Luigi Mangione attends a pretrial appearance at Manhattan Criminal Court on Aug. 11, 2026, in New York City. (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A judge in New York on Monday gave prosecutors at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office until Oct. 9 to respond to Luigi Mangione’s motion to dismiss his state murder indictment, effectively meaning that Mangione’s state murder trial — which had been set to begin on Sept. 8 — is adjourned.
On Friday, Mangione pleaded guilty to both federal stalking counts in his federal case and admitted to shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
Immediately following Mangione’s guilty plea, his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the charges he’s facing in state court under New York’s double jeopardy law.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
US Marine Corps participate in the annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle Exercise at Rodriguez Range on March 10, 2009, in Paju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, citing his “very good” relationship with North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
“Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” he said.
Trump said the exercises send “inappropriate and hostile” signals to North Korea, a country he says has been “unthreatening and respectful” towards America during his presidency.
The annual U.S.-South Korea Ulchi Freedom Shield began on Monday. An official from the South Korean Ministry of Defense told ABC News that the military exercise now underway “will be carried on as planned.”
South Korea is a longtime U.S. ally and hosts roughly 28,500 American troops. The U.S. presence on the peninsula has traditionally been intended to prevent a resumption of cross-border hostilities, with the Korean War of 1950-1953 having never officially ended.
In 2006, North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon and has since been expanding its atomic weapons stockpile — despite international condemnation and sanctions led by successive U.S. administrations — alongside a ballistic missile research program which has produced munitions capable of reaching the continental U.S.
In recent decades, the U.S. presence in South Korea has also become an important point of leverage in the strategic contest between Washington and Beijing, the latter having long served as Pyongyang’s prime patron.
Trump’s announcement came after North Korea on Friday threatened a strong response against the U.S. and South Korea in response to the planned drills.
In his post to social media, Trump also cited South Korea’s refusal to join the U.S. military effort against — and “denuclearization” of — Iran, though said the issue was “somewhat unrelated (?)” to his decision to scale back the U.S.-South Korean drills.
In response to Trump’s statement, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ABC News it hoped the “friendly relationship between the leaders of the United States and North Korea will lead to meaningful dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang and pave the way for discussions aimed at advancing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
“The South Korean government has actively participated from the outset in international discussions aimed at securing a ceasefire in Iran and restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry added.
Trump has long lauded his relationship with Kim, though the president’s first term began with an extended period of tensions that saw Trump repeatedly refer to Kim as “little rocket man” and threaten Pyongyang with “fire and fury.”
But the discord gave way to a detente that saw Trump and Kim meet in person three times in 2018 and 2019 — first in Singapore, then in Vietnam and later in the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.
But despite seemingly improved ties and the in-person meetings, Trump failed to achieve his stated goal of North Korean denuclearization.
Since talks with Trump broke down in 2019, Pyongyang has maintained a steady rhythm of ballistic missile tests. Earlier this month and with the U.S.-South Korea military drills approaching, North Korea conducted two ballistic missile launches in quick succession.
Recent years have also seen North Korea pull closer to both Russia and Iran, putting Pyongyang in opposition to the U.S. and its allies in the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow-Pyongyang ties have reached an “unprecedented level of comprehensive strategic partnership.”
ABC News’ Joohee Cho and Hakyung Kate Lee contributed to this report.
The NASDAQ display in Times Square is seen as the $1.5B partnership between World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and ALT5 Sigma is marked with with the ringing of the NASDAQ opening bell by Eric Trump, the newly appointed ALT5 Board Director of World Liberty Financial, on August 13, 2025 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A Trump-appointed national bank regulator granted a wing of the Trump family’s crypto business conditional approval to establish a bank charter, opening the door for larger clients and potentially heightened profits.
The decision marks the first time in U.S. history that a company owned by the sitting president’s family has been granted bank status, as Democratic lawmakers express concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
In a letter published Friday, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted World Liberty Trust Co., an organization that is 38% owned by “an entity affiliated with Donald J. Trump and certain of his family members,” according to its website, the ability to issue stablecoin cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar.
World Liberty Financial, the listed sponsor of the conditionally approved trust, has previously relied on a third-party crypto company, BitGo, to provide a stable digital currency. Friday’s approval allows the Trump family’s business to cut out the middleman and provide the service directly.
Digital currencies, like Bitcoin, are historically volatile and therefore less appealing for entities making large transactions.
Crypto tied to more stable values, like the U.S. dollar or the price of gold, can be more attractive to big spenders and can be “marketed for use as a means of making payments, transmitting money, or storing value,” according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The decision allows the Trump-linked business to act as a bank, issuing digital currency to clients for transactions. Clients would exchange the U.S. dollar for the stablecoin, with profits going directly to the Trump family’s crypto business.
The president’s family has seen extensive profit from World Liberty Financial, securing around $5 billion in the company’s first days after going public, according to the token’s value at the time, with major investments from individuals and foreign nations continuing to fuel the company’s value.
Trump himself has made more than $1.4 billion in business revenue from his family’s crypto ventures, according to his released financial disclosures.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly has maintained that the president “only acts in the best interests of the American public,” and said that no conflict of interest exists in part because the president’s assets are held in a blind trust managed by his children. Typically, a blind trust would operate with an independent trustee.
“President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children,” Kelly said. “There are no conflicts of interest.”
State-backed Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX invested another $2 billion in the company in May 2025, promising to use the Trump family’s USD1 stablecoin in large transactions with crypto exchange company Binance.
The deal later came under scrutiny when the Trump administration then agreed to supply the UAE with highly coveted American-made AI chips despite prior administration concerns that they may make their way to China.
“We thank MGX and Binance for their trust in us, and I think it’s only the beginning,” World Liberty Financial co-founder Zach Witkoff said after announcing the deal, alongside the president’s son Eric Trump at a crypto convention in Dubai.
Witkoff is the son of the president’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Ranking Member of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., urged the OCC to halt approval of Trump-linked business ventures, writing a letter to the comptroller in January. As an executive branch office, the president has ultimate authority over the OCC, though the office considers itself independent.
“For the first time in history, the president of the United States would be in charge of overseeing his own financial company,” Warren wrote.
Following the OCC’s preliminary approval, Warren described the decision as the “most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen.”
“I’m introducing a bill to stop this kind of unprecedented corruption,” Warren said in a post on social media.
“The Comptroller and staff acted consistently with their statutory duties and ethical obligations with respect to the Application,” the OCC wrote Friday. “OCC staff reviewed this Application in accordance with the agency’s established policies and procedures.”
The charter application will not be fully approved until some conditions are met, including increasing the company’s capital, the OCC said.
E. Jean Carroll leaves the courthouse on Sept. 6, 2024, in New York City. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Monday declined a request from President Donald Trump to reconsider its rejection of his appeal in the 2023 E. Jean Carroll case.
The decision means it’s the end of the line for Trump’s bid to overturn a $5 million jury award to Carroll, which the writer’s representatives said was paid in July.
The Court did not explain its decision and there were no noted dissents. No request for a rehearing has been granted since the 1960s.
A jury determined in 2023 that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, and that he defamed her in a 2022 social media post by calling her allegations “a Hoax and a lie” and saying “This woman is not my type!”
In 2024, following a separate trial, Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million in damages to Carroll for defaming her in 2019 when he denied her allegations of sexual abuse.
Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, is continuing to appeal that judgment with a petition to the justices currently pending. They are expected to decide later this year whether or not to take up the case.
In his appeal, Trump alleges that his 2019 comments about Carroll — which were later found to be defamatory — were “official” statements as president and therefore immune from use in a legal case against him.
Nick Reiner appears with Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene during his arraignment in Los Angeles County Superior Court on February 23, 2026 in Los Angeles. (Chris Torres/Pool/Getty Images)
(LOS ANGELES) — The fight over Nick Reiner’s trust fund is expected to play out Monday in probate court in Los Angeles, with the 32-year-old looking to access money from the fund for his defense.
Nick Reiner is accused of fatally stabbing his parents, renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner, in the family’s home in December.
An indictment unsealed last week charges Nick Reiner with two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, according to prosecutors. He also faces a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife. The 32-year-old pleaded not guilty and has been appointed a public defender.
Nick Reiner is now looking to access more than $500,000 he says he’s owed from a trust fund, saying he wants to use that money for his legal defense.
A financial steward for the trust fund argues that a piece of California law known as the “slayer statute” prevents a person from receiving trust fund money from a person they intentionally killed.
The steward said Nick Reiner is innocent until proven guilty, and if he’s found not guilty, he would get the money. However, if the funds were given to Nick Reiner now and he were later found guilty, there would be no way of getting the money back.
Nick Reiner remains held on no bond and is next due in court on Sept. 15 for a pretrial hearing. No trial date has been set.
Indonesian military and rescue personnel search through debris at a damaged building following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on August 15, 2026. (Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas/Handout))
(NEW YORK) — A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Indonesia just hours after a more powerful magnitude 7.7 quake struck off the coast of the eastern part of the country, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
At least 47 people have been killed, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), with the earthquakes knocking down some buildings and leading hundreds to evacuate amid fears of a tsunami, officials said.
At least six others were injured and two more are missing, according to the Associated Press.
More than 300 houses were destroyed or damaged, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency.
More than 100 public facilities have also been destroyed or damaged, including 87 educational facilities, 18 health facilities, six offices and five places of worship.
Emergency crews, including members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, were conducting evacuations and assessing damage.
The agency said the earthquake, which struck shortly before 5 a.m. local time, was strongly felt across the province of East Nusa Tenggara.
The quake initially triggered fears of a tsunami, and a warning from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, issuing alerts to stay away from beaches and calls for people to evacuate. However, those warnings later expired, according to the Associated Press.
Before then, about 2,000 residents in the Nagekeo Regency on the Flores island “carried out self-evacuation as a precautionary measure after the earthquake and due to the early warning of a tsunami,” the disaster management agency said.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located about 60 kilometers north-northwest of Ende in Indonesia’s Flores region at a depth of about 10 kilometers, according to USGS.
There were a number of strong aftershocks reported nearby, including a 6.1 quake and a 5.9 quake also north of Ende, according to the USGS.
(WASHINGTON) — Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking more information about what she called the administration’s “calamitous” response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak and expressing concern that politics could be to blame.
“I write regarding the administration’s calamitous response to the biggest outbreak of cyclosporiasis in U.S. history, and the extent to which the outbreak and botched response may be the result of incompetence and corruption. As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), you are responsible for overseeing the federal government’s response to this outbreak. Yet, the administration’s handling of this crisis has been marred by missteps that raise serious questions about its decision-making,” Warren wrote in the letter.
ABC News has reached out to HHS for comment on the letter.
Nationwide, there are now at least 24,000 cases of confirmed or suspected cyclosporiasis across 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people have died from the parasitic gastrointestinal illness and at least 740 people have been hospitalized. Typically, there are about 3,000 cases in a given year.
The Food and Drug Administration has now traced almost 10,000 cases to recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms across 17 states.
In her letter, Warren asserts that Taco Bell, where some of the tainted lettuce was traced, “provided earlier and seemingly clearer guidance to consumers than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDC, and other federal food safety agencies.”
Warren also noted that Taylor Farms made donations to political organizations aligned with President Trump last year.
Federal Election Commission records show Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc., the parent company of Taylor Farms, made a $1 million donation in March 2025 to MAGA Inc., a PAC aligned with Trump.
The letter also raises concerns that the White House may have worked with Taylor Farms to delay warnings to the public about the tainted food supply. The letter points to a Wall Street Journal report that Taylor Farms lobbyists engaged with the White House to ask for more time and more proof before federal agencies implicated the company in the outbreak.
A source familiar with the situation told ABC News the FDA contacted Taylor Farms on July 14 to request a call; the company indicated it wasn’t available until July 15. The source said Taylor Farms did not meet the established 24-hour timeline from the FDA to determine whether it would take voluntary action. ABC News has reached out to Taylor Farms for comment.
Taylor Farms announced the voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce across several states on July 17. The company also said it suspended production from that distributor.
Taylor Fresh Foods, when asked by ABC News for comment on Warren’s letter, said it “acts in the interest of science and consumer health, not politics.”
“We categorically reject suggestions that we attempted to receive or received favorable regulatory treatment due to political contributions or other improper influence. Any such allegations are false,” said a spokesperson for Taylor Fresh Foods.
“Taylor Fresh Foods is a pioneer and industry leader in traceability. We fully support and endorse the Food Traceability Rule and have already implemented traceback protocols across our operations ahead of the compliance deadline,” the spokesperson added.
ABC News has also reached out to the White House for comment on the letter.
On July 21, ABC’s Elizabeth Schulze asked Kennedy about the cyclosporiasis outbreak and whether the federal government had it under control.
“We do have the outbreak under control,” Kennedy responded. “We have an extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics, and we’ve identified the source of the outbreak. We and the companies that are involved have implemented a recall.”
Luigi Mangione attends a pretrial appearance at Manhattan Criminal Court on Aug. 11, 2026, in New York City. (David Dee Delgado-Pool/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Luigi Mangione admitted to shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as he pleaded guilty Friday to two federal stalking counts.
Mangione, wearing tan prison clothes, addressed the court himself, saying, “After years of enduring severe pain from a broken back … I learned UnitedHealth would be holding an investor conference in New York City.”
“I then researched the event online. I observed the annual conference of America’s largest healthcare organization with the stated mission to make the healthcare system better for everyone,” he said.
“I traveled to New York and emailed UnitedHealthcare with the intent to kill Brian Thompson … I shot Mr. Thompson in the back,” he said, adding, “I knew what I was doing was illegal.”
Earlier in the hearing, defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told the court, “Mr. Mangione is prepared to plead guilty to the indictment at this time,” and Mangione himself then affirmed he was prepared to plead guilty.
Members of Thompson’s family, including his wife and mother, are sitting in the front row of the courtroom, marking the first time they’re appearing in court. Thompson’s wife appeared to be crying as the hearing began. Executives from UnitedHealthcare are also in attendance.
When asked for his full name, Mangione replied, “Luigi Nicolas Mangione,” and he affirmed his age, 28, and schooling at the University of Pennsylvania.
He told the judge he took a sleep medication two days ago but said it did not cloud his judgment.
The judge asked Mangione if he understood that he’d give up his right to a trial if he pleaded guilty, and Mangione responded yes.
Federal prosecutor Dominic Gentile explained that Mangione stalked Thompson with the intent to kill him and his conduct resulted in Thompson’s death.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett told Mangione a guilty plea would expose him to a possible life sentence.
“Do you understand that?” the judge asked, and Mangione replied, “yes.”
The judge confirmed there is no plea deal.
A guilty plea could complicate Mangione’s murder prosecution in state court, where trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8. His federal trial was set for Jan. 5.
Defense attorneys have already tried to dismiss the murder charges on double jeopardy grounds. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is prepared to move forward, arguing stalking and murder address different harms.
About three dozen members of the public — including at least one person who camped out in a tent overnight — lined up outside the courthouse Friday morning to try to secure a seat in the courtroom.
Mangione’s supporters are often outspoken during his hearings, but there were little-to-no demonstrators on Friday morning. And with the federal court limiting what members of the public can wear, Mangione’s supporters were not donning their normal shirts proclaiming his innocence.
Mangione is accused of gunning down Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, in Midtown Manhattan, and he was captured in Pennsylvania after a five-day manhunt. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that Mangione was indicted on first-degree murder charges on Dec. 17, 2024, and federal prosecutors announced separate charges of stalking and murder on Dec. 19, 2024.
Mangione pleaded not guilty in the separate state and federal cases.
The charges in both cases have narrowed over the last year. In the federal case, Garnett in January threw out the murder and firearm charges, leaving two counts: stalking – travel in interstate commerce and stalking – use of interstate facilities.
In the state case, Judge Gregory Carro last September dismissed the first-degree murder and terrorism charges. In the state case, Mangione is still charged with murder in the second-degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second-degree, and multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, third-degree and fourth-degree.
Luigi Mangione attends a pretrial appearance at Manhattan Criminal Court on Aug. 11, 2026, in New York City. (David Dee Delgado-Pool/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty Friday to federal charges accusing him of stalking and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Mangione has come to this point once before and backed out. If he moves forward with the anticipated guilty plea, he is guaranteed no leniency. According to sources, there is no plea bargain with federal prosecutors and Mangione could face life in prison.
A guilty plea could complicate Mangione’s murder prosecution in state court, where trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8. His federal trial was set for Jan. 5.
Defense attorneys have already tried to dismiss the murder charges on double jeopardy grounds. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is prepared to move forward, arguing stalking and murder address different harms.
Members of Thompson’s family, including his widow, and executives from UnitedHealthcare are expected in the federal courtroom in Manhattan for Friday’s 11 a.m. hearing. Members of Mangione’s family are not expected to attend, sources said.
About three dozen members of the public — including at least one person who camped out in a tent overnight — lined up outside the courthouse Friday morning to try to secure a seat in the courtroom.
Mangione’s supporters are often outspoken during his hearings, but there were little-to-no demonstrators on Friday morning. And with the federal court limiting what members of the public can wear, Mangione’s supporters were not donning their normal shirts proclaiming his innocence.
Mangione is accused of gunning down Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, in Midtown Manhattan, and he was captured in Pennsylvania after a five-day manhunt. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that Mangione was indicted on first degree murder charges on Dec. 17, 2024, and federal prosecutors announced separate charges of stalking and murder on Dec. 19, 2024.
Mangione pleaded not guilty in the separate state and federal cases.
The charges in both cases have narrowed over the last year. In the federal case, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett in January threw out the murder and firearm charges, leaving two counts: stalking – travel in interstate commerce and stalking – use of interstate facilities.
In the state case, Judge Gregory Carro last September dismissed the first-degree murder and terrorism charges. In the state case, Mangione is still charged with murder in the second-degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second-degree, and multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, third-degree and fourth-degree.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Lala continues to track through the central Pacific Ocean and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday.
As of 5 a.m. ET, Lala is moving west-northwest at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and is approximately 455 miles east-southeast of Hilo.
Hurricane warnings remain up for Hawaii County while tropical storm watches remain in place for Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe.
Lala is forecasted to continue gradually strengthening Friday into Saturday as it makes a close approach to the Big Island early Saturday.
While the exact timing and intensity of the impacts are still uncertain and will ultimately depend on how close Lala tracks to the Hawaiian islands, heavy rain, strong winds and rough surf impacts are likely this weekend.
Heavy rainfall and gusty winds will begin to impact the Big Island Friday, bringing the possibility of life-threatening mudslides and landslides, especially across areas with steep terrain.
Lala is forecasted to bring rainfall of 8 to 12 inches across Maui and the Big Island, with the highest totals reaching up to 25 inches across the higher elevations of the Big Island. The remainder of the Hawaiian Islands are forecasted to receive 4 to 6 inches of rainfall.
Large and dangerous surf, especially on the Big Island, is also expected this weekend. The greatest impacts are expected along exposed windward and southern shores. The prolonged period of heavy surf may cause localized coastal flooding and significant beach erosion.
