Politics

(WASHINGTON) — As of Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government will be added to the U.S. State Department’s list of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations.

Declaring Maduro the head of a foreign terrorist organization — instead of a corrupt dictatorial regime, as the U.S. government has regarded him for years — is an unprecedented move that President Donald Trump insists gives him the authority to strike inside Venezuela, as some outside experts question his rationale.

What happens next is far from clear, in part because Trump hasn’t said what he wants to happen. When asked by a reporter at an Oval Office press conference on Nov. 17 what Maduro could do to placate the U.S., Trump called it a “tricky” question.

But some experts said that forcing Maduro from power without a long-term plan could leave a power vacuum, potentially giving way to violence and chaos.

“Any post-Maduro government will live or die based on the amount of security cooperation the United States is willing to provide,” said Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told ABC News.

Here are three things to know about what could happen next:

Trump could use military strikes inside Venezuela and force Maduro to flee.

After weeks of lethal military strikes on suspected drug vessels, the State Department this week told Congress that Maduro wasn’t just a foreign leader but the head of “Cartel de los Soles.”

Experts told ABC News the term, which translates to “Cartel of the Suns,” is a general reference to corrupt Venezuelan officials, including those involved in the drug trade. The Cartel de los Soles has not been listed on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual National Drug Threat Assessment or in the United Nation’s World Drug Report.

The designation becomes official on Monday following a seven-day notice period to lawmakers, putting Maduro on the same list as terror networks like al-Qaida and the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. Maduro denies the allegation, instead calling for diplomacy.

Trump suggested the label gives him the authority to launch strikes, although legal experts told ABC News that claim is dubious. According to the Congressional Research Service, the list primarily serves “the purpose of imposing financial sanctions, immigration restrictions, or other penalties in pursuit of law enforcement or national security goals.”

In an interview with the right-wing One America News Network, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted the decision was about giving the president greater military options.

“Nothing’s off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table,” he said.

Maduro could placate Trump, but there’s no clear path for that.

While labeling Maduro a terrorist leader, Trump also said he’s open to negotiations. But when asked if Maduro could do anything to get Trump to back down, the president wasn’t clear.

“You know, the question’s a little bit tricky,” Trump said Nov. 17 in the Oval Office. “I don’t think it was meant to be tricky. It’s just that, look, he’s done tremendous damage of our country, primarily because of drugs,” and “the release of prisoners into our country has been a disaster.”

Some U.N. officials and regional experts said that Venezuela facilitates and profits off the drug trade, but that drug smuggling routes in the Caribbean are primarily headed for Europe. The majority of drugs coming into the U.S. enter through Mexico and legal ports of entry, they say.

Maduro has denied profiting from the drug trade.

Some independent experts also said Trump’s claim that Venezuela is emptying its prisons and sending people with mental illnesses to the U.S. is not supported by evidence. According to the Migration Policy Institute, some 770,000 Venezuelan immigrants live in the United States — the vast majority arriving after fleeing Maduro’s authoritarian regime and the ongoing economic crisis there.

Trump’s endgame makes more sense when you consider the bigger picture, some conservatives say. The U.S. has long seen Maduro as a source of chaos and instability in the region, but has not been willing to try to force a change.

“I think what we’re doing sends a message to leaders across the hemisphere about the U.S. being very serious about protecting the American people against these narco threats and the weaponization of these illicit activities and criminal activities,” Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security, told ABC News.

“I do think you’re starting to see. … other governments in the region that are more forward-leaning and more aligned with the United States,” he said.

US strikes could trigger chaos inside Venezuela, experts warn.

David Smolansky, who is deputy director of international affairs for the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, told ABC News that the opposition, which is in exile, is ready to “provide Venezuelans an orderly and democratic transition.”

“What we are focused on is to be ready when the transition begins,” he said, citing the 2024 election of Edmundo Gonzalez with 67% of the vote. “We’ve been ready for a while.”

A new Venezuelan government, though, would inherit serious immediate challenges. Analysts said a new government would need security, help in reforming Venezuela’s armed forces and intelligence support from the U.S.

Zeimer said one major challenge would be convincing people throughout the Venezuelan government that they will be safe without Maduro. And part of their calculation will be how successful a new regime could be.

“Maduro is nothing if not wily and adaptable,” Zeimer said. “He’s been able, time after time, to get the United States to negotiate, and use negotiations, basically as a way to release the pressure and commit to things that he has no plans on following through with and hang on to power.”

“I think he is still definitely trying to do that,” he added. “It is telling that he’s yet to flee.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday called several Democratic veterans and national security specialists “traitors” who should face the death penalty for releasing a joint video where they said that U.S. service members could refuse illegal orders — a move that has prompted some lawmakers to call the president’s rhetoric “dangerous” and “a threat.”

“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???,” Trump wrote on social media Thursday morning.

Trump also reshared a social media post responding to the Washington Examiner’s article about the Democrats, calling for them to be hanged. 

In another post, the president said “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

In the video directed at military members, Democrats — including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly — said that military service members can refuse illegal orders.

“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the congressional Democrats said in the video posted Tuesday.

“The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from aboard, but from right here right at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,” the group continued. “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”

None of the Democrats mentioned any specific illegal orders given to service members. It’s not clear whether service members have been asked to break the law.

ABC News has asked these lawmakers to clarify the orders in question.

The language in the video is similar to what is said in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which states that service members are required to follow lawful orders, but can be prosecuted for following unlawful orders.

The Democrats who appeared in the video released a joint statement Thursday following Trump’s comments.

“What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty,” the Democrats said in the statement.

“But this isn’t about any one of us. This isn’t about politics. This is about who we are as Americans. Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral clarity.”

Asked if Trump wants to execute members of Congress, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president did not — adding that the Democrats in the video are “encouraging [service members] to defy the president’s lawful orders.”

“Let’s be clear about what the president is responding to, because many in this room want to talk about the president’s response but not what brought the president to responding in this way. You have sitting members of the United States Congress who conspired together to orchestrate a video message to members of the United States military to active-duty service members, to members of the national security apparatus, encouraging them to defy the president’s lawful orders,” Leavitt said during Thursday’s press briefing.

While the president has suggested this behavior by Democrats may be punishable by death, Leavitt said it may be “punishable by law.” She said the Democrats “knew exactly what they were doing” with their message.

“To signal to people serving under this commander in chief, Donald Trump, that you can defy him and you can betray your oath of office, that is a very, very dangerous message. And it perhaps is punishable by law. I’m not a lawyer. I’ll leave that to the Department of Justice and the Department of War to decide.”

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric in his social media posts “makes political violence more likely” and called for Trump to be condemned for his posts.

“Let’s be crystal clear, the president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is a threat, and it’s deadly serious,” Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday. “We have already seen what happens when Donald Trump tells his followers that his political opponents are enemies of the state. Every time Donald Trump posts things like this, he makes political violence more likely.”

Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric could be dangerous in a political contentious environment.

“He is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline, every senator, every representative, every American, regardless of party, should condemn this immediately, without qualification, because if we don’t draw a line here, there is no line left to draw,” Schumer said.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul also said rhetoric like this could be dangerous.

“I don’t think it’s a really — a good idea to talk about jailing your political opponents or hanging them or whatever else. I think we have political disagreements and we need to work them out in a political way,” Paul said. 

Paul warned the rhetoric in Trump’s posts could inspire violence.

“That kind of rhetoric isn’t good and it stirs up people among us who may not be stable who may think well ‘traitors,’ what do we do with traitors? It’s the death penalty. Maybe I’ll just take matters into my own hands, which is not something we should be encouraging,” Paul said.

House Democratic leaders on Thursday issued a joint statement condemning Trump’s posts on social media, calling on him to delete them “before he gets someone killed.”

“We unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same,” said the statement signed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed Trump’s social media comments, telling reporters Thursday that the president did not make a call to incite violence.

“He’s defining a crime,” Johnson said. “He, I’m sure, acknowledges that the attorneys have to figure all that out.”

A reporter pressed the speaker that Trump’s statement contended it was punishable by death.

“What I read was he was defining the crime of sedition,” Johnson said. “That is a factual statement. But obviously attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that.”

Johnson criticized the Democrats involved in the video, calling it a “wildly inappropriate thing for so-called leaders in Congress to do to encourage young troops to disobey orders.”

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine combat veteran, slammed Trump’s comments, telling ABC News that the president “doesn’t understand the military.”

“He thinks the military is one of his personal little play toys,” said Gallego, who was not in the Democrats’ video. “He, for some reason, thinks that men and women upholding their oath is a contradiction to him as commander in chief — which, again, tells you he doesn’t really understand his role.”

ABC News’ Mary Bruce, Michelle Stoddart, Justin Gomez, Anne Flaherty, Devin Dwyer, Isabella Murray and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Friday will mark the first time that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump will meet face to face following a war of words between the two leaders throughout Mamdani’s campaign and election.

And while Trump announced the meeting with an insult against the progressive Democrat’s policies, Mamdani has maintained that he is looking forward to the White House meeting to discuss his agenda, including tackling a “national crisis of affordability.”

“I’m not concerned about this meeting. I view this meeting as an opportunity for me to make my case,” Mamdani told reporters Thursday at a news conference.

Trump announced the meeting on Wednesday night on social media, repeating the “communist” label he’s been using against Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialist group, and putting his middle name, Kwame, in quotes.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he was going to “work something out,” and meet with the mayor-elect in Washington.

“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” he told reporters.

Mamdani has been a vocal critic of the administration over its policies, including increased deportations, cuts to government agencies and attacks on cities run by Democrats.

On election night, the 34-year-old mayor-elect spoke directly to Trump in his acceptance speech and told him to “turn the volume up,” as he vowed to protect immigrants.

“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” he said.

Since Mamdani won the June Democratic primary, Trump has spoken out against the state assemblyman, at one point threatening to deport Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, moved to New York as a child, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

“We’re going to be watching that very carefully. And a lot of people are saying, he’s here illegally,” Trump claimed with no evidence in July.

The president has also threatened to withhold federal funding to New York if Mamdani won the election.

Mamdani’s critics have raised skepticism about his proposals, calling them far-fetched and improbable, as some would require state approval. He has also come under fire for his past comments criticizing the NYPD and Israeli government actions in the Gaza conflict.

The mayor-elect has apologized for his comments against the department and vowed to fight for Jewish New Yorkers, while still being critical of the Israeli government’s polices during the conflict.

Mamdani has also repeatedly brushed aside the threats and said he will continue to speak out against the administration’s conservative policies.

“His threats are inevitable,” Mamdani told ABC News a day after the election. “This has nothing to do with safety, it has to do with intimidation.”

At the same time, Mamdani has said he was open to talking with Trump, especially when it comes to affordability issues, noting that Trump won his re-election promising to bring down rising prices.

“I have many disagreements with the president. I intend to make it clear that I will work with him,” Mamdani said Thursday.

The mayor-elect won the election on a campaign to help New Yorkers with costs, with proposals such as raising the income tax on New Yorkers who earn over a million dollars a year, providing free child care to parents with kids as early as six weeks old, and free public buses.

Following Mamdani’s victory and other key wins by Democrats, Trump has said in social media posts and news conferences that he and the Republicans are the party working to lower costs.

“We’re fighting for an economy where everyone can win, from the cashier starting first job to a franchisee opening his first location to the young family in a drive through line,” he told a crowd in Pennsylvania on Monday.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Tonya Simpson contributed to this report

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday called several Democratic veterans “traitors” who should face the death penalty for releasing a joint video where they said that U.S. service members could refuse illegal orders — a move that has prompted some lawmakers to call the president’s rhetoric “dangerous” and “a threat.”

“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???,” Trump wrote on social media Thursday morning.

On Thursday morning, Trump reshared a social media post responding to the Washington Examiner’s article about the veteran Democrats, calling for them to be hanged.

In another post, the president said “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

In the video directed at military members, Democratic veterans — including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly — said that military service members can refuse illegal orders.

“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the congressional Democrats said in the video posted Tuesday.

“The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from aboard, but from right here right at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,” the group continued. “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”

None of the Democrats mentioned any specific illegal orders given to service members.

ABC News reached out to Slotkin’s and Kelly’s offices for comment.

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric in his social media posts “makes political violence more likely” and called for Trump to be condemned for his posts.

“Let’s be crystal clear, the president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is a threat, and it’s deadly serious,” Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday. “We have already seen what happens when Donald Trump tells his followers that his political opponents are enemies of the state. Every time Donald Trump posts things like this, he makes political violence more likely.”

Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric could be dangerous in a political contentious environment.

“He is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline, every senator, every representative, every American, regardless of party, should condemn this immediately, without qualification, because if we don’t draw a line here, there is no line left to draw,” Schumer said.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul also said rhetoric like this could be dangerous.

“I don’t think it’s a really — a good idea to talk about jailing your political opponents or hanging them or whatever else. I think we have political disagreements and we need to work them out in a political way,” Paul said.

Paul warned the rhetoric in Trump’s posts could inspire violence.

“That kind of rhetoric isn’t good and it stirs up people among us who may not be stable who may think well ‘traitors,’ what do we do with traitors? It’s the death penalty. Maybe I’ll just take matters into my own hands, which is not something we should be encouraging,” Paul said. “So I have a lot of disagreement with Democrats but I try to keep it on a civil level and try not to call any of them ‘traitors’ or anything like that because I think that’s something that could inspire some people among us who aren’t stable.”

House Democratic leaders on Thursday issued a joint statement condemning Trump’s posts on social media, calling on him to delete them “before he gets someone killed.”

“We unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same,” said the statement signed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar.

The Democrats called on Trump to “immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed Trump’s social media comments, telling reporters Thursday that the president did not make a call to incite violence.

“He’s defining a crime,” Johnson said. “He, I’m sure, acknowledges that the attorneys have to figure all that out.”

A reporter pressed the speaker that Trump’s statement contended it was punishable by death.

“What I read was he was defining the crime of sedition,” Johnson said. “That is a factual statement. But obviously attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that.”

Johnson criticized the Democrats involved in the video, calling it a “wildly inappropriate thing for so-called leaders in Congress to do to encourage young troops to disobey orders.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures attending the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the moment he decided to choose Cheney as his vice president.

“At such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him,” Bush said.

“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t pick a better man,'” Bush said.

Bush said in 2004, Cheney offered to resign if Bush wanted to replace him. Bush said he thought about it, but “after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”

“On that score, history should record that I chose my vice president not once, but twice,” Bush said.

Cheney’s grandchildren and his daughter Liz spoke after Bush.

Liz Cheney, who like her father represented Wyoming in Congress, said he was inspired to live a life in public service by President John F. Kennedy.

“Dick Cheney became a Republican, but he knew that bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans,” she said. “For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all.”

Bush was seen wiping away tears as Liz Cheney spoke about her father.

Other speakers included Cheney’s longtime cardiologist Jonathan Reiner and Pete Williams. Williams shared several anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, including Cheney’s response when Williams offered to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as gay by a magazine.

“He wouldn’t hear of it,” Williams said. “And for several days after that article appeared, he would call me on the direct line to my desk at the Pentagon to ask how I was doing and to tell me to get on with the job.”

Among the hundreds of mourners were President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Also at the service were Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Bill Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served as a representative in Congress, as secretary of defense and then vice president.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

Vice President Vance, asked about Cheney during a Breitbart news event on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.

“Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all of the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said.

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie and Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures attending the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the moment he decided to choose Cheney as his vice president.

“At such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him,” Bush said.

“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t pick a better man,'” Bush said.

Bush said in 2004, Cheney offered to resign if Bush wanted to replace him. Bush said he thought about it, but “after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”

“On that score, history should record that I chose my vice president not once, but twice,” Bush said.

Cheney’s longtime cardiologist, Jonathan Reiner, kicked off the service. Reiner said Cheney suffered a “relentless disease intent on killing him but he never looked over his shoulder, only ahead.”

Pete Williams shared several anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, including Cheney’s response when Williams offered to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as gay by a magazine.

“He wouldn’t hear of it,” Williams said. “And for several days after that article appeared, he would call me on the direct line to my desk at the Pentagon to ask how I was doing and to tell me to get on with the job.”

According to the cathedral’s program, Cheney’s daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and his grandchildren will also give remarks.

Among the hundreds of mourners are President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Also at the service are Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Bill Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served in Congress, as secretary of defense and then vice president under President George W. Bush.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Bush, in a statement after Cheney’s death, called Cheney “a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

Vice President Vance, asked about Cheney during a Breitbart news event on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.

“Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all of the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said.

ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral will be held in Washington on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures set to be at the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President Joe Biden plans to attend, a spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

The funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral and is set to start at 11 a.m. ET.

Seen arriving for the service were former Vice President Al Gore, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Rep. Lindsey Graham, Bill Kristol, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, will offer a tribute at the service. According to the cathedral’s program, Cheney’s daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and his grandchildren will also give remarks.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served in Congress, was secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush and then vice president under President George W. Bush.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Bush, in a statement after Cheney’s death, called Cheney “a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Three Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling Nvidia and HP products to China, according to charges unsealed by the Justice Department on Thursday. 

Starting in September of 2023, Hon Ning Ho, Brian Raymond, Cham Li and Jing Chen allegedly exported chips to China.

The Justice Department alleges that the three Chinese nationals and one American were involved in a scheme to ship these chips to third party countries — Thailand and Malaysia — that would then be shipped to China. The men allegedly set up a shell company to purchase these products.

The Commerce Department has banned China from acquiring these chips. 

The Justice Department also alleges that the men discussed ways to “evade United States export laws and regulations.”

In exchange for these chips, the men received “kickbacks” for their alleged work.

In total, the men allegedly smuggled hundreds chips to China.

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(WASHINGTON) —Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, of Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, which she is accused of laundering to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

The indictment was announced by the Justice Department on Wednesday.

The indictment alleges Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, received a $5 million overpayment in FEMA funds directed to their family health care company in connection with a contract for COVID-19 vaccination staffing in 2021.

Afterward, Cherfilus-McCormick and other co-defendants allegedly conspired to use the overpaid funds to benefit her campaign by routing it through multiple accounts to disguise its source, according to the DOJ.

They further are alleged to have arranged a series of straw donors that included their friends and relatives to funnel the COVID-19 contract money in the form of donations to her campaign. 

“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the indictment. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”

If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces a maximum sentence of up to 53 years in prison.

She did not immediately have an attorney listed representing her on her case docket as of Wednesday evening. 

The federal investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick dates back to the Biden administration, multiple current and former administration officials told ABC News. 

The House Ethics Committee said publicly in January 2025 that it was also investigating Cherfilus-McCormick after receiving a referral from Office of Congressional Ethics in September 2023. 

Speaking to reporters Wednesday evening, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Cherfilus-Mccormick is “innocent until proven guilty,” when asked for his reaction to the indictment and said he had yet to speak with her but planned to do so.

Cherfilus-Mccormick will “take leave” from her position as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa “while this matter is ongoing,” Jeffries’ spokesperson Christie Stephenson said in a statement.

House Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida said Wednesday he will file a resolution Thursday morning to censure his Democratic counterpart. 

The resolution would also remove the congresswoman for all her committee assignments, including Foreign Affairs and Veterans Affairs committees.

“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” Steube said in a statement on X. “Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible. Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims.”

ABC News’ Lauren Peller and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries batted away questions Wednesday about whether he’d sought campaign donations from Jeffrey Epstein, calling House Oversight Chairman James Comer a “stone cold liar” after Comer alleged Tuesday that Jeffries had solicited money from the convicted sex offender in 2013.

During floor debate on the Epstein files bill Tuesday afternoon, Comer took direct aim at Jeffries.

“Democrats have been silent about their colleague’s coordination with Epstein,” Comer, R-Ky., said. “Another email shows Democrat fundraisers invited Epstein to attend an event, or meet privately with Hakeem Jeffries in 2013 as part of their effort to build a Democrat House majority.”

Jeffries shot back.

“Was that a serious question or a serious statement from malignant clown James Comer that I had Jeffrey Epstein over for dinner, that I accepted money from Jeffrey Epstein?” Jeffries said. “What’s extraordinary to me about the clown show on the other side of the aisle is that they lie with impunity on things that are objectively verifiable.”

According to documents released by Oversight Republicans last week, Epstein received a campaign solicitation on May 7, 2013, from a fundraising firm touting Jeffries as “one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation” and a “staunch supporter of President Obama.”

“Hakeem is committed to electing a Democratic majority in 2014 and is encouraging his friends to participate in the DCCC/DSCC fundraising dinner with President Obama this coming night,” the email said and shared directions with recipients who “would like to get involved with the dinner, or would like to get an opportunity to get to know Hakeem better.”

The email included the text of a NY1 profile of Jeffries and is signed by Darren Rigger, Lisa Rossi and Walter Swett of Dynamic SRG, which touts itself as a top political fundraising and public affairs firm for progressive candidates and causes in New York City.

Dynamic SRG did not respond to ABC News’ inquiry about whether Jeffries knew about the email.

On Wednesday, Jeffries did not directly answer whether he’d ever solicited donations from Epstein — contending instead that Republicans “have been burying the Epstein files” for months.

Pressed whether he had ever solicited money from Epstein in exchange for a meet-and-greet, Jeffries called Comer a “stone cold liar.”

“I have no idea what James Comer is talking about in terms of anything that any prior consultant may have sent,” Jeffries said. “I had no idea about that either, but James Comer apparently made the representation on the floor of the House that I sat down with Jeffrey Epstein, had dinner with Jeffrey Epstein, have contributions from Jeffrey Epstein. He’s a stone cold liar, and James Comer knows it.”

On Tuesday, Jeffries told CNN he didn’t recall the email and that he’d never met Epstein.

“I have no recollection of the email,” Jeffries said. “I’ve never had a conversation with him, never met him, know nothing about him other than the extreme things that he’s been convicted of doing.”

A Comer spokeswoman argued that the email released by the committee speaks for itself.

“Hakeem Jeffries is the stone cold liar,” she said. “The email, which came to light as a result of Chairman Comer’s subpoena to the Epstein estate, is real and speaks for itself. Hakeem’s fundraisers made a solicitation on his behalf to invite Jeffrey Epstein to a dinner or meet with him privately.”

The solicitation came years after Epstein had already registered as a sex offender in 2010, and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor.

ABC News could find no records of donations from Epstein to Jeffries or groups affiliated with him and Jeffries has never been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein.

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