Headlines for October 21, 2025
www.democracynow.org
Top U.S. Officials Travel to Israel for Talks as Netanyahu Threatens to Collapse Gaza Ceasefire; Palestinian Woman Beaten Unconscious as Israeli Settlers Attack West Bank Olive Farmers; Federal Court Gives Trump Green Light to Deploy Troops to Portland; “Blatantly Immoral”: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Draws Fire for $170M Purchase of Luxury Private Jets; Colombia Recalls Ambassador to U.S. over Strikes in Caribbean as Trump Issues Threats; Sanae Takaichi, Opponent of Gender Equality, Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister; Trump Admin Fires Two Prosecutors Who Opposed Criminal Case Against Letitia James; DOJ Whistleblower Says He Received Illegal Orders from Trump Appointee Emil Bove; Politico: Trump Nominee Texts Group of Republicans He Has a “Nazi Streak”; Seven Universities Decline to Sign Trump Administration’s “Compact”; White House Begins Demolishing Part of East Wing to Make Way for Trump’s Ballroom

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is defending the purchase of two luxury private jets for herself and other DHS officials, costing more than $170 million in public funds. The U.S. Coast Guard’s acquisition of two Gulfstream G700 jets comes as the federal government shutdown is in its 21st day, hampering federal nutrition assistance and other public aid for millions of people nationwide. In a statement, Democratic Congressmember Bennie Thompson slammed the multimillion-dollar purchase as “blatantly immoral” and “probably illegal.”