LA curfew takes effect with Marines standing by and more protests gearing up across the US. Here’s how the day unfolded.

By the Associated Press

Roughly 45 minutes after the curfew took effect, downtown LA appears fairly quiet, a departure from the last few evenings.

There are no signs of Marines or National Guard members.

By the Associated Press

In Seattle, hundreds of protesters gathered at a rally in a park in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood before starting to march toward downtown as dusk approached.

No police were visible at the rally, which got underway peacefully.

By the Associated Press

The curfew will end at 6 a.m. PDT. Police downtown began making arrests before the curfew officially took effect.

By the Associated Press

As with last night, some protesters say they don’t plan to leave the downtown area when the curfew arrives.

For now, police appear to have successfully segmented the crowd into smaller groups.

On one corner, protesters were dancing to “La Chona,” a popular Mexican song, while waving flags of Honduras and El Salvador. A few steps away, a line of police stood with their hands on their guns and batons. One officer cracked a slight smile, prompting cheers from the group.

By the Associated Press

Officers are chasing groups of protestors through the streets, seemingly trying to push them further from the federal buildings in the area.

By the Associated Press

A demonstration in Los Angeles’ civic center suddenly turned chaotic, as police in riot gear — many on horseback — charged at a group, striking them with rods and pushing them out of a park in front of City Hall. Officers also fired crowd control projectiles, striking at least one young woman, who writhed in pain on the ground as she bled from her hip.

It wasn’t clear what initiated the confrontation. But minutes earlier, some protesters had lit fireworks as they approached the federal building, the site of numerous showdowns in recent nights.

Simultaneously, a larger portion of the protest had been in the midst of a dance party.

“It was chill the whole time, it was cool vibes, peaceful protesting,” said Raymond Martinez, a 23-year-old from Hemet, California. “Once we got by the federal building, the horses started coming. They started shooting in the air and pushing up, and that woman got shot. It’s crazy.”

By the Associated Press

The mood was exuberant and festive, with demonstrators pausing in front of City Hall for a Mexican line dance, backed by trumpet players, drummers and loud truck speakers.

“This is not a war zone,” said Yaneth Bonilla, a 50-year-old lifelong resident of Los Angeles, whose parents immigrated from Mexico. Members of her family were afraid to leave the house, she said, fearful they would be picked by ICE.

“We have to realize Trump is going after innocent, hardworking people,” she added. “That’s why we’re here.”

The curfew for a section of downtown Los Angeles will begin for a second night at 8 p.m. PDT.

By the Associated Press

More than 400 people were at the anti-ICE demonstration Wednesday evening, according to local authorities.

The protest was largely peaceful, with many blasting music and some handing out water. Nearby streets were closed off as law enforcement watched from hundreds of feet away.

Dozens of the demonstrators had walked to City Hall from the Alamo after police there closed off the area where a protest was scheduled to take place.

By the Associated Press

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sued the Trump administration in an effort to stop the military helping immigration agents in Los Angeles.

The administration’s official response on Wednesday says that President Donald Trump is “exercising his lawful statutory and constitutional power to ensure that federal personnel and facilities are protected.”

Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to quell protests over immigration enforcement.

The lawsuit argues that the deployment of troops trampled on the state’s sovereignty and pushes for a restraining order.

In the Trump administration’s response, it called this “unprecedented,” saying: “It would be constitutionally anathema. And it would be dangerous.”

A judge has set a hearing for Thursday.

By the Associated Press

Demonstrators critical of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency returned to lower Manhattan on Wednesday evening, a day after dozens of protesters were detained.

Groups of people chanting and holding anti-ICE signs once again gathered around the area of Foley Square. New York City police did not immediately have information about possible arrests.

Police detained more than 80 people during protests Tuesday evening into early Wednesday.

By the Associated Press

More than two dozen officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety told a small group of protestors that the Alamo in San Antonio, where a demonstration was planned to take place, was closed.

Dozens of people gathered hundreds of feet outside of the Alamo holding signs in support of immigrants and in opposition to President Trump.

“I think the National Guard made a lot of people afraid,” Pinky Ochoa, 21, said at City Hall, where another protest was scheduled to take place.

“I think a lot of people fear what’s going to happen,” Pedro Ruiz, 53, said about the mostly quiet downtown.

Officers with the Public Safety Department said the Texas National Guard was present at a protest in downtown San Antonio. Members were not seen standing with law enforcement in front of a small crowd of demonstrators.

By the Associated Press

The mixed reception came as an announcer said the Trump family had arrived.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump,” the announcer said at the 7:30 p.m. start of “Les Miserables.”

The audible reaction stopped after a round of chants of “USA.”

By the Associated Press

The Health and Human Services Secretary was among the Trump Cabinet officials who attended alongside President Donald Trump.

By the Associated Press

A tuxedo-wearing president walked along the red carpet with first lady Melania Trump.

“We’re going to save the Kennedy Center,” he said. “We’re going to make it incredible.”

Trump brushed off reports of actors boycotting the performance because of his presence and his remaking of the arts institution: “I couldn’t care less.”

He said his first theatrical production was probably “Cats,” while Melania said hers was “Phantom of the Opera.”

By the Associated Press

The president is expected to sign the measure Thursday, a White House official told AP. It would block California’s rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The resolution, which Congress approved last month, aims to quash the country’s most aggressive attempt to phase out gas-powered cars. He also plans to approve measures to overturn state policies curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks.

The timing of the signing was confirmed by a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share plans not yet public.

According to the official, Trump is expected to sign resolutions that block California’s rule phasing out gas-powered cars and ending the sale of new ones by 2035. He will also kill rules that phase out the sale of medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles and cut tailpipe emissions from trucks.

By the Associated Press

The commander in charge said while some troops have already gone on such missions, he said it’s too early to say if that will continue even after the protests die down.

Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and ABC, also warned that he expects the protest situation will escalate, noting that protests across the nation are being planned and discussed now.

“I’m focused right here in LA, what’s going on right here,” Sherman said. “But you know, I think we’re, we’re very concerned.”

Sherman, commander of Task Force 51 that is overseeing the Guard troops and Marines deployed to LA, initially said that National Guard troops had already temporarily detained some civilians. He later said he was incorrect, and that he had based his comments on photos and footage he had seen that turned out to not be a representation of Guard members in Los Angeles.

By the Associated Press

Democrats forced two procedural votes Wednesday to protest Qatar’s donation of a $400 million plane to be used as Air Force One and a $2 billion investment by a UAE-backed company using a Trump family-linked stablecoin, a form of cryptocurrency.

Sen. Chris Murphy, who led the Democratic effort, said the Senate should not “grease the wheels” for the president.

“We can do that by voting to block these two arms sales to Qatar and to the UAE — not permanently, but until both countries commit to deny Trump’s requests for personal enrichment as part of the bilateral relationship,” Murphy said.

Trump’s administration is still sorting out the legal arrangement for accepting a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family and how the plane would be modified so it is safe for the president, who has called the arrangement a “no brainer” as a new Air Force One has faced delays at U.S.-based Boeing.

By the Associated Press

District Attorney Nathan Hochman highlighted five cases brought in recent days, with charges including assault, grand theft and felony vandalism.

In one case, suspects allegedly shot fireworks at police officers. Two other defendants are accused of driving their motorcycles into a line of officers.

Hochman said investigators were reviewing video from demonstrations that turned violent over the weekend and more charges are pending.

He said people are encouraged to engage in peaceful demonstration, “but the moment they engage in illegal acts, they are no longer legitimate First Amendment protestors. They are criminals.”

By the Associated Press

The president’s plan for the federal agency that responds to disasters after the 2025 hurricane season is likely to put more responsibilities on states to provide services following increasingly frequent and expensive climate disasters, experts said.

While there has been bipartisan support for reforming the agency, experts say dismantling it completely would leave gaps in crucial services and funding.

“It just causes more concern on how states should be planning for the future if the federal government’s not going to be there for them,” said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff during the Obama and Biden administrations.

Disaster response is already locally led and state-managed, but FEMA supports by coordinating resources from federal agencies, providing direct assistance programs for households and moving money to states for repairing public infrastructure.

By the Associated Press

After going through magnetometers and bag searches, the guests are mingling on the center’s Cross Hall-style red carpet.

Some patrons are availing themselves of several concession stands selling turkey or chicken salad sandwiches, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and boxes of candy.

A canned soda costs $8, and a glass of wine $19.

By the Associated Press

That means Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill finally will make its way to the Senate.

The changes struck some provisions from the bill that had been flagged as problematic by the Senate parliamentarian.

Provisions that were dropped include $2 billion to enhance military intelligence and about $500 million for the development of cruise missiles.

The House also dropped increased penalties for fraud committed through the employee retention tax credit established during the COVID pandemic.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said most of the changes were technical corrections, but he said the vote also gave Republicans who have expressed concern about the bill a chance to stop it.

“Now you have a second chance to actually stop this one big, ugly bill and the provisions you disagree with,” Jeffries said.

By the Associated Press

Jacob Vasquez began working at a clothing warehouse in Los Angeles soon after arriving from Mexico less than three years ago. Now he is among dozens of workers detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in Southern California.

Vasquez has a three-month-old baby, according to his family, who spoke to reporters outside the Ambiance Apparel warehouse, a clothing company founded in 1999 where he worked.

“Jacob is a family man and the sole breadwinner of his household,” said his brother Gabriel, speaking in Spanish during a news conference this week.

“We don’t know where he is.”

Immigrant advocates say the workers who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights.

By the Associated Press

The US health secretary named the new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly dismissed earlier this week.

They include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and transformed into a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, and a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns.

Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations.

The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak.

Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed.

By the Associated Press

The veteran rock star, a longtime and high-profile critic of the president, called the administration “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.”

Springsteen was addressing tens of thousands of fans Wednesday at a stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games that still bears the scars of World War II and contains relics from the country’s dark Nazi past.

“Tonight we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices, stand with us against authoritarianism and let freedom reign,” he said.

Springsteen has made increasingly pointed and contentious public statements in recent concerts.

He denounced Trump’s politics during a show last month in Manchester, calling him an “unfit president” leading a “rogue government” of people who have “no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American.”

By the Associated Press

Trump regularly gave his salary back to the government through various Cabinet departments and agencies the first time he was president. He told Kristin Welker of NBC News earlier this year that he’d be doing so again.

White House press secretary Leavitt told The Associated Press that Trump has donated his salary to the White House Historical Association.

The association doesn’t receive government funding and relies mostly on private donations. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization works to preserve the museum-quality interior of the Executive Mansion.

A president’s annual salary is $400,000, or $100,000 every three months.

By the Associated Press

National Guard troops already have temporarily detained civilians in the Los Angeles protests over immigration raids, the commander in charge said Wednesday, but they quickly turned them over to law enforcement.

Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said about 500 of the National Guard troops have been trained so far to accompany agents on immigration operations. Photos of Guard soldiers providing security for the agents have already been circulated by immigration officials.

Sherman is commander of Task Force 51, which is overseeing the more than 4,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines who have been deployed to Los Angeles to provide security during the protests.

By the Associated Press

Some of those arrested in connection with downtown protests during rush hour Tuesday were charged for vandalism, police say. Four people face felony charges, including for aggravated battery against an officer of the peace.

Thousands of people demonstrated in a downtown plaza to call out the Trump administration’s immigration operations and his move to dispatch dispatching the military to California.

Chicago leaders say the majority of protesters were peaceful and exercising their First Amendment rights.

By the Associated Press

More than 460 laid-off employees at the nation’s top public health agency are being reinstated, according to a union representing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workers.

The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed reinstatement notices went out, but provided few details.

About 2,400 CDC employees lost their jobs in a wave of cuts across federal health agencies in early April. Whole CDC programs were essentially shut down.

An estimated 200 of the reinstated workers are based at a CDC center focused on sexually transmitted diseases. Also reinstated are dozens of employees at the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.

By the Associated Press

Some of those arrested in connection with downtown protests during rush hour Tuesday were charged for vandalism, police say. Four people face felony charges, including for aggravated battery against an officer of the peace.

Thousands of people demonstrated in a downtown plaza to call out the Trump administration’s immigration operations and his move to dispatch dispatching the military to California.

Chicago leaders say the majority of protesters were peaceful and exercising their First Amendment rights.

By the Associated Press

Speaking at a bill-signing news conference Wednesday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott would not say how many guard soldiers will be used or how. He added only that they will be in “strategic locations where they can provide the most robust response” if needed.

“There are others outside of this room who would like to know that. And I’m not going to tell them,” Abbott said.

Protests are planned in San Antonio on Wednesday night and in other cities around the state this weekend. San Antonio officials have said they didn’t ask for the Guard to be sent.

“We want to make sure that what has happened in California does not happen in Texas,” Abbott said.

By the Associated Press

The command confirmed the authorization in a statement.

It says it “is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.”

By the Associated Press

Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning that it “has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”

It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.

By the Associated Press

The mayor said an overnight curfew for downtown neighborhoods will remain in effect indefinitely.

Bass said officials will consider lifting it if there are fewer arrests Wednesday night.

“What I’m hoping is that Angelenos got the message last night,” she said.

How long it will remain in place also depends on the response by the federal government, Bass said.

“If there are raids that continue, if there are soldiers marching up and down our streets, I would imagine that the curfew will continue,” she said.

By the Associated Press

Mayor Karen Bass called the raids in Southern California a provocation by the White House.

“Maybe we are part of a national experiment about how far to determine the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a local jurisdiction,” Bass said.

Bass was joined by mayors from across the region, several of whom said they were immigrants.

They said immigrants are vital for the economy, including harvesting food for the country.

“We are not criminals. We are hard working people. We came to the United States to work, to better our families,” said South Gate Mayor Maria Davila.

Many of the city leaders said raids have been happening outside Home Depots, churches and other businesses. A woman who was nine months pregnant and a man dropping off his granddaughter were among those detained, they said.

By the Associated Press

“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

By the Associated Press

The US military has authorized the voluntary departure of troops’ dependents from locations across the Middle East amid tensions with Iran, two US officials say.

One US defense official said the order came from defense secretary Hegseth.

That official said the US military was working with the State Department and its allies in the region “to maintain a constant state of readiness.”

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that had yet to be made public.

By the Associated Press

The vast majority of people — 203 — were detained for failing to disperse Tuesday, and 17 others for violating the curfew that set in at 8 p.m. over part of Los Angeles, police said in a statement.

Police arrested several more people for possessing a firearm, assaulting a police officer and shining a laser at a police “airship.”

Police said they used “numerous” less lethal munitions to control the crowd. Two officers were injured Tuesday, bringing the total number injured over the past several days of protests to nine.

By the Associated Press

At Wednesday’s Houston City Council meeting, Mayor John Whitmire did not specifically mention the possibility of Texas National Guard troops being sent to the nation’s fourth-largest city ahead of any protests.

City leaders expressed their confidence in the Houston Police Department being able to monitor any protests.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says National Guard troops are “on standby” in Texas in areas where demonstrations are planned.

“We’re so prepared,” Whitmire said. “We have such a great police department, a diverse police department that has so much experience. We have a history of peaceful demonstrations brought about by the faith community, our civic leaders, our political figures. And we’re going to continue down that path.”

By the Associated Press

The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to eliminate the rules for power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.

It’s part of a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations that Administrator Lee Zeldin has said would eliminate trillions of dollars in costs and “unleash” American energy.

The agency also plans to weaken a regulation that requires power plants to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants that can harm brain development of young children and contribute to health problems in adults.

The rollbacks are set to be announced Wednesday.

By the Associated Press

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city’s police have responded appropriately in managing crowds at immigration protests in recent days.

The demonstrations have been in response to aggressive immigration arrests in the city and in solidarity with Los Angeles. The largest Chicago gathering was downtown Wednesday when thousands gathered in a downtown plaza and onto surrounding streets during the evening rush hour.

There were some incidents of vandalism, and one 66-year-old woman was injured when she was hit by a car.

“The vast majority of protesters remain peaceful and organized,” Johnson said.

By the Associated Press

That’s because talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse.

Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was set to potentially vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that’s still active until October.

Amid the reports of preparations for embassy departures, Iran’s mission to the UN posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts.”

By the Associated Press

Two US officials say the order will not affect a large number of personnel, but the State Department also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait.

That gives them an option on whether to leave the country.

The Pentagon is standing by to support a potential evacuation of US personnel from the US Embassy in Baghdad, another US official said.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail plans that had not been made public.

READ MORE

By the Associated Press

President Trump appears to be welcoming Musk’s attempt to pull back from his sharp criticism.

“The president acknowledged the statement that Elon put out this morning and he is appreciative of it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “And we are continuing to focus on the business of the American people.”

By the Associated Press

No officers were hit.

Both people are charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at a press conference Wednesday.

“You can make a statement, but you can’t throw bombs or Molotov cocktails,” Essayli said.

Investigators are combing through FBI videos, body camera footage from law enforcement and other evidence on social media, said Essayli.

Authorities expect to charge more people in the coming days and weeks.

By the Associated Press

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her briefing by continuing to lambaste California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

“Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom fanned the flames and demonized our brave ICE officers,” Leavitt said.

While protests have been largely peaceful, Leavitt continue to criticize the California leaders for failing to restore order. She asserted that local law enforcement efforts have been “kneecapped by incompetent Democrat policies” that prevent coordination with federal immigration authorities.

By the Associated Press

Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles called Musk on Friday and urged him to end his feud with Trump, according to two people familiar with the call who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The call was first reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal.

By the Associated Press

Trump’s lawyer argued in a federal appellate court Wednesday that the case belongs in federal court, where his administration can throw it out. The Manhattan district attorney’s office — which prosecuted the case and wants it to remain in state court, argued the contrary.

The judges — two nominated by President Barack Obama and one by President Joe Biden — were at turns skeptical and receptive to both sides’ arguments on weighty and seldom-tested legal issues.

The one thing everyone agreed on: It is a highly unusual case. Trump lawyer Jeffrey Wall said Trump is in “a class of one.”

The judges said they would issue a ruling at a later date.

Trump was convicted in May 2024 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to upend his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump denies her claim and said he did nothing wrong. It was the only one of his four criminal cases to go to trial.

By the Associated Press

Trump was the first guest on a new podcast launched Wednesday by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine. She asked the president if he could reconcile with or forgive Musk.

“I guess I could,” Trump said, “but, you know, we have to straighten out the country and my sole function now is getting this country back to a level higher than it’s ever been.”

By the Associated Press

Hegseth says additional National Guard members authorized to deploy to Los Angeles will be on hand in case protests spread.

Trump authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members on Tuesday to respond to protests in Los Angeles over mass deportations. Hegseth told lawmakers on Wednesday that the additional National Guard members are intended to support local law enforcement.

“Part of it is getting ahead of a problem,” Hegseth said. He said most states would welcome the help but “In California unfortunately the government wants to play politics with it.”

An initial 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines have already been deployed.

By the Associated Press

The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate are defending Governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in California, which prompted protests and now the president’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Newsom “has been doing a tremendous job on behalf of the people of California.” Jeffries said Democrats believe along with Newsom that anybody who commits violence or destroys property should be held accountable to the full extent of that law. But he said that people have a right to “peacefully protest and petition their government.”

Senator Chuck Schumer said Trump has been trying to bully the governor.

“He has shown he’s not going to be intimidated, and we’re all for that,” Schumer said.

By the Associated Press

The US Department of Homeland Security revealed names of nine people arrested by immigration authorities in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday with criminal convictions, including one for homicide and burglary and others for drug trafficking and child endangerment.

It used those cases to portray violent criminals as its primary targets and accuse political opponents of coddling them.

“How much longer will Governor (Gavin) Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass continue to prioritize these criminal illegal aliens over their own citizens?” said Tricia McLaughlin, a department spokesperson. “Secretary (Kristi) Noem has a message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens.”

By the Associated Press

Chicago police say a 66-year-old woman was injured when she was struck by a car during downtown protests Tuesday evening.

Crowds of demonstrators rallying in solidarity with activists in Los Angeles took over a plaza and some surrounding streets amid rush hour traffic. Video footage shows a car speeding through a roadway where people were standing and were protesting.

Police said Wednesday that the injured woman fractured her left arm and was treated at a local hospital.

No other injuries were reported.

Chicago police say detectives are investigating. No charges have been filed.

By the Associated Press

Wednesday’s testimony by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine complicates Trump’s justification for mass deportations.

Asked if he believes the U.S. is being invaded by a foreign power, Caine said: “I don’t see any foreign state-sponsored folks invading but I’ll be mindful of the fact that there have been some border issues.”

Asked whether he sees evidence of “rebellion” in the country — a word that arguably justifies using the Insurrection Act to send military units into US states and cities over the objections of local officials — Caine said: “There are definitely some frustrated folks out there.”

Responding to the same question, Hegseth repeated Trump’s argument that “there has been an invasion” of migrants entering the country without legal permission, and he said the protests in Los Angeles could spread to other areas.

By the Associated Press

The protests took place around Foley Square Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

Many in the large crowds, which police estimated at around 2,500 people, shouted out against federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and waved signs that included “ICE out of NYC” as they rallied near an ICE facility and federal courthouses.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful. She blamed smaller groups for causing the disorder that required police intervention.

Police said they took 86 people into custody, including 52 who were released with criminal court summonses for minor crimes and 34 who were charged with assault, resisting arrest and other crimes.

Some protesters clashed with police when they jumped over metal barricades and were wrestled to the ground by officers. Video also showed demonstrators throwing items at law enforcement vehicles.

By the Associated Press

The defense secretary confirmed reports that the Qataris have not come to an agreement with the Trump administration over a memo that would allow the Department of Defense to take possession of the 747 jet, which Trump wants as his temporary Air Force One. This also means that no contracts have been signed to move forward on overhauling the aircraft.

“A memorandum of understanding remains to be signed,” Hegseth said, while refusing to answer senator’s questions on the cost or potential timeframe of refurbishing the aircraft — even though data on two other 747s being reconditioned to serve as Air Force One by Boeing is public.

Trump toured the Qatari plane in February when it was parked at an airport near Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort.

By the Associated Press

About 700 Marines are still undergoing civil disturbance training at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Orange County, California, said Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, head of the task force that’s overseeing the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles.

Sherman wouldn’t speculate about when the Marines might join the 2,000 or so Guard troops that have been deployed in downtown areas to protect federal buildings during sometimes violent demonstrations against President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Another 2,000 Guard troops were expected to mobilize on Thursday, he said during a news conference.

By the Associated Press

The streets of downtown Los Angeles began bustling with residents walking dogs and commuters clutching coffee cups after the overnight curfew was lifted at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Officials said at least two dozen people were arrested for violating the curfew, but overall they were fewer clashes between police and demonstrators than on previous nights.

There were no signs of Marines deployed to downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, joining the National Guard troops that are protecting federal buildings and ICE agents making arrests.

By Samantha J. Gross, Globe Staff

Attorney General Andrea Campbell joined a group of other Democratic attorneys general Wednesday condemning the Trump administration’s decision to deploy the California National Guard against protestors, calling the decision “unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.”

“The federal administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, not mobilizing the military against the American people,” the attorneys general wrote. “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we are proud to protect our communities and oppose violence in any form.”

Demonstrations began in Los Angeles over the weekend as residents pushed back against federal immigration officers’ efforts to arrest immigrants there. That prompted Trump to mobilize thousands of National Guard troops and Marines, ignoring California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials who said the protests had been largely peaceful.

As a result, Newsom and California Attorney General Bontasued the Trump administration.

In their statement, the attorneys general said they “oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk – including those of our law enforcement officers.”

Campbell was joined by attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.

On Tuesday, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey expressed a similar sentiment, saying she believed the United States had been “in the midst” of a constitutional crisis under his administration “for a while now.”

“It’s just another example of the failed leadership of Donald Trump and the fact that it seems he’s willing to throw anything out there, stir anything up, just for the sake of creating chaos that, thereby, allows him to impose his will,” Healey said, speaking at the Boston Globe’s Tech Innovation Summit Tuesday.

Anjali Huynh of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

By the Associated Press

The defense secretary told senators that the Pentagon budget includes hard choices and “reflects the reality that Europe needs to step up more for the defense of its own continent. And President Trump deserves the credit for that.”

Questioned at a defense appropriations hearing about U.S. security support for Kyiv Hegseth did not respond when asked if the U.S. will send the remaining $3.8 billion in aid already approved.

Senator Lindsey Graham warned that Russia will not stop with its assault on Ukraine and said the US has to end the war. Hegseth said a negotiated peace in Ukraine will make America look strong.

By the Associated Press

Testifying in front of the House Ways and Means committee, Scott Bessent was asked about Trump’s stated desire to punish Harvard University and other non-profit organizations by directing the IRS to revoke their tax-exempt status.

Federal law prohibits the executive branch from exerting influence over taxpayer audits and other investigations.

Bessent told lawmakers: “The president and I have never had a conversation about Harvard’s tax status.”

Asked whether he would commit to report back to the committee in 30 days as to whether he’d been directed by the executive branch to launch audits of any taxpayers, Bessent said “that is without question that I will follow the law.”

By the Associated Press

Claudia Sheinbaum said she would discuss the US Homeland Security Secretary’s accusation with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Wednesday as he visits Mexico.

She rejected Noem’s comments as “completely false” the day before, publishing a video of her in her morning press briefing calling for Mexicans to act in peace in the Los Angeles protests.

Sheinbaum added more details Wednesday — claiming her opponents had “completely taken out of context” her previous comments suggesting that Mexicans could protest a tax on remittances proposed by Trump.

“We have never called for a violent demonstration,” she said. “We are against all violent acts. We’ve always supported peaceful protests.”

By the Associated Press

Pete Hegseth met with bipartisan criticism Wednesday as the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing kicked off.

Senator Chris Coons slammed him, saying that “more of your time so far has been spent inside the building on culture wars, rather than outside the building, deterring real ones.”

He criticized Hegseth’s moves to fire the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other “qualified uniformed leaders” and said the Pentagon is worried more” about each other than America’s enemies.

The chairman, Senator Mitch McConnell expressed frustration that the Trump administration has yet to provide Congress with a full defense budget. He said current funding isn’t enough to support the nation’s defense, and the administration’s limited budget request has no funding for Ukraine security assistance — casting doubt on the potential for “lasting peace.”

Hegseth said he has moved quickly to kill wasteful programs and redirect funding to Trump’s priorities as his department assembles a comprehensive budget request.

By the Associated Press

The new spending line was tucked inside Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, whose chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has been at times a Trump critic.

The $40 million allotment would go to the National Endowment for the Humanities to build Trump’s long-sought statue garden. He first proposed the idea in 2020 during a time of political turmoil in the US over honoring people with racist and other views, and followed up with executive orders.

Trump’s initial proposal for 30-plus “heroes” features Founding Fathers and presidents, civil rights pioneers and aviation innovators, explorers and generals, and the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Absent from Trump’s initial list were any Native American, Hispanic or Asian-American individuals.

By the Associated Press

Trump signed executive orders in April relaxing some of his 25% tariffs on automobiles and auto parts, a significant reversal as the import taxes threatened to hurt domestic manufacturers. Trump portrayed the changes as a bridge toward automakers moving more production into the United States.

But automakers and independent analyses say the remaining tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales and make US production less competitive worldwide. Last month GM lowered its profit expectations for the year, estimating the impact of remaining auto tariffs at $5 billion for the company.

GM said it will add production of the gas-powered Chevrolet Blazer and Chevrolet Equinox, which are made in Mexico, to its plants in Spring Hill, Tennessee and Kansas City, Kansas in 2027. GM will also begin making gas-powered full-size SUVs and light duty pickup trucks in Orion Township, Michigan.

CEO Mary Barra said Tuesday that GM is committed to building vehicles in the US through 50 US plants and parts facilities that support nearly 1 million American jobs.

By the Associated Press

The Netherlands-based Global Rights Compliance says Avon, Walmart, Nescafe, Coca-Cola and paint supplier Sherwin-Williams may be among companies linked to titanium sourced from Xinjiang, where rights groups allege the Chinese government runs coercive labor practices targeting predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities.

The report found 77 Chinese suppliers in the titanium, lithium, beryllium and magnesium industries operating in Xinjiang are at risk of participating in China’s “labor transfer programs,” in which Uyghur are forced to work in factories as part of a long-standing campaign of assimilation and mass detention.

The named companies didn’t immediately comment.

A UN report from 2022 found China may have committed crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are estimated to have been arbitrarily detained as China targets terrorism and separatism. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the forced labor allegations are “nothing but a lie.”

President Joe Biden signed a law blocking imports from Xinjiang unless businesses can prove they were made without forced labor.

By the Associated Press

Trump says US will get magnets and rare earth minerals from China in a deal imposing 55% tariffs on Chinese goods — up sharply from the 30% set in Switzerland during talks in May.

In return, Trump said the US will provide China “what was agreed to,” including allowing Chinese students to attend American colleges and universities.

Trump recently had begun to clamp down on Chinese nationals on US college campuses.

By the Associated Press

US inflation picked up a bit last month as food costs rose, though overall inflation remained mostly tame.

Consumer prices increased 2.4% last month compared to a year ago, according to a Labor Department report released Wednesday. That is up from a 2.3% yearly increase in April. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.8% for the third straight month. Economists pay close attention to core prices because they generally provide a better sense of where inflation is headed.

The figures suggest inflation remains stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, which would make it less likely that the Fed will cut its key short-term interest rate. Trump has repeatedly urged the central bank to reduce borrowing costs.

Last week, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, which compiles the inflation data, said it is reducing the amount of data it collects for each inflation report. Economists have expressed concern about the cutback, and while it isn’t clear how sharp the reduction is, most analysts say it is likely to have a minor impact. Still, any reduction in data collection could make the figures more volatile.

By the Associated Press

Trump commented on the ruling on Wednesday on his social media site, saying, “A Federal Appeals Court has just ruled that the United States can use TARIFFS to protect itself against other countries. A great and important win for the U.S.,” he wrote.

By the Associated Press

Until recently, the Army’s long-planned birthday celebration did not include a big parade. Added under the Trump administration, the event, featuring hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers, has divided veterans.

Some liken it to the military chest-pounding commonly seen in North Korea, a step toward authoritarianism or a perverse birthday party for Trump.

Others see it as a once-in-a-lifetime accounting of the Army’s achievements and the military service of millions of soldiers over centuries. The parade is not about Trump, they say, but the public seeing the faces of soldiers when so few Americans serve.

The Army expects up to 200,000 people could attend and says the parade will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million.

Trump, speaking at Fort Bragg this week, said Saturday would be “a big day” and noted “we want to show off a little bit.”

By the Associated Press

The decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit extends a similar ruling it made after another federal court struck down the tariffs May 28, saying Trump had overstepped his authority.

The case involves 10% tariffs the president imposed on almost every country in April and bigger ones he imposed and then suspended on countries with which the United States runs trade deficits. It also involves tariffs Trump plastered on imports from China, Canada and Mexico to pressure them to do more to stop the illegal flow of immigrants and synthetic opioids across the U.S. border.

In declaring the tariffs, Trump had invoked emergency powers under a 1977 law. But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled he had exceeded his power.

The tariffs upended global trade, paralyzed businesses and spooked financial markets.

By the Associated Press

President Trump’s quest to erase his criminal conviction heads to a federal appeals court Wednesday. It’s one way he’s trying to get last year’s hush money verdict overturned.

A three-judge panel is set to hear arguments in Trump’s long-running fight to get the New York case moved from state court to federal court, where he could then try to have the verdict thrown out on presidential immunity grounds.

The Republican is asking the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene after a lower-court judge twice rejected the move. As part of the request, Trump wants the federal appeals court to seize control of the criminal case and then ultimately decide his appeal of the verdict, which is now pending in a state appellate court.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted Trump’s case, wants it to stay in state court.

By the Associated Press

Elon Musk stepped back from his explosive feud with President Trump, writing on X that he regrets some of his posts about his onetime ally and that they went “too far.”

Early Wednesday morning, he posted “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

Musk’s break with a president whom he spent hundreds of millions of dollars to elect appeared to put an end to his influence in the White House and prompted concerns about effects on his companies. As a major government contractor, Musk’s businesses could be particularly vulnerable to retribution, and Trump has already threatened to cut Musk’s contracts.

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By the Associated Press

Calling President Trump a threat to the American way of life, Gov. Gavin Newsom depicted the federal military intervention in Los Angeles as the onset of a much broader effort by Trump to overturn political and cultural norms at the heart of the nation’s democracy.

In a speech Tuesday evening, the potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate said the arrival of National Guard and Marine troops in the city at Trump’s direction was not simply about quelling protests that followed a series of immigration raids by federal authorities. Instead, he said, it was part of a calculated “war” intended to upend the foundations of society and concentrate power in the White House.

“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next,” a somber Newsom warned, seated before the U.S. and California flags. “Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived.”

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By the Associated Press

President Trump’s quest to erase his criminal conviction heads to a federal appeals court Wednesday. It’s one way he’s trying to get last year’s hush money verdict overturned.

A three-judge panel is set to hear arguments in Trump’s long-running fight to get the New York case moved from state court to federal court, where he could then try to have the verdict thrown out on presidential immunity grounds.

READ MORE

By the Associated Press

President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in Congress includes more than tax breaks and spending cuts — it also seeks to pour billions of dollars into the administration’s mass deportation agenda.

Republican leaders capitalized Tuesday on the demonstrations in Los Angeles, where people are protesting Trump’s immigration raids at Home Depot and other places, to make the case for swift passage of their sprawling 1,000-plus-page bill over staunch Democratic opposition.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers “much-needed reinforcements,” including 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, $45 billion to expand migrant detention facilities, and billions more to carry out at least 1 million deportations a year.

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