Connect with us

Published

on

Kamala Harris has accused Donald Trump of thinking only of “service to himself” after the former president’s campaign filmed at a military cemetery.

Mr Trump has already hit back with videos from relatives of fallen soldiers he honoured in a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday, the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

The row began when he visited Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, which is considered hallowed ground and where political activities are forbidden by law.

But Mr Trump’s campaign posted a TikTok video with footage from the cemetery, drawing criticism from some veterans and soldiers’ relatives.

“Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt,” Ms Harris wrote in a lengthy post on X.

“This is a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself.”

A cemetery employee was also pushed aside at Section 60 during an altercation with Mr Trump’s staff, with the US Army defending her as professional and unfairly attacked.

A statement said the employee at the Virginia cemetery was trying to make sure those participating in the ceremony were following the rules.

Mr Trump launched a concerted pushback on social media on Saturday night with videos of relatives of at least seven of the 13 killed in the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Many of them addressed Ms Harris directly, insisting they invited Mr Trump and disputed her stated support for military families.

“Let me be clear, there was no politics discussed, none whatsoever,” said Darin Hoover, father of Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover.

“Trump has been there for us from the very beginning.”

“Our kids were murdered because of your administration,” said Jaclyn Schmitz, the mother of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz.

Read more:
Trump threatens to imprison Zuckerburg for ‘rest of life’
Rust belt town embraces Trump despite broken promises

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law of Sergeant Nicole Gee, said: “Vice President Harris, why will you not express your condolences yourself?

“Why have we never heard from you?”

Mr Trump defended himself during a speech in Pennsylvania on Friday, saying the families had asked him to go to the cemetery.

“I got there and we had a ceremony,” he said.

The families asked if he could come to the graves, he added, and then they sought a photo.

“I said, ‘absolutely’, so I was taking pictures at the grave.”

Continue Reading

US

Trump 100, Day 57: Why is Trump acting like a ‘mafia boss’?

Published

on

By

Trump 100, Day 57: Why is Trump acting like a 'mafia boss'?

👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈

On Day 57 of Trump’s presidency, US correspondent Mark Stone is joined by Gerard Baker, the Wall Street Journal’s editor-at-large.

After spending election night together on the Sky News set in November, the two compare notes on Trump’s presidency to date and discuss whether Trump is misinterpreting or ignoring his mandate.

Gerry shares what he believes Trump has done right, and what he’s got “completely wrong” at the cost of America.

Plus, they bet who will be the first casualty of the administration.

If you’ve got a question you’d like James, Martha, and Mark to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk

Continue Reading

US

US Trump administration deports hundreds of Venezuelans despite court order

Published

on

By

US Trump administration deports hundreds of Venezuelans despite court order

Hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members have been deported by the White House to a supermax prison in El Salvador, even as a US judge blocked the removals.

US District Judge James E Boasberg issued an order on Saturday temporarily blocking the Trump administration deportations, but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air – one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras.

Mr Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but the directive was not included in his written order.

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Image:
Salvadoran police officers escorting alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua t to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Centre.
Pic: Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/
Image:
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Image:
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Sunday: “The administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order.

“The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA (Tren de Aragua gang) aliens had already been removed from US territory.”

In a court filing Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Mr Boasberg’s decision, said it would not use the Trump proclamation he blocked for further deportations if his decision is not overturned.

President Donald Trump sidestepped a question over whether his administration violated a court order while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening.

More on Donald Trump

But he added: “I can tell you this. These were bad people.”

Salvadoran police officers process alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Image:
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

Salvadoran police officers cut the hair of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Image:
Police officers cut the hair of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government. Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua t to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Centre.
Pic: Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/
Image:
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters

Asked about invoking presidential powers used in times of war, Mr Trump said: “This is a time of war.”

He also described the influx of criminal migrants as “an invasion”.

“Oopsie…Too late,” Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6m in his country’s prisons, posted on X above an article about Mr Boasberg’s ruling.

The immigrants were deported after Mr Trump’s declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in US history – during the War of 1812 and the First and Second World Wars.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump launches strikes over Red Sea ship attacks
US expels South African ambassador

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone during the past decade.

The Trump administration has not identified the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the US.

It also sent two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the US.

👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈

Video released by El Salvador’s government showed the shackled men – who had their heads shaved – being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter.

The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility.

The bar on deportations stands for up to 14 days and the immigrants will remain in federal custody during that time.

Mr Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Friday to hear additional arguments in the case.

Continue Reading

US

Man injured by hot tea from Starbucks awarded $50m in damages

Published

on

By

Man injured by hot tea from Starbucks awarded m in damages

A delivery driver who needed skin grafts after being burned when a hot tea from Starbucks spilled into his lap has been awarded $50m (£38.6m) in damages.

Michael Garcia suffered third-degree burns to his genitals, groin and inner thighs and has permanent and life-changing disfigurement after collecting the drink at a California drive-through, according to his legal team.

His negligence lawsuit blamed the injuries on Starbucks, claiming an employee did not wedge the scalding-hot tea firmly enough into a takeaway tray.

Video footage shows Mr Garcia being handed a tray of three drinks at the serving window in Los Angeles and appearing to struggle as he drives his vehicle away.

Pic:Trial Lawyers for Justice
Image:
Incident happened at a Starbucks drive-through in California. Pic: Trial Lawyers for Justice

A Los Angeles County jury found in favour of Mr Garcia after he launched legal action over the incident on 8 February 2020.

He was working as a Postmates delivery driver at the time, according to Sky’s US partner network NBC News.

His lawyer Nick Rowley said his client’s “life has been forever changed”.

“This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” he added.

Starbucks said it sympathised with Mr Garcia, but plans to lodge an appeal.

In a statement, the global coffeehouse chain said: “We disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive.”

The firm added it was “committed to the highest safety standards” in handling hot drinks.

Read more from Sky News:
British woman missing in Thailand after boat fire
First image of Pope Francis since he fell ill

US restaurants have faced lawsuits before over customer burns.

In one famous 1990s case, a New Mexico jury awarded a woman nearly $3m (£2.3m) in damages for burns she suffered while trying to pry the lid off a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive-through.

A judge later reduced the award and the case was settled for an undisclosed sum under $600,000 (£463,600).

Continue Reading

Trending