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‘Rogue’ Obama judge’s smackdown of Trump election rules provokes ominous warning from White House deputy

June 24, 2026 5:53pm EDT / Fox News

Judge Denise Casper ruled the president has no direct constitutional authority over the election process

By Elaine Mallon

President Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill to meet with GOP senators, criticizing the rise of socialist candidates within the Democratic Party. Trump directly labeled some as “communists” and discussed the importance of passing the Save America Act. The meeting also addressed ongoing concerns about the Iran nuclear deal and its impact on the nation.

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An Obama-appointed federal judge on Tuesday struck down key parts of President Donald Trump’s election integrity executive order, prompting a stark warning from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller about the judiciary’s course.

U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper ruled that major sections of Trump’s March 25, 2025, executive order, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” exceeded presidential authority and violated the Constitution’s separation of powers. Casper found that the order went beyond enforcing existing law and instead attempted to create or change election rules on its own.

“While the Constitution vests the President with ‘executive Power’ and commands him to ‘take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed’… it does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” Casper wrote in the ruling. “As a result, the President ‘plays no direct role in the process’ of appointing electors, ‘nor does he have authority to control the state officials who do.’”

In response, Miller posted on social media that he hoped Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts “understands the path these rogue judges have charted for the judiciary.”

FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN PARTS OF TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION

Former President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson held a press conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 12, 2024, to discuss election integrity.(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The chief justice serves as the institutional head of the federal judiciary, and while he does not exercise direct authority over lower-court judges, Miller’s reference to Roberts echoed broader conservative criticism that the Supreme Court has not moved aggressively enough to curb lower-court rulings blocking Trump administration policies.

Casper previously issued a preliminary injunction blocking key provisions of the order while the lawsuit played out in court. After more than a year of litigation, the judge on Tuesday largely sided with the plaintiff states.

The lawsuit was brought by 19 states challenging the order and was heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the lead plaintiffs in the case, hailed the ruling as a victory for the states.

“We sued President Trump over his attempt to unilaterally impose voting restrictions across the country — and we won,” Bonta said. “Today, a federal district court ruled that every provision we challenged in the Executive Order is unlawful and reaffirmed that the power to regulate elections is reserved to the States and Congress.”

Casper’s ruling permanently blocks the administration from implementing provisions that would have required documentary proof of citizenship on the federal voter registration form, altered voting requirements for military and overseas voters, and threatened to withhold federal election-related funding from states that refused to adopt certain election rules, including not counting ballots received after Election Day.

Casper declared that sections of the order were “unconstitutional and void because they are ultra vires and violate the separation of powers under the United States Constitution.”

In addition to finding that the executive order violated the Constitution, Casper also concluded that key provisions of Trump’s order conflicted with federal statutes, including the National Voter Registration Act and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

WITHIN MINUTES OF TRUMP SIGNING VOTER DATABASE ORDER, DEM STATES THREATEN LAWSUITS

A ballot box sits outside Contra Costa County’s elections office in Martinez, Calif., on May 27, 2026. June 2 is the last day to vote in person or return a ballot before California’s statewide primary election.(Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images)

Trump signed the order on March 25, 2025, arguing that stronger safeguards were necessary to ensure election integrity and public confidence in federal elections, alleging that state officials have failed to comply with court rulings and federal law.

The White House at the time described the directive as an effort to restore trust in elections and strengthen voter citizenship verification.

“Under the Constitution, State governments must safeguard American elections in compliance with Federal laws that protect Americans’ voting rights and guard against dilution by illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error,” the executive order stated. “Yet the United States has not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.”

Casper is the second judge to rule against Trump’s executive order.

GOP GOVERNORS, AGS BACK TRUMP SAVE ACT PUSH, WARN SYSTEM GIVES ‘UNDUE INFLUENCE’ TO STATES WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS

Voting signs stand outside Friendship Baptist Church, a polling location in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Georgia midterm primary election on May 19, 2026.

In April 2025, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly blocked portions of the order that directed federal officials to add proof-of-citizenship requirements to federal voter registration forms, concluding that the Constitution gives Congress and the states the authority to regulate federal elections — not the president. Casper’s ruling went further, striking down multiple additional provisions related to ballot deadlines, military and overseas voters, and federal funding.

Casper’s ruling comes as Republican lawmakers continue pushing the SAVE Act, legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The House passed a version of the measure earlier this year, but the proposal faces an uncertain path in the Senate.

Trump has continued to push for the SAVE Act, elevating it as a key priority and arguing that Senate Republicans should be willing to eliminate the filibuster to ensure the legislation reaches his desk.

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The only issue left concerns whether the federal government can attach conditions to election-related funding for certain states. The judge gave the parties until July 10 to decide whether to continue litigating that claim.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.

7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Venezuela, triggers tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

June 24, 2026 / 7:20 PM EDT / CBS/AP

A preliminary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was reported Wednesday evening in northwest Venezuela, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake was centered 17.6 miles southeast of the Venezuelan town of Montalbán, the USGS said, and struck at a depth of 8.2 miles.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. U.S. Geological Survey

It triggered tsunami advisories in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, per the National Weather Service’s U.S. Tsunami Warning System.

“Based on all available data, there is a tsunami threat to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands of sea level fluctuations and strong ocean currents that could be a hazard along coasts, beaches, in harbors and in coastal waters,” the weather service said.

Venezuela’s state-run television channel, Venezolana de Televisión, reported that the earthquake was felt across the country, including in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital and its largest city.

People evacuated swaying buildings in Caracas and remained outside, many visibly shocked as they saw entire walls that had collapsed, making furniture visible from the street. Dust columns could also be seen in two neighborhoods of the capital, where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the quake could be felt in several states, adding that the Altamira neighborhood in Caracas had “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings. He urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures.

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Venezuela’s western neighbor, Colombia, said in a social media post that the earthquake had not sparked a tsunami threat to its Caribbean coastline.

The possible extent of the damage and the injury toll of the earthquake was still unclear.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Justice Department announces arrests in ‘sophisticated’ drone network used to deliver meth, phones and weapons to prisons

2026-06-24T20:30:00.460Z / CNN

The Justice Department has announced charges in a “sophisticated” criminal operation that it says used high-powered drones to deliver weapons, drugs, cell phones and escape tools into prisons in east coast states.

US Attorney William Keyes in the middle district of Georgia, along with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and FBI investigators in Atlanta, say the rogue drone operation led out of a former daycare in Macon, Georgia was a staging ground where multiple drones were launched on covert missions to deliver the contraband by air to 10 federal prisons at night.

“We’re here to announce the unsealing of an indictment that charges the most sophisticated and sprawling criminal enterprise using drones to introduce contraband into the federal prison system ever charged by the Department of Justice,” Keyes said during a press conference Wednesday.

The 17-count federal indictment alleges the group used at least six separate drones to deliver a wide-ranging bazaar of contraband to federal prisons at least 38 times, including methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, suboxone, cocaine, cell phones, tobacco, cigarettes, drug-infused papers, and even saw blades “designed and intended to be used as weapons and to facilitate escape.”

Prosecutors say in the indictment that inmates inside the prisons used illegal phones to help guide the drone pilots on the outside, sometimes even sending maps in real time to help the pilots deliver trash bags and astroturf stuffed with weapons, various narcotics, and cell phones.

In some cases, prison corrections officers recovered bags stuffed with drugs and other contraband just minutes after the drones landed, and in other cases the drops vanished before authorities located them, according to law enforcement.

“The allegations outlined in this indictment describe a coordinated criminal effort involving heavy payload drones to introduce dangerous contraband into federal prisons across multiple states,” William K. Marshall III, Director of the BOP said in Macon on Wednesday.

“Activity of this nature threatens the safety of everyone who lives and works inside our facilities and will not be tolerated” he said.

The Bureau of Prisons used drone detection systems which alerted authorities with data including make and models and flight launch locations of the unmanned aerials to help pinpoint those involved in the high-tech scheme, which law enforcement says they tracked between 2023 and 2026.

On June 10, a grand jury in the Middle District of Georgia indicted twelve defendants on federal charges including trafficking for drug and firearms distribution. They are accused of spearheading the sophisticated drone-smuggling scheme at ten federal prisons throughout Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

“They’re fast moving, they’re remote, it’s a challenge for law enforcement,” Keyes said. “But I think that’s what this case demonstrates is that we are at the speed to tackle this problem. This is a very sophisticated investigation, a very complex problem.”

Earlier this year, 21 attorneys general launched a multi-state effort to combat what they described as an “alarming” rise in drones illegally dropping contraband into prisons, including narcotics, weapons, and cell phones. In a letter to the Trump administration, the coalition of AG’s said that, under current federal law, only a narrow set of law enforcement agencies are “authorized to detect, track and mitigate unauthorized drones. Meaning, correctional officials often lack the legal authority and the necessary tools to intervene in real time.”

In May, White House officials acknowledged that in the past, the federal government “did not move with sufficient urgency” to confront the surge in drones ferrying contraband into federal prisons.

In a letter sent to state attorneys general, the administration said that Trump’s Safer Skies Act — signed last December — marks the first time state and local agencies have been given proper resources to disable and disrupt rogue drones, by providing $500 million in FEMA grants, developing new FBI training programs, and launching a Department of Homeland Security office aimed at curbing the threat.

On Wednesday, FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said that drones delivering contraband remains a serious public safety issue for law enforcement that puts both the prisons and communities in danger.

“To put this issue into perspective, some state and federal prison-drones smuggling contraband have been so frequent that the facilities look like a small airport in the evening,” Graham said.

CNN’s Stuart Clark contributed to this report.

瑞士2比1加拿大携手晋级 波黑3比1送卡塔尔出局

2026年6月25日 07:02 / 联合早报

巴尔加斯（17号）和曼赞比（19号）为瑞士取得进球。 （法新社）

瑞士在新加坡时间星期四（6月25日）凌晨的B组最后一轮小组赛中以2比1力克东道主之一的加拿大，成功锁定小组头名晋级。加拿大虽然落败，但凭借净胜球优势力压在同组另一场比赛中3比1打败卡塔尔的波黑，队史首次杀入淘汰赛。

巴尔加斯（Vargas）和曼赞比（Manzambi）在下半场先后建功，帮助瑞士拿到7分锁定小组第一。尽管戴维（David）在第76分钟为加拿大扳回一球，但上仗6比0狂扫卡塔尔的加拿大最终还是只能以3分之差收下小组第二。

波黑在3比1击败卡塔尔后与加拿大同积4分，但须静待其他小组战果，才知道自己能否凭借八支战绩最佳小组第三名球队身份出线。

卡塔尔则在收下1平2败的战绩后仅拿到1分，在小组垫底出局，连续两届世界杯止步小组赛。

Trump asks Congress for $87.6 billion, mostly for Iran war

2026-06-24T20:51:07.927Z / reuters.com

A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary
• Companies

• Trump wants $67 billion for Iran war
• Trump seeks billions day after bipartisan Senate vote to end war
• Request sets up difficult vote for Republicans as midterm elections loom
• Request also includes billions to fight Ebola

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s administration asked the U.S. Congress on ​Wednesday for $87.6 billion in additional funding, most of it related to the Iran war, setting the stage for another fight with ‌lawmakers already frustrated with the conflict.

The

supplemental funding request, opens new tab
, posted on the White House website and transmitted to Congress, includes $67.15 billion for the military, in addition to some $1 trillion appropriated last year and another $1.5 trillion Trump wants for next year.

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The White House said the latest funding request is to cover operational costs of the Iran war, including for military ​personnel and readiness, operational costs to rebuild weapons stocks, and classified programs.

The funding request for the military includes $21 billion to procure munitions, ​strengthen the U.S. industrial base and support critical capabilities.

SENATE JOINS HOUSE IN VOTE TO HALT IRAN WAR

The U.S. Senate passed a ⁠war powers resolution on Tuesday directing Trump to halt military action against Iran, weeks after the measure passed the House, as a handful of ​Trump’s fellow Republicans in both chambers joined almost every Democrat in a rebuke to Trump.

During a lunch at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Trump got into a ​shouting match over the war with Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisana, one of the Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution.

The supplemental request immediately met resistance. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have complained since the U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28 that Trump and his team have not kept them informed about the ​conflict or his plans.

Additionally, lawmakers have noted that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the right to send troops into war, and accuse ​Trump of disregarding that separation of powers.

TOUGH VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS AS MIDTERMS LOOM

Republicans could face a difficult vote for the request, given the war’s

deep unpopularity, opens new tab
and only months ‌remaining until ⁠midterm elections in November that will determine whether they retain control of Congress.

Democrats also accuse Trump of ignoring the needs of Americans who have been grappling with a steep rise in fuel and food prices since the fighting began. “We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X after Congress received the request.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the ​chamber’s appropriations committee, said she would review ​the request to ensure that ⁠servicemembers are taken care of, “but I will not rubber-stamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice.”

Trump’s Republicans hold such slim margins in the House and Senate that appropriations bills typically need Democratic support to pass.

The ​supplemental budget request also includes some $1.4 billion to address the Ebola outbreak in Africa, including $800 million in international ​humanitarian assistance and $500 million ⁠for global health security to prevent, detect and respond to the outbreak.

“This funding is critical to protect Americans, and stop the spread to the United States,” the White House said.

The administration made steep cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development and to African public health efforts prior to the outbreak.

The spending request ⁠is also ​seeking $11.1 billion to support U.S. farmers and $1 billion to boost the pensions of workers at ​former General Motors

(GM.N), opens new tab
auto parts unit Delphi, which were cut during the Detroit automaker’s 2009 bankruptcy restructuring.

The White House is also asking for $500 million to support construction projects in and around Washington ​and $1 billion to assist reconstructing New York’s Penn Station.

Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by David Shepardson, Ismail Shakil and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Edmund Klamann

中国央行顾问预计今年仍有可能降息

2026年6月25日 07:15 / 联合早报

中国央行货币政策委员会委员黄益平认为，中国今年仍有可能降息。 （中新社档案照）

中国央行货币政策委员会委员黄益平认为，中国今年仍有可能降息，但除放松政策之外，经济还需要更有针对性的支持政策，以促进科技创新和改善民生。

据彭博社报道，黄益平在接受彭博电视采访时表示，2026年“仍有可能降息，但并不确定这一定会发生”。

黄益平说，中国CPI通胀率仍处低位，并不构成重大担忧，经济可从针对特定领域的支持措施中受益。

他还说，中国有望加大结构性货币政策力度，以“投资于人”，也就是增加公共福利支出，并聚焦人力资本。

中国经济在一季度强劲开局后，二季度增速明显放缓。5月份零售销售自2022年底解除疫情封控以来首次萎缩，固定资产投资收缩幅度也超过预期。不过，全球人工智能投资热潮推动出口强劲增长，进而拉动工业生产。

越来越多的经济学家预计，即便经济增速放缓，中国央行今年也将维持利率不变。彭博社本月早些时候对33位经济学家的调查结果显示，略超半数的受访者预计中国央行今年将按兵不动，其余受访者预计年底前会小幅降息。

New York congressional primary becomes second most expensive House race ever amid AI fight

June 24, 2026 6:59pm EDT / Fox News

Rival AI factions spent tens of millions backing opposing candidates in the race to replace longtime Rep Jerry Nadler

By Bonny Chu

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on FoxNews.com.

The primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District has emerged as the second-most expensive House primary race on record after becoming a high-stakes proxy battle over artificial intelligence (AI) regulation.

The race — which covers Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Midtown — saw a staggering $26.3 million in ad spending, according to AdImpact Politics.

Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District between Thomas Massie and Ed Gallrein, held this year, reportedly ranked first with $33.2 million in ad spending.

Election results showed Micah Lasher, a strong advocate for stricter AI regulations, defeating state Rep. Alex Bores, a tech expert who campaigned heavily on safety concerns.

DEM LAWMAKERS CRY FOUL AS HOCHUL GUTS AI SAFETY BILL AMID BIG TECH PRESSURE

State Assembly member Alex Bores (D-NY) is surrounded by supporters at his watch party at The Freehand Hotel after conceding the congressional race to Micah Lasher on June 23, 2026 in New York City.(Laura Brett/Getty Images)

The contest was decided by a narrow margin, with Lasher securing 39% of the vote and Bores receiving 35% as they competed to replace longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Bores, a former data scientist at Palantir who holds a master’s degree in computer science, became a key target in the broader fight between competing factions of the AI industry.

AI-BACKED SUPER PAC EXPANDS INTO MULTIPLE GOP PRIMARIES AFTER CLAIMING EARLY WINS

State Representative Micah Lasher, a Democrat from New York and US House candidate, during a primary election night watch party in New York, US, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.(John Lamparski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

According to AdImpact Politics, $9.3 million was spent supporting Bores, who also faced the largest share of attack ad spending, with $3.6 million in negative ads targeting him.

Beyond ad spending, the Silicon Valley-backed super PAC Leading the Future spent more than $8 million opposing Bores’ nomination in an effort to keep tech-skeptical lawmakers out of Washington, according to the Hill.

The group is funded by major tech figures including OpenAI President Greg Brockman and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.

Meanwhile, multiple AI safety groups spent more than $20 million backing Bores, the Hill reported, highlighting the deep divide within the tech community over how aggressively the government should regulate artificial intelligence.

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Campaign signage for State Rep. Micah Lasher is displayed during a primary election in New York on June 23, 2026.(John Lamparski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Lasher received $8.6 million in support spending, while $1.6 million was spent on attack ads targeting him, according to AdImpact Politics.

Beyond the AI policy battle, billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg poured millions of his own money to support Lasher’s campaign, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) documents.

Bonny Chu is a Breaking and Trending News Writer for Fox News Digital

Appeals court rejects Trump administration’s effort to get Michigan’s sensitive voter information

June 24, 2026 / 4:04 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — A divided federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that the Justice Department is not entitled to Michigan’s voter registration list containing sensitive information from voters in the state.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit is now the first appeals court to weigh in on the Trump administration’s efforts to obtain the unredacted voter rolls from more than two dozen states. At issue in the case decided by the 6th Circuit is the Justice Department’s demand for the information from Michigan.

In a 2-1 decision, the 6th Circuit said a provision of federal civil rights law does not entitle the government to Michigan’s voter registration list, which contains the names, birth dates, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers of all registered voters in the state, among other information.

That 1960 law, Judge Andre Mathis wrote, gave the government “power to ensure that everyone who had the right to vote could freely exercise that right. But today, the government invokes Title III for an inverse purpose — to ensure that some people have not voted.” He was joined in the majority by Judge Guy Cole Jr. Judge John Nalbandian dissented.

The Justice Department first asked nearly every state and the District of Columbia for copies of their statewide voter registration lists last summer and said the information was needed to ensure compliance with list-maintenance requirements of two federal voting laws, the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.

After Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, as well as officials from 30 states and D.C., refused to hand over the unredacted voter rolls, the Justice Department sued the states and sought court orders requiring them to turn over the information. Benson did provide the government with the public version of Michigan’s voter registration list, but argued the government did not have the authority to demand confidential voter information.

So far, nine district courts have dismissed the lawsuits filed against the states, including the Justice Department’s case in Michigan. In that court fight, U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou said the federal laws cited by the Trump administration do not allow it to obtain the voting records and warned that interpreting the National Voter Registration Act to require the disclosure of private information submitted for voter registration “would potentially cause the statute to impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote guaranteed by the First Amendment.”

Jarbou was appointed to the federal bench by Mr. Trump in his first term.

The 6th Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling, with the two judges in the majority agreeing that “Title III’s narrow text cannot withstand the weight of the government’s broad request.”

Since Mr. Trump took office for his second term, his administration has undertaken sweeping efforts to overhaul U.S. elections as Republicans fight to maintain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. The president has signed two executive orders that sought to impose new requirements for mail ballots and voter registration, but they have come under scrutiny in the courts.

Earlier Wednesday, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled key provisions of the directive signed by Mr. Trump last year were unconstitutional and permanently blocked their implementation nationwide. One of the measures sought to require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, while another imposed conditions on federal funds to specific states not counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day.

Senior US General in Europe set to retire amid Hegseth’s review of US support for NATO allies

2026-06-24T22:00:01.759Z / https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/24/politics/donahue-hegseth-europe-retirement

A highly respected four-star Army general is stepping down from his post commanding soldiers in Europe and is slated to retire as he has thus far not been nominated for a new job consistent with his rank by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, multiple sources told CNN.

Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of US Army Europe and Africa, is relinquishing command on July 2, a US Army spokeswoman confirmed to CNN. A source familiar said Donahue’s stepping down has been in conversation for at least two months and said it was not an abrupt decision.

Donahue’s exit from the command coincides with the planned decision to lower the required rank for its chief from a four-star general to a three-star general and a series of moves by Hegseth to alter the US footprint in Europe.

Multiple sources told CNN that there has been tension between the Hegseth’s office and Donahue’s command, though not necessarily directly between the two men. Any high-profile publicity the Army received in Europe – even when generally positive or seemingly on-message with Hegseth’s priorities – “was not well received,” the second source familiar said.

Two sources familiar with the matter said Hegseth’s office has been critical of Donahue for some time. One of the sources said he has been labeled unfairly by some as an acolyte of retired Gen. Mark Milley, who has drawn intense ire from President Donald Trump, Hegseth, and some key figures in right-wing media, though the source said Donahue has retained plenty of support in the MAGA universe, particularly among those with special operations backgrounds.

Donahue has commanded the Army’s elite Delta Force and served in various other special operations units throughout his career. Before taking over US Army Europe and Africa, Donahue commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and then the 18th Airborne Corps out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina — two jobs typically reserved for promising senior Army officers.

There has also been some thinking from conservatives and officials around Hegseth that Donahue was responsible for the Afghanistan withdrawal, because he was commanding the 82nd Airborne Division at the time, which responded to the crisis in Kabul. Donahue was famously captured on camera walking off the tarmac and onto the last US aircraft leaving Kabul at the end of the chaotic withdrawal and dubbed the last US service member in Afghanistan.

One of the sources familiar likened placing the blame on Donahue to “blaming the fire department for showing up to the fire.”

Donahue declined to comment for this story through a command spokesperson. The Office of the Secretary of Defense directed questions to the Army.

Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith confirmed that Donahue was stepping down from command in July.

“The Army thanks Gen. Donahue for his leadership of US Army Europe and Africa.”

While Donahue has submitted his paperwork to retire, the sources familiar with his departure from US Army Europe and Africa said the Army has not yet made a final determination on whether to approve the retirement, meaning he could still be nominated to another position. The two sources familiar and a congressional aide said Donahue is still believed to be in the running for other four-star jobs, including chief of staff of the Army.

Several of the sources said other four-star positions, including commander of US Army Transformation and Training Command in Austin, Texas, or commander of a new unmanned systems command, were also being considered by the Pentagon.

Donahue’s deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will perform the duties of US Army Europe and Africa commanding general until a permanent replacement is nominated, the US official said. Donahue will also relinquish command as the Allied Land Forces commander in a ceremony in Turkey on July 9, according to US Army Col. Martin O’Donnell, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe spokesperson. British Army Lt. Gen. Jez Bennett will serve as the acting commander until another American is assigned to the three-star role.

Donahue has long been rumored as a choice to eventually take over as the Army chief of staff, the top uniformed position for the service, though Hegseth has recently elevated his former senior military assistant Gen. Chris LaNeve to the role in an acting capacity, after firing Gen. Randy George. Hegseth’s selection of LaNeve over Donahue has rankled some of the military’s joint chiefs, the two sources familiar said.

“You spend your whole career being apolitical and doing the best job you can under civilian leadership that may or may not agree with you, only to watch the SecDef elevate people who have successfully sucked up to him — I imagine that feels like it cheapens their achievements,” one of the sources said.

Donahue is not expected to officially retire for roughly two months, sources told CNN, leaving time for Hegseth to select him for a new job. Upon Donahue’s departure, US Army Europe and Africa will transition to a three-star command. And while the transition has been anticipated for roughly a year, the change comes amid several other changes to the US military’s footprint in Europe, as the Trump administration has suggested that European countries should take primary responsibility for the defense of the continent.

In May, two US deployments to Europe were abruptly cancelled by Hegseth following criticism by Trump about support from European allies. The move received harsh backlash from members of Congress from both parties, who criticized the Defense Department for not communicating with lawmakers or European allies who would be impacted. Days later, Trump appeared to somewhat reverse course, saying the US would send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, after previously saying he would pull 5,000 troops from Germany. It’s still unclear what that change will look like in terms of which units are moved where.

The US military is also expecting to see another three-star US command, Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, or SAG-U, get shut down, though the move has not yet been finalized. Two of the sources familiar and the congressional aide said the functions of the command would still exist to some extent and be taken over by other groups but the closure of SAG-U — established in 2022 — will also see the reassignment of roughly 300 personnel.

And just a week ago, Hegseth indicated more changes could be coming, announcing a six-month review of US forces in Europe while speaking at a NATO meeting in Brussels.

“It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors,” Hegseth said.

Davis Winkie’s work at CNN is supported by a partnership between Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners (JFP). CNN retains full editorial control of the reporting.

王毅：美伊绝不能重燃战火

2026年6月25日 07:38 / 联合早报

5月30日，从阿曼穆桑达姆（Musandam）拍摄的无人机照片显示，很多船只停泊在霍尔木兹海峡。 （路透社）

中共中央政治局委员、外交部长王毅说，美国和伊朗要巩固全面停火止战局面，绝不能重燃战火。

据中新社报道，王毅星期三（6月24日）晚应约同巴基斯坦副总理兼外长达尔通电话。

达尔通报了伊朗与美国开启新阶段谈判有关情况，感谢中方始终坚定支持巴方和平斡旋努力，巴方期待同中方继续密切协调配合，共同为实现地区持久和平稳定发挥建设性作用。

王毅感谢巴方第一时间通报伊美新阶段谈判情况，表示伊美签署谅备是国际社会共同努力的结果，巴基斯坦在其中发挥了关键和独特作用。和平进程刚刚开始，今后还有很长甚至曲折艰难的路要走。但中方将一如既往支持巴基斯坦和志同道合的国家继续发挥建设性作用，愿同巴方保持密切沟通协调。

王毅说，下阶段应重点做好三件事。一是巩固全面停火止战局面，绝不能重燃战火。伊美谅备符合伊朗根本和长远利益，也符合国际社会普遍期待。中方愿同各方一起坚定支持谈判排除干扰推进下去。

二是尽快恢复霍尔木兹海峡正常通航，确保全球产供链稳定。海峡的安排既要尊重沿岸国主权和合法权益，也要符合国际惯例和各国共同愿望。

三是支持中东国家尽快改善彼此关系，探讨新的地区安全架构。包括海湾在内的中东地区不能再成为大国博弈角斗场和地缘政治牺牲品，地区国家应坚持真正的战略自主，把命运切实掌握在自己手中。中东问题的症结仍是巴勒斯坦问题，中方呼吁地区各国在解决巴勒斯坦问题上形成更加一致的声音，采取更加协调的行动，尽早落实“两国方案”，实现地区长治久安。

美国总统特朗普警告，如果伊朗向通过霍尔木兹海峡的船只收取通行费或其他任何费用，他将终止与伊朗的和平谈判。伊朗和阿曼此前宣布，将共同研究对这条运输要道的管理与收费机制。

美国总统特朗普周三警告，如果伊朗向通过霍尔木兹海峡的船只收取通行费或其他任何费用，他将终止与伊朗的和平谈判。伊朗和阿曼此前宣布，将共同研究对这条运输要道的管理与收费机制。