential nominee has not been confirmed by the Senate and an acting official’s term has expired. Blanche suggested the court’s move to fill a U.S. attorney vacancy was unconstitutional, a comment that comes as the DOJ appeals Judge Lorna Schofield’s decision last month to disqualify Sarcone over his expired tenure.
But Yoo, a law professor at University of California, Berkeley, said both that the judges’ actions were legal due to a «quirk» in the law and that the president still has authority to fire Kinsella.
«No matter how an executive officer is appointed … none of these positions under the Constitution have any specific way to remove the officers, and so the president can remove all officers in the executive branch, particularly all officers in the Justice Department,» Yoo said.
Yoo said the Constitution lays out detailed processes for appointing U.S. attorneys but is «silent» on how they are removed.
«It has elaborate procedures … about how you appoint them to office. It doesn’t actually discuss at all how you remove them from office,» Yoo said, referencing the complex federal vacancy laws that govern how interim and acting U.S. attorneys are appointed.
John A. Sarcone III April 28, 2025, in the U.S. Attorney’s Office at the James T. Foley Federal Courthouse in Albany, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
He noted that existing law and Supreme Court precedent have long given the president the ultimate power to fire inferior officers in the executive branch, meaning an official like the attorney general cannot remove the appointees chosen by the courts, such as Kinsella, but Trump can.
Kinsella did not respond to a request for comment on his termination.
Under the law, U.S. attorneys are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. But if the Senate does not act, the president can install a temporary U.S. attorney for a limited period, typically 120 days. If that term expires without confirmation of a nominee, the law gives the district court’s judges the power to appoint a replacement to avoid a vacancy in the office.
FORMER TRUMP LAWYER HALLIGAN DEFENDS US PROSECUTOR STATUS IN WAKE OF COMEY, JAMES DISMISSALS
Trump, for his part, has struggled to secure Senate confirmations of his U.S. attorney nominees in blue states, where the upper chamber’s blue slip tradition has meant that home state senators must greenlight his nominees.
His interim appointees in these states, including New York, California, Nevada, New Jersey and Virginia, have faced legal setbacks as federal judges have uniformly found that Trump cannot repeatedly reappoint the same person to consecutive temporary terms.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has ruled out approving any of Trump’s nominees in New York, for example. After Trump fired Kinsella, a veteran federal prosecutor, Schumer said in a statement the president wanted an unqualified «political loyalist» in office.
Alina Habba speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 24, 2025. (Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«Everyone knows Trump only cares about one quality in a U.S. Attorney — complete political subservience,» Schumer said.
In New Jersey, Trump quickly fired a court-appointed U.S. attorney after a lower court found Alina Habba’s temporary term had expired. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit upheld the lower court’s finding that Habba was unlawfully serving.
In the Eastern District of Virginia, the top prosecutor’s role also remains in limbo as the DOJ appeals a judge’s decision to disqualify Lindsey Halligan, who brought high-profile indictments against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey. The judge tossed those cases, finding Halligan was improperly appointed.
The Trump DOJ used a variety of loopholes in the law to install Sarcone, Habba, Halligan and others, and has argued in appeals that the judges disqualifying them — and replacing them with U.S. attorneys of the court’s choosing — were misreading the law.
«It is important that a DOJ component is overseen by someone who has the support of the Executive Branch, and that a U.S. Attorney’s Office can continue to function even when there is no Senate-confirmed or interim U.S. Attorney,» DOJ attorneys wrote in court papers in Habba’s case.
Yoo signaled that the courts were right to honor the statutory time constraints on acting and interm tenures, but he reiterated that Trump had sole removal power.
From the founding, he said, officers who enforce federal law have been removable at will by the president under Article II of the Constitution and the take care clause, the duty to «take care that the laws be faithfully executed.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
«Any subordinates who are carrying out federal law have to be accountable to him,» Yoo said.
The DOJ has not at this stage elevated any of the U.S. attorney cases to the Supreme Court. Habba’s case is the furthest along, and a spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on whether the DOJ would appeal that decision.
justice department,donald trump,federal judges,new york,senate
INTERNACIONAL
Video: la desgarradora despedida a uno de los hijos asesinados por el funcionario brasileño en Itumbiara
Itumbiara vivió una jornada marcada por el dolor y la incredulidad. Este jueves, familiares, amigos y vecinos se reunieron para despedir a Miguel Araújo Machado, el niño de 12 años que fue asesinado por su padre, el funcionario Thales Machado.
El velatorio de Miguel se celebró en casa de su abuelo, el intendente Dione Araújo, y fue enterrado en el Cementerio Avenida da Saudade.
Leé también: El caso del funcionario brasileño que mató a sus hijos y se suicidó: una carta y una presunta infidelidad
Una tragedia que golpeó a toda la comunidad
Las víctimas eran hijos de Thales Naves Alves Machado, de 40 años, el secretario municipal. El martes, Thales les disparó a sus dos hijos, de 12 y 8 años, y se quitó la vida.
El adolescente fue enterrado en el Cementerio Avenida da Saudade. (Video: Facebook Jovem Pan News.)
El niño más pequeño, Benício Araújo Machado, fue trasladado de urgencia al Hospital Estadual de Itumbiara São Marcos, pero los médicos no lograron salvarlo. La noticia del fallecimiento de ambos hermanos dejó a la ciudad sumida en el luto.
El autor del crimen era yerno del intendente Dione Araújo, por lo que las víctimas eran nietos del jefe comunal. La tragedia impactó de lleno en el círculo político local y en toda la sociedad.
Ante la magnitud del hecho, la municipalidad decretó tres días de luto oficial. El gobernador de Goiás, Ronaldo Caiado, expresó su pesar y envió un mensaje de solidaridad a la familia.
Leé también: Revelaron el video de la presunta infidelidad de la mujer del funcionario brasileño que les disparó a sus hijos y se mató
El caso está siendo investigado por el Grupo de Homicidios de Itumbiara, que intenta reconstruir los motivos detrás del crimen.
La terrible carta que Thales Machado publicó después de dispararles a sus hijos
El miércoles por la noche, tras dispararles a sus hijos de 12 y 8 años, Thales Machado (40) publicó una carta donde pidió perdón, contó que atravesaba problemas en su matrimonio y mencionó haber descubierto una supuesta infidelidad de su esposa, quien se habría ido de Itumbiara para San Pablo para estar con otra persona.
El posteo de Thales Machado en sus redes tras el crimen. (Foto: gentileza Revista Forum).
Este es el contenido de la carta:
Es difícil empezar a escribir, pero todo tiene un final y, hoy, lo nuestro ha llegado a su fin, por desgracia.
A lo largo de estos 15 años de vida en mi familia, siempre he tratado de mantener la mejor armonía y respeto posible, pero hoy llegó un límite de lo improbable: mi esposa se va de Itumbiara a San Pablo para conocer a alguien.
Son días difíciles… ella había estado diferente por unos días y yo tenía sospechas, pero nunca imaginé que haría esto.
La semana pasada, seguí hablando como siempre. Si lo estamos haciendo bien, mantengamos el respeto y hablemos antes. Pero ella no escuchó y prefirió esto. Es triste.
Nos vamos, yo y mis hijos, que ahora son ángeles. Por desgracia, ellos se van conmigo.
Les aseguro que nunca lo pensé. Todos saben lo intenso y genuino que soy y no podría vivir más tiempo con los recuerdos.
A mi familia, padre y madre, gracias por todo, siempre estaré agradecido. Dione, mi eterno respeto y admiración, perdoname por lo que hice. Sé que es imperdonable, pero qué podía hacer en este infeliz día de mi 40 cumpleaños.
Siempre estaré agradecido con mis amigos y hermanos por todo. Yo estaré ahí, en algún lugar, no sé dónde.
Sarah, desafortunadamente, esto no era lo que quería… solo quería la verdad y el respeto que, lamentablemente, no me diste, y te fuiste con una persona descalificada, un pícaro de nuestra ciudad.
Pido perdón a Dios, a Jesucristo, a Nuestra Señora de Aparecida y Santa Rita de Casia, rogad por nosotros.
Si hay un poquito de compasión, por favor, perdónenme. Lo hice con el corazón roto y no sé qué más hacer.
También me gustaría agradecerle a mi cuñada Laura, una persona honesta y con un gran corazón. Besos. Cuida a los pequeños y a todos… eres capaz y tienes una fe que vi en muy pocas personas. Que Dios esté contigo y conmigo. Por favor, perdóname, porque esto era lo último que esperaba que ocurriera en mi vida y fue lo que sucedió hoy.
Que Dios esté con vosotros.
El contenido fue eliminado de las redes sociales tras la difusión del incidente.
Brasil
INTERNACIONAL
Texas Dem Senate primary fractures over race rhetoric as ‘mediocre’ jab, ‘oppressor’ remarks ignite backlash
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Heated racial rhetoric in Texas is flaring this primary season, as Democratic contenders lean into identity-focused messaging that Republicans say is divisive and a clinic in «wokeness at its worst.»
Texas Democrats are heading into primary season with an intraparty fight that is increasingly spilling into race and identity. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who is running for the Senate, has suggested racism would be to blame if she loses, while former Rep. Colin Allred accused Crockett rival and Austin state Rep. James Talarico of calling him «a mediocre Black man» in a political spat affecting races in the Senate and House.
«These disgusting comments are wokeness at its worst and the silence is deafening from Democrats,» RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said of the recent rhetoric out of Texas in recent months.
SPEAKER JOHNSON LAUGHS OFF JASMINE CROCKETT SENATE BID: ‘ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED’ SHE IS RUNNING
Texas State Rep. James Talarico, D-Travis, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, shake hands. (Bob Daemmrich/Getty Images)
Crockett, who is running for the Senate to replace Republican Sen. John Cornyn, offered a fiery response.
«You think I didn’t know I was a black woman when I woke up and decided that I was going to run for the U.S. Senate? You think I didn’t factor in and make sure we had enough room to account for that?»
Racially focused flare-ups have broken out in recent weeks as Democrats eye high-profile races and try to energize blue voters in the red state.
JASMINE CROCKETT CLAIMS ALLIES HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR HER SAFETY WHILE RUNNING FOR SENATE
«Look no further than the Senate primary to see how the woke mind virus has spread like wildfire among the ranks of Texas Democrats. James Talarico spent last week apologizing for his ‘white privilege,’ and Jasmine Crockett is taking a page out of Kamala Harris’ playbook by preemptively blaming racism and sexism for why she will lose,» Kraft told Fox News Digital.
Just this month, Texas Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu, the minority leader of the Texas House, drew backlash over a resurfaced clip from a 2024 interview in which he described white Americans as «oppressors» of «non-whites.»
«That there is a sense of, ‘America really just belongs to White people,’ that this was that a lot of people believe that God gave America to White people to rule, and that any time that immigrants, minorities make progress in this country, that that is seen as a slight against them,» Wu, of Houston, said in 2024 on «Define American» podcast with Antonio Vargas.
Wu, who was born in Guangzhou, China, added that Latinos, Asians and Black Americans — «everybody» — are kept divided because powerful forces have spent time and money ensuring they do not unite. Instead, he argued, those groups are pushed to see each other as rivals even though they share the same oppressor, and he claimed the oppression «comes from one place.»
«I always tell people the day the Latino, African-American, Asian and other communities realize that they are — that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now,» he continued. «We have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fair.»
The clip set off swift condemnation from Texans as it circulated online, including Republican Sen. Ted Cruz saying, «The Democrat party is built on bigotry.»
GOP SEIZES ON DEM CIVIL WAR AS PROGRESSIVES JUMP INTO KEY 2026 SENATE RACES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu attends a news conference at the conclusion of a House meeting on August 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Allred recently told former DNC chairman Jaime Harrison of South Carolina on his podcast that Talarico made another disparaging comment about him in private while the former Tennessee Titans linebacker was still a candidate in the Senate race.
Allred has since dropped out and is seeking a newly drawn 33rd Congressional District near Dallas. The current 33rd District in the Metroplex is represented by Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey.
«He’s said some things to me that I don’t like. He said to me before he got into the race that he thought that he would be a better candidate because he doesn’t have a family, and that… he could spend more time campaigning,» Allred said.
«As you know, Jaime, like I didn’t know my dad, so I’m like all about being a father to my two boys, right? I was like, no, no, no, I run because of my family.»
A TikTok influencer named Morgan Thompson originally claimed Allred made the «mediocre Black man» comments, recounting the conversation from a Talarico rally in Plano.
«James Talarico told me that he signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable and intelligent Black woman,» Thompson said, adding she now supports Crockett.
EX-SNL STAR BOWEN YANG, PODCAST CO-HOST WALK BACK COMMENTS CRITICIZING JASMINE CROCKETT’S SENATE CAMPAIGN
Allred claimed that Talarico said he’d «be a better candidate because he doesn’t have a family.» (MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP; Bob Daemmrich/The Texas Tribune/Bloomberg)
Talarico released a statement soon after calling the situation a «mischaracterization of a private conversation» and said he was talking about Allred’s «method of campaigning,» not his life.
«I would never attack him on the basis of race,» Talarico said. «As a Black man in America, Congressman Allred has had to work twice as hard to get where he is. I understand how my critique of the Congressman’s campaign could be interpreted given this country’s painful legacy of racism, and I care deeply about the impact my words have on others,» Talarico said, according to the Texas Tribune.
Talarico recently announced that he raised $7.4 million in the first six weeks of the quarter in his contest against Crockett.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He did not respond to a request for comment. Crockett’s campaign also did not respond to an inquiry left in its campaign inbox, which is separate from her official congressional office due to the Hatch Act.
Fox News Digital’s Marc Tamasco contributed to this report.
primary results,woke,democrats elections,ted cruz,democrats senate
Wild midair brawl breaks out on Jet2 flight
Passengers brawl in the aisle of a Jet2 flight Thursday from Turkey to the U.K. The chaotic incident reportedly prompted the plane to divert to Belgium. (Credit: Suleyman Ozgur Das via Storyful)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Chaotic video shows the moment a midair brawl erupted between passengers on a Jet2 flight bound for the United Kingdom on Thursday, reportedly forcing the plane to make a diversion.
Flight LS896, traveling from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England, was diverted to Belgium after what the airline described as the «appalling behavior» of two «disruptive» passengers onboard, representatives told the New York Post.
«They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester,» the representatives said.
Video circulating online appears to show passengers exchanging punches in the aisle as other travelers scream.
PASSENGER’S WI-FI NAME TRIGGERS BOMB SCARE, FORCES TURKISH AIRLINES EMERGENCY LANDING
Chaotic video shows the moment a midair brawl erupted between passengers on a Jet2 flight bound for the United Kingdom Thursday, forcing the plane to make an emergency diversion. (Suleyman Ozgur Das via Storyful)
It was not immediately clear what prompted the brawl. However, an eyewitness alleged that a male passenger made «racist» remarks earlier in the flight, the Sun reported.
«From early on in the flight, a passenger seated behind us began making racist remarks, quiet enough that others couldn’t clearly hear, but loud enough for us to,» the traveler alleged.
According to the eyewitness, tensions escalated after the man — who had allegedly been drinking — was unable to purchase cigarettes onboard and became aggressive.
BIBLICAL STUDIES STUDENT ILLEGALLY IN U.S. ALLEGEDLY STABS TWO TEENS WITH METAL FORK, SLAPS WOMAN ON FLIGHT
An eyewitness alleged that a male passenger made «racist» remarks earlier in the flight. (Suleyman Ozgur Das via Storyful)
Cabin crew members attempted to defuse the situation, but the dispute ultimately turned physical.
After diverting to Brussels, authorities removed the two passengers from the aircraft. The flight then resumed its journey and landed in Manchester at around 10 p.m., the Post reported.
Jet2 confirmed both individuals have been placed on the airline’s no-fly list.
«We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life,» Jet2 told the Post. «We will also vigorously pursue them to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this diversion.»
‘SECURITY-RELATED SITUATION’ GROUNDS FLIGHT TO VACATION HOT SPOT, PASSENGERS CONFINED FOR HOURS
Jet2 confirmed both individuals have been placed on the airline’s no-fly list. (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The airline added, «As a family-friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behavior, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Jet2 did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Kelly McGreal contributed to this report.
world,airlines,travel,police and law enforcement,united kingdom,turkey
El “trilema” que desafía al Gobierno: la acumulación de reservas puede condicionar el aumento de la actividad y la desinflación
Con la vuelta de Edinson Cavani: Los convocados de Boca Juniors para enfrentar a Platense en La Bombonera
Milei postergó su visita a Mendoza y planea viajar a Tucumán en marzo con el Tour de la Gratitud
Marisa Iglesias, diseñadora de interiores: “Vivir solo con luz artificial va en contra de nuestra naturaleza”
Video: la desgarradora despedida a uno de los hijos asesinados por el funcionario brasileño en Itumbiara
Los signos del horóscopo que cambiarán su suerte y tendrán un nuevo rumbo en febrero, según Jimena La Torre: «Libra, Escorpio, Libra, Escorpio, Sagitario, Capricornio, Acuario y Piscis»
Acuartelamiento policial en Santa Fe: reclamo salarial y temor a un conflicto nacional de seguridad
La advertencia de ATE a los gobernadores que apoyan la reforma laboral: “Firmarán su sentencia de muerte”
Cuánto le cuesta a la clase media llenar el changuito y cómo varían los precios de los alimentos entre provincias
A quién afecta la Reforma laboral: estos son los puntos clave del proyecto de Milei
POLITICA2 días agoA quién afecta la Reforma laboral: estos son los puntos clave del proyecto de Milei
- ECONOMIA2 días ago
Cayeron 20% las ventas de automóviles en China y el régimen impone medidas para regular el mercado
- POLITICA2 días ago
Reforma laboral: la modificación sobre accidentes o enfermedades ajenas al trabajo
