INTERNACIONAL
Appeals court says federal judge must reconsider blocking WH ballroom, weigh national security concerns
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President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom construction will be able to continue for at least a little while longer, after an federal appeals court instructed a District Court judge to reconsider the situation.
A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Saturday that construction can proceed until Friday, April 17, giving the president time to seek a Supreme Court review as the Trump administration is claiming delaying the prospect leaves the construction site exposed and risks the security of the president and his staff.
The panel instructed U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to clarify whether — and how — his injunction interferes with the administration’s claims over safety and security.
Government lawyers argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards and that holding up construction «would imperil the president and others who live and work in the White House.»
DEMS MOVE TO SET LIMITS ON TRUMP’S DONOR-FUNDED WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, CLAIMING ‘BRIBERY IN PLAIN SIGHT’
President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the White House ballroom in an Air Force One media scrum. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
Trump had also made the case that the U.S. military was installing a «heavily fortified» facility under the ballroom, including bomb shelters and a medical facility.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) sued in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.
The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the dated East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization.
TRUMP SAYS IT ‘IS TOO LATE’ TO STOP THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION AMID LAWSUIT
A rendering of the proposed White House ballroom shared by President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Feb. 3, 2026. (Copyright Donald Trump/Truth Social)
Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.
A lower court had issued a March 31 injunction to halt ballroom construction, but it also paused that injunction to allow for an appeal.
The White House has argued that the injunction left the White House «open and exposed,» threatening security for the building, the president and his family and staff.
TRUMP UNVEILS NEW RENDERING OF SPRAWLING WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM PROJECT
A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the new ballroom. (McCrery Architects/White House)
NTHP CEO Carol Quillen said in a statement that the organization awaited further clarification from the district court.
She said the group was committed «to honoring the historic significance of the White House, advocating for our collective role as stewards, and demonstrating how broad consultation, including with the American people, results in a better overall outcome.»
Judge Leon exempted any construction work necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House, but said he reviewed material the government privately submitted before determining that a halt would not jeopardize national security.
«We cannot fairly determine, on this hurried record, whether and to what extent the district court’s ‘necessary for safety and security’ exception addresses Defendants’ claims of irreparable harm, insofar as it may accommodate the Defendants’ asserted safety and security need for the ballroom itself or other temporary measures to secure the safety and security of the White House, the President, staff, and visitors while this appeal proceeds,» the D.C. Circuit said in its ruling.
WARREN-LED INQUIRY DRAWS NEW DETAILS ON TRUMP BALLROOM DONATIONS FROM MAJOR CORPORATIONS
A McCrery Architects rendering provided by the White House of the new ballroom. (White House)
The appeals panel noted that much of the government’s concerns focused on that below-ground security work, which the White House argued was «distinct from construction of the ballroom itself and could proceed independently.»
The White House is making the case now that those security upgrades are «inseparable» from the project as a whole, the appeals court said, making it unclear «whether and to what extent» moving forward with certain aspects of the ballroom is necessary for the safety and security of those upgrades.
TRUMP PUSHES BACK AFTER MICHELLE OBAMA KNOCKS EAST WING RENOVATION, CALLING OLD ARRANGEMENT ‘A DISASTER’
Although Trump’s project is funded by private donations, public money is paying for construction of underground bunkers and security upgrades.
The three-judge appeals court panel was made up of Judges Patricia Millett, Neomi Rao and Bradley Garcia. Millett was nominated by former President Barack Obama, Rao by Trump and Garcia by President Joe Biden.
Rao wrote a dissenting opinion, which cited a statute that allows the president to undertake improvements to the White House.
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«Importantly, the government has presented credible evidence of ongoing security vulnerabilities at the White House that would be prolonged by halting construction,» Rao wrote, adding that such concerns outweigh the «generalized aesthetic harms» presented in the lawsuit.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
administration, national security, congress, white house, appeals
INTERNACIONAL
DOJ expands indictment against SPLC, alleging $4M secretly funneled to KKK and extremist groups
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The Department of Justice last month announced an indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), alleging that the civil rights nonprofit defrauded donors by secretly paying informants associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan.
A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned an 11-count indictment in April charging the SPLC with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, according to the Justice Department.
The superseding indictment retains those charges while expanding on the alleged misconduct.
According to the DOJ, the SPLC «secretly funneled» more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to numerous individuals associated with extremist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America, the National Socialist Movement, participants in the Unite the Right rally and the Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club.
NEO-NAZIS, ‘SADISTIC’ BIKERS AND CHARLOTTESVILLE ORGANIZER: 5 OF THE MOST SHOCKING SPLC INFORMANTS
The Southern Poverty Law Center has widespread influence in education. FILE: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, left, and SPLC interim President and CEO Bryan Fair are shown in a split image as the Justice Department pursues charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
The original indictment alleged approximately $3 million in payments between 2014 and 2023.
«The SPLC’s paid informants (‘field sources’) engaged in the active promotion of racist groups at the same time that the SPLC was denouncing the same groups on its website,» the indictment states.
Prosecutors further allege the SPLC opened bank accounts tied to fictitious entities in order to conceal donor funds that were allegedly routed to confidential sources.
MIKE DAVIS: SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: A TALE OF A RACISM SCAM
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) building seen in March 2020 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Barry Lewis/InPictures via Getty Images)
According to the indictment, the SPLC began operating a covert informant network in the 1980s, and between 2014 and 2023 allegedly paid those sources in a clandestine manner.
The DOJ alleges an SPLC employee instead encouraged the pair to remain involved and offered them a monthly salary of $1,200.
The two subsequently agreed to remain in the organization, according to the indictment.
DR. BEN CARSON: I KNOW HOW BAD THE SPLC WAS, IT CAME AFTER ME AND PUT ME AT RISK
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Prosecutors allege an SPLC employee instructed the individuals to claim they worked for a company called Rare Books and helped college students with research and writing assignments if anyone questioned the source of their income.
The indictment alleges donor funds were used to pay both individuals through SPLC accounts.
According to prosecutors, the pair were also reimbursed for expenses related to Ku Klux Klan activities, including cross-burning events and associated costs such as wood and fuel.
One of the individuals is also accused of recruiting new members using donor-funded payments. The indictment further alleges the SPLC knew donor funds were used to purchase materials for Ku Klux Klan garments.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, attorney Abbe Lowell, who represents the SPLC, denied the allegations.
A composite image shows Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche overlaid on photographs of the Department of Justice and FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«This apparent superseding indictment attempts to shore up the flaws in the initial charges, but it changes nothing,» Lowell said.
«The SPLC did not lie to its donors, it did not mislead banks it did business with, and its informant program prevented violence and saved lives,» he continued.
«It appears the Justice Department shared the indictment with media before it was unsealed by the court – another example of the government’s troubling handling of this case.»
«We will be addressing these irregularities with the court and look forward to presenting the truth at trial,» he added.
NONPROFIT REVENUE TOTALS SURGE AMID GROWING SCRUTINY AFTER MAJOR FRAUD CASES
SPLC interim President and CEO Bryan Fair speaks during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Southern Poverty Law Center Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Ala., on March 5, 2026. (Jake Crandall/Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The superseding indictment also notes that the SPLC’s reported revenue increased from roughly $38.7 million in 2010 to more than $129 million in 2023, an increase of approximately 233%.
According to the filing, the organization’s net assets grew from approximately $238 million to nearly $787 million during the same period.
The SPLC is a longtime nonprofit organization that says it combats white supremacy and extremism through research, reporting and monitoring efforts intended to assist law enforcement and the public.
During a news conference announcing the original indictment, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche alleged the SPLC paid members of extremist groups so it could generate «work product» documenting their activities.
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«To that end, [SPLC] was doing the exact opposite of what it told its donors it was doing – not dismantling extremism but funding it,» Blanche said.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, David Spunt, Jake Gibson and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
hate crime, investigations, fox news investigates, justice department, crime world
INTERNACIONAL
Congreso aprueba nueva Ley Antilavado de Dinero y renueva reglas para combatir delitos financieros en Guatemala
El Congreso de la República de Guatemala aprobó, este martes, con 147 votos a favor, la Ley Integral contra el Lavado de Dinero, Otros Activos y Financiamiento del Terrorismo, identificada como Decreto 15-2026. Esta legislación representa un paso relevante para el país, ya que actualiza el marco legal guatemalteco en prevención y combate de estos delitos, alineándose con estándares internacionales.
La votación se llevó a cabo tras semanas de negociaciones y discusiones, donde distintos bloques legislativos analizaron y consensuaron enmiendas al texto final. De acuerdo con la información difundida por el propio Congreso, la iniciativa busca dotar a Guatemala de herramientas legales modernas para enfrentar el lavado de activos y el financiamiento del terrorismo, dos amenazas que han presionado la integridad del sistema financiero nacional.
Entre los puntos destacados del nuevo decreto se encuentran:
- Actualización del marco legal de prevención y combate al lavado de activos y financiamiento al terrorismo
- Armonización con estándares internacionales (GAFI / GAFILAT)
- Fortalecimiento de la capacidad institucional para prevenir la entrada de capitales ilícitos
- Protección de la reputación financiera de Guatemala
Durante la discusión parlamentaria, los diputados destacaron la necesidad de contar con una legislación actualizada que permita fortalecer la vigilancia y el control sobre las operaciones financieras sospechosas, así como mejorar los mecanismos de cooperación internacional.
La aprobación de la ley se produjo con el respaldo de la mayoría de los diputados presentes, reflejando una voluntad política orientada a blindar la economía nacional frente a delitos complejos y transnacionales.
La Superintendencia de Bancos (SIB) celebró la aprobación del Decreto 15-2026, considerándolo un hito. Según un comunicado oficial emitido tras la votación, la SIB reconoció el esfuerzo de los distintos actores institucionales que participaron en la elaboración, análisis y aprobación de la ley.
La nota resalta que por primera vez se integran en un solo cuerpo legal las disposiciones para combatir tanto el lavado de dinero como el financiamiento del terrorismo, sustituyendo un marco legal que llevaba más de 25 años en vigencia.
De acuerdo con la SIB, la efectividad de este nuevo marco dependerá de su implementación adecuada, la articulación entre las autoridades competentes y la participación de todos los actores del sistema financiero. La entidad reiteró su compromiso de contribuir a la aplicación efectiva de la ley y de mantener la integridad del sistema financiero guatemalteco en línea con los compromisos internacionales.
El Decreto 15-2026 incorpora principios y prácticas recomendadas por organismos internacionales como el Grupo de Acción Financiera Internacional (GAFI) y el Grupo de Acción Financiera de Latinoamérica (GAFILAT). Este marco armonizado busca elevar la capacidad institucional de Guatemala para prevenir la entrada de capitales ilícitos, así como proteger la reputación financiera del país en el entorno global.
La SIB enfatizó que la aprobación de esta ley reafirma el compromiso del Estado de Guatemala con la transparencia y la resiliencia del sistema financiero, además de responder a la evolución de los delitos financieros y las crecientes exigencias regulatorias de la comunidad internacional. La entidad también subrayó que la lucha contra el lavado de dinero y el financiamiento del terrorismo es un esfuerzo de país, que requiere la participación coordinada de autoridades, sector privado y ciudadanía.
Se incorpora la declaración emitida por el presidente de Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, quien celebró la aprobación de la nueva normativa a través de sus redes sociales. El mandatario expresó: “Hoy gana Guatemala. Pierden quienes pretenden enriquecerse con el narcotráfico, la corrupción y el crimen organizado. Porque proteger al pueblo también significa golpear al crimen donde más le duele: sus finanzas. Tenemos Ley Antilavado”.
La publicación del presidente resalta el alcance de la Ley Integral contra el Lavado de Dinero, Otros Activos y Financiamiento del Terrorismo, y enfatiza el objetivo de la nueva legislación: debilitar las estructuras financieras de organizaciones delictivas y proteger a la ciudadanía.
Este mensaje refuerza el posicionamiento oficial del Gobierno respecto a la importancia de endurecer la lucha contra los delitos financieros y el crimen organizado, sumando respaldo político a la implementación del Decreto 15-2026.
Guatemala,Quetzal,lavado de dinero,ley,economía,finanzas,delito financiero,anticorrupción,Banco de Guatemala,América Central
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Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., said Tuesday he is «more energized than ever» and plans to return to in-person work «within a matter of weeks,» issuing a new statement after months away from Capitol Hill because of an undisclosed medical issue.
Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has been absent from Congress for months while dealing with undisclosed health issues keeping him away from Washington and the campaign trail. Kean said in April that he was addressing a «personal medical issue,» but he has not publicly disclosed the nature of the issue.
«Serving the people of this district is the honor of my life. Every day, I wake up determined to build on the results I have delivered for New Jersey families such as lowering costs, restoring the SALT deduction, funding our law enforcement, helping veterans, standing with Israel, strengthening our economy, and making government work better,» Kean said in a statement Tuesday, amid growing scrutiny over his absence.
REP. TOM KEAN JR. SAYS HE EXPECTS TO RETURN TO CONGRESS ‘IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS’ AFTER MISSING 100 VOTES
Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-N.J., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Kean has not cast a vote since March 5, according to The New York Times. House voting records also listed Kean as «Not Voting» on a May 21 roll call vote.
«I am optimistic about the road ahead, and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of the district,» Kean continued. «I am more energized then ever to keep fighting for the people of New Jersey’s 7th District. Right now I am focused on my recovery and under the advice of healthcare professionals I will transition from virtual work to in person work within a matter of weeks. At that time I will be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition.»
Kean added that he «understand[s] the need for transparency on this matter» and looks forward to sharing his experience with the public.
DEMOCRAT TINA SHAH CALLS TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN A ‘NO-BRAINER’ IN COMPETITIVE NJ HOUSE RACE
Ahead of Kean’s Tuesday primary election, during which he ran unopposed, President Donald Trump endorsed the New Jersey Republican.
Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for his campaign rally in Wildwood Beach on May 11, 2024 in Wildwood, New Jersey. The former President and presumptive Republican nominee held a campaign rally as his hush money trial takes a weekend break. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, is expected to be called to testify on Monday when the trial resumes. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Trump praised Kean in a Truth Social post Monday night, describing him as a strong supporter of the president’s «America First Agenda,» adding the New Jersey Republican is «working tirelessly» on border security, crime, the economy, taxes, energy, veterans and Second Amendment issues.
«Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,» Trump concluded, telling people to get out and vote.
Trump’s support remains one of the most powerful forces in Republican primaries, with candidates across several states openly competing for his backing ahead of key contests. His endorsement of Kean signals the White House and GOP leaders are still lining up behind the incumbent as Republicans fight to defend their narrow House majority this fall.
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Four Democrats — Rebecca Bennett, Michael Roth, Tina Shah and Brian Varela — were competing for the nomination to face Kean in November, but Bennett edged them out Tuesday night during the Democratic primary.
The Associated Press described Bennett as a former Navy helicopter pilot, Roth as a former Small Business Administration official, Shah as an intensive care doctor and Varela as a businessman, with each candidate raising seven figures as Democrats target Kean’s battleground seat.
benjamin netanyahu, issues, donald trump, new jersey, republicans
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