Top counterterrorism official resigns in protest of US war against Iran
The nation’s top counterterrorism official resigned Tuesday in protest of the U.S. war against Iran, saying Tehran posed no imminent threat. Joe Kent said in a post on X, “After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.” “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” he wrote. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” In a pointed letter to President Donald Trump, Kent said the war marked a departure from the administration’s earlier approach to avoiding prolonged conflicts in the Middle East. IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT “Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,” he said, seemingly referring to Operation Midnight Hammer, a series of U.S. strikes in June 2025 on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Kent wrote that in his first term, Trump understood how to “decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars,” citing the killing of former Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Prior to the current conflict known as Operation Epic Fury, Kent claimed that “high-ranking Israeli officials” and members of the media had deployed a “misinformation campaign” to “undermine” America First. “This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was an clear path to swift victory,” Kent said. The National Counterterrorism Center director reports directly to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and is a top five intelligence community post in any administration. WHY GULF STATES AREN’T JOINING THE WAR AGAINST IRAN — DESPITE ATTACKS ON THEIR SOIL Gabbard, a longtime critic of regime change operations, has been quiet since the Iran conflict. Her office could not immediately be reached for comment on Kent’s resignation. She recently hired Dan Caldwell, a prominent voice for restraint-minded foreign policy, as an advisor to senior intelligence officials, a source familiar with the move confirmed to Fox News Digital. Caldwell was fired from his role as a senior advisor to War Secretary Pete Hegseth during a leak investigation that has not produced public results. A former Army Green Beret and CIA paramilitary officer with 11 combat deployments, Kent ran for Congress unsuccessfully twice with Trump’s backing in the state of Washington before being appointed to his role as counterterrorism chief. Kent’s late wife, Shannon, was a Navy intelligence officer killed in 2019 in an ISIS bombing in Syria. Kent wrote on X Tuesday, “As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people or justifies the cost of American lives.” The White House could not immediately be reached for comment on Kent’s resignation. Taylor Budowich, who departed his role as Trump’s deputy chief of staff in September 2025, claimed on X that Kent was a “crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks, while rarely (never?) producing any actual work.” “This isn’t some principled resignation — he just wanted to make a splash before getting canned,” Budowich wrote on X Tuesday. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Kent was “clearly wrong.” “I got all the briefings,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday. “We all understood there was clearly an imminent threat, that Iran was very close to the enrichment of nuclear capability, and they were building missiles at a pace that no one in the region could keep up with.” Kent’s tenure drew sharp opposition from Democrats during his confirmation, largely over his past political statements and associations, including reported contacts with figures tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, movement and his alignment with election denial rhetoric during his congressional campaigns, but supporters pointed to his extensive combat and intelligence experience. Operation Epic Fury is now in its third week, with sustained air and missile exchanges across the region, including Iranian retaliatory strikes against U.S. forces, Israel, and Gulf states. While the Trump administration initially signaled the operation could last four to six weeks, officials have acknowledged the timeline could stretch longer as Iran continues to resist and regional tensions remain high.
Map shows glaring scope of auto theft increase in Walz’s Minneapolis: ‘Deterrence problem’
The city of Minneapolis has seen a dramatic increase in auto thefts so far in 2026, causing rising pressure on Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey to address the situation. The worrying trend was highlighted by Crime Watch Minneapolis, a volunteer-operated news organization, which shared a graphic on X showing how widespread the problem has become throughout the city. More than 1,000 auto thefts were reported in January and February of this year in Minneapolis, a city of approximately 430,000 people. This represents an increase of nearly 35% compared to the same period last year, according to Crime Watch Minneapolis. The trend appears to be continuing into March, with at least 14 reported auto thefts between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. on March 14 and six more during the afternoon on that same day, according to the news site. Over the last few months, Walz and Frey have made numerous statements attacking ICE and blaming federal immigration authorities for making the city less safe. Earlier this year, the two were the focus of a Department of Justice investigation into an alleged conspiracy to coerce or obstruct federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota. MCDONALD’S LOCKS DOORS TO KEEP OUT INDIVIDUALS WHO PRESENT ‘A RISK’ IN CRIME-RIDDEN MINNEAPOLIS AREA Additionally, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara suggested to local media that Trump’s Operation Metro Surge was a “contributing factor” to the rise in auto thefts because “officers and investigators were consistently pulled from their normal assigned duties.” “This isn’t an ICE problem,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel told Fox News Digital. “It’s a deterrence problem.” “As a 30-year law enforcement veteran, I can tell you this: auto theft goes down when city leaders make it a priority and criminals know there will be consequences. We’ve seen that in St. Paul, where focused enforcement drove car theft down sharply, while Minneapolis is back over 1,000 auto thefts in just the first two months of this year.” Nagel, running for Congress as a Republican against Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital that Frey and Walz have “spent years making excuses, undermining deterrence, and tolerating a revolving door for repeat offenders—especially juveniles.” WALZ IN THE HOT SEAT AS CRITICS’ PREDICTIONS ON HIS CONTROVERSIAL NEW LAW COME TRUE: ‘CONCERNING TRENDS’ “If you want fewer stolen cars, you need more officers, proactive policing, prosecutors willing to act, and a juvenile system with the capacity to intervene before these kids become career criminals,” Nagel said, referencing the understaffed Minneapolis Police Department that has been severely understaffed since losing 40% of its ranks after the death of George Floyd in 2020. A Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson acknowledged to Fox News Digital that the department “continues to be understaffed” and pointed to differences between Minneapolis and St. Paul, including the policy that MPD does “not pursue stolen vehicles.” The spokesperson also reiterated the claim from Chief O’Hara that Operation Metro Surge was a “contributing factor” and said that the 1,196 auto thefts in the city year to date break down into: “Non-Kia/Hyundai vehicles taken without keys — auto theft up 59%, Kia/Hyundai taken without keys (ignition peeled and punched) auto theft up 25% (313 vs 251), Keys-In auto theft up 18% (291 vs 247) cases. Victim said they left vehicle running, attempted auto theft up 10% — 99 this year vs 90 last year. Car not actually stolen.” “While the recent spike earlier in the year reversed the trend somewhat, the rolling 12-month data still shows that auto thefts remain 38% below their mid-2023 peak,” the spokesperson said, adding that the city “is also seeing signs of a broader nationwide trend involving the use of key-programming technology to steal vehicles.” Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Walz and Frey for comment but did not receive a response. A spokesperson for County Attorney Mary Moriarty told Fox News Digital that motor vehicle thefts are “really tough for police to solve,” noting that only about 3% of cases result in an arrest, making “deterrence much less likely.” The spokesperson added that the office launched an initiative in mid-2023 in response to a spike in car thefts and said University of Minnesota research later found a 58% drop in cases involving teens stealing cars since the program began, though the official said multiple factors likely contributed to the decline. “It takes a very wide-angle lens and adherence/interest in what the data actually indicates to properly address these dynamics,” the spokesperson said.
Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia released from ICE detention
NewsFeed Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia was released from an ICE detention facility in Texas after a year in custody. The 33-year-old from the occupied West Bank was the last person connected to the Columbia University anti-genocide protests still held by US immigration authorities. Published On 17 Mar 202617 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Israel policy looms large over US elections in Illinois amid Iran war
Washington, DC – Pro-Israel groups in the United States are spending millions of dollars in elections to assert their influence over the rising anger towards Israeli policies. A set of primaries in the Midwestern state of Illinois on Tuesday represents an early test for the strength of pro-Israel politics in the US amid the countries’ joint war on Iran. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The Chicago area Democratic primaries, where groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) have emerged as some of the largest spenders, come as Israel’s popularity in the US hits a historic low. As AIPAC’s brand becomes increasingly rejected by Democrats, newly formed political action committees (PACs) with generic names that share vendors with the pro-Israel lobby group have been spending heavily against progressives in Illinois. Several so-called dark-money groups that do not have to reveal their funders until after the vote have endorsed the same candidates as AIPAC. According to an investigation by Chicago’s public radio WBEZ, AIPAC and its donors have spent $13.7m on the primaries, including through funds funnelled to shadow PACs. Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for the progressive group Justice Democrats, said AIPAC is using “covert shell” groups because it is aware of the unpopularity of Israel, especially after the “live-streamed genocide” in Gaza. He noted that AIPAC’s election arm is called the United Democracy Project, a name that does not mention Israel. “AIPAC has always relied on voters not knowing the whole story,” Andrabi told Al Jazeera. Advertisement “AIPAC has become such a toxic force in the Democratic Party that voters now, when they see a candidate backed by AIPAC, they reject them simply for that support.” A source close to AIPAC told Jewish Insider this week that the group is focused on defeating six candidates who are critical of Israel across four contests in Illinois. The Kat Abughazaleh race In one of the most closely watched contests, Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old progressive activist with a large online following, is locked in a crowded race for the open seat vacated by retiring Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. Abughazaleh, who has openly called Israel’s war on Gaza a genocide, is running against several candidates for the safe Democratic seat. Her most viable opponents are Daniel Biss, the mayor of the Chicago suburb of Evanston, who is critical of some Israeli policies and backed by the liberal Zionist group J Street, and State Senator Laura Fine, seen as the pro-Israel candidate in the race. An AIPAC-linked group initially attacked Biss to prop up Fine. But fearing another miscalculation, as in the recent race in New Jersey, where attacks on the centrist candidate who is mildly critical of Israel helped an all-out progressive activist win, pro-Israel groups have focused on Abughazaleh in recent days. And in a bizarre twist, a group linked to AIPAC ran an advertisement last week supporting Bushra Amiwala, a long-shot candidate who is fiercely opposed to US aid to Israel, in an apparent effort to siphon off votes from Abughazaleh and possibly Biss. Amiwala was quick to disavow the advertisement. “This is an attempt to smear my name by putting my name next to pro-genocide, pro-war… billionaires,” she said. AIPAC did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication. Andrabi from Justice Democrats said that AIPAC’s tactics show the degree to which the lobbying group has become a “toxic” brand for Democratic voters. Justice Democrats has endorsed Abughazaleh in the race, but Andrabi said that even if Biss wins, it would be a defeat for AIPAC. A recent Public Policy Polling survey suggested that Abughazaleh is a close second to Biss, at 20 percent to 24 percent, respectively, with Fine behind them at 14 percent. In a Democratic primary in a neighbouring district, progressive candidate Junaid Ahmed has also been making inroads and closing the gap with the pro-Israel candidate, former Congresswoman Melissa Bean. While Ahmed has focused his campaign on domestic issues, he has highlighted AIPAC’s interference in the race. Advertisement “It’s dark money vs democracy, and tomorrow we will send AIPAC packing,” Ahmed wrote in a social media post on Monday. ‘AIPAC is losing the long-term battle’ Other competitive races include a primary contest to fill the seat of Representative Robin Kelly, who is now running for the Senate. The race pits Jesse Jackson Jr, son of the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, against several candidates, including Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, backed by pro-Israel groups, and State Senator Robert Peters, who has been critical of AIPAC. To fill the seat of retiring Democratic Congressman Danny Davis, another crowded contest is taking place on Tuesday. According to Jewish Insider, AIPAC’s priority is to defeat activist Kina Collins in that race. The other candidates include Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and State Representative LaShawn Ford. A primary election will also take place to determine the Democratic and Republican nominees for the Senate, as incumbent Dick Durbin is set to leave Congress at the end of his term. On the Democratic side, where the winner will likely replace Durbin, Congresswoman Kelly, who has also accused Israel of genocide, is facing Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi – both strong Israel supporters. Andrabi said that no matter the results on Tuesday, polls show AIPAC’s shrinking influence. He also accused the pro-Israel lobby group of “moving the goal posts” from electing its favoured candidates to blocking progressive hopefuls. “We want to win all these races without a doubt. But I think it is very clear that AIPAC is losing the long-term battle for the future of this party,” Andrabi told Al Jazeera. Although the majority of Democrats in Congress are pro-Israel, an NBC poll published on Monday suggests that only 17 percent of the party’s voters sympathise more with Israelis than Palestinians. Tuesday’s elections pose an early test to voters’ attitudes towards the war on Iran, whose impact is starting to bite Americans at the petrol pump. While most Democratic candidates have voiced opposition
Top Democrat in US House slams Trump’s ‘reckless war of choice’
NewsFeed “Reckless war of choice.” US House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised Donald Trump for what he called a failure to adequately prepare for the consequences of launching a war on Iran. Published On 17 Mar 202617 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
India responds after US panel urges sanctions on R&AW, RSS: ‘Distorted and selective picture’
In its latest annual report, the USCIRF made certain recommendations based on an assessment of conditions during 2025. The report alleges that the Indian government has engaged in and tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations”.
Lok Sabha: Suspension of 8 Opposition MPs likely to be revoked today
The 8 opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Budget Session on February 4 for violating rules and “throwing papers on the chair” amid uproar in the House over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on a specific reference about the 2020 Indo-China clashes.
Jasmine Crockett defends her security guard who was killed in police standoff, wanted for impersonating cop
The man who worked security for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, but was killed in a standoff with SWAT last week was accused of impersonating a police officer and other offenses, although the congresswoman is defending him, saying his criminal history does not include any violent offenses. The suspect, who was identified as Diamon-Mazairre Robinson, 39, was shot and killed by Dallas Police SWAT officers on Wednesday. He had barricaded himself inside a vehicle in the garage of a children’s hospital after Dallas Police officers tracked him while investigating an active warrant. Police deployed tear gas to force him out before the suspect exited the vehicle and pointed a gun at officers, leading officers to shoot him. The suspect did not fire his gun, and no officers were injured. Dash camera footage of the incident at Children’s Medical Center Dallas was released on Monday. JASMINE CROCKETT’S ALLEGED SECURITY GUARD KILLED IN STANDOFF WITH DALLAS SWAT TEAM: REPORTS He was wanted for impersonating a law enforcement officer and had claimed to be one while recruiting for his business that placed off-duty officers in security jobs. Robinson was driving a replica undercover car with stolen U.S. government plates, often wore fake police uniforms pretending he was a federal agent and created a fraudulent business where he used fake identifying information to hire legitimate police officers for off-duty jobs. Dallas Police also said 11 firearms were recovered during their investigation, including the handgun he was holding during the shooting, which was reported stolen. He was also not using his real name, going by the alias “Mike King.” “The agencies that he reported to work for do not exist. So dignitaries, basically special dignitary police, that agency does not exist within the federal government. So that’s who he portrayed to be. There was no actual federal agency that he worked for that existed. He was very good at hiding his true identity … He had been living like this for many years,” Dallas Deputy Police Chief William Griffith said on Monday. Robinson has a lengthy criminal history, with arrests going back as far as 2010. He has been charged with offenses such as theft and violating probation. Crockett came to the defense of her former security guard, releasing a statement on Monday saying her office was unable to find any violent offenses in his “limited criminal history.” “We are saddened and shocked by some of the concerning revelations. Our team followed all protocols outlined by the House to contract additional security. We were approved to use this vendor who also provided security services for additional entities in the local community and worked closely with law enforcement agencies including Capitol Police,” she said in the statement. The congresswoman said, “the fact that an individual was able to somehow circumvent the vetting processes for something as sensitive as security for members of Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems.” JASMINE CROCKETT CAMPAIGN REPORTEDLY KICKED ATLANTIC WRITER OUT OF RALLY FOR BEING A ‘TOP-NOTCH HATER’ “This is incredibly alarming, especially for those members who receive high volumes of credible and sophisticated death threats,” she said. “This situation reiterates the need for Capitol Police to provide security for members of Congress, especially under this administration’s new normal of inciting attacks on those who dare to speak out. We are fortunate that this is someone who used those loopholes without malice. Furthermore, after an initial review of the limited criminal history of Diamon Mazairre Robinson in Dallas County, we’ve been unable to locate any violent offenses.” The progressive lawmaker added that “there was never any reason to suspect that he wasn’t who he held himself out to be,” saying he never endangered her team, worked diligently, coordinated with local law enforcement and maintained positive relationships throughout the community.” “What we’re now learning about his past doesn’t fit the person we came to know as Mike King,” she wrote. “His death evokes a range of emotions. Our hearts grieve the loss of someone we knew and the lost good that could have come from his redemption.”
Trump questions Newsom’s fitness for White House, citing his dyslexia
President Donald Trump on Monday questioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fitness for higher office, citing his learning disability. Trump was speaking with reporters in the Oval Office when he talked about requiring identification to vote in elections and the resistance from Newsom and other Democratic elected officials. “That’s how crazy it’s gotten with a low IQ person, you know, because Gavin Newsom has admitted…that he has learning disabilities,” Trump said. “Honestly, I’m all for people with learning disabilities. But not for my president…I think a president should not have learning disabilities.” GAVIN NEWSOM SPOX TELLS REPORTER ‘F— OFF’ WHEN ASKED FOR RECORDS OF HIS DYSLEXIA DIAGNOSIS “I know it’s highly controversial to say such a horrible thing,” he added. “Gavin Newsom admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia. Everything about him is dumb.” Newsom, who is widely believed to have White House ambitions, has spoken about his dyslexia, a neurologically-based learning disability that makes it difficult to read, according to the International Dyslexia Association. “You’ve never seen me read a speech, because I cannot read a speech,” Newsom said in Atlanta last month while promoting his memoir: “Young Man in a Hurry.” “I haven’t overcome dyslexia. I’m living with it.” Trump also criticized Newsom for his remarks at that same Atlanta event. “I’m not, you know, I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you,” Newsom told Mayor Andre Dickens at a book tour event. NEWSOM RIPPED FOR ‘RACIST’ VIRAL CLIP TELLING BLACK MAYOR ‘I’M LIKE YOU’ BEFORE TOUTING POOR SAT SCORE “You know, I’m a 960 SAT guy. And, you know, and I’m not trying to offend anyone, you know, ‘trying to act all there if you got 940,’” he continued. “Literally a 960 SAT guy, you’ve never seen me read a speech. Because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be in.” Republicans criticized the governor for allegedly talking down to a mostly Black audience. “So now, on top of everything else, I call him a racist because it happened to be a black audience,” Trump said Monday. “I will tell you this, I think it was the worst interview I’ve ever seen of any human being in my life.” At the time, Newsom’s office defended his comments in a previous statement to Fox News Digital. “First MAGA mocked his dyslexia and now they’re calling him racist for talking about his low SAT scores. This is MAGA-manufactured outrage,” Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said. “The Governor has said this publicly for years — including with Charlie Kirk and dozens of other audiences. The same people who excused or ignored Trump’s racist ape video can go f— themselves.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Newsom’s office.
Trump lawyer in Jack Smith case draws conservative backing after DOJ praise rattles ‘elite’ legal conference
President Donald Trump’s former defense lawyer received swift backing from conservative legal figures online after facing pushback at a recent American Bar Association (ABA) conference for praising the Trump Department of Justice. Attorney John Lauro, who defended Trump in special counsel Jack Smith’s 2020 election case, said the DOJ was “in a better place” under Trump, causing fellow panelists and audience members to shudder, according to a Bloomberg Law report of the event. Lauro told Fox News Digital in a brief phone call on Monday that the event “was a highly triggered environment.” “I called out the ABA and other elite legal organizations for not condemning the prior administration in holding political sham trials and show trials, particularly the one directed at President Trump, where the Biden administration wanted to put him on trial in 90 days, which is shorter than it takes for a traffic ticket to get worked through in D.C.,” Lauro said. LABOR DEPARTMENT ORDERS LAWYERS TO CUT TIES WITH ABA, SLAMS GROUP AS ‘RADICAL’ ACTIVIST FORCE The tense panel put a spotlight on the Trump administration’s ongoing fight with the ABA as it spurred DOJ officials and lawyers to voice their disdain for the organization. “The ABA is trash and I’m proud to never have been a member,” Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon said. “Its stunt trashing Judge [Robert] Bork did it for me.” “As if we needed anymore proof of the absolute disgrace that is the ABA,” wrote Associate Deputy Attorney General Diego Pestana. “John Lauro, one of the best trial attorneys in the country and patriot, treated terribly for simply daring to voice a view contrary to the liberal white collar bar.” Lauro said during the panel, held at a conference in San Diego, that he had “the unique experience of representing a political figure who was probably more abused by the criminal justice system in America than any other political figure ever.” “Everything that has gone on in the current administration must be looked at from the eyes of a man who was victimized by the criminal justice system,” Lauro said. Among those rallying behind Lauro was also Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan, who said the ABA “represents a hyperpartisan faction.” “That’s fine! But they should play no role in law school accreditation (or judicial selection),” Wessan said. Former DOJ official Jeff Clark, an un-indicted co-conspirator in the 2020 election case, called Lauro “a bold man of principle.” WHO ARE THE 6 CO-CONSPIRATORS NAMED IN TRUMP’S JAN. 6 INDICTMENT? HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW Another social media user, an anonymous Georgia-based legal commentator, said that while he disagreed with Lauro’s comments, he was “jealous” that Lauro “had the opportunity to tell a room of the type of haughty, effete defense lawyers who hang around at ABA conferences to go f— themselves. He should have taken it.” Lauro’s remarks had elicited pushback from participants. Nancy Gertner, a Harvard University law professor and retired federal judge, responded that any issues surrounding Trump’s prosecutions did not “justify the fracture of American democracy.” Former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner said: “I wanted to thank Mr. Lauro for admitting the emperor has no clothes. The rule of law is dead because the people in this room and the Department of Justice pissed off President Trump.” “I can’t believe that you think that that’s normal or good that one person can dictate who the Department of Justice investigates and indicts,” lawyer and panel moderator Sandy Weinberg said. Republicans have long argued the ABA promotes Democrat-aligned viewpoints and that its institutional presence in the legal world is a disadvantage to conservatives. The ABA’s website showcases work that includes support for “LGBTQ+” initiatives, abortion access, stricter gun control measures, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The ABA has also taken a stance against Trump, condemning what its president described as the administration’s “wide-scale affronts to the rule of law.” JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TELLS AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION IT WILL NO LONGER COMPLY WITH RATINGS FOR JUDICIAL NOMINEES The ABA has for decades wielded enormous power, weighing in on nominations of federal judges, engaging in litigation and helping firms across the legal industry with recruitment. One arm of the ABA also handles law school accreditation. Under Trump, several departments and agencies, including the DOJ and Department of Labor, have told political appointees they cannot affiliate with the ABA in their official capacity. The DOJ, meanwhile, moved to terminate more than $3 million in federal grants to ABA programs, though a judge ruled the move was unconstitutional. Attorney General Pam Bondi told the ABA last year that the DOJ would not give advanced notice to the organization about judicial nominees, a reversal of a decades-long practice of allowing the organization to rate the nominees before they advance in the Senate. Fox News Digital reached out to the ABA for comment.