Today is Friday, Dec. 19, the 353rd day of 2025. There are 12 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 19, 2008, citing imminent danger to the national economy, President George W. Bush ordered a $17.4 billion emergency bailout of the U.S. auto industry.

Also on this date:

In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington led his army of more than 12,000 soldiers to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter.

In 1907, 239 workers died in an explosion at the Darr coal mine near Van Meter, Pennsylvania.

In 1960, fire broke out on the hangar deck of the nearly completed aircraft carrier USS Constellation at the New York Naval Shipyard, killing 50 civilian workers.

In 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, concluding the Apollo program of crewed lunar landings.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice. (He was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.)

In 2011, North Korea announced the death two days earlier of leader Kim Jong Il; North Koreans marched by the thousands to mourn while state media proclaimed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, as the nation’s new leader.

In 2016, a truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State. (The suspected attacker was killed in a police shootout four days later.)

In 2023, a strong earthquake rocked a mountainous region of northwestern China, killing 131 people, reducing homes to rubble and leaving residents outside in below-freezing winter weather.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Tim Reid is 81.
• Singer Janie Fricke is 78.
• Actor Jennifer Beals is 62.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis is 61.
• Olympic skiing gold medalist Alberto Tomba is 59.
• Actor Kristy Swanson is 56.
• Model Tyson Beckford is 55.
• Actor Alyssa Milano is 53.
• Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 53.
• Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (JIH’-lihn-hahl) is 45.
• Actor Annie Murphy is 39.
• Journalist Ronan Farrow is 38.

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Davis added 15 points and the Dallas Mavericks recovered to beat the Detroit Pistons 116-114 in overtime Thursday night after blowing an 18-point third-quarter lead.

Flagg, who will turn 19 on Sunday, is averaging 25.4 points over his last eight games. The Mavericks (11-18) have won six of their last eight.

Cade Cunningham had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double this season for the East-leading Pistons (21-6), who have gone 6-4 following a 15-2 start. Jalen Duren had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Davis’ alley-oop from Flagg put Dallas ahead 114-112 with 3:10 left in overtime. After Cunningham’s bank shot tied it with 1:49 remaining, Davis’ dunk with 1:32 accounted for the final points.

Cunningham’s floater with seven seconds left missed, leaving him 2 for 7 in overtime. Duren grabbed the rebound, missed a shot beneath the basket, and Davis grabbed the rebound with 0.9 seconds left.

The Pistons played without two starters much of the night. Ausar Thompson was ejected late in the first half after disputing a foul and making contact with official John Goble, and Duncan Robinson left after injuring a knee early in the third period.

Cunningham received a technical foul in the final minute of the first half, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff got one as thee were leaving the court at halftime.

Davis, who missed Dallas’ previous game with a left calf contusion, shot 7 for 18 from the floor after missing his first eight shots.

Detroit outscored Dallas 30-15 on second-chance points with 25 offensive rebounds. But the Pistons shot a season-worst 18.2% on 3-pointers (6 for 33).

Before the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said there’s still no schedule for the return of nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving following ACL surgery last March. “In another month, we’ll give you an update,” Kidd said.

Up next

Pistons: Host Charlotte on Saturday.

Mavericks: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday.

Senior Da’ron Mason’s huge outing helped lead Bloomfield Hills to a 75-49 win Thursday evening over Berkley.

The Wayne State commit dropped 33 points and Ryan Hunt added 21 to help the Black Hawks improve to 5-0 on the season.

The Bears fall to 1-4 on the season with the road defeat.

More boys basketball

LAKELAND 49, OXFORD 40 >> Junior Chase Carson scored a team-high 14 points and Austin Porcasi added 13 Thursday as the Eagles improved to 4-1 on Senior Night.

MADISON HEIGHTS LAMPHERE 45, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 40 >> Jack Robinson had 11 points, as did Gavin Abbott, who hit the go-ahead 3-pointer that helped the Rams win their fourth in a row and improve to 5-2 on Thursday. The Maples (2-4) have nine days off before their next game at the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza.

TROY 51, FRASER 31 >> Hayden Oriol scored 15 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ victory on Thursday. Will De Armit added seven points in the Colts’ win, which gives them a 5-1 record on the year.

Girls basketball

ROCHESTER 49, TROY 25 >> Rochester knocked down seven triples in the first half, including four by Kelly Cook, and the Falcons moved to 3-1 at home Thursday. Stella Marlow added 10 for Rochester, while Olivia Jasniewicz scored a team-high 13 for the Colts (3-1).

Photo gallery of Rochester vs. Troy in an OAA girls hoops crossover

MILFORD 44, LAKE FENTON 32 >> Ashlyn Lutz had three 3-pointers as part of a 30-point night and teammate Cara VanGoethem added six in a Lady Mavs (3-1) home win Thursday.

LAKELAND 50, OXFORD 43 >> Aubrin Miller poured in 28 points and Peyton Baer scored 13 to lead the Eagles (3-2) past the Wildcats (2-2) for a senior night win on Thursday.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 46, ROYAL OAK 29 >> The Highlanders improved to 2-1, while the Ravens, led by 11 points from Allie Hills and four blocks by Lydia Dickens, fell to 1-3 after Thursday's OAA crossover contest.

TROY ATHENS 43, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 26 >> The Red Hawks bounced back from their first loss of the year to Lake Orion by beating the Maples at home on Thursday and improving to 3-1.

BERKLEY 48, WARREN COUSINO 33 >> Freshman forward Niqco Shoulders led with 14 points as the Bears (1-3) collected their first victory on Wednesday.

BRANDON 58, BURTON BENDLE 22 >> Junior Ella Rizzo filled the stat sheet with 21 points, six steals and rebounds each, and a handful of assists in Thursday's win. Sophomore forwarded Maddie Heverly added eight points and 10 boards and Elin Austin swiped it consistently for six steals in the home victory by the Blackhawks (2-2).

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL 49, OAK PARK 37 >> Sophomore Eleanor Heitsch finished with a game-best 17 points as the Vikings (1-3) got their first victory on the season Wednesday night. Naveah Butler, also a sophomore, scored 14 in the Knights' (1-1) road defeat.

Hockey

ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY'S 9, GROSSE POINTE SOUTH 1 >> Emmett Pilch opened up the scoring, then Thaddeus Raynish's team-leading 14th and 15th goals were among the others for the Eaglets (8-2), who beat the Blue Devils at home on Thursday.

ROCHESTER UNITED 5, PORT HURON NORTHERN 2 >> A first-period goal by Connor Cichocki (14th of the season) and a shorthanded one by Ethan Haselhuhn ensured United (10-2) never trailed Thursday night at McMorran Arena.

RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 8, BROTHER RICE 1 >> Logan Jardine assisted Alex Slapak for the lone goal by the Warriors (3-6) on Thursday.

NOVI 2, LIVONIA 1 >> The Wildcats outshot the Red Stallions 43-11 as Cori Hastoy and Lucas O'Brien each hit for goals in Novi's second win of the season on Wednesday.

WALLED LAKE UNITED 3, LAKES UNITED 1 >> Gavin Grondin gave Lakes (4-5) an early lead, but Brady Martel, Cooper Auten and Brady Frelich all scored in the third to seal the comeback for Walled Lake (5-4) on Wednesday evening.

DEXTER 3, DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 2 >> The Dreadnaughts handed the Yellowjackets (9-1) their first loss of the season on Wednesday in spite of goals by Michael Curis and Henry Hannibal.

TROY UNITED 11, FARMINGTON UNITED 1 >> Following a scoreless opening period on Wednesday, Farmington (4-8) got a goal from Ethan Apostolovski, then Troy (11-2) scored three in the second period to take the lead for good.

People will be able to get their beloved items returned after a Berkley art and artifact restoration business shuttered its storefront location without notifying customers.

Earlier this week, 7 News Detroit went to House of Renew on Woodward Avenue and found a sign on the door saying all projects had been relocated to the owners home studio to be finished. However, customers say they weren't notified about the move, could not reach the business owner and their valuable possessions were missing.

When calling the business phone number, customers heard a voicemail message stating: "Thank you for calling House of Renew. Please leave your name, your phone number, and your claim number only, and we'll get back to you. The voicemail box is full. Please try again later.

Watch our video report from earlier this week below: Art restoration shop closes, customers' valuables missing

7 News Detroit attempted to contact owner Ruth Peppiatt at her personal number with no answer. We also visited her home, where no one answered the door. A note from Berkley police was posted on her door, indicating they also wanted to speak with her.

The Berkley Department of Public Safety said they received multiple complaints from frustrated customers seeking their items.

On Thursday, Berkley police said after reporting by 7 News Detroit, officers spoke with the owner. They say customers can request their items be returned instead of finished. Customers can make those requests by emailing houseofrenew@sbcglobal.net and including their name, phone number and claim number if thats available.

Items that arent requested to be returned will still be worked on, the owner told police.

Police will update customers who made reports to them.

The Rochester Falcons defeated the Troy Colts 49-25 in the OAA Red/Blue crossover game played on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Rochester Hills.

ALLEN PARK – It was a big Catholic League boys hoops affair on Thursday night when Cabrini welcomed in Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes for the first of two much-anticipated matchups this season.

Lakes came in having alternated wins and losses through each of their first five contests, amounting to a 2-3 start to the campaign while looking to rebound from a loss vs Bloomfield Hills Roeper their last time out.

Cabrini meanwhile is enjoying one of their better starts to a season in program history, having won their first six games by an average of just over 15 points.

It was a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle between the co-champions of the Intersectional 2 Division a year ago. The first contest of this winter’s season series ended with the host Monarchs coming out on top, 59-50, thanks to a late rallying effort.

“Well, the first half was a ton of turnovers, poor shot selections, and we just couldn’t hit free throws,” Cabrini head coach Joseph Osmulski said after the win. “In the second half, I think we only had like five turnovers at the most. Made our shots, made our free throws, played great defense.

“Everything we put in at halftime, they executed to pull this one out.”

The sentiments from Osmulski proved to be valid after his Cabrini team found themselves trailing going into halftime and needed a huge second half to remain perfect on the season.

“I just kind of told them, ‘you know, we’re 6-0, and if you want to be 7-0 and you want to hit our goals, tonight’s a good night to do it,’” Osmulski explained. “Credit to them, they came out and took the challenge.
So that was a good thing.”

It was Lakes who came out hot early on Thursday, jumping out to a 6-0 lead that spanned over four minutes in the first quarter. Cabrini eventually caught fire themselves, ending the opening stanza with an 11-5 stretch to knot the game up at 11 all after one.

The second quarter was all Lakers, who put together their best stretch of the night with 17 points in the frame. If not for an Evan Bergdoll three-pointer at the buzzer, it would have been a near double-digit lead for the visitors, who instead settled for a 28-22 lead going into the intermission.

Coming out of the half, it was a fever dream of runs with both teams trading blow after blow.

The Bergdoll triple before halftime kick-started what was 11 unanswered for Cabrini to take a two-point lead, only for WOLL to respond with a 9-0 stretch of their own.

The Monarchs, though, countered back again with an 11-0 spurt, capping off what was a 19-point third quarter and taking a 41-37 lead into the final frame.

In the fourth, the hosts held tight to their lead, not letting their conference rivals get back in the game while extending the margin in the process en route to a seventh straight win to open the campaign.

“We played hard,” Lakes head coach  Michael Miller said. “We missed some shots late, and got a few bad breaks going the wrong way, and the game turned from one or two points to seven or eight pretty quick.

“So tough to come back from that.”

In a victorious effort, leading the way for Cabrini was senior Lander Emerick with 17 points. His fellow classmate Bergdoll finished with 14 points, while junior Noah Roman joined each of them in double figures with 11 points. That trio of Monarchs combined to sink six of the team’s eight made threes on the night.

For WOLL, senior Jack Miller and junior Lukas Tedder combined for 43 of the team’s 50 points in the loss. The former led all scorers in the contest with 23 points.

UP NEXT

Cabrini (7-0, 2-0 CHSL-Intersectional 2) will get a long break before they play host to Detroit Universal Academy on Jan 5.

It is a much-needed break for the Monarchs, says Osmulski.

“Well, first off, most of our team’s football guys,” Osmulski said. “So we need to get a nice break after the run they had. But we just got to keep the mojo going.

This is the first time the school’s ever been 7-0,” Osmulski continued. “And the boys want to win, so we just got to keep it going.”

For Lakes (2-4, 1-1 CHSL-Intersectional 2), they are going to look at bouncing back after a long break as well when they go on the road to face Clawson on Jan. 6.

For coach Miller and the Lakers, it is about finding their consistency.

“We’ve had some scratches all year long,” Miller said. “We’ve had some few good minutes here, a few good minutes there, and then we have lows where we don’t play as well. I thought today we played much better for a full game, so I think that’s going to serve as well moving forward.”

Photo gallery of Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes vs Allen Park Cabrini in a CHSL boys hoops matchup

The regular season co-champions of the Catholic League’s Intersectional 2 Division from a year ago held their first of two scheduled matchups this season Thursday night when Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes trekked down to Allen Park Cabrini.

Lakes came in having traded wins and losses through each of their first five contests, amounting to a 2-3 start to the campaign and hoping to rebound from a loss vs Bloomfield Hills Roeper their last time out.

Cabrini meanwhile is enjoying one of their better starts to a season in program history, having won their first six games by an average of just over 15 points.

A strong second half ultimately helped the hometown Monarchs rally back and remain undefeated with a 59-50 victory over the visiting Lakers.

Photo gallery is courtesy of Cory Linsner.

A jury found a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a Mexican immigrant dodge federal authorities guilty of obstruction Thursday, marking a victory for President Donald Trump as he continues his sweeping immigration crackdown across the country.

Federal prosecutors charged Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan with obstruction, a felony, and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, in April. The jury acquitted her on the concealment count, but she still faces up to five years in prison on the obstruction count.

The jury returned the verdicts after deliberating for six hours.

Dugan and her attorneys left the courtroom, ducked into a side conference room and closed the door without speaking to reporters.

According to a court filings that include an FBI affidavit and a federal grand jury indictment, immigration authorities traveled to the Milwaukee County courthouse on April 18 after learning 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz had reentered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan for a hearing in a state battery case.

Dugan learned that agents were in the corridor outside her courtroom waiting for Flores-Ruiz. She left the courtroom to confront them, falsely telling them their administrative warrant for Flores-Ruiz wasnt sufficient grounds to arrest him and directing them to go to the chief judges office.

While the agents were gone, she addressed Flores-Ruizs case off the record, told his attorney that he could attend his next hearing via Zoom and led Flores-Ruiz and the attorney out a private jury door. Agents spotted Flores-Ruiz in the corridor, followed him outside and arrested him after a foot chase. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced in November he had been deported.

CASE BACKGROUND | Wisconsin high court suspends Milwaukee judge accused of helping man evade immigration authorities

The case inflamed tensions over Trumps immigration crackdown, with his administration branding Dugan an activist judge and Democrats countering that the administration was trying to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to the operation.

Prosecutors worked during Dugans trial to show that she directed agents to the chief judges office to create an opening for Flores-Ruiz to escape.

An FBI agent who led the investigation testified that after agents left the corridor, she immediately moved Flores-Ruizs case to the top of her docket, told him that he could appear for his next hearing via Zoom and led him out the private door.

Prosecutors also played audio recordings from her courtroom in which she can be heard telling her court reporter that shed take the heat for leading Flores-Ruiz out the back.

Her attorneys countered that she was trying to follow courthouse protocols that called for court employees to report any immigration agents to their supervisors and she didnt intentionally try to obstruct the arrest team.

A man who was working as a Salvation Army bell ringer was shot and killed at a Kroger store in Westland Thursday evening, according to a source.

Police said the shooting happened around 6:20 p.m. at the store on Ford Road near Central City Parkway.

Watch Brett Kast's video report below: Source: Salvation Army bell ringer fatally shot at Kroger store in Westland

It's unclear at this time what led up to the shooting.

The suspect is a teenage boy, Westland Mayor Kevin Coleman confirmed. Additional information about the suspect was not immediately available, including if he is in custody.

The Salvation Army released the following statement:

The Salvation Army is profoundly heartbroken by the tragic incident that took place tonight at the Kroger in Westland. We lift up in prayer all who are affected, especially the individual involved, their loved ones and the Westland community. We are working closely with the Westland Police Department as they investigate the situation. - Lt. Col. Steve Merritt, divisional commander for The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division

Police are investigating.

Kroger released a statement that reads:

We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred outside of our Westland Kroger located at 36430 Ford Road. We are cooperating with local law enforcement, and will continue to follow their guidance while the police investigation continues. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we are deferring all questions to Westland Police Department.

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a new athletic competition for high school students called the "Patriot Games."

The competition will bring together a male and female competitor from each U.S. state and territory for an athletic contest.

"In the fall we will host the first ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory," the president said in a video announcement on social media.

"But I promise there will be no men paying in women's sports. You're not going to see that. You'll see everything but that," the president said, alluding to recent administration efforts to prevent transgender athletes from competing in school sports.

RELATED STORY | Trump admin demands California ban transgender athletes in girls' sports

Specific details about the planned competition, such as the disciplines involved, were not immediately available.

The event comes as part of the White House's plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Also planned for the year is a "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall, incorporating pavilions and displays from each state. That event is expected to run from June 25 to July 10, according to President Trump.

By BEN FINLEY, ERIC TUCKER, KEVIN FREKING and JOSHUA GOODMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast is raising new questions about the legality of his military campaign in Latin America, while fueling concerns that the U.S. could be edging closer to war.

The Trump administration says its blockade is narrowly tailored and not targeting civilians, which would be an illegal act of war. But some experts say seizing sanctioned oil tied to leader Nicolás Maduro could provoke a military response from Venezuela, engaging American forces in a new level of conflict that goes beyond their attacks on alleged drug boats.

“My biggest fear is this is exactly how wars start and how conflicts escalate out of control,” said Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. “And there are no adults in the room with this administration, nor is there consultation with Congress. So I’m very worried.”

Claire Finkelstein, a professor of national security law at the University of Pennsylvania, said the use of such an aggressive tactic without congressional authority stretches the bounds of international law and increasingly looks like a veiled attempt to trigger a Venezuelan response.

“The concern is that we are bootstrapping our way into armed conflict,” Finkelstein said. “We’re upping the ante in order to try to get them to engage in an act of aggression that would then justify an act of self-defense on our part.”

Republicans largely are OK with the campaign

Trump has used the word “blockade” to describe his latest tactic in an escalating pressure campaign against Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the U.S. and now has been accused of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking. While Trump said it only applies to vessels facing U.S. economic penalties, the move has sparked outrage among Democrats and mostly shrugs, if not cheers, from Republicans.

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Trump going after sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela is no different from targeting Iranian oil.

“Just like with the Iranian shadow tankers, I have no problem with that,” McCaul said. “They’re circumventing sanctions.”

The president has declared the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels in an effort to reduce the flow of drugs to American communities. U.S. forces have attacked 26 alleged drug-smuggling boats and killed least 99 people since early September. Trump has repeatedly promised that land strikes are next, while linking Maduro to the cartels.

The campaign has drawn scrutiny in Congress, particularly after it was revealed that U.S. forces killed two survivors of a boat attack with a follow-up strike. But Republicans so far have repeatedly declined to require congressional authorization for further military action in the region, blocking Democrats’ war powers resolutions.

Sen. Roger Wicker, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, has essentially ended his panel’s investigation into the Sept. 2 strike, saying Thursday that the entire campaign is being conducted “on sound legal advice.”

Venezuela pushes back

Trump announced the blockade Tuesday, about a week after U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast. The South American country has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and relies heavily on the revenue to support its economy.

The U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Venezuela since 2005 over concerns about corruption as well as criminal and anti-democratic activities. The first Trump administration expanded the penalties to oil, prompting Maduro’s government to rely on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains.

The state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., or PDVSA, has been largely locked out of global oil markets by U.S. sanctions. It sells most of its exports at a steep discount on the black market in China.

Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Maduro’s son and a lawmaker, on Thursday decried Trump’s latest tactic and vowed to work with the private sector to limit any impact on the country’s oil-dependent economy. He acknowledged that it won’t be an easy task.

“We value peace and dialogue, but the reality right now is that we are being threatened by the most powerful army in the world, and that’s not something to be taken lightly,” Maduro Guerra said.

Pentagon prefers the term ‘quarantine’

It wasn’t immediately clear how the U.S. planned to enact Trump’s order. But the Navy has 11 ships in the region and a wide complement of aircraft that can monitor marine traffic coming in and out of Venezuela.

Trump may be using the term “blockade,” but the Pentagon says officials prefer “quarantine.”

A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to outline internal reasoning about the policy, said a blockade, under international law, constitutes an act of war requiring formal declaration and enforcement against all incoming and outgoing traffic. A quarantine, however, is a selective, preventive security measure that targets specific, illegal activity.

Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he was unsure of the legality of Trump’s blockade.

“They’re blockading apparently the oil industry, not the entire country,” said Smith, who represents parts of western Washington state. “How does that change things? I got to talk to some lawyers, but in general, a blockade is an act of war.”

The U.S. has a long history of leveraging naval sieges to pressure lesser powers, especially in the 19th century era of “gunboat diplomacy,” sometimes provoking them into taking action that triggers an even greater American response.

But in recent decades, as the architecture of international law has developed, successive U.S. administrations have been careful not to use such maritime shows of force because they are seen as punishing civilians — an illegal act of aggression outside of wartime.

During the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy famously called his naval cordon to counter a real threat — weapons shipments from the Soviet Union — a “quarantine” not a blockade.

Mark Nevitt, an Emory University law professor and former Navy judge advocate general, said there is a legal basis for the U.S. to board and seize an already-sanctioned ship that is deemed to be stateless or is claiming two states.

But a blockade, he said, is a “wartime naval operation and maneuver” designed to block the access of vessels and aircraft of an enemy state.

“I think the blockade is predicated on a false legal pretense that we are at war with narcoterrorists,” he said.

Nevitt added: “This seems to be almost like a junior varsity blockade, where they’re trying to assert a wartime legal tool, a blockade, but only doing it selectively.”

Geoffrey Corn, a Texas Tech law professor who previously served as the Army’s senior adviser for law-of-war issues and has been critical of the Trump administration’s boat strikes, said he was not convinced the blockade was intended to ratchet up the conflict with Venezuela.

Instead, he suggested it could be aimed at escalating the pressure on Maduro to give up power or encouraging his supporters to back away from him.

“You can look at it through the lens of, is this an administration trying to create a pretext for a broader conflict?” Corn said. “Or you can look at it as part of an overall campaign of pressuring the Maduro regime to step aside.”

Goodman reported from Miami. Associated Press reporters Stephen Groves and Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

By CLAIRE SAVAGE

The head of the U.S. agency for enforcing workplace civil rights posted a social media call-out urging white men to come forward if they have experienced race or sex discrimination at work.

“Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex? You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws,” U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas, a vocal critic of DEI, wrote on X Wednesday evening. The post urged eligible workers to reach out to the agency “as soon as possible” and referred users to the agency’s fact sheet on “DEI-related discrimination” for more information.

Lucas’ post, viewed millions of times, was shared about two hours after Vice President JD Vance posted an article he said “describes the evil of DEI and its consequences,” which also received millions of views. Lucas responded to Vance’s post saying: “Absolutely right @JDVance. And precisely because this widespread, systemic, unlawful discrimination primarily harmed white men, elites didn’t just turn a blind eye; they celebrated it. Absolutely unacceptable; unlawful; immoral.”

She added that the EEOC “won’t rest until this discrimination is eliminated.” Neither the agency nor Vance responded immediately to requests for additional comment.

Since being named acting chair of the EEOC in January, Lucas has been shifting the agency’s focus to prioritize “rooting out unlawful DEI-motivated race and sex discrimination,” aligning with President Donald Trump’s own anti-DEI executive orders. Trump named Lucas as the agency’s chair in November.

Earlier this year, the EEOC along with the Department of Justice issued two “technical assistance” documents attempting to clarify what might constitute “DEI-related Discrimination at Work” and providing guidance on how workers can file complaints over such concerns. The documents took broad aim at practices such as training, employee resource groups and fellowship programs, warning such programs — depending on how they’re constructed — could run afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race and gender.

Those documents have been criticized by former agency commissioners as misleading for portraying DEI initiatives as legally fraught.

David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the NYU School of Law, said Lucas’s latest social media posts demonstrate a “fundamental misunderstanding of what DEI is.”

“It’s really much more about creating a culture in which you get the most out of everyone who you’re bringing on board, where everyone experiences fairness and equal opportunity, including white men and members of other groups,” Glasgow said.

The Meltzer Center tracks lawsuits that are likely to affect workplace DEI practices, including 57 cases of workplace discrimination. Although there are instances in which it occurs on a case-by-case basis, Glasgow said he has not seen “any kind of systematic evidence that white men are being discriminated against.”

He pointed out that Fortune 500 CEOs are overwhelmingly white men, and that relative to their share of the population, the demographic is overrepresented in corporate senior leadership, Congress, and beyond.

“If DEI has been this engine of discrimination against white men, I have to say it hasn’t really been doing a very good job at achieving that,” Glasgow said.

Jenny Yang, a former EEOC chair and now a partner at law firm Outten & Golden, said it is “unusual” and “problematic” for the head of the agency to single out a particular demographic group for civil rights enforcement.

“It suggests some sort of priority treatment,” Yang said. “That’s not something that sounds to me like equal opportunity for all.”

On the other hand, the agency has done the opposite for transgender workers, whose discrimination complaints have been deprioritized or dropped completely, Yang said. The EEOC has limited resources, and must accordingly prioritize which cases to pursue. But treating charges differently based on workers’ identities goes against the mission of the agency, she said.

“It worries me that a message is being sent that the EEOC only cares about some workers and not others,” Yang said.

The Associated Press’ women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

As a New Year inches closer, its time to share our last Community Comment for 2025. The opening of the new Hudsons Tower and Nick Gilberts Way public space sparked these social media reactions. Beverly Pierson wrote:

It is absolutely a beautiful building! It makes Detroit even better!

Jennifer Wagner and several other people wanted to know:

Is there anyway I can order the (new edition Hudsons) Santa Bear?

Yes, you can go to our website at wxyz.com for details on how to purchase it.

Jillian Roberts exclaimed:

The decorated Christmas tree, the huge bear, coffee and hot chocolate stands, what a wonderful Hudsons store memory throwback.

Our editorial on giving and volunteering during the holiday season holiday triggered some interesting comments. Marcella S. Fox said:

Driving a fancy car doesnt mean youre rich. You dont know what people are experiencing in their private lives. I was raised to mind my own business and pray for others.

Another viewer wrote:

"Im not a church going person, but I do have empathy and kindness in my heart. Grateful for the community that helped.

-          Terri Varady

Richard Johnson said:

Jesus commanded all of us to feed the poor! That means we all have a responsibility to create wealth.

Darlene Tyree said:

Nice to see community leaders out doing for their community, not just a photo opportunity.

Cathy Rice wrote:

It is comforting there is food, but so very, very, sad our economy has come to this.

Thats it for 2025. Thanks for writing and watching. Happy Holidays to all. See you next year.

Im Chuck Stokes

Broadcast: December 18 - 21, 2025

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JOSHUA GOODMAN

A Kansas tribe said it has walked away from a nearly $30 million federal contract to come up with preliminary designs for immigrant detention centers after facing a wave of online criticism.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation ‘s announcement Wednesday night came just over a week after the economic development leaders who brokered the deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were fired.

With some Native Americans swept up and detained in recent ICE raids, the deal was derided online as “disgusting” and “cruel.” Many in Indian Country also questioned how a tribe whose own ancestors were uprooted two centuries ago from the Great Lakes region and corralled on a reservation south of Topeka could participate in the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.

Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick nodded to the historic issues last week in a video address that called reservations “the government’s first attempts at detention centers.” In an update Wednesday, he announced that he was “happy to share that our Nation has successfully exited all third-party related interests affiliated with ICE.”

The Prairie Band Potawatomi has a range of businesses that provide health care management staffing, general contracting and even interior design. And Rupnick said in his latest address that tribal officials plan to meet in January about how to ensure “economic interests do not come into conflict with our values in the future.”

A tribal offshoot hired by ICE — KPB Services LLC — was established in April in Holton, Kansas, by Ernest C. Woodward Jr., a former naval officer who markets himself as a “go-to” adviser for tribes and affiliated companies seeking to land federal contracts.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation said in 2017 that Woodward’s firm advised it on its acquisition of another government contractor, Mill Creek LLC, which specializes in outfitting federal buildings and the military with office furniture and medical equipment.

Woodward also is listed as the chief operating officer of the Florida branch of Prairie Band Construction Inc., which was registered in September.

Attempts to locate Woodward were unsuccessful. A spokesperson for KPB said Woodward is no longer with the LLC but she declined to say whether he was terminated. Woodward did not respond to an email sent to another consulting firm he’s affiliated with, Virginia-based Chinkapin Partners LLC.

A spokesperson for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation said the tribe divested from KPB. While that company still has the contract, “Prairie Band no longer has a stake,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Woodward is no longer with the tribe’s limited liability corporation, but she declined to say whether he was terminated.

The ICE contract initially was awarded in October for $19 million for unspecified “due diligence and concept designs” for processing centers and detention centers throughout the U.S., according to a one-sentence description of the work on the federal government’s real-time contracting database. It was modified a month later to increase the payout ceiling to $29.9 million.

Sole-source contracts above $30 million require additional justification under federal contracting rules.

Tribal leaders and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security haven’t responded to detailed questions about why the firm was selected for such a big contract without having to compete for the work as federal contracting normally requires. It’s also unclear what the Tribal Council knew about the contract.

“That process of internal auditing is really just beginning,” the tribal spokesperson said.

Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas, and Goodman from Miami.

Mario Greens murder case was bound over to circuit court. On Thursday, that decision was made after three hours of testimony in Judge Shawn Jacque's 36th District courtroom.

The 53-year-old is accused of killing his ex-wife Latricia Brown, 40, at her job at Henry Ford Hospital on Aug. 22.

Watch Darren Cunningham's video report below: Mario Green to stand trial in ex-wife's death

Browns cousins, Deonda and Dia Easley, told 7 News Detroit they left court feeling overwhelmed after learning new details.

"It's the beginning of justice for us. It's the beginning of a long battle of acceptance, processing what happened to her, Deonda Easley said.

Brown divorced Green in 2018.

On the stand, one of her co-workers recalled Green's interaction with the victim seconds before the shooting.

He was just asking her questions like, Oh, I need help with a bill. Can you come out to the hall? And she was working and answering his questions, the witness said.

When asked by the prosecutor what happened next, the witness replied, I heard a gunshot."

The prosecution played a clip they say shows Green walking toward Brown's office in the basement before the shooting.

Then, eight minutes later, the man is seen running away with a gun in his right hand.

Brown's co-worker, who said they didn't see where the shot came from, called 911.

The prosecutor asked, Where was Trish?

In the room with me on the floor dead, the witness replied.

Coincidentally, the officer in charge of the case, Eisaac Llamas, testified that he happened to be at the hospital already.

"I was investigating a homicide that happened a couple hours prior and I was in the ambulance bay getting ready to leave the location when the shooting occurred, he explained.

Llamas said he started searching the building for the suspect. But by then, Green had already left.

Green shouldn't have been there in the first place. The 40-year-old victim had filed multiple personal protection orders against him for stalking and vandalism.

Previous coverage: Last month, hospital shooting victim sought protection from ex 'before this goes too far' Last month, hospital victim sought protection from ex 'before this goes too far'

Officer-worn body camera footage played in court showed Green at her job in April.

What's going on with you? I'm talking to you, an officer is heard asking Green.

He replied, She called you. Don't talk to me because I didn't call you. She called you.

The officer stated, So, what you doing over here?

Green replied, I come see her if I choose to come see her. Why are you bothering me?

The officer called for backup and then followed Green upstairs out the exit.

Green shouted at a group of officers, That's my wife!"

An officer stated, You can't come up here and threaten her.

I didn't threaten her though, Green replied.

A judge denied Browns PPO request in June, but a PPO was approved in July. However, it was never served.

Previous coverage: Save other women': Family of slain hospital worker pleads to change Michigan's PPO law Family of murdered hospital worker urges Senate to change PPO law

After Brown's murder, Green was on the run. That sparked a large-scale manhunt. His car was spotted in Northwest Detroit hours after the shooting, however, he was arrested early the next morning on the city's east side.

Green's defense attorney, Brian Berry, maintains his client's innocence and called the police investigation "shoddy".

"I don't see how we get to Mr. Green as being the shooter or that he was stalking or that he was there without consent, Berry told the judge.

Previous coverage: Ex-husband, another man charged in deadly shooting at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Ex-husband, another man charged in deadly shooting at Henry Ford Hospital

Deonda Easley told 7 News Detroit, Latricia didn't deserve what happened to her at all, and our prayer is that no one else, no other family has to go through what we went through and that Latricia's words will be received and heard and justice will be served."

Dia Easley said, "We're still seeing cases like this. So, people need to know that the justice system is going to work in the victim's favor. So, we are grateful for what they're doing, and we just asked that they do the same amount of work as if it's their family."

Green is due back in court Dec. 26.

By SCOTT BAUER

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department sued three states and the District of Columbia on Thursday for not turning over requested voter information to the Trump administration.

The latest lawsuits were filed against Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and the District of Columbia. The Justice Department has now filed 22 lawsuits seeking voter information as part of its effort to collect detailed voting data and other election information across the country.

“We shared our nation-leading list maintenance practices and public voter roll data with the DOJ December 8 at their request, and we look forward to working together to eliminate the federal barriers that prevent even cleaner voter rolls,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement. “Hardworking Georgians can rest easy knowing this data was shared strictly in accordance with state law that protect voters’ privacy.”

The latest round comes one week after the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted against the Justice Department’s request for the data. Both Republican and Democratic commissioners voiced concerns about the request last week, saying it would be illegal under Wisconsin law to provide the voter roll information that includes the full names, dates of birth, residential addresses and driver’s license numbers of voters.

Spokespeople for the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the state Department of Justice, which would defend the commission, did not immediately return messages. The Illinois State Board of Elections declined to comment.

An Associated Press tally found that the Justice Department has asked at least 26 states for voter registration rolls in recent months, and in many cases asked states for information on how they maintain their voter rolls. Other states being sued by the Justice Department include California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Last week, the Justice Department sued Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Nevada.

The Justice Department said 10 states are either in full compliance or working toward it.

The Trump administration has characterized the lawsuits as part of an effort to ensure the security of elections, and the Justice Department says the states are violating federal law by refusing to provide the voter lists and information about ineligible voters.

The lawsuits have raised concerns among some Democratic officials and others who question exactly how the data will be used, and whether the department will follow privacy laws to protect the information. Some of the data sought includes names, dates of birth, residential addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

“The law is clear: states need to give us this information, so we can do our duty to protect American citizens from vote dilution,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. “Today’s filings show that regardless of which party is in charge of a particular state, the Department of Justice will firmly stand on the side of election integrity and transparency.”

Associated Press writers Kate Brumback in Atlanta and John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois, contributed to this report.

Hes a highly paid Oakland County Deputy County Executive who works for the taxpayers. So why does an outside company that he owns have lucrative contracts with other local governments?

Watch Heather Catallo's video report: Advantage or conflict? Oakland Co. senior leaders private business in question

Financial disclosure has been a hot topic for months in Oakland County government. County officials have come under fire recently over outside jobs and outside business interests, prompting some to call for major ethics reforms.

So are these private business deals an advantage when it comes to experience, or are they conflicts of interest?

WEB EXTRA: Extended interview with Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter WEB EXTRA: Extended interview with Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter

Oakland County Deputy County Executive Sean Carlson knows procurement. Not only has he overseen Oakland Countys purchasing department, Carlson owns a procurement company. Its a staffing business that helps governments source goods and services.

Even though Carlson earns $224,487 a year as a Deputy County Executive, records obtained by the 7 Investigators show he also owns Procurement Consulting Group.

Its a private company that has provided purchasing staff to local governments, including Livingston County, the Washtenaw Intermediate School District and with neighboring Wayne County.

Carlson was hired by Oakland County in 2019. Records show Carlsons Procurement Consulting Group, or PCG, has been providing Wayne County with procurement staff since 2016. In 2023, PCG landed a Wayne County contract valued at up to $8,467,961.24 for 3 years and can be extended for 7 years for up to $14,522,783.14.

Related story: Oakland County commission asks lawmakers to create financial disclosure rules amid controversy Oakland County commission asks lawmakers to create financial disclosure rules amid controversy

In PCGs Wayne County contract, Carlson is listed as both a principal of the company and the owner.

Is that a conflict? asked 7 Investigator Heather Catallo.

A thousand percent, a thousand percent, said Oakland County Commissioner Charlie Cavell (D-Ferndale).

Lines have become very blurry in Oakland County in regard to serving the public or serving our private interests, said Oakland County Commissioner Kristen Nelson (D-Waterford).

Nelson and Cavell have been calling for financial disclosure and ethics reforms in Oakland County since May.

Sean'sbusiness wins that contract. And that's really bad, in my opinion, because he'sanOaklandCounty deputy executive making over $200,000 a year.His day job is to run IT, airports, economic development, andpurchasing, and the Pontiac redevelopment project.Purchasing is a core function of his job, said Cavell.

Carlson has been leading Oakland Countys redevelopment that will move county employees to downtown Pontiac, a project county officials say is expected to cost taxpayers between $370 - $390 million.

And thats not Carlsons only connection to the city. A few months after Oakland County closed on the land for the redevelopment deal on August 16, 2023, Pontiac city records show Carlsons Procurement Consulting Group landed a deal of their own with the city on January 31, 2024.

PCGs first invoice was paid on April 26, 2024, just days after Carlson appeared at the Pontiac city council meeting on April 16, 2024 with an update on the countys massive investment in their downtown.

And at the same meeting where Carlson updated the Pontiac City Council again in early 2025, the council voted to extend the PCG contract until July.

In total, city invoices show Pontiac has paid PCG $355,780.

Related Story: Oakland County leaders call for criminal investigation into controversial IT contract Oakland County leaders call for criminal investigation into controversial IT contract

That feels all too convenient, said Cavell. It'stheperceptionofbad behavior, because we need, as people in government, to have people trust us becausewe'reusing your money So, if youdon'ttrust us, then this whole thing falls apart.

City spokesman Jacob Jefferson told the 7 Investigators, The City of Pontiac was unaware of Mr. Carlsons connection with Procurement Consulting Group when we entered into a contract with the Company. The standard procurement process of the City was followed, and PCG was engaged using the consortium option.

Sean Carlson told the 7 Investigators he is not involved in the day-to-day operations with his company and said he had no idea PCG had gotten that contract with Pontiac until after it was approved.

Carlson said he told the Pontiac mayor he was the owner after he learned about the deal.

If you have disclosure, then you can stand up and look at the facts, said Jim Townsend.

Townsend is a former state representative and is now the director of the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy at Wayne State University. He says while not every outside job or source of income is inherently bad, Oakland County does need financial disclosure and ethics rules so taxpayers know who else is paying our public officials.

I would say in the absence of disclosure, thenI think residentshave a lot ofreasonto doubt that their interests are being well served, said Townsend.

The 7 Investigators asked several times to interview Sean Carlson on camera, and county officials told us no. So, we caught up with his boss County Executive David Coulter to ask about Carlsons company.

Isn't that a contract of interest? asked Catallo.

My understanding is he's taken no votes and made no decisions on the business that they pursue. He has put that into, not a trust per se, but treats it as if it's a separate entity, that hes not involved in, said Coulter.

How can you be sure he's not enriching himself with the relationships he's building with the county? asked Catallo.

I've seen no evidence of it, said Coulter. I've not seen a single bit of evidence that says that he has enriched himself or done something inappropriately.

Late on Wednesday, Sean Carlson answered questions by phone. He was transparent and even answered questions about his outside income, saying when asked that he earns between $250,000 and $500,000 dollars from PCG, depending on the year.

Carlson says PCG has saved Wayne County about $30 million. He also says his vast experience in procurement actually helps Oakland County in his role overseeing Economic Development.

Meanwhile, Executive Coulters top appointees will all be publicly disclosing their outside income and jobs starting in January 2026.

Carlson says he disclosed his finances to his bosses last summer, and will also have to continue to do that since hes now running for state senate.

If you have a story for Heather Catallo, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com

Scammers are capitalizing on cryptocurrencys record-breaking year, luring victims with fake investment opportunities that promise huge returns. Victims watch their balances soar, until they try to cash out.

Losses tied to these schemes have grown so severe that the FBI launched Operation Level Up in January 2024, a proactive effort to identify and warn victims before they realize they are being scammed.

Karen and Michael, who asked to be identified by their first names only, both started small. Their investments appeared to multiply almost immediately. But the profits only looked real on screen. The platforms showing those gains were controlled by scammers, and the money was never invested.

I started out with about $2,000, Karen said.

I decided, why not 500 bucks if it doesn't work? And lo and behold, I made money, Michael said.

RELATED STORY | Banks, FBI warn of rise in scammers posing as employees to steal your money

That early success convinced Karen to keep investing.

It seemed so easy to make that much money, you know, in that short period of time, and my greed just went into full bloom, Karen said. I pretty much invested a lot, I would say like, maybe over $3 million.

But when both tried to withdraw their money, they were stopped. Scammers demanded additional payments, often framed as taxes, before allowing access to the funds.

You have to pay some sort of tax in order to pull it out. But in order to do that, you have to pay like, 20%, 30% of what you made, Karen said.

Neither recovered their money. Michael lost $50,000. Karen lost everything.

Once you fall into that initial trap, it's kind of hard to get out, Karen said.

So hard that when the FBI reached out to warn her, Karen did not believe it was real.

I got an email from the FBI saying, you know, we're seeing a lot of activity with your account, and we think you might be, you might be being scammed. And when I first saw the email, I thought it was a scam, she said.

Keith Custer, supervisory special agent with FBI Baltimore, explained the bureau's new approach.

Operation Level Up. So this is an initiative that the FBI started in January of 2024 where we proactively identify victims who are in the midst of being scammed, Custer said.

RELATED STORY | Fake airline customer service scams are canceling real flights and draining millions in loyalty points

The goal is to stop catastrophic losses before they happen. Custer said the average loss in these cases is about $140,000.

In 2024, which is the last year that we have full year records for IC3, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received reports totaling $5.8 billion in losses and over 41,000 individuals reported complaints, he said.

Many of these scams begin with a simple message, sometimes an accidental text, sometimes through social media or dating apps.

There's no initial ask. The scammer will attempt to build a relationship based on kind of an accidental meeting. And they'll take whatever amount of time is required to develop a level of trust, Custer said.

That relationship-building phase can last months. After victims lose their money, scammers often return, this time posing as recovery services.

They will then contact the victim with what we would call a recovery scheme and purport to be a law firm or another firm that can assist them in unlocking these millions of dollars that don't really exist, Custer said. It's hard psychologically for a victim to come to grips with I've just lost everything, and hold on to that little hope that maybe one more transaction can unlock everything and get them back.

WATCH | How fake online retailers use social media platforms like TikTok to scam consumers

The FBI says Operation Level Up is working. In less than two years, Custer said the effort has prevented more than $400 million in losses.

For anyone considering an investment, the FBI urges people to slow down, talk it over with someone they trust, research the company, look for complaints, and confirm the business and promoters are properly licensed or registered.

Custer also warns that artificial intelligence is making these scams more convincing, and that in the near future, much of the process could be fully automated using chatbots.

For more information on investing and avoiding fraud, visit Investor.gov, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website. Scams can also be reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3.

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. business to three American investors Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX ensuring the popular social video platform can continue operating in the United States.

The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22, according to an internal memo seen by The Associated Press. CEO Shou Zi Chew told employees in the memo that ByteDance and TikTok have signed binding agreements with the three investors.

Half of the new TikTok U.S. joint venture will be owned by a consortium of investors among them Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX will each hold a 15% share. Another 30.1% will be held by affiliates of existing ByteDance investors and 19.9% will be retained by the China-based ByteDance, according to the memo.

RELATED STORY | 1 in 5 Americans get their news from social media influencers, study says

The U.S. venture will have a new, seven-member majority-American board of directors, the memo said. It will also be subject to terms that protect Americans data and U.S. national security.

U.S. user data will be stored locally in a system run by Oracle.

TikToks algorithm the secret sauce that powers its addictive video feed will be retrained on U.S. user data to ensure the content feed is free from outside manipulation, the memo said. The U.S. venture will also oversee content moderation and policies within the country.

The deal marks the end of years of uncertainty about the fate of the popular video-sharing platform in the United States. After wide bipartisan majorities in Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed a law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if it did not find a new owner in the place of Chinas ByteDance, the platform was set to go dark on the laws January 2025 deadline. For a several hours, it did. But on his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep it running while his administration tries to reach an agreement for the sale of the company.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | TikTok was aware of risks kids and teens face on its platform, legal document alleges

Three more executive orders followed, as Trump, without a clear legal basis, continued to extend the deadline for a TikTok deal. The second was in April, when White House officials believed they were nearing a deal to spin off TikTok into a new company with U.S. ownership that fell apart after China backed out following Trumps tariff announcement. The third came in June, then another in September, which Trump said would allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States in a way that meets national security concerns.

WATCH | TikTok Has Been Hiring Former CIA, FBI And NSA Officers