John Bolton becomes the third Trump foe to be indicted by a federal grand jury, with one difference. Hamas clashes with rival factions in Gaza, calling into question a key clause in the peace deal. And NASA’s relationship with SpaceX could be giving China a lead in the space race.
Here's what to know today.
Bolton becomes third Trump critic to be indicted
A federal grand jury indicted former national security adviser John Bolton yesterday, making him the third critic of President Donald Trump to face criminal charges in recent weeks.
He was charged with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information. Asked about the indictment, Trump said Bolton is "a bad person."
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Bolton denied any wrongdoing in a statement and claimed the indictment was politically motivated, saying he has "become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those [Trump] deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts."
The other two prominent Trump adversaries to face charges in recent weeks are former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The FBI had been investigating Bolton for years, and, contrary to Comey and James' cases, conducted searches of Bolton's Maryland home and his Washington, D.C., office in August.
The Justice Department said in a press release that Bolton faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each count if convicted, but any sentence handed down by a judge would likely be far less than that and in line with federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
More politics news:
- For the first time, people have survived a U.S. military strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel boat in international waters in the Caribbean.
- Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary for a second round of in-person talks to end the war in Ukraine.
- After a week of chaos and confusion, the fates of more than 600 CDC workers hang in the balance now that a federal judge has temporarily blocked their terminations.
- A NYC mayoral debate turned feisty as candidates tore into each other on crime, Gaza, and dealing with Trump.
- Trump announced two policy changes aimed at making in vitro fertilization more affordable — a long-awaited follow-up to his pledges to require health insurers to cover IVF services.
Hamas' disarmament questioned after clashes with gangs
As Israel pulled back in Gaza last week, Hamas stepped in, with violence marked by at least one public execution and clashes with rival factions as the militant group tried to reassert control amid the ceasefire in the war-torn territory.
The disarmament of Hamas is the most critical and difficult part of Trump's peace plan to implement, analysts said. But Gaza is home to numerous clans and militant groups, with score-settling and criminality posing a threat to order in the Palestinian enclave, even after the ceasefire.
Trump issued a clear warning about the violence. "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he posted on Truth Social.
More Middle East news:
- Hamas needs more time to recover hostages' remains still in Gaza, two senior U.S. advisers have said, as Israel's military began to prepare for the possibility of renewed fighting amid anguish and anger about delays in the return of abductees.
- A prominent doctor who had become a voice for besieged Palestinians in Gaza and was detained by Israeli forces in December has had his detention without charge extended, his family and legal representatives said.
Where SpaceX stands amid the U.S.-China space race
The space race has been heating up between the United States and China. NASA chose SpaceX for a moon mission the agency bills as "humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years," and scheduled for 2027. But China is jockeying to secure that milestone for itself and has pledged to put boots on the moon by 2030.
SpaceX is significantly behind where it should be if the U.S. wants to beat China. Although the company has made major strides since Starship debuted in 2023, a spate of four failures marred its progress this year, including two explosions that rained debris over parts of the Caribbean.
The pressure on each Starship launch belies a larger problem: NASA has found itself reliant on a single commercial company to deliver the future of America’s space program.
Ace Frehley, founding guitarist of Kiss, dies at 74
Ace Frehley, the legendary Kiss guitarist and vocalist, has died at age 74, his family said. The Bronx native is considered one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time.
Frehley — better known as “Space Ace” or “Spaceman” by devoted Kiss fans — died “peacefully” surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall at his home, according to a statement shared on his social media. The cause of death was not immediately released.
Frehley joined Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss to form Kiss in New York City in 1973. The group, known for daring black-and-white makeup, costumes and electrifying guitar solos, took the world by storm, sparking a metal fever with hits like “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Black Diamond,” “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “Lick It Up.”
“I’ve never taken a lesson, and my sense of melody came from singing in the church choir. So, whatever I have, it can’t be taught. You’ve gotta have it in you. Either you’ve got it, or you’ve got nothing at all,” Frehley told Guitar World last year.
Read All About It
- More than 20 states sued the EPA, challenging the agency’s decision to cancel a $7 billion program aimed to make solar power accessible to low-income households.
- Susan Stamberg, a “founding mother” of National Public Radio and the first female broadcaster to host a national news program, has died. She was 87.
- Indiana University fired its director of student media amid growing tension between the school and the student newspaper over what content was allowed in the print edition.
- A Florida teenager is facing charges after allegedly faking his own kidnapping and shooting himself in the leg as part of the hoax, according to officials.
- Ariarne Titmus, the Australian swimmer who reached the top of the podium at two Olympic Games, said that she was retiring from competitive swimming at age 25.
Staff Pick: Batting on a curve
Ever since baseball began, a shorthand existed to identify its best hitters: a .300 batting average. A century ago there were more than 100 per season who, on average, got a base hit three times every 10 at bats. A quarter-century ago, there were more than 50 such hitters a season. Yet the .300 hitter has become an endangered species, with just seven in 2024 and 2025.
Baseball, more than any other sport, is fascinated by numbers, and I wanted to know what was behind the decline of what was once one of the sport’s most revered statistical marks. I found a story of high-tech, high-speed pitches and how a sport changes what it values. – Andrew Greif, sports reporter
NBCU Academy: Ballet Hispánico is putting Latino culture centerstage
When first-generation Mexican American Omar Rivera searched for dance companies to join, he wanted to see others onstage who looked like him. That's why he found Ballet Hispánico, the largest Latino dance company in the U.S. Now, eight seasons later, he says being a part of the company "feels like a dream come true."
"It’s not just dance, it is a cultural experience," Rivera said.
Go inside the dance company that has produced more than 100 original works, offered classes at 80 New York public schools, and awarded over $5 million in scholarships to young dancers connecting with their heritage.
NBCU Academy is a free, award-winning education program for developing new skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and tech.
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Skin flooding is one of the biggest skin care trends of the year, but what is it and what does it do? Dermatologists break it down — and share how to try it at home. Plus, the NBC Select team tested the viral Jolie showerhead and rounded up top-rated treatments for keratosis pilaris (aka “chicken skin”).
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