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Trump announces ‘historic’ US-Venezuela oil deal that he says will lower gas prices

August 29, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that the U.S. and Venezuela have reached a “historic” oil deal that he said would give the U.S. a majority control of billions of barrels of oil reserves in the Caribbean country and lower gas prices for Americans.

In a social media post, Trump called it “THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY” and said it would provide majority U.S. control of more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in Venezuela.

The president claimed that the deal will serve to “substantially lower” gas prices for Americans “long into the future.”

The announcement comes as oil and gas prices continue to surge amid the Iran war, which reached the six-month mark on Friday.

“At my direction, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, working closely with Highly Respected Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, and, through a partnership with private business, have secured majority U.S. control of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven Oil Reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American Taxpayer,” Trump said in the post.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the deal told ABC News that the U.S. will have a 55% share in a joint venture with a private Venezuelan company, which will be split between equity ownership and production.

This creates the “second-largest private oil company by reserves in the world,” the official added.

The interim Venezuelan president granted the private company a 100-year lease for oil fields totaling 65 billion barrels of proven reserves, the official said.

In a statement in English posted on social media, Rodriguez hailed the agreement with the U.S. and said it would “have a significant impact on our nation’s revival.”

The U.S. official said the supply of at-cost oil produced from this company will help fill the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and also benefit the U.S. military.

The deal was negotiated by the Defense Department and State Department, according to the official.

Venezuela has been beset by economic crises for years and suffered two powerful back-to-back earthquakes in June that left more than 6,000 people dead.

Rodriguez thanked Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said the agreement represents a “historic milestone” in relations between the two countries.

“The agreement will allow for a significant increase in oil production with the participation of private operators,” Rodriguez said in the statement, saying the deal calls for the development of 17 strategic fields, with a proven potential of 65 billion barrels of oil, and an investment of more than $100 billion, and more than $209 billion in tax revenue.

“Venezuela is thus ushering in a new era of recovery, growth, production, security, and prosperity for our people,” she said in the post.

Venezuela is recognized as holding the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

Chevron, the only U.S. oil company currently operating in Venezuela, declined to comment on the president’s post.

Trump also said the deal would “greatly strengthen” the relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela.

In January, the U.S. carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture then-President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and bring them to the U.S. to face charges including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.

Maduro and his wife, who have pleaded not guilty, are set to go on trial in New York City, in 2027.

In a social media post, Rubio called the deal a “huge win” for both the U.S. and Venezuela.

“It demonstrates how President Trump’s bold foreign policy is driving America First wins: securing stable reserves and low-cost oil in our Hemisphere and lowering gas prices here at home,” Rubio said in the post. “For the Venezuelan people, this deal will bring nearly $100 billion in private investment, support thousands of high-paying jobs, and drive the reconstruction of Venezuela’s economy.”

Hundreds dead as over 3,000 remain missing in massive Nepal-Tibet flood

August 29, 2026 by WDNY Radio

LONDON — The death toll continues to climb days after massive flash flooding obliterated parts of the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, with at least 682 bodies recovered across the region and over 3,000 people missing, authorities said Saturday.

As search and rescue efforts continued in Nepal on Saturday, authorities said at least 7,514 people had been rescued, including 227 foreign nationals, according to the Nepal National Disaster Management Authority.

At least 219 injured people have received treatment or have been discharged as of Saturday, according to the disaster management authority.

In Nepal, 675 people have been reported dead and 2,498 others remain missing, according to the Nepal National Disaster Management Authority.

In the Chinese region of Tibet, seven people have been reported dead and 554 others have been reported missing, according to China state news agency Xinhua.

Among the missing are 90 Americans as of Friday, according to a State Department spokesperson. The department confirmed Friday that five Americans had been evacuated, up from three on Thursday.

The number of people considered missing has fluctuated significantly as recovery efforts have accelerated.

The flooding, captured in dramatic video footage, occurred in the northern Rasuwa district along the border with Tibet at around 8:40 a.m. local time Wednesday, authorities said. The flooding inundated areas along the Trishuli River, burying some buildings and damaging bridges and roadways.

The deadly wall of water that descended from the mountains on the border between Nepal and Tibet caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver from the border in Nepal, an ABC News analysis of verified video and satellite images shows.

The flood was reportedly triggered by a landslide about 12 miles northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border post along the Nepal-China frontier, according to Nepal Disaster Management.

A 5.2-magnitude landslide was registered in Nepal on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The seismic activity from the landslide was initially erroneously reported as a 4.4-magnitude earthquake, the agency said. It is unclear what triggered the landslide.

A geophysicist at Columbia University in New York told ABC News it appeared a landslide in the Himalayas took away a large glacier, or parts of one, in the mountain pass.

The initial location of the glacier was a cliff about 16,000 feet high. The debris avalanche, or landslide, slid down 6,000 feet on the slope, the USGS said.

While it will take time to determine how severe the landslide was, the USGS estimated that more than 100 million cubic meters of ice, rock and debris were displaced in the event, Ben Mirus, a research geologist with the agency, said Thursday.

Siddarth Venkatachalam, 30, told ABC News he had spoken to his mother just two or three hours before she went missing in the floods, as it was her birthday. Venkatachalam’s mother was on a trip with his father and aunt, who are also among the Americans missing in Nepal.

“They were like excited for this trip,” Venkatachalam said, visibly in shock. “It was like a spiritual, religious like trek they’d been looking forward to and preparing for.”

The family said the three were located with Life360 on a bridge on the Tibetan border just before the flood.

In a statement, Nepal’s Office of the Prime Minister expressed “deep sorrow” over the loss of life.

“Offering heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in this natural disaster, it extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and relatives,” the statement shared on social media said.

Meanwhile, the Nepali government on Thursday established an “Emergency Control Room … to facilitate search, rescue, information verification and consular assistance in respect of foreign nationals affected by, missing in, or otherwise connected to the flood incident,” according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

U.S. President Donald Trump was asked about the Americans currently impacted by the deadly Nepal floods in the Oval Office Thursday. He called the disaster a “terrible thing” and said the U.S. is in active communication with Nepal’s leadership and has offered to provide as much aid as necessary.

“That’s a terrible thing. No, we are sending aid, and we’ve spoken to the leadership, and we let them know anything they want will happen,” Trump said.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposes renaming Nashville airport after Dolly Parton

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NASHVILLE) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee wants to honor Dolly Parton in a big way.

Lee said he spoke with Parton’s team about renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly, which would create “a lasting tribute to her indelible legacy and the generations of people she inspired across Tennessee and around the world.”

Parton’s team “expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly,” according to Lee, and they are “touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.”

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Gov. Lee said in a statement. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her. At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”

Lee’s proposal will be addressed at the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s meeting on Sept. 17.

MNAA President Doug Kreulen said in a statement, “Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life. She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status.”

Kreulen added, “At BNA, we share that commitment. Whether you are boarding a private aircraft or taking your first flight, you deserve to be welcomed, respected and served with the same level of care. That spirit is what defines BNA and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.”

A change.org petition created by Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion in January 2025 to rename the airport after Parton has received tens of thousands of additional supporters since her death on Aug. 25. Since it was created, it has received more than 155,000 signatures.

The petition calls on Lee and Tennessee lawmakers Todd Warner, Bob Freeman and Fred Atchley to make the change.

Warner shared a response to the petition on Wednesday, writing, “Yes I will definitely introduce legislation to rename the BNA airport Dolly Parton International Airport! Thanks, TW.”

Marine One loses communication with air traffic controllers again

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Presidential helicopter Marine One lost communication with air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport for the second time this month, according to audio reviewed by ABC News.

The incident occurred on Thursday, just one hour after federal officials released a report saying the problem was fixed.

President Donald Trump was about to take off from the White House Ellipse when Marine One pilots gave a three-minute warning to controllers, but in air traffic control audio another helicopter can be heard relaying the information to the tower after controllers failed to respond.

Moments later, a controller can be heard saying she did not hear anything from Marine One.

“Marine One is trying to reach you. Three minutes to lift,” a nearby helicopter pilot said to the tower.

“Oh I couldn’t hear any of that. Thank you,” a controller responded.

A few minutes later, Marine One tried to contact the tower two more times, but the controller didn’t hear the transmission and asked another chopper in the air if they can hear Marine One.

“Hey Nighthawk 8, do me a favor, I can’t hear Marine One,” the controller said. If you hear Marine One can you let me know?”

Once Marine One lifted off from the Ellipse, it regained communication ability with the tower and proceeded to take Trump to Joint Base Andrews, where he boarded Air Force One.

A similar incident happened on Aug. 4, when Marine One took off at the same time an American Airlines regional jet was lifting off from nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

The two aircraft came within .82 miles and 700 feet vertically, but were not on a collision course. Normally all air traffic is held until the president’s helicopter is out of the area.

FAA rules require that commercial aircraft maintain a minimum of 1.5 miles horizontal separation and 500 feet vertical separation from any helicopter passing near DCA.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. FAA engineers determined that a radio transmitter did not allow line of sight to Marine One’s temporary landing area on the White House Ellipse. The temporary landing zone is being used while White House construction takes place on the South Lawn.

The FAA moved the transmitter to the top of the control tower at Reagan National Airport from a local residential area. Tests conducted following the move showed Marine One had no further communication issues, according to the NTSB report released Thursday.

The FAA released a statement to ABC News, but did not explain how this happened again.

“The FAA took immediate action following the Aug. 4 incident involving Marine One, including relocating an antenna to improve communications between DCA air traffic controllers and Marine One pilots and reviewing the procedures involved,” the agency said. “The three-minute notification was communicated by alternate means, acknowledged by a controller and positive contact was established with Marine One before takeoff.”

The NTSB continues to lead this investigation.

Judge rejects President Trump’s attempt to move his criminal hush money case to federal court

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — For a second time, a federal judge on Friday rejected President Trump’s attempt to move his criminal hush money case to federal court, where his conviction could be vacated.

“The grounds for a second removal cited by Defendant, Donald J. Trump, are neither new nor legally sufficient. He has failed to show good cause and diligence,” Judge Alvin Hellerstein decided.

Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. He is appealing his conviction.

A federal appeals court ordered Hellerstein to take a second look at Trump’s attempt to move the case from state to federal court after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark immunity opinion.

“I reaffirm my former decision. The president’s motion is denied,” Hellerstein said.

Trump has argued the Supreme Court’s controversial 2024 presidential immunity decision, which established sweeping protection from prosecution for “official acts,” made some of the evidence and testimony from the prosecution’s case off-limits.

Fed’s Warsh: ‘We have work to do’ on inflation

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — In a highly anticipated speech Friday morning, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh voiced concern about persistently high inflation, saying the central bank should focus on bringing down prices — but stopped short of explicitly calling for an interest rate hike.

“We must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do,” Warsh said in remarks prepared for delivery at the Fed’s annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The remarks signaled a strong commitment by the newly installed Fed chair to fight inflation.

Inflation eased slightly in July, the most recent month on record, but has spiked in recent months fueled by higher oil prices from the Middle East crisis. Overall prices have been increasing at a pace above the Fed’s 2% target for more than five years, which Warsh said is a responsibility that lies “squarely” with the central bank.

“The Fed’s predominant focus right now should be on prices,” said Warsh, who is in his third month in the role after replacing Jerome Powell.

Typically the Fed hikes interest rates to tame high prices. Warsh did not directly comment on the central bank’s interest rate plans, noting the practice of “forward guidance” — where the Fed telegraphs its next moves in advance — “should be limited” and “has overstayed its welcome.”

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on the Fed to cut interest rates.

Investors are now pricing in a roughly 60% chance the Fed increases its key borrowing rate next month, up from 35% Thursday ahead of Warsh’s speech, according to CME FedWatch.

“We believe that markets heard what they needed to hear to believe that Warsh will tighten monetary conditions to restrain inflation, and that he will encourage the FOMC to pull the trigger soon,” said Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, in a research note after Warsh’s speech.

Warsh said Friday that he is “impressed by the overall performance of the economy, which appears to have strengthened.” He pointed to solid consumer spending and a steady job market. But Warsh noted that certain sectors of the economy like housing and agriculture “are showing strains.”

He also detailed how artificial intelligence is reshaping the economy, with more than half of capital expenditure growth this year so far attributed to the buildout of AI.

“We’ve come to a hinge point in history,” Warsh said.

Trump signs proclamation to pause some beef tariffs despite backlash from farmers, GOP

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump has formally signed a proclamation temporarily lifting tariffs on some foreign imports of beef beginning Sept. 1, despite the firestorm of backlash he has received from farmers and Republican lawmakers over the action.

This action only applies to lean beef trimmings “to combine with U.S. beef” for ground beef, the White House said. These meat parts already entered the U.S. at a low tariff, but this action expands the amount to 300,000 metric tons.

The proclamation does not specify any countries by name that this action applies to — something the administration has been tight-lipped about.

On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was asked in an interview where the U.S. is importing this beef from.

“I am actually not part of any of those conversations, so I am not sure what that looks like,” she said, deferring to the U.S. Trade Representative.

But the proclamation does specify that it does not apply to countries with existing country-specific beef quotas, and it does not modify preexisting beef commitments for countries with a free trade agreement with the U.S.

The proclamation said the temporary tariff pause “encourages” beef to be sold at a 25% discount. Trump suggested the possibility of ending the action early if the companies do not follow through in lowering the price of beef.

“If the action taken in this proclamation does not result in a lower sale price of imported ground beef, I may end the action taken in this proclamation in order to, among other things, prevent a windfall to foreign producers,” he wrote in the proclamation.

The president initially announced this move last Friday, touting it as an effort to lower beef prices in the U.S. This comes as midterm elections are around the corner, with grocery prices top of mind for voters. But it prompted swift backlash from farmers, ranchers and Republican lawmakers who argue that it hurts the domestic agriculture industry and undercuts American beef production.

Montana Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy criticized the administration’s decision and said he even advised the president against it.

“I’ve advised President Trump against this course of action for a year because American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades, and this will further harm them – most of whom are MAGA Republicans,” Sen. Sheehy posted on social media.

Wyoming Republican Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso also expressed his disapproval for the plan, saying on social media that “Americans want US beef on the table – not foreign imports.”

“It needs to be easier – not harder – for Wyoming ranchers to feed America. I will continue to fight for policies that strengthen Wyoming beef producers and invest in the American cattle herd,” he added.

In addition to this proclamation, the Trump administration is considering a rollout of separate policy changes sought by the beef industry in an attempt to allay some criticism from ranchers and Republican lawmakers, a source familiar with the discussions told ABC News.

The administration has repeatedly stressed that this beef import plan is short term and will only be in effect for 90 days, which will not officially begin until Sept. 1.

The 300,000 metric tons of imported lean beef trimmings that are facing tariff relief are expected to be delivered in three 30-day tranches.

ABC News’ Soo Youn contributed to this report.

Judge approves Bank of America’s $72 million settlement with Epstein accusers

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Judge approves Bank of America’s million settlement with Epstein accusers

Judge approves Bank of America’s $72 million settlement with Epstein accusers — Jeffrey Epstein in a photo released by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice. (New York State Sex Offender Registry)

(NEW YORK) — A federal judge approved the $72.5 million settlement between Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and Bank of America, the third financial institution to publicly reach such a settlement.

“The settlement class has been properly served,” Judge Jed Rakoff decided Thursday.

The women, suing collectively under the pseudonym Jane Doe, accused Bank of America of ignoring suspicious transactions by Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Bank America agreed to settle the lawsuit in March while still insisting it did not facilitate Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes.

Among the transactions the plaintiffs alleged were suspicious were payments to Epstein by Leon Black, who stepped down as chief executive of Apollo Global Management after an independent review commissioned by the company found he paid Epstein $158 million for estate planning.

Black previously said that his relationship with Epstein, which he said involved “professional services” for estate planning, tax and philanthropic advice, had been “a horrible mistake.” He has denied involvement or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and said any suggestion of his involvement in “Epstein’s reprehensible conduct is categorically untrue.”

The same Jane Doe plaintiffs reached similar settlements with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, but their claim against Bank of New York Mellon was dismissed. The court in the BNY Mellon case concluded that the plaintiffs’ complaint had failed to adequately allege that the bank had civil liability under the Trafficking Victims’ Protection Act or that the bank had obstructed investigations of Epstein.

Bank of America had previously sought dismissal of the case, contending that the lawsuit was an attempt to “radically expand liability for banks” for providing “routine services to customers who at the time had no known connection to Epstein’s sex trafficking.”

The bank denies “each and all of the claims and contentions” in the lawsuit, according to court documents.

“While we stand by our prior statements made in the filings in this case, including that Bank of America did not facilitate sex trafficking crimes, this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs,” a Bank of America spokesperson told ABC News.

An attorney for the accusers previously called the proposed settlement “one more step on the road to much-deserved justice.”

DOJ says no action to add Trump’s name to Kennedy Center before October

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department notified a federal judge Thursday night the Kennedy Center will delay implementation of its board’s resolution honoring President Donald Trump for more than a month.

In a filing late Thursday, the DOJ said the effort to add Trump’s name to the facade and plaza will “not be effectuated before October 8, 2026.”

The Trump administration’s filing came following a two-hour hearing Thursday during which U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper urged the center to delay its plans to give him more time to consider his decision.

The hearing Thursday featured the lead attorney for Ohio Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who sits on the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees as an ex-officio member, repeatedly accusing the Kennedy Center board of thumbing its nose at the court by voting to honor Trump after Cooper ordered his name off the building in a decision earlier this year.

“I don’t say this lightly,” said attorney Nathaniel Zelinsky. “We view this as outright defiance.”

“Are they attempting a renaming?” Zelinsky asked. “Absolutely, yes. They are doing the same thing they were told they couldn’t do before.”

Cooper did not signal at the hearing that he necessarily agreed. Nor did he leap at the chance to issue an order stopping the board from immediately moving forward with its plans to honor Trump as the man who “renovated and restored” the center.

Instead, he used the hearing to probe both sides on the legality of the board’s move earlier this month to again add Trump’s name to the famed cultural institution.

Cooper seemed to grapple with whether the renaming of the plaza after Trump violates a 1983 law blocking “additional memorials” in the center’s “public areas.”

“Could a plaza just outside the building be considered the ‘public area’ of the building?” Cooper asked Zelinsky.

Zelinsky pointed to the Justice Department’s most recent filing in the case, in which administration lawyers said the board’s intent was to rename “the complex” after Trump.

But the administration’s lawyer insisted the Kennedy Center would continue to exist as a memorial to John F. Kennedy.

“There is no renaming here,” said Justice Department attorney Brantley Mayers. “The board has not taken any action to rename.”

Mayers also said there was “no evidence” that the move to add Trump’s name back onto the building is imminent, even as he said it was “clear that recognizing the president will help address both the financial and structural issues” he said the center faces.

Cooper shrugged off the bluster of the Trump administration’s most recent filing, which suggested the performing arts center could face demolition in the event he issued an order permanently blocking President Donald Trump’s push to renovate the facility with additions intended to recognize Trump personally.

“That may be great atmospherics,” Cooper told Mayers. “But I gotta say, the first four of five pages of your brief seem to be a non-sequitur. We’re here to discuss whether the board’s resolution was consistent with my order and consistent with the statutes.”

Cooper said he’ll need to take some time to “give the issues the attention they deserve” and asked the DOJ to delay any plans to give him time to rule.

Cooper suggested he might impose an order keeping the status quo if center management didn’t go along.

Zelinsky had asked the judge to act more urgently, pointing to the “overnight” move to add Trump’s name to the center following a similar vote by the board earlier this year.

“They don’t contest that the last time they did this, they ruined the marble,” Zelinsky said. “Talk about an irreparable injury! They’ve drilled into it and they’re going to be poised to do that again.”

Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration’s attempt to restrict mail-in voting

August 28, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Thursday night blocked the Trump administration from implementing key provisions of a new rule restricting mail-in voting.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary order preventing the United States Postal Service from increasing its oversight of mail-in voting, following an executive order from President Donald Trump that would effectively employ the Postal Service as the primary enforcer of mail-voter eligibility.

Talwani blocked the newly finalized rule for at least 14 days.

The same judge had previously blocked Trump’s executive order but lifted that decision on Wednesday after the Supreme Court ruled Monday she had initially acted too quickly.

With the judge’s latest order, it is likely the legal battle over the USPS rules will eventually make its way back to the Supreme Court.

Dozens of Democratic state attorneys general sued the Trump administration over the USPS directive in April, arguing it is unconstitutional since states — not the federal government — have primary authority for administering elections.

The Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision ruled Monday that the states lacked standing to challenge Trump’s order at that stage since nothing had formally impacted how they will administer elections, but the high court did not weigh in on the legality of Trump’s order.

The judge’s order Thursday comes after state attorneys general brought a new challenge after USPS published a finalized rule governing steps states must take to print ballots to be carried and tracked by mail carriers.

In her order Thursday pausing the now finalized USPS plan, the judge wrote: “Plaintiff States face irreparable harm where they are required to comply with a likely unconstitutional regulation for which compliance is practically impossible as to the 2026 midterm elections, now little more than two months away,” she wrote.

The new rules finalized by the USPS last week add verification requirements to all mail-in ballots, falling short of Trump’s expectations but providing additional scrutiny.

Under the proposed change, states would be required to collect and report basic voter information, such as a voter’s name and home address, attached to a unique barcode on every mail-in ballot distributed. Currently, there is no standardized requirement or method for states to track this information, instead letting each state independently decide how its mail-in voting system operates.

State election authorities would then be required to input this information into a “federal ballot mail portal” before the ballot is accepted into the mail stream.

The USPS said it would not deliver ballots to any state not in compliance with these changes.

In a statement Thursday night, New York Attorney General Letitia James said: “This rule is a clear attempt by the federal government to interfere in elections it has no power to control. Today, a federal court halted it before this administration could wreak havoc on our elections. The USPS does not have the authority to decide who can and cannot vote by mail. My office will keep fighting to ensure this rule cannot disrupt our midterm elections.”

Trump issued an executive order in March seeking to restrict mail-in voting, directing the Department of Homeland Security to build a federal citizenship list and give it to the states; the Department of Justice to target state officials who give ballots to noncitizens; and the USPS to direct states to abide by certain mail-ballot design and tracking requirements.

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