White House brings in new architect for Trump's sprawling $300 million ballroom

The U.S. Supreme Court has approved a new congressional map for Texas that favors Republican candidates in the upcoming 2026 elections, impacting the March primaries. This ruling allows Texas to implement a redistricting plan that could significantly alter the political landscape in the state.

A grand jury has declined to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James after a federal judge dismissed a previous mortgage fraud case against her, ruling it unlawful. This decision comes shortly after the Department of Justice attempted to revive the case, indicating ongoing legal challenges for James.

Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor known for her work on high-profile cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, has filed a lawsuit claiming her dismissal from the Trump administration's Justice Department was politically motivated, linked to her father, James Comey, the former FBI director. The lawsuit alleges that she was terminated without cause shortly after leading the prosecution of Sean Combs, who was convicted of prostitution-related crimes.

The US Supreme Court has approved a redrawn congressional map for Texas, allowing the state to add up to five Republican-friendly seats. This ruling overturns a previous lower-court decision that found the maps likely engaged in racial gerrymandering, thus enabling Texas to utilize the new maps for the upcoming midterm elections.

The Trump administration plans to formally submit detailed plans for a new ballroom at the White House to a key planning commission later this month, marking a significant step towards the construction of this ambitious $300 million project. The plans will include final specifications for the ballroom, which has been a focal point of President Trump's vision for the East Wing renovations.

A defense lawyer referenced former President Donald Trump's recent pardon of Juan Orlando Hernandez, the ex-president of Honduras, in a plea for leniency for a former Honduran congressman convicted of drug conspiracy. This request was made to a judge who previously presided over a civil sex abuse case involving Trump.

Donald Trump has replaced architect James McCrery II, who was overseeing the $300 million gilded ballroom project, after disagreements regarding the ballroom's size and due to the firm's limited staff. McCrery had been involved in the project for over three months before his dismissal in late October.

President Donald Trump has indicated a potential escalation of U.S. military action in Venezuela, warning that violent retaliation against U.S. citizens is possible as tensions rise. This comes amid discussions of military strikes targeting drug cartels within Venezuelan borders, raising alarms among national security experts.