NTD Good Morning

The Kremlin said on Monday that an American delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff would be in Moscow on Tuesday, to meet with Putin to discuss the changes made to the U.S. proposed peace plan. That's following a critical round of diplomacy that happened over the weekend. Rubio said the U.S. and Ukraine made good progress during the meeting on Sunday, but says that Moscow still has to agree to the plans.

Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela are increasing. President Trump says he spoke to President Nicolas Maduro over the phone. The administration has closed Venezuelan airspace, the FAA is warning of heightened military activity. Lawmakers are also demanding answers over reports of follow-up U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats.

A new winter storm is moving from the Plains toward the Northeast, bringing snow and heavy rain to areas still recovering from last week’s blast of snow. Lewis County, New York, could see up to eight inches of snow, with slick roads and low visibility creating hazardous travel conditions. Following the storm, Arctic air will plunge temperatures to the season’s lowest levels across central and eastern U.S.

Following a shooting near the White House earlier this week, authorities have confirmed that National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom has died. A second soldier, Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition. The attack has renewed scrutiny of immigration policy. The administration has ordered a review of all green cards from so-called “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan.

At least 128 people are now confirmed dead in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court fire, one of the city’s deadliest disasters in generations. Rescuers are still combing the burned high-rises, with around 200 residents unaccounted for, as investigators examine how renovation materials and faulty alarms may have fueled the fast-moving inferno. Officials say the fire engulfed seven of the eight residential towers after bamboo scaffolding and renovation materials fueled the flames.

A powerful winter storm is poised to disrupt post-Thanksgiving travel across the Northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, and into the Great Lakes. Forecasters warn snow could spread as early as Friday and intensify through the weekend, creating hazardous road conditions and ushering in a sharp drop in temperatures.

Millions of Americans prepare for the rush to head home this Thanksgiving holiday, with the Federal Aviation Administration saying this would be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years. On top of the crowded airports and busy highways, travelers will also be facing a surge of wintry weather. A strong midweek storm will advance from the East Coast to the Midwest, bringing thunderstorms, rain along I-95, and wind-driven snow near major hubs like Chicago and Detroit.

President Donald Trump says peace talks involving Russia and Ukraine are making progress, with U.S. officials preparing for high-level meetings with both sides. Trump says the revised roadmap is now a 22-point plan, with greater European involvement. He also suggested some territorial concessions might be inevitable.

The FBI is probing six Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who posted a controversial video last week in which they told the military to refuse to follow what they referred to as “illegal orders.” Those involved haven't specified orders they are urging the military to ignore, but Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said her main issue is with the National Guard deployment. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) has filed legislation challenging Trump's authority to carry out strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Two National Guardsmen are in critical condition after being shot near the White House on Wednesday in what officials are calling a targeted attack. The suspect, an Afghan national, was wounded and taken into custody. President Donald Trump and National Guard leaders offered prayers for the victims. Meanwhile, the Trump administration halted all immigration processing for Afghan nationals pending new security reviews.

Millions are expected at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, and New York City is ramping up security to keep them safe. Mayor Eric Adams is urging parade-goers to stay alert. The NYPD Commissioner said there are no known credible threats, but thousands of officers, drones, K-9 units, and emergency teams will line the route, with social media monitored in real time.

Forecasters are warning that a powerful storm system will blanket the Northern Plains and Great Lakes with heavy snow over the holiday, and that a second storm system is brewing in the Pacific Northwest. Winter storm warnings are in place from Minnesota to Michigan, with some areas expecting more than a foot of snow. The storms are threatening one of the busiest travel weekends on record, as more than 80 million Americans are expected to hit the roads and skies for Thanksgiving.

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.