(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” “effective immediately.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department and FBI said a Chinese government-backed hacking group has for years engaged in targeted attacks against hundreds of entities in the United States including NASA, National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Justice Department, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Senate and the Federal Reserve.
According to a DOJ statement and an affidavit unsealed Wednesday in federal court in California, a group known as “QTFY” — which includes former members of China’s military — has used its infrastructure to compromise critical infrastructure since 2018 in networks spanning from government agencies, hospitals, telecommunications providers, power companies and defense contractors.
As part of their efforts to expose and disrupt the group, prosecutors successfully seized three internet domains affiliated with the Chinese company, Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, and multiple advisories have been issued to companies and other federal agencies so that potential victims of the group can better protect themselves from future attack.
In the seizure warrant, prosecutors say that in September 2024, QTFY hackers “conducted computer intrusions” at three Energy Department laboratories, NIH, an HHS agency as well as an unnamed U.S. security device manufacturer. The group is further alleged to have attempted a hack against NASA in 2019, though court documents do not suggest that the effort was successful.
The court documents do not state clearly the scale of the attacks against several of the other government agencies identified as victims or the group’s level of success in infiltrating specific networks.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to going on the offensive against cyber threats to the national security,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg in a statement announcing the seizures. “These court-authorized seizures deny PRC-linked hackers access to tools they use to mount online attacks against our Nation’s critical infrastructure.”
The FBI and National Security Agency released an advisory with indicators of QTFY activity. Also, Lumen Technologies’ threat intelligence group, Black Lotus Labs, published a description of QTFY’s tactics, techniques and procedures to help thwart future hacks.
While the U.S. says it has exposed and disrupted this major Chinese cyber-espionage campaign, China’s cyber operations against the United States remain “relentless,” said Javed Ali, a former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council.
“China has been using cyber operations against the United States for probably 20 years through a relentless campaign of operations that have involved multiple targets, multiple attack methods, and nothing the U.S. has done to date seems to be deterring this activity because it is it has existed for so long and this goes over multiple administrations here in the United States,” Ali told ABC News.
Whether China is attempting to hack into telecommunications companies, attempting to breach water systems or waging a broader campaign of trade secret theft, China’s actions reveal a clear pattern, Ali said.
“[China] just uses different tools against different targets here in the United States, and they do not appear to be deterred, even when there are disruptions or people get indicted,” Ali, now an associate professor at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy, said. “None of this is stopping China’s strategic efforts of targeting the U.S. with these cyber operations.”
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge who had blocked the most controversial aspect of President Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting mail-in ballots – namely, employing the Postal Service as the primary enforcer of mail-voter eligibility – has now lifted that decision following the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday that legal challenges are premature.
The move means there are no longer legal holds on any aspect of Trump’s March 2026 mail-in ballot executive order and that the administration is free to move forward with its implementation without caveats.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump maintained his firm stance amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war on Wednesday, repeating his claims that Canada is one of “the worst countries” in the world to deal with and that they have taken “advantage” of the U.S. during a radio interview with conservative host Glenn Beck.
“Look, I don’t know how you feel about Canada. They are one of the worst countries in the world to deal with,” Trump said, remarking on negotiating with the Canadians.
Negotiations between Canada and the U.S. broke down over the weekend and a fresh round of 50% U.S. tariffs on some Canadian goods took effect on Saturday, leading Canada to retaliate with a set of its own levies.
“They take advantage of us as though they were a state, and they’re not a state,” Trump added.
The president then mentioned the “good deal” with Canada last week, which fell apart just before the deadline.
“I had a deal that was a pretty good deal, you know, quite good, because they’re afraid that I won’t do any business. In other words, we won’t trade. They don’t have anything that we have to have. OK, we can get by,” Trump said. “I mean, there are a couple of things that would make it a little inconvenient, but we can get them elsewhere. And it’s time to teach Canada you can’t do this anymore.”
On Tuesday, Trump said in a call with CNN that Canada’s claim that the U.S. added more conditions to their agreement in the final hours of negotiations “sounds like” him, seeming to confirm the Canadian position. He later added, according to CNN, that he doesn’t “deny anything” when pressed on whether he denies the Canadians’ claims.
Those comments from Trump contradict what some in his own administration, including Vice President JD Vance, have said about the collapse of the talks. Vance has insisted that it was Canada who was at fault for the talks falling apart, pinning the blame on Canada during a campaign stop in Maine earlier this week, saying they were making “unreasonable last-minute demands.”
During his radio interview on Wednesday, the president also brought up his call this week to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” He added that maybe he “wasn’t” joking about it, pointing to the fact that he renamed the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America” last year.
“You saw the Lake Ontario — you know, people thought I was kidding. Maybe I wasn’t because the last one you saw was the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of America,” Trump said.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Darline Graham — a political newcomer appointed to the seat held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham — will win a special GOP primary runoff to replace her brother on the South Carolina ballot, The Associated Press projected Tuesday.
Graham, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman, a staunch conservative and member of the hard line Freedom Caucus, who had also advanced to the runoff following South Carolina’s special Senate primary earlier this month.
Graham will face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in November.
Speaking to a crowd of triumphant supporters Tuesday night in Columbia, South Carolina, Graham struck a reflective tone at times.
“The past few weeks have been an unbelievably challenging time for our family, but you know what? We did it,” she said, while adding that she was feeling “mixed emotions” given her grief over her brother.
As she thanked God, her key supporters and her family, Graham also effusively thanked Trump for his support and endorsement, describing the “bond” between her brother and the president and telling the crowd, to raucous cheers, “South Carolina is truly Trump country.”
Graham framed her outsider status as an asset, while pointing to Trump’s support as one of the key reasons conservatives should support her bid for a full term. Trump threw more than just a social media endorsement behind her: he flew to Myrtle Beach for a rally on Friday, in one of his first major campaign stops during the 2026 midterms.
“Now, the critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,” Graham said during the rally to cheers. “And by the way, President Trump had never served in an elected office before, and I think he’s done a damn good job.”
Trump, later on, effusively praised Graham, saying “she only knows how to put America first.”
Norman, meanwhile, said that his experience is his “resume” and that conservatives in the Palmetto State could trust him more than a relative unknown like Graham.
“The establishment has already picked their candidate. Same old playbook, same old insiders. I’m not their choice. And this election is not for sale,” he said in a campaign ad.
He also questioned why Trump has gotten involved in the race in GOP-favoring South Carolina instead of focusing on ones where the GOP faces an uphill battle against Democrats. The White House, asked about some of Norman’s comments about Trump, pointed to Trump’s previous social media posts where he endorsed Graham.
Graham, on her end, faced scrutiny from many fellow Republicans over her lack of political experience and occasional missteps on the trail.
During a one-on-one debate she had with Norman last Tuesday, she was asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States. She answered, “I’m not that informed on national security. But I do support the military … I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”
The comment, which contrasted with her brother’s major focus on national security, sparked criticism from Norman’s allies, including former Gov. Nikki Haley.
“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate,” Haley wrote on X last week.
Norman, in an interview with local outlet WHNS posted on Thursday, called Graham’s answer “surprising” and hammered her for her lack of experience. “There’s no more important issue than national security … there’s no time for training on the job,” he said.
But Graham, while admitting she feels she got the answer wrong — telling Fox News she “tripped up on one question” — told voters at an event last week, “To me, as I’ve walked around this room and I’ve asked people, ‘Are y’all concerned about Taiwan?’ You know what they said? No, they’re concerned about the price of groceries, the price of gas, rising healthcare costs.”
She also said she believes national security is important and she will become more informed about it. “Everybody has a first day on the job. President Trump — was he a politician [when he was first elected]? Has he done a good job? Yes, he has,” she told attendees.
Heading into the runoff, David Woodard, a political scientist who also managed some of Lindsey Graham’s early congressional campaigns, but did not work on this Senate race, told ABC News that he expected relatively low turnout and that those showing up to vote in such an off-cycle election are likely among the most opinionated, plugged-in Republicans.
“I think on the first round, people I was talking to had sympathy for Darline, thought it was great she’d serve out Lindsey’s term,” he said, adding that some of them “think that Ralph Norman has credibility on issues that Darline lacks.”
But heading into Tuesday some voters said they find Trump’s endorsement of her, as well as her focus on the economy, a strong selling point.
Mike Funderburk, a contractor from Neeses, South Carolina, who voted early for Graham, said the economy is his top issue.
“I think she’s probably going to have a steep learning curve,” he said. “But I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.”
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Friday struck down the Trump administration’s policy suspending immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, setting aside refusals based solely on the policy and requiring those cases to be reconsidered by consular officers under the normal immigration laws.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said the policy, announced by the State Department in January, “is contrary to law and was issued in excess of Secretary Rubio’s statutory authority.”
The directive instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to suspend immigrant visa adjudications while the State Department reassessed its vetting procedures under existing immigration law.
The State Department said in January the pause was intended to “prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
Vargas said Friday the policy conflicts with federal immigration law, which gives consular officers “exclusive authority and discretion” to determine whether an immigrant is eligible for a visa.
“The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” Vargas wrote.
The judge’s order also vacates visa denials that were based solely on the policy.
“The suspension of lawful visa processing across 75 countries separated spouses, parents, and children who were simply following the legal immigration process,” said Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., the group that filed the lawsuit challenging the policy.
“Catholic social teaching calls us to uphold the dignity of every person and recognize the family as the foundation of society,” Gallagher added. “Today’s decision affirms both those values and the rule of law, allowing families to once again move forward toward reunification.”
The State Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment, nor has it indicated it is going to appeal the decision.
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement when the policy was announced. “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.”
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — The FBI seized former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s electronic devices as part of an ongoing criminal probe, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Swalwell was served with a search warrant for his cellphone and other electronic devices while he was at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night, according to sources, and agents served a search warrant at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has nominated White House Domestic Policy Council Deputy Director Heidi Overton to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
“Dr. Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration, where she has worked directly with Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and team, to deliver on the MOST TRANSFORMATIVE Health Agenda in History,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that he wants her “leadership at the FDA now to ensure that the U.S. remains the WORLD LEADER for Scientific Discovery and CURES.”
Overton has been Trump’s deputy assistant during his second term, advising him on health policies, including lowering prescription drug prices. Overton has stood alongside Trump for several major health announcements at the White House, including his executive order signing on childhood vaccines earlier this month.
She has espoused anti-abortion views and supported reductions to the childhood immunization schedule, touting the use of “gold-standard science” and restoring vaccination authority to parents while at that executive order signing.
Overton is a physician who holds a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to that role, she was vice chair of the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Center for a Healthy America, where Overton was also the chief policy officer, a nonprofit that aims to advance policies that it says put the American people first. AFPI was run by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins before Rollins was tapped to join the president’s Cabinet. Several Trump administration officials held positions there before he was reelected, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
The FDA is one of several agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The FDA commissioner position requires Senate confirmation. During confirmation hearings, Overton is expected to face questions that will test her loyalty to the president, similar to previous confirmation hearings for Trump administration health leaders.
If confirmed, Overton is expected to continue to support the president’s health agenda.
“She’s gonna stay in line because she’s tested,” a source familiar told ABC News. “She’s a loyalist to the president. That’s kind of his thinking behind all of this — to keep loyalists in these top jobs.”
The job is one of the nation’s top health posts and has remained without permanent leadership amid the foodborne illness outbreaks of cyclospora and salmonella
A senior administration official told ABC News that acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas was offered the full-time job several times and declined. Diamantas, who has been leading the investigation into the health outbreaks, has been touted as the driving force behind the administration’s food policy and stressed that America’s food supply is safe despite consumers’ health concerns.
Overton will ultimately be replacing former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who resigned in May amid clashes with the White House over pressure from Trump to authorize fruit-flavored vapes. FDA employees, who previously spoke to ABC News on the condition of anonymity, said that they were concerned about the future of the agency’s leadership after Makary’s exit. They said the angst stems from a rollercoaster-like experience, including witnessing 20% of the FDA’s staff being reduced during the president’s second term.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — Several high-profile primary races Tuesday tested how much President Donald Trump’s endorsement can do for a scandal-marred candidate, showed the impact of Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting and highlighted the continued battle between established Democratic candidates and progressive challengers.
Here are takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries:
Trump endorsement can’t lift Mills
Embattled and scandal-ridden Republican Rep. Cory Mills lost his reelection bid in Florida Tuesday, defeated by challenger Ryan Elijah, a former TV news anchor and NFL sideline reporter.
Mills faces a House Ethics Committee investigation; a judge issued a restraining order against him last year after he was accused by his former girlfriend of threatening to distribute sexually explicit videos of her; and in July, ABC News reported that the embattled congressman was also under investigation by the Department of Justice, in part about his finances. Mills has denied the allegations.
Mills’ loss suggests that Republicans have limits when it comes to how long they can stand behind a candidate carrying too much baggage. Despite the scandals that have followed him, Mills still retained Trump’s endorsement.
Putting aside differences before November
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds unsurprisingly secured his party’s nomination in the gubernatorial race in Florida. Donalds’ campaign has received immense support among Republicans and Trump’s endorsement.
Donalds now faces the task of uniting his party after what was a bruising primary. Donalds said he received congratulatory calls from his competitors, Paul Renner and James Fishback. In his victory speech, Donalds called for Florida Republicans to come together.
“But tonight the primary is over. Tonight we put aside our differences. Tonight we are one united Republican Party,” Donalds said.
Wasserman Schultz promises representation matters
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz won her primary in Florida’s historically Black 20th Congressional District that was redrawn this year by the Republican-controlled legislature.
Her decision to run in the district drew criticism from her four Black opponents and other Black Democrats who have already been impacted by Republican redistricting efforts in southern states.
In her victory speech, Wasserman Schultz referenced redistricting Republicans hope will improve their chances of retaining the House in November. She promised the redrawn majority-minority district that increasing representation is among her top priorities.
“This is such a difficult and fraught time in our country. There is so much at stake in this moment, and I want people to know that representation matters. It matters, and I will fight to make sure that representation counts again,” she said Tuesday evening.
Moskowitz fends off challenge from DSA candidate
In the Democratic primary for Florida’s 25th District, two-term incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who was also running in a redrawn district, fended off a challenge from Democratic Socialists of America candidate Oliver Larkin.
The race highlighted how support for Israel is becoming prominent issue in this year’s election as more Democrats have become less supportive. Moskowitz has been a staunch supporter of Israel while Larkin has called for the U.S. to cut off aid.
The race was a continuation of established Democratic candidates facing challenges from progressives, as seen in the Senate race in Michigan.
Moskowitz now faces a competitive general election in November, as his seat is one Republicans see as a top pickup opportunity.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge in Boston has cleared the way for the Trump administration to terminate temporary protected status for Ethiopian nationals.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy on Tuesday lifted the administrative stay that had been blocking the termination of the TPS program.
The ruling follows other recent court orders allowing the administration to end protections for TPS holders from countries including Haiti, Somalia, Syria and Myanmar as part of the administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
The court rulings come after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the Trump administration could terminate TPS for Haitian nationals.
The advocacy group African Communities Together filed suit in January, arguing that Ethiopia remains in a humanitarian crisis.
“Should TPS for Ethiopia be terminated, all Plaintiffs will face impossible choices: to uproot their lives yet again in search of a pathway to safety in a third country; to remain in the United States without lawful immigration status, at risk of imminent immigration confinement and removal; or to relocate to Ethiopia, a country still suffering violent conflict,” the group said in its original complaint.
TPS status, established by the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, provides work authorization and protection from deportation if a foreign country is deemed by the government to be unsafe because of armed conflict, natural disaster, or “extraordinary and temporary conditions.”
In a post on X, the Department of Homeland Security said that individuals with terminated TPS should leave the U.S.
“Those with terminated TPS should leave NOW,” DHS said. “If they don’t, we will DEPORT them.”
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.