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Trump says he has deal on crypto legislation after GOP hard-liners derailed measure earlier

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — After an earlier setback for the Trump administration when House Republicans failed to advance a key procedural vote on a package of legislation including three crypto measures, President Donald Trump said late Tuesday he has made a deal with Republican members of Congress to advance the legislation on Wednesday.

Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that he met in the Oval Office with 11 of the 12 GOP members needed to pass the package.

“After a short discussion, they have all agreed to vote tomorrow morning in favor of the Rule,” Trump said. “Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was at the meeting via telephone, and looks forward to taking the Vote as early as possible.”

Trump did not provide specifics about the deal.

In a lengthy statement released later, Johnson thanked Trump for helping lock down the necessary votes to advance the crypto legislation.

“I’m thankful for President Trump getting involved tonight to ensure that we can pass the GENIUS Act tomorrow and agreeing again to help us advance additional crypto legislation in the coming days,” Johnson said, referencing the name of one of the bills.

Earlier Tuesday, a dozen House Republicans bucked Trump and Johnson to prevent the legislation from advancing on the floor — joining the entire Democratic caucus — and, at least temporarily, freezing activity in the House. The final tally was 196-223.

Johnson had said earlier that while he anticipated that there may be enough opposition to defeat the effort, he felt that it was “important” to try to advance the bills. Republicans have a narrow majority in the House — with 220 Republicans compared to 212 Democrats.

Johnson said that he would attempt to work with Republican holdouts to answer questions.

The speaker explained that conservatives who voted against the rule want the crypto bills — CLARITY, GENIUS and Anti CBDC Surveillance Act — combined into one big package, rather than take separate standalone votes on each measure.

“This is the legislative process. We have some members who really, really want to emphasize the House’s product,” Johnson said. “They want to, want to push that and merge them together. We’re trying to work with the White House and with our Senate partners on this. I think everybody is insistent that we’re going to do all three, but some of these guys insist that it needs to be all in one package.”

The intraparty rebellion comes after Trump strongly urged Republicans to vote in favor of advancing the crypto bills.

“The GENIUS Act is going to put our Great Nation lightyears ahead of China, Europe, and all others, who are trying endlessly to catch up, but they just can’t do it,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday. “Digital Assets are the FUTURE, and we are leading by a lot! Get the first Vote done this afternoon (ALL REPUBLICANS SHOULD VOTE YES!).”

The no votes came from Reps. Andy Biggs, Tim Burchett, Michael Cloud, Andrew Clyde, Eli Crane, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Andy Harris, Anna Paulina Luna, Scott Perry, Chip Roy, Keith Self and Victoria Spartz. Majority Leader Steve Scalise also changed his vote to “no” to preserve the capability to call the measure back up for another attempted vote.

Luna, a Florida Republican, told ABC News that she is “pro-crypto,” but voted against the procedural vote because she continues to have concerns about creating a “backdoor” to a Central Bank Digital Currency — a worry echoed by Greene.

“I just voted NO on the Rule for the GENIUS Act because it does not include a ban on Central Bank Digital Currency and because Speaker Johnson did not allow us to submit amendments to the GENIUS Act,” Greene, R-Ga., posted on X. “Americans do not want a government-controlled Central Bank Digital Currency. Republicans have a duty to ban CBDC. President Trump included a ban on CBDC in his January 23rd executive order and Congress must also include the ban on CBDC in the GENIUS Act.”

The vote came during what the White House is calling “Crypto Week” and marks a rare instance when House Republicans have defied Trump’s direction.

Trump, who launched his own crypto meme coin earlier this year, recently said he is a “fan of crypto” and called it a “very powerful industry” that the U.S. has “dominated.”

“I’m president. And what I did do there is build an industry that’s very important,” Trump said last month. “If we didn’t have it, China would.”

Once a crypto skeptic, Trump and his family have fully immersed themselves in the cryptocurrency marketplace, developing not only the $TRUMP meme coin, but also a bitcoin mining firm, a stablecoin firm and a crypto reserve.

Grand juror in Karen Read case charged with leaking information

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(BOSTON) — A woman who served on the grand jury as part of the high-profile investigation into Karen Read — who was acquitted of murder charges last month in the death of her boyfriend — agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge she leaked information from the secret proceeding, according to a court document filed Tuesday.

Jessica Leslie agreed to plead guilty to a charge of criminal contempt that accused her of willfully disobeying court rules against disclosure of grand jury information.

Leslie disclosed “the names of various witnesses appearing before the grand jury and the substance of their testimony and other evidence presented to the grand jury, all while said information was under seal and not subject to disclosure,” federal prosecutors said.

While the charging document did not specify that Leslie was a grand juror in the Read case, sources confirmed the case to ABC News.

Read was originally indicted by a Boston grand jury in June 2022 in the death of her police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe. Prosecutors alleged Read hit O’Keefe with her car outside the home of a fellow police officer after a night of heavy drinking in January 2022 and then left him to die there during a major blizzard.

The first trial ended in a mistrial last year after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

In a second trial that ended last month, Read was found not guilty of the most serious charges against her — murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene after an accident. She was convicted of operating under the influence of liquor and sentenced to one year of probation.

Leslie agreed to a sentence of incarceration for one day, deemed served, and 24 months of supervised release, court records said.

A plea hearing was not immediately scheduled.

Federal prosecutors did not say how they learned Leslie had disclosed secret grand jury information, but sources said authorities had been monitoring social media accounts and other communications during a case that received widespread attention.

Why Trump’s 50-day window may pose danger for Ukraine

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — After President Donald Trump threatened to impose “very severe” economic penalties against Vladimir Putin’s Russia if he doesn’t agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days, the Trump administration has so far declined to provide many additional details about the consequences Russia will face or why he picked the deadline he chose.

“Well, at the end of 50 days, if we don’t have a deal, it’s going to be too bad,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

When asked why he decided to give the Russian leader nearly two months to comply with his demand, President Trump deflected.

“I don’t think 50 days is very long. It could be sooner than that,” Trump said.

“You should have asked that same question to Biden. Why did he get us into this war?” he continued. “You know why he got us in? Because he’s a dummy, that’s why.”

Despite pledging additional U.S. made weapons for Ukraine, Trump also said he didn’t support Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy ordering strikes on the Russian capital.

“He shouldn’t target Moscow,” he said. “No, we’re not looking to do that.”

On Monday, Trump said that Russia’s failure to reach a negotiated settlement with Ukraine within 50 days would lead to his administration imposing a 100% tariff rate on Russian imports as well as what he called “secondary tariffs” on countries that have continued to do business with Moscow.

“We’re very, very unhappy with him,” Trump said of Putin on Monday. “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days.”

U.S. imports from Russia, which totaled around $3 billion in 2024 according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, account for a small share of Moscow’s revenue, meaning Trump’s threat to hike tariffs on Russian goods likely wouldn’t pack much punch.

However, the president’s promise to raise tariffs on imports from third-party countries could carry more weight.

Some secondary sanctions aimed at weakening Russia’s war economy are already in place. The Biden administration steadily ramped up its use of the penalties throughout the conflict, primarily targeting foreign financial institutions accused of supporting Moscow’s military industrial complex and the so-called “shadow fleet” of tanker operators working to circumvent Western sanctions and price caps on Russian oil.

But going after countries that import oil and other resources from Russia would be a significant escalation.

Through much of the war, the Biden administration avoided taking direct aim at Russian energy exporters out of concern that doing so would cause global fuel prices to rise. Instead, the former administration worked with other members of the G7 to cap the price of Russian oil products, cutting into Moscow’s profits while allowing the exports to remain on the market.

Trump, on the other hand, has previously promised to go after Russia’s customers.

In March, Trump threatened to put “secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia” during an interview with NBC News — adding “if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States.”

What countries would feel the impact?

The White House has yet to release specific details on Trump’s secondary tariffs, but his ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said on Monday the top importers of Russian oil would be in the administration’s crosshairs.

“It’s about tariffs on countries like India and China that are buying their oil. And it really is going to I think dramatically impact the Russian economy,” he said during an interview with CNN.

But whether the secondary tariffs would stop at countries like China and India is an open question.

Despite the web of sanctions in place against Russia, the country still has many meaningful trade relationships, including ones with European allies.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU has significantly dropped its share of Russian oil and gas imports and its plan to fully phase out those imports isn’t expected to fully come to fruition until the end of 2027 at the earliest.

Some Eastern European and Central Asian countries also have economies that rely on doing business with Russia, meaning they would almost certainly be unable to significantly scale back trade with Russia and would have the face the consequences of secondary tariffs.

The next 50 days

If the president sticks to his 50-day window, Russia can continue to carry out its summertime campaign against Ukraine until early September without facing additional consequences.

In his interview with CNN, Whitaker was also asked about how Trump made the decision on the timeline but didn’t give a clear answer.

“The time to end the slaughter is now. The time to end the killing is now. And so 50 days is the appropriate amount of time because it needs to happen now,” he responded.

Currently, Russia is making modest gains against Ukraine and may soon seek to leverage those advances to launch additional offenses in the eastern reach of the country, according to a recent assessment from the Institute of the Study of War.

Many officials and experts have long predicted that the Kremlin would push off serious talks on ending the war until the cooler months set in because it hopes to strengthen its position at the negotiating table by claiming as much territory as possible during the summer season.

In an interview with the BBC on Monday, Trump indicated he still wanted to pursue diplomacy with Russia, but that his patience with Putin was wearing thin.

“I’m not done with him, but I’m disappointed with him,” he said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump’s threats on Monday, saying Moscow needed “time to analyze” the comments.

“The U.S. president’s statements are very serious,” Peskov said.

Democrats lean into MAGA infighting over Epstein files

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — When financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was in the news for his arrest for sex trafficking and eventual death in 2019, Democrats distanced themselves from the onetime donor, disavowing his campaign contributions and condemning conservative conspiracy theories about his death.

Six years later, many Democrats and party leaders are leaning into the GOP infighting and far-right anger over the Trump administration’s handling of the case, raising the issue in press conferences, social media posts and on the floor of the House.

“The American people deserve to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as it relates to this whole sordid Jeffrey Epstein matter,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Monday. “Democrats didn’t put the Jeffrey Epstein thing into the public domain. This was a conspiracy that Donald Trump, Pam Bondi and these MAGA extremists have been fanning the flames of for the last several years and now the chickens are coming home to roost.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced an amendment to a cryptocurrency bill set for a House vote this week that would compel Attorney General Pam Bondi to “retain, preserve and compile” Epstein-related records and release them within 30 days.

Khanna’s measure failed on a 5-7 vote in the House Rules Committee, though Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted with Democrats.

On the House floor Tuesday, Democrats raised the issue again, in an unsuccessful effort to force consideration of Khanna’s amendment to get all Republicans on the record.

Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, also introduced a resolution this week calling for the release of “all” unclassified records on Epstein.

Both Democrats told ABC News that the issue underscores the “us versus the elites” dynamic they believe has emerged in politics across America.

“It goes to the central question of our times: Whose side are you on? Are you on the side of the American people who feel that rich and powerful interests have their thumb on the scale and haven’t given them a fair shake? Or are you on the side of protecting the rich and powerful?” Khanna said.

Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., for weeks has led efforts demanding an explanation from the Justice Department about withholding the files.

“A lot of the people who believe all these conspiracy theories did so because they were told that they were accurate by the current FBI director [Kash Patel] and [FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino],” he said.

Before Trump’s election victory, both Patel and Bongino raised questions on conservative podcasts about the withholding of records. Since they have been in office, they have defended the administration’s handling of the situation.

“There could be two reasons for that. One is that it’s all made up for clicks and to make money, and that there’s no basis in fact or evidence, or there is some truth to it, and they’re trying to hide it,”Goldman added.

“People don’t like being misled and don’t like being promised things that are not delivered. And that’s true as it relates to the Epstein files and it’s true as it relates to all of Donald Trump’s campaign promises,” he said.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin has also raised the issue, telling The Bulwark that Democrats are “going to call [Trump] out” for not sharing more records.

The committee also created an X account, called “TrumpEpsteinBot,” to tweet about whether the administration has released the files.

Some Democrats believe the party should be focusing their messaging on the real-world impacts of Trump and Republicans’ policy and legislative agenda.

“This all causes divisions in the MAGA base, which serves Democrats well,” one Democratic operative told ABC News. “But beyond that, most voters are still going to vote based on their pocketbooks.”

A White House spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on Democrats’ attacks against the administration over the Epstein case.

ABC News’ John Parkinson, Lauren Peller and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.

Pentagon pulling 2,000 National Guard deployed to LA amid ICE protests

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LOS ANGELES) — The U.S. military presence in Los Angeles is being reduced by almost half as the Pentagon confirms that 2,000 California National Guard members are being withdrawn from the mission to protect federal buildings and personnel that followed protests of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles.

“Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding. As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen (79th [Infantry Brigade Combat Team]) from the federal protection mission,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement provided to ABC News.

Nearly 4,700 personnel had been provided to that mission with 700 of them being active-duty Marines and the remaining 4,000 coming from the California National Guard.

The initial deployment of 2,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles was announced on June 7.

At the time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media that he was prepared to send active-duty Marines “if violence continues.” Two days later, U.S. Northern Command announced that 700 Marines from Twentynine Palms in California were being deployed to Los Angeles.

An additional 2,000 National Guard members were later mobilized for the mission in Los Angeles.

Some of the Guard members later received specific training to provide perimeter security during ICE operations and were not carrying out law enforcement duties. However, they were authorized to temporarily detain individuals if needed and then quickly turn them over to law enforcement personnel.

Why gentle exercise like yoga, tai chi and walking may help people sleep better

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or get restful sleep. It affects nearly 15% of American adults each month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says the generally recommended insomnia treatments include medications, psychological therapy and behavioral modification. Until now, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits might benefit sleep, according to researchers.

In a new review published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine journal, researchers analyzed 22 previously published studies involving over 1,300 patients, confirming that cognitive-based therapy — which focuses on helping people change unhelpful thoughts and habits– is the gold standard for insomnia treatment. But it also found that yoga, tai chi and walking or jogging and other gentle approaches to exercise are effective as well.

“Insomnia can impact everyday life and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases [like heart disease and stroke] and Alzheimer’s… and exercise is nature’s sleeping pill,” Dr. Zhijun Bu, the lead author of the study and master student at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, told ABC News.

Researchers also found cognitive behavioral therapy, tai chi, yoga or a mix of aerobic activities like walking, jogging and cycling all improve sleep, including total sleep time and how long it takes to fall asleep. All of these activities also helped people slumber more soundly and wake up less often during the night.

In some instances, exercise may be even more helpful than therapy, the researchers say.

Yoga improved the total sleep time by nearly two hours, and a combination of cardiovascular activities helped people nod off almost 30 minutes faster, the new research says.

Bu recommended people who live with insomnia try a bunch of different exercise activities to see which one works best for them. For someone who doesn’t sleep enough or who has trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep, yoga and tai chi may do the trick, he said. For those who are still fatigued throughout the day due to lack of sleep, walking or jogging may be a better option, he added.

The benefits from tai chi and cognitive-based therapy persisted for up to two years, the study found. The benefits of aerobic activity paired on its own or paired with strength exercises, lasted up to seven months.

Previous studies have shown that moderate intensity exercise, like brisk walking or jogging done regularly and for a steady duration, may lead to better sleep, but high intensity exercise like sprinting and heavy lifting may not.

Since gentle workouts like yoga, tai chi and walking have minimal side effects and most people can do them easily, Bu contends they are good choices to help combat insomnia.

“Our research shows people of all ages and genders can observe the sleep benefits of exercise,” Bu added. “We hope our findings can lead to further changes within public health.”

Dr. Allen Chang is a Geriatric Medicine subspecialist at Dalhousie University and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Johnson says Bondi needs to ‘come forward and explain’ handling of Epstein files

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to “come forward and explain” the Trump administration’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein files.

In an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson, the speaker urged Bondi to further clarify her past comment about reviewing Epstein’s alleged “client list.”

“Pam Bondi, I don’t know when she originally made the statement. I think she was talking about documents, as I understood, that they were on her desk. I don’t know that she was specific about a list or whatever, but she needs to come forward and explain that to everybody,” Johnson said.

“I like Pam. I mean, I think she’s done a good job. We need the DOJ focusing on the major priorities,” Johnson said during the interview.

Bondi came under fire over her comments to Fox News in February when asked about Epstein’s alleged “client list.” She told the outlet at the time, “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review.”

After the Justice Department and FBI last week stated they found no evidence the deceased financier kept a “client list” of associates whom he blackmailed or conspired with to victimize dozens of women, Bondi said her comments to Fox News were simply referring to a “file” on Epstein.

That explanation, though, has done little to quell outrage from MAGA supporters on the administration’s handling of Epstein.

Johnson also weighed in on growing calls from Republican lawmakers to have Epstein’s convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, testify before Congress.

“I’m for transparency. We’re intellectually consistent in this” Johnson said when asked about Maxwell potentially testifying before Congress.

Johnson said while he is not “privy to facts” and “this isn’t my lane,” he also said “we need to put it out there.”

“We’ll see what happens. I do trust the president. I know his heart and head is in the right place. I don’t question that at all. I am convinced they are going to sort this out,” the speaker said.

Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett told ABC News he is “not happy” with how Bondi has handled the Epstein matter. Like Johnson, he called on Bondi to explain her past comments on the “client list.”

“You know, I know it’s the 1,000-pound gorilla in the room, but I’m not happy. Nobody’s happy about it. Nobody knows what’s going on,” Burchett said.

Later in a letter sent Tuesday, Burchett called on House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer to invite Maxwell to testify in a public hearing.

“Should Ms. Maxwell refuse the invitation, I encourage you to use subpoena powers,” Burchett wrote in the letter, saying the American people have “questions” about the Epstein case. “It is well beyond time those questions are answered,” he said.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said the Epstein files should be made public and directly called for Maxwell to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I think all this stuff ought to be public. I mean, I think all of the all the documents, should all be public,” Hawley said. “I think we’d all ought to be out in the open. I’m a big fan of declassifying– I think this isn’t technically classified. It’s just, you know, close hold for prosecution, but I think we ought to put it all out there.”

“I think it’s reasonable for the American people to ask who he [Epstein] sex trafficked these young women to — if anybody besides himself,” added Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy. “And if there were others involved, why haven’t they been prosecuted? That’s a perfectly understandable question, and I think the Justice Department is going to have to answer it.”

Late Tuesday afternoon, Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie said he plans to pursue a procedural gambit to trigger a House vote on legislation that would force the release of the “complete” Epstein files.

Massie plans to offer a discharge petition, which requires 218 signatures and allows the majority of the chamber to circumvent GOP leaders. There would only be floor action if the resolution receives enough support. A waiting period of seven legislative days kicks off once the petition has enough signatures, so this could become a headache for GOP leaders after August recess.

“We all deserve to know what’s in the Epstein files, who’s implicated, and how deep this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency. We’re introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the US House of Representatives on releasing the COMPLETE files,” Massie said in a post on X.

GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, also speaking to the podcaster Benny Johnson in a separate interview, said she would support creating a special counsel to investigate the Epstein matter.

“There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren’t going to be provided information,” she said.

Boebert also had a suggestion for who should lead the probe.

“Matt Gaetz as a special counsel? Absolutely,” she said. Gaetz, a former GOP congressman from Florida, was once the subject of a multiyear federal sex-trafficking investigation. Gaetz had long denied any wrongdoing and the probe ended with no charges against Gaetz.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the House on Tuesday tried to force a vote and debate on California Rep. Ro Khanna’s amendment that would have demanded the release of all the Epstein files. Their effort failed by just one vote after a nearly 45-minute vote.

House Judiciary Democrats penned a letter to committee chairman Jim Jordan on Tuesday demanding a hearing with Trump administration officials from the DOJ and FBI on the Epstein files.

Jordan, though, publicly expressed unwavering support

“I have total confidence in President Tump and his team,” Jordan told ABC News when asked if he had any questions regarding the Epstein case or if Bondi mishandled the situation.

Ukraine braces for Trump’s 50-day window amid escalating Russian strikes

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — This week marked a possible pivot by President Donald Trump regarding Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with his Monday announcement of a “really big” deal to provide Kyiv with new weapons and threats to impose further sanctions on Russia if it fails to agree a ceasefire within 50 days.

Though Trump’s decision was welcomed by leaders in Kyiv, Ukrainians and their supporters abroad also raised concerns that the 50-day window may offer Russian President Vladimir Putin an opportunity to intensify his long-range strikes against Ukrainian cities and ongoing summer frontline offensive.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament representing Zelenskyy’s party and the chair of the body’s foreign affairs committee, told ABC News he was “cautiously optimistic,” hoping Trump’s announcement may signal a new “maximum pressure” campaign on Putin.

“However, the 50-day deadline is of some concern, because Putin might take it as a green light to intensify offensive operations,” he said.

The Russian attacks over the two nights since Trump’s announcement suggest Moscow remains unmoved.

Monday night and Tuesday night saw a cumulative 667 attack and decoy drones of various types, plus one missile, launched into Ukraine by Russia, according to figures published by the Ukrainian air force and analyzed by ABC News.

The previous 50 days before Trump’s announcement saw a total of 9,618 drones and 349 missiles launched into Ukraine — an average of around 192 drones and seven missiles each day.

The pattern of Russian long-range strikes suggest the next 50 days might be even more difficult for Ukrainians. Since May, the scale of Russian attacks has been steadily increasing despite Trump’s efforts to force a ceasefire and eventual peace deal.

In May, Russia launched a total of 3,835 drones and 117 missiles, for an average of around 124 drones and nearly four missiles each day.

June saw 5,438 drones and 239 missiles fired into Ukraine, with a daily average of 181 drones and nearly eight missiles.

Already in the first half of July, Ukraine has reported facing 4,003 drones and 89 missiles, for a daily average of 250 drones and more than five missiles.

“Russia is not changing its strategy,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram after Tuesday night’s attacks, in which the president said at least 16 people were injured.

“To effectively counter this terror, we need a systematic strengthening of defense: more air defense, more interceptors, more determination so that Russia feels our response,” he added.

Ukraine says many of those Russian drones have been aimed at non-military targets, including residential areas and city centers across Ukraine. Russia has maintained that it targets military and infrastructure sites.

Trump defended his decision to give Moscow 50 days to act, telling reporters at the White House on Tuesday, “I don’t think it’s a long time. I think really the question should be asked, why did [former President Joe] Biden get us into that ridiculous war? Why did Biden bring us there?”

Asked why he believes Putin’s opinion will change in 50 days, Trump said, “a lot of opinions change very rapidly.” He added, “It might not be 50 days, he might be much sooner than 50 days.”

But Russian officials gave a cold response to Trump’s announcement on Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Trump’s “statements are very serious,” telling reporters at a daily briefing, “Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin. We definitely need time to analyze what was said in Washington.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, meanwhile, told the state-run Tass news agency that making any demands of Russia is “unacceptable,” and that the Kremlin’s position is “unshakable.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that Trump is “under enormous, frankly indecent pressure from the EU and NATO’s current leadership.”

Responding directly to Trump’s timeline, Lavrov said Moscow wants “to understand what this 50-day reference means. There were earlier mentions of 24 hours, then 100 days. We’ve seen this pattern before and genuinely want to comprehend the U.S. president’s reasoning.”

As to the threat of new tariffs or sanctions, the foreign minister said, “We’re already dealing with an unprecedented number of sanctions and managing well. I have no doubt we’ll handle these new measures too.”

Perhaps most forthright was Dmitry Medvedev — the former Russian president and prime minister now serving as the deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council — who wrote on social media that the Kremlin was unmoved by Trump’s “theatrical ultimatum.”

“The world shuddered, expecting the consequences,” wrote Medvedev, who, during Moscow’s full-scale war on Ukraine, has become known as a particularly hawkish voice within Putin’s security establishment. “Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.”

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.

South Carolina man’s family seeks answers in his death 3 days after arrest

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(IRMO, SC) — The family of a South Carolina man who died three days after being arrested last month demanded the release of police body camera video and answers regarding his death on Tuesday.

Byron Jackson, 45, died in the days after his June 22 arrest by the Irmo Police Department, following a 911 call alleging that someone had gotten into a fight, according to his family’s lawyer, civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers. The lawyer said that Jackson was not involved in a fight and the cause of his death is unclear.

“I can tell you that we’re not going to allow the Irmo Police Department just to treat him as some other young African American kid,” Sellers said at a press conference on Tuesday. “He’s dead now. You guys going about your business — that’s not going to happen on our watch.”

Byron Jackson’s mother Bettie Jackson, who was present at the news conference with other family members, was visibly distraught.

“We all loved him dearly, and we talked two and three times a day, and I’m surely, surely going to miss him,” Bettie Jackson said. “In fact, not ‘am going to miss him’ — I’m missing him already.”

Irmo Police Chief Bobby Dale told ABC News in a statement on Tuesday that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has taken over the investigation and that he could not make any further statements to ensure the process is conducted appropriately.

Also Tuesday, SLED confirmed in a statement to ABC News that Byron Jackson died on June 25 in the hospital, three days after the arrest. They said that the investigation is ongoing, and more information may be available at “a later time.”

The Richland County Coroner’s Office did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for Byron Jackson’s autopsy and cause of death.

“We do know that the Irmo Police Department can release the body cam,” Sellers said. “We do know that body cam footage does exist, and we’re asking them to do that.”

Sellers requested the release of the identities of the officers involved. He also denied the police department’s alleged account that a high-speed chase ensued before Byron Jackson’s arrest, or that he was involved in a fight before police arrived. Sellers said he doesn’t know why a 911 call was made in regard to Byron Jackson.

“This started with a 911 call from a resident of Irmo. I’m not sure what she thought she saw,” Sellers said. “I can’t go into her head, but there was not a fight in the vehicle. There was one person — who was Byron — in that vehicle. That is a fact.”

Sellers also said that Byron Jackson was in a work utility van that had “its own issues” and that he knew from investigators that there was no high-speed chase.

The attorney said that, after police arrived, there was a low-speed collision, Byron Jackson and an officer ended up at the bottom of a ravine and the South Carolina resident was handcuffed. After that, Sellers said he died and the family doesn’t know how.

House special election primary in Arizona is latest flashpoint in Democrats’ generational fight

July 16, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A special election primary in Arizona’s 7th District on Tuesday was the latest flare-up of the Democratic Party’s clashes over age and experience as candidates vie to replace the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva.

Grijalva, who served as the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, died earlier this year from complications with cancer treatments. His daughter, former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, ran to fill his seat and is the projected winner, according to the Associated Press.

She faced challenges from five other candidates, two of the most prominent being Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old progressive activist, and former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez.

With 65% of the vote counted according to the AP’s estimate as of 11:19 p.m. EST, Grijalva lead with 62% of the vote, followed by Deja Foxx with 20.6%.

If elected, Foxx would have been the first Gen Z woman to serve in Congress.

“Adelita’s victory tonight isn’t just a win for families in Southern Arizona. It’s a win for all those who believe in a government that works for everyday people,” said Maurice Mitchell, National Director of the Working Families Party.

In the heavily blue district, the winner of the primary will likely have a glide path in November. Progressive groups and lawmakers have largely thrown their support behind Grijalva, 54, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Emilys List. She also boasts endorsements from both of Arizona’s two senators.

Grijalva is campaigning on protecting Medicaid, promoting affordable housing, and defending southern Arizona’s economy against the Trump administration. She has highlighted her father’s legacy of championing environmental justice and her advocacy for public education while serving on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board as issues she will continue to fight for in Congress.

“I’m not running on my last name, it just is my last name. So my dad left really big shoes to fill, but I stand on my own two feet in my more than two decades of public service to Arizona, and I’m proud to be supported by leaders and organizations that are leading the progressive movement,” she told ABC News.

“I think Adelita’s record, energy and commitment to fight for working class people speaks for itself,” Joe Dinkin, the deputy director of the Working Families Party, told ABC News. “We were supportive of her father, too, but our support for Adelita has nothing to do with that. It has to do with her.”

Foxx, who worked on Kamala Harris’ presidential primary campaign in 2020, says she is the only “change candidate” in the race and the sole “break from the status quo” that could help push Democrats into favorable approval ratings.

With 250,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 400,000 on TikTok, Foxx has utilized social media to promote herself as a young, working class candidate, highlighting her own experience relying on programs like SNAP, Section 8 housing, and Medicaid and her advocacy for reproductive rights.

“It seems obvious to someone like me that as the Democratic Party faces approval ratings in the 20 percents that they should be embracing new messengers,” Foxx told ABC News.

Thom Reilly, a professor of public affairs at Arizona State University, says there’s little policy daylight between Grijalva and Foxx.

“I also think the national dialogue has kind of factored into this race,” Reilly explained. He pointed to the deaths of three Democratic lawmakers, including Grijalva, while in office this year and the recent win by Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral primary as sparking renewed debates over age in party leadership.

While the Gen-Z and progressive flanks of the party came together in support of Mamdani last month, fissures within the cohort have emerged in Arizona. Foxx is backed by Leaders We Deserve, a political action committee that boosts young progressive candidates whose co-founder David Hogg clashed with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin earlier this year over the group’s support of primarying “asleep at the wheel” incumbents. Hogg was a DNC vice chair, but left his post last month in the midst of turmoil over leadership elections.

Foxx has also been endorsed by the progressive advocacy group Gen-Z for Change. The organization’s Executive Director Cheyenne Hunt, who ran in a primary for a House seat in California last year, emphasized that the Arizona race was a key opportunity to uplift young leaders in the party.

“When we don’t have a Gen Z woman in Congress yet, that’s a fundamental problem,” she said.

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