President Donald Trump spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday—their first call since tensions rose over her comments on Japan’s possibly defending Taiwan against Chinese aggression. Takaichi said Trump requested the conversation, and reaffirmed their close cooperation. Trump also spoke with China’s Xi Jinping on Monday, with Ukraine, fentanyl, and farm-trade issues discussed. Trump also accepted Xi’s invitation to visit Beijing in April.

A federal judge has dismissed the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge also found the appointment of interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan to be unlawful. The indictments were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the cases could be brought back. However, the statute of limitations has already passed for Comey’s case, barring the Justice Department from bringing the same charges against him. The DOJ said it would appeal the ruling.

Two special turkeys named Gobble and Waddle are set to receive a presidential pardon on Tuesday, an annual tradition ahead of Thanksgiving. The two birds are currently enjoying life at the Willard Hotel ahead of their big debut. The fowl were supplied by Butterball, one of the nation's largest poultry producers. The annual Thanksgiving pardoning tradition goes back to 1989, when President George H.W. Bush pardoned the turkey instead of sending it for slaughter.

The United States and Ukraine say they’ve made progress on a revised peace plan during talks in Geneva over the weekend. The White House says the updated framework strengthens protections for Ukraine and keeps its sovereignty non-negotiable. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the talks the most productive so far, though key issues remain.

Operations at one of JFK International Airport's terminals have resumed following a systems failure that happened on Sunday, leaving travelers facing major delays. The outage happened at the beginning of a busy Thanksgiving travel week, with two possible winter storms also expected to hit parts of the United States. Heavy rain is expected in Texas and parts of the southwest this weekend. Forecasters are also warning of lake-effect snow and white-out conditions across western New York state.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Americans can expect substantial refunds in early 2026. He is also optimistic that the broader economy will avoid a recession despite the impact of the record government shutdown. Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett says real wages are up about $1,200 this year, and predicts 2026 could be a strong year for the economy.

President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on Wednesday, ordering the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The law bars the withholding or redaction of records for political reasons, although protections remain for victims, ongoing investigations, and sensitive material.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and three others have been indicted for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA disaster funds in 2021. Prosecutors say the money was tied to a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, and allege it was laundered through multiple accounts and used to support her special-election campaign. Officials also allege she routed funds through friends and family as straw donations.

Federal authorities say they’ve dismantled a major methamphetamine smuggling operation from Mexico into Colorado, part of a two-year probe that led to 15 indictments and one of the largest meth seizures in state history. At sea, meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard says its crews have just offloaded more than 49,000 pounds of cocaine in Florida—the biggest haul ever from a single Coast Guard patrol.

President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on Wednesday, ordering the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The law bars the withholding or redaction of records for political reasons, although protections remain for victims, ongoing investigations, and sensitive material.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and three others have been indicted for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA disaster funds in 2021. Prosecutors say the money was tied to a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, and allege it was laundered through multiple accounts and used to support her special-election campaign. Officials also allege she routed funds through friends and family as straw donations.

Federal authorities say they’ve dismantled a major methamphetamine smuggling operation from Mexico into Colorado, part of a two-year probe that led to 15 indictments and one of the largest meth seizures in state history. At sea, meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard says its crews have just offloaded more than 49,000 pounds of cocaine in Florida—the biggest haul ever from a single Coast Guard patrol.

New York City is expected to see expanded immigration enforcement soon. Border czar Tom Homan made the announcement on Tuesday, just one month after ICE agents conducted a sweep on street vendors in Manhattan that turned chaotic after officers were swarmed by protestors. Federal agents are also expected to go to Louisiana and Mississippi under Operation Swamp Sweep, which aims to arrest 5,000 people.

The Trump administration is moving ahead with major structural changes to the Department of Education, and is preparing to shift several of its core programs to other federal agencies as part of efforts to dismantle the department. One change involves moving more than $30 billion in federal grants to the Department of Labor. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon says the restructuring is meant to break down bureaucracy and return control of education to states and local leaders.

President Donald Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday. During their meeting, Trump announced that the United States would designate Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally.” This represents a substantial elevation of the country's diplomatic standing with America. The crown prince praised Trump's peace efforts and announced that he's boosting Saudi Arabia's U.S. investments to $1 trillion.

President Donald Trump will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday. This is the crown prince’s first visit to Washington in more than seven years. Trump said he plans to approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, with defense cooperation one of the leaders’ key talking points.

Federal immigration agents could begin enforcement operations in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday, with Mayor Janet Cowell confirming that agents are already in the city. The deployment follows a weekend sweep in Charlotte that led to more than 130 arrests. In Tennessee, meanwhile, a judge has blocked National Guard deployments in Memphis, but temporarily paused the order to allow the governor time to appeal.

The House is expected to vote on a bill on Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release the Epstein files. President Trump is also changing course on his previous opposition to the bill, calling on House Republicans to vote to release the files. After passing the House, it would then head to the Senate, where it's still not clear how the upper chamber would handle the bill. Trump said he would sign the bill if it passed both chambers of Congress.

The United States is planning to designate the Venezuelan ‘Cartel of the Suns’ a foreign terrorist organization. The move expands federal authority to target the group, which the Trump administration says is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. forces are continuing strikes on suspected narcotics-smuggling vessels, including one this weekend in which three suspected drug traffickers died.

President Donald Trump is considering ways to allow Americans to directly feel the benefits of his tariffs. The measures include a plan to send a $2,000 check to low- and middle-income Americans next year, to be paid for by revenue gained from tariffs. The plan would need approval from Congress to take effect. Some conservative Republicans have expressed openness, but others say tackling the national debt should come first.

With the federal government back in business, the Federal Aviation Administration says its order to reduce flights ended at 6 a.m. on Monday morning, allowing normal air traffic operations to resume. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency will now refocus on hiring more air traffic controllers and modernizing U.S. air traffic control systems. SNAP benefits are also now being paid again under updated federal rules. However, beneficiaries must meet new work and citizenship requirements to continue receiving food assistance.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has awarded checks to two-dozen TSA agents at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Noem said the payments recognized employees who went “above and beyond” while working without pay during the shutdown, and that the department will continue awarding bonuses to TSA employees who showed exemplary performance.

The White House announced new trade deals on Thursday with Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Ecuador. According to an official, the deals will lift reciprocal tariffs on some products the United States relies on, such as coffee, cocoa, and bananas. President Donald Trump is planning to ramp up his domestic travel ahead of the 2026 midterms, when he intends to talk with voters about the cost of living.

Millions of Americans are facing higher health insurance costs as COVID-era tax subsidies for Obamacare are set to expire. Democrats want a clean extension of the subsidies. Some Republicans support this, but many want major reforms—or to replace Obamacare altogether. Senators are expected to vote on an Obamacare extension in December, with bipartisan negotiations already underway. Trump is proposing “Trumpcare,” which would create health accounts for people to pay for medical issues.

After a record 43 days, the federal government shutdown is finally over, with President Donald Trump signing a stopgap bill on Wednesday night to restore funding. The bill will keep much of the federal government running through January and fund SNAP benefits through next September. Six House Democrats joined Republicans to vote in favor of the bill, while others still called it a bad deal. The health care debate at the heart of the shutdown remains unresolved.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday that flight reductions will remain frozen at 6 percent even after the government shutdown ends. However, the measure will also halt a planned increase in cuts to 8 and then 10 percent. Duffy said the freeze is meant to stabilize operations while the FAA works to restore normal service. Duffy also said air traffic controllers will receive 70 percent of their back pay within 48 hours of the shutdown ending.

A discharge petition has secured enough signatures to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill is supported by all Democrats and four Republicans. It would direct the Justice Department to release unclassified records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) plans to bring the measure to the floor next week. It will still face approval in the Republican-controlled Senate before reaching the president.

House lawmakers are back in Washington on Wednesday after an absence of nearly two months. They will vote on a measure to reopen the government, which is expected to pass before it heads to the president's desk. The bill will contain the same spending levels as the one sent to the Senate two months ago, and will fund the government until the end of January.

Much of the country got its first taste of winter in recent days, with a wave of Arctic air sending temperatures plunging. Nearly 18 million people in the Southeast were under freeze warnings this week. Up north, heavy snow buried parts of Michigan and New York State, while out west, California is bracing for heavy rain later this week.

The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to keep food stamp payments on hold—extending a pause on a judge’s order to restore funding during the shutdown. The administration argued that courts can't legally reallocate federal funds, and that only Congress can resolve the crisis by reopening the government. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, voting to resume payments.